My story is a little different, I was talking to a skinny on-line colleague who's been on Atkins for 7 years, I was shocked, told her how dangerous it was! I mentioned a story that had been on the news the night before about how the celebs doing Atkins had probably only lost the weight by living off fish and seafood, we promptly entered into a bet, the winner would do a days work for the loser. Off I went to the Atkins website and spent 3 days researching the plan, decided to stick religiously to Induction eating lots of steak and fats I was convinced I'd weigh more at the end of 2 weeks eating like this, on day 4 I started feeling great, I thought that after Induction when I hadn't lost any weight I'd stick to this WOE but cut the fat, can you imagine how thrilled I was when after that 2 weeks I was down 19 pounds lol

It was my three year old calling me "tubby" that did it. Kids are great - totally honest and innocent. He was right. I was fat.

I sat back and realized that I couldn't walk by the cookie jar without grabbing a handful or going to Taco Bell for lunch and not spend $8.00 (that's a lot of Taco Bell!). I am a major carb addict and Low Carb was my only hope of breaking that addiction.

It wasnt really any one thing anyone in particular did....more like a series of nights over the past ten years with guys and their attitudes toward overweight women...Well this is going to sound pretty bad but I want to teach a few guys in my life a lesson.....I think I am pretty cute overweight....I cant wait to see what I look like at 149....I will make sure I appreciate the guys that gave me the time of day at 232 and totally dont plan on showing any mercy on the guys that treated me like junk!

Arie!!
 

Wow, Arie, you look like a completely different man! :clap: Way To Go!

I've been lowfat/lowcalorie for the last 4 years, Yet I was gaining (slowly without noticing) 5-7 pounds a year. Couldn't figure out why the washer/dryer was shrinking my clothes LOL. Then in May I got the Christmas pictures developed (!) and saw myself in a a sweater. I did a "OMG I'm fat" moment. I went strict on the lowfat (no breakfast, lean cuisine for lunch, lean cuisine for dinner.) I was starving and pissed off. I'd eat a bag of pretzels every night(not a snack bag -a family bag) because they're fat free! After 4 weeks I had gained 3 more pounds. Tried this Hollywood Juice Diet where you drink for 3 days, I was shaking and jumpy for 3 days. Lost 5 punds of water and gained it back by the next week. Looked around for something different and found this board. Bought the book and tried it and liked it. Never hungry and slowly losing (which is the way it should be)

I've been sick on and off for 8 years with a fungal infection of the gut.
I knew I had to do low carb to kill the fungus but until my in-laws were doing Atkins, I hadn't realized how yummy and doable it really was with a PLAN. I now know it is my way of life and eating because I don't have a desire to go back to the way I was.

I am now healthier, lighter and getting closer to the *me* I know in my head. :yay:

Wow...there are probably hundreds of times that I can look at and they all add up to a push in the right direction, kind of in an accumalative effect.

Probably Knowing better and knowing I will feel so much better at my desirable weight. I use to play football for a long time and was in great shape! Married life has been blissfull but detrimental all at the same time. I have (so has my wife) put on a little weight each year for the last 14 years. It is heart breaking, ego breaking for that matter, to look at a photo or the mirror.

My 2 kids are also a huge motivational factor. The comments they make are not mean spirited but hurtful just the same. My kids becoming fully aware and conscience of our weight problem where they actually see and are able to make comments was probably the last straw.

I also want to be that handsome and great guy that I duped my wife into marrying :D

Here is a link to some pictures of us in case anyone would like to see. The one of me and my daughter is a few years old and about 40 pounds ago.

http://f1.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc...case.yahoo.com/

Enjoy!
Cody

Ok **deep breath** here goes....

- those god-awful Plus Size clothes. They really are horrendous. Why are all the plus size clothes so repulsive? Sometimes I think I'd look better in a tent! I have never found anything in a plus size that I thought was gorgeous. I find a lot of regular sized clothes that's cute and think "Just wait until I lose this weight...."

