100 lb losers...share your story

[gonnalose]

This is going to be a thread that will stay at the top of our Century club threads. Those of you who have lost 100 lbs please share your stories with us on this thread. We look forward to having many more of you hit that big 100 lb loss!


**** Please do not post congratulations or responses on this thread, please start a new thread with the persons name in the subject if you want to tell them how great and inspiring they are. That way be can keep this thread just for 100 lb stories. Thanks!

[AmandaUK]

I’ve also adapted my One Year Anniversary post for this, as I feel it is totally representative of where I am now and how I got here

I first started Atkins in Feb 2001, it was a dismal failure. I was not totally ready to commit to any weightloss plan but I stuck it out for a month and lost around 12 pounds before falling off the wagon during a post induction stall. It took me 9 months to get back onto the wagon.

I guess you could say the change took place in me a month before I restarted Atkins. I had got another bad chest infection from smoking, I was coughing up blood, but still making the thrice daily pilgrimage to the smokers shelter at work and slowly killing myself by trying to smoke on top of this chest infection. It suddenly struck me, that internal voice saying “What the $%^£ are you doing to yourself you daft cow?” I tossed the cigarette and it’s comrades left in the packet and didn’t touch another cancer stick again. A month later after not gaining weight but even losing a little I decided to apply this new found will power to my weight and started Atkins for the second and last time. Since that day I’ve never looked back..

Today I can wear figure hugging clothes and not feel uncomfortable, I can sit in that plane seat and do up the seat belt, my legs no longer squeeze under my steering wheel of my car - there is plenty of room now! I can bend over without
my stomach getting in the way, I don’t get out of breath just walking short distances or up a flight of stairs and I can actually run now! I can walk into any clothes store and find something that fits me. Archimedes is no longer in awe when I get into the bath and displace an ocean of water.

For me it has been a year of shedding outmoded patterns of behaviour and thoughts as much as shedding those unwanted pounds. I feel like the old husk of me for example old Clothes - hung onto them “just in case” finally had to deal with the fact that I wasn’t going back, and had to get rid of them if I was
going to move on mentally as well as physically. For a long while I was mentally still the fat girl, for example I would automatically pick up larger sized clothes! Physically I’ve come a long way, emotionally I’ve travelled much further and more extensively than I ever thought possible, in the end it’s all a head game, if you win that game the rest will follow.

One thing that has struck me about the board is the way in which people perceive others loss. All too often I think we see peoples seemingly effortless success on this WOE without all the day to day struggles, the board provides a snap shot
of people, but not the whole experience they go through. In the beginning I was finding myself thinking how does so and so make it look so damn easy the answer is…. they don’t, I know because people message me and say I make it look easy! Basing my own expectations on someone elses losses ultimately leads to
frustration, the truth is we are all different some people will lose faster some slower.

I will be honest this year has not all been plain sailing there are times when truly I was disheartened with the WOE and life in general, a lot of this was due to my expectations not being met by my body, some of it due to the inevitable battle weariness of doing something long term. One thing I had to realise is
that it’s not my fault if things don’t go quite to plan on the WOE, so punishing myself by falling off the wagon and eating carbs was not an option!

I know a lot of people struggle with incorporating the stresses and strains of life with sticking with the WOE, I want to share a few things with people to let them see that it can be done, nothing is impossible despite what might be thrown
in our paths.

I used to consider myself not addicted to food before I started this WOE. However, food and issues around food have caused me some problems. I found it very difficult at first to stick with it, the first month was especially tough, after that though the cravings lessened, now it’s more habit that anything else.
I could not imagine going back to the old way of eating now.

I also discovered that I have a HUGE problem with Legal treats, they are just as addictive and inhibiting to weight loss as the real thing they are intended to replace! For me it doesn’t matter where the sweetness comes from the end result is the same. In some ways controlling the legal treats has been more of a battle
for me because they are allowed, I still need to watch myself closely but I can have the occasional treat – very occasional I might add! Someone once said that if you cannot control the portions of a particular food then you should ditch it
– for me that is so true, thank you whoever said that.

I’ve had lots of Stalls: lots of em! If I’ve learned one thing it’s patience, there is an old adage, it’s not the destination that counts it’s the journey. I remember someone once told them they had stalled their way to losing 100 pounds…how true!

Throw into the mix metabolic resistance due to PCOS and IR, and
hypothyroidism I have to regularly fat fast to continue my losses, it is hard sometimes. Some people may regard the fat fast as a quick fix, true you can lose weight quickly, but it is not something I would regularly put myself through if there was a way for me to lose without doing it!

I’ve also been plagued by yeast infections, internal and external, candida loves me, pity I do not feel the same. I’m not totally free of it, but I can control it with natural remedies now.

Life too has had it’s ups and downs, DH lost his job back in March, the old me would have used that as an excuse to binge with whatever I liked, the new improved me just got on with it, when all hell breaks lose around you and nothing else seems within your control, one thing is, one thing is constant,
what you decide to put into your mouth.

A lot of people ask me how I’ve done it, the truth is I’m not quite sure, I just did, not a day goes by that I truly amaze myself by sticking with it – for more than a whole year. I wish I could give a definitive “this is it, this is what you do” but I cannot. Somewhere inside I just reached a place where enough was enough,
I’d done half hearted attempts before but now my body mind and spirit are truly working as one towards the day when I’m no longer classified as overweight. I also often wonder what happened to the old me, the old me that had no
self-control, the old me that pretended she was thin and gorgeous despite all evidence to contrary. Truthfully I am glad she’s gone!

Within the next year I expect to be reaching my goal, however I’m not sure, you just never know what can happen in a year on this WOE lol. I can’t tell you how much I want this, I thought my resolve would weaken, my passion and determination would wane, but you know the harder it gets the more determined I
get, the more I dig my heels in, there is no way obstacles are going to stop me getting to where I want to be. I guess I am just stubborn! I embrace the challenges, the problems and the triumphs, without the whole experience, both good bad and indifferent what good is the journey?.

