I hope this helps someone out there..

[pharmd4me]

hello everyone. I hope this can help someone out there. I have been heavy my whole life. To make matters worse I was always picked on in school for having "male breasts" or gynecomastia. People can be very cruel, especially kids when growing up. I always ate whatever I wanted, avoided exercise at all costs, and just basically drifted through life. I am currently 25 years old now and in pharmacy school at the university of illinois in chicago. I was recently diagnosed with benign hypertension ( high blood pressure) at the age of 24! No big deal I thought, I would just take the medication and it would be ok. Finally one day I looked at myself in the mirror and decided that enough was enough. I then took a plunge into the atkins way of eating. I did this a few months before christmas last year and lost about 15 pounds. Then fat jolly santa claus had to peep his head in december and I ate everything in site and gained it all back. I was depressed and thought that I would never be able to do anything about my weight. Then for whatever reason I go my second wind and started atkins again. I went out and purchased an reclined position exercise bike. I have been doing about 24 miles a week (8 miles a day, 3 x a week) and have stuck to the atkins diet. I want to tell everyone that I have lost over 40 pounds and feel amazing! My blood pressure wasn't even controlled very well on the medication, but since losing the weight has normalize and is very good. I feel like a completely different person. I went clothes shopping yesterday and can fit into a size 36 inch jeans! I started at a tight sized 42 and have gone from that size to a 36 in a little bit more than 2 months. What I am trying to say here is that I have been in each and every one of your shoes as far as the depression, the eating, the feeling of helplessness. I started at 270 pounds and am 226 right now and what a difference! I never thought I could do this. If I can do this, anyone can! I no longer worry about what is for dinner or whatever. I have taken full control over this situation and am beating it. I have a new outlook on life because of this. I know I still have a ways to go, but I cannot believe how much better I feel. So for those of you that are out there, just keep your head up and if you really want this bad enough, it will come in due time. I am living proof!

best of luck,
jeff

[Queen Mab]

Congratulations on your success.

[TRACY2]

[COLOR=darkblue]AWESOME!![/COLOR]

[Cloud9]

Thank you for posting. It helps to hear success stories.

[wantintolose]

Congrats on the weight loss Jeff!!

Your story is truly an inspiration. I am new to the Atkins way of life and am loving it so far!! I have been on every diet there is.. and I have finally found what I was looking for with Atkins.

Keep up the Great work!!

[Lisakay]

And thank you!!! I needed to read this...

Take care!
Lisa

[pharmd4me]

Just an update. I have lost 7 more pounds and have upped my exercise regimen to biking 10-15 miles 5 times a week. I also suprisingly do not find myself hungry at all anymore. I know atkins type diets, high in protein are supposed to suppress hunger, but seriously this goes beyond that. I find it suprising that I can eat a few eggs and some bacon in the morning and then forget its past dinner time before I even start to feel hungry again. I have to force myself to eat something sometimes. Anyway, combining the diet with exercise really really works. I cannot stress that enough. The stationary bike I got was a really good one and only cost 220 dollars. Honestly, I hooked up a tv in the basement and you would be suprised how "short" 45 minutes is when your watching tv.

Best of luck,
jeff

[tweetybird0030]

I sat here and read your story and that is my son he is 13 years old 280 pounds and is 6'3 I am putting him on the atkins diet with me this summer I know that there is no way that he is going to eat that way at school but if I can start him off this summer and he see's that he can do it maybe when school starts it will not be so hard for him to continue. I just started and I can not wait to get to my goal allthough I know that it is going to take a while to get there I am not giving up I want to be healthy again. Thanks for sharing your story with us

[Irishnonee]

cool. i'm proud of you.

[JackieO]

Congrats!! That's Really awesome. Everyone gets "down" occasionally with their weight. Ur story might help them to stay with it!

[pharmd4me]

Tweety:

I am glad that I was able to share my story with you. Really, this way of life is outstanding. The main thing is to instill the right mindset with him. I mean for myself, I am seeing parts of my body that I have never been able to see before. I know that sounds funny but seriously my fingers are not hotdogs anymore and I can see veins on the tops of my hands when there was nothing but fat there. I know again this sounds funny but when you have been heavy your whole life and you start to look "normal" and I mean what you envision yourself to look like, it makes all the difference in the world. I will say that with this comes a bit of caution though and I want to stress this very much. Since I have lost this weight, I have started to think of things somewhat in a negative sense. Its funny too because I am going to be a doctor of pharmacy and I know all about health. Anyway, I have started to "obsess" about my weight now in a fashion that might not be healthy. Now I don't have anorexic or bulemic thoughts because I know all about the dangers of that, however I do get crazy when the weight starts to go in the opposite direction. I begin to almost "punish" myself in a way that I begin to think negatively of myself. This comes and goes in spurts and I just wanted to add that to this post. I will have to monitor it and seek help if I feel it gets worse. I am on an SSRI for anxiety, but honestly that is one of the treatements for anorexia/bulemia. Has anyone else had this kinds of thoughts? Anyway..enough of myself. So getting his weight down is imperative and I think this way of life is a good approach. As far as him being able to implement this eating at school, that shouldn't be a problem as lunches can be made that are low carb and its easy when you get into the swing of things. He needs to understand that this isn't a part time deal. If he goes back to eating the way he did before the weight will come back and in half the time. Trust me when i say that if he sticks to this over the summer he will be amazed at how good he can look in 3 months when school starts again. He is only 13 and his body will strip the fat very fast, unless there is underlying medical conditions like hypothyroidism that needs to be addressed first. Unfortunitely, as some can attest as we get older and me even at 25 (yeah I Know I'm still young..don't want to hear about it ) it takes longer and longer to lose the weight. Education and results will be the key for him.

