Hello out there!

[MomSharon]

I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts, very inspirational, so time to introduce myself!

I'm Sharon, 39, mom of two little guys, ages 3 1/2 and 7, wife, and computer nerd at an oil refinery in Kansas. Never a dull moment. No really, it's not that boring! Ok, sometimes it is.

My defining moment was one of those mother/daughter exchanges at Christmas where my mother made a rude comment to me about my weight. At age 74 she has diabetes, congestive heart failure, and is starting to get high blood pressure. All this from smoking incessantly for over 60 years and weighing about 250 all her adult life until the onset of Type II diabetes when the weight of course melted off as a result.

This was, in fact, the good kick in the butt I needed to focus on to once and for all lose those d~#n 20 pounds. I WILL NOT become my mother, with limited ability to play with my kids, totally unable to play with my grandchildren, and beset with the host of ailments of high carb WOL. Therefore, I pledge to myself I WILL lose those aforementioned d~#n 20 pounds by my 40th birthday in October 2003. I want to look forward to my 40th not dread it, and what a party I'll have!

I had went through what everyone else has in years past, low fat everything and counting calories. I knew deep down that didn't work but didn't know why so I started researching various diets at New Year's, was intrigued with Atkins (read the book) and was on Induction when I read the Protein Power book and came to believe that is the plan for me: low carb but not as restrictive as Atkins, and adequate protein with resistance training. Fit exactly into my weight lifting classes at the YMCA. Although my weight loss is slow, a lot is muscle replacing the fat (evidenced by the 5 inches on my waist I've lost so far) and if I'd just quit cheating it would fairly zoom. Currently reading Protein Power Life Plan.

Challenges: overcoming the urge to snack too much on low carb snacks (nuts, etc.), trying to fix meals the whole family will eat.

Benefits already seen: I'm already looking much better, mood swings that were vicious are almost non-existent, tons of energy.

So.........FAT, BE GONE!!!!!

Sharon

[iBelieve]

Welcome Sharon! I can so much identify with what you said about your mother, and not wanting to repeat those patterns. I'm in the same boat with my grandmother. She's currently in a nursing home. She only weighs about 125 lbs., but used to be quite a bit heavier. (She's also made rude comments about my weight - though I think she does it through some misguided sense of love!) She is now diabetic and a former heavy-smoker. She has severe emphysema and heart disease on top of all her other health problems. Just yesterday when I went to visit her, she mentioned that I looked like I had lost weight, and asked how I was doing it. I didn't say Atkins because she probably wouldn't recognize the name. I just said I was cutting out alot of sugar and processed carbs. Her response was, "Cutting out sugar is the best thing you could do for yourself. All my life I ate way too much sugar, and look where it's gotten me! If I could go back and change the things I've done in my life, I would cut out sugar and cigarettes!" Granted the cigarettes probably had alot to do with her emphysema and heart disease, but I know the sugar had alot to do with it too. I'm hoping to change the future by doing things differently for myself!

Even though she's 82, I know she could have had at least another 10-15 years to live, if only she had taken better care of herself. As things are now, I wouldn't be surprised if she leaves us within the next two years. She's really suffering with her breathing, and her heart isn't very strong anymore.

Anyway, I'm trying very hard to learn the lessons that she ignored for most of her life, and create a healthier body for myself. Seems you are aiming for the same thing and you should be congratulated for that! It's not easy to change old, ingrained habits!

Remember too that you don't have a massive amount of weight to lose (though it may seem massive to you ;) ), so it might come off a bit slower than some people seem to lose around here. Just keep eating the right foods, exercising as much as you can, and value the non-weightloss benefits you receive from this way of life. Good luck to you! :)

[MomSharon]

You go! That's the attitude! Watch out world!

Mom and her cigarettes. Boy, I could go on for days......her sister died of throat cancer and Mom watched my Dad waste away and die at 78 from a combo of skin cancer and emphysema (had been a heavy smoker until his 60s).....many stories about my Mom and her cigarette addiction.

But eating habits.... I have changed so many so far! I've been on this WOE a couple of months now, going strong.

I put it all on gradually, and it WILL come off, if gradually that's ok.

Also, my mother-in-law continues to have ailments left and right (age 53). My mom has declared her a hypochondriac, but not to her face. HAHA And my MIL's sister and her daughter: between the 3 of them it's like who has the bragging rights to the most health problems. Go ahead and swig down those Cherry Cokes you guys! They too are my reverse-inspiration.

When I get near my goal I shall enlighten them, because I will personify the message: stop the potato chips, pop, bread, potatoes, and candy.

I am fortunate in that I love to drink water til I float, and the beef animal fears me; I love steak.

Sharon