It's Good to Learn I'm Not Crazy!

[Patina]

Hello Everyone,

I'm sure this post will be long but bear with me and my story and how I came to be sitting here posting on this forum for the first time.

I will turn 50 this year. I am 5'9" and weigh 256 lbs as of this morning which is actually a good thing because last Thursday I weighed 258.6. My highest weight ever was 278 lbs about 3 years ago. I am married to my husband of 28 years and we have 3 grown children, two of which still live at home and are both very overweight (ages 19 & 22). My husband has never had a weight issue until the last few years and he has fluctuated between 10-30 lbs extra over that time.

I have been overweight since about age 5 so roughly 45 years of gains and losses and more "diets" than I would even like to admit to. With a few of them I actually did lose weight but gained it all back shortly after hitting my goal and then I'd start all over again.

About six years ago I was diagnosed insulin resistant. A few months later I went on the Atkins plan and went the no-carb route. The weight started melting off and I felt really good. Three months into my new found way of eating I developed bleeding in one kidney. That brought on a very lengthy and painful round of all kinds of tests including a very invasive kidney biopsy. I think I had five specialists I was seeing at that point all of whom were trying to figure out why my kidney kept bleeding. Of course I told all of the doctors I was on a no-carb plan and of course they all gave me a hard time about how dangerous that is.

When all the tests came back negative and all those specialists were stumped to explain why my kidney kept bleeding, they all basically started pointing their finger at my no-carb eating. They blamed it on too much protein and told me that the fat in my diet was going to give me heart disease (which has been the biggest cause of death in my family members by the way).

Well, I believed them. They are specialists right? So I began eating carbs again and in a flash, I put all the weight back on and then some and after about a month my kidney stopped bleeding. All the doctors were like "see? we told you so!".

From that point on I was convinced carbs were good but two key things happened to me after that. One, my kidney bled twice more over the next two years for about 2 months both times and within two years of being diagnosed as insulin resistant I had full blown Type II diabetes. But hey, the docs said to eat carbs so I did and didn't think twice about it. I had numerous friends go low-carb over the years since my experience and I told every single one of them how bad it was for the kidneys and that eating like that would kill them just as suredly as a high fat diet would. Again, I was going off of what the experts had told me.

Fast forward to 2010. By June of last year I weighed 264 pounds and still didn't have my blood sugars under good control (A1c of 7.1). I was on a statin for cholesterol, two diabetes drugs, and two high blood pressure drugs and was miserable and my whole body hurt all the time. I felt like I was 100 years old and just getting through a day was a drag on my energy.

So I decided to change my eating habits and commit to eating clean, whole foods that were low fat, lean protein and high fiber. Sound familiar? That led me to join WeightWatchers for like the 6th time but this time I stuck with it and tracked my points and bought everything fat free and ate all kinds of "healthy" whole grain products. I was completely frustrated the entire time from June until January of this year. I would sometimes lose but then gain some back and at one point was stuck at the same weight for 3 months.

Through it all everyone on the WW site told me "it's okay, it's normal to plateau for long periods of time" or "you just need to exercise more" or "are you sure you're tracking all your points??". I know they meant well and wanted to be supportive but I just knew something was wrong. How could I work this hard at changing my lifestyle and still no payoff in terms of weight. I certainly felt better than I had when I started but where was the weight loss? Why were my blood sugar levels still up and down like a seesaw? Why do I still have high cholesterol, triglycerides and high blood pressure?

By January of this year I realized that after 6 months of change and effort I had lost a total of 5.4 pounds! The realization just crushed me. I convinced myself that I was destined to be fat forever because I can honestly say I didn't know what else to do. But having nothing left in my arsonal to try I decided I just had to exercise more and eat less so two weeks ago that's exactly what I did. I ate a few less points and upped my exercise and when weigh-in day came I was hoping for a 2lb loss. I jumped on the scale and to my horror, I had gained 4lbs over that week. That just broke me.

The very next day I came home from work and there on the table was the latest issue of Reader's Digest and right there on the front cover was the article labeled "Eat This, Lose Weight - The New Science of Dieting". I couldn't read it fast enough and the whole article was based on science journalist Gary Taubes. The whole jist of the article was low-carb eating.

Well nothing I had done in the last 5 years had worked so I started to reconsider low-carb eating which led me to Amazon.com which led me to purchase a new book by Dr. Jonny Bowden called "Low Carb Living". I got the book last week and nearly read the whole thing in one night. It was the most fascinating book on the subject I've read to date and best of all...it made complete sense to me. I suddenly understood why I can't get this weight off and that I'm really not different than everyone else, just uneducated on how carbs affect my whole body!

That was it for me. On Thursday last week I cut my carb intake way back and now it's Monday and already some amazing things have happened.
1. I couldn't resist and weighed myself this morning. Down 2.5 lbs in 4 days. That is nearly half of what I lost in total after 6 months on WW's.

2. I already feel more energized. I haven't wanted an afternoon nap since Thursday!

3. My blood sugars are evening out and staying within a much tighter range.

4. I feel like the fog is gone from inside my head. I feel more alert and overall more happy in general.

5. I am actually eating less than I was when counting points...and without hunger!

So here I am on this forum. I can already tell that I am not going to get the support and information I need on the WW's site. I'm not knocking WW's. It does work for some people but clearly I'm not one of them. I'm seriously thinking about dropping my membership because I suddenly find their whole message counterintuitive to what I now know I need to do.

What I need is information, like-minded people to share information with and learn from and I need support. And I think this is a good place to start after reading many posts on here. What I don't need are nay-sayers telling me how fat is going to kill me.

I am not, at least at this point following any particular plan. I am counting carbs and aiming to stay under 30 grams per day. I haven't had time to explore the available plans out there. All I know is I had to cut my carb intake immediately.

So here I go down this new path to health and wellness. I am scheduled to visit the doctor on Wednesday this week to get my latest A1c, cholesterol, etc,. numbers which is good because it will give me a recent benchmark to track my progress.

If you got to the end of this post, thank you for hearing my story. I know mine is not that much different than so many others but I think everyone has something unique to add to the discussion just by telling their story. We all learn from our own experiences and the experiences of others right? And a whole lot of good information is good too!

Best of all...I now know I'm not crazy and there really is a reason for all this frustration and bad health I've been going through!

