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Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!



Toscatrace
Sun, Nov-12-06, 19:46
I subscribed a week ago, and have been using the forum off and on for a week. I started Atkins three weeks ago and so far have lost 15 lbs. (as of this morning).

My story: About 4.5 years ago I went on Atkins for the first time. This was in the spring of 2002, and there were very, very few LC items available (and not many at all in stores). I did this before the "wave" of LC hit by a few months.

For two years prior to that, I had switched my family to Traditional Nutrition: grass-fed, free-range foods; traditionally processed/fermented condiments; no white sugar or flour or unsoaked or unfermented grains; raw dairy products; traditional fats. At my highest I weighed about 195, but switching to that way of eating, over two years, took me down to 180. Not fast but completely painless. I wasn't thinking of it as a way to loose weight at all.

I was very tired of how I looked and the fact I had two small kids I couldn't keep up with. I had tried exercising to loose weight, but got lightheaded if I both dieted and exercised. I had tried several diets but didn't find anything that worked for me.

In reading about Traditional Nutrition one day on the subject of heart health, I ran across a reference to Dr. Atkins being a cardiologist. I followed links to the Atkins website--this was just a month or two after he died, and it had not been modified much yet--and was intrigued. I was ready to try hard to lose weight, and this seemed proven and a sound way to do it.

So the very next day, the day after Easter, I started. I did not cheat (intentionally at least). The weight just dropped off! Within about 5 weeks I was down to about 155.

But soon after that, I discovered the Atkins Nutritionals bars. I didn't realize that soy mimics estrogen, and thus would slow, and then stall, my weight loss. After I started eating the bars, I lost another about 18 lbs., to be down to 138. But I couldn't get past that point and didn't realize what was causing it. I stayed on the induction phase for almost 6 months, and even though my weight loss had stalled, I went ahead into OWL and stayed on that for the next year and a half. I didn't gain any weight, but I didn't lose anymore. I only was able to add about 10 grams of carbs back.

Then, in February of 2004, I became pregnant. It was the best pregnancy of the three, even though it came 8 years after my first! I was the same weight as when I got pregnant the first time, but I had more energy, and didn't even show until I was 6 months along!

But then I went to a midwife, and she put me on The Bradley Diet. Unfortunately she didn't match it to my height (5'1"), so I started seriously gaining weight: I was back up to 185 by the end of the pregnancy, whereas I'd only gained 14 lbs. with each of the previous two. And since I can't lose weight when I'm nursing, and actually slowly gain, I have ended up with a top weight of 203 as of last week. I started feeling weird in my heart, and although I normally have low blood pressure, I could sometimes feel it in my face. Add to the fact I'm now "of advanced maternal age" and once again had a toddler I can't keep up with, and I knew I had to do something.

My baby is still nursing, and I'll let her do that until she's done--I saw a study that says that babies that nurse until 2 have better resistance to infectious diseases that lasts for years. So I tried Atkins twice in the last year, and it did NOTHING.

Then I read about coconut oil. I knew about it, but had forgotten it activates the thyroid. I'd tried the expeller-pressed before, but not the virgin.

So I got some virgin, and started taking it at the same time I went on Atkins again last month.

I am so happy! BAM! Nine pounds down, just like that! I hope it continues to work, but already I have more energy, have dropped a pants size (just as I bought new pants, LOL), sleep better, lost the cold I was trying to catch, and no longer have the blood pressure problem (well, not as bad--it's still high for me although it's in normal range). I just hope I can keep it up!

Thanks for reading this far. I don't know if I can post very often because I have three kids I homeschool, as well as my business and my husband's business. But I'm so glad I found this website and these message boards--I pretty much went it alone last time!

Smiles,
Tracey

liddie01
Sun, Nov-12-06, 19:52
Hi Tracey! this is a great place to be! Welcome! :wave:

spookyz88
Tue, Nov-14-06, 17:30
Hey there! I just joined up to this site also and everyone is sooo nice and encouraging. The recipes are awesome!!!! I had to write to you because I too am a stay at home mom of three and a home schooler also. :thup: :thup: :thup: I know how difficult it is to find time to work on yourself. I just decided that this was very important and I am trying REALLY hard to make that time for myself. Good for you for giving your baby your milk and God knows all of your time that goes with it. :) Anyway, just wanted to say that you're an awesome mom and good luck to you in your weight loss. You are woman.......HEAR YOU ROAR!!!!!!!!
SUE :wave:

CourtneyUU
Tue, Nov-14-06, 19:10
I homeschool my 2 high schoolers and have a full-time job, as well, so I know how busy you are! Glad to have you both with us, and hope you get all of the support you need!

Courtney :)