If you are reading this wondering if you should start, do it, do it now, you’ve got nothing to lose but weight!

Thanks for listening, I've rambled a bit more than I intended to - as always.

Anyway here's to us all *tipping water bottle* here’s to the next twelve months, and all the rest after that.

[Magnolia]

Well!!! What a year this has been!!!! What a life-changing journey this has turned out to be. Who would have thought last January that I would still be here. I have never stuck to an eating plan so rigidly for as long as this. So what has changed? I think I can safely say MY LIFE!!!!

Issues that were a problem to me have gone. Some of you may remember one of my reasons for starting this woe was the fact that my arms were becoming not long enough to complete the personal hygiene thingie with the bathroom tissue (OMG what a confession). Now I wipe even if I don’t need to!!!!! Just because I can!!! Even showering has become a delight and not a chore (I have got it down to 8 mins now)

Stress incontinence has disappeared. No more nighttime pads worn every day. Fatigue is a thing of the past. No more afternoon naps for me!! I sleep sounder at night even though it is for less time. I wake in the mornings able to cope with life instead of dragging myself around for an hour or more.

My skin is smooth and clear with all the water I am drinking. I have wondered if it could also be the lack of ‘nasteee kemikuls’ that has been removed from my diet. I used to eat all the low fat dressings and spreads and the reduced fat everything else.

So what can I now do that I couldn’t before?

Touch my toes with my legs straight and feet together!!!! Walk much farther and with much more purpose (not dragging myself around). Fasten my shoelaces from a standing position without the need for extra oxygen!!! Cross my legs!!!! Shop in regular stores not Mohammed the Tent Maker (that is the greatest treat). I got some neat clothes bought for me by Santa. My DH was able to go out and get me a sexy nightie for the first time in years!!!!! I have been able to get some neat clothes in the January sales. I got a fluffy, snugly, fleece dressing gown for £12 ($19ish) in an XL!!! Things in the bedroom department have improved drastically. As DH has also lost 54lbs we are both enjoying life much more.

What else has changed?? I am a much calmer person than before and much less likely to blow a fuse for no real good reason. PMS seems to have gone forever (the rest of the family have breathed a sigh of relief). I am so much more active than 12 months ago that the house is actually clean as well as nearly tidy!!!! I have returned to work and found that I could do it. The carb fog was beginning to frighten me. I had the attention span of a goldfish and to think about something was just too much hard work so I didn’t do it.

I have been on my first holiday for 4 years and was able to fit into the plane sea. I didn’t need an extension for the seat belt. The real biggie was to be able to put down the ruddy little table without it resting on my belly!!!! I wore shorts and my swimsuit without any fear of stares or comments.

I now feel that I am in control of my eating. I can pass up on desserts without batting an eyelid. I know some neat recipes thanks to my culinary genius cyber buds!!! I have always told myself that as soon as I lost the weight I could go back to eating the way I did before the diet. Now I know better, I tell myself (and believe it) that this is how I will eat for the rest of my life. You know what, I am happy that I am finally free from food. Food no longer rules me. I eat to live not live to eat.

One major thing that has gone (I mentioned it in one of Trina’s posts) is I no longer have the fear of dying. I used to lie awake at night wondering if I would wake up in the morning but thankfully that is gone. Instead of thinking about dying I think about living.

In the next year I expect to make goal but it really doesn’t matter anymore. I have reached the milestone that I feel has made this last year worthwhile. I don’t care that much if I don’t loose much more. Yes I want to loose more but it isn’t the be all and end all that it was a year ago. I know I look acceptable now and the only reason I stand out in a crowd is because I am nearly 6ft tall and not because I am taking up most of the space on the pavement.

Before I go I do have to thank everyone in the Century Club for all his or her help and support. I owe such a massive debt of gratitude to my first inspiration Bonbon that I would just never be able to quantify it. I know that there are some that have fallen by the wayside and I really do hope they find the strength to get back on the right track. We all have our own roads to travel down with potholes ready to trap us. Here’s hoping that the road menders turn up soon.

Take care everyone and sorry this is so long.

Raising a glass of water to the next year and the rest of my life

[SBelleConnie]

Wonderful idea.

I will do it this weekend. Quite busy here right now.
I need to have time to get my thoughts in order .

Cannot wait until this whole post is all completed.

be back I promise.

[CarbsNot]

As I write this I am pushing my way to losing 200 lbs. in less than a year's time. Had you told me I could do this a year ago, I would have laughed in your face.

I started at the end of February last year when I was at my wit's end. I could hardly walk from the house to my car, couldn't buckle the seatbelt and could barely fit behind the steering wheel. I couldn't even stand for more than about 2 minutes at a time.

I had really given up on myself and felt I was destined to be like that for the rest of my life. I don't know what inside me made me buy the book and try just one more thing, but I did, and I haven't looked back since.

I have been overweight my entire life and suffered an abusive childhood. I'm sure a lot of the weight I carried was a protective device for me when nothing else worked. I could always control the food I put in my mouth.

I am an all or nothing person. That's why I knew if I was going to do this, it had to be 100% by the book--no cheating--EVER! If I had allowed myself to cheat even once, that would have been the end for me.

I can now walk, stand, easily fasten the seat belt with a foot of belt to spare. I have more self esteem than I've ever had in my life. I have a new job that I absolutely love and am so proud of my accomplishment.

I have just begun to exercise and was so amazed that I could get through a 45 minute aerobics tape the first time without batting an eyelash. My friends-that's progress!

I decided to live rather than to die. If you are where I was and feel there is no hope - no way out of this hell of food addiction - then listen to me, to Magnolia, to Amanda. This is it! This way of eating will change your life. Commit yourself to it! Know that it is the most important thing you will ever do for yourself. You are worth it. You deserve to be healthy and happy. You are a valuable person. I can actually look in the mirror now and not say, "I hate you," like I used to do.

