One Shot Only
 

I'm posting this based strictly on my own experience...I would like to know if others have had this happen as well.

I remember reading once that there is a "golden" shot at low carb living...meaning, when a person switches from the SAD diet to a low carb diet, they only have ONE shot at making it work in terms of dramatic weight loss. If you return to SAD, then back to LC, you will NOT see the weight come off nearly as easily as before, if indeed at all.

My own experience bears this out. I easily lost 2 to 5 pounds a week low carbing, THE FIRST TIME. Sadly for me, I went back to my lousy ways and regained most of my weight. Right back to LC for me...and with 100% dedication I am losing MAYBE 0.5 lbs per week. Admittedly I am older, but hey, not THAT much older.

I wish I could turn back time...or travel back in time and SLAP that damn sandwich out of my hands...

I am not convinced that this is true. It may be true that there is a first-time dividend, but I think if you really do low carb you will lose again. It is so much better healthwise that it is really worth it anyway.

I lost over 30 lb since starting low carb in August 2012 but I didn't quite reach my goal and am "stalled" (or maintaining, if you like) for over six months. I am not unhappy with my weight but I am allowing myself the odd cheat and I think it's time I got back to basics so I don't wind up gaining.

Don't be discouraged, if you persevere you will get there. :sunny:

Jenny Ruhl discusses this in her excellent low carb book "Diet 101". Basically she says that the second (or more) time around we're older and we've learned all the ways to cheat and cut corners on low carb, the first time we're younger and probably more obedient about the details.

I'm sure for myself that my metabolism is slower now. But low carb still works, it just isn't as fast - or maybe part of it is that it isn't as fast in my memory, because in fact when I look back at my records the difference is pretty minimal...

Hi Sue -

Thanks for asking the question. It's been on my mind since I started back mid-Sept.

In a nut shell, I do not subscribe to the "one shot, last shot" theory. Quite honestly, I think it has more to do with how our body works and how truly dedicated to eating on plan one is. Barring medical issues, I believe wholeheartedly this LCWOL is truly the best way to combat obesity, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer's...etc. etc.

I'll just post my experience, along with my thoughts...take it for what it might be worth to you and perhaps, others will glean something from it as well.

I started back to LCWOL because darn it, I was just tired of things not fitting, not feeling good all the time and crabby of fighting the sugar monster. I guess something clicked and I was all in.

I had lost 50-60 lbs maybe 15 years ago and gained all that and then some due to some very stressful years and not being careful and mindful of what I was doing. Besides the feelings, I firmly believe the anti-anxiety pill I was on wasn't helping either...I just had to make some changes. And so I did.

It has been a struggle to get to today's weight, 219...a mere 23 pounds. I'm happy that things are fitting better as well as the increased concentration, the energy and the overall better feeling I have. But I continually wondered why the weight wasn't sliding off as before. I would lose a little then bounce around that number forever, or so it seemed. I was uber-frustrated yet I am proud for sure of the fact that I have gotten this far without giving up.

I have read and re-read all the threads about carbs, calories, upping the fat, decreasing protein...oh good grief I read....including 4 books and over and over the article about why the scale lies. I was absolutely certain at one point the scale was just there to frustrate me.

I've been cheat free for months with the exception of Christmas day. And even then, I didn't go hog wild; I just enjoyed the day and then paid dearly for it for several days afterward. UGH!!

Since Jan 1, I've lost 7.6 lbs...a third of my total losses. :idea: Hmmmm...I think.

What I realized was that I never really did a super clean start. There is a reason for induction and it is to switch the body from burning what you put in to rather burning it's own fuel supply (ie the fat we so want to get rid of) I just decreased my carbs as well as calories and thought I was doing a great job. And, at 47, losing slow just seemed like "it is what it is".

I continued to wonder why so darn slow and the more I read, the more I realized what I could be doing. I had to take some more drastic steps. In fact, it was me not getting the carbs low enough.

At the end of Jan (the 25/26th) I started doing just meat and eggs, a couple cups of coffee with HWC and water. NOW, the pounds are moving; still a great deal of energy, no (or less :) ) brain fog and best of all, NO HUNGER!! My object was to get the carbs down as low as I could. And, it seems to be working. Total since Jan 1 is 7.6 pounds...like I said, more than 1/3 of my total. Yup...I'm happy. :D

I read the forum on a daily basis as it keeps me motivated and inspired. So many ladies (and gents) have lost a ton of weight collectively and I enjoy realizing I am not alone. It's hard to lose weight and it just doesn't matter whether it's one pound, 50 pounds or 500 lbs...It's freakin' hard!! :agree:

While still acknowledging that every body is different, I can't say this enough. The science and success stories are there to show that this way of eating works. But it takes a genuine commitment to the plan, as it is written and without deviation. Eating LC comes with its inherent risks...like "just one bite" WILL unravel all your efforts and set you back to square one. It's there that so many give up and give in instead of realizing that had they just passed on that one bite, one bag, one drink, they would be off to a much better start. It's what keeps me from even trying one.

We all struggle and it's wonderful to have this forum to learn from others, gather information and truly be engaged in our own journey.

