I started CAD in mid March this year and have lost very slowly about 10 lbs,
I have recently read the Diet Revolution by Atkin's and was disappointed to see the bulk of the book devoted to protecting his WOE.
I am now curious to hear the reasons why people are leaving the LC diet, if that is possible, on this forum. I guess the only people participating in this forum are the one's committed to LC WOL...... like me.
The reason for my curiosity is that I have been on beta blockers, aspirin, and nitro-patches for a couple of years due to my previous angina attacks, and I don't want to get any additional side affects from LC. WOL.
I doubt anybody that quits LC will still be reading this forum, however I am interested to hear from anybody.

hi,

You wanted to know why some people quit, well I was on the atkins diet before and lost 45 pounds and thought I looked good and could go back to my normal style of eating. Well that thought was wrong as in 2 years I gained back the 45 and about 20 more, so now i'm trying it again. It also can get frustrating with not being able to eat the foods you love like pasta, bread and potatoes, but i keep seeing that there is now low-carb breads and such its just a matter of finding them in ontario. Well wish me luck.

Hi jomil,

I know what you mean about Atkins book. If you ignore it, the bones of low-carbing are still there. Have you read Protein Power? The authors actually say it's not easy and give suggestions and encouragement.

This is a great question. You should also post it in the Daily Low Carber forum where more people will have a chance to contemplate it.

I do not intend to stop this WOL. I've made to much progress to ever want to go back to my old ways of thinking and eating. After watching people come and go for quite a while on this forum and replying to many posts, I think I can answer it.

Top 10 Reasons for Leaving a LC WOE...

• 
  1. Viewing the WOE as a diet instead of a way to learn new eating habits. Something you can stop doing when you’ve lost weight and go back to your old eating habits
  2. Not researching this WOE thoroughly before beginning. People say they've tried it but it doesn't work. They've never read a book, or committed to changing their eating habits
  3. Carb addiction, which can be as serious as being an alcoholic or a drug addict. The pull of addiction will not go away unless you work on yourself. Self examination is crucial if you're an addict.
  4. Peer group pressure.
  5. Pressure from the medical community
  6. Lack of community support. Everybody wants to feel like they belong to a community. Eating low-carb can certainly make it seem like you are outside of a community.
  7. Perceived lack of variety in eating choices.
  8. Unwillingness to change or look upon the WOE as a learning experience. To quote Einstein: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results
  9. Expecting instant results. Comparing your results to someone else's and thinking the WOE is not working for you
  10. Being tired, bored or lonely

I am curious though jomil, why do you think people leave the WOE?

Karen

Thanks Julia for picking up on my question that I posted on June 24th.
Thanks Karen for your detailed comments, and your useful suggestion of posting this thread on the other Forum which I don't know how to change without having to retype the whole thing.
My original reason for asking this question was to establish whether any of the members of LC dieting that where taking medication for their angina, had had side effects on this low carb., high protein and fat diet, which necessitated them to drop from this WOE lifestyle.
I certainly would find it difficult to approach any cardiologists with this question, as the medical profession in general seem to frown on this WOL.
I do agree that this is not to be expected as a short term diet, but as a lifetime WOL.
I believe that the majority of the new member of this Forum expect to go back to their original way of eating and maintain their lowered weight. I am certainly convinced that this cannot be done,
I will read Power Protein as you suggest Karen, and see if the writers spend most of the book space protecting their theory against the medical profession (aka Atkins) or give you the plain unvarnished facts.
Personally I have been stalled at 187/188 lbs. for the last six weeks, but I cannot honestly blame the LC diet, because I don't count every single carb. each day.
I want to be able to eat my meals instinctively knowing what is the right and wrong foods to eat, and how much of it can be consumed, without having to look up each item in a chart or reference book. To me that would represent the ultimate WOL.
Regards
Joe

Hi jomil,

I read ASDLC frequently and there are many success stories of cholesterol coming in to balance after following this WOE for a while. Initially with some people, it seems to spike, then settles down. I wish that I had more solid facts to comfort you.

When I first started this WOE, I made a list of things that I liked to eat from the lists in Protein Power with the portions and carb counts beside them. I kept one on the fridge and one at work. This was how I "constructed" my meals. After a few months of doing this and keeping a journal, it became second nature. I will be celebrating my 2 year LC anniversary at the end of July.

Have you considered switching to a lower carb WOE? Sometimes a change is better...

