Jaiyde's Diary

Jaiyde

Member
So it's Day 3 of being on Atkins and already I've gone from 232.5 lbs to 229.25 lbs. I've not had an energy level dip like I was anticipating based on other people's comments but I do feel weak at several points throughout the day and I am feeling queasy after eating for about an hour. I suspect the queasiness is my stomach having a tantrum and screaming "Where are the cream cakes?!?!"

Other than that, it's not so bad. I thought it would be really bland but actually I've surprised myself with how delicious a plain meal can be made with some extra salt and a dollop of mayo. Being able to use olive oil and butter rather than having to use diet cooking sprays etc is a delight for the amateur chef in me.

The early weightloss has has a profound effect on me. Tonight for example, I've had my dinner and was still a little hungry and while rooting through the fridge for something discovered my other half has bought himself a bar of chocolate and left it in the fridge. He knows I'm looking for food and offers me the chocolate and whereas normally, I would waiver and then the demon craving voice would say "Oh a small piece won't hurt".

Then I remembered we have some chocolate icing from a recent pre atkins baking session and again started to think "A little bit won't hurt" when out of nowhere a totally different voice stormed into my head, slapped the weak voice around and said "Yea, cos that motto has worked so well for us up till now!"

So being unable to find something to satisfy me in the fridge and this new voice silencing my demon cravings, I've made myself an atkins milkshake and solved the problem.

I've dieted before and the slow weightloss has always been the demotivating factor for me. In order to stick with something as big as a lifestyle change, I need to be put in a position early on where I've achieved something that I don't want to lose. 3lbs in 3 days is a promising start and fills me with hope that by the end of the week I could be down to 227 and by the end of next week, I could be in the next stone bracket. The early weight loss has created a stronger voice that offers me something more alluring than the demon craving can. The new voice offers a new me.

Who in their right mind would choose chocolate over that?
 
Day 5

B = Chocolate Atkins shake
L = Prawn salad (romaine, tomato, avocado, spring onion, cucumber, prawns, mayo, salt)
D = Trout cooked in butter, broccoli with 4 oz melted cheddar, mushrooms and peas.

Never really been one for snacking but find I'm getting cravings for sweet things after dinner. Even though I'm not hungry, I think it's just the need for something sweet which as I've only ever drunk water (don't like hot drinks or cordial etc) I don't get from my liquid intake after dinner.

When I can start eating fruit I think strawberries and whipped cream would satiate that craving. For now though, I may just have to double up the atkins shakes as needed when the craving hits. It's not every night. It's been 2 out of the last 5.

227.5 lbs now. Seem to be losing about 1lb a day. Doing well considering I've not been meticulously weighing or counting carbs. Just trying to make sensible choices. Seems to be working so will keep at it.
 
Day 8

So this weekend has been a struggle. Family reunion so food was a huge focus. I had massively underestimated how I was going to continue Atkins over this period and have suffered for it. I've tried to make the best choices I could but as I wasn't in control of the food, I did get caught out a few times with marinades etc. I was strong and passed up cookies, birthday cake, ice cream, chocolate bars, fish and chips (nearly all my favourite foods!) but when we were out and about my choices were limited and although I really tried to get the most Atkins suitable foods, its just not turned out as I hoped it would. In hindsight, I should've either waited until after this weekend to start Atkins or brought my own food with me.

On Sunday I had managed to get down to 225lbs but by this morning I'm back up to 227 and I anticipate another gain to show tomorrow.

As an aside, I know many people advise against weighing everyday but i find it helps to keep me on track. If I start seeing gains, I can find the problem early before too much damage is done.

So although I've undone a lot of my good weight loss over the last 2 days which has upset me a bit as it probably could have been avoided, at least I know if I stick to Atkins, I can lose it all again.

So I've just made my lunch for work tomorrow. I'm still enjoying the Atkins shakes for breakfast as they are so convenient and I can't face food first thing in the morning.

Yesterday, we had a big BBQ and although I just had salads and meat, I had to have a tiny bit of cake as my dad had bought me a birthday cake but it's astonishing the difference in how I have felt today, while I've presumably been burning the bad carbs from yesterday, to how I had been feeling throughout the week burning fat. I'm much more tired, can't concentrate, cold, and stiff.

I'm prepared for the weight gain, same feeling and return of the cravings over the next couple of days as my carb hangover passes over me. Now I know Atkins works, I won't be in a hurry to veer away from this way of eating just for a couple of nice foods. Because frankly, those nice foods weren't worth the return of those lbs.

But it's a lesson well learned - Atkins for life.
 
Day 14

So it's the end of the second week of induction. I'm delighted to say that as of this morning I'm 225lbs again. As a result of my bad decisions and unpreparedness last weekend, I put on 4lbs and it wasn't until Thursday they started shifting again.

