I know this is a woe fore life . But I was wondering if anyone has ever lost the amount of weight they wanted doing LC then switched to low fat? and if so how did it go and did you keep weight off? I know its a silly question because I feel so great and cant even think about it anyother way. I think it is a mind thing no matter how much I read that it is ok and good to eat this way. I wonder if it is trurly healthy. All the years of hearing how bad fat is. I have to start thinking how can somthing that makes me feel so good be so bad. I really do think that this is going to be my key to my weight goal. I have always thought I had a problem w/carbs but never really knew what to do. And then after having 4 kids last two being twins I knew I had to do something. I have to keep up with them..lol you would think I would be skinnyy...
Thanks again you all are so great here..

Water, I have been eating LC for over 6 months. Not only have I lowered by body fat % I have never felt better. I sleep more soundly, I have great skin, my hair grows faster than I can keep up with it, I am stronger, I am never tired or run down. I ate low fat for 12 years - I worked out twice a day for 45 minutes; I was always hungry, could never sleep the whole night through, had constant headaches and backaches and was all around miserable. And I kept getting FATTER.

One book changed my life. Protein Power - by the Eades. I highly recommend it. They do the best job of explaining why low carb is so good for you. Why it makes you healthier. And why low fat isnt. Did you know that the low fat DIEt is based on a theory? One that has never been proven? Every time someone has tired they have failed - it cant be proven because it isnt the 'optimal' way to eat for health and longevity. Low fat has been around for 20 years - in that time obesity in the US has gone from 30% of adults to over 55% of adults. At this same time there has been an increase in the % of adults engaging in physcial activity - yet the problem of obesity continues to escalate.

Two members of my immediate family have suffered from auto immune diseases - my mother has rheumatoid arthritis and my boyfriend has Crohn's disease. Since LC both have had relief from their symptoms - my boyfriend is now off his meds. This has not happened to him in 8 years. Grains are bad for us. We were never intended to eat them - we certainly can't eat them unprocessed. And if there is one thing LC teaches us, the less processed a food the better.

Educating yourself is your best bet right now. Get a copy of Protein Power from your local library - and a copy of Protein Power Lifeplan. You will not be sorry.

Nat

Nat, Thank you for your reply I will go look for the books. The story about you and your boyfriend is wonderfull. I think stories like yours are what keep alot of us going.

Water, there some great success stories under "success stories" (ironic, isnt it? ) atop every page in orange highlight - have a look, they will definitly inspire you and give you something to think about.

And enjoy the books - they should be required reading material for anyone contemplating a LC WOL.

Cheers,
Nat

Just thought I would toss my two cents in here. After discovering the low carb WOL, you couldn't pay me enough to ever go back to a low-fat, low-cal, no flavour diet, ever, ever, ever, again!!!

I did Atkins for 6 years. Got bored, started Weight Watchers 4 months ago and I've gained 6 pounds that I can't lose!! No more WW for me, it's back to Low Carbs. Lo fats make me fat!!!!

I have done the low fat very successfully, However, just like any diet, including Atkins, if you go back to your old ways, you will gain all of the weight back, no matter which program you are following!

I am not hungry on the Low carbing, however, I was on the Low Fat. But, I will say this............I lost weight more consistently on the Low Fat diet.

I am struggling with the Atkins..........and it may be because of the hypertension/diurectic medications, which I take regularly.?

I plan to keep on the Atkins for another month and if I don't lose something........then I will be forced to do the low fat/low calorie diet whether I want to or not! I need to get this 30 pounds off within this year, somehow.

I hope the Atkins will work for me, this time. I tried the CALP and I didn't do anything but start to gain on it..........so I have gotten back on the Atkins and hoping it will do the trick!

Just my 2 cents worth!
Jo Ann in TEXAS

JoAnn, losing weight shouldn't be your goal; losing FAT should be. Low fat dieting is infamous for sacrificing lean muscle in place of fat. Low fat is low calorie and low protein, a lack of protein forces your body to scavange your body for sources of amino acids it needs to survive - the greatest source of these amino acids are your muscles. The fact that you lose scale weight is masking the muscle you're also losing. Muscle burns fat and raises your metabolism - it's not something you want to lose, period.

Why give yourself a deadline that you find difficult to live up to? Adopting a LC lifestyle and sticking to it will feed your body the nutrients it needs and give you the fat loss you desire if given the necessary amount of time.

Nat

Nat ..........I appreciate you taking the time to explain to me about the loss of muscle doing a low fat diet. I am just getting discouraged on the low carbing. However, I plan to hang in there!

One of the things I don't like about the Low Carbing is feeling like I have to eat more than I am really hungry for. That part, I don't like!

When I say low fat/low calorie................I basically mean just eating less of anything. If I do move on to another program..........I plan to eat normal, but just less of it!

I sure do thank you for your time, and I know you are right about the low fat diet.

Jo Ann in TEXAS