I want to thank all of you who helped me through this BB to achieve what I have. It is the support of all of you; the tireless answering of questions; the laughs, the tears, the sharing that has made this so much easier for me.

I know there are people out there who think it has been effortless for me. Not so, like Amanda said. I don't lose weight every week; I don't expect to. I have to turn down food that I love. I have to have the guts to tell people what my food needs are and allow them to plan around me. I have to be willing not to eat when there is no food that is legal for me. I have to realize that no one really cares what I eat or don't eat, so why should I mess up the best thing that has happened to me because I care what someone else thinks! I know now that I matter.

If you are reading this post and wonder whether to do this or not - it could change your life. Are you willing to do what that takes to make it happen? I hope so!

[Jared6102]

I want to say thank you to all of you great people in the Century Club and the rest of the boards. You are all true inspirations and have helped me immensely. You don't know how much you're appreciated. I am a long way from getting to where I want to be, but I am well into my journey with a lifetime ahead.

My food addictions/eating problems started after high school when I was no longer involved in sports or weightlifting. I began to eat more and be less active and as a result I ballooned to over 500 lbs this past May (2002).

All aspects of my life became difficult and depression began to set in. I had trouble doing everything--from tying my shoes to simply breathing while walking outside to get the mail. I wasn't able to get down on the floor and play with my toddler son, I had to sit in a chair and play with him. The intimacy with my wife had diminished to almost nothing (poor woman). I could not even lie down to sleep, I had to be at a 45 degree angle propped up with pillows because if I was in the horizontal position I would feel like I was drowning. My herniated disks in my lower back were so bad I could hardly function and I couldn't perform properly at work. Anyway, you get the idea, my life had become a living hell.

Things changed one night while I was sitting in front of the TV and happened to click to an Atkins infomercial. I had heard about Atkins before so I thought I'd check it out even though I had low-fat drilled into my head my entire life. I liked what I saw and it gave me hope--a last hope before having to undergo gastric bypass surgery. I got the book the next day and read it three times and headed to the grocery store to buy low-carb foods. It's been better and better every day since then.

Two weeks after starting Atkins I came across this bulletin board and I became even more enthusiastic after seeing all the success and friendship here. All the support, information and awesome people have helped me immeasurably. This WOE is the best.

Now, here I am, able to tie my shoes with no problem, get on the floor with my son, play ball with my son, my wife and I are closer than we've ever been emotionally and physically--and the list goes on. Everything is getting better.

If I was to name three things to do or to think when starting that have helped me the most and that I practice every day I would say:
1) One day at a time, one meal at a time-not looking at the big picture and getting overwhelmed......
2) Plan ahead, cook meals ahead, always be prepared for any situation that involves eating......
3) Whether just starting out, 1/2 way there, or maintaining the weight lost-accept and love yourself for who you are TODAY as you are now, look in the mirror and tell yourself you're worth it, your family is worth it, YOUR LIFE IS WORTH IT!

Thanks for listening to me ramble........have a great low-carb day!!!

[katcandu]

Six months ago I was on my way to becoming one of those bed-ridden folks TV talk show hosts interview while paramedics cut a hole through the wall to make a space big enough to get them out and into an ambulance. I was 53 years old, 5'6" and weighed 417 pounds.

A month earlier my back pain and labored breathing, which had been worsening for years, finally made even grocery shopping too strenuous. I was living on (and for) daily fast food deliveries. And since even carrying trash to the dumpster had become extraordinarily difficult, my once spotless apartment was in danger of turning into a maze of empty Coke cans and sub sandwich wrappers.

My biggest nightmare was that I'd die in my sleep in a couple of years -- and days later, when my body was finally discovered, the newspaper would run one of those "woman found dead in trash-filled apartment" stories..."Health authorities estimate the morbidly obese recluse's kitchen contained more than a thousand empty pizza boxes." Oof.

But even if I had been able to get out and about easily, I doubt that I would have. For one thing, the industrial-strength BendOver pants I had relied on for years now far surpassed their stretch limit -- so much so that getting the waistband up over my abdomen had become an aerobic event. My feet and ankles were swollen all the time, my breasts were spilling out over my now too-small bras and I had only one blouse left that still fit. I couldn't even get my pantyhose on anymore without a 10-minute struggle. More than clothing and health problems, though, I had a "life" problem. I had pretty much given up on mine.

Things hadn't always been that way. Despite having been obese most of my life and coming out of the kind of abusive childhood and searing adolescence that so many of us try to bury under layers of fat, I was blessed with an inordinate amount of enthusiasm, curiosity and resilience. It helped me bounce back hundreds of times, took me all over the world, let me coauthor three books, publish a small magazine and cram more sidelines and adventures into 46 years than most people are lucky enough to encounter in three lifetimes.

But then, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, all that changed. On the day after Halloween in 1995 my father was diagnosed with a fast-growing form of lung cancer. A few weeks later, on Thanksgiving, the wonderful man I had met 15 years after my divorce died of an aneurysm -- two weeks before our wedding. Two days later I had both my parents in the hospital at the same time, and five days before Christmas my dad died.

I didn't think things could get much worse, but I guess God figured he was going to grow me up once and for all -- or at least make a darn good try at it. And for the next few years my life was like one of those "beat the mole" arcade games. Every time I stuck my head up, something or someone was standing there with a mallet to beat it down. About the only things I could count on were Coke, pizza, Kit Kats and M&Ms. And man oh man, did I lean on them -- all the way up to 417 pounds.

This past July, though, the universe must have either run out of quarters or decided to call a truce, because I woke up one morning sick of Coke. I decided to drink a glass of water instead. A week later I figured I'd give Atkins a try for a day. Two months into it I thought, what the heck, I might as well dust off those BodyFlex exercise videos I bought a few years ago and give 'em a shot.

And now I'm two days shy of my six-month Atkinsversary, down 125 pounds and eight sizes, with 18" gone off my hips and 15" gone off my waist. The best thing of all is that I'm starting to get my life back. My apartment is clean, my breathing is normal, back pain is no longer a huge problem -- and I haven't had any nightmares about pizza boxes or saw-wielding paramedics in months.

