Out With the Old in With the Old... Err..Wait!

Today is a turning point. I'm turning back to the tools I've used before to lose weight. Yes. Atkins is out and watching calories, carbohydrates, and fats is back in.

It used to be a bit much to count all that and keep record. My friend Sonya Russell told me about a website, myfitnesspal.com- and I love it and it takes all the fuss out of the fuss of keeping track of all those nutritional values . But I get ahead of myself.

I've been considering quitting the Atkins for a few weeks now. It's not that I wasn't getting results- I was. It's more of the side effects. I was between one extreme and another from day to day. I had problems with regularity. I had stomach cramps. I had food cravings! The thing is, I thought it was something I was doing wrong, but I'm convinced the program just isn't for everyone. The Atkins community was awesome! I had so much help and encouragement from the website members. Alas, I have to say adios to Atkins.

I am really motivated and I don't want to lose that motivation because of the ups and downs and food cravings and all. I lost nearly 100 lbs. back in 2008, and have experience with counting calories and fats and carbs. I know there aren't any food cravings on this program. I know it well. I think I just wanted to try something new. The old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind. So here we are.

How does myfitnesspal.com (MFP) help out? Well, I'd be happy to tell you! When you create a profile on the site, you enter all your numbers, weight, age, height, and goal weight, and MFP will give you a suggested daily intake goal of calories, fats, carbohydrates and protein. You can change those goals manually. Perhaps your doctor has suggested different goals, or you've had goals in the past that worked good for you. My daily intake goals are 1520 Kcal, 209 grams of carbs, 51 grams of fat, and 59 grams of protein. I'm going to shoot for 1200 cal, 75-150 carbs, and 20 fats, because I know it works. It worked in the past.Yes, I know it sounds like a bit much. However, right there on the site is a food diary. Nearly every food known to man is in the  MFP database. All you have to do is search for your food, select the right serving amount, and click "add." It puts all of the nutritional values of that food right into your diary, and at the bottom of your page you'll see your daily intake goals and what you've consumed and what you have left for the day. If you have your own recipes, you can easily add each ingredient to the recipe, and MFP will tell you the values per serving for that particular dish. The values are input by MFP members and other members will agree or disagree with the input, and you'll see how many people have consented to the information on any food in the database. You'll have your own profile page where you can tell other MFP members a little about yourself, post a picture, write a blog, and post in forums. You can also add friends, and chose to share your food diary with them, with everyone, or only you! I find that feature very helpful, because I love all the help I can get, and I'll be more than happy to let some of my MFP friends help me tweak my daily intakes. If you are on the go and worry about tracking everything while you are out and about, don't fret! MFP has apps that will keep you on track even while you're on the move.

On a more serious note... I cannot go back to pushing my health concerns to the back burner and eating what's convenient. I have got to keep going. I am just as motivated and determined as ever. I know I can do this. I have to do this. I want all the quality of life I can create for myself and my family. I want to do so much more than I've been doing. I'm tired of feeling tired and being depressed. I want to move past this and burn this bridge. You'd better believe me when I say that's just what I'm going to do by the grace of God. I am more than I've allowed myself to be. Here's to the next small step I take to achieving my goals! I can't turn back now! I've got a date with a cruise ship named "Fascination" in July of 2013, and all that stands between us is 12 months and seventy pounds. Let's get this party started!!

I changed the blog title from "My Progress: The Atkins Newbie" to "I'm Shrinking! Here's How." This blog will still be a record of my weight loss and fitness choices, only it won't be based on Atkins any more. I hope you'll continue to read. Readers bring me so much encouragement, and please leave a comment! I'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions. Knowledge is power. I'd love to share yours! Thanks for reading.