What stood out(for me at least) like the proverbial "dog's balls in the moonlight" about this whole Low-Carb Forum is how serious and straight-laced most of the topics and discussion styles are.
Sarar's thread is like an oasis in the desert. Speaking frankly and openly and sharing our fears and joys is fantastic. Having a laugh as well as a cry is so good for the soul.
Having said that, I do very much understand what Noel is talking about. At the end of the day we choose this new way of living for ourselves first and foremost. When we listen it should be confined to what our own body is telling us. What others say...... good and bad...... must not get in the way of that.
A little of my own recent experience. The first 3 months on Atkins was the easiest and most enjoyable thing I've done health-wise for years. It followed a series of treatments, about 40 operations, and anti-depressants....... all of which knocked me around and made me feel much worse. The A-D's made me binge-eat(something I had never done before) and sent my libido right through the floor(never ever experienced that before either). I was going out backwards in a big hurry. I stopped the operations but was advised to continue with the A-D's. Then I was contacted about attending a school reunion. As much as I wanted to go there were serious doubts I could get my act together and be able to make it. In sheer desperation I sought the advice of a naturopath I'd heard on the radio. He has been brilliant for me ever since......with diagnosis, prescribing and mentoring.
So I got it all together and travelled to the reunion. I brought the A-D's with me with the intention of taking them but on both the Fri and Sat nights got home late-ish. As I had to get going early the next day I skipped taking them as they make me sleep heavy. To cut a long story short I had the best weekend ever. The only downside was the awareness of being 2 stone overweight........ not what others may have thought but just being uncomfortable in my suit and feeling generally unfit. On my long drive back home I made a big decision...... "Stuff what the doctor says. I'm going off the A-D's and will go it alone come hell or high water".
A month or so later I stumbled by pure chance on Dr Atkins book at a booksale while filling in time waiting for my car to be serviced. That was 11 Nov 2005. I lost my 2 stone "excess baggage" easily in 3 months. Others were saying "Dont lose any more", "do this, do that" etc. It got confusing. I listened to my body and it said "enjoy yourself a little more" so I did. I imported the Dreamfields Pasta....... special treat number 1. Healthy, low carb, as tasty as any pasta I've ever had. Eat more fruits(peaches, nectarines, bananas etc) or include them in smoothies. That sort of thing.
To my surprise my weight still fell, albeit much more slowly. Then I discovered low GI bread(38) and re-introduced bread into my diet. Even started to have donah kebabs wrapped in lebanese bread occasionally. Once again my weight holds steady.............. how easy is this?
Then about 4 weeks ago it was as if all my taste-buds had all been poisoned. I could not stand the taste of my drinks(water with low-cal cordial containing 40% real fruit juices), bacon, eggs, cheese etc. I believe it came from the taste of my 2 liquid herbal remedies. But why was it only happening now after 3 months? I believe my body was telling me again "Ease up, get back on the rails". So that is what I'm doing. Rather than going off Atkins completely I'm reviewing and revising things according to what my body tells me. I've replaced one liquid herbal supplement with a tablet version and halved the frequency of the other one. I can handle Coke Zero and am starting back on my water(with lc fruit juice cordial).
In summary I am very happy with where I am at weight-wise. My long term target is arbitrary anyway so I do not see it as some sort of holy grail. When my taste-buds and gut feel tell me I will adjust my goals accordingly. Exercise is something which I need to do more of, and this may well be the direction to steer towards next.
Thanks for allowing me to feel able to share