I haven't been on since Sunday, and wondered what the heck? I suspect that it in response to requests to be able to tell when someone has commented on our journals, but takes it a bit too far.... :/

Does SHAMING work? Nope...if so, then all of the hurtful, shaming things that have been said to me over the years (starting at age 14, when my mother put me in WW because I was 5'4" and weighed 132, and I had to stand in front of people and weigh myself while she looked on [the rest of the females in my family were all about 100 pounds] or when she told me to "suck in that gut, you look like you are pregnant" or my dad asked me "How much more are you going to eat?" or when I got called a FAT HOG) would have worked, yet here I am 40 years later and 90 pounds heavier, but a couple of inches shorter (yep, we really do shrink as we age), still fighting the battle to get control and be healthy and happy. There is a lot of information in this thread to disseminate. I have tried so many weight loss programs in my lifetime (many of them more than once), including Diet Center (chicken, lemon juice with oil in hot water, and salad), Weight Watchers, liquid diets, diet chews, diet pills, both prescription and non, and simple calorie restriction...in the last 40 years I have probably tried as many different ways to lose weight as the years I have been trying. The one that works best for me and helps me feel the best is a low carb diet. In reading through this thread, I felt FullaBella's statement was the most reasoned and compassionate of all the ones here. In her statement, it feels like she has been there/done that as many times as I have. To decide that everyone else simply needs to do what you do and they will lose weight...well, not in my experience. But that, just like the lifestyle I choose to follow, is my own opinion.

I have been there, done that...I love myself, but I hate the way I feel when I am as obese as I was. Would I like to be thinner? You betcha...do I love me where I am? Oh, yeah. These days I don't diet anymore, I eat for my health, and the weight loss is directly associated with that healthy eating. If I lose more that would be awesome and I am working at it, but if I don't, I will love me at the 191 that I am at, and enjoy the health benefits I am reaping from losing the 67 pounds I have lost. The most important thing I think is that every single person needs to learn to love who they are, not what they weigh! :)

The one thing I know for sure, you really need to eat some breakfast to jump start your metabolism. And as FOL says, record everything!!! One more tip, drink plenty of water!

The first misconception out there is that Atkins is zero carb...it is not. Induction is 20 NET carbs a day, and after that there is a carb ladder that is followed to introduce more carbs back into your diet in a healthy way. As for Atkins causing unnatural carb cravings, that is not the experience most people who follow Atkins experience. What is more common is that following a low carb lifestyle stops the cravings that are experienced by those of us that are carb intolerant...unless we go on an unhealthy carb binge...ie, sugars and starches. Those who follow Atkins today eat lots of veggies, healthy fats, meats, and dairy, and it is a lifestyle change, not a crash diet to lose 20 pounds and then go back to the potato chips and soda!

DK, great advice!! Hang in there Terry!

I am going to try that! Thanks, Ida!

King, I use the same visualization exercise myself, but never thought about taking pictures. Now I couldn't life what I have lost (I don't think), although I do sling around some 48 pound bags of dog food and 50 pounds of rabbit ration. When I do I always think about the fact that I used to carry that weight with me everywhere I went! You have all done soooo well! :)

And it would appear that you have achieved your next goal, 20 pounds by your birthday, already! :)

Beautiful, inches are melting is right! WOW!!! Congratulations!!!