I'm probably making my first six months of low-carbing sound pretty easy, and I have to admit that they have been. Compared to the last seven years, anyway, they've been a breeze. The natural suppression of cravings that comes with this woe is the most fantastic part of low-carbing for me. And when the choice finally comes down to living or dying, as Mag's, CarbsNot and I have all found (and undoubtedly countless others have too), cheats of any kind lose their appeal. They're simply not an option. Period.

There are also three other things that are playing a major role in smoothing out this journey for me. One is the incredible support on this board, the second is the huge amount of information and research available here and elsewhere on the Internet, and the third is a lack of unrealistic expectations.

When I was in my late 20s and still in my "everything would be perfect if I were thin" period, I lost 160 pounds. But even though I managed to keep them off for six years, my efforts were doomed from the start. I honestly believed that every problem in my life was attributable to my size -- and if I could just shed the weight, all the shadows, fears, disappointments and "not good enough" feelings would also disappear. What a shock when they didn't! I was still me.

As depressing as that discovery was, it's proved to be the most valuable lesson I've ever learned. And it's the one bit of wisdom I wish I could pass on to everyone who's dreaming of losing weight for all the wrong reasons like I once did.

The truth is, losing weight does two things -- it makes us thinner and it makes us healthier. But it doesn't automatically heal childhood wounds, spare us from tragedy, bring us the perfect mate, get us promoted to VP, turn our lottery tickets into winners or even make our cars start every morning. And no matter how thin we get, there will still be people who won't think we're thin enough, or good enough, or pretty enough, or something else enough. Weight loss is a marvelous gift, but it's not a magic wand. It can help heal our bodies, but it can't mend our souls. We have to find other ways to accomplish that.

So that's what I'll keep working on for the next six months, and then the next six and the next six... as I continue to take this low-carb journey of mine one day at a time. I don’t have a specific goal weight in mind or a timeline for reaching it. I'm determined to just go with the flow and see where it takes me -- and be grateful for every single moment of the trip.

[bonbon]

Well after reading some of these stories, I feel like a piker Congratulations all!!

There wasn't any lightbulb moment for me. No moment of clarity. Rather, like a Chinese water torture, there was an accumulation of events. Sleep apnea, borderline high blood pressure, gastric reflux, exhaustion, arthritis beginning in my knees, and my back hurt all the time. I got a taste of what it would be like to lose my independence. Something I greatly value. I was running out of time.

It seemed to me also that complete strangers were frequently angry with me, for reasons I could only suppose. I was angry too. Several times a day in fact. Over stupid little stuff too. That physical anger, tight stomach, pounding pulse. I always thought it was a character flaw.

Since I had done round after round of lowfat low calorie dieting, starvation, Nutrisystem, Diet Center, you name it, I knew these weren't the answer. Why was it always someone else's food? Even more strongly I wanted control. After a 20+ year battle with this there surely had to be a way? Starving certainly wasn't the answer. Neither was someone else's food.

Research was becoming available online by then, and I had been doing a lot of reading on lowcarb. I still research regularly, because there's always more to learn. One day I just woke up ready, no magic moment.

Cooking was something I had to come to terms with. Boy I am just awful at it, lol. But as I labored in the kitchen on induction I DID have a realization that learning to cook was part of maintaining the loss. Or at least that's what I told myself .

I'm glad I never went off plan, because I've had no cravings since the first month of induction. This is NOT to say that I didn't come up against legal foods which were triggers. Found a few of those along the way. The easiest way to deal with those was to dump them instead of continuing to fight them.

For the first few months, I hid my loss. I bought identical clothing in the next size down. Which, if you're familiar with the Avenue you know means the sizes stretch to two sizes. So the loss was apparent to only a few people. I'd say it was the 100 pound mark when EVERYBODY noticed. That kind of blazing hot attention can be difficult to deal with too, so I had to learn to just smile and say thank you.

The loss slowed after 4 months or so, and I had already set a weight at which I was committed to getting back into the gym. 210 it was. And at precisely 210, I got back into the gym. This is something I might do differently. Might have gone a bit earlier, because I think it helps...exercise. With the skin thing and other health parameters. It also helped my loss to remain consistently moving for the next several months.

I have to add, I never did like exercise. This was something I had to just force myself into. I did know though that after a few weeks it would simply become a habit. I still get up at 5am to go workout. Evening workouts are too easy for me to fluff off (know thyself . I do like how exercise makes me feel afterward. So I hang onto that.

A few months in, maybe as many as six, I noticed something really surprising. I felt calm...really calm. I simply couldn't get as angry as I had been several times a day prior to lowcarbing. Which leads me to believe that I was getting a genuine blood sugar roller coaster ride before. What a difference THAT realization made to my mindset.

My blood pressure dropped to the normal range, as did cholesterol. In general I can say that I feel really good every day. The sleep apnea's gone, acid reflux disappeared within the first couple of weeks. I feel healthy, energetic, vibrant even Do I sound like an ad yet?

What is still miraculous to me is that it's possible to have absolute control of my weight without having to starve. What a fascinating outcome.

From a size 26 ticked off/in pain/in health danger couch potato to a size 6/8, normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol, exercising six days a week. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

While the Atkins plan may have actually saved my very life, it most definitely is responsible for allowing me to take back and incredibly improve my quality of life. I really do have to thank him for making his program so inexpensively accessible to millions of us, a sanctuary of last resort for the battle weary which actually has the plus side of working. Hopefully it will become a first resort for many.

We choose our attitudes about this. Pick a good one because it has to last a long time

[SBelleConnie]

Well let me try to put into words what this wol has done for me.

I started out on June of 01. I weighed over 300 pounds .
The reason I dont know how much over is because when I stepped on the scale it pegged out at 300.
I knew that I had to do something .
I was literally sick of myself.
I was on two high blood pressure pills a day and still my blood pressure was high.
In my family there is a history of diabetes and heart disease , I knew thats the road I was heading down .