[Thomas1492]

Okay Patina,Let me start off by saying that your post was excellent and I'm very glad you took the time to give a detailed background..It helps everyone to know where your attitude and desires are..I am 44 and hypothyroid..I am a carb addict and managed to get to a max weight of 531 due to these two problems..I developed congestive heart failure,lymphedema,type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure from this amount of weight..I started atkins in Dec.2009 and by June 2010 was at 469lbs..However I moved to Oregon in July and ate whatever I wanted that month..When I weighed at the doctor's office on Aug 3rd I was 501lbs..30lbs gained in a single month by eating carbs..So I decided to get strict and dived into researching proper diet and nutrition..I found the Paleo/Carnivore WOE to be most scientifically sound and with the most results for its members..I have been eating this way since august and at 452lbs,with lowered blood sugars and with such a reduction in my blood pressure ,I am totally off the medication...Once I was taking ten medications,I now am down to two..2mg of glimeperide for sugar,and 300mcg of synthroid for hypothyroidism...Here are some links to websites with information you need to educate yourself and your family,plus to motivate and encourage you...Good Luck!!

Mark's Daily Apple (http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/)

PaNu (http://www.paleonu.com/get-started/)

Loren Cordain's Paleo website (http://www.thepaleodiet.com/)

[donnellyk]

Welcome Patina!
I DID read your whole post, wanted to cheer you on! Though our weight highs and lows are different, it's all relative...I share your inability to process carbohydrates, the foods I crave are the foods I am most sensitive to. I have been 210. I have spent most of my 5'7" frame hanging out at arund 175. I am 55. This past year made a vow to get healthier, researched like crazy the low carb phenomena and food manufacturng industry (a form of aversion therapy? haha) in the hopes of reinforcing my resolve. I went forward and back, I had many "choice" (not "cheat") days and you can see my stats after almost a year improved. The holidays brought too many "choice" days, and feeling I had for once since high school, some "wiggle room", I got away with a few weeks of unchecked carb indulgences. Now I have to tell you that my metabolism helped me "get away with" only a couple pounds weight gain which I accepted but I do not feel "on top of my game", am inching up, know I have gotten back on the sugar/carb train and don't want to be carried to THAT UGLY PLACE destination again! It's HARD to shift gears, I am in recovery from alcohol (17 years) and alcoholics have issues with sugar metabolizing BIG TIME! So, I have been back on this forum for my "medicine", low carb cookbooks back out, low carb desserts in fridge (only way I can wean off!) and I hope to switch back to the direction that leads to a healthier destination. I had no health issues with low/no carbing and my Dr. was pleased with my stats...I know I was lucky to "only" have high blood pressure and I was able to go off meds after a couple months into low carbing. My, my, that is certainly enough about me, I think most of our long posting is for US to see ourselves...it helps with the resolve...I wish you peaceful, patient courage and good health, feel free to stay in touch! Kind regards, Kimberleigh

[gwynne2]

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story. You sound like a good candidate for success.

I hadn't heard of this Johnny Bowden guy before, but his book looks like it might an interesting one for beginners, as it apparently breaks down and reviews many different lowcarb approaches. Could be useful for people trying to decide which route to take.

I can honestly say that in over a decade of hanging around online lowcarb sites, this is the first 'bleeding kidney' story I've heard. :) But that must have been terrifying, so congrats on taking another look at lowcarb. Did they ever come up with an alternate theory?

[Syrah]

Patina (what a great screen name!), you are not crazy. I read your post and thought "yup...oh yeah...for sure". I am a lifetime member of WW and I look back on that time as being months of torture by craving.
Hang in there! This is an awesome place for daily support and information -- so much better than going to piggy parade every week.
It's nice that you've joined us! :wave:

[MandaSue]

I think you are off to an excellent start, and I fully believe you can do it!

Glad you are here!

[Patina]

Hi Thomas,

Thanks so much for responding to my post. Even though I've done low carb before I feel like a total newbie at it because it's been a long time and I've let the doctors play with my head a lot over this whole subject.

It is really frightening to me to begin to see how badly damaging what we put in our bodies can be if what we put in is the wrong stuff. Apparently you and I are both testimonials to that fact!

I too have been a carb addict, in fact that's what my mother raised us on. Carbs and hamburger. I don't think I ever ate a salad until my mid-teens because it was never offered to us as kids. But we had plenty of pancakes, french toast, sugar cereals, PB & J sandwiches, ding dongs, oreos and much more to feast on. Obviously I was doomed to end up like I am now.

But I whole heartedly believe that given the right incentives and the right information even die-hard carb cravers like ourselves can overcome the addiction and get our sense of well being back.

Your understanding and experience is much appreciated!!

[Patina]

Welcome Patina!
.... My, my, that is certainly enough about me, I think most of our long posting is for US to see ourselves...it helps with the resolve...I wish you peaceful, patient courage and good health, feel free to stay in touch! Kind regards, Kimberleigh

Thanks for the response. I think you're exactly right that long posts are for ourselves. I know just getting it all out of my head certainly helps me sort through what is in my head! lol

But I also think this is such a personal journey for everyone that commits to making life changes and when we do what feels like near impossible feats, we want to tell everyone!

Your support is appreciated and much needed at this point. Thank you!

[Patina]

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story. You sound like a good candidate for success.

I hadn't heard of this Johnny Bowden guy before, but his book looks like it might an interesting one for beginners, as it apparently breaks down and reviews many different lowcarb approaches. Could be useful for people trying to decide which route to take.

I can honestly say that in over a decade of hanging around online lowcarb sites, this is the first 'bleeding kidney' story I've heard. :) But that must have been terrifying, so congrats on taking another look at lowcarb. Did they ever come up with an alternate theory?

What I found useful in the Bowden book is his explanations of what is happening when we ingest sugar/carbs. It's scientific yet he explains it in a way that anyone can understand using simple analogies at times to explain complex events going on within us.

As for my kidney...I never got an answer that made sense. My urologist at the time even presented my case to a board she was on which dealt with unusual and challenging cases to get their input. Stumped all of them! What caused the bleeding was a burst capillary (possibly more than one) but what stumped them was why did it burst and why did it keep bleeding. It's been 3+ years since the last time it started up so I'm obviously hoping what ever caused it no longer happening and making the changes I've made and are now making can only help ...at least that's the way I look at it.

