Happy Saturday

There is nothing like the feeling of eating clean. For 10 days I have gone back to basics and I feel so much better. I am sleeping better, not crashing in the afternoon and I don’t feel bloated at all during the day. Another side effect for me is that I don’t eat more than 3 meals a day. Not because I limit myself but because I am completely satisfied. I am eating about 2300 calories a day, some days a little more and some days a little less, but I feel good and have lost 9 lbs in those 10 days. I’ve lost 3 inches off my waist which was most likely bloat and water.  I feel better.. I FEEL better.

It has been a horrible year for me. Horrible.. I just let go of me and what I needed. I was so focused on what everyone else needed while taking care of my kids and husband and work and everyone else. It is easy for me since I am definitely a caretaker.

I have been struggling a few years. This being 50 is hard. And all the hormonal changes make it harder. losing pounds for me is so much harder than it used to be and I gain with a vengeance since this all started in 2012.. I was in a good groove and hormones hit and it was a nightmare. It was so hard and so tough, I gave up on me.

It is not pity just reality. I have a hard time with what I look like vs what I look like in my head. Even in a size 6 I would look in the mirror and only see flaws. It disables me to move forward.

There are many of us who have been successful on Atkins and then had some stumbles. I am not ashamed of that. After the last year, I am just glad to have survived it. I think the kicker came for me is when I started to have health problems because of the stress and the running and not taking care of me. Your brain just starts to click off.

I hope that sharing here and there will help someone else in my boat, who always takes care of everyone but themselves. In the end it really comes down to the airplane scenario. You can’t help anyone else unless you put the mask on first. You have to be there to help them. So try and put your health and self first in this. Make yourself a priority. It doesn’t mean become selfish or self centered. It just means plan for you. Plan what you want. Keep your goals in sight and keep moving forward! You can do this!

 

 

 

Exercise… Not the monster you have to fight anymore…

I don’t love exercise.. Never did. Once is a while I have a great walk or feel the urge to do something sports related.. But as a rule.. NAHHHHH.

 

One of the things I love about Atkins is that you don’t have to work out you lose. You don’t have to earn the right to eat… You can eat well and lose weight and then find some activity you like later.. If you ever do. I know, I know, exercise is good for you .. so they say.. But I am still glad that I don’t have to work off my meatballs and gravy.. My mashed cauliflower with butter, my cheesecake!!

 

Learn the plan. Live the plan, Then focus on exercise if you want.  Be kind to yourself. Find the grace that you have for others and then pour it over yourself.

We have all be so hard on ourselves over the years. Eating nothing only to lose an ounce and feel defeated..

Don’t do that anymore. Focus on eating right. ENJOY that eating. Don’t diet on Atkins. Eat well and lose well. Then see where you are.

 

I know you can do this. I know it!!

 

Biggest loser damage….

With shows like the biggest loser all over the place, Showing people losing 5 ,10 even 20 pounds in a week.. What does that mean for the normal folk? Those of us just plugging away each day on our own with 1-2pounds each week gone.. Maybe none.

The way they react when they lose 1 lb or even 3, with such a sense of shame and failure is amazing. They are now conditioned and conditioning us that the normal and good guideline of 1-2 pounds a week is a bad thing. We must be doing something wrong.

DON’T BUY IT.

First they are beaten each day in the gym, working out 5 hours a day, Eating low calorie and it is something that I would say 80% of them don’t maintain. How could they? They have to get to real life right? Pay their bills, raise a family?

What if you don’t lose anything one week but did it all right.. Are you a failure?

Nope. What you did was spend a week maintaining and living in your loss!! That is a good thing!!

Does one week not losing mean you are at your carb limit! NO. Not even close. it takes 4 weeks at the same weight for it to be a “stall”. At that point we look at what is being eating, Search for carb creep or not enough calories, maybe a little more exercise.. and see if it will move. IF not then we start to back down a little and see it the scale moves again..
BUT that week not losing.. Is not failure. It is learning experience.

It is expected! It is normal! IT IS REAL LIFE.

I just h*a*te that people get frustrated after 2 days of not losing or even a week and assume they are doing it wrong, It won’t work for them.