I guess my lightbulb moment was the fact that I was going to become a grandmother for the first time.
My dil was expecting at this time she was only about 3 months along.
I did not want to die , but I wanted to live to be able to see this precious life that was being sent into my life.

I do not know why I choose Atkins the only other dieting I had done in my life was starvation, oh yes I got thin but did not learn anything about my eating habits or how to keep it off once it came off.

I found Atkins and read his book , felt like he was talking to me on each and every page.
I was an addict alright. I could live off of sweets and junk food.
I was never satisfied with only one candy bar or snack cake, just give me boxes of them.
Oh and bread my goodness I could eat it non stop never getting full.

So I started Atkins sticking to it like glue.
But I also knew for me that I had to began some sort of excercising to get even healthier.
The only thing I thought I could do was to ride a bicycle.(the kind you ride and go someplace)
I had my mothers in the shed(she passed away 4 years ago and I had kept her bike)
So I began to ride, and could only make it once around my block.
Oh the strange looks I got even teens would hollar out the window at me things like" hey you need bigger tires" or the teen guys wud whistle at me like a big joking whistle.
But I did not stop , everyday I rode rain or shine I rode.
I did this until I worked my way up to riding 15 miles everyday.
Along the way the neighborhood children would see me riding and come along with me.
My neighbors would cheer me on each day.
As the weight came off they would tell me how proud they were of me, and how proud my parents would be of me right now.
Both of my parents have passed away but being a hometown girl and known by most everyone here they new the strong bond I had with my parents.

I have two grown children and a wonderful dh.
Now my dh is a slim man never had to be on a diet in his life.
He has little debbie cakes in every kind, he has a snack drawer too with load of snickers bars , milky ways, you name it , its in there.
I had to make up my mind that it was not him that needed this diet but myself. I could not ask him to stop eating these things I know that if I had he would have done it.
But it has been a good thing for me because there are always going to be foods that are not on my plan around me no matter where I go. I have learned to just say no to them.

After I lost about 80 pounds I joined a gym and did more toning there. I am still a member of the gym but now added into my daily workouts is my sweet little One year old granddaughter. I watch her while her mom works.
I know in my heart of hearts that I could not have done this weighing over 300 pounds. I was a total couch potato then.
There is no way I could have kept up with her. No way I could have fully enjoyed her either at that weight.

My doctor has taken me off the blood pressure medication and is just so proud everytime I go in for a checkup. He was always supportive of this wol.

My daughter flutter moved back home after a horrible marriage. She now has lost over 63 pounds doing this wol with me.

I want to thank everyone here this board means so much to me.
The support and the understanding here is such a blessing in my life.

Some things I wish I would have done along the way are
to have kept a food journal and to have done measurements.


The things I did do were to stick to plan like glue, to drink my water and take my supplements.
I keep food prepared always no exceptions. I try to keep variety in my menu too.
I dont do treats the sweet ones just send me into craving more.

Its such a great feeling to have control over my eating.
I am EATING to LIVE instead of LIVING TO EAT.

Thank you to each and every one of you .

[LindaD]

I started my Lowcarb lifestyle on October 24, 2000 at 300 lbs. and wearing a 26/28 size.

No lightbulb moment either! My son wanted to lose some weight so I told him I would go on a diet with him. Now, I have been on every weight loss program imaginable, lost well and immediately went back to eating the way I did before and gained the weight back.
I was put on a lowcarb diet (wasn't called that then) back in high school in the 60's. I remember it was fairly easy for me to follow and I could pretty well eat all I wanted of the food on the list. Having heard about Atkin's, I went and bought the book and WE went on the plan. I cooked and packed lunches for my son and in 2 weeks time he lost 12 pounds, but said he just couldn't do it any longer. Me....well by then I had hit my stride...I felt good and could tell I was losing weight so decided to carry on. I went through Thanksgiving and Christmas with no problem. By Christmas Eve, 2 months into the WOE I was down 26 lbs and was feeling great!!!

In January I found this little corner of the Internet and I have been here ever since. I was surrounded by so many people who inspired me and encouraged me to carry on. I didn't crave sugar or starches anymore and I couldn't picture myself eating those things again.

On September 25, 2001 I hit 100 lbs. gone! What a wonderful feeling that was.

The next year on Atkins was a seesaw battle.....you see, I found SF chocolate, nuts and etc. that I only sparingly ate before. Yes, I fell into that mindset of ...well, I lost 100 lbs. I should be able to treat myself..........and so my second year on Atkin's I lost a whoppin' 6 pounds!!!! But believe it or not, I am not that sad about it. I have learned so much about myself and about my addiction to sugar. I haven't slayed the dragon yet, but I am working on it and I hope to report by next October 24, 2003 that I will have reached goal.

I have maintained within 5 lbs. my weight for over a year. That, in my book, is progress. I am thankful to my friends here at the Century Club and the Golden Board for all their support. I am a proud member of the Friends Thread that has posted daily for almost 2 years. Daily support is so important. Thank you LFK (ohme), Meriweather, Saje, Mdrai, Jugo, Kim, Greeneyez, my wonderful friends.

I have watched with great pride as you have all hit those milestones......10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 100 pounds lost. Even those who have gone on to lose over 200 lbs. What wonderful inspirations you are to all who visit here on the boards. I am not going to list you all because I am afraid I will miss someone.

I have gone from not being able to walk very far to being able to jog without losing my breath. I even went back to bowling on a league.....I had missed it so much, but never felt comfortable getting up in front of people. Now, I am not as self-conscious about how I look. I fit in booths, I can tie my shoes, and best of all I can play with the loves of my life, my 2 little grandsons Nic and Braden. Right now I am buying size Large in the reg. dept. and size 16 jeans. I love life and I look forward to growing old.

I know in my heart that this is a WOL for me and I will never go back to the high carb, sugar laden lifestyle, I love it too much where I am.

