Hi Iam a 53 year old X Hippie wear my hair long to cover my red neck live in the woods so people will leave me alone...Went to Vietnam in 1969 came back and Demonstrated in DC against the War was a full fleged Democrat back than...Now a mostly a conservative Republican...God how life can change..
Have always been fat stated high school at 5'2"...240lbs...Finshed at 5'11" 215lbs....Came back from Nam 190 lbs..ate anything I wanted wet to 250lbs working construction building houses so that weight didnt bother me much...went to Tech school for 2 years became a Machinist worked in a plant 2 years ...Hit 270lbs...Hated the job standing in a 2ft area mass producing parts 8-10 hrs a day...the thought of doing this for 30 years made me sick....
So what the heck if you dont like it change it...Started driving big trucks cross country...49 states and canada...15 years 1,500,000 miles...yep like I tell my boys I have been everywhere...Liked the job as long as i got stuff there on time they left me alone only one problem...TRUCK driving FOOD...Hi fat Hi carbs and large portions...yep 350 in no time at all
15 years of this pretty much killed me Hi sugars...Fats and carbs...Bad roads killing your kidneys and back...total lack of sleep...being forced to drive like 3-4 days to make a delivery on time with maybe 2 hrs sleep a night if you were lucky
Well I went to change jobs where I would just run Fla. and GA. and be home more often and get more sleep...Took a physical for them my Blood sugar was out of wack....yep Diabetes....gave me a bus ticket home...
Well that ended my truck driving....started driving a cab 5-6 days a week 12 hrs a day...Doctors started treating me for Diabetes about 5 years ago...never improved..they just keep increasing my meds....I keept felling worse got up to 400lbs this year...next thing was to go on insulin...no real answers from my Doctor( do not like my Doc she is a clinic doc and realy burt out) but i cant afford a real good doctor...
In the last year things have realy gone bad...I can only work about 5 hrs a night thurs...friday and Sat....exhausted all the time...Blood sugar hanging around 140....No sweets in my diet...they cant increase my meds any higher..It use to be if I ate a big meal I would go int sort of a stuper for awhile after it....the last month or so everytime i eat it makes me sick my gut hurts...plus no matter how small amount it is it sets me in a Stuper...I ate a chicken salad sandwich and a few chips and a pickel last week...I sat in the chair for 3 hrs a could not get up..finaly grabed my blood tester...Blood sugar jumped to 399...no wonder I was out...
Well that was the day that started the search on the internet for answers...I found the Atkins site and this one....Bought several books off ebay...Read the atkins one First....Bammm....Was like a ton of bricks landed on me...all the answers to all the questions I had were in this book....I knew sugars were bad for me and stayed away from them...I knew carbs were bad but never had any Idea how bad they realy were...WOW...So at 430 lbs about 3 days ago I started the Atkins Induction...the first day or 2 I felt like crap...stayed on the toilet most of the time...Iam hoping this will end soon..as bad as my body is out of wack it has to take some time to adjust...one thing i did notice that my Blood sugar droped to 120 and an hr after a decent size meal it only jumped to 128...8points instead of250plus...that alone is enough to keep me going...I want off all these pills Iam taking realy bad...cost to much....
also these forums here have been great for info and inspiration....and yes I have a tendency to babble on...lol...hopefully with this Diet and forum I will be able to hang around long enough to see my 3 year old son finish high school...He means the world to me...all my sons do...21-15-3
Hello and Thanks....Big John(BoogieBlues)

Welcome, Big John.
You've come to the right place to give you the support and encouragement you need to keep on this way of life. You already HAVE the motivation in your sons.

Jude

By the way: I'm 53, and one of those women who waved goodbye to the guys going to Vietnam--and cried over so many coming back in bags. J.

Hello Big John
Welcome to the forum! And the Triple Digits Club!

You know what, you really can be off those meds if you keep with this. You will find more and more that letting the carbs alone for a while will bring those sugar levels DOWN DOWN DOWN. I know from experience.

Yes, the first 4 days are a nightmare! That is the withdrawal symtoms of the sugar. But I promise you that by then end of induction you will see tangibal results in how you feel and most likely how much you weigh.

There are so many great people here and that will help you through the hard times. But I guarantee you that the hard times will get easier and easier as each day passes.

Better count on getting your old job back because in 6 months you will be able to pick the one you want without any problems.

My advice for a newbie, is to start a free www.fitday.com and input and monitor your food and weight goals. Also, others will be able to see it if you make it public and comment or help you when you run into problems.

Use this site and start a journal where everyone can see you and stop in to say hello and give you encouragment.

Be sure to make sure your Dr. knows everything you are doing and check to be sure all the supplements you need do not interfere with your current meds.

Take your measurements RIGHT AWAY. This was huge for me and gives so much encouragement.

I wish you all the best of luck, but really luck has not much to do with it, it is DETERMINATION, to be a better YOU. And from your post is seems you already have that.

See you around.

