Erased

Well, can't respond to something that isn't there...but I had the same exact problem, and really wanted to share a bit of motivation.

Could you possibly re-write or post again? There are SO many other benefits for me on LC that on LF, and now, even an easier weight loss. But it took me plenty of changes to realize why I wasn't losing on Atkins...

Write again if you want.

I tried to post to the original message last night but was having server problems then couldn't even open the site.

The writer was talking about the frustration of long stalls while doing Atkins. Yet she had lost 20 pounds and not regained while on LC (if her stats are correct).

I suggested that she try to look at these weeks when she didn't lose as "Periods of Adjustment" instead of stalls or plateaus. There is still lots going on in the body while the scales don't change. (And I could write a huge amount about why we should NOT pay much attention to the scales which are SO inaccurate! Grrr.) The tape measure is a MUCH better indicator of what is going on it your body than the scales.

A person who has done Low fat or Low cal for quite a while may have been short of protein for quite a while and the muscle tissues and organs are now making overdue repairs.

Fat cells do not like to lose some of their bulk so they grab all the water they can to try and get plump again. No loss shows. But keep on with LC and they HAVE to let go sometime.

The good part about stalls is that it helps you develop patience and persistence. You don't know how long these periods of adjustment might be, so it would be awful to give in and eat a bunch of starch and sugar when the body might have planned to lose the next day!

Here are some concrete suggestions:
-add exercise
-drink lots of water
-follow the plan exactly without cheats or 'days off'
-eliminate the bars, and even eliminate LC treats
-calculate your carbs very carefully
-consider your supplements esp. chromiun, calcium & magnesium, EFA oils

Above all:
Hang in there. It could be tomorrow!

Yes, good advice...

I was on LF for a long time, and lost my first 92 pounds on it...in a VERY short period of time because I was power walking and jogging every single night. Was MAD at being fat.

The problem was that I was only eating CARBS and other non-fat stuff, and because I lost so fast, I'm now a saggy, baggy mess!!

The advantaes of LC is that the body gets what it needs in protein and essential fats...and even now my skin is improved because I'm not so depleted of those nutrients. But it took FOREVER to get going on this...

Also I was skeptical and gave up once, went back to low fat, gained 30 pounds and here I am again! So, it really does pay to stay the course...the differences are amazing and the weight WILL come off in a much better way.

Plus more satisfying foods. I was eating WAY too much of the legal stuff, not counting very accurately...etc. When I cut my foods down and gradually brought back the right things only, WOW...nearly 30 pounds since November...with some loss of appetite to blame, but that's okay, I'll take it!

Anyhow...that's my two cents on LF...the food pyramid has changed, and now it's upside down!! The way it should have been for the past 25 years...

I think I could be a poster child for body changes while the scales don't move. When I got serious about resistance training, I lost inches from practically everywhere on my body, I looked great, I was firm and toned, but I didn't lose one single pound. Now, I've slacked off, lost much of the tone, become puffy and saggy again, having to wear the baggier clothes, yet I didn't gain a pound. My weight hasn't changed by more than 5 or 6 pounds in about 7 months.

Heehee, go figure. I tried to delete this post because no one responded and I figured I put it in a really stupid place. Then pow, you guys are here.

I am not complaining, I know now that weight loss is slow for me. But that does not mean I won't try and tweak to find things that improve. But all the books talks about are people who can't lose on low fat, and how they can on low carb (and always talks about how much better then do on low carb). Don't get me wrong. This is the WOL I chose, but I wish I could lose as well on this as on low fat. This is never mentioned. If it was perhaps there would be a commonality between those like this and we could find a key that would help.

For example, could it be fat sensitivity? Maybe it is calories, maybe neither. But I was just wondering if someone else was out there who can lose better on low fat, but learned how to pick up the pace on low carb.

Hi Kodi 10,
well, yes....my husband lost weight very easy on the low fat diet and keeps it off and is never hungry. His blood reading are getting better (although I am giving him flax seed oil).....but....
then there is me. He told me for years that I could lose weight if I went low fat-calorie....and I never was able. I was always hungry, depressed, tired and over all....miserable. A friend told me about LC and I tried it. WHAM! I have lost 30 pounds off my high weight of 253 and now am 223 with LC in just a few months. I am never hungry and I have so much energy...(still deal with cravings) but I can handle the cravings when I see the results of using self control and good choices for me.
I think it truly depends on the individual persons body response to foods. I cam across a book called the carbohydrate addicts lifespan program and in there, was a "test" to see how a body responds to carbs. ...wow, I tested the highest for carb addiction...my hubby took the same test and he was the opposite of me. So, now...we are a "kitchen of two worlds" He is great about it. I have my bacon and eggs with cheese and he has a lowfat waffle and some syrup....we both do great. (although, I am learning to not look at his plate But, he is great....he cooks his own meals and I cook mine...but a lot of times I can fix a dinner that we both share...lowcarb....lowfat
anyway...all that to say that I believe that it truly depends on ones own body reaction to carbs...I know, for me, the only thing that works is ...LC

I read the CAD book and am also a high end carb addict. Everything that book said about symptoms of a carb addict was me. I feel much better on low carb. I have no intention of switching again. I did so but could only make it 4 days before I went back to LC.

I wish I could find someone though, who has the same situation. They lose better low fat, but have stuck with Atkins. I feel like I am alone. Everyone I talk to who has been successful on LC, does poorly on low fat.

