After spending the last 4 hours reading the resources at this site (the info pages and some forum messages) it's time to introduce myself.

I'm 46 and have put on 60 pounds in the last 15 years. My sister suggested a major lifestyle change, starting with better eating habits (high protien, low carbs) This is going to be a major challenge, since my biggest weakness is bread. Bagels in the morning, sandwiches at lunch, warmed rolls with dinner. Plus my 2 favorite sidedishes with dinner are potatoes and corn. After reading the FAQs and amazing info here, I now understand why the weight has come.

I haven't picked a lifestyle change plan yet...still researching and reading..but thought that cutting back on at least bread,potatoes and corn would help ease into things...

My 2 questions:

Water water water? Water is a new food for me, and after 2 days of 64 oz, well, let's just say that one very small room in our house is getting very busy. Will my body adjust to this in time so that I'm not running for a visit every 20 minutes?

Homemade soups? The last couple of weekends I've been cooking up a storm making homemade soups to take for lunch. There's almost a month's worth of chicken noodle (darn those noodles), jambalyia (well at least it has lots of protein but I wish I had known about the rice before), and sweet potato chowder (there's no hope for this one...all carbs and practically no protein) Since I'm the only soup eater in the house, will I still be able to use these up until a time when I learn to cook more healthy?

Thanks for taking the time to read/respond.

Welcome!!!

there was a thread about this a while back. if you drink 2 cups first thing, and leave the house 90 min. later, you'll be o.k.. i have noticed that my body can wait a bit longer than it used to.
the soup.... i would have to say ditch it, but if your like me, i would eat it all, then start the woe so i didn't waste food. good luck and post often.

it sounds like you have alot of soup.

in order to start your your new WOE sooner and not waste all that soup maybe you could donate it to the sally ann or a shelter of some kind.

Welcome to the board and to LC, Angela

Can't help you with the soup you've made except to say if you want to start on your journey toward a healthier fitter you, you're going to have to forgo them. You may be able to make a low carb version of them in the future, though.

As for the water, yes, you do adjust and spend less time in the washroom. Part of what you're experiencing right now is not just a result of the water you're drinking, its also a flushing out of the excess you're body was holding onto from eating all those carbs. (1g carb = 3g water).

Cheers,
Nat

One of the most important things to aid you in a life-style change is to forget about your past eating habits. You can ease into it, but the day will come when you will have to stop your old ways and welcome the new.

You will always be eliminating the water you drink. It is one of the most important aspects to keeping ketones flushed out of your system as well as keeping you hydrated. When you start on a low carb WOL you will find that what you thought was hunger was actually thirst.

Keep reading and researching with a change to low-carb, knowledge is power!

Karen

Thanks for the welcome and encouraging words.

It's good to know that the water thing will work out in time

As for the soup, well, most of it has found a new home. A friend of mine is going in for surgery, and I had promised her I'd make up some frozen meals for her so she won't need to cook the first few weeks she's back home.

I'll check back in in a few days after I've selected the plan that looks most comfy for me.

Glad you folks are around for help and support. I'm looking forward to celebrating YOUR successes.