advise

In article ,
says...
New at low carb, to all you long time low carb people if you could
offer one piece of advise (that you learned by trail and error) and
the most important what would it be????

Keep careful track of what you eat and their nutritional value. WRITE IT DOWN.
Besides helping to keep within a certain parameter, it helps you to become AWARE
of the nutritional value of certain foods, thus nudging you toward eating foods
that are better for you and giving you a sense of portion control. You need to
measure/weigh/count in order to determine the nutritional value of any given
food, after all. The AWARENESS of these things eventually becomes second nature,
eventually affects your choices, and can make a HUGE difference in how successful
your weight loss will be. Eating obliviously is how I got fat in the first
place, after all.

--
Saffire
205/185/125
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

In article , says...
Get out the tape measure to gauge progress when the scale stops moving - the
scale can be disheartening, especially if you are exercising and gaining
muscle.

Also be aware that sometimes you'll lose weight in places that aren't
traditionally measured. Normally chest, waist and hips are measured and
sometimes belly, thigh, calf and upper arm. I KNOW I'm getting smaller in my
waist, but at the moment those measurements are staying the same or even a little
higher, but the area between my waist and breasts has gotten significantly
smaller in the last couple of weeks :-) I keep marveling at how my fingers are
smaller (best noticed when clasping hands together). My wrists are smaller -- I
can encircle one with the thumb and middle finger of the other and have the
fingers TOUCH! My TOES are thinner :-) When I put my hand on my shoulder, I
notice that IT'S considerably smaller -- I don't feel like a short, squat
linebacker anymore. When I put on my deodorant, I sometimes overshoot because my
ARMPIT is smaller! When I put my hands on my lower mid-back to stretch back
after sitting too long, I notice that that area isn't NEARLY as well-padded as it
was -- it's sloping DOWN, not OUT! I put a hand to my face and can EASILY feel
my cheekbones! I've lost 20 lbs and still have 60 to go, but my confidence is
WAY up and I get a little thrill each time I notice these changes -- they are
confirmation that I AM changing my body for the better and it IS working, no
matter how slow it seems to be!

Notice the LITTLE things, even if neither the scale NOR the tape measure is
showing progress. As long as YOU see/feel some progress SOMEWHERE, it can make a
real difference in your outlook and determination to stay the course.

--
Saffire
205/185/125
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

maralyn wrote:
New at low carb, to all you long time low carb people if you could
offer one piece of advise (that you learned by trail and error) and
the most important what would it be????

Ketosticks can't tell the difference between dietary fat and body fat.
Lowcarbing doesn't negate *excessive* fat calories.

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

Sorry.. it's just one of my peeves about the whole low carb *thing* lately.
You rarely hear anyone call it *low carb* it's always *Atkins* no matter
what they are REALLY doing.
I'll try to behave. I was still coming down from too many sugar free
jellybeans I think.. nasty nasty things.. sigh.

Teeb

"Anne" wrote in message
...

She didn't say she was doing *Atkins*.. why don't we stop assuming
everyone
is doing Atkins and *induction*.


Yow! Chill, Teeb. I only related what I tell people who *are* doing
Atkins; that's why I was specific in the first place. I don't have
experience with other low-carb diets besides Atkins so this is my only
piece of wisdom, newbie-wise.

Let me try again:

"On most diets, the first week or so is the hardest because the cravings
are acute. Hang in there and they will lessen in time."


Better? Here, take this garlic clove and wave it at anyone who utters the
"A" word on this newsgroup. ;-)

- Anne

I was still coming down from too many sugar free
jellybeans I think.. nasty nasty things.. sigh.

'Sokay, Teeb. Stay away from those jelly beans! ;-)

- Anne