[seosoftseo]

So it turns out, everytime i try this diet it works extremely well. The only problem is i eventually go back to my old habits and gain all the weight back. Almost exactly 2 years ago i was posting regularly on this forum and i lost over 60 pounds in about 70 days. Then the holidays came and so did the weight. I got down to 230 then from 295 and by my wedding in july 08 i weighed 270. I little over a year after that i was back to my weight of 295 which i seem to be able to maintain just living the way i want to and eating whatever i want to. I want to weigh between 185-200 lbs. That is a healthy weight for my hight and bone structure which is 6 feet tall and wide frame. I had a doctors apointment in august and he said in 6 months he wanted to see me back for blood work and other tests because my blood pressure was too high and i was way overweight. This sort of jump started my motivation to get going again (even though the atkins diet is probably the hardest thing to do during the first week). Im posting my progress for the first 19 days of my 3rd attempt. if anyone has any questions or suggestions for me please post them. Some of the days i mention my friends and just everyday stuff going on in my life but 95% of it has to do with my weight loss progress. I also wrote early about the the foods i had been eating everyday before i went on this thing. I figured writing about them and then not thinking about them would put the cravings to bed which it did. I am more than pleased with my results so far. Also note that i didnt list absolutely everything i have been eating. Just the stuff i can remember when writing every night before bed.

September 3, 2009
This afternoon at 2:20 on my drive home from work I thought about how later tonight im going to want to eat something I will be craving then, even though I felt good and wasn’t craving anything at that time. I went to the YMCA at 7 and started craving ribs. Some kind of glazed bbq ribs from outback or dreamland even though the reason I was craving ribs is because applebees commercials were on and every time they showed ribs. Its now 11:09 and im still craving ribs and also my moms grahm cracker cramel nut desserts that she gave me a week ago. I don’t have any in the house and I had a good day 1 with a lot of exercise and a lot of water drank. Im going to attempt to write down how I feel through out each day and also what im craving specifically. I know when I reach my goal of 190 lbs I will be able to eat the things I crave once again, in moderation. Last night I wrote down in a notebook my weight before I went to bed. Im just going to keep track on here. It was 295.4 lbs and that was at 12:09 am. I am going to bed earlier tonight and im really hungry. Its 11:12 pm and I weigh 287.6. I had a lot to eat before I went to bed last night and tonight I also just played tennis for 2 hours so I probably sweat a lot of weight out. Either way im 287.6 and im moving on to day 2.

September 4, 2009
Woke up at 11:30 and ate 2 strips of bacon and a half oz of cheddar cheese. I wasn’t hungry at all but I want to get my metabolism going again. Ate 2 eggs sunny side up at 3:15 and also was not even hungry. I will eat probably 1 more time before 8pm. I haven’t craved anything yet or been hungry yet. I also am done with about 100 oz of water. Im about to play tennis which will be good since the sun is out and it will be warmer than playing at night. I’ll update more later tonight. Its 10:17pm and im starving. I had a few pork rinds for dinner at 6:30 since I knew I would be away from home until after 8. I played tennis for an hour and got quite a workout. Then I went to guad where I saw a pile of chips and salsa I wanted to eat. Tyler is going back to Alaska til October 24 and we went to his house where he was making steaks and macaroni for everyone. I then really wanted a steak but not just a steak. A steak drenched in bbq sauce and covered in a1. It smelled so good. Then tyler started talking about buttery crosants and it made me hungry for those. I drank over 160 oz of water today so I guess its on to day 3. My weight before bed is 283.2.

September 5, 2009
I just got off work and its 12:44. Last night was hard because krispy kream commercials kept coming on. I really wanted donuts and a meat lovers calzone from pizzeria. I went to bed finally and had dreams that I cheated on my diet and ate tons of peanut m&m’s out of a bowl with a spoon. I was really mad at myself for cheating but then I woke up and realized I was ok and it was just a dream. Im about to eat some kilbasa for lunch and start drinking my water for the day. I felt really energized for work this morning. I just got done playing tennis and its 5:14. I had scrambled eggs and a piece of cheese for lunch and just had another piece of cheese for a snack. I have drank 128 oz of water so far. I played tennis for about 3 hours and when I was done I weighed 277.4. I haven’t craved anything so far today but I also haven’t been watching much tv (I give in when food commercials come on). I feel pretty tired and im going to go take a nap. I didn’t eat kilbasa because I saw there were too many carbs before. Its now 9:02pm and I didn’t eat again before 8 so im just not going to. I feel good and im not really craving anything particular. Amy just had chicken pot pie which smells amazing and I could probably eat 10 lbs of that but I cant. Looks like day 3 was a success. I will post my weight before bed. Its 11:05 and im 279.6 lbs. Im going to bed.

