Ok, let me jump in on this now. Excuse the TLDR...but...
Started last spring to low carb...not super doctrinaire, just basically cut out all the "good stuff"...no bread, no potatoes, no sweets. I didn't weigh myself to start, and didn't weigh myself as it progressed...however, I did drop probably 4 belt holes and got into jean sizes that I haven't been in for a while (too be clear...I'm starting from a real place of fatness). The idea was for it to be a lifestyle change instead of a diet, and I didn't want to make it a daily weigh in thing (or join this thread) because of the psychological implication that this would be a temporary diet, or there was an end goal, etc.
Anyway, about the middle of the year I started dealing with some personal drama that started to cause slippage, which blew into a full blown existential crisis in the fall, the worst period in my life by many degrees. Pretty much October-January I just ate and drank whatever I wanted trying to keep my head above water, and to self sooth I guess. I just didn't have the remaining psychological reserves to direct any willpower and discipline toward eating. Put about two belt holes back on, but not quite enough to need more clothes or anything. But quite a setback.
Anyway, as that situation eased back into normalcy thank God, I'm back at it, and this time it's serious business. In addition to just wanting to be healthier, my life insurance comes up for renewal in August, and I can't be doing that in the shape I'm in. So I'm not effing around anymore.
About the second week of February, I went back strict low carb. Two weeks later, I quit a serious diet soda habit, something I was never willing/able to do in previous diet phases. Once I felt confident that was going to stick, I bought a scale last week. I wanted to wait until that first couple weeks of water weight droppage was over before I started weighing myself
"Starting" at 257. Probably was mid 260s when I actually began in February. I'd guess I was pushing 280 when I first started last year.
254 today. I'd like to get down to 220, and then see where it goes.
I've done it before...when I was in my late 20s/early 30s, I'd lost about 80 pounds on low carb, but I put it all back on over a decade. Some what lack of discipline, some was hitting that age of kids where you're always on the run, have to eat restaurants or convenient meals. That time is passed now, I can shop, plan, cook for what I want again.
So I know it can be done, other than I'll be fighting an older man's metabolism now. I've tried several times to start low carbing again, but was always frustrated that it didn't really "kick in" like it did the first time. I've blamed it on having an older metabolism, but I think/hope the missing piece was the heavy diet coke. I feel it kicked in this time...the better energy, the ending of cravings, and primarily the reduced appetite that was everything the first time around. That's back, and I think this is going to work.
