MARCH 7, 2010 - WEEK 51 RESULTS

From February 26 through March 6, 2010:

This past 9 days, I lost 7 pounds.

Beginning weight - 150.6 pounds

Ending weight - 143.6 pounds

Here is an average of my daily food intake for this 9 days:

1760 Calories

142g Fat (72.6%)

97.5g Protein

23.1g Carbs

9.9g Fiber

13.2g net carbs, of which 5.8g came from veggies

MARCH 5, 2010 - I'M IN THE NEW ATKINS BOOK!

Over the next week, I managed to lose a few pounds, which was mostly water I had gained on vacation. But is still weighed only a few pounds less than when I started a year ago. Very discouraging!

Then the new book came out on March 2, 2010, and I am a success story in it! You can read my story by right clicking here. Reading the book was so encouraging, and I felt like I wanted to just forget the past year and pretend I was a new person just starting Atkins for the first time! For the past four months, I had been eating around 1,650 calories, 66% fat and 14 net carbs and could not lose weight. I wanted to start again, eating 20 net carbs, 1,650 calories with 70% fat. But I was afraid that if I could not lose weight on 14 net carbs, I would most certainly gain weight on 20! I was really scared!

After communicating with Colette Heimowitz once again, it was concluded that I had probably reached a set point with my weight, and adding calories or net carbs would not make me gain. So I took a deep breath and decided that, on March 7th, I would start eating more.

FEBRUARY 25, 2010 - ONE YEAR GONE AND NOT MUCH TO SHOW FOR IT

Last year, on February 25, 2009, I weighed 150.0 pounds.

This year, on February 25, 2010, I weighed 150.6 pounds.

It seems like all my hard work from the past year was for nothing, and I am very depressed. I have started eating right, though, and I'm going to begin lifting weights again at the gym. I know that I can no longer lift what I could before, so I know that I need to build my muscles back up again.

FEBRUARY 25, 2010 - VACATION FROM HELL

In February, we went on vacation to Florida for 2-1/2 weeks, and I slowly put on weight, even though I ate what I should, and tracked everything on Fitday. The only thing I can figure out is that I was drinking a lot of very salty water, and I was putting on water weight. And not only that, but the weather there was record-breaking cold, and we sat around indoors the whole time, watching it rain. I went to the pool and got some sun two days.

Here are my scale weights for February:

2/1/2010 138.8
2/2/2010 140.4
2/3/2010 138.2
2/4/2010 138.4
2/5/2010 139.8
2/6/2010 141.2
2/7/2010 139.8
2/8/2010 141.0
2/9/2010 141.9
2/10/2010 142.8
2/11/2010 143.6
2/12/2010 144.0
2/13/2010 143.2
2/14/2010 144.4
2/15/2010 144.2
2/16/2010 144.8
2/17/2010 145.4
2/18/2010 145.4
2/19/2010 144.2
2/20/2010 146.6
2/21/2010 148.2
2/22/2010 148.2
2/23/2010 150.0
2/24/2010 150.3
2/25/2010 150.6

I had been really excited about going to Florida, because I had lost weight and wanted to take new photos of me in my swimsuit, so I could have a great "before and after" montage. But the longer I was there, the heavier I got. It was very frustrating!

Finally, in the last few days, I just said "Heck with it!" and started eating whatever I wanted, including ice cream, chocolate, lots of fruit and bread. I was gaining anyway, so what could it hurt?

Of course, I knew that when I got back home, I would get back on track.

JANUARY 15, 2010 - GAINING FAT AND LOSING MUSCLE

I struggled along until January 2010, gaining fat, losing muscle, but staying at the same weight, when I went to see my hormone doctor again. I found out that I had gained 4 pounds of fat in the past 5 months and had lost 4 pounds of hard-earned muscle! I decided to go back on the testosterone pellet again. My next visit is in May, so we will see how that has been going.

DECEMBER 6, 2009 - MY BIRTHDAY WITH HARPIST PETER BALL

For my birthday, my husband took me to a concert given by Patrick Ball, world renowned Celtic Harpist and Storyteller at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle Illinois. It was in a small, intimate room, with only around 80 people or so.

I had the chance to speak to him after his show, and he allowed me to play his wire strung harp. I play harp, but I've never played a wire strung harp - only regular nylon strings like on regular pedal harps and folk harps.

With the wire strung, you have to play it with your fingernails. It was quite a challenge, and I did not do a very good job, I'm afraid.

Patrick Ball was phenomenal! I got one of his CDs. It was also phenomenal! I'll be sure to see him again when he returns to the area.

DECEMBER 6, 2009 - A BITTERSWEET BIRTHDAY TO ME

Emily, age 17, in 1996                       Me, age 23, in 1981  

This is a post that I put on the Atkins Community Forum on my birthday:

I have not been able to be on the Atkins Forum a lot lately, and I wanted to explain why to some of you who have been missing me.

