Going it Alone - Really Alone

I am in China, Nanjing. The weather is scorching hot, very humid with a tropical storm apporaching. I live in a large compound of mixed locals and expatriots, except now the compound is empty. All the expats have gone away for the summer, and the locals too have gone away. I am in a university town and when the universities close, all the students head to their home towns. So it is me, my poodle Rosie, my cat, and a fridge full of veges, egg salad and cold cuts. I really do hope that I find some encouragement and friendship on the forums here, because I feel very alone on this day, day one of my 3rd try at low carbing.

Eight years ago lost 30lbs, but then stopped trying and it all jumped back on. Then 2.5 years ago I started again and only lost 20lbs, but I did look good, felt better etc.. I was just heading into a summer of backpacking through obscure places in China, so I knew Atkins was not going to be realistic when the easiest food to find in China is either noodles or rice. Still I set the goal of maintenance during the trip, and I was successful. The plan was to return to induction after the holiday, except that I was hit by a car instead, and then medivacced out of China with suspected fractures in 3 neck vertebrae. Fortunately my neck was fine, but I was in hospital for a fortnight recovering from a partial scalping of a third of my scalp. In recover, I didn't think about food. Just so glad to be alive, and to enjoy again the pleasures life offers, taste and food being high on my list. Also I had enormous energy needs in the first month after the accident. I probably should have been eating steaks- protein for healing- by I was so tired I just slipped into the comfort eating of pastas again, with the inevitable results.

All last year I tried to restart but could never get past those first two induction weeks. I know that this is key, if I can make it through them, then I will settle down into a rhythm, appetite decreases, energy increase and it really feels like you can do induction for ever. Last year it just didn't happen, but now I should be ok. I have 4 weeks alone here before others start coming back, and I really want to get a good start made. I am a teacher and it is school holidays. There is stuff I would like to do but nothing I HAVE to do, so my days are my own - completely.

I am starting with water, lots of it. I have also purchase LifeForm software, so I can calculate the carbs I eat per meal. Usual goal, less than 20g carbs a day, and start fitness. I have a elliptical trainer so want to do 3 set of 5 minutes a day this first week, and build it by 5 minutes per set a week. Once school starts I want to be up to 20-30 minutes as I will have to cut back to only one set a day. I also have a set of toning exercises - 15 minutes a day. That is a plan - now for execution!