Atkins

Question
Hi,
I am 27 yro.  In the last 3 years I have gained over 200 pounds.  I am currently on the Atkins diet, this is day 7 for me.  It is going better than I anticipated.  I am avoiding all sugar, artificial flavorings, caffeine in any form, and even dairy. I also quit smoking.  I am very serious about this.  I have two little kids who need me to be around for awhile.  
My question is what else can I do?  I am going to try walking, I know it doesn't sound that great but at this weight it is hard to do many things as I am sure you are aware.  My height is approximately 5'7". I am 310lbs as of this morning (5 pounds down already!) I am drinking approximately 5 liters of water a day and after I type this message I am going to go out and buy some vitamins and calcium pills.
This may just be silly but I fear the worst for my future if I am not proactive about my health now. Should I worry about calorie intake? I have noticed my meals are getting smaller and smaller by the day, it is nice to feel full from a "normal" meal for once.  
Thank you for your time.

Answer
SJR,
There's quite a lot you can do.
1. Add dairy back into your diet. The calcium and high quality protein will help your weight loss. Look for "Carb Control" brand yogurt (they come in little 4 packs) and Hood brand "Calorie Countdown" low carb milk.
2. Start walking. Yes, it is hard at your weight... but that's because carrying around 310 pounds burns a lot of calories. Don't worry about going fast. Take it slow and try to increase the length of your walks. It takes time to build endurance, so starting now is important.
3. Don't worry about calories. For now, count carbs and focus on not eating when you aren't hungry. Eat all your meals slowly, so you can stop as soon as you're full. You'll want to start counting calories once you've lost 30-40 pounds, or if you're losing less than a half pound a week.
4. If you haven't already, go buy a new scale. Most bathroom scales become inaccurate after just two or three years.
5. Find diet buddies. If you go online every day, then I'd recommend trying www.sparkpeople.com. This website allows you to track diet and fitness for any plan. You can use it to count carbs, calories, Weight Watchers points, or anything you like-so right now you can set it to count net carbs, and later start looking at your calories. There are lots of motivational articles, and there are several active Atkins/low carb message boards. Best of all, it's totally free.
Congratulations on your new lifestyle, and best of luck to you!
Melissa

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