going back to low carb

kilroy02

I lost 80 pounds on the old Atkins. Gained most of it back. Ready to get back on and lose the weight. I felt so much better back then, slept well, had energy. Now I'm sluggish and tired. Atkins has changed a lot since then. I tried the new Atkins, but it's not working. I get hung up on the goodies. I think my body takes up too many of the carbs and the fiber that you take off isn't seeming to be accurate.
I don't have anything that uses apps, so when I saw that man who lost 500 pounds, this was the closest thing I could find.

pinuplove

Honest question - why are you going back on the same diet that was unsustainable for you the first time? Losing weight is too much work to have to keep doing it over and over again! I'd advise you to use the tools and resources here to learn how to eat in a way that fits your life AND allows you to lose the weight and maintain it.

livingleanlivingclean

To me, a successful diet is one that enables you to maintain your weight loss long term.

Whilst you may have lost weight before, putting a lot of it back on suggests that the way you went about it wasn't maintainable or sustainable long term. You don't need to do low carb to lose weight. if you like carbs, and have no medical reason to exclude them, why not just try and eat at a calorie deficit whilst including the foods you generally eat?

kilroy02

I was at a study at a hospital for PCOS, and was told by the endocrinologist that no matter what I ate, or what I did, I would have diabetes in 5 years. That was over 20 years ago, and I still don't have diabetes. There is diabetes on both sides of my family. And it was Atkins kept that from happening.

When I lost the weight on Atkins, I was given a 20 minute lecture by a diabetes doctor that he never saw anyone's blood tests change for the good like mine had. He said he never saw anyone's cholesterol drop that much without statin drugs, and my over all blood tests were fantastic. My blood pressure dropped a lot, which was good since it was high. I had energy, felt great.

I had a discussion with him, about why many of the diabetic diets are near or over 200 carbs a day. I told him carbs are sugar, and sugar raises blood sugar and he agreed. He told me this, first they were worried about the protein and the kidneys in diabetic patients. So they cut back the protein and added carbs. Then they were worried about the fat causing heart disease, so they cut down the protein and added carbs. So fruits and breads took over the meat and fat. When I asked him why he didn't change the diet plan, he said as a doctor he had to follow the recommendations given to him by the health department guidelines. At the time I was 180 lbs. He told me not to try to lose anymore. I told him according to the charts, I was still fat. He said those charts were created by insurance companies, and it was too thin for most peoples health.


Then I had over 3 years of non-activity and a lot of stress. That's when the weight started coming back. And like anything it's hard to get back in the groove.

I started the New Atkins. There is a lot more leeway as far as vegetables, since they are using fiber to cut the carb count, down. I tried the new diet, and barely budged. I did the one on their site where you eat 3 of their frozen meals and have a LC shake and a LC treat, plus some extra food, such as cheese and veggies. I stuck to the plan religiously and gained 3 pounds.

I'm not as active as I was before, but I am not inactive. With 2 horses, 4 cats, a dog and 2 birds, I'm constantly moving. Dragging out 80-100 pound muck buckets twice a day. Loading and unloading 50 pound bags of feed and shavings is exercise. As well as cleaning litter pans and bird cages. Getting up and letting the dog out at least 10 times a day, is also exercise.

Spring is here and my workload will increase.


I was wondering if anyone else had this problem, going from the old Atkins to the new. You would think, all the extra fiber from all the extra vegetables in the new Atkins would be beneficial.

I remember this one guy (I was reading about fasting diets) ate one meal a day. He figured it out to be around 800 calories. It was a lot of food, and he said it worked for him. I don't know if I could do that. But it does work for some people.

kilroy02

I lost 2 pounds since yesterday, so the calorie intake as well as very low carb seems to be working. On Atkins you don't count calories you count carbs. But there is something called the golden bullet. That is the first time you are on it, and you stay on it, it will work fast and great. If you get off it (which I did) and then get on it again, you now how to cheat. And I think the new Atkins for me was too high as to be a cheat. I have to do LC. I was on the heart assocation diet, didn't work. When I eat carbs I get blood sugar swings. I go from feeling full to starving within a couple of hours. I did Richard Simmons diet years back. During that time I was working cleaning stalls where I boarded (think about shoveling snow for 2 hours a day), fast walked 2 miles a day with the barn managers wife, (she went on the medifast diet and lost a lot of weight but had gained most of it back starting almost immediately after the diet was over. She had lost her hair and her nails were in bad shape for months), and I rode my horse afterwards daily, (which if you have a horse, you know it's not just sitting there). On the Simmon's low fat high carb diet I lost 15 pounds in 4 months, and my cholesterol shot up, and I didn't feel well. I am an insulin resistant type person. My body can not handle carbs. There are many people like I was struggling on low fat, high carb diets. If you are pre-diabetic, or diabetic, or have diabetes in your family, your chances for insulin resistance is high. Even my horses have insulin resistance and have to be on a low starch high fat diet.

Anyone who has diabetes, or pre diabetic would be benefited by reading William Banting's writings. Back when he was diagnosed in the 1800's there was no cure for diabetes. He was a wealthy man and went to many doctors. Finally his doctor listened to a learned man at a lecture and put Mr. Banting on a low carb diet. Back in those days they thought pork had carbs, but it doesn't. It's a great read, and an amazing story. He was so grateful that he got his life back he printed and gave out free books on the diet.
http://www.thefitblog.net/ebooks/LetterOnCorpulence/LetteronCorpulence.pdf

There are many people like me struggling with weight loss that have IR and don't understand why we don't drop weight or feel better on the low fat high carb diet. I guess I am even too IR for the newer version of Atkins. So I am going back to the old way. Last time I lost 8 pounds in the first week. I'm older now, so I don't think it will be that fast. I'll be checking my ketones, that is another good indicator of it working. The best part about Atkins is that you lose fat first. On LF-HC diets you lose muscle. Every time I had dieted I first lost on my breasts, and arms and kept the belly and thighs. On Atkins it's opposite. You lose your belly and thighs, where the fat is accumulated. My husband went from looking like he was 9 months pregnant to a flat stomach, without a bit of exercise, but that's men. He gained it back when I did, since I wasn't there to prepare food. So he's back on it too, and of course dropping faster than me.

Rick_1953

Stop dieting and start a new lifestyle. The body needs carbs, about 50% of your daily intake should be carbs. It's the bodies main source of energy. Exercise and eat sensible. Just my 2 cents

CharlieBeansmomTracey

Rick_1953 wrote: »

Stop dieting and start a new lifestyle. The body needs carbs, about 50% of your daily intake should be carbs. It's the bodies main source of energy. Exercise and eat sensible. Just my 2 cents

for people with pcos, insulin resistance,type 2 diabetes,and other health issues.many of them cannot handle 50% of their daily intake as carbs. it for them raises their blood sugar. 50% is not a one size fits all. I dont eat 50% carbs either. telling someone with a health issue like above that their diet should be mostly carbs is not the way to go.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

kilroy02 wrote: »

There are many people like me struggling with weight loss that have IR and don't understand why we don't drop weight or feel better on the low fat high carb diet. I guess I am even too IR for the newer version of Atkins. So I am going back to the old way. Last time I lost 8 pounds in the first week. I'm older now, so I don't think it will be that fast. I'll be checking my ketones, that is another good indicator of it working. The best part about Atkins is that you lose fat first. On LF-HC diets you lose muscle. Every time I had dieted I first lost on my breasts, and arms and kept the belly and thighs. On Atkins it's opposite. You lose your belly and thighs, where the fat is accumulated. My husband went from looking like he was 9 months pregnant to a flat stomach, without a bit of exercise, but that's men. He gained it back when I did, since I wasn't there to prepare food. So he's back on it too, and of course dropping faster than me.

on low fat high carb you dont lose muscle. you lose muscle in any deficit if you dont get enough protein and strength train/resistance train to combat the loss,to preserve what you have.also low carb and keto are two different things. ketones are what you check in ketosis(50g net or less of carbs) which is low carb high fat,not low carb(which is anything over 50 but under 100).

on any deficit you will lose fat but you cant say you lose fat first. when you first lose weight a lot of it is going to be water in the beginning,as for certain diets making you lose in certain areas,no it doesnt work that way,fat comes off where it wants and a lot of it has to do with genetics. the first place you gain is usually the last place you are to lose.one diet is not any better for fat loss than another.

if certain diets made you lose fat in certain areas,drs would prescribe those diets to spot reduce fat,which cannot be done.another thing is no matter what diet you use,if you arent in a caloric deficit you wont lose weight.

Sabine_Stroehm

Rick_1953 wrote: »

Stop dieting and start a new lifestyle. The body needs carbs, about 50% of your daily intake should be carbs. It's the bodies main source of energy. Exercise and eat sensible. Just my 2 cents

As someone without PCOS.

kilroy02

Evidence that supports the prescription of low-carbohydrate high-fat diets: a narrative review FREE
Timothy David Noakes1, Johann Windt2,3
Author affiliations

Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
Department of Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Correspondence to
Professor Timothy David Noakes, Department of Human Biology, Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, University of Cape Town, Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Boundary Road, Newlands, Cape Town 7700, South Africa; timothy.noakes@uct.ac.za
Abstract
Low-carbohydrate high-fat (LCHF) diets are a highly contentious current topic in nutrition. This narrative review aims to provide clinicians with a broad overview of the effects of LCHF diets on body weight, glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factors while addressing some common concerns and misconceptions. Blood total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations show a variable, highly individual response to LCHF diets, and should be monitored in patients adhering to this diet. In contrast, available evidence from clinical and preclinical studies indicates that LCHF diets consistently improve all other markers of cardiovascular risk—lowering elevated blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride, ApoB and saturated fat (especially palmitoleic acid) concentrations, reducing small dense LDL particle numbers, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, blood pressure and body weight while increasing low HDL-cholesterol concentrations and reversing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This particular combination of favourable modifications to all these risk factors is a benefit unique to LCHF diets. These effects are likely due in part to reduced hunger and decreased ad libitum calorie intake common to low-carbohydrate diets, allied to a reduction in hyperinsulinaemia, and reversal of NAFLD. Although LCHF diets may not be suitable for everyone, available evidence shows this eating plan to be a safe and efficacious dietary option to be considered. LCHF diets may also be particularly beneficial in patients with atherogenic dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, and the frequently associated NAFLD.

