Fallen Away: Has anyone stopped and restarted low carb WOE?

[Nutri_Nut]

I lost nearly 40 pounds eating low-carb for about a year. Then the stress of trying to continue eating this way in the "real world" took it's toll, and I quit. Now I have gained back almost all the weight I lost and feel horrible. I'm happier from the standpoint that I'm not stressed over trying to eat this way. It's much easier to travel, eat at friends' houses, etc. But I feel awful about myself.

I tried starting over last fall, but couldn't stay on it. Every one of my friends (and there were many) who started low-carbing about the same time I did have stopped. No one I know is eating this way anymore.

I cannot even maintain my weight eating the Weight-Watchers way! Obvoiusly, my body is sensitve to carbs. No matter how little I eat, if bread is involved, I gain.

Has anyone else fallen off the wagon, restarted, and been successful maintaining their weight and STAYING on this WOE?

[cleochatra]

You'd be talking about me. I had done Atkins on and off since 1983 (mostly off, as my weight would attest!)

Yes, it's easier succumbing to the peer pressure that is fatty fatso America, but sometimes if something is really worth it (health, because it's all we've got) you have to make the effort to pack those foods, to question what you order in the restaurants and to research supermarket food choices.

I'll be able to eat this way the rest of my life because I've made it a priority. I think you're ready to prioritize, too!

Welcome home!

*hip bump*

[Miss Phode]

I've also done atkins on and off and on and off, but only for 3 years. Each time, it gets harder to lose the weight. This time it's coming off very slowly, but at least its coming off. Atkins helps me not only with weight loss though, but also with my blood sugar. I have hypoglycemia, and I get ups and downs really bad from carbs. I feel best when I eat low carb. I'm emotionally more grounded, I feel satisfied, in fact, I don't actually get hungry anymore, and before I was hungry constantly. I also think more clearly when I eat this way. White flour, rice, wheat, etc, gives me "brain fog". It's worth the inconvenience to feel this good. The longer you do atkins, the less inconvenient it begins to seem.

[Nutri_Nut]

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[Nutri_Nut]

It's more than just giving in to peer pressure. It's trying to eat this way when it's not the "norm." For example, when we went on vacation a couple of years ago, my entire family was stressed trying to find places where I could get something to eat. While they were content grabbing a bagel or danish from a free hotel Continental breakfast, I had to get my husband to drive to a fast-food restaurant so I could get eggs! Over time, this becomes very stressful, and everyone is misserable. When friends invited us over for dinner, I had to either pick at the food, resulting in eating hardly anything OR tell them I could not eat certain foods. If I had allergies, that would be one thing. But when you are dictating to someone what to fix because it's your "diet," that doesn't set well. I missed sandwiches and other choices for lunch besides salads or bunless hamburgers. Picking the small amount of meat out of a sandwich wasn't very satisfying either.

Choices are so limited, and that is why I eventually became very bored with low carb eating.

Well, now I'm griping! I would like to lose weight, but I can't stand going hungry. I was curious to know how many people stop and and start but then are eventually successful. I would also like to know how others get around the sticky, stressful situations I have addressed. Oh, and when traveling, I have tried taking my own food, but that is also stressful and a pain to keep up with.

I have a sister-in-law who has Celiacs disease. She cannot eat wheat and other grains, so she also goes through the same type of situations as I do. However, her situation is a medical one, and I think people are more understanding of that type of situation than they are "diet" restrictions.

I did eat a low-carb breakfast this morning. I pray I can keep this going!

[teejay]

Hi there :wave

I understand your problem with travelling, but I deal with it like this. I take a small cooler with me when we travel. There is enough food in there for the trip, even some treats ( whole foods, atkins style) that I do not normally get due to price or what ever. When we get to where we are going to be for the night, week whatever I go to the store and get myself a small supply. Be it celery and cream cheese for breakfast that is fine.

Also, you are trying to follow this due to a medical condition. Even medicare looks at obesity as a medical condition now. I know that it is difficult to dictate to a host or hostess that you need to have something different to eat, but how about taking a low carb dish with you, even if you just run through the store and grab the fixings for salad, and a can of tuna to mix in with it. If people still have a problem trying to push food on you, well you have to stick up for yourself and your health. If you won't how can you expect somebody else to.

You know this way of eating works, and if you tell people this is the way you prefer to eat then they will usually back down. Don't tell anybody it's a diet and don't look at it as a diet. People will take their cues from you.

You can do it. We can help
TJ

[cleochatra]

Nutri-- I understand-- trust me. Add to this, I have two kids and a hubby who can't have flour or refined sugars either. I have to pack lunches which are protein-filled, snacks that are protein-filled, and when we do go somewehere to eat, I'm always packing foods, or we have to make sure there are Atkins-friendly menu choices.

I feel your pain. The good news is it can be done.

{{{nutri}}}

[Isabeau]

Hi there. Like many others, I've struggled with weight issues my entire life. Atkins is the only woe that I haven't gone through what you're describing. That's not to say making a big lifestyle change is easy, it's not. But like Cleo, I had to make a change. I was totally ready in my head, if that makes any sense. To make matters worse, I really like food. I collect cookbooks, love to bake and host elaborate dinner parties. Guess, what, I still do all those things! You said you did 'low carb'. Did you do Atkins? Did you do it by the book? The reason I ask is that the way Atkins is structured with the four stages, all sorts of food choices become available to you as you move through them. Induction is only a minimum of two weeks! Being hungry is just so rare on this woe!
Oh, and I have to give credit to my friends that invite my family over for dinner. Me an Atkineer, my daughter a vegan, and my husband and son are good with whatever! But friends are friends!