[Patina]

Patina (what a great screen name!), you are not crazy. I read your post and thought "yup...oh yeah...for sure". I am a lifetime member of WW and I look back on that time as being months of torture by craving.
Hang in there! This is an awesome place for daily support and information -- so much better than going to piggy parade every week.
It's nice that you've joined us! :wave:

Thanks Syrah! Yeah I'm still on the fence over what to do about the whole WW's thing. I know it's not the plan for me "as is" but I do see value in tracking points and I certainly have met some really wonderful, supportive people along the way. I have met many people for whom the plan has been a lifesaver to them and they can't say enough good things about it and I think that's wonderful that they found their answer. It just isn't the answer for me.

[Patina]

I think you are off to an excellent start, and I fully believe you can do it!

Glad you are here!

Thanks MandaSue. Your faith in my resolve is appreciated but...more importantly "I" know I can do this because not doing it is not a good picture of my future!

[tommiec68]

Welcome Patina. Your certanily are in the right place to get wonderful information and support. Thank you for your story.
I am very fortunate that my regular doctor is a beliver in lc. At my last check up my weight came up and he said, "just lower your carbs and get more exercise, it realy is the carbs that cause you to gain." Of course its a little more complex than that but its great to know he believes what I do.
You hang in there and stay on track and I am sure you will have great success. I will be keeping tabs on you because I want to know of your progress.

Tammie

[Artist37]

...yeah, it was Taubes that got me here too. I heard his book is being published soon, in an easier read version. The first had high jargon and data.

I haven't read any of the other responses, so hopefully I don't repeat. Did ANYONE ever find out what was going on with your kidney?
A word of caution on the cholesterol medication...my colleague's sister had liver failure that is now believed to be from the doctors not monitoring her well enough while on the med.
My Hubby was diagnosed with diabetes 2+ yrs ago and he retains his doctors beliefs to this day. That everyone HAS to have carbs and that he really needs to watch his cholesterol. Ugh!
I recall being nervous to start low carb, because I really am helpless around sweets. I could eat 4 slices of toast with eggs and want more. So, when I bit the bullet and was on day 5 or 7, I just wanted to cry because the hold of my cravings over me was gone. So gone.
So, I understand....and good luck to you.

[gwynne2]

...yeah, it was Taubes that got me here too. I heard his book is being published soon, in an easier read version. The first had high jargon and data.

It was published last month:

http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-Borzoi/dp/0307272702/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296007845&sr=8-1

I found it repetitive in spots but I think I understand why he did it that way.

[Patina]

...yeah, it was Taubes that got me here too. I heard his book is being published soon, in an easier read version. The first had high jargon and data.

I haven't read any of the other responses, so hopefully I don't repeat. Did ANYONE ever find out what was going on with your kidney?
A word of caution on the cholesterol medication...my colleague's sister had liver failure that is now believed to be from the doctors not monitoring her well enough while on the med.
My Hubby was diagnosed with diabetes 2+ yrs ago and he retains his doctors beliefs to this day. That everyone HAS to have carbs and that he really needs to watch his cholesterol. Ugh!
I recall being nervous to start low carb, because I really am helpless around sweets. I could eat 4 slices of toast with eggs and want more. So, when I bit the bullet and was on day 5 or 7, I just wanted to cry because the hold of my cravings over me was gone. So gone.
So, I understand....and good luck to you.

Back in about October I quit taking the statin drug I was on. Not because I had good cholesterol numbers but because it was causing me all sorts of muscle soreness. I had days I could barely walk first thing in the morning. I refuse at this point to use any cholesterol medication.

I see my doctor today so it will be interesting to see her reaction when I tell her I've gone back to low carb. I suspect she will not be happy about it and I will get the lecture (just like your husband's doc) about how I must eat enough carbs and cut the fat. <sigh> That's okay though, I'll just listen to her schtick and then go home and keep doing what I'm doing.

As for my kidney..I did post a followup on it above. I wrote:

"As for my kidney...I never got an answer that made sense. My urologist at the time even presented my case to a board she was on which dealt with unusual and challenging cases to get their input. Stumped all of them! What caused the bleeding was a burst capillary (possibly more than one) but what stumped them was why did it burst and why did it keep bleeding. It's been 3+ years since the last time it started up so I'm obviously hoping what ever caused it no longer happening and making the changes I've made and are now making can only help ...at least that's the way I look at it."

[tommiec68]

Maybe you should not be so honest at first about your going back to low carb. Some people have a knee jerk reaction when they hear Atkins or low carb. Maybe you could just say you are eating whole unprocessed foods and keeping breads, potatoes and pasta to a minimum. Its not all false information after all. There is so much misconseptions based on uneducated information and lies that people tend to respond negativly. Or it could be that they are jellous because they cant make the same comitment to themself to get educated and make better choices.
It is your body, your health and your decision!

Tammie

[Patina]

Maybe you should not be so honest at first about your going back to low carb. Some people have a knee jerk reaction when they hear Atkins or low carb. Maybe you could just say you are eating whole unprocessed foods and keeping breads, potatoes and pasta to a minimum. Its not all false information after all. There is so much misconseptions based on uneducated information and lies that people tend to respond negativly. Or it could be that they are jellous because they cant make the same comitment to themself to get educated and make better choices.
It is your body, your health and your decision!

Tammie

Hi Tammie,

You make a valid point. I totally agree with you that telling people you're eating "low carb" freaks a lot of them out. I know because I have been one of those people that would freak out and feel the need to lecture and educate them on how bad it is...especially for your kidneys, etc. etc. Again, that's a direct result of all the voodoo the doctors and nutritionists I went to put in my head!

So I think I'll take your advice and avoid the words "low carb" with the doc today. I'll just say "I've cut out grains and sugar and increased my vegetable and lean protein intake". I'll leave out the part about my fat intake has gone up. That freaks out the docs too. If she's listening she'll know right away that I'm actually saying "I am eating low carb" right?

The more I'm thinking about it, if I get a negative reaction or a lecture then that's a good sign (in my opinion) that it's time to find a new doctor. I need and want support while I adjust to this way of eating and I don't need a doctor that "doesn't get it". I'll give her a chance though and hear her out and then decide what I need to do next.

[Artist37]

Sounds like a good course of action to me, finding one that supports what you're doing. When I was looking for a therapist once, I really wanted one that believed in the principles of buddhism, or at the very least meditation. The one I found was Jewish, but she went on two week sabaticals for meditation...so she got me, and I found that comforting.