Sorry, I don't have a before picture to post. This is a picture of me at 195 with my grandsons.

Bless you all on your journey. You CAN do it!

300/192/160 10/24/00

[quiggley]

I am just going to post My one Year post here Thanks to everyone for being there for Me.

Ok Everyone I am sure there are grammer and spelling errors so please be kind
This was a hard post for Me as I am doing major confessions here.

I do not even know where to start this I have thought about this a lot in the last couple of Weeks about what this Year has done for me. I want to warn I am not a great Writer and tend to wander off subject a lot.
I read the Stories of the other 100+ Losers and saw we went through so many things similar when I thought at times I was the only one out there
I guess I should start this by telling you where I came from and how I came to this point. I was a Fat Kid I remember My Mom taking Me to the Dr when I was 9 and he putting Me on a Diet I was 5'4 and 90 pounds according to the Dr I was huge of course now I know He was an idiot I was probably around 170 or so in HS but My weight never bothered me I was popular had a lot of Friends and the same Boyfriend from 13 to 23 I see now I was very protected and only had to deal with the Fat Girl stuff when I was away from My Friends but boy did I get it later. I was a very active Fat Person I went to the Gym 4 days Week Played Tennis Hiked etc. I can remember watching some Talk show showing very Large People and their talking about needing Wheelchairs to get around in and I thought I'm large and Walk all Day stand all Day on My Job etc never knowing in a few Years I would be at that place.
In 1996 I got Cellulitis and was in the Hospital for over 2 Months during this time they also thought I had a Blood Clot so they had me not moving just lying on the Bed. While I was in the Hospital My Job fired me because I could not give an answer of when I would return which added to My Depression over the whole thing.
They signed Me up for SSD while I was there mainly to make sure they got paid LOL I came Home from the Hospital and developed Lymphedema in My Lower Legs which made it hard to Walk as My Legs were getting Larger and larger basically I just gave up and except for Taking My Mom to Work I never went anywhere.
We moved back to FL in '97 and I just lived in My Bedroom I had it all set up with everything I needed TV,Vcrs,Phone,Computer and just sort of existed for the next few years.
I did play around at Dieting I tried CAD for over a year but with my bad eating habits I was only eating one Meal a Day the reward Meal. I think this is one of the things that really bugs Me most about being Heavy is that People think We eat a lot I ate very little only once about 5pm I was never a big sweet eater but I did keep a Bag of Kisses on My Nightstand and I would go through a Bag every few Months. My Meals would be carby of course things like a Cheese steak or Calzone
In Nov of 2001 I had been really feeling bad for awhile and had been dropped by My last Dr because I actually told Him He did nothing for Me I tried a new Dr it was a disaster with the so called Dr insulting me and refusing to treat Me I left there feeling so low I prayed and asked God why am I even alive since I have no purpose no direction I was never suicidal I just did not care at that point.
I had heard a Story a few Years earlier about this Lady in Chicago who was very Large and died in her Bathroom well apparently the Paramedics and others there made fun of Her while they took Her Large Nude Body out of Her House. I had something happen in 1998 I was in the Left Turn lane waiting to turn when this Idiot decided to use the Turn lane as a Road and ran right into Me I saw Him coming but Traffic was so heavy I could not move I had been sitting there about 5 Minutes waiting for a break in Traffic He actually said as He still talked and not hung up His Cell Phone He had been on the whole time I had not been there before PLEASE anyway I went to the Hospital because they had to cut away My Door and My Legs were really cut up The Nurses there were standing at the Desk pointing and laughing at me My Sister went to find the Nurse in Charge to complain and She was one of the ones Laughing. They took Me to the laundry Room to be weighed they claimed their equipment would only hold so much and at least 50 People showed up to see the Freak weigh. So as Katmandu posted I was really scared I was going to have a Heart Attack or Stroke some Night and have to endure something like this again.
Anyway back to 11/01 I thought about trying to Diet again and I wanted to know what I weighed so I bought 2 scales and put them together so that is as close as I can come to a Start weight when I started Atkins in Jan.
What was the breaking point for Me was a lot of things that I have already posted I was 37 and had no Life Single and no Kids but the Biggie was a Picture My Sister took of Me in My Car when She gave Me My Christmas Present. I did not see the Picture until the 2nd Week of January and I freaked out and cried because I had been avoiding the Mirror for Years I had let My Hair get really long past My Butt because I could not walk into a Shop plus I was afraid I could not sit in the Chair. I had become almost totally immobile and I had not been in a Store or anywhere but a Drs Office since¡¦96 I could only make it to My Back Door after first resting a second in the Kitchen and I had a Chair by the Backdoor that I would have to rest in before going to the Car.
My Car was a tight fit I would have to slam the Door against My Hips to close it and put My Leg against the Door to get out. Now I am happy to say I have lots of Room I could not even get My Seat Belt around me with the Extender now I do not need the extender
I knew I had to do something almost everyone in My Fathers Family is Diabetic and My Father and all His siblings died from complication from it. I have been extremely lucky but one of My Sisters did not get it until Her 40's and that was coming up too soon.
I was looking at Books on amazon and looking at some of the Books recommended for me because I had bought the CAD Book they had Atkins Book in My list I decided to Buy it I got it on the 18th read it through and started on the 20th and thus begin My new Life.

I never thought I would stick to this WOL I had failed so many times I had done LC with a Dr back in 1991 and done ok but then quit because of all things I wanted Tomatoes and he did not allow them I tried WW and gained weight on it because I was not use to eating that much so really I went into it with a what will it hurt attitude. I measured the first Day I wish I had measured more places than I did so I would really know all the inches I loss I could not weigh and to be honest I am afraid to know what I really weighed when I started because I know it is much worst then I could even dream.
I cheated for the first time at the end of Jan. My Cousin had come Home wanted Sonny's so I ate a Piece of Texas Toast and a few Fries I treated it like a Cad Meal and went right back on that minute. I was Cheat Free until July 7th when I had a Smoothie I have been Cheat Free since and believe me that surprises me more than anyone.

