Making a lifetime commitment!!!

[Happy2be]

Hi, my name is Melanie and I was a carb addict. I am not anymore. I did Atkins a few years ago, did really good, lost 60 lbs wasn’t at my goal but was starting to feel good about myself. Thanksgiving came around and I cheated and then it just went down hill from there. I have gained all the weight back that I lost and am very sad about that. This time that will not happen and I know that I will have to constantly work at being skinny even once I get to goal.

My husband and I started atkins on Monday and I am down 5.5 lbs and he is down 6 lbs. I want to get to 150 by August, I don’t know if that will happen so my more realistic goal is 182 by August 20th. My friends wedding. I just visited Fitday and put in a few different scenarios, to be at 182 by August 20th I would have to lose 4 lbs a week. I think I can do that, but I also want to be realistic too. To be at 150 by October 15th I need to lose 1.21 lbs a week.

Goals to come in next post.

[Mel78]

Hey Melanie!!! I'm so glad to see you started your journal!!! Willpower, determination and a real committment to losing are your biggest weapons for staying on this through goal!!! Once you get through induction and find a good losing stride (a few weeks averages after induction) you can adjust your goals or stand firm to reaching them... The biggest thing is not to get discouraged... You KNOW this works! It's up to you to perservere through the tough times and come out thinner because of it!!!

I'll be looking back often to cheer your on and congratulate you on your successes!!!

[Happy2be]

So here are my goals and rewards: I have set my goals on losing 4 lbs a week. Hopefully that isn’t too high. But I would rather set them high and strive for them than have them too low.
12 lbs by May 21st. Tanning package.
20 lbs by June 4th.. Romantic getaway for hubby and I, on June 9th.
36 lbs by July 2nd. Manicure and Pedicure. Birthday July 3rd!!!!
48 lbs by July 23rd Satisfaction of being halfway there and in the 100’s!!!!
60 lbs by Aug, 13th Satisfaction of looking good in my friends wedding!!! (Wedding August 19th)
72 lbs by Sep. 3rd Not sure yet.
80 lbs by Sep. 17th Romantic getaway for our 1 year anniversary!!!!
96 lbs by Oct. 15th Not sure! Maybe a spa day.

Mel~ Thanks for stopping in. I will do this!!!

[Happy2be]

This is a place for me to post my thoughts so here is the thought for the day. I do not feel comfortable at all today. I haven’t felt comfortable for a long time. I hate the way clothes fit. I hate having to wear a shirt over a shirt and then that still not helping. I know I am on the road to weight loss but I hate how I look now. It’s a motivator but still I hate it. I refuse to go buy new clothes because I will not be at this weight for long. Just wanted to vent and get this off of my chest.

[Happy2be]

so far so good today.

Atkins shake for breakfast. 1
string cheese 1
hamburger with mayo 2
sugar free jello 0

83.75 oz of water

been peeing all day but thats ok because I'm hoping the whoosh fairy comes in and whooshes some lbs away!!!

[Mel78]

You are doing AWESOME!!! Keep up the good work and that elusive woosh-fairy is gonna be visiting you again REAL soon!!! Be sure to get some veggies into that menu, though, OK!?!?!?!

Have a great evening!!!

[Happy2be]

Mel~ Thanks for the encouragement. Tonight we are having taco salads, sans the taco. I am going to have 3 cups of salad tonight, with seasoned hamburger, a little bit of sour cream and cheese.

I have decided that I will be floating on the way home but I am going to go fill up my water bottle and drink another liter before I go home in an hour. Total water at work will be, 117.25 oz.


I need to get a good picture taken so I can get my face on here.

[Happy2be]

Well I was down .5 this morning. Better than nothing but I was hoping for a better loss. I need to analyze my menu and see what is going on.

B- Atkins shake 1c
S- String cheese 1c
L- Hamburger w/mayo 2c
sf jello 0
S- atkins bar 3c
D- Taco seasoned beef ?
2 tbsp sour creem 1c
cheese 3c
salad ?
S- 5 mild baked chicken wings ?
2 tbsp ranch dressing (if that) 2c

Drank 117 oz water yesterday.
1 diet pepsi 0c

So take a look and tell me what I did wrong? I thought for sure after drinking all of that water I would have lost more this morning.

