With all the talk around here lately about super low carb and no carb food plans, I wonder just how many people actually have success with them and get to their goal weights.

It appears to me thorugh my reading here, that atkins and SB are v ery similar in maintenance but differ at the start(induction and phase I) and OWL and phase II. They become more similar in Maintenance and Phase III.

For me, I would not have been able to sustain a M&E type food plan for almost 2 yrs to lose my weight. Nor a Paleo or other no carb plan. I enjoy and do well eating veggies and fruit.

I'm very curious about other people who have had success with their chosen plan. Who has had success getting to goal and staying there on M&E or other no carb plans? Who has had success on low or controlled carb plans?

In the end, its the success at getting to our goal weight and maintaining it with health and vigor, that counts.

*crickets chirping*

Okay, in all seriousness... I've wondered the same thing, Judy. I'm all for trying new things. I've done a zillion different variations on LC, even the total carnivore involuntarily, when I've been snowed in or just too lazy to prepare veggies. But I'm amazed at how people are impressed by a concept that really doesn't have a track record. And no, I'm sorry, but one person claiming to have done it for decades isn't good enough for me. My definition of a plan "working" is strict: it includes (but is not limited to) overall health, ability to maintain a normal social life, enjoyment of food, and long-term sustainability. I will be impressed with the no-carb thing only after I see people posting here in the maintenance forum for a few YEARS.

My successful plan is still Protein Power, even though, as I mentioned, I've tried variations for different reasons, and for specific purposes, like changing my eating with the seasons, to cover harder workouts, or to give myself a "reality check" after straying off plan. Variation doesn't necessarily mean quitting or plan hopping, especially with a plan like PP which is sort of a design-your-own plan.

Great post Kristine.

I think what I have been doing is following Atkins OWL for the most part, and going back to an "almost Induction" when cravings start to get the better of me (like now). For me, that will be meat, eggs, LC veggies (salad, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, etc.), nuts, berries and ricotta cheese. So the berries, ricotta, nuts, and extra cheese are where I vary from strict induction.

I have found it very hard to increase carbs in some planned way, to really determine what my personal carb level is. Maybe that is because my level is pretty low, and every time I start to add some extra carbs my weight jumps up. Maybe it is because the extra carbs cause cravings, and that leads to out-of-control eating on my part. Or perhaps I haven't done things correctly, slowly enough or whatever, to allow my body to adapt and accept it. Whatever the reasons, I am frequently having to go back to this "almost induction" state to curb weight gain.

This causes a dilemma for me as I don't really feel like I am in maintenance. But since I have been holding my weight between 120 and 130 for more than a year, I figure that is a kind of maintenance.

Just recently I tried doing meat and eggs. I did it for three days, and I have to admit that I didn't have cravings or feel the need to snack in the evenings, which I constantly have to battle. But I don't think my weight reacted any differently by doing that, then it does when I go back to my "almost induction". And it was rather boring, I'd rather be able to eat my veggies and cheese, thank you very much.

I have been following some of the M&E discussions, but mostly use my "don't read it if you don't care about it" and "don't reply if you have nothing to add" strategies.
I have been on CALP for almost 3 years. I have no plans to change, or to eat differently. My plan meets all of Kristine's criteria: great health, good social life , enjoyment of food, and sustainability. I eat a tremendous amount of vegies, and wheat and grains and dairy. I know that there are very few of us on CALP, but after reading many LC books and knowing my body and my style of eating and life, this worked for me. I am a "by the book" kind of person, and am lucky that I have been so successful on CALP. I have not done any other plan, and was not on any type of weight loss plan for over 20 years. My goal was to normalize my CRP and lipids, and I have done that. Feeling so good on CALP has made it easier to stay OP.The weight loss and wearing a size 6 has been a bonus!
E

Atkins maintenance works wonderfully for me...I adore veggies and eat them with abandon...the idea of eating just meat and eggs kinda makes me feel sick to my stomach...it feels so limiting and boring...but thats just me...

I have no idea what I would call my plan nowadays. I can't say "atkins" because I don't do the "5 gram incraments". I don't care what my carb level is either. I am kind of like treefrog in that I eat induction foods plus nuts, berries, hood milk, and the odd apple/pear which I share with my son. I am not a HUGE veggie eater, but I try to get at very least two-three servings in per day. I eat on average 5-30 carbs most days.


I eat NO wheat products.
I eat NO soy (except infrequent tiny amounts of veg oil)
I eat NO trans fats.

As far as my health goes, I have developed an elevated bp in the last year. (I have been LC for 3) I am not absolutly convinced that it is diet related becasue wouldn't it have been a problem in the first two years? I have been rotating the foods in attempts rule out a food sensitivity(AA). Could just be nerves. I am graduating with a bachelors in nursing in less than a month. Or it could be that I am in my early 30's now and I have inhereted the family curse. (everybody has it, and dies from it) My brother is only a year older than me and has HBP in the 190's. I average 110-145/65-80. I find it completely unacceptable to have readings in the 140's. Who knows, I could be a whole lot worse off if not for LC

Good thread, Judy! For me, it's been Atkins. I will have been on Atkins for a year in May and I can honestly say that it is now a way-of-life for me. I do not, however, eat wheat products except on very rare occassions because DH has Celiac Disease and I try to support him in his dietary needs.

I do, however, enjoy my LC veggies and recipes. And I an consistently maintaining my weight loss.

I love meat - I've always been a meat eater. But take my veggies away from me and I'd probably OD on mashed cauli. You'd find me on the street corner, asking for change so I can buy more ingredients for mashed cauli.

I've got to have a little variety - I'm too easily bored with food. Eliminating all but one of the major food groups just isn't an option for me.



