mechanism for One Golden Shot

[rhodesengr]

So does anyone know or have links to the mechanism behind the One Golden Shot? Perhaps if I understand the mechanism I can find methods to combat it.

[AlaskaGirl]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

I'm a bit daft. Can you explain a bit?

Thanks & Welcome to STAC.

Julie

[tfek70]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

The "one golden shot theory" is that only the first time you do induction will you lose a bunch of weight. If you have blown your one golden shot, this WOE will not allow you to drop pounds any faster than any diet.

I have found this to be false on numerous occasions. That doesn't say a whole lot for my ability to stick with it, but hey, I'm sharing. I believe some folks have had problems with a 2nd and greater induction, but I'm definately not one of them.

If you don't have a large induction loss, so what. This is a healthy WOE if done right, and definately the way people were meant to eat. It will work and you will be healthier as a result if you do it correctly. I'm off my hypocritical soapbox now, thanks for listening, and welcome back. (again)

[SunnySmile501]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

So does anyone know or have links to the mechanism behind the One Golden Shot? Perhaps if I understand the mechanism I can find methods to combat it.

You can combat it by not believing it. Whatever you convince your mind of, that is what will happen. Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are right.

This is my second shot, and it went way better than the first shot. There were four years between the first time and the second. I lost 60 pounds in about seven months the first time, but stalled out and eventually stopped.

The second time, I lost 102 pounds in 10 months, and then the rest came off slowly. I prepared better the second time and made it a lifestyle change instead of a diet.

Refresh your mind completely--don't depend on memory for doing Atkins right. What we see mostly is that people don't remember right or never did it right to start with, so you don't get results you expect and give up.

Sunny!

[AlaskaGirl]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

Wow Thanks. I have never heard that term when refering to Atkins and I have been around awhile

[APanthesilia]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

I don't believe it either! But you are asking in the second time around forum so none of us here are in 'golden shot' territory! I have (sadly) done Atkins about fifty times and the only thing that has made my loss better or worse is how dedicated I have been to doing it properly at any given point. I'm losing way better now than I ever have on Atkins and it isn't because of a magical 50th shot, it is because I am working harder than ever before at exercising enough and eating right. Good luck!

[cani]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

I agree with the rest, the one golden shot seemed to me to have been created by people who wanted to discourage people more so than incourage them. I personally think the mechanisms that created this "fast versus slow" concept of loss was that when people learn the first time what atkins entails even when they go off plan or stop actively doing Atkins they don't always release it completely but keep little things going like keeping the "white" carb intake down, not going back to eating tons of pasta etc, and unconsciously keep their sugar intake lower by using alternatives. So the transition to Atkins isn't necessarily the "shock" the additional times around that it was the first time around when it was brand new. But its not one golden shot because Atkins does work no matter how many times you do it, it all depends on how much dedication, planning and will you have to do it correctly instead of what many people do, which is try and alter it to fit what they want to do versus the way to do it correctly.

As others have said, i wouldn't put much stock into it, but instead concentrate more on following Atkins the way the Doc laid it out to be followed.

cani

[Debi2007]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

I really don't believe it to be a truth. I have done Atkins at least 5 times (pathetic) and each time I have lost incredibly well on induction. In fact, I just finished my first week of what I hope to be my FINAL re-start and have already lost 14 lbs. It is all a mindset. I have wondered where the myth came from and why...

[blueberrylady]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

I lost way more the second time around than I did the first time, probably because I had this board to support me and explain the things I didn't understand the first time. So forget all the misinformation and just stick with us. We can do it together!

[cruisergal]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

Why don't we just focus on the NOW time, and not compare to previous times. Now is the time we are motivated and totally focussed on succeeding, and we are here to support eachother to accomplish that. With a clear & positive attitude we can and will do so. So it's full steam ahead, and no looking back!