If you ask Doreen, she can probably move your thread to the Daily Low Carber Forum.

Karen

Wow the power of suggestion by Karen!
When I returned to read the LC Forum this evening, low and behold this thread had moved to the regular Forum as if by magic, or Doreen? (Which I thank you, if so.)
I think that your ideas for writing little notes giving sizes and carbs is great. I will proceed to do this soonest.
Meanwhile I might try your thoughts about going to a LOWER carb WOE.... but I cannot give up as yet that daily single slice of toasted Dimpflmier Monastery Bread (cut in two) containing a 1 oz. slice of old cheddar cheese, plus my morning fresh ground- bean coffee with a tablespoon of 10% cream and a teaspoon of sugar. This is my only indulgence each day. The rest of the day I follow the atkins WOL pretty religiously, I think.
Regards
Joe
P.S. I wish I was living closer to join you all at the Vancouver BBQ.

The magic of Doreen, for which we are all grateful.

Ahhhhhh! Dimpfilmier bread! Toasted no less!

I have a theory about eating food, or eating it in a way that binds you to your old self. In weight loss, you are literally creating a new body, a new you. This is where I've really seen that my mind and body cannot be separated.

When I eat in an way that has nothing to do with physical hunger, my weight will remain the same. I may be under or at my carb allowance for the day, but it doesn't make any difference. When I indulge in LC sweets, out of blind craving, the same thing happens.

Joe, all you Ontario guys should get a Magic Low-Carb bus together and drive it to Vancouver, spreading the LC word through Canada. Wouldn't that be a hoot!

Shades of Tom Wolfe! You're either on the bus, or off the bus!

Karen

Karen when I re-read your comments, I find them very philosophical.
And..... what's so bad with Dimpfilmier Toast? It can't be more than 10 gms. of carb. It's still much lower than the 30 carb. bagels that I use to devour each morning.
But, on further contemplation of your comments, the ideal situation would be to completely chuck out the previous eating habits and start anew.
How many new conscripts to the Atkins WOE would have the will power to do this?
After reading many of the new members questions, I firmly believe that very few would be able to cut out their old ways of eating on a permanent basis.
How many members will give up their so called health bars that contain chocolate flavours. How many will stop eating their high carb heritage foods?
Everybody has a script written in to their lives and will find it next to impossible to "start a new body".
Regards
Joe
P.S. - Please don't read the above and assume that I am against this diet, because I think that this is the ultimate way of losing weight....no matter how long it takes.

Hi Joe,

Nothing is wrong with Dimpfilmier toast. It just took me back about 25 years to when I lived in Waterloo. It was nice to experience it again in memory. Ahhhhh...such a great taste, smell and texture.

I'll assume that a great majority who want to take on this way of eating is an addict.

Alcohol can be addictive and it's not necessary to consume it to live. Narcotics can be addictive and it's not necessary to consume them to live. Sugar can be addictive and it's not necessary to consume it to live.

Why do these substances have so much pull and attraction for us? Because we've become addicted to them. A phrase from 12 step programs crosses my mind - food/alcohol/narcotics; cunning, baffling, powerful. Look at all the people who when they consume carbs while on this WOE instantly regret it, feel guilty and ashamed. They will say they don't know why they did it. They couldn't help it, will never do it again etc. It is exactly the same as an alcoholic or a junkie who is trying to give it up talking. What makes it OK is that it's socially acceptable to drink 7-11 Slushies while driving in your car.

I agree that it would be (and is) very hard for most people to give up their old eating habits, because they have to shed their old selves along with it. In the written script of our lives, each day becomes the past, it's not the future unless you write yourself in as the fat lady singing.

Joe, I'm really enjoying this discussion with you and ruminating on and questioning the low-carb experience. Thanks!

Karen

well i'm certainly not the philosophers that you guys are! i did want to mention though, that most lowcarbers do give up their old ways of eating. cut the sugar, bread, pasta and potatoes right out of their lives. as karen said, for many people carbs are an addiction. i know that i'm a carb addict. one slice of good bread would make me want the whole loaf. 1 piece of chocolate! never!!! i like to eat chocolate until i feel sick! i'm really pathetic when it come to carbs. i'm irish/italian, so i'd eaten pasta and potatoes all my life. i've been lowcarbing for over 2 years now and i really don't miss my old carbs! i also don't go in for the fakes very often because they set me off on a binge! i'm just telling you this to let you know that it can be done! if a carb junkie like me can do it, anyone can!

