Kat1e's Diary - 7 years low carb - still learning!

I've decided to start a diary to help keep me on the straight and narrow!

So today Tuesday 4th January 2011 is the first day of the rest of my life.

I have:
read the book - tick
read the stickies - tick
set a target - tick
met some lovely people on this board - tick
started - YES!

Thanks for all the advice so far and I hope you will continue to help me - so please go ahead and jump in if you think I've missed something or have any ideas to help.

I have a feeling I may be on here a lot........


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Edited to include my first ever Minimins post on 3rd January 2011 - to complete the story

Baseline & advice for newbie
Hi everyone, nice to meet you. I am just about to start Atkins and would appreciate some advice.

First some background: 42, mum of 1, was always happily curvy when younger at 90kg, then post baby 100kg but a cuddly mummy, went on the scales today and it's 112kg which is BMI 37.4 (5ft8)

OMG - how did this happen! Being feeling pretty rough after eating & drinking far too much over xmas - read the atkins book 2 days ago and fairly convinced this sounds reasonable. Did a run around my kitchen and can see that carbs are my problem. Have borderline BP problems and pretty convinced that health probs will follow shortly

So.....great I know I need to start. I've tried the odd low calorie diet in the past but I cannot give up enjoying food and wine plus anyway hardly lost any weight. Also recently upped my exercise but just an excuse to eat more pasta.....!

So the advice I need please:

1. target weight - I am thinking of setting 90kg which is still a BMI of 30. reason is that I can remember being happy and healthy at this weight, have some beautiful designer clothes that I refused to throw away plus this seems in reach.
Does this seem reasonable? Should I target a better BMI?

2. short term weight goal & speed - I am going on holiday beginning of april and would be great to have a shorter term goal that is realistic assuming this is a lifestyle change not a crash diet. What would be reasonable as 3 months on atkins lifestyle?

3. I am not a dieter as believe they make you fat - but then look at me. So hoping that you can help me change habits & give me support

Thanks all
Katie

Starting weight: 112kg BMI 37.4
Target weight: 90kg BMI 30 (to be reviewed when I get there!)
Interim target for april holiday: 100kg

UPDATED - 31st December 2011
Capturing my whole weight-loss journey week by week
Total lost Jan-Dec 2011 - 30kg
End Weight: 82kg

Phase 1: Atkins Induction 20g, Jan - July 2011, Total 21.2 kg gone
Started: 112kg BMI 37.6, Target: 90kg BMI 30.2, Achieved: 90.8kg BMI 30.4
January -6.6kg (-3.75, -1.5, -1.0, -0.35)
February -3.6kg (sts, -1.5, -1.7, -0.3)
March -3.2kg (sts, -0.6, -1.6, sts, -1.0)
April -1.1 kg (-0.8, sts, -0.3) (2 weeks holiday)
May -2.0kg (-0.5, -1.5kg, sts, sts)(birthday time!)
June -2.9kg (-0.7,-1.0, -0.8, -0.2 , -0.2)
July -1.8kg (-1.7, +0.3, -0.4) (3 weeks only)

Phase 2: Maintain for summer hols - 30g including wine and sugar free treats
Total Lost 2.2kg
July: -1.4kg (1 week)
Aug: -0.4kg (+0.9, -1.0, -0.3)
Sep: -0.4kg (1 week)

Phase 3: OWL starting 9th Sep 11
Sep: -2.1 kg (-0.4, -1.2, -0.5) (3 weeks)
Oct: -1.0 kg (+0.5, -1.3, -0.7, +0.5)
Nov: -1.3kg (sts, -1.3) (2 weeks)

Phase 4: Pre-maintenance starting mid Nov
Nov: -0.2 kg( sts, -0.9, +0.7) (3 weeks)
Dec: -1.6kg (-0.7, -1.6, +0.5, +0.2)

Updated 4th September 2012 - capturing the maintenance journey week by week
2012
------
Jan -1.9 kg (-1.2, -0.2, -1.1, +0.6)
hit GOAL