[AllieCat0817]

Yes, it's easier succumbing to the peer pressure that is fatty fatso America, but sometimes if something is really worth it (health, because it's all we've got) you have to make the effort to pack those foods, to question what you order in the restaurants and to research supermarket food choices.

I'll be able to eat this way the rest of my life because I've made it a priority. I think you're ready to prioritize, too!

Once again, you have said it. Amen.

Once I got it in my head that we live in fatty fatso America, THAT is what helped it click for me. If I follow up everyone else, I'll be just like them. No thanks. Aren't we like the fattest nation on the planet? I have no desire to follow up on the American Food Dream.

[not2late]

Choices are so limited, and that is why I eventually became very bored with low carb eating.

That depends...If you stayed on the Induction phase and didn't bother moving onto OWL, then, of course, your food choices would be limited.

This is a very common mistake I see people around here make all the time. They get into their heads that Induction is the only weight loss phase (or worse, the only phase) of Atkins. It isn't. On OWL, you can eat fruit (apples, pears, oranges, berries, etc.), legumes, nuts, grains and starchy vegetables. When you move onto Pre-Maintenance, you can eat 10 net carbs worth of grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, etc.

I'm on OWL and I have very little dificulty finding something "legal" to eat whenever I go out to eat, as opposed to when I was on Induction.

The other thing to is you have to find recipes to help you out. During Induction I found a perfectly Induction legal bread substitute recipe, so I didn't have to eat bunless burgers or forgo sandwiches. This helped me out in terms of convenience whenever I went somewhere.

[iyamamaschke]

I have been on and off Atkins as well since I was 18 years old I even lost all my weight but self sabotash and self hate led me to think I could eat whatever I wnated. I gained back all my weight plus some and felt like a failure. Over and over I tried and failed. I even tried the beginning of last year I was so ready to lose all the weight and my husband was in a horrible accident. I went back to eating crap though I was still trying to eat Atkins. I gained back 20 after my thyroid went really low and We moved to a new home. I then really started in November I am so determined and so modivated I love this WOE I am ready and really you have to be ready to be thin and have to be in the mindset that you want it for you and nobody elese. This IS FOR YOU and YOU alone can do it. We are here to support and help you but, it's you yourself that has to decide that this is what you want for the rest of your life.

This woe is so habit now I don't even look to other foods anymore. I am happy eating this way alone.

Sarah

[hulagrl1120]

Megs is right...you need to survive the initial induction phase and then move into OWL...then maintenance...once you hit OWL your options open up and it makes it alot easier. You have to decide that this is important to you and you will do what it takes to reach your goal. I live with a vegan and have always found something to eat wherever we go. If you don't commit to doing this you will keep riding rollercoaster of weight loss which will only make you more miserable. So make the decision to do this WOE and use this forum for support when you get stuck and don't know what to do...that's what this place is here for.

p.s. I always carry non perishable snacks like cheese crackers or pepperoni in my bag...if you are on vacation you can stick some things in the mini fridge for breakfast and snacks...bring an induction friendly dish when you go to a friends house...if they are understanding about your diet they won't have a problem with it...at a restaurant there is almost always a good salad I can eat...yes it takes work but it's absolutely worth it in the end

[Nutri_Nut]

I followed the Atkins plan. I started in March 2003, and by August, I had stopped losing weight. I kept climbing the OWL ladder, but I was not losing weight. So in May 2004, I stopped.

I cannot eat whole grain bread and maintain my weight.

And, honestly, the food choices ARE very limited. I can only eat so many taco salads at a Mexican restaurant (that gets old), and eating only the meat stuffing out of everything else is a waste of food.

Yes, this diet works for some (one of my relatives could not lose weight or get into ketosis on Atkins), but it truly is a diet because you must continue eating a certain way to maintain or lose weight.

Hulagrl - how can you eat cheese crackers? They are not low carb.

[spazzyhilo]

And, honestly, the food choices ARE very limited.

Have you ever been to this site:

http://users3.ev1.net/~fontlady/recipes.html

There are so many recipes on here for all stages of atkins and every time I go to this site I want to try something different! When I get paid tomorrow I can get more bacon and make the jalapeno poppers, those sound so good

For a potluck recently I made Dotties Stuffed Mushrooms and had to watch myself cuz they were so good its easy to go overboard with them.

Also this friday I'm going to make the Deep Dish Pizza recipe - I've had a hankerin for pizza for awhile!

Atkins is not just meat - there are so many foods out there that we can eat. I'm eating better and more variety of foods now than I ever have in my entire life.

[Fluffynomore]

Hulagrl - how can you eat cheese crackers? They are not low carb.

I'm obviously not hulagrl, but I am assuming she means the type of cheese "crackers" that are just made from cheese. There are plenty of these types of recipes in the database.

I am another person who believes that it is quite possible to restart the WOE after slipping away and then ultimately being successful.

I don't really see this WOE as being that hard to follow in the real world. I am someone who doesn't make a fuss or try to sign everyone I know or meet on to Atkins, but I find it fairly easy to handle it. We recently had a baby shower at work and everyone raved about the crustless quiche I brought.