So, last night my friend gave me my Xmas present- a sandwich maker. I've been on Atkin's successfully (lost 45 lbs) for 5 months- and he more than knows it. Soooo... the present seemed less than appropriate.

I turned to him and said- it was nice of you to get me a gift, but you do realize that I'm on a LC diet, right? His response was: well, yeah, but you won't be on it forever... I mean it won't be long before you've hit your goal and you'll be back to normal... right?

So my question to everyone is... is this a common misconception with LC dieting? I mean, if you go on a typical low-fat diet it seems that people pretty much expect you to do that forever... so do people consider LC diets fad-quick result stuff, or what?

Actually I don't think it is LC misconception but the over all word DIET.

Remember, people are use to the word Diet meaning something you go on to lose weight then pop off and do what you were doing that made you fat to where you have to DIET again later.

The over all mindset in the population today hasn't figured out the Way of Life thing yet. We LCers have figured out that this isn't a diet, but an over all way of eating and way of life. One in which we will follow day to day, to stay healthy, fit and energetic.

It was the thought that counted right?

Interesting question. I guess it's because Conventional Wisdom, not to mention the Food Pyramid, are still geared to getting everyone to eat a low fat diet; this is what we hear or read constantly. I hadn't thought about people expecting low fat dieters to be on that diet forever, while expecting low carbers to go back to "eating normally" --- but yeah. I think you've got something there.

It's also true, though, I think, that Atkins especially is connected in the public mind with "quick weight loss." I don't see it so much on this forum, but I used to be a devoted reader of alt.support.diet.low-carb, and my impression there was a huge percentage of newbies were of the "Help! I haven't lost ten pounds this week, what's wrong???" variety (and, of course, many of the asdl-c regulars are quite the opposite, and dedicated to making this a way of life).

Maybe, too, the earlier versions of Atkins promised a five pound a week weight loss (as did Stillman) and this still lingers as a New Year's dream

Sorry about the sandwich maker. I wonder what low carb goodies you can make with it?

agonycat, I agree with you...and there are more misconceptions than that behind this "diet" = short term assumption.

1) People think fat people got themselves that way by being gluttons. WRONG! Countless studies show that most fat people (probably 90%) eat no more and exercise no less (at least on the way to obesity) than their thin counterparts. This is even true in locked-ward studies. Fat people add to the myth, as we tend to feel guilty about their binges and focus on them, without noticing our thin cousin packs it away some days just as we do.

2) Therefore, people assume that after a diet, if we simply go to a "reasonable" way of eating (meaning, to the masses, food pyramid eating), we'll stay thin. Also wrong.

3) No one, including many LC dieters, wants to think that they'll have to forgo the treats they've enjoyed all their lives forever. The painful truth is, you've been overweight for years and want to get thin? You should probably limit desserts to maybe four a year, eliminate bread and pasta forever, and exercise on a regular basis. And even if you do that, you may not ever look like a supermodel or Mr. Universe contestant. If you had the genetics for that, you'd already look like that with relatively little effort.

4) All these myths are perpetuated by the cosmetics, workout, clothing, and pharmaceutical industries who like to convince us that pefection (narrowly defined) is possible and a quick fix away. This is clearly a lie, so why do they tell it? They make billions and billions of dollars from it, that's why! Sometimes I think a smart locarber should not only LC, but invest great amounts of money in stock in Cocal-cola, Macdonald's, and Roche (makers of Xenical) because most people will continue to buy into the myths, eat carbs, try dangerous diet pills. If someone is going to get wealthy off this silliness, it may as well be us, right?

As to the sandwich maker, hug him, thank him, and try to return it for a GF grill.

And, funny you should mention a GF grill- because that's what he showed up with this morning- along with 10 lbs of ground beef, and two pot roasts.

Guess I shouldn't have been so hard on him... guess I won't return those video games, afterall .

Thanks, everyone, for the discussion... you're probably right about the "diet" word... well, the world can think what they want- I'm sticking with this WOL!

What a great story -- and what a sweet guy! Talk about getting the message....

Yup - I'd keep him - he's got POTENTIAL.

I love stories with happy endings!!
Happy grilling!!
Ellie

Aww how sweet!

Yup, I agree with the others. He is a keeper for sure. At least he got the hint without you having to hit him over the head with the sandwich maker!

LOL

Enjoy the grill and burgers!

Thanks! And I will definitely enjoy... maybe I'll even let him have a burger or two...

For the last couple months now I have recieved many compliments " you look wonderful! I have never seen U look so healthy" Then of course is the...so how long will U have to diet this way? I just tell them plain and simply. " Im not dieting...its when I stopped dieting and changed my WOE that I started to feel good" Usually then they realize just how serious I am.

I like that approach- and it's sooo true! I'll definitely have to remember that response for the next time I get hit with the "so when are you going back to normal?" question. Thanks!