Just moved to Austin, TX, from Los Angeles. It's great here so far.

I started low-carbing with the Hellers 'Carbohydrate Addicts Diet' and lost weight effortlessly. But, after a few weeks I began experiencing sluggishness, loss of concentration--just a general blahness. Their answer was to add another low-carb meal to my day. When I did that I quit loosing weight. So I went off the diet and gained back all the weight.

My current diet is one I came up with and I've lost 15 pounds in about 2 1/2 months. I eat at least 5 servings of non-starchy vegtables a day, 7 to 9 ounces of protein, then just about anything else I want. I find that I eat far less bread, pasta potatos and dessert. And I try to eat 4 or 5 small meals a day. I also quit using Nutrasweet completely and the carb cravings have vanished. I now use Splenda (and half/half--no carbs) in my coffee.

My trouble spots are exercise (how to get motivated) and eating small meals. Sometimes I get busy and don't eat for hours, then realize I'm starving.

Anyway, good luck to all of us--Shirley

Welcome to the forum Shirley.

It sounds like you are off to a very good start with the amount of veggies and protein you are eating (can't get enough protein, IMO because many of us have been far below what our bodies require) and cutting out bread, pasta and processed "white" foods.

It's also good that you are eating five to six smaller meals a day. Many of us do the same. I found it hard to switch at first but now it works out very well. However, I know what you mean about getting busy and missing a meal. Sometimes it can't be helped

As for exercise. Have you ever lifted weights? I started a year ago and it has made a huge difference in my shape and body fat %. I highly recommend it. However, if you haven't been doing anything then just doing a little of something to get started is better than nothing

See ya around!

Welcome to Texas! Plenty of beef here to help you out with your way of eating (at least that is the stereotype). I'm three hours north of you just off I35. If you've never been to San Antonio, be sure to get down there soon before the Cypress Trees lose their leaves for the winter. There is also a really cool Christmas Pageant on the river - - look it up by doing a search for San Antonio.

hi my name is tammy, i just learned about lc not even a week ago.
so i started monday, and i have lost 7lbs, my 17 year old has lost 7, and my twelve year old has lost 5, its been 5 whole days now and im starting to feel real good, i have even gone to the gym for the last 3 days in a row,( 30 min on the treadmill, but ill work up more) i started at 196 lbs and i am raelly enjoying the progress,
im no exspert but if you are slugish mabee you are not eating enought protien, i find that i am starved when i get home from school and i EAT untill im full and i mean eat, but we are still staying under the 20 carbs, i hope you start to feel better so you dont give up, i really think once you clean your body out you wont be so slugish. and dont be afraid to eat, just watch the carbs.
if you want you can email me or pm me on yahoo its nice to be able to chat with someone who is going through the same things you are. if i am slow at getting back its because im in college full time and drive 3 hrs a day for school, pluss all my homework,but i do try to check my mail everyday..............good luck and stick it out. it is worth it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,tammy

Tammy

Thanks, but I was only sluggish on the Carbo Addicts diet. I feel much better now.

Where in Nebraska are you? My mom is from a little town called Sargent. We kids loved visiting my grandparents farm when we were little. To this city kid it was paradise. In fact, talking about diets, comfort food to me was chicken, biscuits, pie--the stuff we ate on the farm.

One day at a time--Shirley

Tammy,

I have been on the Atkins Diet now for about two months. I had tried it for a week before and stopped because I felt sluggish and sick. I do believe that it is just the withdrawl from carbs that you are experiencing. It does go away. The one thing I really have a problem with is sweets. I love chocolate, and lets face it, women NEED chocolate atleast one week out of every month. Try the Atkins bars, those taste great and give you a little pick me up at times of sluggishness. At my heaviest, I weighed 315 pounds. I now weigh 275. And I did it without being hungry or feeling that I couldn't be around people for fear of temptation. Keep with it, it will pay off.

hello agian, im from a little town in southeast nebraska, called fairbury, population uhhhh around 4,000, i drive to lincoln every day for class,,,,,,,,,,,,,which is 75 miles each way,
so how are you doing so far? if you need a freind to chat with feel free to contact me,,,,,,,,,,,,look forward too hearing from you.
tammy

thanks alisha,,,,,,,,,,,keep up the good work,
i see you are on but it wont let me pm you.
i havent put in enough posts yet,,,,,,,,i would give you my yahoo
id if i new if that was allowed on here, it would be nice to have someone to chat to right now. oh well ill keep trying to get my posts up to 25 so i can pm on here,,,,,,,,,,,good luck and i hope to talk to you again,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,tammy

Homegirl,

Thanks for the advice. I do have weights. I stare at them once in a while. OK, OK I'll use them.

You seem pretty knowledgeable--I'm also limiting foods high on the Glycemic Index, but can't find the complete list online. Do you know where it is??? Or do I have to buy a book??

Thanks, Shirley

Welcome to Texas from me too!! I'm in Houston....and soooooo jealous that you're living in my favorite town on the planet!! I went to UT there and fell in love with the place. Of course, back then (in the stone age), the population was about 400,000... Mopac was at the edge of town!! From campus we could be at Lake Travis in 20 mins. Ahhhhh...those were the days!! Be sure to take advantage of the wonderful music scene there.... it's awesome...and there's something for everyone!

I guess it's no coincidence that I've seen many people have great success in adding lots of veggies to their diets....so you're really onto something there! Keep up the good work and keep posting!

Hi there, Shirley. Welcome to Austin! I've been here about 2 1/2 years now, moved from Houston where I lived for 20-something years. They couldn't drag me back! Regarding exercise, I agree on the weights thing. If you want some inside scoop on Austin's gyms (or anything else re our wonderful city), feel free to ask. Also, a great place to jog/walk is the hike and bike trail at Town Lake. The scenery is a great motivator--it's a wooded trail along the Colorado River, complete with myriad species of ducks, swans, coots, swimming dogs, scullers, canoes, kayaks, and in the Spring, wildflowers galore!