Thanks for letting me air my thoughts - many wishes for your continued success -

Deanna

I do not subscribe to "the one golden shot" theory and agree with ParisMama and Jenny Ruhl. When I look back on my food dairy the first two months, I know I "cheat" now plus age, metabolism, etc. Dr Eades wrote a good article, with many comments from his readers: http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/...nd-time-around/ (part 1of 3) The other parts linked here: http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/...w-carb-dieters/

I think it all depends on your degree of insulin resistance. If you were only mildly insulin resistant when you first started Atkins, the restricted diet was enough to help you lose quickly. When you return to eating substantial carbs, the insulin resistance can progress, making your body more resistant to losing weight. It may take time for your insulin levels to decline and allow the stored fat to be released.

I am surprised, however, that you did not have a substantial weight loss, 3-4 lbs or more, during your first week. Did you begin just before TOM was expected? How long have you been at it this time? How many carbs are you eating per meal? Per day? Are you doing strict induction? Counting net carbs or total carbs? Could you be retaining water for some reason? Medication? Recent return to exercise?

Don't Give up yet!
 

Sue, how far back was the "First Time". As you are aware, our metabolism changes with age. However, I have read that our dietary adaptions and body make-up as it relates to humankind has been developed over thousands of years. That said, if it worked before, it really should work again, unless you have another issue at play, like thyroid or something. So maybe, if your first time was 10+ years ago, could be part of the issue. I played around with modified Low carbing in the past and the weight would drop pretty easily (In full disclosure, I do modified low carb - 100-125gms a day) Most recently, even when modifying my diet, (AT MY AGE) I realized the weight didn't come off as easily so I had to focus on my exercise program to make sure the weight loss came.

Maybe a visit with your doc and a blood test could tell you if there are any extraneous variables at play.

Best of luck and Keep Fighting!
Rgrandy

I totally agree with this ParisMama!!!!
Second timer here... started back on the 2nd of last month and if seems to be like last time for me
I'm a 49 year old woman who works at a desk, not a lot of exercise during the week.
Yes, I do expect that my age will slow me down a little
But, I'll still be losing ;)
Maybe we just think about how easy it was like when we look back at childbirth
Seemed like it went fast and was easy-ish..... but it wasn't :D

Keep on plugging away

New medications (i.e., that you weren't on the last time you did low carb) can play a big role in how quickly you lose. I've also noted that most of the pre-fabricated low carb meals, treats, and meal replacements have a slightly higher carb content then one would need in induction.

That being said, this diet has worked for me just as well each of the 4 (this is my 4th and last time because it's forever now) times I've done it. I guess that means I need to change the word diet to WOE. :D

But you are losing some and that's awesome!! Keep it up.

I don't believe in the one shot theory.

I do believe that as we approach menopause, as you probably are in peri-meno, Sue333, things change radically to our hormones and metabolism. I think that you'll need to get really strict in your total intake and track it all to see where your calories are coming from.

You did lose some and but not what you lost last time. Welcome to my world of slow weight loss. :) You still lost!.... so get on with the losing and stop looking for reasons why it isn't working this time. Its working just not the same way as before.

Also, do try to find foods that you'll enjoy to eat when you get to maintenance so that you don't have this regain again. I have a sandwich once in a while....like once every few months and not daily but not never either. ;)

Well the ONE SHOT FOR dramatic weight loss well, kinda sorta, for strict atkins I kinda sorta believe it the very first time I tried low carb I didn't even have a book I just had instructions on what to eat what not to eat..... I lost 15 lbs in 2 weeks with some major cheats but I wasn't able to really sustain that lifestyle, same type of job I have now secretarial.

NOW it's slower on any diet but I have seen some dramatic weight losses here and there when I start 'THE PLAN" WHEN i STARTED weight watchers when I did the fat flush etc.

I think it all depends on your motivation.........this time I am seeing some VERY decent results and I am just doing basic low carb now following anyone's rules.

Good luck.

I think to the extent that there's any truth in the one golden shot rule, it's due to the Whoosh Fairy. First time I did Atkins, I lost weight rapidly--and got heart flutters, leg cramps, hypotension one day when I went for a walk in the hot sun--something that's never happened to me, however hot, however long the walk, any other time. So I went off the diet with a pile of potato. A bit of salt might have slowed down my weight loss and kept those symptoms from happening. That water/electrolyte loss has the potential to be dangerous in some cases, so an adaptation to keep that from happening makes sense. A lifetime of pretty much avoiding ketosis like the plague means that the body didn't have a chance to learn, not that it couldn't. A few years ago I went on a five day fast after some friends on the forum did the same. Here's what I saw--my friends lost more weight their first time fasting. If afterwards, they regained the weight lost fasting, and then fasted again, they were disappointed at the rate of weight loss. Since most of the weight lost was water the first time through, most of the decrease in weight lost must have been water. The body learns.

That must be pretty stressful for the body. It makes sense that the metabolism would learn to better manage its water and electrolytes the next time. That does seem to be what happened--later, if I ate the same way I did that first time on induction, I didn't get those symptoms.