But I have learnt my lesson. Last night, my partner and I went out for a double date with a married couple we know. We went to a lovely steakhouse and I had the good sense to check the menus. I had a ceasar salad to start with no croutons and no dressing and then for my main I had a 10oz rump steak (with no sauce) and green salad. Unfortunately, they put balsamic vinegar on the salad which I don't like so I didn't eat that but I had the steak and the mushroom (loooooove mushrooms). I drank tap water with my meal but had a pint of coca cola afterwards because I was caught off guard and couldn't think of what else I was allowed. It was undoubtedly a mistake to get that and the pint was the result of my other half's assumption. He knows i can never manage a pint of anything in one sitting. But as things go, it was a minor slip up. Throughout the day i did my usual of shake for breakfast and salad for lunch.

Today I'm down to my lowest weight in over 2 years. I'm thrilled! Cravings for the junk food that I used to adore have died down. I wasn't a bit jealous about my dining companions having chips and I managed to walk past the cream cake aisle with just a cursory glance and no follow up craving. It may seem like nothing to other people on here but I can't articulate how proud I am of myself. I've struggled with weight and food all my life. I don't have the will power to moderate my intake of the naughty foods I love. But I am stunned at how I can deny myself those things. It seems if I don't have even a little bit, I find it much easier than if I do have a bit and then have to only have that little bit. For me, none is better than some.

I imagine that was my downfall with Slimming World. 10 syns still allowed me to have the naughty things and I just couldn't stop at 10 syns. I see now that I was truly addicted to junk food. From cream cakes to crisps. I wouldn't have them regularly but when I did, I always over did it. This induction period has made me realise that I don't have to be a slave to those foods. That there are other healthier foods around that can satisfy me. I really enjoy my salads now. Full fat mayo being one of my favourite sauces.

I want to get down to 168 stone by December this year so I have a year to tone myself up in time for my wedding and cement this new way of eating into a way of life. There's 57lbs to go so I'm going to stay on induction until I get down to either 182 or 196 lbs which seems to enable me to lose weight quickly which is what i need to make me continue. And I figure at those weights, it'll be motivation for me to stick at that weight so I won't slip back into my old way of eating. I'm still losing about 1 lb a day and although I know it may slow down now based on the experiences of others, I am hopeful that it last for at least another 2 weeks to get me closer to my goal.

But so far, Atkins has pulled me out of my food spiral and helped me to find a resolve in myself I didn't even know i had.
 
Hi and welcome to Atkins, you have got off to a great start, best of luck with your journey.
 
Hi and welcome! Sounds like you are really getting to grips with it all - well done! Do shout if you need any help with anything
 
Thanks Kat1e and sammy1. I do have a couple of questions, what can you recommend for induction phase as an after dinner sweet treat. I'm still feeling like I need something sweet after dinner. I think perhaps because I'm not having sugar anywhere else since I don't drink anything but water. Do you think it would be ok to add in a handful of strawberries every now and then? Also, what did you do to substitute potato based elements of your weekly meals during induction? I love potatoes so am always at a bit of a loss what to put with a meal if i would normally have chips or mash etc. For the last couple of weeks I've been using broccoli and melted cheese to fill that gap but thinking long term, have you guys come across anything you could recommend?
 
Hi Jaide,
Re sweet treats it's difficult. You are allowed a few berries on phase 2 - I mean a very few & I always eat with cream and only after a meal to limit sugar spike. Not really recommended but a sugar free jelly can hit the spot. Ideal would be a piece of cheese instead to break the sweet habit. Whatever you decide - keep it very small and NOT every night!

Ref potatoes - swap with any other lion starchy veg. Cauliflower mash is yummy substitute and I've discovered the joy of cabbage. Just pile the plate high (I don't worry about veg carbs as much personally)

Can't remember what else I did at the beginning - but I did track all my menus so feel free to trawl back to the beginning of my diary
 
Hiya, just reading your diary and looks like we're around the same weight. I started Atkins weighing in at 17st 3, for down to 16st 4 and got bored so have been doing slimming world for the past 6 weeks and only lost 5lbs so really disappointed. So I'm back on Atkins day weighing in at 15st 13 and wanting to get into the low 14s for my wedding in January- eek!
As for your sweet treat thing, I do give into a bit of sugar free jelly now and again with a glue of single cream :) xx
 
Hi, re sweet craving, I meltcocnut butter add some cocoa powder, almond essence and sweetner to taste, let harden and then eat. Atkins friendly chocolate bar and you also get in some good fats. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the sweet treats tips everyone. I shall give them all a go and see if any work for me. Kimmi1982, hurrah another wedding slimmer! Dec 2015 for me but I'd like to be at my goal by my sisters wedding in July if not Christmas this year. Do you find the wedding is a strong motivator? I've bought my dress and that's what's kicked me into the mental zone needed to commit to a diet regime.

