Fellow Turtles: What's the BEST thing about LC'ing for you??

[DDMariana]

Hello fellow turtles...

Maybe we can get some positive reminders going here...I could sure use a list of motivators from time to time!

For myself, I can freely admit, although I haven't lost weight the way I had planned on when I first started Atkins, I can say that LC'ing has had other benefits for me:

I used to get about 2-3 good migraines every week when on a LF diet. When I started LC - after the initial detox period - it took me nearly two months to get another headache! My blood sugar is under control!! That's worth staying the course for me. :D

What about you? Maybe for the holidays we can get a good list of reasons to stay faithful... it may make the difference for someone!


:wave:

[Lisa N]

The best thing about low carbing for me so far is not needing medications to control my blood sugar or blood pressure anymore. Controlling my diabetes was the main reason that I began low carbing in the first place. Even though I also needed to lose a great deal of weight as well, getting my blood sugars back under control was my first priority.
Now that I'm about halfway to my weight loss goal, the rate of loss has dropped considerably, but I'm happy with the way I'm eating and feeling so I'm not in a huge rush to lose that last 45 lbs. I'm hoping to get the rest of it off in the next year or so, but even if it takes me longer, at least I'm not gaining like I have been for most of my life so far. :thup:

[RCFletcher]

Hi DDMariana,

Nice idea to count our blessings for a change! :)
I haven't lost a pound for so long I can't remember but I still enjoy great advantages. These are:

I no longer have to take a pill every morning to control the amount of acid my stomach produces. Also I don't suffer the daily pain of the acid reflux which I had before getting onto the tablets. So now, no tablets, no excess acid, no pain. Great.

I used to get seriously nasty and hateful moods in the mornings (I think because of blood sugar swings). Now I am fine in the mornings.

I no longer get aches in my shoulders.

I no longer put weight on. Most of my life I slowly but surely did!

I can eat tons of the food I like.

I never have to peel potatoes anymore.

All in all, weight loss or not, I think it's worth it!

Love to all turtles ;)

Robert

[DDMariana]

Good for you, Robert...there are so many benefits for me on this WOE that I stayed true even when I wasn't losing an ounce.

Thankfully, (although due to a crisis) I have dropped a good 15 pounds this month just because my appetite is gone! Wonder of wonders...food used to be my comfort...whaddyaknow??

As I increase my calories back to a normal level, I expect to level out a bit, but I sure am enjoying no headaches and good foods!

:wave:

[asugar]

The best thing about lowcarbing for me is that I can live with it. :D In my wildest dreams I never imagined that I wouldn't miss the white stuff. Although I'm not losing as rapidly as I'd like, I am losing and I don't miss the white stuff.
asugar :wave:

[joizienew]

The best thing for me is the absence of cravings. Feeling hungry all the time is a thing of the past with the low fat diets I struggled constantly with a nagging urge to eat. Now I love the feeling of being satisfied, it constantly amazes me.

[carlab68]

At the risk of repeating, it's my blood sugars. Got off all meds and got those numbers under control.

[DanaJo]

My skin has cleared...
My elbows are soft (who'da thunk it??)
I don't need my caffeine buzz in the AM....

And, slowly, I'm dropping weight!!

Dana

[black57]

:yay: Well, I have healthy blood sugar, cholesterol and tryglycerides levels. As a matter of fact the nurses in the college clinic envied my results. I, too, had migraines atleast 3 times a week.Now I have them occasionally but they are very rare now.If I began eating this way for the sole purpose of the things that I mentioned, I would be jumping up and down like crazy to discover that I also lost 21 lbs. But, since I started this diet, initially, to lose weight it seems like I am losing slowly. I have to remember all that I have accomplished on this. :yay:


Black57

[Sngbrd45]

:yay: No current weight changes since I started the Atkins last week, but I was following another LC plan already that I lost some on...cause my clothes have been a whole lot roomier!
I'm able to stay awake better now.
Can move better with a little less pain (from disabiling injuries) even though I'm not taking any of my meds anymore...Trusting the Lord that I won't need them anymore.
Fingernails are not all bent over anymore, half moons are showing again too.
Sleeping better at night.
Just plain feel better on the whole.
:yay: Pat :wiggle:

[Sterlina]

For me, its knowing that no matter how slow my weight loss is, ITS STILL WEIGHT LOSS!!

