New here, 2nd go at LC

[EricLC4ME]

My name is Eric. This is my second attempt at a low carb diet. My first round went real well until I was forced to travel for business. Going from the East coast to West I had opportunities to eat so many different dishes and places we just dont have back home.

Well, that little trip was the cataclyst to revert back to everything I didn't want to do or be. I made excuses that I thought were logical and stood my ground no matter what. That is until I realized I was heavier than when I had started the first time. I had dropped from 280 to 255 and until recently hit 290.

Pretty sad.

Anyways, I'm now back on track and slowly chipping away at the numbers. This morning weight was 282 and hope to hit 280 by Monday. My ultimate goal is 200 lbs by summer of next year, 2011.

I also like to help out even though I'm not a guru on the subject.

[ringamajig]

Hi Eric. :wave:

Welcome to the forum. This is a great place for lots of support and advise should you need any. :D

Roxanne

[JohnGibson]

Eric,

Dude, welcome to the forum...

Yeah... I am on my way down from my highest ever... I was close to 290, and never want to see that number again.

I would like to make a few suggestions to you. These are things that I have learned from my journey on the LC road.

1) Start a journal here. Journals aren't just for food they are about life, where we are what we are doing, we also post food and recipes in them. Start your journal, and then visit other people and make comments and posts. They will visit your journal and do the same. You will find some AWESOME people here who will help you through the rough times.

Here are the instructions to start a journal:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=187389

2) use MYPLAN or FITDAY to record what you are eating. I get ANAL with mine because the more I learn about what I am eating the more I learn about my body and what it can and cannot handle with food. Personally I like MYPLAN better than Fitday because it hosted here and it integrates with the journal very well. Plus you don't have another set of names and passwords to remember.

here is how to access MYPLAN:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/myplan.php

3) No matter what LC plan you are doing, grab the book and read it. You may have read it in the past, but read it again. For me Atkins is the one I use and I am specifically using the 2002 Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. I find this works the best for me. If you don't have the book, then buy it. You can get it from many used book stores, and Amazon has copies for about 3.00. I noticed in your stats that you are saying you are doing a Hybrid Plan. I would really suggest choosing one and sticking with it. Really it does make it easier in the long run on yourself when you are sticking to one set of rules rather than a two different ones.

My stats, say Atkins-George Stella, the reason for this is George Stella wrote two of the best LC cookbooks in the world. So that is why my info says that.

4) Finally I beg you to start thinking about this as a way of life, not a diet that you will lose the weight on and then go back to normal eating. Our normal eating is what got us here, and it will bring us back again. If you click on the MYPLAN button in my post down below you will see the graph of my times here. When I am going down, I am on Low Carb, when I am UP I was eating the way I used to. I believe I counted at least 5 ups and downs there... So use me as an example of what not to do... really... I promise...

Anyhow... welcome to the BEST LC place on earth.

John

[EricLC4ME]

Ringamajig, thanks for the welcome!

JohnGibson, thanks for the advice. My Hybrid Plan is a <60g carbs per day LIFESTYLE with the occasional fruit thrown in.

I agree with your view on diets vs way of life. Many people approach me with the same piece of advice and I assure them it's a lifestyle change, not a typical diet like we're used to hearing. Diet is just easier to type.