[rhodesengr]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

Thanks for all the replies. I had a longer original post yesterday with more details but my computer ate it and I didn’t want to re-type the whole thing. So I am not really a second timer since I have been low-carbing for eight years. I won’t say I have been on Atkins for eight years because I am sure I didn’t do it perfectly in the first place and never found stages 3 and 4 to work for me anyway. My first time, Atkins was very effective but not based on induction. I didn’t really lose much the first two weeks. So my sense of One Golden Shot is not really focused on induction but the general increase in difficulty people find in doing Atkins after many years. In 2000, I started Atkins at 217 after a slow climb in the 1990’s from 185. In five months I got down to 180 and generally kept somewhere in the 180’s. Over time, I crept up to the high 180’s and occasionally I would get over 190. 190 was my “panic” weight where I would get more serious about not cheating. It was then that I noticed that my original Atkins or low carb eating patterns were ok for holding a weight but not losing. I devised a method I called “shake days” to attempt to get back down from 190 to below 180. On shake days, I only ate three Atkins shakes combined with an hour of swimming at lunch and 90 minutes of cardio at the gym at night. I did in fact lose 10 pounds in a month and held it for about a year but it was not fun. Then the slow creep back up to 190 and then 195. Even the shake day method seemed to not work as well as it used to. My measure of increased difficulty is that I do not seem to go into ketosis like I did the first time. If I go on induction, the ketostix barely get pink whereas the first time they were deep red. So, here I am at 198 and I’d be pretty happy if I could get back to 189. I am trying the purest approach with no cheating but I am also concurrently researching One Golden Shot or other ways of saying that Atkins gets harder or less effective over time. BTW, the definition I saw for One Golden Shot came from the forum on the Atkins website and was not about induction but about how Atkins tends to work great the first time for as long as you stay on it strictly but if you get off and gain some weight back, it is much harder to re-lose second or subsequent times.

[AlaskaGirl]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

Thanks for getting back to me and explaining your point of view.

I think the trick for "Atkins" or "Southbeach" is to stay on plan and if you do it long enough it becomes your lifestyle. Doing 3 shakes a day does not sound healthy. I use the shakes as emergency food only- and never on induction. That being said there are many better shakes with lower carb counts and higher protein counts on the market.

Also if the exercise is regular then you shouldn't be gaining. My husband exercises almost daily (he's into body building- so is my daughter). He is a diabetic and eats anything he wants (way to much carbs for sure). He hasn't gained any fat but has added a lot of muscle over the last 3 years. So he is shrinking and growing at the same time. His skin fits tighter, he feels better, and he looks great.

My very close friend has been living low carb for about 4-5 years now. She lost a lot of weight and has kept it off. Her trick is that every once in awhile she indulges but makes sure to watch it for several days following. Also after her weight loss she started eating less fatty meats and more fruit- all organic etc. She still enjoys her cheeses though.

As for ketosis- eat more fat and the stick will get darker. But once in ketosis you are in. Your sticks could be old. Mine turn pink or purple no red at all.

You might look into the "fat fast" when you get stuck. I haven't tried it but there is a post on the forum about it.

Good luck to you.

[rhodesengr]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

I am not saying the "shake day" approach is healthy but it did work. I often didn't feel so great at the end of a shake day with all that exercise. Now it doesn't feel good and i don't lose the weight so its time to re-baseline. Can you share what other shakes you have found with lower carb counts? Please PM or email if you don't want to post that info.

[cani]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

Perhaps its time to reevaluate how you are trying to lose the last of the weight. Having only what 700ish cals a day (i.e. the shakes only) and then working out like you do may burn calories but its not the way to keep the weight off. Perhaps you can regroup and lower your cals to a healthy range and up the exercise. It may not be the Atkins your body is objecting to but the attempts to force the weight off. Or maybe you need to forget the scale and concentrate maybe more on toning and lifting so your inches come off versus the numbers on a scale. This would mean eating a healthy atkins style with a good calorie count approx 1200 cals a day minimum, and then start lifting weights to build muscle including cardio to lose fat. If that makes sense. Also, what type of fats are you eating on Atkins?

I have heard the fast atkins food -- i.e., shakes, bars etc may also stall some people so you may be hurting yourself with doing this.

Just some thoughts.

cani

[rhodesengr]

Re: mechanism for One Golden Shot

Cani: Thanks for your thoughts. I mentioned the shake day approach only as another manifestation of how things seem to get harder over time. What I am trying to get to on this thread is the increased difficulty getting back into ketosis using the true Atkins induction method after a number of years and after several partial weight-gain-backs. Also, I am not really currently on my last 10. More like my second to last 10.