[Happy2be]

Also last night I had a mini meltdown. I hate the way my clothes fit. Jason and I were getting ready to go to a meeting and I put on jeans, didn't like how that looked, put on my capris, didn't like that, then went back to my jeans. I just felt so ugly and fat and was really down on myself. I know that I am doing something about it finally but its the way I am now that is driving me crazy!!!! I want to start feeling good about myself and its going to take atleast 40 lbs until I start feeling good about how I look. I am so sick of these fat rolls.

Its good motivation but it sure makes you feel like **** when you're here.

[Mel78]

First of all... YOU DID NOTHING WRONG!!!! Part of this way of eating is to not expect a loss EVERY day. From your menu (taco seasoning & wings), you are ONLY retaining water (just like me, as I had taco salad last night too!!!). Be thankful you are down 0.5 today, and not UP 0.4 like me!!! Seriously, don't go changing what you are doing because you don't see a loss every day... PERSERVERANCE is what will keep your losses consistent!!! I promise you that!!!

Drink some extra water today and don't stress!!! You are doing FABULOUS!!! Give yourself the credit you deserve!!!! 6-pounds in one week... C'mon... that's AWESOME!!!

Also, I know how hard it is to accept your self-image during this transition period... but every time you look in that mirror, you should keep in mind that you are looking at a woman who is making a change!!! Let the resolve to make that reflection smile back at you empower you to lose this weight and keep on track!!!

And from my experience, even when the scale drops, it will take our/your mind a while to actually realize you are changing... Things will get saggier and the "transition" body will emerge... that's why you ALWAYS NEED TO KEEP YOUR MIND ON THE GOAL, but work the mini-goals and know you are working in the right direction! PERSERVERANCE!!!

Originally Posted by Happy2be

Well I was down .5 this morning. Better than nothing but I was hoping for a better loss. I need to analyze my menu and see what is going on.

B- Atkins shake 1c
S- String cheese 1c
L- Hamburger w/mayo 2c
sf jello 0
S- atkins bar 3c
D- Taco seasoned beef ?
2 tbsp sour creem 1c
cheese 3c
salad ?
S- 5 mild baked chicken wings ?
2 tbsp ranch dressing (if that) 2c

Drank 117 oz water yesterday.
1 diet pepsi 0c

So take a look and tell me what I did wrong? I thought for sure after drinking all of that water I would have lost more this morning.

[Happy2be]

Mel~ Thank you for that. I can tell that you are going to be a great friend and inspiration through this. Lots of water today.

Veggies and chicken tonight for dinner too. For lunch I didn't have anything to bring so I am going to go to subway and get a salad, anything I need to look out for as far as hidden carbs at subway. I think I will get a chicken salad.

Thank you again. I am glad at how well I am doing but for some reason I thought I would have lost more this morning and was a little bummed. I am going to stay away from the atkins bar today and see if that makes any difference.

On the ketosticks this morning I was at small, better than a trace yesterday. I'm looking for that deep purple color.

Thanks again Mel. You have put it into perspective for me and I am feeling better.

[Mel78]

The only advice I have for Subway is to use your own salad dressing if you can... Theirs always seem to be higher in carbs. But they aren't terrible if you get either ranch or ceasar. I'm guessing that's a grilled chicken salad and not their mayo-chicken salad stuff, right? You're good to go!!!

Just keep doing what you are doing and you will be consistent!!!

(WTG on losing the bar & shakes!!! Keep it as natural as possible!!!)

[Happy2be]

Yes the grilled chicken salad. I don't have any dressing with me today but will probably do the chicken ceasar salad.

I cut out the atkins bar today but can't do the shake yet because I don't have anything else ready made for bfast. I need to work on that. I would rather have a shake this morning than nothing. Bars are definitely cut out though.

[Mel78]

I posted the links that I could find with the nutritional info on the main board under your post. Hope these help!!! Have a great day!!! You are doing great!!!

