Tim's Journal

[Tim4701]

Let's see. I wanted to create this journal so I could remember what I am doing and where I'm going. I got started on the Atkins way of living because of my doctor getting on my case about being out of shape as I was there getting my perscriptions renewed (BP and Cholesterol meds of course). I always hate going to the Dr. because I feel like a failure everytime I step in there and the first thing out of his mouth is what I don't want to hear. I know he is only trying to help me, but it always comes off arrogantly for some reason. Anyway, once I got my meds, I decided I've had enough of those trips, and I am going to show my doc that I'm not a poster boy anymore for what not to do. I told myself I'll show up to his office a few months later many pounds ilghter and to get off of my medications instead of renew them. Ha Ha! I'll show him.

Now, figuring out what to do... I always have tried diets, sometimes they worked , most of the time they didn't. Actually, who am I kidding, they never worked otherwise I wouldn't be here describing my need to lose weight. Low fat diets require an ironclad will to be successful and maintain. To me that is nearly impossible. I feel like it is practically starving myself to lose weight, and eventually I would always feel too hungry and give up. So, low fat was out. I had tried atkins before, but I fell victem to not reading the entire book, and got caught up in the hype about how atkins is bad for you, so I basically dropped it after a week or so. But luckily, I decided to re-visit the book and read it and understand it. I researched (lowcardfriends in particular) and felt good about it, so I went for it.

Long story short, I started in mid August of this year, and have lost ~28lbs so far. I started at 256, am currently at 228, and want to get to around 180. So I still have a while to go. I am not having too much difficulty with this way of living because I don't get hungry. I have been and still am very addicted to diet coke, but it hasn't seemed to affect my weight loss. I've only cheated once... I love a good margarita and my brother was throwing a birthday party of which he acquired a margarita machine, and I let him talk me into one which became five. I felt bad about it for the next day, but decided I wasn't going to let it bother me anymore, and that I will be much more steadfast next time. I do have to give myself some credit though, I didn't have any sweets or barbque at that party which I easily could have. Anyway, I have been doing this for about 6 weeks now, and I've recently got started with exercise, which to my suprise was not nearly as difficult as it used to be. I started shovelglove which if you haven't heard about it, basically it is using a sledge hammer as a weight and performing everyday movements with it in sets. Check out www.shovelglove.com for more info. It is really a great form of exercise for me. I feel stronger already, and I think it helped me get out of a mini stall in my weight loss. I also am hitting my heavybag for a few rounds of heavyweight action! (no pun intended).

After having been on atkins for a few weeks now, I also am starting to realise what I am actually doing this for, which is my family, especially my kids. I don't want them to grow up without me. Also for myself... I've missed out on too much of life because I am fat, and I'm ready to have some fun and live.

Anyway, that's all for now. I;m not really sure if this was even worth reading for someone else, but feels good to me just to write it down somewhere to solidify it. I do appreciate this website, and the people participating on it and wish everyone success. It is a great tool and motivation. I am looking forward to my next progress report! Three more months and I am going back to the Dr. and I can't wait to see the look on his face!

[twinkerbell]

Your journal is worth reading, I think this website is very inspirational! Keep up the good work!

[LosingIt]

KUTGW!! You'll make goal I know you will! I'd like to be a fly on the wall when you step into that DR's office!

[Tim4701]

Well... I find myself doing pretty good, but I also think I am starting to do things that maybe I shouldn't. I have been exercising with the sledgehammer everyday for about two weeks now, and I really like it. I haven't really lost anymore weight, but I haven't checked in a while either, so I may have lost a few lbs by now (hopefully). The last time I checked, I was at 230 lbs at night (probably not the best time to weigh, but I was curious). I usually wait until the weekend to weigh. I also wonder if I am going to see a slow down in weight loss on the scale because of the sledgehammer (basically weightlilfting) exercises and hopefully the increased muscle mass that should come with it. I will have to keep that in mind when I don't seem to be losing weight. I don't want to let myself get discouraged because of something that's actually good for me.

The thing that I am catching myself doing very recently is that I am eating less and less vegetables and more meats. I really hope that the spinach E. Coli scare ends soon, because that was the one vegetable that I loved to put into everything, and as it turns out probably the best vegetable I could eat. I eat broccoli and peppers among other vegetables, but the spinach was very easy, just rinse and use... (sounds kind of lazy of me, doesn't it). Anyway, I just feel like I have been eating more chicken, tuna, and hamburger, some from home and more from fastfood places (throwing away the buns and a little mayo only, of course). I guess now that I realise it, I am going to try to cut back on frequency of the fast food versions.