September 6, 2009
I woke up at 11:30 and at some bacon and a piece of string cheese. Ive only had about 30 oz of water. Im wondering what exercise im going to get done since its rainy out today. I just got done walking 2.75 miles and im beat. Im probably going to take a little nap. I don’t have to work tomorrow which is good. I also have a softball game tomorrow so I will get my exercise for tomorrow then. I just ate a strip of bacon and a few pork rinds. I have drank 100 oz of water so im on track with that. I have been very light headed this evening. Not much energy either. I ate two burger patties from hardees and felt a lot better. I think I am doing too much hard exercise too early. Im going to try and cut back a little. I have been craving sesame chicken from china moon a lot tonight. Im about to go out shopping for hamburger meat and nuts. This way im getting some carbs in my diet. I also think im going to need to eat after 8. I just cant take the dizziness from not eating 4 or 5 hours before bed. Ok here we go. Its 10:19pm. I just went shopping and got some good stuff. Im sure you will notice what it is in later days posts. Im tired of bacon and cheese and bacon and more cheese so I was lacking iron big time and had a small ribeye steak with a tbs of blue cheese dressing and a serving size of black label planters macadamias, pistachios, and cashews. It was a total of 7 grams of carbs and the only grams I have eaten so far but I needed it. Each day starting now im going to shoot for 10-20 grams per day. That way I shouldn’t lose energy and wont feel light headed. I will post weight before bed. Just got back from carters where they all had chilis to go and Jason has general tsos chicken and tereaki chicken and I wanted to eat it all. Even right after I just had that big steak and nuts. I just love certain tastes of food. It makes me feel good. Its tough late at night. Im going to bed. Its 12:14 and I weigh 279.4 lbs.

September 7, 2009
So I guess every night im going to have dreams that I break my diet. I had dreams that I ate a bag of Tostitos and it felt very real. Its 12:11 pm and I just had some cheese for breakfast. Went to carters this afternoon to grill out for labor day and had a ny strip with a tablespoon of horseradish sauce. I have also had about 5 grams worth of nuts for the day. The horseradish sauce was 3g. Im about to eat some pork rind nachos and then hold off until tomorrow. I went for a 2 mile walk and have drank over 100oz of water so far. At carters they had chili cheese tater tots which almost killed me. Well its 11:59pm and its time for bed. I had some pork rind nachos for dinner which were actually pretty good. I didn’t crave much today and this is getting easier. I weight 278.2.

September 8, 2009
Its 12:18 am and im just now writing about today. I worked this morning and had a piece of cheese before hand. I then had a few macadamias at work and when I got home I had some almonds and a salad. Everything up to this point was around 5-7 grams. I then was craving sushi like crazy. More than I have craved anything so far. I wanted crunchy shrimp rolls the most and also caterpillar rolls. Amy and I went out for sushi with my friends but I only got tuna sashimi which has zero carbs and octopus sashimi which I looked up and it only had around 3 or 4 grams. I then got home and had 4 pork rinds with melted cheese sour cream and salsa. For a grand total of about 10 grams of carbs for the day. I just got done playing tennis for 2 hours again so im pretty tired. I drank a ton of water today. Probably 170 oz. Im going to bed and I weigh 276.8.

September 9, 2009
Just got home from work and its 3:12pm. I had some almonds before hand and a whole chicken breast with some horseradish mayo during work. I have probably only drank 40 oz of water so far. Im about to go on a walk I think if this rain stays away. I went for a 2 mile walk around 6 and then played in my softball game so I got a lot of exercise today. I also drank almost 200 oz of water. I had a ribeye with blue cheese after my game and 14 almonds. I just ate and also just drank a ton of water so im a little heavier than I have been . Tonight is the first time my weight has not dropped from the previous day. I am 278.2 lbs at 11:03 pm. And of yeah, week 1 is done!