I mean, if I wasnt on this WOL, Id be gaining and not losing, and I really wouldnt be any happier, by any means, if I was eating all the carb-loaded junk.. I just know that eventually, this extra weight will be gone, and I will be back to my 140lb self.. :)

[RI Rosebud]

LCing has changed my life both physically and mentally. LCing has brought a stability to me, not that up and down blood sugar yo-yo all day long. I can't remember the last time I had this much energy. The weight is not coming off as fast as I would like but the scale is moving to the left for a change. I have never succeeded at doing any weight loss plan for this length of time (6 months) this is how I know it is the WOL for me. Be encouraged to stay the course.

Rosebud:rose:

[Sango]

Hmmm...no more heartburn, no more cravings, though I still miss some foods. Slow weight loss is still better than none, I guess, and even if the scale isn't moving at present I hope I am losing inches. My skin has been breaking out horribly since starting this WOE but I'm hoping it will go away soon as my body adjusts...

The best thing is probably the lack of desperation I used to feel on any other diet, that "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep doing this" feeling that inevitably lead to a binge when I felt I wasn't losing enough weight fast enough. I honestly feel that I can follow this kind of eating plan for life, with the things I miss added back in after I reach a maintenance level :)

[tina-mich]

For me is that I,m not hungry. Before I started I would eat all the time and was still hungry. I really wish that I would lose a little faster though

[meflowerg]

Dana Jo,

At the risk of sounding weird I just wanted you to know that you are really pretty. I just thought I would say that.

[Meg_S]

Being told how HOT I am (laugh) kidding, although since I was deprived of that as a teenager, now in my early 20s I eat that stuff up.

I love being able to indulge in cooking and creating DELICIOUS foods and not have them do terrible things to my body when I eat them. I have SUCH a passion for food.

I love feeling ALIVE and healthy and strong and alert and not to have my life controlled by my binges and secret eatings and feelings of guilt and self loathing for my lack of self control and my fatness.

I like walking down the street and feeling normal to attractive, rather than overweight and outcast. Ok, so this doesn't happen as frequently in Europe as the sizes are much smaller.... but over here it's life and I enjoy it and feel grateful for picking up the Atkins book when I was 16 and secretly reading it and returning it to my parents book stash.

[meflowerg]

Meg, You are truely pretty. I love your hair and I wish I had hair like yours and your smile! WOW!

Thank you for your post. It is so hard for me to be good. I am so happy to hear of others who are happy with their way of living. I am sticking to it. It is very hard at times. But I am still here. :-)

[Meg_S]

Hi Meflower, I think it is SOOOO much harder as a "turtle" to stick to any diet because you don't get the motivating daily or weekly or even monthly results to tell you you're doing the right thing and to keep at it.

Have you thought of joining one of the challenges? They're really great for support, advice and accoutability to stick to what you've planned for yourself. That can be invaluable for someone who is not seeing a regular loss and is struggling to "be good" all of the time ;)

take care,
Meg

[meflowerg]

Challenges? I don't know about them. I haven't heard about them.

[Meg_S]

http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?f=106

I'm in several - trying to get things in motion this fall.
The "Hardkore" one, friendly 4-8# in October one (would never think of joining that one if there wasn't such a thing as fat fasting), the positive affirmation one.

I just find it helps to have people who are in the same boat as you are.

[black57]

To me the weight loss has been slow mainly because I expected to lose more weight in a short amount of time. That is what we expect from Atkins. But, in retrospect, I have never lost 25 lbs before. If I had never gotten on the scale since the first day I committed myself to the Atkins WOE ( nearly 1 year ago ) and decided to get on, today, my jaw would drop. I would not have ever been aware that I was stuck at 142 lbs for months. So although it seems slow, I have lost a lot of weight.

[Began11903]

I love not being a slave to food. I used to eat and eat and eat and not feel full. I would eat a huge meal and turn around an hour later and want to eat again. Thank God that is not how I live anymore! My meals fill me up and I can go 3-5 hours without eating again, YAY!
Elaine

[meflowerg]

Hey everyone!!!

I am now an official 70's girl!!!!

I have been in the 70's for 3 days now and I consider that official!!! I feel like crying!!!

I weigh 177.5!!!! I have not felt this way in so many years!!!

I love this way of eating!