Now to My big confessions some People have been waiting for after reading the board when I joined last Year I noticed something People who needed to lose a lot of weight would post and a lot of People would say oh You will lose really fast and after Talking to a couple of them they felt a lot of pressure from that when it did not happen and some gave up because Everyone is different and We all do not lose fast even if We are huge.
This may sound weird but when I look at the Numbers I have a hard time believing it myself I have lost this much. I think one of My biggest problems with it is even though I am going to the Gym everyday I am still not back to even partial Mobility and I want that more than anything I want to go for a Walk without even thinking about it You Guys Who have never been immobile do not know how lucky You are never take it for granted.
My Life has changed so much I have found great Friends and a real Life line in this Board You Guys really keep me going and I am so amazed at the Love and support shown here. I have been lucky enough to have met a few People from here and hope to meet many more.
I went out to Eat in Public for the first time in Feb. to a LC Gathering that if Trina had not kept asking me if I were coming I would have never done it. I am also thankful for Trina We have been through a lot this year with Our Friendship have had a few outs mostly over My Jerk of a Cousin We have had a lot of all Night Phone Calls Talking about everything.
I started going to the Gym at the end of October and if I could walk in there at My weight believe Me You have no excuse. Trina and I walked in there to check it out neither of Us being able to Walk far and We were totally accepted no one made a big deal about Our size and for me it has been the best thing I have done by the 2nd Week I was able to Walk into the Gym without sitting down first now I can walk in Talk for a few minutes before going to the Locker Room and not feel like I am going to pass out.
I did not have a Scale until the end of April I bought one online that goes up to 500 Pounds and You have no idea of the Tears I shed when I got it and all I saw was EEE I really had to talk myself into not giving up.
September 5th was the Day I finally got rid of the E I was 496 I cried and screamed at My Mother to come here quick I was so afraid I was dreaming.. I should ad when I put the 2 scales together in Nov. I got 570 before one of the scales got stuck because of my weight I had lost a lot of inches before I was able to weigh so the real number scares me.
I made a goal to be under 400 by Today and I am happy to say I was 397.5 on Saturday I was so afraid I would not make it because I had gained last Week with being Sick
I have had the thought lately that some People do not realize how Heavy I still am I ¡'m very Pear Shaped and a lot smaller on top than bottom so I really look distorted I am hoping My Hips will catch up. I carry most of my weight in My Legs as they are huge from the Edema

My stats
1/20/02 ----1/20/03

Upper Arms 27--- 17
Bust 52---42
Waist 60---38
Hips 81--- 58
LThigh 51--- 38
LCalve 45.5---36
Neck 16---14
Wrist 9---7

I already posted my weight so if it was just 570 which I know I gained more it means I have lost 172.5 pounds 102 of it since Sept. I lose weird as I have posted before I will stay at the same weight for sometimes up to 2 Weeks then I will have a 7+ pound drop all at once . One time I loss 14 Pounds overnight I have went the other way also I once weighed before going to Bed and weighed again when I got up without Drinking or eating I was up 7 Pounds I wanted to scream LOL
If I can say anything to anyone starting just hang in there and not give up I only had a measuring tape for almost 9 Months to show I was losing. To Me like others here this means so much more than just weight loss this is for My Life I want a Life I want to go back to School Work again get Married there has to be some Man out there hopefully even have a Child. I have a long way to go but for the first time I have hope I will get there.

The first Picture is from 12/01 the 2nd from 1/03

[secondchance]

The story of me.

O.K. Patty , you give me no choice. From birth my kidneys never worked properly. I was a very sickly child and when I was 9 my health was bad enough to need dialysis. I was then on two different types of dialysis until I turned 11 and then my Mother gave me one of her kidneys. The day I had the transplant I weighed 53lbs. From then until the next 17years I gained weight . I finally topped off at 310lbs I am 5' 5" tall. My knees were almost shot. But more importantly my kidney function was slowly dropping. My wife and I had recently adopted a 2 year old and she was expecting again after 2 miscarriages. I couldn't keep up. I went to the local doctor and asked what he thought about dr. Atkins WOE. He , as well as my nephrologist in the states said I would be commiting suicide because all the protein would destroy my kidney. I knew from experience that nothing else worked so I told them both that their way DID NOT WORK so I would take my chances with Dr. Atkins. My mom was not happy. That was late 1999. I am now over 100lbs lighter and my kidney function has improved 25% and little or no knee pain. I am slowly completing my B.A. in nutrition and as of right now I and working through a really long stall. My two younger brothers and my wife are all on low-carb . Between all of us we have lost 380 lbs. We aren't there yet but we are on the right track! So that is my story ... the short version. If I could type it would me much longer. lol P.S. My wife carried the third pregnancy to term and we now have Max 2yr. and Michael 7yrs.

[Takeiteasy2000]

It is only obvious to begin with a prayer of thanksgiving because without God's help I could never have accomplished this. I found it very fitting that I hit this milestone on a Sunday so that I could begin my day of celebration in church.

I remember first feeling fat in the third grade. My teacher took a picture of the class outside one day and gave me a copy. I was a very active student as I continued through my school days. Cheerleading was my life. At the beginning of my Junior year our sponsor began to talk to me about cheering in college. I knew I could never do that at the size I was. Over Christmas break I asked my Mother if I could go to Weight Watchers. She agreed and we started together the first week Of Jan. 1977. I lost 43 pounds and became a lifetime member before I graduated from high school.

In the Fall of 1978 I became a student at Oklahoma Baptist University and a member of the cheerleading squad. College was a wonderful time in my life but I continued to struggle with my weight. I was still getting taller so that didn't help. When we had tryouts for my Senior year our sponsor asked me to drop a little weight. That was when I first found low carb. I quickly dropped about 20 pounds in two weeks down to 160. I know that sounds like a lot compared to todays cheerleaders but I was 5 ft 7 in tall and very solid. (Oh to have that muscle mass again.) Obviously I had looked at low carb as a quick fix and we all know how long that lasts.

