Thank you for your story! I'm so thrilled to read stories of women who are over 45 and succeed losing the amount of weight (or more) that I want to lose!

Your new picture is wonderful... and that after Christmas shopping spree must have been marvelous!

What an inspiring and motivational story.

I hope to reach 120 too ; GREAT JOB!

Hahahhaaha! You made my day I am re-starting my Low Carbing at 50 because when I was 45 everyone said that I would never lose weight. "It doesn't usually happen.. when you're above 45". YOU GUYS HERE are SO GREAT!!!!!!!! It proves that we can all be sexy at ANY AGE... and damn, we do have a right to be!

What a great story. Congratulations to you. You have lost not only weight, but years also. You look great!

You look amazing. I started LC in 08/07 but unlike you I have only lost 15 pounds. Would you post a sample menu of what you ate? I know I am in Ketosis but I am not losing. I do work out and am doing my best to eat clean, drink loads of water, take my supplements. I would appreciate any help.

Thanks and congratulations!

First off, variety and choices is the key. If you are getting bored with the choices you have when you open that refrigerator you are doomed to snack on cheese, bacon or boiled eggs. I have at least 20 small rubbermaid containers in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. When I make something I always make enough so that I can freeze some and put one container in the frig for later in the week. Also, every day I search the internet for recipes to try. Food is now fun instead of being my nemesis. I knew I had arrived when I was complaining to my sister that I am always running out of spices (they used to get so old that I would throw away full containers that had a date 3 yrs. old on them) She told me "Don't you know, that's the sign of a great cook." From Ready made Rita to great cook...Wow.

Second is exercise. I have always hated exercise and finding something I like to do and didn't dread was a real search, I tried Curves didn't stick to it, I tried tennis didn't stick to it, then I decided the least I could do is walk. Walking is convenient, you can do it inside with a pedometer or outside on nice days in the sunshine. I have a short route that I do. I have a stretch on the route where I do lunges, then on the hill I do a kick my butt with my heels half way up then lift my knees as high as I can the rest of the way up the hill. I started out doing one lap of my route, when I found I wasn't tired or huffing and puffing I increased it to 2 laps. I am now doing 4 laps and just about ready to graduate to 5 laps. I do this with my ipod on (I picked out fast paced songs for my walk) This walk is not a stroll, it is very fast paced. When I added this routine to my Atkin's diet, the weight just started pouring off. Also I might mention I do this walk twice a day after lunch and after dinner. I had read somewhere the worst thing you can do is sit or sleep after eating. The walk takes 15 minutes each time.

Third is Artificial sweeteners are out! They stop weightloss in me like nothing else. If I must have sugar it's the real thing. 1 cube of sugar is 4 g of carbs. I work it into my carb budget.

Here is a link to a food pyramid that was posted by algts on the forum that pretty much sums up how I eat. (except for the grapefruit and apples...I don't eat them).
http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/...pyramid1.IG.jpg
This is getting long...I will send you a sample menu later.

Thank you do much for the info. I unfortunately use sweetners, Splenda (2 pkts a day), and munch on bacon (usually w/eggs for breakfast). I work out too everyday for at least 30-45 minutes a day or walk 2 hours in the morning w/my baby. I will heed your advise. Thanks again for responding and providing some real good info!

Thanks again!

I tried to message you this but it was too big and wouldn't go thru...so I'm posting it here

Breakfast
Scrambled eggs
2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk
2 oz. cream cheese
2 ham slices chopped up
2 green onions chopped up
various spices
1 tsp whipped butter
¼ cup blackberries or strawberries on the side
6g-8g total carbs depending on which berries you have
when I don’t feel like a big breakfast I have something light like fruit and cheese a small plain yogurt or a salad like the bacon and goat cheese salad
Lunch
I usually have leftovers to choose from that I have put in refrigerator or freezer from an earlier dinner, most of my dinner recipes are low in carbs so I don’t really look at the amount of carbs.
like right now I have in my refrigerator
“Heroin Wings from Joan” recipe from the forum…each with only a trace of carbs, a trace of
fiber and 4 grams of protein.
“Chicken livers with onions” my own recipe ...trace carbs
“Home made chicken soup” my own recipe …trace carbs
“Seasoned Fried pork chops” again my own recipe …no carbs
and then for desert , I will have some blueberries or some cantaloupe

Afternoon snack
Raosted Green Beans
• One 14 ½ oz. can whole green beans (better if you use 1 lb. fresh green beans)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
1. Heat oven to 375° F. Toss green beans, oil and salt together in a large bowl. Then spread the beans out in a single layer on cookie pan. On the top level of the oven roast the beans about 20 minutes, they should be lightly browned and crispy-tender. Turn the beans with a spatula halfway through cooking time.
2 servings (one half of the tray) = 7g carbs, 1 serving (one quarter of the tray) = 3.5g carbs
or
Cheddar Cheese and prosciutto plate (4 oz cheese and 3 oz prosciutto)
10g carbs
As you can see I spend the bulk of my carbs on breakfast and snacks

Dinner
I always search for great recipes for dinner and make enough so I have leftovers...here is the latest I found and made

Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Ingredients:
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 avocado, pitted and cut into chunks
Directions:
1. Combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub over chicken.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside, about 10 minutes per side. Turn heat down to low and cover. Then do step 3
3. Dice onion and combine with lemon juice in a bowl; set aside.
4. Turn chicken that is cooking on low on stove over, put lid back on.
5. Pit avocado and cut into small ¼ inch chunks. add avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. By the time you are finished doing this the chicken is ready.
6. Serve chicken topped with salsa.
Serves 4
3-5 carbs per serving
This is delicious  I found the basic recipe in Everyday food magazine and made some changes to it.

Thank you for posting the menu...you're awesome!

Your story is really encouraging to me. I need to read through all the posts, but it gives me hope that at 52 I can get back the figure I had in college--the figure I really believe I SHOULD have and see myself with. Thank for sharing and inspiring! P.S. Your photos are amazing--you look great!

Patrice, if you are still around you did very well. I will up my exercise. I see that you added real sugar... I was trying to figure out what to add because I think the sugar substitutes are stalling me as well. I might try honey instead....

Congrats to you!

Fell off wagon
After finally reaching my goal in 2007 (actually I went below my goal)...here I am needing to get back in the groove. My husband retired in jan 2008 then was promptly diagnosed with throat cancer. He is doing good now. Two grandbabies arrived , both with traumatic deliveries. So it has been 4 very stressful years.

So here I am, 20 pounds above my goal weight (it could be a lot worse), no energy, no exercise and carb addicted....aarrgh!

You may have fell off but at least you're trying to get a leg back on.
Good luck at this rodeo. You've done it before, it can happen again.
Progress not perfection.
Lisa

Congratulations! You look incredible! I can totally relate to the 50 lb weight gain during pregnancy, lol.