Another side of this thing is the rebound weight gain when people go off the diet. If you lose a bunch of weight with strict calorie restriction on a "balanced" diet, everybody's familiar with the yo-yo effect, where you'll often end up fatter than you started. Low carb can make it easier to lose weight--but it doesn't seem to get rid of that yo-yo effect if you go back to the original diet. I don't think this is in any way particular to low carb--if your body "thinks" it should weight 170 pounds when eating the SAD, and you start eating the SAD when your body weighs 120 pounds, it's likely to not care how you got to be 120 pounds, it will "think" it's dangerously underweight, and just like in starvation/refeed experiments, there'll be an overshoot of fat storage to compensate for the suddenly perceived famine. It isn't that low carb=starvation mode as some critics claim, it's that a certain bodyweight+the SAD diet=starvation mode.

Never dieted. Never had a weight problem other than briefly being a chubby third grader until my last year of schooling in 2001-02. Gained 30 lbs over the course of the year due to inhumane work hours (100+ hours/week at times) and horrific eating as a result (after 16 hours on clinics and 5 hours until you have to be back, an entire box of Rice-a-Roni which will cook up after 20 minutes in the microwave unattended sounds like a winner for dinner). Spent all of 2003 30 lbs. overweight as a result.

The very first time I "did" Atkins in January 2004 it was, in the very least, "low"/moderate calorie as a poor, recently-out-of-school younger person with very limited funds for food as a direct result. I lost said 30 lbs in 3 months. Zero adverse side effect commonly reported/encountered on here. I was still using tobacco at the time (had since 1992) which no doubt helped by curbing snacking/hunger and driving metabolism. The weight stayed lost with the exception of a 5 lbs. creep due to increased muscle and fat mass (thank you, military APFT requirements!) over 31 months despite only vaguely following Atkins once I reached/determined my 'critical carb limit' in April/May 2004 (more like just general low carb with loosely keeping a rough running tally of carbs vs. obsession with tracking). Then in mid-2006 I quit using tobacco and gained ~45 lbs in five months despite no change in eating quality and only moderately in quantity beyond the first month quit.

When I turned back to Atkins and no doubt ate high/higher calorie tries 2-5 from 2007-2012 because I had grown accustomed to having money to spend on groceries, I gained and lost the same 20-25 lbs or so in the now-predictable trend of losing 1-4 lbs/month over 5-8 months and then gaining it all back in 1-2 months as soon as I quit obsessing over carb counts. Plus I have now added a solid extra 10-15 lbs on top of it all for my efforts over the years.

Two things I took home from my experiences with the wonderful wisdom of hindsight. First, calories absolutely count. Secondly, for me, I absolutely believe remaining on Induction levels of daily carbohydrate intake instead of starting to climb the ladder after two weeks each of those attempts (because the weight loss was so poor) was detrimental, not beneficial. So much so it has negatively impacted my metabolism/created "metabolic resistance" where there was none before.

As a side note, I also personally experienced multiple clinical signs attributable to low thyroid hormones T3/T4 while on low carb 2007-2012. They mostly resolved with thyroid hormone replacement in early 2013. They remain mostly resolved without medication now simply by eating at a much higher carb level than 20 grams/day. Go figure.

Point of posting? I think if one is mindful of calories from the outset and follows the diet as it was intended instead of staying on Induction levels of carb in perpetuity, it can work more than once.

I didn't subscribe to the "one golden shot" theory 10 years ago when it was all over message boards as an absolute, and still don't. Yes, the younger you are (particularly for women, our hormones go nuts as we age!) and the more of a jolt to your system this is could I suppose make a difference. And guess it was quasi-friendly advice meant to keep people from straying. But I never saw any particular reason for this theory that was very convincing.

I am currently trying to get back to 160, which took me a year to get to from 270 in 2002. Had slid off the plan (although have never gone back to anything close to the SAD) and gotten back up around 200 last year. Have been VERY strict, and after dropping 20 pounds in the first few months have been on an almost year-long stall, a pound or two making a permanent disappearance every couple of months. And I have found that I really don't CARE that much. I want to lose more, but by sticking to the plan I'm not gaining, I feel great and am far more healthy. Is it unfair that it's not flying off like last time?? Yeah, it sucks. But life is good, and I refuse to sweat the small stuff.

The first time I did low carb I did lose weight more easily, yes. However, I believe it is for two reasons: I was younger and since I was doing something new, I was more strict. I was eating from 20 to 30 g of carbohydrates a day. No wonder I lost weight fast. That was not sustainable for me and I left the diet after the fad wore off. After I came back to it, now my goal is to eat from 50 g to 100 g of carbohydrates a day. I am much happier, even though I lose weight more slowly.

I have noticed another thing: if I get off my low carb diet in a moment of weakness, I gain weight fast. When I get back on track, I lose the weight I gained rather fast too. Not as fast as how I gain it when I eat carbs, but fast enough for a former coworker to envy me when I told her how fast I gain and lose weight. She said it was my metabolism. I heard this is what happens to anybody who is on a low carb diet. I'm sorry I don't have the link to the study where I read that.