Atkins is always working. IT is healing you. IT is lowering blood sugar and cholesterol. It is lowering that BP. Making it so you can get off meds.

That in itself is a prize worth its weight in gold.

I KNOW you want to lose the weight. It will happen. As long as you do the plan the right way get off induction and work through it you will not only get the loss but the maintenance that will keep you satisfied and never surprised. You will be in complete control of your weight.

Please, Don’t let shows like this choose your goals or decide your success. Each time you make a right choice, YOU ARE THE WINNER! You are succeeding. Time is the only thing that will show the results.

Think of where you can be in one year. Ready for spring and summer at your best you.

Please take these shows for what they are. A gimmick to make money on TV.

2011 is here…

I know most people make resolutions each year.. usually it is the same one every year.. To lose weight.

One of the best things about Atkins is that that is not my resolution anymore.

Atkins is not a diet, It is a lifestyle.

It is something that grows and stretches with you.

It does not take a lot of money to do Atkins. The site, The book ( NEW ATKINS FOR A NEW YOU) and food.

 

Atkins makes this so easy for you. All you have to do is take that step. Trust the process and have a little faith in you. You will not believe how you will gain control over something in your life that has been something you could never control before.

 

Just do it, It may be the last time you ever have weight loss on your list of Resolutions.

 

YOU ARE WORTH IT!

 

 

Artichokes and Crab legs…

My son is sick today. So I took him to the doctor and while we were there started flipping through the latest Rachael Ray Magazine. He saw Artichokes and wanted to try them.

Her recipe calls for stuffing but I don’t think they need it. So I am making them easy.. boiling them in lemon salt water and then making hollandaise for them. While I was at the grocery store, They had crab legs on sale and he wanted them too. So that is what he is eating for dinner.

There was a recipe for stuffed mushrooms that I am trying too. I will let you know what I think. But I love mushrooms in anything and prepared most every way so expect a thumbs up!

I love that my kids love trying new foods and eating well. I think Atkins rubs off on people around us!

Back from vacation..

I love going away with my family. I spent the morning going through pictures and can not believe how fast they grow up.

But I have to tell you I love being home again and able to eat like I like!  I am used to eating loads of vegetables a day..It did not work out that way on vacation and I really felt it. I enjoyed my clam chowder. It is amazing.. but it feels good to be home cooking!!

Last night I made my chicken parm with dreamfields. It was soooooo yummy.

This morning I got up and made something I am calling creamy cheesy spinach… It is sooo amazing. Then for lunch I had lettuce leaves stuffed with tuna salad.

It just feels amazing to be able to choose what I want to eat when I want and really really enjoy it.

Home Sweet Atkins Home…

My podcast today..

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/2363/traci-marshall-%E2%80%98week-of-weight-loss-success-2%E2%80%B2-episode-397/

It airs today! I am so excited! I hope that people really see anyone can do this and change their life!

One of my Favorite tools… FATSECRET!!

If you have not come across this treasure for Tracking.. Go there NOW!!

http://www.fatsecret.com will help you track everything you need to on Atkins.

When you start choose Atkins as your plan, And then set your preferences to track fiber and NET CARBS! .

You can move entire meals over and even days worth of food if you are a creature of habit. You can fill your cookbook with recipes and then you can click, Add to food diary and there it is!

Check it out! Best tracker out there!!

My podcast with Jimmy Moore

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/

It will air on September 2 2010 according to Jimmy.

I was so thrilled when he asked me if I wanted to do this. It was really an honor but more than that, I really wanted to get my story our to all the mom’s who had their precious babies only to be left with a body in ruins. Out of shape, unrecognizable and often very sick.

I hope that by sharing my story, I will be able to help someone else see the hope in Atkins. That it does not just change your waist line. It changes your life!

Enjoying all the fresh produce..

I planted a garden this year. It is cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and fresh basil. I can not tell you how amazing it is to walk out there and pick fresh vegetables and eat them. The flavor is amazing. They are not always as pretty as the grocery store but the taste is soooooo much better.

For years I have done tomatoes in pots and that worked fine but now, I just feel like I am in heaven.

If you can not plant your own garden, Find a local produce mart. You will not believe the difference in price a quality!