Is it just me, or do you need a lot less of it (willpower) to stick to this WOE? I recall feeling tortured constantly on a low-fat diet, always wishing I could chow down on something, anything! But now I find it relatively easy to just say no to carby food. I know it's partially because I'm not hungry, and partially because I broke the addiction, but I still thought it would be difficult to go without carbs/sugar. My carb-chowing friends can't imagine giving it up and are in awe (or maybe it's pity ) of my ability to do so painlessly. Is it because I've only been at this for seven weeks? In seven months will I give my right arm for a hunk of bread, a bowl of pasta, chocolate cake?

After three weeks of sticking to this plan, I would say it's remarkably easy when you're set on it. I still think about some foods I'm not allowed to eat, but it doesn't bother me as much since I'm satisfied on steaks, seafood, and fatty salads with dressing. Plus I love my veggies so it's tastier to fill up on meat and those than a bowl of pasta. And when you're full, do you really need a sugary treat?

It's funny how hard it seems to those who have no interest in trying it. A friend of mine is an overweight carbo ADDICT (sleep eats Little Debbies, gorges on cookies, craves carbs at every moment) and I find her a perfect model for someone who should be trying to elminate carbs. After talking to me for a while about what you can and cannot eat, she was appalled at the concept of giving up milk and fruit. I don't know much about other low-carb plans, but maybe sugarbusters or something is more the way for her?

Anyway, I love lowcarbing. All that starchy, bready, cakey, sugary stuff seems gross to me.

Go protein!

Isn't it GREAT!!! I love this WOE. Never before have I been so able to stick with the plan. I have always cheated on all other diets. And this one..... so easy. I am not saying that it never comes to mind, but there are so many alternatives that I can always find something to curb the craving.

The one thing I find myself wanting is Chocolate Cake. Don't ask me why...not any chocolate will do either, it has to be a thick moist chocolate cake with gooey frosting that you need ice cream or milk with because it is so rich. BUT, dispite my want, I never really crave it. It is never something I HAVE to have and that is nice. Before, a "want" would occupy my every thought, now it is just in passing. No real cravings unless I am hungry and usually I crave meat. Wonderful, isn't it? Just wish I could get the poundage off.

I am not going to say that I have never had success with other diets... I have lost weight with different plans and means... I lost 40 lb. in 3 months in 1993, doing the high carb low fat thing... and I ate so much that I was always full... it seemed like I was always eating... but I craved the carbs... I wanted sweet stuff... I would eat the gooey sugar laden stuff, and pastas... taking full advantage of the low fat foods... no matter what the carb level was~!! After all, I was not concerned about carbs... I was tracking my fat, and I was very good at it... my fat % averages were below 15%, and most times I tried to get them below 10%... I was most proud of myself, when I had some 0% fat days~ quite the thing to be proud of The thing is... no matter how much I lost... I still craved foods... and with this LC w/o/e.... the cravings are gone... they were there at first... I woulda killed for a candy bar... I wanted sugar bad when I got into emotional upheavals... and I decided not to give into wanting those "comfort foods".... and working on my emotional eating/overeating... I have had success... not once have I gave into eating due to emotions... A personal triumph for me~ anyhow... LC'ing has certainly helped me with cravings... I don't even miss sugary and sweet stuff... I think my sweet tooth is comatose... and I don't plan on reviving it

You know...I have co-workers who have made similar comments like "oh, I could never give up my carbs. Fat is so much easier to give up/cut down and how could you never eat fruit?"

I find it interesting that these are the same people that I have yet to see eat a piece of fruit in the office (usually it's doughnuts...Krispy Kreme just opened a store here and it's all the rage). I've also been known to point out that I DO eat fruit...just usually berries and melons and that there are plenty of good sources of calcium besides milk.

I've been doing this wol for 6 months now, don't have any urge for carbs, and I feel like this forever.