A couple of months ago, my husband and I expanded our business, and I have had to devote a significant amount of time getting things set up. It will probably not let up for several more months. I had hoped it would not take as much time as it has been taking, but I guess it is what it is. I hoped that I would only have to cut down a little on my “Forum Time”, but I am finding that I have little if any time to get here with any regularity.

I just want to say that I really miss being here every day and I think about everyone here all the time. I am looking forward to the time that I can be here more often.

I started Atkins on March 15, 2009, and I really feel like this Forum has become my lifeline in very many ways. I have made good friends, and have received so much help in my slow weight loss. I have also felt privileged to be able to extend help to others that have shared my struggles.

Before I go off again, maybe not to be seen for several days, I wanted to share a few personal things with you.

First of all, today is my birthday. I am 54 years old, and I feel great and healthy and slim. So it is a good day.

On the other hand, I have not been having a good holiday season, generally speaking. This year is the 13th Christmas that I have been apart from my dear daughter Emily Rebecca, who was killed on the 4th of July in 1997 in an automobile accident at the age of 18. She had just graduated high school three week before. She was practically perfect in every way, beautiful, giving and sweet natured, and we had an uncommonly close relationship.

I have not talked about Emily on this Forum for many reasons, but mainly because I still struggle so with her loss, and don’t like to bring it up and burden people with the knowledge of that struggle.

My husband and I also struggle with the loss of our 26 year old son, Joe, who died in an accident in 1991. He was my husband’s son and my stepson.

I have also had two babies die in the womb, one in 1976 and another, shortly after my daughter’s death, in 1998.

I also have terminal disease in my family. My grandfather and mother both died young, at 59 and 62 of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. My chances and the chances of my four biological sisters, of contracting this disease are 1 in 2, and if I do get it, it will be in the next few years.

At this point, you may be wondering why I am being such a downer today! I guess it is because I so often feel like an outsider with secrets that are uncomfortable to share, and only the people closest to me know all about me. But I have come to know and love so many people here that I decided to “come clean” and tell you more about myself.

Although I am having a tough time at the moment, and for these past few weeks, I generally try to be upbeat and happy in my daily life, and take great pleasure in my surviving son and my two beautiful grandchildren. I enjoy eating well, being healthy for as long as I can, and my life with my dear husband is good.

So, all that being said, I feel like a weight has been lifted now that I don’t have to pretend that all is always well! Thanks for listening, and I’ll be here as often as I can!

DECEMBER 6, 2009 - WEEK 38 RESULTS

This week I lost 4.4 pounds.
Beginning weight – 143.0 pounds
Ending weight – 138.6 pounds

Here is an average of my daily food intake for this past week:

1670 Calories
121.2g Fat (65.3%)
113.1g Protein
31.7g Carbs
17g Fiber
14.7g net carbs, of which 6.3g came from veggies

I’m sure that I lost because I was getting rid of the Thanksgiving weight from last week.

NOVEMBER 29, 2009 - WEEK 37 RESULTS - THANKSGIVING

This week I gained 2.6 pounds.

Beginning weight – 140.4 pounds

Ending weight – 143.0 pounds

Here is an average of my daily food intake for this past week:

1658 Calories

122.4g Fat (66.4%)

108.1g Protein

31.2g Carbs

16g Fiber

15.2g net carbs, of which 6.8g came from veggies

Thanksgiving was a few days ago, so it's not surprising that I gained some weight. I did pretty good, but I did eat a few non-low-carb treats...

NOVEMBER 22, 2009 - WEEK 36 RESULTS

This week I gained 0.4 pounds.

Beginning weight 140.0 pounds

Ending weight - 140.4 pounds

Here is an average of my daily food intake for this past week:

1668 Calories

121.1g Fat (65.3%)

103.1g Protein

41.4g Carbs

23.6g Fiber

17.8g net carbs, of which 8.7g came from veggies

NOVEMBER 15, 2009 - WEEK 35 RESULTS

This week I lost 1.2 pounds

Beginning weight - 141.2

Ending weight - 140.0 pounds

Here is an average of my daily food intake for this past week:

1694 Calories

119.5g Fat (63.5%)

114.3g Protein

40.2g Carbs

23.3g Fiber

17g net carbs, of which 8g came from veggies

NOVEMBER 8, 2009 - WEEK 34 RESULTS

This week I lost 0.8 pounds.
Beginning weight – 142.0 pounds
Ending weight – 141.2 pounds

Here is an average of my daily food intake for this past week:

1586 Calories
115.3g Fat (65.4%)
108.3g Protein
28.8g Carbs
14.7g Fiber
14.1g net carbs, of which 10.2g came from veggies

NOVEMBER 1, 2009 - WEEK 33 RESULTS

This week I gained 0.8 pounds.
Beginning weight – 141.2 pounds
Ending weight – 142.0 pounds

Here is an average of my daily food intake for this past week:

1537 Calories
103.8g Fat (60.8%)
103.1g Protein
47.6g Carbs
23.7g Fiber
23.9g net carbs, of which 16.9g came from veggies