Welcome to the forum. I am lucky I found Atkins before developing diabetes, but I am sure I was on my way there. There are quite a few people on the forum and in the TDC who have been able to control their diabetes by low carbing alone and one of them will probably respond to your post. At a minimum, as you seem to be finding out, low carbing should seriously decrease your dependence upon medication. Although I am not diabetic, I know that you need to be very careful right now to make sure that since you are on medication your blood sugar does not go too low. Also, if you are on any type of medication for high blood pressure you need to monitor that carefully as the diuretic effects of Atkin can make your blood pressure drop very rapidly.

I had the same experience you did -- I first read about low carbing almost two years ago and it was like a lightbulb went off in my head. I suddenly understood why I had gotten so fat and why I couldn't stop gaining weight. As soon as I started low carbing I stopped gaining and started losing. And I have the same motivation you have, I want to see my children (now ages 14 and 18) grow up and I want to see my future grandchildren grow up and I want to be able to actively participate in all their lives and not just sit on the sidelines because I am too fat and tired to move. I think that is the best motivation in the world for sticking to this way of eating.

Your body should probably adjust in a week or so, but in the meantime please keep a careful eye on your blood sugar and your blood pressure (if you monitor that). You are probably right that your body is seriously out of whack and will take time to adjust. Please make sure you are drinking enough water so you don't get dehydrated.

Hi, Big John . Wow, quite the story you have - but you are right, you have found a great place - we are all here in the same boats and support each other...you can do this!!

Glad your with us. Big John. My weight goals are right around yours. I lost my first 35 pounds in 3 moths. hope you have the same positive results. I know alot of mine was because I was sticking to the way of eating, I was aware, so didn't binge on things I shouldn't. Luckily(God willing) I haven't had any major medical issues because of my weight, hoping to get it down before any arise.
Good Luck, hope to see you around, this is a great bunch of supportive folks.

Hi Big John,

Welcome to TDC! You've found a great place for support, encouragement and some gentle butt-kicking when required.

Once you get those toxins out of your system in the next week or so, you'll be feeling so great!! Hang in there - it's worth it!

Rocky

Welcome to the TDC! And congratulations on getting started with this Way of Eating. It really works when you stick with it and will soon become a Way of Life for you. There will be ups and downs, but just remember to keep trying and come here and post for help if you need it, or just to tell us of your success!

Hi there John! Quite the story -- and we're here to help you make sure it takes and continues a happy storyline for a very long time to come. One important thing that I think all of us in the TDC have come quickly to understand. There is no quick fix. This is us for the rest of our lives. We cannot tolerate carbs and have to permanently adjust our eating habits as well as starting to exercise.

I hope your induction blues go away quickly and you are into a steady losing pattern. Good luck and visit often. Fitday is great advice!

Hi Big John!

And a big welcome to you! We sure understand what you are saying and your desperation to lose weight. It does work!!! I know induction is hard, I always felt so lousey on it. But it gets better and before you know it, you will feel better than you have in years! We discuss all sorts of things here in the TDC and we share so many common experiences as heavy people in this world. Hang in there Big John - you certainly aren't alone!

Orchid

Welcome to the group Big John.
I hope you do well on Atkins.

Welcome Big John

I wanted to be a hippy but dad wouldn't let me. I was involed in someting that had to do with the Vietnam era, but was too young to understand any of it. I wanted to protest but again dad said no, then came woodstock, yep dad said no. Of course I was only 8.

I got my revenge in the late 70's early 80's of course by then all you original hippies had already done it first and probably done it better.

I too live in the woods, for the same reason as you. born and raised in detroit.

You have found a good place here.


I am diabetic, a newbie to the disease. the first thing you have to do is get your blood sugars under control, then your weight. As you loose weight it will be easier to get your blood sugar controlled and as you control your blood sugar your weight will be easier to manage.


As far as diabetes goes, do lots of research and stay low carb. The ADA put me on a low(er) carb diet than one I was used to and the weight just started to disappear. I have since lowered my carb intake even more and have gained pretty good controll over the blood sugar, most of my readings are now in the very low 100's to mid 90's and the occasional high 80's.

Carbs are posion to a diabetic. Walking is very important, at least 30 minutes each day, preferable 30 minutes after each meal.

Try reading Dr Bernsteins revised and improved Diabetes solution. It works!

Post in my journal if you ever want to talk

Never cut your hair and never change the color of your neck! We hippies have to stick together

Hello John, You have quite a story--you should be proud of yourself and finally making a commitment!! Its hard to stick with this way of eating if you have a family thats eating lots of carbs. But, you can do it. Sometimes I have more carbs than the 20 per day, but its much less than I had before starting this program. Now my body knows when I have too many carbs. Keep your head up, you can do it!!! You will feel much better! I have a LONG way to go also--but we are worth the challenge!!!

Hi John,

Welcome aboard to another oldie but goodie

You seem very motivated and that only grows stronger as the weight falls off. It really does get easier, in a few weeks you'll have this WOE down pat.

Someone else mentioned about measuring, that really is important, because sometimes when you think you've stalled, you're still losing inches.

I keep a food journal at atkins.com, and have found lots of great recipes there, they show you a little icon that tells you if its allowed in the Atkins phase you are in. I stayed on induction for a month, some days still I only manage to get 20g per day because I'm just not hungry for more.

It's great to have you here, you'll never meet a nicer bunch of people, helpful and supportive.

Welcome aboard, Boogie Blue. Keep on truckin' down that LC road.