I'm not one to post in support forums or keep a journal. I have even told very few people I'm losing weight. My daughter only found out recently (shes lives 100 miles away and we dont see her a lot).

So, as you can read, I use this, my introduction thread to update. It really makes the most sense because almost everyone's journey here probably starts right here in this forum with a "here we go, I'm starting my diet" post. you can see my evolution from paranoid about the web site, to learning a lot from the good people here.

You can see my last post was 18 pounds in 18 days. Well THAT pace of losing quickly stopped! Mostly because I started drinking again, stalling my progress...and the first couple/three weeks from what I gather is always the fastest, that's how all the TV commercials can claim it. It's real, you CAN lose 15 pounds in a month on any real diet you dont cheat on.

So I began moderating my drinking again, drinking only on the weekends and sticking very strictly to the low carb diet otherwise and have slowly continued to lose weight. I think posting that all here should be inspiration for new dieters to see from the beginning, from the "hello I'm new here" first post, to where I am today.

Today I stand at 50% of goal. That's right, I started January 1 this year (2018) at 225 pounds with a goal of 50 pounds of weight loss. For the first time in years my scale (its calibrated to be really close to the doctors office, I actually weigh myself naked, then weigh myself with all my clothes and shoes on before going to the doctor to know the facts, not cheat on myself and lie about my actual weight)...my scale read 199.2 pounds! Yep, I broke the big two zero zero.

So thats 25 pounds now in about 10 weeks. Sure the rapid weight loss stopped, but I had already psychologically prepared myself for that, and the long haul.

Liquor is my only cheat. It does in fact cause stall, but when I abstain the weight loss continues. I'm finding a "balance".

I NEVER cheat on any foods. To me, low carb tortillas are a "cheat"...actually having that 4 grams of carbs with my lunch-meat! Also I have a handful of nuts here and there and eat more fruit now in phase two of low carb.

I have enjoyed many foods, but never a full carb baked good and never, ever any chips or crackers. I do lean on some sugar alcohol candies a little though.

I've learned a lot about how to get some of those missing foods we crave. We found a protein bread with only 3.5 carbs per slice for instance. That's good with some no sugar peanut butter for a carb splurge. It also occurred to me to make my own croutons from that bread for that missing bready crunch on my salads. There ARE ways around this that you figure out over time!

Thanks to all who have helped walk this path here. I'm becoming a very informed low carb consumer now and can effectively not cheat, at least big time, even when eating out. I can almost always find a way to eat low carb, including at some fast food restaurants! That's another subject for an other thread someday...so I'll stop this diatribe...and I wont ask anyone for congratulations, I'll give it to myself. 25lbs in 2-1/2 months is awesome.

To all newbies. This CAN be done. But you MUST not play around calling yourself low carb while eating that burger with a bun just because you are out to eat, or the occasional chips or fries. You are either low carb or not, until you reach goal. Anything else...well, is NOT low carb! You choose what you put in your face, no one else.