Be honest

I think so many people are able to succeed on low-carb due to a lot of psychological factors, each of which is essential. For one thing, although it requires us to give up foods that we like and in many cases are physically addicted to, it also allows us to replace those with other foods that are also really delicious and filling - and many things that other diets (like low-fat plans) would make us give up, we can still eat! We never have to go hungry for a moment (as with low-calorie or portion-restriction plans). And, what I think is arguably the most important element: it allows us to see at least *some* results so quickly that we don't get discouraged and give up a few days or weeks in.

So I've become very skeptical of all the "other" diets out there - including the Jenny Craig, shopping-mall-location types of plans. I've seen so many people who have lost weight on those expensive diets, only to put it all back on and then some. I have one co-worker who will tell you that the only plan that has ever worked for her is Weight Watchers, she lost lots of weight on that one, and that's why she's going to use Weight Watchers again now that she's regained everything she lost a few years ago.

Huh?

To me, the fundamental flaw in every other form of "diet" is that you simply can't do it forever. It is either impractical, or too expensive, or costs your system nutrition that you can't live without on a prolonged basis, or deprives you of eating normal, good tasting foods to an impractical and unliveable degree. And, as the saying goes, even if you reach goal, once you start eating "normal" again ... there goes the weight loss. The only people I know who have lost a lot of weight and kept it off without low-carb, are those who have had surgery for weight loss.

Do you know anyone who has achieved and sustained considerable weight loss on plans that are not low-carb based? What do you think of other plans that are out there?

I think they're a gigantic waste of time and energy.

ANY plan is a "diet" if you treat it as something you can be "done" with and go back to eating "normal" again. Period.

I know quite a few people who've managed to take weight off and maintain on other plans. My friend Elaine did WW, and she's maintained her 50-lb loss for more than 3 years and still going. She has committed herself to healthy eating and exercise, and her overall health is great.

Personally, I think if other plans work for you, then...AWESOME! To be honest, I'd love to be able to do a low-fat diet and have tons of fruit and an occasional bagel. But I can't, so I don't! I love the feeling of self-control I get from low-carbing. I normally have really bad cravings and unstable blood sugar, so low-carbing is perfect for me. I do realize, however, that it's not for everyone, and for some people WW or others is better.

I too have known quite a few people that have gone on various diets and kept the weight off.
I think the key to any maintaining is still exersize and potion control.
If you go back to eating junk on any diet you will gain.For me thinking i will never be able to have fruit again is just not posible.Once i get down to my goal weight I can treat myself anytime as long as i maintain exersize and don't over do the foods.

Look what Richard Simmons has done for people

My wife and I were doing a LC diet together since the summer. First we did a not very strict plan and then we switched to straight Atkins. We both lost 30-40lbs. After how badly we felt the last time we cheated my wife decided that she didn't want to be on a diet where she couldn't cheat without feeling terrible (I decided to just not cheat that often.) Also she started getting extremely bad psoriasis at about the same time we started the diet (complete with arthritis in one finger.) She was worried that the psoriasis might be caused by the diet. I on the other hand LOVE this diet. So I am still on Atkins while she is on Weight Watchers. I don't blame her for trying another diet because if she didn't she would always wonder if a change in diet could help her.

Anyway, she has been on it for a week and now she has a real nasty cold and feels awful. Maybe it is unrelated but this is the first cold she had gotten in over a year. Well I wish her luck but I am sticking with what works for me. I am loosing weight and have tons more energy than I ever have had in my life! Hopefully once she gets over the cold she will continue to loose weight and feel as good as I do.

I know several people that have lost weight on other diets and kept it off, most close to home my mom who lost loads going vegan.

That said I beleive low carb is healthier, and I feel we need to realise this is not just about weight.

Luke, I was thinking more or less the same thing. I have read a number of stories from people who lost weight on low fat/high carb plans only to develop diabetes and/or heart disease as a result of the high refined carb intakes many of those plans encourage.
Many plans can accomplish the goal of weight loss, but once you get to your goal weight, it's not about weight loss any longer, but about being as healthy as you can be and lowering your risk for diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. On those counts, I personally think that low carbing wins hands-down.

I definately agree that low-carb is a superior plan. Out of curiosity, I asked my WW friend what she generally ate in a day. She said lean meats, lowfat dairy, tons of low-starch veggies, fruit and smaller portions of whole grains, with only an occasional "treat". She doesn't eat a lot of the WW products or a lot of desserts, but does occasionally "bank" points if she knows there's an occasion coming up. She'll have her special meal, then go right back to the plan. Her husband has been exercising with her, she figures they walk a couple miles a day. He's also lost 30 lbs, and his doctor took him off his bp meds.

It looks to me like the reason it works for them is it's a lifestyle change. She also doesn't seem to fall into the "because it's fat-free, I can eat the whole box" trap. I think that's the trick.

Actually, the way she described her eating, it sounds like SB or even the pre-maintenance stage of Atkins to me.

