Hello

[minneyme]

I just wanted to introduce myself. I have not officially started my diet as yet. I am reading and trying to research this way of life before jumping in. My husband and I are both overweight and we are both going to use the Atkin's way of life this coming Monday. Any knowledge out there about what to expect what to avoid etc. I have tried other diets and always end up gaining back what I lost plus. I am hoping that this is the way for me.

[mem2]

This is not like anything you have ever done
and it is extremely effective, not to mention
delicious. Welcome to a fantastic adventure
of not only losing weight and gaining health but
also of self discovery!!!!!!

[nicomanti]

You will not regret the choice at all, this is different than all those gimmick diets, its an amazing life choice

[Lori H]

Hi and welcome! My best advice is to devote 2 weeks of your life to doing a clean, by the book induction period. This will make all the difference. It is hard at first while your body detoxes from the carbs but in a few days you will notice that your cravings lessen a LOT. With Atkins you are suppose to eat an allowed food if you are hungry and that is the main difference to me, in being able to stay on the diet and make a lifestyle change. I can do this because I'm not starving all time like I was on every other diet I've ever tried. Leave everything you ever thought you knew about dieting at the door. This is different but it works!

[LilaCotton]

Welcome! I think you'll find that this will probably be one of the most drastic changes you've ever made in your life, but it is oh, so rewarding!

You also may want to reconsider your start date and go for Saturday instead of Monday (unless of course you have demanding social engagements), because the first few days can be kind of rough. I went through 5 days of feeling like garbage, which is fairly normal although a lot of people only go through 3.

You might want to start up an account at http://www.fitday.com to help you keep track of your food and activities. It's a nice site and a big help to a lot of us.

Also, make sure to take your measurements before starting! It's normal to lose quite a bit during Induction, then slack off during the next week or so. During this time generally the body plays catch-up and while you may not lose much in pounds you'll likely lose inches.

Oh, I see you're 5'6" tall, which is the same as I am. Your goal weight may or may not be a little low for your height. This WOL takes all that nice protein we eat and puts it to work building muscle, so in the end we actually end up with more muscle mass instead of burning it for fuel like on low-fat diets. This brings to mind another thing I've found helpful. Don't think of your goal so much as in pounds, but in the size of clothes you'd like to wear. I'm hoping to get down to a Size 12 or smaller. Wherever my weight lands at that time will make me plum ecstatic! :)