Today is day 23 (I think) and I'm at 15st 13. It's not where I was hoping I would be but the weight loss seems to have slowed a bit now. Though I suspected that would happen so I'm not beating myself up about it. I'm still the lightest I've been in years and although my clothes are feeling looser in certain parts, there's still no change to my overall dress size. Although people are starting to notice the change and my other half in particular has commented that it's clearly shifting from my tummy.

We've adapted now to him continuing to eat as normal and me doing what I'm doing. I've been really good, gone cold turkey on chocolate and no crisps have passed my lips since I started. I'm so proud of myself.

The other half did the shopping this week, without a list and without my supervision so the food he's chosen has made this week fairly boring in terms of what there is for me but he seems happy that he's now off food shopping duty - deliberate ploy(?!)

I'm getting better at tackling eating out. Checking in advance for safe options, and if all else fails, steak with a dressing free salad is my standby. Drinking loads more water now and feeling endlessly better for it. I've been sleeping better at night time too until this week but it's my first TOM since starting so I'm taking what happens this week with a pinch of salt.

But the best ever thing to happen to me since starting was not only fitting back into a hot pink dress that I'd only worn once previously but having my friend's husband tell me I look amazing. And he is not a man to give out compliments easily so my self confidence is soaring this week!

B - Atkins shake (love these things, it's my morning wake up ritual now)
L - Prawns salad (romaine, 1/2 small avocado, spring onion, cucumber, salt, mayo)
D - Half roast chicken (cooked in olive oil), garden peas cooked in garlic and herb philli and double cream sauce.

I may be a bit light on good fats, but I never really ate or used butter before and now I don't eat potatoes, I rarely use the stuff. Though with the new food shop, I might try and cook with it a bit more. Cook almost everything in olive oil.
 
Sounds like your doing fab!! The wedding definitely is motivating me! Our wedding is on a right budget so my dress is from monsoon and I bought it in a size smaller. I've lost 20lbs and it now fits. I think that if I continue to lose it will still fit as it's quite Grecian so right around the busy and then quite floaty! I just don't want this triple chin and bingo wings!

I'm a slow loser so know I'm not going to be the ideal weight for my wedding but it will definetly be better than being 17st 3!! I lost before with Atkins and then the losses slowed down so I switched to other diets which actually made me gain- so stick with it! All those pounds will add up in the end!! Xx
 
Hi Jaiyde, sounds like it's all going well! Dont worry about slow down as it often happens - do hang in there and the fat will melt off:)
 
Day 34

So it was my birthday yesterday. 29. It was good, lots of people remembered, got loads of lovely presents and didn't end up in A&E (massive improvement on last year!). But the best gift of all? Was the one I gave to my self. No longer 17st 1lb, oh no, this year I was 15st 10lbs.

I have been experimenting this week loosening the rules a lot to see what pushes the weight up and so far, I've managed to keep 15st 10lbs for the last 6 days. I knew this birthday weekend would involve lots of food that isn't atkins friendly and I decided rather than beating myself up and trying to turn everything down, I would eat what I wanted to eat while I was out, but when at home I would do atkins. So i've been having my shakes and salads and then last night I had nachos, some chocolate and a handful of popcorn. Today, my chest infection has gone nuclear so I'm on halls soothers, benylin and because I couldn't be bothered to cook, I had KFC (only the chicken and I peeled off most of the skin).

I'm mentally preparing to see a jump on the scales if not tomorrow then the day after. And that's ok. I decided this weekend, to take that hit in order to enjoy all the effort my loved ones had gone to in making the birthday a good one. But tomorrow, it's back on the Atkins bus and by the end of October I aim to see myself in the 14st bracket.

It's been an education this week. Atkins is leading me to the body I've always wanted at a speed even I didn't think was possible, but it also lets me ease off and just enjoy whatever food I want to as long as I am prepared to pay for it in the return of some already shed lbs. And this weekend, I will pay that price. But I won't be paying it again until Christmas. It's also become clear this weekend that even though I've been staying away from junk food and sweets etc, for more than a month now, once I'm back on those things, my old habits come crashing back and I find myself being the weak willed person I was before eating just because that food is there.

The Atkins way of eating empowers me to make the decision not to eat those foods. I feel proud of myself on Atkins because I know I'm eating healthier, I feel better for it and I don't let food control me.

So yes, I have enjoyed my birthday and the food that accompanied it, but i didn't like going back to the old me and I can't wait for tomorrow. Back on Atkins, back to losing more weight. The rewards of Atkins are just better than price of junk food.
 
Sounds like a brilliant way of looking at things! Life gets in the way of dieting and if we don't give in a little we will end up going wrong In the end! I've had 2 days off plan due to a family dinner on Friday and our wedding tasting session yesterday but back on plan today! I'm weighing in at 15st 8, down from 17st 3 and also want to see those 14s by the end of October!!! Well done you, and I look forward to seeing your losses :) xx
 
Day 75.

