The last thing you want to do is yo-yo your LC. You will gain back more than you lost every time! No, this is truly a WOE, WOL and if you don't treat it that way, you will never stop the yo-yo. Except, you will gain a little more back each time you go off, which means you will be as big as a barn in a few short years, or sooner...I use myself as an example. This time is the last time for me. If I wasn't serious about this becoming my WOL, I wouldn't have come back. Each time the yo-yo is wound up, it gets bigger. That's one main reason I didn't go on Atkins, but chose to do the Neanderthin way. I never want to be tempted by "a little of this and a little of that." Now, I know that's just ME, but that's my reason for becoming such a Neandernut Zealot. I'm frankly tired of the "Wow! What happened to you? You used to be so skinny/fat (take your choice)." Now, I'm in it for me...that's ME. Nobody else. I don't give a rip what other people think. I want to be healthy and able to do what I used to do when I was twenty, not what we expect a fifty-five year old to "be able to do."

I am so grateful to find this thread and your posts, especially tonight. I am also on my 2nd time around. I had lost 69 pounds and 222 inches. But have gained back over 100 + inches and 40 pounds. I started back on the PPP 3 weeks ago, and lost 4 lbs the first week, but gained 2 lbs last week, and 3/4 lb this week!! I don't know what is going on! Has anyone had this problem when starting over? I am so discouraged, and on the verge of giving up. But at 5'1" and 272 again, I don't want to fail. It is soooo much easier the first time!! Any suggestions? I appreciate being able to read your posts. They have helped me realize it is not just me, thanks again.

I have this problem constantly in my WOE. I have been hovering for over two weeks...again!!! I lost five pounds, felt great, and then...BOOOM! I gained back three, lost one, gained back five, lost two, gained back three...today, I'm back down to within two pounds of where I was two weeks ago! But, I have noticed that this is the way it goes for me...I get discouraged, but when I'm not expecting it, I will lose a couple of pounds, and gain one back. This seems to be my pattern. I have lost a total of 44 pounds this way, but am hovering right now. I have read a lot about the whole LC WOE and this seems to be kind of a normal thing, I think. It takes your body time to readjust and it doesn't like to give up the weight until it absolutely has to when your cells won't support the extra water any longer. Don't get too discouraged and give up. You made great progress in the past. Your metabolism is just readjusting. Being a psychotherapist, I come into contact with this a lot with women, more than men. Women lose weight slower than men because your body is designed to carry extra fat to help you carry babies and have stores for milk production in case of emergency...like famines. Remember, our bodies were designed for hunting and gathering. Just because we now have a constant supply of food in many places in the world, doesn't change the way we were "factory designed." Remember that you did this once and were very successful. You can do it again! And, you're right. It IS harder each time we return to this WOE. Just make it your WOL and realize that the weight will come off over time. If it's your WOL, who cares how long it will take? Just as long as it keeps coming down over time...sort of like the way the stock market goes up. In the past seventy five years it has gained tremendously, but people panic and sell too soon, rather than looking at the history. Your history shows that you can do this! I lost 117 pounds in Weight Watchers about 18 years ago. It took me about 12 to gain most of it back. Discouraged? You bet! Stopped in my tracks? For about six years! Then, I decided that I couldn't live much longer if I didn't do something...fast! Voila! LCing!

Hi Mystery. I have been on diets before and lost and then regained more than I lost. It was very discouraging. However, since I've been on the low carb kick, carbs don't turn me on like before. At first, I felt drained when I cut back on the carbs, but now I'm fine. I am strict on my carb intake Monday thru Friday, and allow myself to eat what I want on the weekend. By doing this, I find I still watch my carb intake on the weekends, too, out of habit. I am continuing to lose by doing this. I cannot cut out ALL carbs, I gotta have my bread sometimes, but not as much as before. I knew I would have to follow a regime that I could stick to for life. There are too many people out there with diet-induced illnesses, i.e. diabetes, high blood pressure/cholesterol, etc. I decided I didn't want to be a statistic. Whatever works for you, stick to it, cuz it has to be a lifestyle change. For me, cutting back on my carb intake is doing it for me. I am seeing major results only after 3 weeks!

God bless

thanks for your reply. It was a BIG help! Today is a better day, and no, I haven't given up. I have come to far, and have WAY to far to go! to give up now. I just have to trust God to give me the strength to keep going and faithful my food plan. And I am so grateful to have found this web sight! I have begun doing my treadmill in the am as soon as I get up again. And am constantly toting around my water bottle! My grandaughter even thinks she has to carry around a water bottle now! At 17 months, I guess we are getting her started right! I will keep you posted on my week! I go weigh in on Wednesday again. Hopefully there will be some loss by then. I did take my measurements, and am down 10", so I will take that!

You, know, I haven't measured myself on this go-around. I probably should have. Actually, I think I am still losing inches while I haven't lost any weight in the last two weeks. Now, I am starting a protein fast for two days. We'll see if I lose and get rolling on my weight loss, again. Good luck! We can do this thing!

Rhonda,
You've lost 10 inches, and that is a BIG deal. There is the proof that you are losing. Sometimes the scales take a while to show loss, but shrinking inches is proof enough.

