I think a good follow-up survey would be:

Did you belong to this forum during your previous attempts at low-carb?

This forum really helps me stay on track.

I don't think this forum existed during my first attempt. I'm pretty sure I started that one shortly before 9/11.

Reading this thread raises a question for me: what do people mean by going off the wagon? Is it a slow creeping of carbs back into the diet? Is it a wholesale return to former eating habits? Or something else?

Part of why I ask is that I've stalled for the past 2 weeks: no weight loss. I can't see any dietary change and have maintained pretty much (within daily fluctuations) food intake that is less than 2,000 cals/day, less than 70 g carb/day, and a breakdown of about 20%/50%/30% carb/fat/protein.

Kevy

I would just 'maintain' on anything more than 40 net grams carb a day, and if my protein was over 25% than I'd even stall out and possibly even GAIN a bit.

AND..there is the post induction stall. Meaning that after a couple weeks..you will not lose SCALE weight, you might lose inches.

But there was never a week in which I lost anything (even at 265 lbs. I"m 5' 1") if my carbs were over 30 to 35 net grams, and if my protein exceeded 25% and if my fat weren't at LEAST 65% (and keeping fat at 70% plus really made me shed weight FAST).

bumping for more poll results

THIS!!! This is what it always was. Now, I get freaky on myself, until I don't need that psychological boost. I must tell myself that I would rather die than eat it. In my later thirties, I just won't do it. I will keep to my current plan and *hopefully* will be scrumptiously curvy by my wedding date of October 13, 2012

I tried Atkins about 10 years ago based on an email that was widely circulated at the time. What I and many others got out of it was "Eat a lot of meat and no veggies. You'll feel bad for a while, then will lose weight like you won't believe." They were right about the feeling bad part.

This time around I read the book cover to cover and understood what I had been missing. Much better results this time.

How to count? If I eat the wrong thing or go over my carb or calorie count...I start over!

My first LC diet was Dr. Stillman's in the late 60s, then Atkins 72, then life got in the way, but I'd go back to LC, then diabetes got in the way, but back to LC, then autoimmune issues got in the way, back to LC, etc. etc.

When I'm not LC, I'm vegan -- when I stay a low- to moderate-carb vegan, I'd lose and feel great, but after awhile the carbs would hit the stratosphere, and I'd need to go back to LC to regain BG/insulin control.

I'm thinking of trying carb cycling -- that might satisfy both of my extremes :-)

IMO you don't count a brief interruption followed by a restart as a separate attempt. It's the same attempt, interrupted.

OK, I lost 60 low carbing in 2004 and maintained that until 2009. Down to 151. I think I had some unsuccessful retries to lose more in that time frame.

In 2009 (late 2008?) I tried WW at the insistence of my doctor. That opened the carb floodgates and I gained something like 20 lbs. (170ish) I went back to LC/induction, but only bounced from 168-172.

I went out on a back injury (i.e., no work) in 2011 and put on more weight (179). I had a few unsuccessful induction retries (same 5-6 lbs over and over) until I cut my calories as well as carbs: then I lost 19 lbs. (160) Relaxed into 'regular' LC eating (i.e, not restricting calories) and regained about 8 while sitting on my rear at home. More like lying down. I spent a few months doing induction off and on...and bounced from 168-172.

Still off work, and having major digestive problems (combo of inactivity, pain meds and no fiber I think), I've discovered eating vegetarian: bye bye digestive issues. BUT 3 days ago I hit 176.

So now I am on my umpteenth try. Low cal, but only lowish carb, as I still want to keep my vegetable intake high and protein low. We'll see how that pans out.

So, ICDogg, I think I've had about a dozen restarts. Instead of 1,000

Third time for me as well. Started first time back in 2003 (with support from this board) and got to goal two times and then slowly over time let the carbs creep back in. Third time to goal and so far I'm hanging in there.

As others have said, I learned more and more each time around and I am hoping and praying that I have learned enough to keep me successful for life this time!

Second time for me. I lost 100lbs in about 6 months in 2000, more or less maintained until 2006 when I got divorced and depressed. Actually, I still maintaining ok until I started dating my wife and eating was one of the things we enjoyed doing together Went totally off the reservation until August (I think) of 2011. Made up my mind to do it again, this time for life (I hope!). Lost the 40lbs I had regained in about 3 months.

Here's to hoping this is the last time!

This is my first low-carb diet. Given my satisfaction at being able to control my weight this way, I imagine that I will remain on a lower-carb diet for life. I twice had planned breaks from the diet for 2-3 weeks due to holidays - first time I did low-calorie instead and it worked well, the second time, I didn't limit anything, and found it very difficult to get back on track - it took 2-3 months in the end, and only happened after I cut out a trigger food - coffee. I didn't realise that the inclusion of a trigger food might sabotage me getting onto the diet, which was a bit silly in retrospect. I'll know in future.

This is the one and only diet I've ever tried and I would say I've stuck to it since I started. I've been LC for about 10 years. Over the past couple of years I allowed myself to eat junk when we'd go on vacation or during holiday seasons. I'd gain about 10lbs, go back to eating at right and lose 5-8lbs but wouldn't "worry" about the rest. I kept telling myself that it would come off in time but since I'd continue to eat at maintenance it wouldn't com off. Finally I was up 28lbs from my original goal size so I decided I needed to start fresh. So here I am, I had a few weeks of HC here and there but never really quit so I would have to say this is the first and only time I've been LC. I've also decided I want to lose another pant size from my original goal.

BTW, my goal weight really has nothing to do with the size I want to be, I'm just guessing that somebody my height and not LC would fit the clothes I want to fit when they are that weight, but since LC people tend to have more weight packed into a smaller size I don't really know what weight I'll be when I'm happy with my size.