livingleanlivingclean

kilroy02 wrote: »

Evidence that supports the prescription of low-carbohydrate high-fat diets: a narrative review FREE
Timothy David Noakes1, Johann Windt2,3
Author affiliations

Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
Department of Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Correspondence to
Professor Timothy David Noakes, Department of Human Biology, Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, University of Cape Town, Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Boundary Road, Newlands, Cape Town 7700, South Africa; timothy.noakes@uct.ac.za
Abstract
Low-carbohydrate high-fat (LCHF) diets are a highly contentious current topic in nutrition. This narrative review aims to provide clinicians with a broad overview of the effects of LCHF diets on body weight, glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factors while addressing some common concerns and misconceptions. Blood total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations show a variable, highly individual response to LCHF diets, and should be monitored in patients adhering to this diet. In contrast, available evidence from clinical and preclinical studies indicates that LCHF diets consistently improve all other markers of cardiovascular risk—lowering elevated blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride, ApoB and saturated fat (especially palmitoleic acid) concentrations, reducing small dense LDL particle numbers, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, blood pressure and body weight while increasing low HDL-cholesterol concentrations and reversing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This particular combination of favourable modifications to all these risk factors is a benefit unique to LCHF diets. These effects are likely due in part to reduced hunger and decreased ad libitum calorie intake common to low-carbohydrate diets, allied to a reduction in hyperinsulinaemia, and reversal of NAFLD. Although LCHF diets may not be suitable for everyone, available evidence shows this eating plan to be a safe and efficacious dietary option to be considered. LCHF diets may also be particularly beneficial in patients with atherogenic dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, and the frequently associated NAFLD.

Who are you trying to convince? I'm not quite sure the point of your posts - are you trying to convert people to LC because you did it to lose weight previously (unsuccessfully, as the weight came back), or educate people on LC, or ask advice?

If it's the latter, have you read any of the other posts and considered the comments?

Liadin123

Hi kilroy02 - I also have PCOS, have had it for many years. I never did Atkins, but I did a whole food low carb thing several years ago that worked wonders - it also reversed Diabetes, and for the first time in a long time, I had a regular cycle and could go off all medications. Like many people with Carb Addiction, I did relapse.. and regained weight. Relapse happens for so many reasons, for me it was life stress and just having carbs just a few times... just a few "treats" and I was hooked all over again and medicating stress with sugar and carbs. I'm back to low carb now and starting to feel better, but it's with the understanding that I have triggers, I have ways to deal with stress better that don't involve food, and it involves a whole lot of self forgiveness.
For what it's worth, I've heard Atkins "products"... actually have a lot of sugar and can stall weight loss for some. Perhaps choosing to forgo packaged foods and prepare your own meals might help? Just a suggestion! Might help speed things up anyway.

On other diets.. I think people choose what works for them.. I know LCHF works for me, and works for others like me, and I know Carb/Sugar Addiction is very real. I also know people regain for so many reasons.. it may have nothing at all to do with diet.

Good luck kilroy!

Christine_72

Rick_1953 wrote: »

Stop dieting and start a new lifestyle. The body needs carbs, about 50% of your daily intake should be carbs. It's the bodies main source of energy. Exercise and eat sensible. Just my 2 cents

I'll give you a refund

kilroy02

I put the medical article up to show that they have been finding out the low carb is not only safe, but heart protective, not to push you to get on it. As with any diet, some people love it, some don't. For people with blood sugar problems it's a good way to low your blood sugars.


Liadin123,

Thank you.


Although I wasn't diagnosed as having PCOS, I can tell just by the hair on my chin and arms when I am getting too many carbs. I will sprout hair overnight on my chin and arms when I have been eating too many carbs, and as I drop the carbs the hair on my chin goes away and my arm hair thins out. There is a definite correlation. Back when I went through the PCOS study, if you didn't have the pearls on your ovaries, they didn't think you had PCOS.

I was wondering about all those low carb goodies. I think after Atkins died they made it more about a money making enterprise than a health diet. The Atkins packaged meals taste horrible.

I have been making my own food for the last few days and have lost around 3 pounds so far this week. For some reason I can't find where to change the weight on my site. It worked until yesterday. I'd go to the site and it was saying a lot of traffic and not working.


My calorie allowance keeps going down per day on this site too. Pretty soon I'll be at 800 calories per day.

When I did Atkins the first time my blood sugars were between pre and diabetic. When I lost the weight my blood sugars were in the mid 60's. I felt great. My dad who was a diabetic freaked. But I checked up on it, and it wasn't unusual for a low carb diet. I'm back in the 80's now.

I hope we both keep up the good fight. For me I can tell it's helping when I can sleep through the night. Last night I slept pretty good.