- the fact that the seats in the airplane felt "tight" around my butt when the arm-rest was down. That was a SHOCKER!! I thought that the seats were smaller and then realized I travel in that size plane often enough to know the seats stay the same size. Boy was that a wake up call!! Not to mention the fact that the seat belt had to be FULLY extended to buckle.

- pictures from my cousin's wedding in May, 2003 - you really canNOT hide from the camera. I thought I was looking slim (in all black) and sexy. Well, I was looking sexy (plenty compliments, not just my swelled ego talking), but DEFINITELY not slim!

- the fact that my "fat" clothes were feeling tight and some weren't even fitting at all - that was the last straw!! Imagine me not fitting into my fat clothes - that's very bad.

So here I am now....3 weeks into this WOE and feeling great about myself. I haven't weighed because I hate scales, but my fat clothes are all fitting (some to baggy to wear to work now) and my belt no longer suffocates me when I sit down after lunch!

Stopped smoking in January this year, and of course gained. I've heard about my weight from my family for too long, and every morning trying to find something that hides me has gotten too upsetting.
Looking at my daughter's graduation pictures really upset me. I threw away the photos before anyone saw them. Besides my husband telling me that he isn't attracted to me anymore doesn't help (of course he's 60 lbs overweight - but who's counting?) LOL
I finally realized that I have to do this for ME, and no one else. Hope I can stick to it this time. Fourth time is a charm!
:)

For me, it was standing in the dressing room of Lane Bryant and realizing that I'd gone up two sizes in jeans (those same jeans today are horribly baggy - I really need a belt...or new jeans). Then, it hit me that it was truly miraculous that, so far, I had not had a major health problem related to my weight and that I was truly just playing with time before heart disease or diabetes hit.

Also, realizing that I will be applying for entrance into a pharmacy school soon and that, even though my grades are stellar, my weight could very likely be a deterrent when it comes to face-to-face interviews with admissions committees. Unfortunately, regardless of what people might say, I think there is an awful lot of discrimination - at least on a subconcious level - against overweight people, especially in competitive situations like jobs and school.

At niaga falls last year ,we went on vacation and walking just to see the falls made me winded. I decided that it was time for a change. Also going on rides at the amusement parks. Ones I thought I could ride , I couldn't ..
I had asked my dr about the gastric bypass surgery and he said I'd be a good candidate. I got the phone number and called for a consultation (I'm still waiting) I figured one more try wouldn't hurt. I just may tell them I changed my mind if they do call.

I got tired of buying bigger and bigger clothes. I am not very tall but I could always dress to hide my size. When I told my best friend how much I weighed at my heaviest she couldn't believe it. It was a blessing in disguise - but I knew I was way too big.

Then there was the diabetes my mother was diagnosed with and the fact that she suffered 2 strokes by the age of 56 due to a lack of careful monitoring. I am my mother's child so the writing was on the wall.

It reads differently today. :)

Like IowaGirl, I could also disguise my weight to a certain degree. However, it was to the point where I couldn't hide the extra skin on my jawline and cheeks and I could never leave the house without something covering my butt.

My major wake-up call is when I was really beginning to hate life because I was gaining weight so quickly. I was miserable with my appearance and didn't even want to leave the house, other than for work. Down 12 pounds since then, and I'll never go back to that lifestyle again.

I had a couple of reasons, nothing major.

It is summer and we were going to the beach, the lake or swimming every week, plus my friends are big on taking pictures. I can't stand to look at pictures of myself fully clothed, so those were bad.

I didn't want to go to another party and be ingored.

I was squeezing into the biggest size I could find at the stores, I was NOT going to buy plus sized clothes.

Luckily my friend and her father had been doing the Atkins thing and she suggested I try it. It has only been 3 weeks, but the benefits of eating this way have been great.

when even eating the WW way - didn't change what I weigh! It just doesn't budge on that type of plan - now I 'get it'!!! Going slow but sure!