- 80kg, 5 stone lost

Atkins Maintenance
Feb -1.7 kg (sts, -0.9, -0.8)
Mar -0.9 kg (0.2, sts, sts, -0.2, -0.3)
Apr -0.6 kg (+0.6, -1.2)
May -0.1 kg (-0.6,+0.2,-0.2,+0.5)
June -0.5 kg (+1.2, -1.3, -0.4)
July -0.2 kg (-0.1, +0.5, -1.1, +0.5)
Aug -0.3 kg (summer holidays)

UPDATED 3rd Jan 2013
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Sep -0.3kg, Oct -0.4 kg
To my lowest ever of about 75.6 kg
Generally maintain at "about 12 stone" with plus or minus a couple of pounds dependent on goodies and wine

met some lovely people on this board - tick

Click to expand...

you havent met me yet then i am awful! im a right cowbag

Best of luck and diarys are fab way to keep check on your food and your losses, trials and tribulations and you have probably noticed that we dont always discuss atkins topics plus i can guarentee i will hijack your diary somewhere along the line

Good thinking Katie.

I think having your own diary is a grand idea But Vicky's right, it will get hijacked from time to time

Ok fair enof, i will expect hijackers then!

So end of day 1, feeling ok but tired (due to lack of sleep last night)

DH has agreed to join in with me which is great as he does all the shopping and cooking so could be tricky otherwise! However, he doesn't need to lose much weight and I noticed he was already grumpy that he couldn't find the right food on the tesco shopping site...this is definitely going to be about changing habits and lifestyle not a short one off.

So today:
B bacon & eggs
L chicken & salad
D venison steak with creamy mushroom sauce & broccolli (ok venison might seem a bit excessive on day 1 of diet but was the only unadulterated meat i could find in freezer!). Hopefully gets DH interested too
S cheese, remnants of earlier meals (bacon slice, was some chicken left, then some venison - made good snacks and ready and wtg)

I have 3 bags of food in the hall that I need to drop around to my parents and SIL tomorrow plus planning a run around tesco to restock the cupboards more appropriately

Roll on day 2!

Sounds like a good first day, Katie, and great that DH is joining in!

Don't forget to look at the latest list on the Low Carb Contest thread for a list of the lowest carb food we could all find

Brilliant Susie, thanks for pointing me at it. Got it cut and pasted into evernote now so I'll be able to check as i go past each shop

What's evernote? Is it a phone app or something, and do I need it?

Your day 1 has been a good one Katie! Yum menu.

Don't talk to Vicky directly please - it only encourages her, and then it takes aaaaaages to get her calmed down again.

Welcome Katie, sounds like you have got your head in the right place to do this

Yes watch out for Vicky... every forum needs a right cow bag I guess & she's ours!!

Good to have another diary to hijack. xxx

Waterworks said:

What's evernote? Is it a phone app or something, and do I need it?

Don't talk to Vicky directly please - it only encourages her, and then it takes aaaaaages to get her calmed down again.

Click to expand...

LMAO leave our Vicky alone, she's lovely But then so is Water - and everyone else here

Evernote does sound interesting - tell us more!

Morning Katie.

morning x im getting cyber bulled on your diary :'(

Its only coz we loves ya Vicky... & you started it!

xxxx

Oh Vicky I thought you were serious there! I was getting all ready to go over there and defend your honour!

aww thanks honey x

Afternoon Katie

See what we mean, this is a brand new diary and already we're off on another tangent

Howdy all, thanks for keeping my diary popular especially Vicky

Talking about Evernote means that I have to make a confession - I probably should have called myself gadget girl or productivity geek! Now you have asked though, I will set up a separate thread to see if I can find some fellow enthusiasts.

For my diary, day 2 has been good so far. Started with a weigh in for DH (and I resisted and didn't check myself again) plus measuring various body bits (those numbers are unreasonable :-( ) and finally before photos (only to be posted afterwards!!!)

Restarted work today but took a long lunch break to go shopping at Tesco with DH. Wow - see what you all mean about label detectives. Took along the site lo carb list which was especially good for sausages (mmm). Hopefully when we find some brands we like of everything, then we can go back to online shopping.

Finally, I have had a mild headache since lunchtime and running to loo every 10 mins - hopefully something to celebrate!