This is the ingredient list from the other website as it is entered here: (Sorry for the format...) Ingredients Fat(g) Carbs(g) Fiber(g) Net C(g) Prot(g) KCals 151.21 26.35 5.3 21.01 17.52 1577 2.67 servings unsweetened shredded coconut (1/2 cup) 26.70 10.68 5.3 5.34 2.67 267 12 servings splenda (3/4 cup) - 12.00 - 12.00 - 24 16 servings heavy whipping cream (1 cup) 80.00 - - - - 800 2 servings almond extract (1/2 tsp) - - - - - 10 1 serving coconut extract (1/2 tsp) - - - - - - 50 g egg (1 med) 4.97 0.38 - 0.38 6.29 74 4 oz cream cheese 39.54 3.02 - 3.02 8.56 396 1/2 tsp vanilla extract - 0.27 - 0.27 - 6 When I copied this recipe into my cook book I got this nutritional info: Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 Serving Amount Per Serving Calories from Fat 340Calories 394 % Daily Values* Total Fat 37.8g 58% Saturated Fat 26.622g 133% Polyunsaturated Fat 0.529g Monounsaturated Fat 3.265g Cholesterol 164mg 55% Sodium 145mg 6% Potassium 51mg Total Carbohydrate 6.59g 2% Dietary Fiber 1.3g 5% Sugars 0.89g Protein 4.38g

Some people don't figure that the Splenda has carbs...if the difference is the equivalent of the Splenda added, that is probably exactly what is happening. :?

I walk and do a kettle bell workout 4-5 times a week. It is short, sweet, and to the point. Love the core workout. I have also used the 10 minute solution Pilates workout, and like it also. :)

:)

I see that you are eating a lot of cauliflower...you should try to eat at least 2 cups of green leafy veggies a day. Also try to limit the cheese to 2 oz a day if you can. And the Atkins bars, while quite tasty can slow or even stall weight loss. If you would like feel free to look at my diet calendar. I have some great recipes also, if you would like to use them. And there are some awesome low carb recipes by other members. The cream cheese filled, bacon wrapped jalapenos are awesome! The mim is good for breakfast, but try not to make it a substitute for your other meals. Other than that it looks pretty good. Just remember to try and get a wider variety of veggies in. :)

Of course, Tori. BRB...:)

I just looked at your weight loss chart and you have lost 16 pounds in less than 2 months. That is an average of 2 pounds a week, which is a very nice loss. I checked my weight loss history and in Nov of 2010 I was at 188...it took me until June of 2011 to get to 184...that is 4 pounds in 9 months! :lol: I would tell you that all the research I have done suggests that if you are eating low carb there is no reason to detox. Detox is for the liver and with a low carb diet the liver pretty much cleanses itself since it is a diet that is high in fat, and a big part of the liver's function is to help break down fats...so, since it is used regularly, the toxins do not build up in it the way they do on low fat diets. Atkins incorporates a lot of veggies if it is done correctly. I eat a HUGE salad every single day, and at least 2 servings of other veggies. As for your food diary, there was one little thing I noticed that might help...cut back on the cheeses...try to limit it to 1 to 2 servings a day. See if that helps. And although on Atkins we don't count calories, try to stick to 1400 to 1800 a day for a couple of weeks and see what happens. Hope this helps...and like I said, 2 pounds a week is a nice, respectable weight loss! There will just be times when it slows a bit! :)

TTabe, The Primal Blueprint and Atkins are alot alike...the biggest difference is the amount of carbs...for weight loss on TPB, it is 50-100 total carbs a day. My weight does not come off like it used to either. I have tried almost all the "miracle" fat burners out there..ACAI berry...remember that craze? If you think about it though, 4-9 pounds in 30 days, 1-2 inches, on a super low calorie diet? I suspect that is what is causing the loss...not some new "miracle" supplement. Sorry, but that's just my thoughts on the subject. As for my secret...there really isn't one...if you look at my weight loss graph, you will see a lot of "plateaus". I have lost 59 pounds right now. I am re-losing the 23 I gained after my dad died. When he passed away in July 2011, I was at 73 pounds lost...it took me 18 months to lose that and that was sticking with 20 total grams of carbs a day. If you would like I will check your food calendar and see if anything jumps out at me. :)

One of the pages I read linked it to the HCG diet which is VLC diet. From what I have been reading it is used with low calorie diets.

I just looked it up and it is really expensive...sale price was $40 per bottle which is enough for a 4-9 pound and 1-2 inch loss. I would think you can lose the same amount just doing Atkins, but that's just me. :)