Gearing up for Atkins & South Beach: Gimme some motivation

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Lobster1987
Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
in Motivation and Support
I low carb like 2-3 times per year...it's what works to lose weight with the WLS I've had. I've gained 14 pounds and now I need to get on the low carb bandwagon again.

I am just REALLY having trouble getting back into the mindset...I don't know if you other low-carbers get it, but coming from a carb *kitten*, I really need to "gear up" or prep so to speak before actually starting the diet.

I've planned to start on July 21 to give me time to eat the rest of the non-Atkins approved stuff in my apartment and to start getting motivated.

My plan of action is to do Atkins Phase 1 for a week to "detox" and then start South Beach. I've done it in the past and it's worked famously for me.

Now, I just need help and support for it...and tips to really get motivated. I can't afford a gym membership, but I'm trying to scrape up cash to get one.

Do you have any other tips, advice, suggestions to help get me back into low-carb mode?

Replies

  • ellie74020
    ellie74020 Posts: 7 Member
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    Hey Lobster,
    I am on day 19 of Atkins/South beach/general low carb and doing great, so much better than other times.
    My best tip is to vary what you eat as much as you can - the other times when I did this I only ever stuck what I liked (eggs for breakfast for example) and I was very quickly sick of everything. There are actually quite a few things that are "allowed" that make a nice difference. Just google low carb recipes etc
    I lost 10.5 lb in 19 days and I have not suffered that much. Day 3 and 4 felt a bit weird but just took some painkillers and was fine.
    I feel great now.
    I probably eat more carbs than I am supposed to but I mean a big salad as opposed to pasta/bread. I have been taking supplements (psyllium husks and a multivitamin) which I think are also helping feeling normal.
    Much to my shame I did no exercise:blushing:
    Happy to be your friend for support and tips
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
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    I tend to eat higher amounts of carbs too, but I try to keep it under 100-150.
  • WillowWindow
    WillowWindow Posts: 100 Member
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    Not trying to be rude or controversial, but if you are back here it hasn't really worked. Maybe just a straight calorie deficit from whatever your regular diet is would work better for you in the long run? Anyway, IMHO people should try to work a diet into their regular way of being, make any changes gradually and try to reeducate themselves into a sustainable lifestyle change over time. Otherwise, you're on and off "diets" and the weight just rebounds.
  • Izzwoz
    Izzwoz Posts: 348 Member
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    Not trying to be rude or controversial, but if you are back here it hasn't really worked. Maybe just a straight calorie deficit from whatever your regular diet is would work better for you in the long run? Anyway, IMHO people should try to work a diet into their regular way of being, make any changes gradually and try to reeducate themselves into a sustainable lifestyle change over time. Otherwise, you're on and off "diets" and the weight just rebounds.

    ^This! After years of battling with weight, I can honestly say, there is no point in any temporary diet changes, low carb, high carb or other. Eat at a deficit to lose weight to start with, BUT: the only way to keep the weight off is change your eating habits to the point where you eat the amount of calories your body actually needs on a daily basis - for the rest of your life.
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
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    Not trying to be rude or controversial, but if you are back here it hasn't really worked. Maybe just a straight calorie deficit from whatever your regular diet is would work better for you in the long run? Anyway, IMHO people should try to work a diet into their regular way of being, make any changes gradually and try to reeducate themselves into a sustainable lifestyle change over time. Otherwise, you're on and off "diets" and the weight just rebounds.

    Oh, it works. Temporarily. And then I let the carbs creep back in. I don't mind occasionally dieting to keep the weight off. I'll get my weight back in check and it'll be good for a while. It's no different than other people dieting so they can fit into a swimsuit for the summer and sluffing off for the winter.

    It works wonderfully when I stay low carb. I just don't stay on it because I love me some carbs.
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
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    And you're derailing the post. You can think it's a bad idea, blah blah blah, whatever...Fine. It works for me because I am fine with dieting a couple times per year. I've lost nearly 140 pounds and if this is may way of keeping it in check, great. It works for me. Just eating at a deficit may work for you.