After I graduated and began teaching high school my weight began to soar. It was always going up and down then up, up, up. I would try whatever diet and drop a little weight but never for long. At one point I know I got up to 275 and just never got on the scales again. Being so close to 300 just scared me. Shortly after that I began medication for severe allergies and asthma and the weight just dropped off. I was getting close to regular sizes before I began to gain again.

I had poured all of my time and energy into my job and did little for me. I was coaching high school cheerleaders and had a dream of them winning a national high school championship. That dream came true in February 1996 when my girls won the National High School Cheerleading Championship (small varsity division). It is the one held at Disney World in Orlando and seen each year on ESPN. When I had interviewed for my job the then principal asked me my greatest strength and greatest weakness. I told him it was one in the same. I try to always be there for my students. I go to almost all of their activities. (I had to cover 9th, JV, and Varsity football and basketball games.) The problem was I often ignored myself and didn't take care of me. By the end of the 1997 school year I was at my breaking point. I gave up the cheerleaders and decided to take some time for me.

I had tried who knows how many diets over the years. I began Atkins for the first time in 1998 but went off when my Mother had a triple bypass. Then again in 1999 and went off when I went to Oklahoma to watch my nephew play in the state basketball tournament. There was always an excuse.

I was in miserable shape as I look back now. The Doctor had told me I had reflux disease. He also wrote the word obese as his diagnosis. I had to sleep in a recliner or totally propped up by pillows. I used about two bottles of Tums a week and something stronger at night. I woke up about every 1/2 to 1 hour. I was tired all of the time because I never got any quality sleep. I now have virtually no reflux and sleep through the night.

For some reason in April of 2001 it all just clicked. I can't say there was an exact moment, I was just fed up with my life and what the weight was doing to me. I began to cut back on sugar, chips and crackers and saw my weight begin to drop. I started at 257 and wearing a size 22 Woman's (and the 20s I could squeeze into). When I began induction on april 22, 2001 I weighed 248. I didn't know what it was but there was just something different this time. I think maybe I just realized that you had to believe you could keep the weight off. When I had started diets before it was always with the attitude that I would lose the weight and then have to lose it again. This time I just knew that I would lose the weight and never regain it. Even friends and family could see the difference in my attitude.

By the first of December 2001 I had lost 62 pounds down to 195 and then the stall to end all stalls hit. I got stuck and I do mean stuck...for ten months. I spent most of last Summer taking care of my Mother when she had knee replacement surgery. I stayed legal but just ate too much. My weight kept going up and down the same few pounds. When I returned home to start the new school year I found myself back up to 211 after three days planned off the program. I then got very serious and was back to 197 by the end of September and was starting to wear a size 14 Misses. I began really exercising at this point because I was determined to get below that previous low of 195. That ten month stall was no fun but I call it my blessing in disguise. It was during this time that I realized I truly never would give up this WOE. I'm sure my body just needed to adjust and God needed to teach me some patience.

Since October I have dropped an additional 42 pounds and as of today (2/3/03) I am at 155...just 15 pounds from my goal weight of 140. I am beginning to fit into some size 8 and 6 clothes. I know that I will be at goal very soon. There are no doubts!!!

I'd like to share some of what I call my "shining moments" from along the way on this journey.

1. Realizing that I no longer had to squeeze into a student desk at school.

2. Seeing my reflection in the trophy case and thinking someone had walked up beside me...I didn't recognize myself!!!

3. Seat belts, first...I noticed my collar bone hurt because of where the strap came across and second... the day the belt fit across my lap instead of around my belly.

4. Always seeing the look on peoples faces when they haven't seen me in a while. It takes some of them a moment to realize that it really is me.

5. Just in December I felt like I had MY face back. I always gained weight there first.

6. The first time I felt like people weren't wondering why the fat lady was shopping in the Misses section.

7. And finally just last week I told some of my students I am very cose to that I finally felt like I had my life back!! They sat there and cried with me the little dears!!!

Even though I'm not at goal yet I believe that the real journey is just beginning. I have spent most of my adult life hiding inside myself. I was there all along but too afraid to let many people see the real me.

I can think of one sad thing in all of this. I am truly amazed by how differently I am treated by people in general. Not my friends or coworkers but just people I come in contact with. I don't think I noticed how invisible I was before. It makes me sad that so many people will rule out getting to know or be kind to someone just because of their weight.

I don't know what all life has in store for me. But I am a person who believes things happen for a reason. There were obviously many things I had to learn about myself before I could continue with my life. Oh the joys and treasures that I plan to discover now that I am back. I thank God for the lessons He has taught me and for the future He has planned. I still get impatient sometimes but know that it will all happen in His time not mine.

I end with a thank you to everyone here at the Century Club. Quiggley...I can't wait to see what you have to say everyday in our challenge posts. Thanks for taking the time to address us each individually. Mags...You make me laugh! Thanks for your help with my picture...I'll be needing some more help soon. Bonbon...You are the best! The first perosn here who I tried to be like. What an inspiration. Betzi, Snugs, and Goldie...Meeting you was a grounding for me. You gave me stability and a place to come meet with friends. Jaxy... I know you are new to posting but your pictures helped me to see where I am and where I am going. There are so many more I could name. I'm not the best at posting to everyone and want you all to know how much you mean to me. You can all do this. We CAN and WILL do it together.

[Nicolio20]

Well, let me start by saying that I never thought I would be posting something about ME losing over 100 pounds. I never for one moment thought that I was going to fail and give up, but on the other hand I didn't think I was going to suceed either (strange isn't it)?

Although I am not on the Atkin's WOE right now I still come back ocassionally to check in to the boards...this is the place that I started from and I really enjoy reading everyone's post...they are so uplifiting!

I started Atkin's right after Thanksgiving of 2001 with the notion that by Thanksgiving 2002 I would return to my family 100 pounds lighter.

I