Hi everyone

Have to put my pennyworth in.

I started this WOE in May just two months ago. There are days when I can't believe how much my life has changed. Internally my attitudes, mood swings, mental state, energy levels are so different that it is of itself bringing about (albeit slowly) external changes that seem almost miraculous.

To give you an example I lost touch with a really good friend of mine who I really missed from time to time but was too angry to approach for about 7 years. But I always remembered her birthday and when it came round this time I sent her a card. She immediately wrote to me asking for my phone number (it had changed). We have since seen each other 3 times (she lives about 70 miles away so that is quite a feat in two short months) and spoken on the phone a lot more. The relationship (I won't pretend everything is hunky dory and all the tension/anger has melted away) is coming alive and it makes me feel really good that we are getting closer. And all because my mood was stable long enough at "Happy" and "Joyous" for me to send her a card.

That is just one of five relationships which are on a healing path (in varying degrees) for me.

I was a total carb addict and have had occasional moments when I do long for the psychological comfort that I had come to associate with carb foods for many years - especially at that time of the month or when any kind of disappointment hit me. As Dr Atkins says in his book "It’s not the sign of a weak character, it’s the sign of a chemical compulsion. Having successfully passed Phase I – the Maximum Fat-Burning Phase – choose NOT to celebrate reaching your ideal weight by downing ice cream, choclate chip cookes and other assorted sugar dainties. That is the best way to reactivate an addiction. The human body was not meant to consume sugar the way we do. The chemical addiction is entirely real. Like an alcoholic it can only be dealt with by complete abstinence. "

That para really struck a chord with me because I had passed judgment on myself for being weak and self-indulgent and amased a huge burden of guilt and shame and secret self-hatred for many years while pretending to live a normal "happy" life.

Check! I'm carrying on too long.

Hi Fiona and Debbie,

That's a wonderful story Fiona! I thought I was the only one out there who had similar experiences. Deb, I would like to believe that low-carbers give up there old way of eating, but I can't when I find so many people hopping on and off this board, looking for a quick fix.

I never realized what an addict I was until I stopped consuming carbs. I still go on binges, but I would never go back to the way I was. It's like the WOL has given me a new lease on life. You're right Fiona. It is a miracle.

Karen

Thanks Karen.

One of the things I used to do was not talk honestly about how I really felt. As you say you don't realise how much of an addict you are until you give up and experience life differently. The isolation of thinking "I'm the only one" is a pretty painful and demoralising one.

Hopefully some carb-addict may be inspired and helped. It all seems such needless suffering now.
Take care.

Wow, what a wonderful participation from Fiona, Debbie and Karen on the subject of carb addiction.
I hate the reference to the word "addiction". To me it represents most things that effect your well being in a bad way. And I agree that certain things should not be touched if your addicted, ie: liquor, drugs, and cigarettes. But I fail to see how carbs fall into that category.
Can you honestly say that moderation in carb. consumption is really bad? Are you certain that If you continue on a maximum 20 to 60 gram carb. diet the rest of your life, that there will be no ill effects? Does anybody really know what a minimum carb diet should be to stay healthy?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
Regards
Joe
P.S.- I was certainly delighted to hear about the many healthy results reported above, that have been accomplished by sticking to the LC WOL.
I am going to continue on this charted road towards losing weight, and hopefully wean my self off the beta blocker. aspirin. and nitro patch which is required to reduce my hypertension.

Hi Jomil

<<word "addiction". To me it represents most things that effect your well being in a bad way. >>

For many years I worked on addictions. Gave up coffee (caffiene), tea (tanin), emotional responses to situations, tried hard and failed to cut down on sugar/choclates, refused to take drugs for depression but things just got worse.

My relationships were failing, my confidence was at an all-time low; my work was suffering; my moods were swinging all over the place. I was happy and enthusiastic when I woke up but (with hindsight) after a high-carb breakfast I was down again never quite understanding why I had suddenly lost my joy. Winter was just one long depression when I basically went through the motions of existing. I'd say that was affecting my well being in a bad way, wouldn't you? I'd just never known there was a thing called carb-addiction. In fact if things hadn't got as desperate as they did I probably wouldn't have considered giving up vegetarianism. I was ready to try ANYTHING.

It all got better and is getting better still with every passing day of low-carbing.