I've been stalled lately and I want to work on it more aggressively for a while. I've been low carb for ages, but I get a bit slack.

I looked at joining one of the challenges in the challenge forum, but I find it intimidating to join one where the starting weights of the other people are 137, 138, 126 pounds. Any TDCers want to join me here?

I'm hoping for conversation, support, and encouragement in this thread; some of the challenge threads get bogged down with lists of numbers. Let's just list our stats individually and discuss what's working and what challenges we're facing.

Moderators: please leave this thread in the TDC forum. Thank you.

I want to lose 15 lbs by may 26th. Does that count??

I'm not quite sure how the challenges work, but I'm game to be "in" for some sort of challenge. I agree that it's hard to relate to someone whose starting weight is about 40-50 pounds below your goal weight.

Yes, that's the sort of short term goal I'm thinking of. If you want, we can go through May too.

What's the event?

The challenges vary. I'm just thinking that I need to break my overall weightloss goal into smaller pieces. I have so much to lose that I get overwhelmed by the thought of trying to do the whole thing. So how about if we just talk about our progress, obstacles, and encourage each other. I need to do something different. Maybe a little accountability will help.

My weight has been firmly stuck at 298 for quite a while. Not even a tiny fluctuation. It has become considerably harder over the years to lose weight. I lost 86 pounds the first time I did Atkins. Then I moved to a different state and broke all the good habits I had developed and regained it all and a bit more. Since then it has become considerably harder, but I haven't put in 100% effort either.

I've started back on "intermittent fasting" in the past few days. So far that only means that I'm eating during an 8 hour window and then fasting for 16. At least that gives me 16 hours that I'm not mindlessly munching on lc food. I've been mostly lc for so many years that I know very well how to overeat on plan.

What I'm eating is almost right, I've been mostly lc for ages and now I need to go a step further and do this in a way that causes me to lose again.

Allison, it sounds like we are in a very similar place! I'm currently stuck at 293 - though only for a few weeks so far so not necessarily a "hard" stick. I lost 80 pounds when I first did Protein Power, but broke all my habits and gained it back and quite a bit more after getting discouraged over a 2 1/2 year stall with still another 70 pounds to lose.

But if I had just accepted where I was and tried to live with it who knows what would have happened. I would have been in a far better place than I am now - with still 45 pounds to go just to get back to that former low on PP.

So a challenge seems like a good idea to me. I find it helpful to have others around to compare with, and who are facing similar things.

My goal is to lose 10 pounds in April. On the one hand, my weight hasn't budged for some time, so it might be unrealistic. On the other hand, at this size, if I put more concerted effort into it, I should be able to lose faster than that.

Everyone should feel welcome to join us or just chime in.

I can use all the support and suggestions! I hope to loose each month and know that it will take me a very long time. I get bogged down in the amount I need to loose so this will be fun.
One change I have tried to make is less Diet Coke and more water! I hope to start walking with my Golden more but my feet hurt so bad.......this is another hope that some day my feet won't hurt............
Good luck to us all!!!

Welcome gloquilts!

I think getting off diet coke is a good idea. Caffeine causes a surge in insulin in some people -- I'm one of them -- just the same as if you've eaten sugar. The artificial sweetener, too, can be perceived by the body as consuming sugar. I'm not quite sure why, but there are a lot of studies that have shown it.

My goals for April are:
1. Stay in induction and as close to 20 gm carbs as I can manage
2. Lose 15 pounds

Thanks Allison

I am looking forward to reading the tips! I actually went for a few walks with my dog today..........good for her and for me!
Unfortunately am sitting her drinking a diet coke........don't know why I love it so! Habit I am sure I have drank diet pop instead of water for a long long time!

You can do it! Fortunately I am one of those who really *likes* water. I often say it is my favorite beverage. But I do really love the diet coke with lime, and I had gotten into a real habit of having to have at least one bottle a day of it. I just *had* to. But I decided that it was not a great idea to have it every day like that and I needed to cut back. I began cutting back to every other day, and those first few days without it were hard.

But you know? It's been *months* now since I have had one, and I almost never even think about it any more. I have one cup of black coffee every morning, and about once or twice a week I have a *small* glass of wine with dinner. But other than that it's just all water all the time.

Hi Jeri!

Looks like you have a good plan. You can do it!

I know that part of my problem is not really counting. I like to cook and I make complex things with lots of ingredients. Carefully measuring, recording, adding it up and then measuring out portions is a significant amount of work. I've been trying to just keep my carbs to non-starchy vegetables, nuts and seasonings but my strategy hasn't been as successful as I'd hoped.

Finally, after two months stuck in the same place without any fluctuation, I am down 2 1/2 pounds this morning. Phew! I was beginning to think I'd reached some horrible permanent setpoint.

I think I'm one of those people who need to keep calories under control as well as carbs. Currently I'm doing that with the eating model know as IF (intermittent fasting). I'm trying to ease into it rather than adopt an extreme version right away. So for now I'm eating during an 8 hour window (11 am to 7 pm) and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. Eventually I'll narrow that eating window, but I have been hungry. Capmikee says it took him two months to adjust. I hope it doesn't take me that long.

I've probably lowered my carbs a lot by doing this too.

April 1: 298 pounds
April 3: 295.5 pounds

Mmmm. Wine. I wish I could do that and keep it to one small glass once or twice a week. I tend to want 3 glasses and have it every night. :sigh: Maybe in maintenance.

Good job keeping it under control.