How do I start?

[Munch!]

:roll: Hello, I am new to this web site. I was searching for a website to help me lose this terible weight that I just can't seem to get rid of. I weigh over 200 pounds I think, I won't even get on the scale because I know I have gained alot of weight in the past couple of months. I have been over weight all my life, but after havings my son 2 1/2 years ago I gained over 50 pounds and I can't lose it I only keep gaining it. I am always hungry and seem to only eat the carbs. Thats what I love, but I can keep eating and eating until I feel full or worse sick! A couple of my co-workers have tried the Atkins diet and have lost alot of weight. I tried but then give up after a day or two because I'm not sure what I should be eating and plus I'm always too hungry to try. I have been to different Doctors and all they want to keep doing is blood work. What is that going to do for me when I know what the problem is? They always come up with nothing and send me home with no advice. So I get more depressed and stuff my face. Is there any one out there that can give me advice on how I can start this because I am a new wife and I would like not to feel so ugly all the time and feel healthy for once. My big problem is getting started. Do I need to go to the store and by all low carb foods. If so I don't know which ones. Please help I want to start ASAP before I gain another pound!

[krazzybird]

Munch -

Well, you have made the first step... wanting to make a change! Congratulations and welcome to the forum!!

As far as how to start, it depends on what plan you are going with. There are a lot of different low carb plans out there. For instance, My doctor put me on Sugar Busters - so I went out and bought all "legal" stuff for that plan; now I am on Atkins - so my DH gets to eat all the sugar busters stuff..lol!

You should try to research which type of plan you want to do, then shop for the appropriate items. Before I did my first "big" shopping trip for my new WOL, I cleaned out my cabinets of all the evil foods. If it was unopened and new, I took it back to the grocery store. If it was unopened, but not returnable, I donated it to a food bank. At least this way I didn't feel like I was wasting food....

My suggestion to you, surf around the forum and find a plan that sounds like a WOL you can stick to.... then go to your library (or bookstore) and check out the books on the plan you like most.

Good Luck , hope this was some help to you... :)

[Fietser]

Hello Munch

While not grossly obese, I still am unhealthily overweight, which caused a number of health problems.

Two weeks ago I started the cyclical ketogenic diet, which is basically the same as the induction phase of Atkins diet, but allows for 1-2 carb up days as it is geared towards body builders. I have started the Body-for-Life program last Saturday by doing 3 cardio trainings and 3 weight training each week.

The amazing news is that by completely eliminating all carbs, except for a tiny amount of just 20 grams a day (mostly in dairy food) and by meticulously weighing the amts of food I eat, I have lost my cravings for carbs!! Well, to be honest, almost. The knowledge that I have one sinday each week, which is even functional (for filling up the muscles with glycogen again) is very encouraging. It might even be that I don't even like the carby foods as much as I used to do.. but I haven't tried the carb up day yet because i just did my first workout last Saturday.

Anyways.. don't be discouraged. I have made a major discovery that IF I believe in myself, I WILL succeed. Before I always thought I would fail, and surprise, surprise I would! No more negative thinking allowed...

Hope this helps..

From another newbie.

PS: basically all fish, meats & eggs are allowed but you have to check the amt of fats vs protein. You will probably need to add a lot of extra fat to your meals as you start out from a higher weight.
Rule of thumb: take 22/10 x your body weight in kg/lbs to get at your desired calorie-intake. Supposing that someone weigs 100 kg/220lbs, this means that (s)he can consume 2200 kcal on this diet.

Proteins: eat 1.7 grams of protein per kg body weight (that will be around 0.77 g/lb bw.
For this weight of 100 kg/ 220 lbs, that person needs 170 gram of protein, which delivers 170x4=680 kcal.
Carbs: max is 20 gram/day to get and stay into ketosis, meaning that your body is burning fats, rather than carbs. These deliver 20x4 = 80 kcals.
So, fats are going to give that person the remaining energy: 2200-680-80 = 1440 kcal.
Each gram of fat delivers 9 kcal, which means that you can have 160 gram of fat every day.

Now the important part is to split up these amt by 6 and try to make sure that your meals are about in equal size.. meaning 367 kcals/meal (1440/6), 28 g of protein, 3 grams of carbs and 27 grams of fat.

Then you hunt down some kind of calorie-table on the internet, which also lists the grams of protein/fat/carbs per 100 gram (too much work to get the info with serving size).. I'm using a Dutch one which is no help to you.

Choose the foods with high protein contents vs. fat like eggs, lean fish & chicken and if necessary add extra fat from cream or olive oil to top it up.

You have to be careful with veggies that contain a lot of carbs like corn, but all green & leafy or cabbage veggies are OK. But eat lots of veggies and take extra vitamins & esp. fiber pills not just to improve bowel movements but also to curb the appetite.

Is this any help?

Fietser

[RCFletcher]

Hi Munch!

Welcome to the board. I see from your profile you have read Atkins. I would say read it again, get the medical tests done which he advises. Sling out all the nasty carb stuff. Stock up with lots of meat of different types and go for it.

You've only go tyour health to gain - and apart from a load of unwanted fat - nothing to loose ;)

There ar eother plans of course but I've done Atkins and I know it works for most people.

Good luck

Robert :wave: