Started October 15th at 235, lost a few on induction then a few more to get me down to 221. Now I am back up to 230. Yeah this is working great! In all reality I have probably gained at least 10 lbs because of the water weight I would put on if I go off plan. I started gaining after I upped the fat over 65% to try to bust the 3 month stall. Anyway, tried calories up and down 10X current weight, a little more, a little less. Tried 65% up to a little over 70% fat, tried 20 carbs, tried more. Tried cutting back on caffeine, tried more exercise but I'm sorry this just aint cutting it. The way I see it, the goal is to lose fat and or inches and if that isn't happening then what is the point? I do enjoy eating the food but really do not feel "awesome or energetic" as most seem. I do feel like I have been eating "healthier" since I would never eat anything green. I lost 72 lbs last year from January to mid July using the Slimfast program. I know I will get nailed for this but, I think I will give that a try for a week or two. My goal is to carryover the good habits that I have picked up on Atkins to Slimfast. I do not want to get caught back up in the junk food fest. I certainly will entertain the idea of coming back especially since I seem to be able to maintain on atkins, I did that for a couple of months until I upped fat intake but I have to make the scale go down. I am a very patient person but you would think that after all I have done I would have seen more results than an overall gain.

Everyone is different, and you are right, maybe Atkin's doesn't work for you. I am glad to see that you are not giving up totally, going back to what worked in your situation. Six months at a stall would send me looking elsewhere! Most likely in a bag for fresh baked bread! You have to do what works for you, no matter what anyone tells you. Look at all the flack people still get for doing the Atkin's diet! Good luck to you!!!!!

I'd only give you flack if you said you gave up on completely on being healthy.

Atkins, Low Carb, Protein Power, Low Fat, whatever the lifestyle you chose, good for you.

The fact that you want to lose and feel healthy deserves a bravo in itself!! Good luck!!

Yes, Fast Eddy, you are a VERY patient person. A three-month stall would have driven me absolutely crazy! Freedom of choice. There are so many different plans out there - low carb, low fat, meal replacement, food combining, low cal - I am glad that you are going to go with what worked for you in the past. Best of luck to you!

Hi Eddy,

I know how you feel, I tried Atkins for a month and was heavier when I quit than when I started. I started looking at other plans and am trying one that is more like what I used to choose to eat naturally. I don't have a really big weight problem, but still I want to lose as fast as I can and did not want to stay on a program that was making me gain.

There are lots of other programs to choose from and even if you do choose to do the slimfast way and come back to atkins or another low carb program to maintain, then thats still great because you are not giving up on yourself,

Good Luck, we all have to do what we have to do

I wish you success along with the others. I'm glad you want to maintain good habits you've learned. Keep it up with water, veggies, and less refined carbs, definitely. Those are healthy habits not particular to low carb eating at all. Great for ya.

Hope you find something that works for you!

I think that no matter what I take away from this experience, the most important lessons will help me be healthier & trimmer for the rest of my life..

I believe that if you remember these key points in whatever path you choose, you will be well on your way..

-Portion size!!! I will forever try to be reasonable and stop when I'm no longer hungry.

-Water intake. Obviously very important, always.

-Try sticking to the perimeter of the grocery store. Eat natural foods! Read the nutrition info on all processed foods. It's WAY more tricky than I could have EVER thought.

-I no longer snack after dinner and have noticed that this kickstarts my weight loss. I'm a snack-a-holic and stall if I eat at night.

I believe that once I get to goal, I can live an active, healthy lifestyle just sticking to these main points. I hope that you will find the secret to your own success and BE HAPPY!! You have shown that you have the stick-with-it-ness that will get you where you are headed!!

GOOD LUCK!!

Joy

Eddy - I'm sorry you're feeling so much frustration. I'm in the midst of reading the Schwarzbein Principle and I'd really encourage you to read it also. There are so many factors that could be causing your difficulties and she explains them very, very well. It could be that you are one of those people who simply needs to stick with a low-carb plan (we ALL need lower carbs) for a long period to allow your body and metabolism to heal. Healing takes time....just as the deterioration of your healthy body took time. After staying on a healthy eating plan for a period of months, maybe even years, your body will begin to heal as your hormones stabilize and then you'll shed the extra weight. The alternative is to inflict further damage with high carb levels and resulting high levels of insulin....and that's bad. Yes, you may lose weight, but at what cost?

Please, read Schwarzbein before you decide.

HI Fast Eddy

Sorry to hear the plan hasn't worked for you. You seem very frustrated. I just started atkins 3 days ago and I'm not sure how I'll do with it, but I'll give it at a least a month. I really am more concerned with how I'll feel and if it will improve my enregy levels and excercise work outs. Have you been excercising regularly? If you haven't been active for at least 3 times per week , its hard to tell if the plan should be to blame. Excerise really is great for not only burning calories but also reducing stress levels, and there are studies showing how stress can cause weight gain and limit weightloss!! Are u on meds? Have u had your thyroid checked?? These are all things that can cause difficulties in weightloss. Don't throw out the whole program without investigating all these factors. Hope this helps. If you have excerise questions , feel free to ask I am part time certified personal trainer!!

MAC Artist, yes I have been exercising and not on any meds. I walk usually 1 hour in the morning and one in the evening weather permitting. Twice a week I lift weights. I am not sure about the thyroid thing, I went last friday for bloodwork on it but have not heard back. I lost 72 lbs during the 1st half of last year then nothing much after that. I am sure my body was playing catch up for a while but not this long.

I've heard or read somewhere that people can hit a plateau for as long as a year before their loss continues on. I sure can sympathize with your frustration, I sure hope I never have to face a year of plateau, but it's a possibility that I have to be aware of. It's definitely up to you, but I would hate to see you go on the sugar laden slimfast plan after LCing. Maybe you can check out other LC programs that was already mentioned earlier? Either way, good luck!