Got a Question about the Diet

[Toyota]

First of all, let me say that you all have a great thing going here with this forum. I have read it many times in the past and find it very insightful. Now onto my question:

I started a low carb diet in Jan of 2004. I was very strict with the diet up until about August of 04. I lost about 65 pounds on the diet. It was great, very easy to stick to and made me feel very good. I then began dating my current girlfriend and became a little relaxed with my weight. I would be on the diet, off the diet, on the diet off the diet. On and off for a long time. Because I was on and off and not taking it as serious as i once was, it wasnt working(my fault) Well i have since gained some of the weight back, about 35 pounds. Earlier this year i was on a low-fat diet, and it worked, but I didnt achieve the results that I wanted quick enough. Very good diet, I just want results quicker. My question is, if I start back on the low carb routine, will it work? Or has my body gotten adjusted to it and it will no longer be effective? I have not been on a strict low carb regime in probaly 1 year. I hope you understand my question and I look forward to your respones.

Thanks!

[ValidRouge]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

It will still work, but your body may resist. With all the yo-yo-ing you've been doing, it may have become more metabollically resistant than it was before. Switching from a carbohydrate burning to fat burning and then back again can wreak havoc on your metabolism.

The solution is to not look at it as a quick/short term fix. IMO if I cannot sustain it as a lifelong change in my eating habits, I shouldn't be doing it. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, low fat, low carb, whatever we choose, is going to tell us that a change FOR LIFE is required. If we return to eating the way that got us fat in the first place, we WILL get fat again. No way around it. I choose Atkins because it is a plan I can live with for the rest of my life because all food groups get added back in except for sugar, refined white flour and trans fats--everything that ANY plan tells us not to eat.

[not2late]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

First of all, let me say that you all have a great thing going here with this forum. I have read it many times in the past and find it very insightful. Now onto my question:

I started a low carb diet in Jan of 2004. I was very strict with the diet up until about August of 04. I lost about 65 pounds on the diet. It was great, very easy to stick to and made me feel very good. I then began dating my current girlfriend and became a little relaxed with my weight. I would be on the diet, off the diet, on the diet off the diet. On and off for a long time. Because I was on and off and not taking it as serious as i once was, it wasnt working(my fault) Well i have since gained some of the weight back, about 35 pounds. Earlier this year i was on a low-fat diet, and it worked, but I didnt achieve the results that I wanted quick enough. Very good diet, I just want results quicker. My question is, if I start back on the low carb routine, will it work? Or has my body gotten adjusted to it and it will no longer be effective? I have not been on a strict low carb regime in probaly 1 year. I hope you understand my question and I look forward to your respones.

Thanks!

Hard to say. Dr. Atkins writes that yo-yoing between low carb and low fat/high carb might mess up our metabolism. But we have had people who have lost successfully in spite of doing this.

All I can advise you is to decide what you want to try. If you should decide that you want to do Atkins, then read the book--cover to cover---and do it. If your metabolism has been messed up by the yo-yoing, then you might not lose "as fast" as you did, but then you have to decide if losing weight and permanently keeping it off is more important than losing weight 'fast' and regaining it 'fast'. Also don't compare your results 3 years ago to your current results. There are alot of factors that rule weight loss (and gain), one of them is your age. As we age, our metabolisms tend to slow naturally. So you might not lose 'as fast' as you did when you were 3 years younger.

The other thing is that alot of people don't bother to go through all the phases of Atkins as Dr. Atkins recommended. They tend to languish on the Induction Phase hoping they will lose 'faster', get bored with the limited food choices, eventually fall off and regain all that they had lost. Dr. Atkins formulated his diet, so that if you follow it correctly, your food choices are increased as you continue to lose weight.

[zencyn]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

Hard to say. Dr. Atkins writes that yo-yoing between low carb and low fat/high carb might mess up our metabolism. But we have had people who have lost successfully in spite of doing this.

My DH was like this and then he lost over a hundred pounds and has kept it off. I think it's harder for men to mess up their metabolism than women, unfortunately. For the original poster, I say you have nothing to lose but weight! And even if it takes longer, you are getting healthier! Good Luck!

[Toyota]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

Thank you for your responses. I am seriously considering getting back to a low-carb lifestyle.

[dreamof145]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

Hi. As you've said in your post, going on/off diets doesn't work longterm. In order to lose the weight for good, you must committ to this being a life-style change. You said that it was easy for you to stick to the first time and made you feel good. If you decide to get back into the WOE, you shouldn't have any trouble adjusting.

You won't know how fast or how much you can lose until you give it a try ~ but it will happen if you are persistant and work the program.

For me, the thing that really helped was having the support of friends here that encouraged me to succeed. Being active with others who understand will help you keep focused and make your journey to health and fitness more enjoyable.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

I'm on my second time doing Atkins. I'm female and almost 57 years old. I lost 60 or so pounds when I was 52 years old, and then went off at my doc's insistance because of severe diverticulitis and a problem with slow stomach emptying, so I was supposed to eat low fiber, no raw veggies, low fat and low sugar. I gained back that 60 pounds plus a bunch more in a couple of years. I had had enough of the weight gain and not much improved with my digestive health, so I started back on Atkins, by the book, in September 2005 and I lost 102 pounds in 10 months--much better than I did the first time around. As you can imagine, I don't put much faith in the "Golden Shot" theory.

What do you have to lose except fat? Atkins done right has amazingly good food and the weight loss and improvement in health is a great way to live. My advice to you is to get rid of the 'diet' mentality which you go on and then off. This will only work long-term if you learn to eat this way for life.

Sunny!

[Checkers]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

You know I believe in Atkins not only for weight loss, but for HEALTH! I eat way more veg and other whole foods on Atkins than I ever have. I feel better and my digestion becomes normal (I have IBS). I truly don't believe that low fat is healthy (sorry, not to offend those that do). I believe fat is truly necessary for health and brain function. Mine come mostly from whole foods. BTW, even though I liberally eat fat my fat grams for the day is still below the national average for women, but without the junk food. Also, I just don't enjoy low-fat and I find it harder to eat out on low fat.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

It may take longer, but I am convinced that if you eat the way Dr A prescribed you will shed the pounds. Just be prepared to be patient if necessary.
Good luck and keep us posted!

[Toyota]

Re: Got a Question about the Diet

Thanks for the responses. I am starting today and will keep you posted.