This is my first time LCing. I think all "first timers" should read this thread. It makes one very diligent to continue on as a WOL, and not as a diet that will end one day. I have however lost and gained it back in the past. The last time was over 10 years ago, just by calorie counting. The holidays were my downfall. I decided to take a break...got tired of counting calories. And I planned to start back up in January. Never started back and continued to gain...I ended up almost 100 lbs. bigger. So...I told my daughter that when I reach goal, if I gain it back...just to shoot me. Just kidding. But I REALLY don't want to see this weight again. So I will take all of your warnings and cautions to heart and continue on no matter how slow the weight loss.

My problem is when the weight loss is slow... It's during these times I have to struggle to keep my mind from giving up. I'm in that spot right now. But I am determined to make the changes to keep the loss coming. I am buckling down and trying to make the right choices every meal, each day. I am getting out and moving more. I think it's important not to compare our weight losses with other folks. It's nice to see folks succeed, but then equally frustrating when you are trying so hard and only losing a couple pounds a month. (Or whatever the progress is.) I hope all of you find your groove...and experience success. We will all succeed if we continue on!!! Victoria

I've got to thinking...I'm going to give up weighing myself all of the time. Shoot! I weigh myself when I get up, and then after I get out of the shower, and when I get home from work...etc. When I was in W/Watcher's I used to only weigh in one time per week. If this is my WOL, which it is, what do I care what the scale says, anyway? I know that the fat will disappear over time, anyway. I'm going to chuck the scale this evening...well, maybe I'll just put it in the attic of the garage...but it's staying there for at least a month! If I have lost weight, any weight...I am getting rid of the scale!!! There! Liberation!! HA! HA! HA! No more fat guy thinking for me! HA! HA! No siree! Skinny people aren't always compulsively weighing themselves. I'm a "normal" American Male. "Normal" American males don't constantly weigh themselves. Life goes on without a scale, from now on in my house!!!!

One thing I did do, was go back through my journal and make a very simple graph, started with my highest weight on one, and my highest measurements on another. Once a month, I would take my new measurements, and weigh (altho I do go to Dr. and weigh in now-they don't charge me and are just as excited to see how I am doing!) in. then when I get depressed and can't see any change, I just get out my old journals, and look at those graphs, and read my logs, and I know I can do this.I think carbs are to me like alcohol and cigarettes used to be!! Can't stop with just one!! so hide that yeast roll honey!! But anyway, thanks so much all of you for your support!!

THROW OUT MY SCALE????? I finally got brave enough to get one for home!! I only weigh myself in the am, a couple times a week, but weigh in at Dr. on Wednesdays! I think I would have withdrawal!!!! I can only give up so much at one time!!!! HAVE MERCY!!

Rhonda,
Good work! You only weigh yourself a couple of times a week! What control! After I said that, yesterday, I went home and weighed myself! That little white monster is still lurking in my bathroom! It is laughing at me right now! "HA! HA! You can't do it!!! I knew you wouldn't! HA! HA! HA!...throw me away? HA! You weak weanie! You big fat roll of flab! HA! HA! You'll never really do it! Your hooked! You NEED ME! HA! HA! HA!"

What am I to do? It has me in it's clutches...I can't get rid of it!!! AAAAAGH! I get the resolve and then....what to do? what to do?

Move it to another room???? Turn it upside down, so it doesn't see you come in the room????? Turn it backwards, so it thinks you are going out instead of coming in? don't quit cold turkey, weigh in the morning, and at night. Then go to just once a day, every other day, and so on....Maybe that will help? Good luck!!

I've been tweeking this woe for weeks now trying to find the perfect match for my body. I've gone from counting carbs to upping calories, to cutting dairy which resulted in lower calories, and now I'm trying to up calories again. Nothing seems to be clicking, but I'm still in the race.

As far as the scales, I was also obsessing with them. So just this week I've decided I will only weigh in on Tuesdays when I go to a TOPS meeting. I find those scales just drawing me in like a powerful magnet, so I finally covered them with a washcloth. Just that little cloth has worked. I haven't been on them since Tuesday. I guess the thought that I have to reach down and remove the cloth first has given me time to rethink getting on them. Isn't it terrible that we have to use mind games to control ourselves when we are adults.

Atrsy, I would like to give you some advice. Take what you like and leave the rest.

The first time I LC'd, I went to the doctor and he told me to count my carbs only. It's truly as simple as that. Since I was under doctor supervision, I kept them at 15 gs per day until I lost my weight. He said to count anything that is marked as <1 on a package as 1 gram per serving. He also said to count eggs as 0. Drink tons of water and take vitamins C and E. Eat as much beef, chicken, eggs and fish as I wanted. I lost 100 pounds in one year following those rules.

Patience is key. Sticking to it is key. He also said if I fall off (I didn't), but if I did to not eat all I want of protein that day and to start over the next day. He also recommended one day a month to eat unlimited fruit and vegies and no protein, but I only did that once and couldn't get over the cravings. He said it was ok not to do it again.

My problem is that I'm back for the second time around and it isn't that easy. I'm having to tweak.

Good luck and try to keep it simple.

I'm sorry, I forgot to add where the carbs are supposed to come from. They were supposed to be from vegies. Not in the form of low carb bars and stuff like that, but from a wide variety of healthy vegies.

Remember, the 15 gs was under doctor supervision and I'm not recommending that for anyone who isn't under doctor's care. I'm not doing that now myself, since I don't want to pay $52.00 a visit.