Good luck,
jeff

[davec21236]

great job and thanks for sharing ! ! Whew I can't wait to be in 36's again !


Dave

[Raini]

Jeff, thank you for posting your story. As you have pointed out, many people with severe weight issues have suffered the humiliation, the depression and the hopeless feelings. I remember thinking that I would rather die than to continue like I was. Praise God I found Atkins! I thank God that you did, too.

TweetyBird- You are right to be concerned about your son. And I think that he will be able to stick with Atkins if he gets a good start this summer. (The first time I lost weight was betreen 7th and 8th grades. No one recognized me when I went back to school!)

I also wanted to mention two handicapped girls that I know and love. They both have Downs Syndrome and I have known them all their lives. They both became severely overweight, and it appeared that they would never lose. However, their parents started Atkins and then encouraged them to try it as well. Both of these girls (in their early 20's, but emotionally much younger) are working hard at Atkins. They even pack their own lunches each day for work and/or school; and they don't cheat! They are so proud of their success, and rightly so. I am proud of them, too.

Good luck with your success and your son's. Please stay in touch and let us know how he is doing.

Raini

[pharmd4me]

another update....

This WOE has been a blessing for me. Me and my fiance are going to disney world in 2 weeks and I am getting ready to go. We went shopping yesterday and even though I haven't lost anymore weight in the past few weeks, I decided to try on some new clothes. To my suprise I actually fit in a size 34 now!!!! This is incredible b/c I don't think I have fit into a size 34 since I was way younger! I have really started to exercise alot and I think that has contributed to me losing more inches than anything. I have noticed that I am putting on muscle during this time so that I attribute to the plateau in weight loss. I said I wanted to get into a size 34 and that would be it, but now I want to drop to a size 32...go figure. To everyone out there, exercising and low carb diet does work... I am living proof...


Best of luck,

Jeff
PharmD. 2006

[Gricky44]

Thanks for the encouraging story. We all need it at time. Hopely I will one day be able to tell everyone I lost 150 lbs by low carbing and exercise.
Have a Good day and keep up the good work

[tweetybird0030]

pharmd4me


Thank you so much for your words I have started my son on the diet he has been on it now for a week and he loves it and he said that he is full and I tested him to make sure that he is not eating when I am not watching and he tested good I am very proud of him he has not weighed yet I am thinking maybe at the end of next week so that we can see how much he is pulling off to see if he will need to stay at the induction level. I have stayed there for a while now and I am now down 42 pounds in just 3 months so I know that this woe works great and I feel so much better about my self. I have even gotten rid of my clothing that is to big I went from a 26/28 to now a size 18/20 and I took most of my clothing to a shop here in town that will trade for other used clothing it was nice to go in there and get such a smaller size I loved it and I had a great big smile on my face the whole time. And I just love it when people that have not seen me in a while see me and they say wow you have really lost alot of weight I just smile and say Thank you for noticeing.

[collrob2101]

I am doing low carb and it does get to me if I gain a few pnds back I feel real gulity but get back on the band wagon. I love this WOE!!!1

[careb]

Congrats on your continued success!!! We all need to hear how someone else is doing, to encourage us to know we are not alone in the low carb lifestyle.

Keep up the good work!!

[KristinaSonia54]

It's great to hear a story to motivating. Keep up the great work! Congrats on the weight you lost!

[fishinDi]

Thanks for sharing your success....this is what drives us newbies like me. Hearing trials and tribulations is great incentive for us all.

[MiaStar]

congratulations Jeff!

[LizT111]

Wow - congrats !!

[huggies4]

[sandooch140]

I've been following your success story. It is really inspiring!

[tryinhard2lose]

that is fantastic!!!!keep up the good work!
Angie

[johnandchicken]

SCREW MEAN PEOPLE THAT PICK ON OTHERS JUST TO BOOST THEIR SELF ESTEEM!!! GREAT JOB and keep up the good work...takes alot of disicipline!! niki

[jackluci]

pharmd4me....

You've inspired me! I just started a week ago. I'm really looking forward to the end of the year, and I hope I can make a post like yours.....size 34 pants sound good....

Good on you!