I haven't cheated at all and I feel pretty good about that. The cravings really have gone. That really suprises me... I remember pulling my hair out trying to keep myself from eating sweets on low fat diets. I guess I just need to keep myself in check with the veggies and exercise. I think I'll go to the store tonight and pickup some new fresh LC ingredients, and go from there.

Thanks for the encouragement...

[Tim4701]

Ahh Haa! I weighed yesterday and I have lost 30#. Yesssss! It's funny how you go a week without losing a pound and then all of the sudden you drop 3 or 4 lbs. I didn't really change anything... oh well. I'm not gonna complain about that. I do find myself eating less food overall, and I have been exercising 5 days a week for a little over 3 weeks in a row. I feel really good about that. I think I am just now realizing that I actually do have some sort of control over this whole process which I've never had before. Hopefully my progress will continue. The one thing I wish I had done from the start is to take pictures and measure. I am kicking myself that I didn't do that, but I do have my jeans and belt which are getting looser by the day. I still would love to have been able to see a side by side. I think I will take some pictures today so that I can see what it looks like after the next 30# falls off. I am only slightly anxious about the whole process slowing down or stopping. I feel like I am waiting for the weight loss to stop all together. That used to happen a lot when I was trying low fat diets, and it usually happend in the early stages of the diets. I think that my current progress should serve as motivation to stick with it through a long stall if it does occur though. The scale is my friend right now, but maybe I should make some more friends with how I feel, the pictures I am going to take today, and my loose clothes so that when the scale doesn't seem to work anymore I'll have something to keep me going (and to keep me from stomping the scale to oblivion)!

[Tim4701]

Oh man... I am addicted to diet coke and everything in it. I found some splenda sweetened diet caffiene free sodas that I like and tried to go without diet coke cold turkey today. I was good up until about 4pm today when got a really bad headache and was very tired. I broke about 8pm and have had 2diet cokes since. I'm not sure I can kick that habit. I feel like I should because it might be slowing my weight loss down, but this is going to be tougher than I thought. I guess I'll try again tomorrow.

[Tim4701]

10/15/06

Weighed in at 224.5 today. Another 1~2 pounds gone from my original 256. Still drinking diet coke, but doesn't seem to be stopping my weight loss which is making it easier to not deal with. Need to work on that, but not high up on my list at the moment. Im glad I have done so well with this low carb lifestyle, and a little suprised that I can do it, but I think (and hope) I am in this for the long haul. I would love and have dreamed of for many many years to be in shape with some muscular features and NO flab. I can't really imagine what it will feel like, but I am anxious to get there. Maybe a little too anxious. I'm still waiting for the dreaded plateu. I want to maintain this and I will maintain this... I don't want to fail. (I know, nobody wants to fail... I'm just blabbing to myself and typing at the same time). I know the low carb eating is what is driving this whole process, but I think in combination with persistant exercise is the real key for me. That will make me strong. That's what I want. I wonder what I will look like by this summer, or a year from now.

[indogia]

ah Tim,you have the esxcercise bug too huh!!!yey!!well done on the weight loss by the way you are doing great,you can reach your goal,its not as high as you think!

[Tim4701]

We went shopping at wally world tonight and I decided that I needed to get some new pants. I took a guess that I was one size smaller. Got them home and tried them on and they were too loose. I think I could actually go down another size... maybe two! <-- me dancing with my new pants around my ankles. Can't wait to do my weekly weigh in tomorrow morning.

[Tim4701]

Not feeling well for the past 3 or 4 days. I haven't had the energy to exercise all of this week. I'm wondering how I will fare with the low carb eating and being sick. I do take a multi vitamin, so I should be ok, although I have been really bad lately about not eating veggies (not really sure why). Hopefully I'll feel better soon so I can get back on the exercise kick. In the meantime I need to make some better and more nutritious low carb food choices instead of the quick and easy.

[indogia]

you will soon kick back and be in action!

[Tim4701]

Thanks for the encouragement Indogia! Boy I need it... I've been making a lot of excuses (none of them very legitimate) to not exercise. I got my wakeup call this morning when I weighed in and I gained for the first time since I started LC'ing back in august. I only gained one pound which probably means nothing, but I took it as a result of my slacking off. I have been sick for the past week (most legitimate reason), having a bit of a stressful time at work, and my kids are sick to boot. I think I have been taking the quick and easy route with my eating still... I have been really lazy with cooking and have been opting for the lunchmeat on LC tortilla instead of something that is LC AND nutritious. I really need to get back to cooking dinner. Hopefully I'll get over this illness and work will get back to normal. OK, here I go.... I'm setting two goals for tomorrow. I am going to exercise after work no matter what tomorrow! I'm gonna cook dinner too! No matter what... I've come too far to start screwing things up now. Gotta get back in that groove.