Gosh what a long time to be away! Between work, flu, home, family and just general life, I haven't had the time to come on and update. I have still been doing Atkins though truth be told not religiously since about 3 weeks ago. I had managed to get down to 15st 7 lbs which was a huge achievement. However, my dedication has slackened over the last couple of weeks and I have crept back up to 15st 10 lbs. Certainly not as bad as it could have been but not the direction I want to be travelling in.

I did attempt to get back on the wagon last week and couldn't figure out why I had a headache for 2 days straight and felt exhausted. It was only after I felt too ill to cook and ended up eating some chips with a steak at the pub that I remembered Atkins flu and the effects of moving into ketosis. Kicked myself for not recognising the symptoms and then putting myself back at the start line with the carb intake. And with a disappointing turn out of trick or treaters tonight, I'm now sat eating a handful of quality street. But, tomorrow is not only a new day but a new month and gives me exactly 6 weeks to drop another stone and ideally a half before my office Xmas party. 14st 3 lbs for Christmas would be phenomenal.

But what's so great and makes the ketosis sickness worth it, is that Atkins works. I've been doing it more or less for the last 75 days and it's truly becoming a way of life. All i need to do is return to induction phase to kick start my commitment again and get the glucose and carb toxins out of me and then I'm away.

Slim city here I come!
 
Sometimes I think having a small relapse into eating how you did pre-atkins serves as a good reminder and lesson in reinforcing how yukky it is to eat the opposite way! It's seems you have a good kickstart to realising what works for you. Atkins certainly works for me more than anything else (I have tried them all along the years!). I had some donner meat the other day and it tasted awful and made me feel ill! But made me appreciate the freshness of clean and green even more.

It is mundane but I find posting menus on induction helps to keep me focused. Good luck with your restart xx.
 
Day 100

Officially the longest I have ever stuck to a diet. After my October relapse, I'm back on track and as of this morning, I'm 15 st 4 lbs. I tried my wedding dress on last saturday and in July when I first selected it, there was a 3 inch gap in the lace up panel because I was too big for the corset back. On saturday, there was no gap, my waist is once again defined and barring an unsightly roll of fat round the gut and hips that wasn't hidden under the many layers of fabric as the skirt of my dress only consists of a layer of silk covered by a layer of satin, I didn't look like an albino whale. It was a wonderful visual confirmation of my success so far and has once again motivated me to stick to the plan and continue to shrink. I'm 2 stone lighter than I was in April and want to lose at least another 2 stone before my sister's wedding in 6 months time.

I'm into the habit now of eating atkins at home and treat myself to a cheat meal if we go out so I don't feel too restricted. Even when out I usually still opt for an atkins safe dish like steak and veg but occasionally allow myself something completely off book.

So I'm doing good. Weighing daily keeps me motivated and interested. I feel now like I'm in competition with myself. Each day when I step onto the scales I decide what number i want to see. If the scales show my the number I feel a real sense of achievement. If they show me a better number there's elation and if there's a bad number, its not a sense of defeat but of determination to do better and see the right number the next day.

My measurements don't seem to be changing much. To be honest, i expected to see several inches lost in comparison to the first day but either I'm measuring wrong or the areas I'm measuring aren't losing. Hips and thighs seem to be the most resistant areas. But since I'm only dieting and not doing much in the way of exercise other than walking the half mile to and from work 3 or 4 times a day I wonder if maybe that's why the measurements aren't changing but the scales are.

Who knows. I'm definitely shrinking as clothes are fitting better, I've dropped a dress size and finally people at work are starting to notice I'm losing.

I'm sure the rest will catch up.
 
Day.... lost count!

So back after Xmas. Stagnated for a few weeks prior to the Xmas break but did manage to eventually drop another 2lbs taking me to 15t2lbs for the Xmas week. Managed to put on 5 lbs over about 10 days but on my first day back at work, I was back down to 15st2lbs. Triumph!!!!!!!

So this week I've been yo-yoing between 15st2lbs and 15st even. Not strictly following Atkins since had a lot going on. But I start with good intentions tomorrow. I know I have a chinese buffet meal arranged for Saturday for my father in law to be's birthday, but other than that, a night out on the 24th and a cinema trip on the 31st, I should be able to stick to the plan throughout the week and get some lbs shifted despite my social life.

46 weeks tomorrow until my wedding, at least 2 stone to go before then and my goal is to go into February in the 14st bracket. Ideally, I'd like to be at 1st by 27th July for my sister's wedding and if i hit that then I'll just have to maintain until my wedding. Due to the success I've had on Atkins, my h2b has said he wants to start up now too and lose some weight for the wedding. So he'll be starting on Sunday after the birthday meal.

I think it will be good for us to do this together and look forward to further successes on Atkins.
 
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