September 10, 2009
I work up at 9:30 and ate a piece of string cheese and went to work. At work I probably had 30 oz of water and when I got home at 1:45 I had 14 almonds. I just got done playing tennis for an hour and a half and I have drank probably 80 oz of water so far. I feel very energetic and not tired anymore. Also my back and neck aren’t hurting as much. Its 12:35 am and im very tired. Amy and I went to outback to eat which we haven’t gone out on forever. I got the 7 oz filet with blue cheese topping, a side salad no dressing, and a small appetizer of seared tuna. I was satisfied and this was one of my biggest meals ive had in a while. Just a sec ago I cooked a burger with blue cheese topping and had a few pork rinds with it. Im pretty full of food and water again tonight but at one point during the day today I was 272.2 so I know im making progress. I just feel like im sort of stalling at the moment. I just need to keep on truckin. I weigh 277.2 tonight before bed.

September 12, 2009
Its 1:19 am and im tired. I just got back from Tuscaloosa for the Alabama game. There was a lot of drinking and great food down there but I didn’t have any of it. I just stuck to my diet and everything is still working fine. I snacked on almonds and jerky while I was there. Back to exercise tomorrow. Tonight before bed I weigh 274.2 lbs.

September 13, 2009
I had a piece of cheese for breakfast. For dinner I went to longhorn with amy and had a ribey with sautéed onions and mushrooms. I ten just had a couple pieces of jerky and some nut mix for a snack before bed. I have drank my 150 oz of water and im carrying a lot of it in my stomach before bed so ill be peeing a lot tonight. And as I type this amy just made popcorn and I want to eat it all. Its 9:46 pm and I weigh 277.4 lbs

September 14, 2009
Today started well but ended badly. I had nothing for breakfast but then had chicken wings for lunch. I snacked on nuts and jerky throughout the day and I just had a salad with balsamic and soft cheese for dinner which was actually really good. I drank all my water today and went on a 4 mile walk for the first time since I tried this diet before. I had a softball game where I messed up my shoulder and hurt my back very badly. I don’t know how much exercise I will be able to do tomorrow of even how in going to work but I will just try and see what happens. Hopefully the pain will be gone within a few days. It hurts really bad. Tonight before bed I weigh 273 even.

September 16, 2009
It’s the end of week 2 and im doing well. I haven’t been excercising at all because I cant. My back is still messed up but I haven’t broken my diet. During the day today I was 268.2 and tonight I am 271.6. I will be going to bed shortly and on to week 3.

September 17, 2009
Its 10:08 and im getting ready for bed. Its back to work tomorrow as my back is sort of getting better. Tonight I weigh 271 even.

September 18, 2009
Im getting tired of this diet!! Each of the last few days during the day ive felt like just quitting but I haven’t. I just keep doing what I do like a robot. Finally tomorrow im going to try and walk 4 miles again. My back is 10 times better than its been. Today I had tilapia and some jerky and nut mix. I drank 150 oz of water and some of that still hasn’t left. I feel big right now even though tonight im 268.8 lbs before bed. Its slowly but surely coming off.

September 19, 2009
I had steak and eggs for lunch, tilapia for dinner and jerky and nuts in between. I also drank a lot of water. I wasn’t able to walk because my back is still hurting. Tonight I am 267.4 lbs

September 20, 2009
Its 11:05 and im ready for bed. I had a lot of water today and also was able to walk my 4 miles this afternoon. Its going to rain all week so I hope I can get that in every day. My back is at about 90%. I had tilapia for dinner and nuts and jerky as a snack. Tonight before bed I weigh 265.4 lbs after day 18.

September 21, 2009
I had a salad for lunch. Then I walked 2 miles. I also played in my softball game tonight and drank a good amount of water today. I had a pork chop for dinner and tonight before bed I weigh 264.6 lbs.

[tipokotap]

OK - I'm a "granny" type so bear with me. Where are your veggies? Where are your fats? You are a big guy...you need to have salads WITH dressing (why are you leaving it off?). You need veggies, raw or cooked, whatever low carb type you like...LOTS of them, twice a day (and I barely saw a one!) You need some nice ham/creamed cheese roll-ups for breakfast or lunch. You need some fiber in your diet. You need a multi-vitamin. You need 20 carbs (NOT 10!) Lower IS NOT better. You have a VERY high activity level. You will lose well at the rate you exercise, even when you up your "good" and very necessary carbs!