This is a fascinating subject to me. BTW, JennLynn - I certainly didn't mean with my initial post that people shouldn't do what works for them. I guess kind of what I was getting at is that it seems to me (and this is not scientific, just anecdotal) that low-carb is one of the extremely few (if not only) plans that DO work for most people.

When I was growing up, we had a group of ladies in my mother's sunday school circle who were significantly overweight. They tried everything, and I do mean everything. When Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig opened their doors in my hometown, this group of women were the first to walk in. They rode the phen/fen wave with great gusto. Several of them had gastric bypass during the 80's when it was first becoming the big thing to do, and a couple of those (amazingly) STILL managed to gain all their weight back despite the staples in their stomachs.

Not that this by any means makes me an expert on all dietary methods, but I did have a front row seat for the roller coaster rides that some of them produce. Only two of the women ever achieved permanent weight loss: my mother on Atkins, and one who had gastric bypass and has maintained her weight loss for fifteen years.

So, I was just curious about what other people thought. I realize that simply by virtue of being on this board, many of us will be predisposed to think low-carb is the way to go. But I am worried about my co-worker who's planning to do WW *again*. She has heart disease in her family, and as we all know, one of the worst things you can do for your health is go up and down and up and down with your weight.

I don't think I could convince her to do Atkins. There are just a lot of people out there who are convinced that they will drop dead without potatos and pasta. But, that's what started me thinking about this.

Believe it or not, this isn't all that uncommon. Someone in my workplace is going through this very thing. She lost a tremendous amount of weight after gastric bypass surgery and even had the abdominoplasty to remove the excess skin. Now, she's slowly regaining everything she lost.
If you really think about it, WLS forces the patient to eat very little for a prolonged period of time (several months at least). If you don't think that will seriously wreck your metabolism, think again. I'm honestly surprised that as many manage to keep the weight off as they seem to claim.

I browse this board mostly to help my husband, as he's a low carber (or was) - I followed a modified BFL plan and have almost 200 carbs a day, not including the 30-40 grams of fiber - so maybe 150 'net' (just finished a giant bowl of oatmeal with whey!). Of course, these are 'good' carbs (whole grains, veggies, etc) ..

Anyways, am having no problems maintaining a 45 pound weight loss, my blood pressure is outrageously low and so is my cholesterol. My good cholesterol is high, bad cholesterol very low - might have something to do with two bowls of oatmeal a day. LOL.

I could not maintain a low carb lifestyle - it's just not for me. I think an earlier poster is correct -there's a difference between a ' eat good carbs, skip sugar/white flour, eat lean meats etc' and 'I can eat this whole box of snackwells because it's fat free'. LOL!

i think other ways of eating can certainly work, and personally, i don't know anyone that gained or yo yo'd doing low fat, it was more of a falling of the wagon thing from cravings, hunger, and poor impulse control. the major advantage i see to atkins is that the hunger often times disappear giving a superior edge to controlling eating and sticking with the plan. i'm sitting here right now with my stomach rumbling (a rare occurance i assure you! lol!) and with no desire to eat. lovely. the major knockdown of constant cravings has really helped me to stick with this and build determination to reach my goal. i've done low fat and slim fast and was hungry and craving all the time. i did lose weight, but at times it was perfectly miserable and i didn't really get to eat anything good like i do now.

I have seen people lose weight and keep it off on other types of eating plans (weight watchers, etc. or just generally low fat).

Not everything works for everyone, and I would never want to push LC on anyone (having been on the other side where someone was pushing low fat onto me). However, if people are interested I am sure to take the time to educate them on what I actually eat on low carb. People are usually quite suprised my diet is as balanced as it is.

I generally eat meat, eggs, cheese, and veggies with few to no LC "convenience" or "snack" foods. I dont feel I need them b/c I am satisfied with what I am eating. Low fat never worked for me because I was always hungry and then would eat a box of low fat cookies with the rationalization that they were low fat so they must be "healthy" or at least not bad for me.
I couldnt understand why I was gaining weight.

I am full and satisfied easier and for longer on LC so I dont really snack, and when I do it isnt something loaded with sugar.

My point is, many "diets" or eating plans will probably work. But not everything works for everyone, and generally the diet (or whatever) has to be balanced to work at all. I dont think I'm missing anything from not eating bread or sugar that my vitamins dont give me and I have certainly gained alot health-wise by eating the LC way!

150 "net" carbs is extremelly low still in comparison to what the average person eats.

How many fat Mesai and Eskimo do you see (the ones who in their traditional maner)? How many people with weight problems do you see lose and maintain in a healthy fashion with the low-fat-calorie-restriction (LFCR) method? Can't think of any that I know personally. For most people, LFCR dieting Is a constant struggle with hunger and powerful cravings, which is almost always lost in the end.

The high-fat, high-protein and low fat diets the way to go. Satiety and freedom from ravenous, uncontrollable desire to gorge are its hallmarks. But alas, the lense of society, prevents most people with weight problems partaking of this glorious way of eating.