[mainecyn]

I had to post because your first post made me think of myself. I had the same health issues with the insulin, high blood pressure, etc. I had starved myself for years on TOPS, and tried Weight Watchers. I followed the plans, and nothing would work. I would gain and loose the same 2 lbs or so constantly. I remember it taken 5 months of eating celery sticks, lettuce, no fat, etc. and dropping 3 lbs. I wanted to die. It seemed so difficult.

I also, had to comment about maybe not telling others that you are lc eating. I made the mistake of telling my friends and family. They hit the roof, i couldn't take all the bugging and harassing. I didn't even tell my husband. I kept it to myself. People do not understand Atkins, or lc eating really, they just think we all eat lard all day. I finally started telling those who asked that I am not following a "diet". Instead i just do not eat preservatives, sugars, flours or grains, and eat lean protein with aLOT of veggies every day. I also found that using my medical condition seemed to make people less insistent. I told them, because i am type 2, that i am following this way of eating. When i added that to it, and not the Atkins label, suddenly everyone thought it was very very healthy way of eating.

[Patina]

I had to post because your first post made me think of myself. I had the same health issues with the insulin, high blood pressure, etc. I had starved myself for years on TOPS, and tried Weight Watchers. I followed the plans, and nothing would work. I would gain and loose the same 2 lbs or so constantly. I remember it taken 5 months of eating celery sticks, lettuce, no fat, etc. and dropping 3 lbs. I wanted to die. It seemed so difficult.

I also, had to comment about maybe not telling others that you are lc eating. I made the mistake of telling my friends and family. They hit the roof, i couldn't take all the bugging and harassing. I didn't even tell my husband. I kept it to myself. People do not understand Atkins, or lc eating really, they just think we all eat lard all day. I finally started telling those who asked that I am not following a "diet". Instead i just do not eat preservatives, sugars, flours or grains, and eat lean protein with aLOT of veggies every day. I also found that using my medical condition seemed to make people less insistent. I told them, because i am type 2, that i am following this way of eating. When i added that to it, and not the Atkins label, suddenly everyone thought it was very very healthy way of eating.

Well I just finished my first full week eating low carb and I dropped 6 lbs so for me it's complete validation that what I was doing while on WW's was NOT going to work for me no matter how much I tried. It's also validation to me that while everyone was secretly thinking that I must be pigging out in private because otherwise I'd be losing weight, is just complete ignorance and lack of understanding on their part. And ya know what? I'm okay with that.

And yes, I've found out very quickly not to use the words "low carb" with others. They just don't have a clue what it really means and again, that's okay with me. I don't let the words even leave my mouth anymore in any conversations I have with someone regarding nutrition, weight loss, etc., if they don't already know what I'm doing.

I'm already starting to feel like it's my own personal, private journey and no one really needs to know what I'm doing unless I feel comfortable telling them. I'm thinking it won't be long before they think I'm on speed or turned bulimic as their way to explain my weight loss success as I progress. :lol:

I'm not out to change anyone's understanding on this topic or convert them to low carb. If they're open to it they will listen and go out and do their own research, if they aren't they'll freak out or think that I'm in the process of killing myself with protein and fat. Either way, I'll just keep working on getting myself healthy.

[tommiec68]

Congrats on the loss. Dont get discuraged if your loss slows or seems to stop. Keep going and it will start moving again. The scale didnt show any loss for me for almost 2 weeks but I just kept on and now the scale is moving again and in a downward motion none the less haha. I am going to find a post that was so helpfull about loss and the scale not moving that I want you to read it too. It may take me a bit to find it but be on the lookout.

Tammie

[WereBear]

Congratulations on thinking for yourself and turning around your health issues!

Since I've been low carbing for six years, going on seven, I don't get the same lectures I used to :)

[tommiec68]

It didnt take as long to find as I thought it would. Look at the first post in this thread

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...d=1#post8258095

Let me know if the link doesnt work

Tammie

[tommiec68]

I tried the link and it didnt work so I copied and pasted below. Its long but so worth reading. I am sorry for stealing it from someone else here but I realy wanted to share this with you and didnt know how else to get it to you.

WHY THE SCALES CAN LIE

A biologist at Berkeley shared something very revealing on the low-carb BBS system about 4 years ago that helps us all through the erratic weight fluctuations you invariably encounter: Fat cells are resilient, stubborn little creatures that do not want to give up their actual cell volume. Over a period of weeks, maybe months of "proper dieting", each of your fat cells may have actually lost a good percentage of the actual fat contained in those cells. But the fat cells themselves, stubborn little guys, replace that lost fat with water to retain their size. That is, instead of shrinking to match the reduced amount of fat in the cell, they stay the same size! Result - you weigh the same, look the same, maybe even gained some scale weight, even though you have actually lost some serious fat.

The good news is that this water replacement is temporary. It's a defensive measure to keep your body from changing too rapidly. It allows the fat cell to counter the rapid change in cell composition, allowing for a slow, gradual reduction in cell size. The problem is, most people are frustrated with their apparent lack of success, assume they have lost nothing, and stop dieting.

However, if you give those fat cells some time, like 4-6 months, and ignore the scale weight fluctuations, your real weight/shape will slowly begin to show. The moral of the story - be patient! Your body is changing even if the number on the scale isn't.

PATTERNS OF WEIGHT LOSS

Common patterns of weight loss from tracking a lot of people who become assimilated into the low carb lifestyle, a pattern emerges.... the 2 week induction is pretty heady...weight lost just about every single day, enormous and unbelievable amounts of weight loss are reported. This is often followed by complaints that weight loss "stalls" or that the rate drops to only 1 pound per week.

Many people just don't know that fat-loss ...the actual goal when on a weight-reduction" diet, is rate-limited. In other words, the human body has factors that prevent more than a certain amount of fatty-acid release from storage...and even more factors that prevent those released fatty acids from being used up instead of stored back into the fat cells.

A priority of the human body is survival. Anything that threatens its survival results in the cascade of events to maintain the previous status quo. Water fluctuations are one way the body does this. OK...so you done good on Atkins' during induction...lost 10 pounds the first 2 weeks. Maybe 7 the first week and 3 the second. But, whoa! Weeks 3 and 4 there is NO loss! And weeks 5 and 6 is only 1/2 pound each!