You have lost 23 pounds in 17 days if my math is right. You are truly depriving yourself of nutrition and exercising yourself without enough to sustain that exercise to get this weight loss, and I for one (since I am a granny) will NAG you to reconsider. BAD PLAN!

We want you here, we want you on Atkins, we want you to be healthy and fit and trim and slim, but NOT this way.

Indulge me (I'm playing the Granny card here)...do you have a reason for choosing the foods you eat and ignoring the Atkins rules about veggies? You said you previously lost 60 lbs in 70 days? Sorry, my young friend, but that sounds positively unhealthy. Not just because I follow Atkins, but on ANY plan like South Beach as well. You BANNED ALL CARBS...but your body needs carbs...some good carbs.

I am truly afraid for your health and hope you think about what I say. You know the reason why you gained the previous weight back? You were committed, totally, to NO CARBS. You never gave your body a chance to learn what life WITH carbs was all about. THAT is the key to this plan...the end game. Adding IN carbs, not leaving them out.

Anyone else care to chime in?

Toni

[seosoftseo]

its nice that you were so concerned that you posted your reply like you did. I eat a salad almost every night with the balsamic spray dressiing and a cut up wedge of cheese. I just didnt include it in my writings much as i can see now. On some days i didnt even write about what i ate. Its just a daily mini blog, not really a food journal. I do weigh alot so its not totally shocking to me how the weight is falling off. 10 carbs is also a stretch. I would say im getting my 20 no problem.

Also something that i have noticed is drink much more water than they say to. I would drink close to 200 oz a day which as long as you are getting rid of it isnt a bad thing. This could attribute to the weight loss. I also didnt blog for 2 days so its more like 23 in 19 days (which is still alot) but its not 17.

I am getting my veggies but they have 100% been through salad mixes and such. Does anyone have any suggestions for other veggies that would give me some kind of variety.

Also, you can play the granny card all you want. Thats what i want you to do. I want to know what im doing wrong or right. I'm just not into eating as much protien as i want and not excercising. I want to see results and if i have the energy to walk 2 miles i day im going to do it.

Looking forward to hearing more.

Thanks for the reply

[tipokotap]

(Sigh of relief) - Good! Thanks for clarifying! I'll still "mother hen" you...it is in my nature!

Keep in touch with the forum and the blog is a great idea, because it is a record...I keep lots of daily stats and they have been helpful when I stalled.

Good luck.

Toni

[usacomm]

ditto!

and hey - salad mixes are not enough veggies - andi'm not a granny - but i can granny you at age 34 right?

veggie suggestions:

(i'm eating right now): green pepper stuffed with cream cheese and feta-calamata olive dip (2 grams per 100 gram - and that's no sugar/thickener anything added)

red peppers wi8th cream cheese (YUM)

roasted cauliflower and broccoli (dipped in mayo..oh yeah baby!)

cream of (fill in the blank) soup - 1 cup of stock, throw in a bag 9f --broccoli? cauliflower? and a can of tomatoes if you like - then add a slurp of cream and blend (after it's softened in a pot on the stove of course )with a stick-blender...easy way to get your veggies

grilled tomatoes with your morning eggs....a few green onions....

etc-etc-etc

[tipokotap]

Thanks, Tracy! Zookerman, still with us?

If so, how's it going?

Toni (Or "granny" to you!! )

[seosoftseo]

im definately still with you guys and will be for the long haul. I am going to try that soup suggestion in the very near future. It sounds really good. i also totally forgot cream cheese is allowed so im making up for lost time with that. I have also started taking resveratrol. I am not a big fan of suplements of stuff like that but i seem to have problems sleeping and this is said to help with that so i hope they are right. Other than that nothing is new.

i got fitted for a tuxedo today for my best friends wedding which is october 10 and im going to be going back in on the 8th to try it on. I have a feeling its going to be a little baggy. (i will probably drop another 8-10 lbs by then im guessing. As of tonight i am 260.8 lbs and going strong. Thanks for the suggestions guys!

Am i doin well granny?

[tipokotap]

Hey, Zookerman! Looks good...sounds like you are doin' well...how about taking a pic in the tux and posting it? ALL GUYS look GREAT in a tux!!

Glad you found the creamed cheese! Eat your veggies! Good carbs, remember. Nag, nag, nag!

Good luck, my young friend!!

Toni