I just gave our son Brendan two Little Debbies brownies, and am watching as hubby is eating some now as well,... and it doesn't even bother me! The thought of something so sweet almost gags me to think about it! Hubby told me after I started this w/o/e, if it works for me, he will do it too... well it is 36 1/2 " and 20+ lbs. later...what does it take for him to see it is working? I think he would be a helluvalot better off, if he wasn't eating all the carbage... in fact I am sure of it~!

ryt now im in my 3rd day of really really starting lowcarbing...and i can say i still have cravings..i hope that id be able to get pass this.....just how do you handle cravings?? look at yourself in the mirror and envision a thin you? or what? coz for me sooner or later i jsut find myself giving in and bingeing for almost a week (owwwww

Nicole I think most ppl when they are first starting low carbing, find themself having more cravings then when they have gotten more use to it. Face it, your body is use to eating all that carbage, all the high sugars, and the junk that one usually puts into it. I would say my first week to 10 days I was craving things... I think it depends on different things how bad you have cravings. I have read where some ppl have cravings because they eat the fake sugar, and it sets off something in their bodies. I just hung in there, and didn't give in to the cravings... and now even the thought of something sweet and I feel like I am going to be sick! I went through withdrawals from carbs... headaches from hell... and since I don't usually get them, it was especially annoying, and then gastric upsets.... but it all evened out over time.Ride it out if you can...if you can't, try to find the lowest carb substitute you can... and maybe if you find them too bad, you should switch to a different plan... check out the link on different LC plans, as there are many more generous with carbs... Good luck!

well i guess youre ryt...uhmm...will it work if i give in to my cravings now and start again LCing on my next meal the day after??i admire your willpower i wish i had one.....

Hey! Why so negative?? I am not trying to make your weight loss goal more significant than mine, but you don't have much to lose. Don't get so down on yourself. I think that LCing is a great way to stay healthy and lose weight and for a lot of us that have a ton to lose, it is the only way we feel that we can accomplish that without having to deal with hunger and cravings. I think that it isn't for all of us. I have also been on Weight Watcher's Point system. YOu can eat anything you want. You can have carbs if you want them. You can eat salads with only salad veggies and Kraft Free Italian (Wonderful Dressing) as much as you want if you are hungry. I would eat a big mac meal which was the majority of my points, but if I wanted it, I would eat it - guilt free and then eat salads for the rest of the day. I would have chocolate around that time of the month, whatever I wanted. The only thing was that I got sick of the "everything in moderation" concept. This works much better for me, but you have to find out what is good for you. Or, don't worry so much about what dr atkins says. Work up to no sugar. Try your hardest not to have sugar throughout the day. Or if you have a soda every meal, try to have one only at two and then when you get used to that, only have one, then try to switch to diet rite. Have an Atkins Advantage or endulge bar. Order the atkins catalog, they have breads and pastas and cereals. Just keep positive and the key is...never give up. A month or two at the most and you can get down to your goal weight. My friend did it. I thought it would take her longer because she was so close, but 20 came off really easily. You are doing just fine, don't give up!!!

thanks alisha! you know what? you rly got e thinking there..i got so caught up in making a perfect atkins that a slight sideward turn sets me off the track completely....thanks again..ill be working on it..

I have never missed the complex carbs much. I always had terrible digestive problems and had irritable bowel syndrome for a couple of years. After being on Atkins, I realized that I just can't digest potatoes, pasta, rice, beans, and bread. I don't miss that stuff. I do miss sweets, I have always loved that sugar. But the longer I am on this, the more normal the low-carb treats taste to me. My partner made low-carb brownies (5 carbs apiece) and I just loved them. A few months ago, they would have been awful. Your taste in food does change! I used to be totally addicted to coca-cola and easily drank a liter a day. Now. I have one diet soda a day, and don't always want that. I never thought I would be able to give up regular soda pop! Good luck to you! Cindi

It amazes me that I'm in week 7 and haven't cheated yet and it hasn't been that difficult. I'm not hungry all the time and really don't have many issues with the diet now that I'm experimenting with recipes and doing sugar free jello. Funny, I too had a craving for GOOD chocolate cake with creaming frosting but I wanted it still warm! The craving has passed but for two days it was bad.

I feel so much better - not bloated and groggy from eating chocolate and carbs all afternoon. I used to go to bed at night and be SO BLOATED - things are much better now.