So... what gives? Initially, the body jettisons the water attached to the glycogen stores that we diligently deplete to get into ketosis...this accounts for about 3-5 pounds of water. In addition, muscle stores of glycogen are not being replaced when used...which will account for the rest. All in all...MAYBE 1/2 pound of fat was metabolized during the first week... and MAYBE 1/2 pound of fat was metabolized the 2nd week. Of that 10 initial pounds, only 1 pound was fat and 9 pounds water...

The body senses this lack and sirens start shrieking: Warning! Warning! Losing water... new thing...got to get back to the status quo! Brain tells body to produce and release that vasopressin anti-diuretic hormone....more water is retained, and no weight loss noticed. Fat loss is still occurring, MAYBE even 2 pounds per week, because ketosis is firmly established and appetite suppression is in effect...but water retention is hiding that continuing fat loss. The body is preventing dehydration with this mechanism, and that's a *good* thing.

From the perspective of the scale, it can be discouraging. Which is why the mantra: Water retention masks fat loss (repeated frequently to oneself) is helpful. Water retention will mask ongoing fat-loss for as long as the body retains the water. We can combat this by drinking more water...but we aren't going to totally overcome this mechanism during the initial water-loss phase of the Atkins diet. By weeks 5 and 6, things start to get back in balance, and the scale will begin to reflect the true fat-loss...which, as mentioned before is rate-limited.

Individuals vary, but max weight loss runs about 2 pounds per week...under extremely optimal conditions... or 1% of body weight (whichever is the lower number). So don't use the scale as an excuse to undermine your progress. Even when the scale is in a stall, fat loss can be occurring.

----------------

We've been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can't resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can't bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it's readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body's water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don't understand what's happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it's water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it's easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn't have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts.

The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That's why, when it comes to eating, it's wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it's packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it's stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates.

As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it's associated water. It's normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you're prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it's wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It's the actual weight of everything you've had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you've finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it's not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it's likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in.

Generally, it's only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it's physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you're really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale's sneakiest attribute. It doesn't just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn't necessarily mean that you've lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you've lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you're just sitting around. That's one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.

Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn't differentiate between the two. It can't tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat.

There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current.

If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn't appeal to you, don't worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don't be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride.

It's a matter of mind over scale.

[BLaZeDRas]

WHY THE SCALES CAN LIE .... etc


well, I had read something more brief a few weeks ago and couldn't find it again so this was great!

thanks for that info was very interesting and I think we should all try to prevent weighing our selves any more frequently than 2-6weeks (2 very minimum)

[Patina]

Tammie

Great article, thanks for posting it. I know my first week loss is almost all water. Don't forget I have more experience dieting than anything else I've done in life so far! I know the stalls are coming. To get through them all I have to do is ask myself "if I go back to eating carbs will that help me get to my goal?" Of course the answer is no.

[Patina]

Congratulations on thinking for yourself and turning around your health issues!

Since I've been low carbing for six years, going on seven, I don't get the same lectures I used to :)


Thanks WereBear. Well...for now I'm going to keep it to myself because I'm sure everone on here gets tired of trying to explain (or defend) it all the time.

[Thomas1492]

Way to go Patina!! thanks for your kind words...I am so glad you stopped taking the statin...Dr.Kurt Harris who is a cardiologist has written 2 blogs about the Lipid theory and why statins are harmful on his PaNu website..Statins (http://www.paleonu.com/panu-weblog/2010/7/21/statins-and-the-cholesterol-hypothesis-part-i.html)

[Hismouse]

I have been reading along here, and had to put in my two cents:)
I am so glad you found your way back to Low Carb:)
I do think the miscoception is when people say I eat NO CARB! Eyes roll and eye blows raise, and its just nuts.. Shame on them:) I say!
My Twin likes to tell me, CARBS give you energy,,,, ok,,, well its not energy I am lacking, its FAT that I have... She looks at me so funny...its true....

I am a Type 1 Diabetic, it took 38 yrs and many many I call them donkeys, they didn't know squat.

The I had a problem for many yrs, told a million things, the on I remember most was " Well you are a women"..ok.. well I found out waht this WOMEN problem was, it was a Tumor on My Adrenal Gland. I had a bleed out and it leaked into my URINE,,it was when the Adrenal Gland Shut down from being invaded by the Tumor. They found this out from researching others with this..

I don't have a Love or thought that Doctor's are a step down from God. But I do know the Urologist I had saved my life when many made utterly wrong diagnoses for me. Sometimes we have to do whats best for us, listening to our inner self, and go with what we think is right. Our Doctors know little about Nutrition. Its Sad... they should all know Low Fat, Low Cal has done nothing but cause all the havic with illness we see today.

You don't want to know what I think of WW...

So eat you protein, Lean or Fatty, and eat your Veggies and just smile at people:)


I think you have found your Inner good, so enjoy it and I am sure you will be much lighter by summer:) Debbie

[gwynne2]

also, had to comment about maybe not telling others that you are lc eating. I made the mistake of telling my friends and family.

*snip*

We've been going back and forth about this a lot lately in various threads, and it's a matter of opinion on whether to be up-front about it--it's basically how much crap you're willing to take. I finally got confident enough to talk about it around my coworkers, and I've been regretting it ever since. So the word 'mistake' here resonated with me. I definitely feel it was a mistake for me. Life's too short to set yourself up for that kind of uphill battle on a daily basis.

YMMV.

[Patina]

Way to go Patina!! thanks for your kind words...I am so glad you stopped taking the statin...

Thomas...you'll be glad to know then that on Wednesday I saw my doc to go over my latest A1c results and she wanted to put me back on a statin! I told her there is no way I'm going back on a statin and basically told her, you can prescribe it but I won't fill it.

[Patina]

...Sometimes we have to do whats best for us, listening to our inner self, and go with what we think is right...

Hi Debbie,

Thank you for your words. I think you're right about it's okay to listen to that inner voice because more often than not it turns out we should have listened to it. I think we often do want some "expert" to give us the answer to our problem(s) but I think the reality is that we have a responsibility to also try and find it on our own so we can understand it instead of blindly taking another person's advice all the time. We know ourselves better than anyone else.