    I am looking for motivation tips please.
  • WillowWindow
    WillowWindow Posts: 100 Member
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    You won't get many if you reply to well-intentioned posts with rudeness.
  • onezeronine
    onezeronine Posts: 37 Member
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    Make sure you're getting enough fiber. Nothing like being constipated to make you want to throw in the towel.
  • GiGiBeans
    GiGiBeans Posts: 1,062 Member
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    I hear ya about motivation after upping carbs! I've been eating 150-200 g of carbs the past month or so and maintaining so I have a decent Atkins Critical Carb Level BUT but am feeling like bloated crap. I let too much sugary stuff creep in. I've been debating doing induction to get it out of my system or seeing if I can just drop back to 90-100. I'm away from home this week and almost OD'd on gelato. Not falling asleep in a carb coma will be part of my motivation. Good luck!
  • christchick7
    christchick7 Posts: 533 Member
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    I'm a newbie to this so you can take it or leave it, but...I'd say stick to South Beach. Dieting every summer and eating good and bad carbs every winter is not a healthy way to fuel your body for the long term. You need a sustainable lifestyle plan you can stay with-
    an LTR as opposed to a summer fling if you will. You could be setting yourself up for prediabetes, full fledged type 2 diabetes, heart
    attack or stroke, and that is SERIOUS business. Dr Agatston goes into tremendous detail about all this plus exercise and how to set
    up for a permanent healthy lifestyle, plus a ton of recipes, in his book The South Beach Diet Supercharged. You DEFINITELY should
    read and study this because you need a new outlook on your overall life and health. It's around $7 at Amazon. I'm 52 with cerebral
    palsy and have been on South Beach for a month. Yes I have lost weight, breaking a plateau, but that's not important. What's vital
    is that I am kicking a lifelong sugar addiction and an addiction to unhealthy carbs, and hopefully will never develop the diabetes,
    high blood pressure and heart problems that are prevalent in my family.

    You asked for motivation, and I can say this: you don't need motivation if you're just looking to continue your present pattern of
    dieting and regaining. But you will need motivation if you decide to change over to a healthy lifestyle. And support too!!! You may
    feel upset with those of us on the thread right now, but we care and mean to help you. And I really believe that if you are ready,
    then any of us would be happy to support and encourage you as best we can.

    Best wishes Lobster,

    Sue
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
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    It is really easy to let carbs creep back in, so I need to prep myself back up to go back to low-carbing. That's how I'm supposed to eat to maintain my 140 pound weight loss.

    I agree, South Beach is much better. I usually start with Atkins to really try to kill cravings and then go into South Beach because its more maintainable.
  • spottedkathy
    spottedkathy Posts: 196 Member
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    I just started a low carb diet today. If you add me as a friend we can motivate each other. I haven't done it before so I need some advice on what to eat and what to do when I get the carb cravings.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Not trying to be rude or controversial, but if you are back here it hasn't really worked. Maybe just a straight calorie deficit from whatever your regular diet is would work better for you in the long run? Anyway, IMHO people should try to work a diet into their regular way of being, make any changes gradually and try to reeducate themselves into a sustainable lifestyle change over time. Otherwise, you're on and off "diets" and the weight just rebounds.

    This. times a million.
  • emmalousmom1
    emmalousmom1 Posts: 121 Member
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    I tend to eat higher amounts of carbs too, but I try to keep it under 100-150.
    What do the south beach diet recommend for carb totals? i eat higher protein, as 9 years post gastric bypass, when losing after the gastric bypass, carbs were kept under 30, I would love to know what you will keep your carbs at!:)
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
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    I maintain my weight if I keep my carbs at 175. If I go less than that and exercise, I lose weight.
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
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    I tend to eat higher amounts of carbs too, but I try to keep it under 100-150.
    What do the south beach diet recommend for carb totals? i eat higher protein, as 9 years post gastric bypass, when losing after the gastric bypass, carbs were kept under 30, I would love to know what you will keep your carbs at!:)

    I loosely base my life on their plans...I don't go by their numbers...just eat their foods basically. I tend to eat a lot more than a normal person because I malabsorb a lot of the calories I eat because 2/3rds of my intestines are bypassed.

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