Hi Jo!

***Question for you... Atkins '72 doesn't mention Kcals...and your protein choices seem on the very lean side (canned chick=no skin, fish...) plus salad and coffee..

I get that LC allows our appetites to be suppressed, so maybe you are just not that hungry... but... and I say this with all due respect for someone who has totally kicked A$$! , but it SEEMS (and I could be totally wrong), but it seems from the outside, like more of a low cal/starvation diet combined with almost, dare I say manic exercise... I mean- on the one hand I think it's brilliant that you rigged your computer to a stationary bike- maybe ALL computers should come that way!! but, on the other hand--- 2 -2 1/2 hours before school and after? that's a lot of exercise.

Anyway, everyone is of course free to eat and move and live the way they want, but as a couple other posters have said, I too have done the extreme low cal/low fat/ Low everything! (basically) Diet, combined with extreme exercise and FOR ME it was just not sustainable. I absolutely reached my goal weight in record time (about 28 pounds in 3 months), but had no clue what to do once there and I'm pretty sure I lost muscle too...
I applaud your next goal of finding your CCL for maintenance. And of course, wish you the very best in health and life. I was just curious if you would agree with the observation that you aren't really doing Atkins '72 exactly...more of a low fat/lowcal/low carb diet? Dr A devotes no less than 17 pages to the discussion of "low calorie" dieting (which, I would def say 750 calls is) ... so... would you agree that you are doing a VERY restricted version of Atkins? May I ask why you chose to do this, instead of what , I think. many of us are doing (higher fat levels =, more butter, cheese, fatty meats..)?

I am really just curious (and kind of worried about a complete stranger- now, that's strange... ) and I hope you don't feel attacked by me. I admire your efforts and your results... just trying to figure it all out. Also, (and I am admittedly still very new to HFLC) I feel a bit worried that some people will read your story and think that drastic calorie cutting or restriction, and hours and hours of exercise each day are required to see success. Obviously, that's one way to go.. just not sure it is what most here are doing...or should do...or need to do to be successful and healthy...

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with all of us!

ALL the BEST of luck, Jo, as you head to maintenance!!!

Jammie