[Patina]

*snip*

We've been going back and forth about this a lot lately in various threads, and it's a matter of opinion on whether to be up-front about it--it's basically how much crap you're willing to take. I finally got confident enough to talk about it around my coworkers, and I've been regretting it ever since. So the word 'mistake' here resonated with me. I definitely feel it was a mistake for me. Life's too short to set yourself up for that kind of uphill battle on a daily basis.

YMMV.

Well in just a week's time I've come to agree with you. I don't want to spend my time defending myself to others just because what I'm choosing to do is not their cup of tea. I'm not out to convince anyone that what I'm doing is what they should be doing!

I also think it takes a certain type of person to be able to open their mind up to the possibility that there could be a different way other than the highway as they know it ...ya know what I mean?

So many people aren't even open to hearing about a possible alternative to their reality let alone learning about it.

[Thomas1492]

I also think it takes a certain type of person to be able to open their mind up to the possibility that there could be a different way other than the highway as they know it ...ya know what I mean?

So many people aren't even open to hearing about a possible alternative to their reality let alone learning about it.

I wrote this last month in a friend's journal and I thought you might like it...
.I'm going to try and explain my way of looking at things and hope it makes sense to you..I think the most important part was getting educated,by researching foods and diet,looking at all the methods and ideas put forth has allowed me to gain a firm understanding of why I shouldn't eat certain things and the results if I do..
You ask "Why can't I eat normal foods like a normal person?" and I answer to that,we were never supposed to be eating those foods in the first place...What you are actually seeing is ABNORMAL people eating ABNORMAL foods...Our ancestors ate whatever they could hunt or forage for..It was only 10,000 years ago that we started agriculture and growing crops to feed massive populations..It was the Egyptians who mastered agriculture and it was a way to feed the slave population...Even to this day we feed third world countries with cheap agricultural products.It is merely a way to feed the poor,and those who cannot hunt or forage for themselves..Here we are ,wealthy compared to most of the world and we are consuming huge amounts of slave food...Rice,wheat,corn,potatoes...These foods were intended for animals,not for humans...Sugar was not consumed in large quantities until the 1800's!!!We needed modern machinery to extract from sugar cane and sugar beets the amounts for the average person to have to use!Our ancestors only had raw honey and the occasional berry to eat,not value packs of Snicker bars from Walmart!I don't see the things I have mentioned as food I wish I could have,but rather as poison which got me to where I was,and that will kill me or leave me with a life of pain and Illness...Maybe you all just need to listen to some Robb Wolf podcasts and Paleo authors ,check out the Dirty Carnivore forum,watch some YouTube videos from Underground Wellness..They all help to change your mentality from,"Oh how I wish I could eat some Oreo Cookies.." to "Oreos?!?..Get that poison away from me..blech..." Just my thoughts...


P.S. I had a thought today,and it made me want to come back and add to this..
For those who have seen the Matrix movies ,there is a correlation between the plot of that movie and proper diet and nutrition..You have a choice ..the red pill or the blue...Once you take the red pill, you are awakened to the lies and deceptions of the "Matrix"(Big Pharma,NHI,WHO,ConAgra,Monsanto,ArcherDaniels Midland,ADA,AMA,USDA,Kellogg's,Post,Nabisco,etc..etc..)and you see the lie you have been living and it is a tremendous revelation..
So I feel like Neo...I have seen the Matrix....And I now know the truth..So it is heart wrenching to me to observe those who are still believing and trusting the "Machine"..And it is even worse when you give people the red pill and they see for themselves ...but only to take the blue pill...and drift off to familiar slumber.While their body and mind deteriorates and weakens from the abuse of the "Matrix"..
And then I also look at my friends who are like the traitor in the movie who is tired of eating the same food over and over and just longs to taste his favorite foods again and tries to make a deal knowing full well the truth..The meal isn't real...It's all in your mind...

[Patina]

For those who have seen the Matrix movies ,there is a correlation between the plot of that movie and proper diet and nutrition..You have a choice ..the red pill or the blue...Once you take the red pill, you are awakened to the lies and deceptions of the "Matrix"(Big Pharma,NHI,WHO,ConAgra,Monsanto,ArcherDaniels Midland,ADA,AMA,USDA,Kellogg's,Post,Nabisco,etc..etc..)and you see the lie you have been living and it is a tremendous revelationt...

Thanks for sharing the journal post. I like your analogy of the Matix movies and the choice of the red or blue pill. It's so true! Not only in relation to food choices but so many other things in life.

My analogy is this: I've heard anti-freeze tastes sweet as it has glycol in it which is deceiving because the sweetness masks the fact that it is poisonous. If you tasted a little of it you'd probably feel sick later but if you drank a little bit of it everyday, it would eventually kill you. So the fact that it tastes good is not a justification to put it in your body. We don't ingest anti-freeze because we know it can kill us because we have been EDUCATED of its toxicity and effect on the human body.

With all the reading and self-educating I've been doing lately about the effect of carbs and refined sugar on the human body (and especially my body), I have come to view them in the same light I view ingesting anti-freeze which is DON"T DO IT! Eating a lot of carbs every day makes me feel sick and eating a lot of them over time will be the end of me because of the toxicity they create in my body. And how do I know they are toxic for me even though they taste really good? Because I have a blood glucose meter I use several times a day that SHOWS me what ingesting carbs is doing to me.

Thinking this way keeps me in check and keeps carbs at bay. Now can you just see trying to explain all this to someone who already has their mind made up that it is just plain stupid to compare carbs to anti-freeze because they know anti-freeze is bad but they love their carbs?? Probably not going to be a good conversation so I've decided to just not go there and even try to explain it.

All I know is I am so glad that *I* am the type that is willing to continue learning and open to alternatives and points of view I may not initially agree with, not just regarding food but all sorts of things. How do we ever improve if we refuse to learn and change?

[Cherielabo]

Wow Patina what a story!

First of all can I just say how much I haaaaate Weight Watchers? Really, I do! I know some people for whom it's worked well (like my bf's mom and his grandma, who both actually really get into all the point calculating, something I could never do!), and I know it's basically painted as 'the good diet' but they are still part of the diet industry, something which I am not a huge fan of. And of course I've been a WW member more than a few times! Nowadays I go out of my way not purchase any WW products. OK rant over!

I just wanted to say, and this is thirdhand advice, but I have a very good friend who is a doctor and believes low carb is 'the only thing that works' with weight loss. He has had people say to him 'but low carb is bad for your kidneys' and his response to that is it CAN be... but only if you are not really eating ANY fruits or vegetables.