[Happy2be]

Thanks hon.

Here are a few posts copied from another one of my journals. I thought you guys might want to read them and get to know me a little better.

So a new chapter of my life began. I met my husband in April, 2005. A girl that I work with wondered if I was seeing anyone and if I was up for a blind date. I wasn't really seeing anyone serious so I said sure. I gave her my number to have him call and he called a week or so later. We talked for the first time on April 13th, his moms bday and we had our first date on April 17th. I had been out shopping with a friend of mine and he called and wanted to meet. It was convenient because I had bought a new outfit. So I changed in the bathroom of the Sunoco station and off to meet Jason I went. We went to dinner at the Outback and had a good conversation. I could tell he was a little nervous but not too much. I was very at ease and calm. After dinner we weren’t ready for the date to be over so we went to Pat Catans to get some beads and then we went for ice cream. It was a good first date and the following week we got together again. We didn’t kiss at the end of the date, just a hug.

The second night we saw each other we were hanging out at my house. He went to leave and we kissed. We ended up having a three hour kiss. I swear, we just stood in the dining room kissing for three hours.

The relationship progressed, after about the 2nd week I was confronted with one of his problems. He liked to drink and drink a lot. I didn’t like that he was always drinking after work and I confronted him about it. He promised that he would work on it for me and he said he would prove it to me. I told him that I would not put up with that in my life and that I wanted kids and a family and that drinking would not be a part of my life. Over the next couple of months he proved himself to me. Sure he still likes to drink but he controls it.

There was a while where I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I loved Jason but didn’t like some of the things he did, we went out Memorial day weekend, had fun but I was mad at Jason for something and not sure I wanted to be with him, so I was a complete *****. I saw an ex boyfriend of mine and kept sneaking away to talk to him. Nothing happened between us but the fact that I was sneaking away to talk to him was shitty. Jason started getting wise to me and saw Eric wink at me. He was so pissed. Jason took me home that night and the next morning I was suppose to go with him and his family to their family reunion. I wasn’t sure if he would be there in the morning or not. He showed up that morning and we talked about the “incident” on the way to the reunion. I had been battling with it for awhile but when I got home that night and went to bed I thought about it good and hard and when I realized I could have lost him I was devastated. I realized how much of an ******* my ex was and that I almost lost the best thing that had ever happened to me. That night he went home and thought about it all night too and thought about breaking up with me. He was upset that I wasn’t sure about us but didn’t want to lose me either. I had a blast with him that day at his reunion and our relationship got stronger because of the incident. It made us realize what we could have lost and it scared both of us.

[Happy2be]

We went away for the first time the weekend of his bday (June 12. ). We went to Geneva on the lake and had a lot of fun. By this time we had talked about getting married. We hated living apart from each other but had so many things we had to take care of before we got married. Well he ended up proposing on June 15th. It was a Wednesday and I knew that he had went to look at a ring but I didn’t know if he got it or not. We were supposed to go eat that night and when he came to pick me up he was acting weird. He wanted to take a walk up to the lake behind the house and I was wondering what was going on but we went for the walk. On the way up to the lake he me if I liked his shirt, and I said yes. (his mom had gotten him a new shirt for his bday and he had it on. ) We got up to the lake and he asked me again if I like his shirt. By this time I was getting concerned he was acting so weird and I was sure that he was going to tell me something bad. Must have just been the nerves because he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes of course and about fainted when I saw the ring. It was gorgeous and I absolutely loved it and him!!!!

