Update: 25 Jul. 2010 -- Bob and I just returned from 20 days in Europe,
which included two weeks on a cruise to the Bordeaux area. We skipped deserts,
bread, pasta, rice, starchy veggies, tropical fruits . . . the same foods we
dodge at home. We enjoyed Béarnaise and Hollandaise and all the calorie-laden
dishes we used to avoid, including 10 oz steaks. Two days after we returned
home, we both weighed exactly the same as when we left. In fact, the next day
we were both down a half pound! Oh, and by the way, I didn’t track the carbs
while we were gone. I think you can now call this way of eating a
habit.
Update 2: 9 Aug. 2010 -- We’ve been home two weeks and I’m two pounds lower than when we left. Here’s a re-do of my funeral potato recipe.
Update 3: 1 Sep. 2010 -- We’ve now been on maintenance
for almost two months. Our weight has stayed the same and we’re still eating
delicious meals. No one needs to convince me that rejecting refined food makes
weight control simple. I sleep much better than I ever did while consuming
sugar and chemicals. I’ve even given up chemically laced lotions in favor of
coconut oil on my face. This week I’ve been looking at the traditional holiday
recipes for ideas to make them low-carb friendly. Life is good.
Update 4: 20 Sep. 2010 – Bob and I were in Europe for three weeks and then spent two weeks in the Boston area in the last 11 weeks. We’ve eaten out too many times to count. With every “diet” I’ve ever tried, as soon as I was off of it, the weight returned . . . and did so much faster than taking it off. (Someone needs to explain how that works. LOL) We’ve been on maintenance since 5 July 2010 and haven’t gained anything back. We have truly changed our eating habits. The old clothes have gone to charity and we’re discovering how delightful eating can be without the guilt. My eczema is totally clear as is the arthritis in my knuckle. You couldn’t pay me to go back to sugar and processed foods. We’ve become avid label readers and are truly committed to never again eating something we can’t pronounce.
Update 5: 28 Oct 2010 – Traveling again, and still low-carbing. We just finished 23 days in Asia – 16 of which were on a cruise. I returned 1/2 pound less than when we left. Do I believe this weight loss is permanent? After 5 1/2 months, more than ever. I even indulged in a couple of egg-based desserts, plus a few tastes at the “Chocolate Extravaganza” onboard the ship. Did I gain? No! But I did have three sugar-induced headaches, which left me even more committed to staying off that poison.
Update 6: 15 Sep. 2011 – It's now been 16 months since we started our new way of eating. Bob and I have both had checkups and our doctors are very pleased with our state of health. My blood pressure has remained low and the only medications I take are for thyroid and 1/2 of a very small dose of a diuretic to keep the water off my ankles. Before I started Atkins, I took four times that amount during the summer and twice that amount during cooler months. Sugar really causes water retention. Our weight has remained the same even though we've added a few carb-rich foods like an occasional serving of legumes, sweet potatoes or sugary fruit. We've become quite smart at packing snacks for traveling, as that seems to be the biggest obstacle to this way of eating. We've also found more and more foods that have eliminated carby fillers. Ketchup without sugar is now on the grocers' shelves. Bob just turned 70 and I'm looking at 65 this year and we're hoping this major change in our diet keeps us healthy for a very long time.
Update 7: 25 Nov 2016 - Six and a half years have flown by and we're older (75 and 70), starting to gray, yet still trim. Bob's primary care physician told him last week that he's in the best shape of any 75-year-old in his practice. Our doc is happy with my blood pressure and cholesterol levels - and I still don't take prescriptions for either one of those. Low-carb eating is now automatic. I bought Costco's pumpkin and pecan pies for Thanksgiving and admit to having a piece of the pecan for breakfast yesterday, but today we're back to normal. Three of our parents lived into their 90s and we're hoping we'll do the same, but in better health.