I myself am no doctor but it is interesting that after a month of carb eating your kidney stopped bleeding. I wonder if perhaps for you, it's important to make sure you are getting enough vegetables and possibly even a little bit of fruit? I suspect there is a right amount of carbs for you that is low enough to continue your weight loss but high enough to keep your kidneys happy. Just my two cents of course. :)

[Patina]

I just wanted to say, and this is thirdhand advice, but I have a very good friend who is a doctor and believes low carb is 'the only thing that works' with weight loss. He has had people say to him 'but low carb is bad for your kidneys' and his response to that is it CAN be... but only if you are not really eating ANY fruits or vegetables.

Well on the kidney thing, in retrospect I wasn't eating enough veggies and most importantly, I wasn't drinking near enough plain water. I drank coffee as my primary thirst quencher and as we all know, that does not count as water. Also, my kidney bled two more times after I had gone back to eating carbs and I still wasn't drinking enough water but I still don't think carbs were the cause nor the cure.

It's good that your doctor friend realizes weightloss is not a "one size fits all" endeavor. I visited my doc last Wednesday and in a round about way let her know I was doing low carb. She finally admitted that "for reasons which we still don't understand, low carb does work for some people." That's all I got out of her on the subject and then she proceeded to tell me I need to go back on statins for my cholesterol which I respectfully declined.

Later, I realized that it's hard to get doctors to openly support patients on low carb living and I think the reason is because it is not yet accepted as a viable means of weightloss and weight management in the medical mainstream and therefore they cannot openly advocate it because they open themselves to lawsuits if anything goes wrong with the patient. So you have the patient saying "but my doctor told me low carb eating was okay!" and you have the doctor having to stand up in court and defend a not well accepted or understood approach to weightloss. Can you just imagine the parade of medical experts into the courtroom to testify against that doctor as practicing "unproven" or "junk" science? No wonder doctors advise us NOT to do low carb even if they happen to be well educated on the subject and believe in it!!

[Cherielabo]

Can you just imagine the parade of medical experts into the courtroom to testify against that doctor as practicing "unproven" or "junk" science? No wonder doctors advise us NOT to do low carb even if they happen to be well educated on the subject and believe in it!!

Well, I think part of this is down to the fact that money talks and quite a bit of the money in research for weight loss is behind the low fat/high carb plan. Plus the academics who research this stuff can get mightily attached to their theories even in the face of evidence to the contrary. Add to that the overwhelming belief that "all you need to do to lose weight is eat less and move more!" which not only the general public but many doctors (many of whom have never had weight issues I might add) believe in so strongly that many don't even CONSIDER that there might be another solution to weight loss. And of course those of us who have tried the 'eat less and move more!' plan many many times, as I have and you have, know that it's not quite that simple.

[Syrah]

... the overwhelming belief that "all you need to do to lose weight is eat less and move more!" which not only the general public but many doctors (many of whom have never had weight issues I might add) believe in so strongly that many don't even CONSIDER that there might be another solution to weight loss.

And that was what happened to me. Doc got the script pad out for a statin. I refused (not so respectfully, I might add). I asked what I had to do. Answer? Waaaaiiiiiit foooor iiiiiittttt .... "EAT LESS and EXERCISE MORE." Doc, of course, is athletic and wafer-thin. I told her that if, after 4 months, my numbers weren't better, I'd consider a statin. (Ha ha consider it stupid! ;) )

I went home, angry and upset, and hit google. Everything that I was reading (that made sense) was low carb. I just did it. Four months later, I went back to the doc (to consider a statin?). Surprise! Numbers just fine ... "no reason to medicate".

Then she popped the big question: what had I been doing? The look on her face when I said "low carb"! At least she had the grace to concede: "Well whatever you're doing seems to be working, so keep doing it". That was as close as she got to an endorsement, but it was good enough for me.

Now what I tell everyone is that I eat a "balanced diet with plenty of vegetables". ... that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

[Thomas1492]

Thank you for the kind words on my post Patina..I recently took Bob Dylan's song "Only a pawn in the game"..and I wrote the following lyrics in my Journal..
Today a widow laid her husband to rest..
The people all mourned with her too..
He had cardiac arrest ,his heart had stopped in his chest,he was fifty years old,
He had so much to give,if only he'd lived
but he'd been told it's okay..To eat grains everyday,and so the price he has paid..

Only a pawn in the game.....

A young mother pushes her cart through the grocery store..
She wants to be a good mom..
But her kids they all scream for sweets and ice cream,so she fills up her cart,
Tho she knows in her heart,
That it's not very smart,
but she does it the same,and her kids get their way....
but she's only a pawn in the game...

The doctor sits across from the patient in the examining room..
He picks up his pad and his pen...
It seems that you need, some treatment you see,
So here are some pills..
They should help with your ills...
because I don't have the time,
to study and find,
what may be to blame ..
for why your so sick today..
Please pay out on your way..
and come back in ten days...and all I can say..
Is he's only a pawn ,,,in the game...

The politician needs money to run...
The corporations are willing to give...
But they make it so clear..
and make sure that he hears...
To protect their vast greed,
their money making machine...
No matter what cost...at the price of what's lost..
let them all die...who bought our big lie..
they should never believe,one who deceives and who schemes..
to fill their pockets with green...
they're just a pawn.....In the game.....

[BLaZeDRas]

Now what I tell everyone is that I eat a "balanced diet with plenty of vegetables". ... that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

I'm glad u reversed ur "numbers" and are more healthy but I'm worried about people "hiding" the fact that they eat low-carb :P get it out there, the more people that see it works the more will question the conventional :D

[Patina]

Well, I think part of this is down to the fact that money talks and quite a bit of the money in research for weight loss is behind the low fat/high carb plan. Plus the academics who research this stuff can get mightily attached to their theories even in the face of evidence to the contrary. Add to that the overwhelming belief that "all you need to do to lose weight is eat less and move more!" which not only the general public but many doctors (many of whom have never had weight issues I might add) believe in so strongly that many don't even CONSIDER that there might be another solution to weight loss. And of course those of us who have tried the 'eat less and move more!' plan many many times, as I have and you have, know that it's not quite that simple.

I agree, all the above also play a huge role in the lack of support for low carbers in the medical community.

