Redd Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Well, Swamp wanted me to post my experience with long term low carbing, and why I decided to low carb myself. I have been low carbing for over 3 years, and it started after the birth of my 3rd child. After having a routine checkup with my doc, he found a few things that were disturbing to him. I was 25 years old and after having my bloodwork done he found that my cholesterol was up to 300, very serious, he immediatly put me on lovastatin to try to reduce my count. I was becoming a diabetic, my blood sugar levels were all over the chart. My dad was a type 2 diabetic, and died from complications of his condition after having a double leg amputation. This was frightening for me. He told me I had to go on a LOW FAT diet, and see him in a month. After a month of measuring, watching my intake of fats, watching portions, I went back in. Not only did my cholesterol go up, I gained 7 pounds. He didnt know what to say, but to excersise wich I had been doing already. I went on the Atkins diet right after that. (I didnt tell him either because he is against it all) At my six month check up I had reduced my cholesterol to about 250, my blood sugar levels were great, and I had lost a ton of weight. (I also never took the lovastatin when I started Atkins) 6 more months later I went in again, cholesterol was below 200 now, and I was wearing a size 2. He just about fell over. He asked what diet I was on and started naming off all these low fat diet plans he thought I had been on. I told him that I never took the lovastatin he gave me and that I never was on a low fat diet, and I was on Atkins. He was speechless. I recieved a letter in the mail a week after from him telling me that he was so amazed that he may have to look into low carbing for some of his patients. The trick with low carbing is to always search for new recipes, cause if you are eating the same thing week after week you will never stay on the plan. You also cant deny yourself a cheat once in a while, you will ultimately fail. There are so many people that go on and eat bacon and eggs every day for 2 weeks and then say they cant do it. I would be able to do it either. When you reach your goal your body will let you know, you wont lose anymore. For me that was around 123. I am 5'7''. That was too thin for me anyways, my husband was complaining about my loss of my butt and my chest, he felt like he was having sex with a skeleton. I am at my perfect weight right now, at 130-135. PM me if you want to know what my starting weight was. Redd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Great success story, thanks. But you should post your starting weight. Go ahead, it's not like thousands of other people haven't been there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodeRash Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 It's good to hear from someone who realized that they had lost to much weight, and made the decision to gain a little weight back. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hookman49 Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Thanks for posting your story Redd! I have been low carbing now since early February. I have lost a total of 24lbs. Been up and down but I can see this is going to be a way of life for me. Not just a diet. One really nice thing it my cholesterol level is also down. My doctor put me on Lipitor (spelling) last year when my cholesterol level was over 250. Lost my job and health insurance and stopped taking the pills. Well just went back to the doctor last week and he sent me for blood work. My new cholesterol level is now 180 after being on this diet. He can't believe it either. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redd Posted September 17, 2003 Author Share Posted September 17, 2003 Congrats Ken! Glad youre doing so well. Alright Swamp you want to know! My starting weight was 180, I was in a size 14. It was the biggest I had ever been. As of this morning I am 132, I currently wear a size 4. It took me exactly 9 months (staying true with the diet) to go from 180, to 123. I have maintained my weight for 3 years. Redd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Involute Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Thats very encouraging. My wife and I are going to start the Atkins thing soon. Hopefully we can be as successful as you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Thanks, Redd. You know, I just don't hear failures with this diet. I mean, I hear of people failing to stay on it, but not that it fails if you do it right. And I think it's clearly the easiest to stick to once you get past that sugar addiction (which for me was like kicking a hard drug). I just came back from the grocery store. There was a large woman looking at the Slim Fast stuff while I was picking up low-carb stuff. I couldn't help it, I said, "That stuff will kill you." It's the first thing that came to mind. She was taken aback but opened a conversation. I mentioned you and that you got too skinny, that sure got her attention. She put down the bullshit Slim-fast junk and went to "my side" of the aisle. I just saw a financial article talking about how sales of wheat, sugar, and Slim-fast products are down. Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redd Posted September 17, 2003 Author Share Posted September 17, 2003 I just came back from the grocery store. There was a large woman looking at the Slim Fast stuff while I was picking up low-carb stuff. I couldn't help it, I said, "That stuff will kill you." It's the first thing that came to mind. She was taken aback but opened a conversation. I mentioned you and that you got too skinny, that sure got her attention. She put down the bullshit Slim-fast junk and went to "my side" of the aisle. You rock! I try to do the same when I see people looking at the wrong crap. Reminds me of a funny story. Im friends with the owner of a Health club around here, he is a nice guy but stuck in his ways. I joined up with a girlfriend a while back and he asked what I was doing to stay slim, when I told him he said I had it all wrong, being he is a body builder, he put my friend who was looking for counseling on the brocolli, no butter, egg whites, no yolk, broiled skinless chicken breast, diet. I stayed on my broccoli with cheese sauce, my eggs with bacon and sausages, and my chicken breast with the skin on smothered in cream sauce with toasted almond slivers diet, and she lasted about 1 month. Ran into him this last weekend with his brother at the bar. (funnier than crap) his brother was wasted beyond wasted. I asked his brother how much he had to drink he said "3 rums and diet cokes, and Im blitzed!" Then he pointed to His older brother (the body builder who thinks he knows it all) and said "he put me on the Atkins diet" I lost 23 pounds in the last 4 weeks! I smiled at his brother and said "told you so" he said "I know". Now he gives his new clients looking for some diet advise Dr. Atkins new diet revolution. Redd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azxr Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 It's very good to hear everybody's results. I just started my "induction" on Saturday and already I feel so much more energetic and even lost 5 lbs. However I kickstarted this back in March by kicking my addiction to Soda. I was addicted to soda like an alcoholic is to alcohol (4 to 5 liters a day). With 6 months having passed on my addiction, I felt this was the appropriate time to start eating right. It is good to hear your doctor has seen the light. A coworker was having the same elevated numbers that you mentioned. His doctor put him on Atkins/lowcarb and he has done remarkably well. There are three of us at work now on this low carb "lifestyle," so it should make it easier on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02Silver Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Thanks to this site I have been doing the Atkins/Protein thing for about 6 weeks now. The weight isn't dropping as fast as I thought but I've also never totally done the induction. Clothes are fitting a lot better and I've dropped over 15 LBs. If it stays on track I hope to be below 235 by the holidays. Highest weight ever at my company physical (286) in late June. Carlos-At the beginning of the year, I didn't start when you and the others did but when June rolled around and I saw the results I decided it was time but I waited until after our summer vacation to get serious. Redd-Thanks for the story. I have kicked the sugar addition and have faith that this time I'll reach goal. Make 235-240 this year and maybe 210-220 by next summer. I weighed 188 when I got out of bootcamp in '85 so I feel that 210 is realistic for my build. Thanks to all on this site and especially speedfreak and swampnut. Hell I'm planning on meeting these guys on the 27th more to say thanks for the weight advice than the CBR1100XX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobicus Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Thanks for the story, Redd. I've been doing Atkins since January, and am down 45 lbs. I've got about 15 more to go, but even so, I'm not worried whether I'll make it. It's a lifestyle now. I don't even crave the sweet stuff, although for the most part, I never did. You've got the right idea, though. Cheat meals once in while are absolutly necessary. Finding different foods to eat is even more important. Different people drop weight differently on Atkins. Even if it's not coming off 10 lbs a week, it's still way healthier than attempting to do the low fat thing. I drop about 1 to 2 lbs a week. Others I know drop more, but then they tend to have trouble staying on the diet, too, and when they quit, they rebound even worse. My wife's dad has been on low carb for years, and he's got tons of good stuff to quell her chocolate addiction. He found these "Pure De-lite" chocolate bars at GNC. My wife says the Dark ones are to die for. GNC has a sale at the start of each month, and she buys a case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redd Posted September 19, 2003 Author Share Posted September 19, 2003 I've been doing Atkins since January, and am down 45 lbs. Excellent! Your doing fabulous. My wife's dad has been on low carb for years, and he's got tons of good stuff to quell her chocolate addiction. He found these "Pure De-lite" chocolate bars at GNC. My wife says the Dark ones are to die for. I love the Dark chocolate pure delight bars! Yesterday I bought some sugar free marshmallows, melted 2 pure de-lite dark chocolate bars, dipped the marshmallows in and put them on wax paper. I love that chocolate covered marshmallow stuff. Redd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.