I keep thinking that there may be an answer in this. That is why I keep looking to see what they did or found they had to do to lose faster, or did they just accept the slower loss.

Although my body loses faster on LF, it performs better on LC. No more craves!

Hi again,
you know?, I think you can "have your cake and eat it too" (excues the poor joke) but, really....I have heard of a few folks who do lowfat and lowcarb. Low carb does not necessarily mean high fat. You can get a lot of protien with a lower fat content. I buy the 4% fat hamberger for my hubby and I. He can eat it on his lowfat diet, and I can eat it on my LC WOL. Chicken is low fat and high protien.....this can be a possible thing for you. I forgot where I read it, but there are a couple of folks here doing lowfat, LC.....
check it out....maybe that would be a good thing for you??
((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))) I just felt like giving you a hug

Kodi,

I did not read your initial post but I know where you are coming from. The first two weeks of induction I only lost about 2-3 pounds, and I know if I had been following WW I probably would have lost around 4 pounds. However, my clothes seemed to fit much better than the scale reflected and all of the sudden I lost another two pounds in the third week. Plus, I have much more muscle tone than I would have on low fat and my body is in much better shape on this diet. And I feel that with LC I can stick with it until I hit goal, whereas with LF I always feel that at any time I could give in to my cravings and never knew when I would fall of the wagon.

Believe me, the weight will come off, in my experience it just comes off more in jumps and starts than with low fat where it is more consistent. Plus, what is the point of doing low fat for a little while, losing some weight, and then falling off the wagon because of your carb addictions? I know if I went on low fat tomorrow, I probably would lose a quick five pounds but then would have to struggle over the weekends when the carb cravings return.

Also, in my experience, exercise is key (for LC and LF). And not just walking for twenty minutes, really push yourself, at least 4 times a week.

Good luck.

But there is something vital about having your fat intake at 65-70% of your daily foods...this has to do with the whole process of burning FAT for energy instead of CARBS...

I wish I could give you the real simple science of it, but I usually wait on the pros to come in for that. All I know is that Atkins is NOT a low fat diet for a really good reason, and if you try to do it low fat the results will just not be there.

Have you been keeping up with the meats, cheese, eggs, butter, oils, sour cream, veggies, etc. Because when I finally got the nerve (and it was scary!!) to add butter to my veggies, dressing on the salad, olive oil in every pan...that's when things started to turn around for me.

Just another opinion...but think carefully on this...maybe revisit the book for some of the science behind it. Good luck.

good post Donna,
also, I noticed since I have been eating fats that my skin is so much better. It is not as dry and my face is softer and the skin just looks healthy.....could it be the fat?
I am not hungry like I used to be.....a smaller meal satisfies me and sometimes, I even have to make myself eat something....
that never happened on low fat diets....I was ALWAYS hungry...
over all, I never felt better....I feel better now at 51 than I did when I was 30! I wish I did not waste so many years doing the lowfat high carb things.....

I can relate to what you are saying. I have been a professional dieter most of my life and could always lose weight quickly and easily on low-calorie plans. But that is how I ended up weighing 286!

My weight loss on Atkins has been slow and with definite frustrations. I expected to lose much more quickly and only lost 5 pounds on the two week induction. It has taken me six months to lose the 35 pounds I have.

I stick with it because I can live with this the rest of my life. There is NO way I could live forever eating low-cal. And on low-cal diets the only way you can continue to maintain the loss is to eat low-cal. That means you spend the rest of your life being hungry. Which for me translates into grouchiness, frustration, low sex drive, chronic headaches, etc. Once I lost weight with low-cal - I had to, at some point, eat more to be a normal human being. Sure you lose weight well on low-cal but your quality of life is in the toilet.

I do sympathize with you though. There has been a lot of hype about Atkins and quick weight loss. I haven't experienced that quick and easy loss. But I feel so darned great! I have lots of energy, my digestive problems are gone, and I look forward to the food that I eat. I can do this forever! And really, success is keeping it off, not losing it. I have lost it more times than I can count and never kept it off. Now I know that every pound I lose is gone forever. I will be low-carbing when I am 80.

Cindi

Hi Kodi

You are not alone. I can relate to your situation also. When I do LF I lose weight more consistently and quickly but I am miserable, hungry, tired, obsessed with food and there is just no way I can live that way forever. LCing thouh I can do for the rest of my life ( and I will) cause I feel so much better in myself AND I lose weight.

Have you thought about mixing LC and LF, like the Zone or the Insulin Resistance Diet or SugarBusters? Whatever you do don't give up, you'll find the perfect plan for you eventually.

Thanks to all of you, Rainbird, afcgirl, DDMariana, orchidday, and Scarlet and everyone else. I am moved by your intention. I did lose a pound since I went back to low carb on Monday, so thats a lot better than nothin'.

I have toyed with the idea of low fat/low carb, but can't seem to swing it anymore than I can stick with the low fat plans. I love the butter and the chicken wings and the cheeses (parm mostly - not that heavy into cheeses). The thought of giving them up is sad.


orchidday, you and I are about the same in stats. I would like to visit your journal (I hope you have one). I think you will be of more help to me than you know.

So thanks everyone for being so generous with your words. Feel free to visit my journal whenever you want. I feel I have made some new friends.