[Tim4701]

Finally, I am back in this. I really never stopped eating low carb, just wasn't making the best LC choices. But this week, I have done really well. I'm excited that spinach is back on the shelves. I also have started exercising again. So far I've walked/jogged in intervals on the treadmill 2 days this week, and I have lifted weights 1 day. Having lost 30 lbs sure did make the treadmill much easier which was a nice suprise. Doesn't seem like much, but I am psyched to keep going which is the good part for me. I am into it again. I have been in a mini stall weight-wise at ~222, but hopefully the exercising will kick the weight loss in gear again. Either way, I feel good that at least I am doing something now.

[monet0329]

Originally Posted by Tim4701

Finally, I am back in this. I really never stopped eating low carb, just wasn't making the best LC choices. But this week, I have done really well. I'm excited that spinach is back on the shelves. I also have started exercising again. So far I've walked/jogged in intervals on the treadmill 2 days this week, and I have lifted weights 1 day. Having lost 30 lbs sure did make the treadmill much easier which was a nice suprise. Doesn't seem like much, but I am psyched to keep going which is the good part for me. I am into it again. I have been in a mini stall weight-wise at ~222, but hopefully the exercising will kick the weight loss in gear again. Either way, I feel good that at least I am doing something now.

Keep on keepin on Tim !!.. you can do this !

[lippi]

Originally Posted by Tim4701

Finally, I am back in this. I really never stopped eating low carb, just wasn't making the best LC choices. But this week, I have done really well. I'm excited that spinach is back on the shelves. I also have started exercising again. So far I've walked/jogged in intervals on the treadmill 2 days this week, and I have lifted weights 1 day. Having lost 30 lbs sure did make the treadmill much easier which was a nice suprise. Doesn't seem like much, but I am psyched to keep going which is the good part for me. I am into it again. I have been in a mini stall weight-wise at ~222, but hopefully the exercising will kick the weight loss in gear again. Either way, I feel good that at least I am doing something now.

oh yes it does!! way to go!!

[Tim4701]

Hmm... I was so excited in my last post. I have been exercising pretty regurlarly, and have been eating pretty good. Didn't cheat at all over Thanksgiving. I haven't lost a pound in probably a month... haven't gained one either. I have started drinking green tea at work. I am eating Atkins bars... maybe one a day (I know this could be the culprit, but they sure come in handy at work). I am also still very addicted to diet coke, but I was drinking just as much of it when I was losing weight. I am not sure what to cut out, because I would go nuts without diet coke, but I could do without the atkins bars. Man, I don't want to give up, but being in this stall really sucks. I keep anxiously getting on the scale every saturday ending up dissapointed. I think I need to reevaluate my food choices. Errrg...

[fields6407]

Tim don't give up, you will start losing again. You may try returning to induction to get the ball rolling again. Just keep thinking about the look on the Doc's face when you roll in there some much thinner.

You can do it.

[Tim4701]

Thanks Rebecca. It's really starting to get me down. It's been about a month since I've lost any weight. I really haven't cheated either. I know if I stick with it, it will start again... I just wish I could jump start the loss again to get back to the way I was losing before. I am trying exercise (walk/jog on treadmill and weightlifting), but I have been only moderatly sucessful with doing that as many times as I should per week... maybe 2 20min walk/run and 1 or 2 weight lifting each week so far. I've been doing that for about 2-3weeks now. I really thought that would be the kick-start, but hasn't happened yet. I know it MAY be muscle since its heavier than fat, but I dont think I'm going to gain muscle weight that fast... oh well, I am going to stick to it either way. I've come too far to start giving up.

[monet0329]

She is right.. we cant give up.. if you read my journal.. you'll know that I have been at a stall for 5 weeks now .. not a pound.. nothing.. .. I did weigh last week some time.. it said a 4 pound loss.. but I dont log anything till Monday morning.. so we shall see.. .. hang in there Tim.. it WILL happen..

[Tim4701]

I weighed in on Saturday, and low and behold, I finally lost again. I weighed 219 instead of 221! What a relief. I weighed myself yesterday and it said 217.5, even better. I wish I could figure out what the stimulation is to restart the loss and bottle it, but I don't think I have done anything different between last week and this week. Thanks for the encouragement and reassurance. I'm not going to give up no matter how difficult it gets or how much other people try to convince me or trick me into going back to my old ways! I just realised that I am about half way to my goal weight... that is a good feeling. Hopefully this next half will be as good as the first half. I think I've been here before, and usually this is where I would start failing and snowball back up to and beyond my starting weight. But, I think that low carb is the difference, because relatively speaking, this was/is WAY easier to do than low fat, and I actually don't really have to think about eating right, because it has pretty much ingrained itself into my head.

[Pcola Girl]

Tim, you are doing great, I am so proud of you...