Help! I've been on a WW vs LC roller coaster for the past 3 years. I've gained and lost the same 20 pounds several times over. I can't take the stress of the humiliation of "weighing in" in front of strangers, and I always seem to feel hungry on WW. However, after a few weeks of LC'ing, I'll begin to have terrible cravings for oatmeal, barley, and yogurt. Sugar is not an issue for me. I can take it or leave it. One day I'll see Sarah Ferguson on TV and think that's the only way to go. The next day I'll see or meet someone that's had success with LC, and I'll be back to that. In fact, that happened a few days ago as I lay in my parents' pool in Florida. I was flipping through their MacClean's magazine (we're Canucks), and I saw the article that discussed LC and it featured Karen Barnaby. Once again, I told myself that LC was the answer. The next day I was drinking bloody marys and eating dried Wasabi peas for an hors d'oeuvre. My husband has been very strict since Jan. 1 and has lost about 10 pounds. I just can't seem to stick to one program. Have any of you had real, long term success with LC without yoyoing? I know many folks who have had long term success with WW, but I've only met two people who have LC'd for over a year and kept the lbs. off. Sorry for the novel. Many thanks for your help!

Hiya Flight!!

I started Atkins WOL in April of 2001, and am going strong. Don't get me wrong I have hit a speedbump or two but come back as strong as ever.

There are great LC alternatives to most of the items you say you crave. You just have to really want it.

Hi Flightbag,

You might want to read the "Which low-carb plan is right for me?" link on the right side of the screen and see some features of the different LC plans out there.

Off the top of my head, the Schwarzbein program allows you to eat those foods you mentioned (barley, yogurt, and oatmeal). It's emphasis is on natural foods, low to moderate carbs. It might be just the ticket for you! They have a sub-forum here and many of the people who follow TSP might be able to offer you more advice.

hth,
Pokey One

Hi UAGirl, and thanks for your reply. Wow! Your success with LC'ing is incredible. I wish some of your motivation and "staying power" would rub off on me. Guess I'd better jump on the treadmill and work off those two bowls of high fiber cereal I polished off last night. Back on the roller coaster......

Flightbag,

I was doing WW and other low-fat balanced diets since I was 14 and have gone through the whole yo-yoing. I started LCing in Jan 2002 and even though I fell off the wagon a few times it is by far the best alternative for me. I started with Atkins which I found too strict and went to GO diet (which allows more carbs plus encourages yogurt, kefir, and buttermilk and other dairy). I liked that but wanted to experiment so I tried CALP (the plan with the reward meal ). I liked this one but unfortunately for me, I couldn't handle the reward meal even when I followed it to the letter and it triggered carb cravings for me. Due to family issues the beginning of this year I went off for a few months and restarted at the end of Jan with GO diet again. And I haven't strayed once and I love it!

I can tell you what works for me with LCing better than LF - it's the cravings. I am a compulsive eater so it's very easy for me to go into a binge (which is why CALP, while a great plan, didn't work for me). With both Atkins and now GO diet, my cravings for sweets and carbs are under control and I'm able to restrict myself to the sweets/carbs allowed with LCing. And I feel absolutely no hunger and no deprivation (drowning my salad in full-fat ranch dressing, in other words, instead of that watery non-fat stuff, does a lot for the deprivation factor ). I don't weigh myself, but I know I definately lost a lot of inches. This time around, for some reason, I'm feeling much less hungry than the first time I did GO diet and my body is working with me so i'm losing a lot of inches again (about 2 1/2 inches in the waist in a period of about 1 1/2 months but I haven't measured myself lately).

Hope that helps a little. I also went through the dilemma about LC vs LFF and reached the conclusion that health-wise (given my history of binging and compulsive eating) LCing was far more worth it.

And I agree with Pokey 100% - nobody says you have to do Atkins only or that only Atkins works. Looking at other alternatives is always a good idea.

Tam

Flip flopping from WW to LC may be causing your body to react negatively. I've done both and LC is just more satisfying for me. I like the food better and don't have much hunger. Seems like I was always wanting food when I ate low fat. I also just feel better overall. According to your profile, you don't have much weight to lose so you really shouldn't expect extremely quick results. The truth is that losing weight and keeping it off requires us to change the eating behavior that caused us to gain. Each of us has to decide that we really do want to behave differently.

Cindy

You might enjoy the Montignac Method, I have only been doing if for a few days not but I love it, it has all the foods I am accustomed to eating but there are some specific rules to follow about what to eat with what and some things are not allowed until the weight loss phase is over.

Sample day - breakfast oatmeal/skim milk/yogurt

or eggs,ham,mushrooms,tomatoes


lunch -hearty bean and lentil soup/salad or chicken/green/vegetable/salad




supper similar to lunch or a carb choice beans/legumes/pasta



the meals are either protein with very low index carbs
or low index carbs with very low index carbs

fat is limited but not illegal, full fat cheese is allowed but should be eaten by itself (no bread/ crackers at end of meal)

fruit is allowed but should be eaten 30 minutes before a meal unless it is dried or cooked

no sugar or sweetners are allowed exept for fructose - although some people still seem to use some aspartame products.

You choose your foods by looking at the glycemic index to find out what the counts are if they are low/med/high. This sounds a bit complicated I know but once you start its really quite simple.

The carbohydrates eaten are basically all natural, unrefined/grains,vegetables,fruits,

There is a lot more too it than I have explained there is a board for Montignac on the drop down menus

Here's the link to Montignac, sorry I did a very confused job of trying to explain it to you.

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...&threadid=88906

"You can have anything you want, but you can't have *everything* you want."

It sounds like you need to pick a method that works for you, and stick to it no matter what works for the people in magazines. Ignore them! They aren't you. Once you *do* pick a plan, stick to it, and get to your goal weight, your maintenance program can be very flexible. You'll be able to eat some whole grains and yogurt in moderation without gaining.

Best of luck!

I would like to thank each of you for your thoughts of encouragement and advice. I can relate to every comment and hope to implement some, if not all, of your suggestions. My daughter came home tonite with a chocolate/almond bar that she had purchased through school. She gave it to me and what did I do?? That 's right. I ate the sucker. I can't believe it did it. But, I have to tell you, it did taste really good!! I won't need chocolate like that for a long time. I truly believe that LC is the way for me. I LOVE to eat, but the only time I feel satisfied is if I'm eating LC. By the way, I work as a flight attendant, and I am constantly being judged not only by myself (the worst) but also by my peers (second worst).

Many, many thanks to you for all of your thoughts and encouragement.

Traci

Traci...

Not too many long-time dieters haven't tried WW or LF...done them all! This is the last stop, and for good reason.

If someone handed me a chocolate bar right now, I couldn't be the least bit tempted. In fact it would have the same effect as if someone handed me a pencil...I'd pass it off to someone who may need one.

I cannot believe that I'm actually in this place, because of binge eating, carb loading, you name it...I could NOT resist cake, a cookie, any temptation at all. But now...there are no cravings, I am done with 20 years of migraines and hypoglycemia nonsense...

I actually went on a 5 day cruise and didn't touch one single dessert or piece of bread the whole time. Came back two pounds lighter and ate like a queen.

LC is not about what you CAN'T have...it's finally being able to have real food, tasty, satisfying food... it's adjustment, not depreivation.

I'm on Atkins because it's the simplest one for me and seems to have faster results. You don't have much to lose, relatively speaking, so you may not lose as fast. But definitely, don't do any more damage to your body by switching back and forth on your methods!

Good luck,