This made me laugh out loud!

I am staying on plan which for me is a combination of PP & Atkins. I enjoy my fruit too much to ever give it up. I was thinking of M & E for a few days to break my stall but could not give up my daily yogurt and fruit.

My thought is to each its own. What ever works for you. But for me I need variety in my life, I can get bored too easy.

" But take my veggies away from me and I'd probably OD on mashed cauli. You'd find me on the street corner, asking for change so I can buy more ingredients for mashed cauli. "

I laughed so hard I snorted my tea out my nose...Girl..Id be right there on the corner with you!

I'd do the same Sharon.....but not long term. I too, get bored quickly without alot of variety in my diet. I've used carb cycling to break out of stalls.

Leslie, I'm right there with you on the mashed cauliflower. I used to hate the stuff and now its one of my very favorites. I make it like garlic mashed

I obviously follow South Beach and I do alot of tweaking.
1-South Beach asks us to include beans/legumes twice a day, I don't do this as I eat hummus sometimes and chili sometimes but not all the time.
2-SB asks us to eat grains/starch 2-3 times a day in phase II, I ate them 2-3 times a week while still in weight loss mode. Now I eat whole grain crackers once or twice a day....whole grain bread as a treat once in a while.....dreamfields pasta once a week. Brown rice now instead of white.
3- I eat lots of veggies and I do not measure, I eat until I'm feeling satisfied.
4- I eat fruit 2-3 times a day.
5- I eat protein, obviously, lots of wild salmon, chicken breast is always in my fridge ready to eat, hard boiled eggs always ready to eat.
6- nuts and seeds once a twice a day and I do practice portion control.
7- yogurt each morning with a tbsp of flaxseed meal.

I try to avoid wheat and gluten as much as possible. I buy Ezekiel flourless bread. I've found these rice bran crackers that work for me.

I went out to eat last night ....chinese I'm going to have to pay for that meal for the next couple of days from the increase I saw on the scale this morning.. It was worth it but I cannot eat that food all the time. But we have to live and be social!!!

I see the M/E fasting as simply one of the trends that spurred from LCing dieting....basically, an extreme under the guise of forcing weight off faster.

By all means, there are exceptions -- doing so under the supervision of a doctor, eating parts of an animal that would replace the nutriants healthy carbs would give.

Overall....perhaps for a few days to break a stall at a last resort, but long term? Uh, no.

When I first started LCing, one of the things I did was listen to those who had been doing it for awhile, which I feel was a large factor in weight loss mode going pretty smoothly for me. I knew in advance what not to do -- and M/E fasts or "diets" was one of them. I watched ALOT of people try it long term, and I followed their progress. They all had trouble, especially when hitting maintenance mode, if they hit maintenance at all.

I've never done the M/E myself, but I have lowered my carbs down to 10-15 before. Yeah, it kicked my appetite down to nothing, and I could, really, live that way long term, as there are few veggies that I like and I don't have to have fruit....but after a week, I sure felt like crap, no doubt depriving my body of nutriants.

I researched a variety of LC plans and chose PPLP because it best fit my eating perferences and my weight/health goals. I don't regret it, I'm happy with it, wouldn't consider switching.

I have to add this, from reading the M & E thread I find that many of them cheat and often. I believe this is because they do not have a big variety and they get bored or are so restricted they end up cheating.

Doing other plans such things as having a bar or LC ice cream or SF candy is okay as long as you allow for it carb wise, it is not considered a cheat. This is an more livable enjoyable lifestyle.

The people I watched struggled with getting off the fast....mentally developed a fear of all carbs, and physically had problems adding them back in without weight gain/bloating. Nutricianal deficiencies -- posted a lot about additional supplements. THEN they cheated. THEN, they disappeared. LOL.

I think a lot of this is because of the lack of variety, yes. However, I think this is also alot like a starvation mode -- losing weight like this long term, the body gets starved for nutriants and will lock on to fat/water as soon as one tries to return to eating "normally", and eventually, hunger/cravings will kick in resulting in a binge.

Yes Lori!!! I've been calling it "carbphobia".

I tried eating M/E. The first time i lasted 3 days and the second time i lasted 10 days. I will say it took away my cravings and my hunger. The non-variety is enough to kill ya though. Even though i had no actual cravings, i did feel bored out of my mind, especially with my son and hubby on Atkins and having to cook them their veggies every night and watching them eat protein bars and LC fudsicles and losing faster than i was!!
I realized that i need something thats doable for LIFE. This isnt a diet, its a WOL! Variety is the spice of life. Bear is RIGHT about acculturation. We are used to variety. Its hard enough giving up all the white flour products, breads, pastas, sugar, candy, cookies etc...let alone giving up all nuts, veggies and fruits. It was pretty much like torture to me! I ate a slice of apple yesterday..my first fruit in 52 days and i must say it was HEAVENLY!! lol
Grains dont agree with me at all so i really have no intention of ever adding them back into my diet. What i feel will work in maintenance and long term for me is the following: meat, fish, eggs, veggies, fruit, berries, nuts, butter, cream and possibly cheese..im wavering on the cheese though! I know i am very carb sensitive and have some insulin resistance. i spent way too many years as a carb addict. I do believe there is a huge difference between carbs found in veggies, fruit and nuts vs. carbs found in white bread, pasta noodles and reeses peanut butter cups! I am also trying to stay away from artificial sweetners because i know they are FAKE and just not good for me in any way. I do drink 1-2 cups of coffee in the morning with heavy cream, and i drink water and green tea the rest of the day! (i suppose i SHOULD try giving up my coffee..and will work on that)
I love the support on this board and love learning from others experiences! Thanks all for sharing!