We started planning the wedding. I was really busy that summer. Between my birthday, the 4th of July, a shower for my cousin in July, a wedding for one of Jason’s friends, his cousin’s wedding, Cris’s wedding in August (which I was the Moh in and helped her plan), I was super busy. My cousin Cris told me we couldn’t get married before they did so we looked at September. We ended up picking September 17th since we had our first date on April 17th. We knew we wanted to have an outside simple wedding at my parents house, nothing too fancy. They have a great location and lots of land. We went back and forth from having a simple wedding party to a big wedding party. The guest list got out of hand as they always do but it was all good in the end. We ended up having a small wedding party but had a big reception. My sister was the moh, his brothers stood up for him. We were married outside by my moms flower garden in front of a trellis. It was a beautiful sunny day and I couldn’t have asked for a better wedding day!!! We had a big reception with three tents set up, we did the food ourselves. Had about 200 guests and a dj that we got dirt cheap for only 100 dollars!!! He was a friend of Jasons and he gave us a great deal. My aunt did the pictures and my uncle videotaped it. It was just perfect…..

[Happy2be]

Ok, so the pictures won't work. I will have to upload them from home.

[Happy2be]

Well I did good today.

So far:

Atkins Shake 1 c
Subway grilled chicken salad
Cucumbers
Cheese
Green peppers
Salad total = 8 c
Atkins Sweet Mustard dressing 1 c

Not that hungry will probably have wings tonight.

[Happy2be]

Good morning girls. I am in ketosis. It was a dark pink color this morning and I weighed 238!!!! WOO HOO!!! Lost 2 lbs!! Whoosh fairy came thru last night!!!!

TOTAL LOST: 8 lbs in 5 days!!!! Yippee!!

[Happy2be]

New stats!!!!

Weight Goal Stats
Current Weight
Your weight is 238 lb as of 05/12/2006.

Weight Goal
Your goal is to weigh 150 lb by 10/15/2006

Goal Progress
You are currently 88 lb above the target weight.

The deadline for your goal is 156 days (22 weeks, 2 days) away.

To meet your goal you need to lose about 3.95 lb per week.

[Happy2be]

Last nights dinner ended up being some grilled chicken, a piece of cheese and a peperoni slice. I would have had more peperoni but we were at inlaws house and DH put it away before I could get any more.


We were out running around trying to get a motor for my brother in laws car and we didn't eat until about 9:30. I was starved and my mother in law came home with McDonalds, I almost caved because I was so hungry but My father in law found some leftover grilled chicken, so DH and I split it. Then when we got home we each had a shake.

[Mel78]

WTG on passing up the Micky-Ds!!! See, and your reward was a 2-pound drop!!! WOOHOO!!! That's 8 pounds in less than a week!!! KUTGW!!!

[Happy2be]

I know, I can't believe it. My official weigh in isn't until Monday so I am hoping that I can hold onto it and then some more.

So far today:
Atkins shake
L- mild chicken wings I think, depending on if they have mild.
D- Large Steak salad without fries!!!
French dressing. (maybe I love the french but depends on the carbs. )
May go with ranch.

[Happy2be]

Official weigh in is today. I wish it was Saturday. I was down as low as 234 on Saturday. Yersterday morning I was 235 and now this morning 236. Didn't do anything different except I probably didn't drink enough water. SO I am ecstatic that I lost 10 lbs in 1 week, but now that I've seen that 234 I want that and more. It looks like I will be making my first goal and possibly more by the 21st!!!!

YIPPEE!!!!!

[Happy2be]

Yesterday was a good day. I didn't go off plan but yet this morning I was barely in ketosis and yesterday I was moderate. The only thing I can figure kicked me out was either the peanuts that I ate, the low carb ice cream, or the dressing on my salad last night. I was out to dinner and have no idea how many carbs were in the dressing. So the scale only went up .5 lbs and I'm not that concerned. I will just cut out the above mentioned things and get back in ketosis. Also will be drinking lots of water today. I'm looking for a big whoosh soon. I want to make goal and go beyond by the 21st!!!

So thats all thats going on with me. I feel like the pants I have on today are going to fall off. They were big before I lost the ten lbs and they feel like they could fall right off today. Funny, but I hope they don't.

I have to get some work done so I may not be here all that much today.

[Mel78]

I'm so happy that you are doing so well. Don't worry about the 1/2 pound. I agree with your deduction that it's one or all of the three you listed. If you're doing induction still, you may want to still limit the peanuts and l/c icecream as those will definitely slow your losses. (sorry ) I'm always leary of dressings when I got out as well.