Here's the "mistakes" I have made and have found out and corrected for:

1) Do the math on the labels - especially for "low carb" products. I have a glycemic reaction to malitol and glycerine. If it creates calories... it needs to be counted. I therefore compute the calories from fat (grams of fat times 9), then add the calories from protein (grams of protein times 4) and then subtract this total from the total calories per serving... leaving the remaining calories that must be coming from CARBS. Divide this total by 4 and you have the REAL carb count per serving for this product. So...doing this.... an Atkins Advantage Bar (chocolate peanut butter bar) has 14 CARBS! not a net of 2 grams as indicated on the label. Until I am on maintenance... I can't afford to waste 14 grams of carbs on just one small item. I know that I have a reaction to them - not only because when I am using them do I stall - but also I recently went on a long cross country airplane trip... and used an Atkins Advantage bar to substitute for the HORRIBLE options I had in the airports and on the plane... as soon as I returned to my normal way of eating (true low carb)... I had a horrible carb withdrawal headache experience.

2) Occassional sugar free treats are okay - so long as they are not daily and I include ALL the carbs contained there in (see 1. above). I do better if I stay away from them... but I can still lose with an occassional legal treat... and heck... I want to enjoy eating so I do permit this - but only about twice per week - usually on the weekend.

3) HIDDEN carbs. I now use Fitday religiously. It serves two purposes... awareness of what I am eating and forces me to plan... and ... I truly see what my calories, fat, and CARBS are for each day. I tell the truth there... good or bad... and I know what the results are. I used to think eggs were 0 carbs, cream was 0 carbs, cheese was 0 carbs,... had no idea my 10 or 12 cups of coffee had carbs... you see the picture here. I have since cut my coffe down to 1 very large mug in the morning... and I account for all the "other" carbs. Huge difference... and was probably the most effective adjustment I have made to my WOE that got me back to losing.

4) Supplements Invest in really good quality supplements and take them religiously. I take Atkins Basic #3, Atkins Essential Oils... and if I were to go simple with supplements... this would be my minimum. However, I also take L-Carnitine, Chromium Picolinate, C0Q10, Tyrosine, and a calcium supplement. It's alot of pills - but I spread them out throughout the day - and I noticed another leap in loss since I began that regimen.

5) Don't fall prey to our old low fat thinking. I upped my fat intake as a total percentage of what I was eating - and I again lost more weight. I also feel more satisfied when eating more fat and thus actually eat less of the other items.

6) Be mindful of calories I can lose weight on much more calories with this WOE than I ever could on a low fat - calorie restricted diet - but it is not without some limit. I find I lose BEST if I keep my calories around 1,300 (2 lbs a week average). I can lose well on a 1,500 a day (1 lb a week average). I lose VERY SLOWLY on 1,600 a day (1/2 lb or less per week average). I maintain at 2,000 (no weight loss - but no gain either).

7) Keep learning. This is a personal journey for each of us. Our "machines" are all wired differently... and we have to find what works for us. I have come to view this as an experiment... try something... evaluate the results... and then act according to that new information.

Good post... sorry my response was so long... but I have learned alot so far... and expect to learn lots more.