Especially the money part, can you imagine how fast WW's would change their message if the masses started moving towards a low-carb mentality. They don't have to believe in it to cash in on it.

I think I personnaly just get frustrated with is the complete refusal by people and health professionals to even try to learn more about it. I don't expect anyone to live it for themself but how can it hurt to just learn about it. But then I shouldn't forget that ignorance is bliss for many and especially for those making a profit off the low calorie-low-fat balanced eating theory.

[Patina]

And that was what happened to me. Doc got the script pad out for a statin. I refused (not so respectfully, I might add). I asked what I had to do. Answer? Waaaaiiiiiit foooor iiiiiittttt .... "EAT LESS and EXERCISE MORE." Doc, of course, is athletic and wafer-thin. I told her that if, after 4 months, my numbers weren't better, I'd consider a statin. (Ha ha consider it stupid! ;) )

I went home, angry and upset, and hit google. Everything that I was reading (that made sense) was low carb. I just did it. Four months later, I went back to the doc (to consider a statin?). Surprise! Numbers just fine ... "no reason to medicate".

Then she popped the big question: what had I been doing? The look on her face when I said "low carb"! At least she had the grace to concede: "Well whatever you're doing seems to be working, so keep doing it". That was as close as she got to an endorsement, but it was good enough for me.

Now what I tell everyone is that I eat a "balanced diet with plenty of vegetables". ... that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

I suspect next time I see the doc for my next A1c testing, I will have the same good results and the doc will wonder what happened. My doc kept telling me the same thing, eat less, low fat, more fruit and veggies, lean meats. Well I did all of that for the last 6 months and each time I'd go in and weigh pretty much the same and explain my frustration, I'd get a consoling pat on my shoulder and the perverbial "I know, it's very hard". My reply was "yes, it is very hard but I'm doing it and I'm not losing so what else can I try?". Guess what she would say? You guessed it..."eat less, low fat, more fruit and veggies"!!! It was absolutely maddening but I didn't know what else to try so I kept at it.

[Patina]

Thank you for the kind words on my post Patina..I recently took Bob Dylan's song "Only a pawn in the game"..and I wrote the following lyrics in my Journal..

...The doctor sits across from the patient in the examining room..
He picks up his pad and his pen...
It seems that you need, some treatment you see,
So here are some pills..
They should help with your ills...
because I don't have the time,
to study and find,
what may be to blame ..
for why your so sick today..
Please pay out on your way..
and come back in ten days...and all I can say..
Is he's only a pawn ,,,in the game...

I love that part! I'm sounding anti-doctor these days but I'm really not. I've just been so frustrated with my own experience with my own doctor over the last year but only on this one issue of weightloss. It's clear what I had been doing wasn't working even though I was doing exactly what she told me the fix was.

But at the end of the day I was still fat, blood sugars still out of control, high LDL, low HDL, high triglycerides, high blood pressure... and everytime all I got from the doctor was more of the same. Not even a hint that I should try something else!! Drove me crazy!! Not to mention making it all that much harder to stick with the low-fat, eat less game when there was absolutely no measurable payoff for me.

[Thomas1492]

Hey Patina !! where have you been??? 11 days since your last post!! Hope your doing well..we miss you!:)

[Artist37]

Cool posts on analogies.....the Matrix one and antifreeze one.

[Patina]

Hey Patina !! where have you been??? 11 days since your last post!! Hope your doing well..we miss you!:)

I'm still here and doing well! I've been keeping busy with work and my head still buried in books, the latest has been the Berstein book that was suggested to me on this forum.

I was thinking the other day about how ignorant I've been over the years about the Diabetes T2 I have and even more ignorant about how best to manage it. The more I learn the more I am convinced I will be able to reverse it and eventually get off all these meds.

I just started the R-ALA & Evening Primrose oil regimen suggested by Dr. Bernstein to see if I see any benefit from that.

But for sure, at the basis of everything is to stay low carb and get my weight down.

I'm just over 3 weeks into LC'ing and it's going well. My family is following my lead and my son has lost 12 pounds, my daughter has lost 8 and my husband has lost 3 (he's still not ready to give up milk and toast!). I sort of gave everyone a choice of either coming along for the ride with me or not but I was going to be cooking low carb for myself and if they wanted to continue to eat carbs they'd be on their own in the meals department because I was not going to cook two different types of meals. (My two children still at home are 20 and 22 so they are completely capable of feeding themselves)

Thanks for checking on me Thomas! Hope all is well with you too!

[Syrah]

I'm still here and doing well! I've been keeping busy with work and my head still buried in books, the latest has been the Berstein book that was suggested to me on this forum.
...
Thanks for checking on me Thomas! Hope all is well with you too!
I was wondering whether you were OK too, and was looking you up to send a private message when I saw you had posted a few minutes ago. Glad you're doing well. Sounds like the whole family is.
The good thing about LC is that you can do it, cook appetizing food, and the rest of your family can supplement what they eat if they want. They want toast? No problem for you. Ditto, rice or pasta. It's not like you're making boneless skinless chicken breasts sprayed with Pam or anything. :D Lordy, I hate BSCBs. But I digress.
Glad you're well! I agree with you about how ignorant we are about diabetes and related matters (me, I caught it at the insulin resistance stage, but ten years too late). Why, a decade ago, when my blood pressure was up, my hdl was down, and my waistline was expanding, no-one said "wait, these are classic symptoms of insulin resistance and bigger problems down the road ...". Instead, I did my best to follow the standard LF/GC/EL/EM advice and I suffered for ten years with mood swings, osteoarthritis, surgery, insomnia, cravings and weight gain. It was only when I put my foot down, said NO to statins, got bloody angry, and researched like a maniac that I discovered that LC might work. And it has. But what of the people who can't figure out we here have discovered? :q:
Anyway, glad you're still with us, Patina. Love your posts -- tell us what you're thinking!
C-rah

[Thomas1492]

I can truly understand you having your head buried in books trying to figure it all out..when I got really serious about my diet in august,I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about low carb..But that's like swimming in the kiddie section of the pool..I have spent hours each day researching blogs,studies,articles and listening to podcasts and videos and there is so much to learn...I am swimming in the deep end now..So thrilled that your kids are following your lead and losing weight...Great for them to see you wanting to be healthy and strong..And yes I also believe that eventually I will be able to stop taking medication for my diabetes..We can all do this together! ((((HUGS))))