Thanks for the replies Karen and Razzle. I agree with everything you've said. I do get exasperated, though. I qualify for a slow metabolism by every single one of your criteria Razzle!

Allison

Thanks for this Karen. And please tell more. I started Atkins on Jan 22 and have been almost perfect for induction. The one time I ate a cookie (Valentine's Day), I noticed the next day the sugar cravings were really knocking on my door. And this past week it was there again just for the fun of it. Is this the death throes of my sugar fang (overgrown sweet tooth) or what? You make it sound as though eventually it will go away. I sure hope so. What can you tell me?

Also, the comments somewhere in this thread about controlling appetite are really nice too. I'm actually hungry in a healthy way I haven't felt for years. Overall I feel like my whole system is healing and happy. That's a nice way of life to establish for oneself, eh?

I'm enjoying everyone's comments. Please keep them up.

Oh, one more question. Why the emphasis on Splenda? I found one called Sweet One which is readily available in the grocery stores, has no carbs, and even less aftertaste than Splenda. Is it cursed some way?

Thanks again.

The less sweets you eat - and this includes artificial sweeteners - the more your cravings will diminish. Every time you eat something sweet, you stand a chance of physically re-addicting yourself to sweets. It is also very easy to become dependent on artificial sweeteners. If you have no problems with using artificial sweeteners - craving them, thinking about them - then you are probably safe.

I don't know about the sweetener you are talking about. Canada and the US have different ones and although the names may be different, they can be made out of the same things. Check the article on Sweeteners in Low Carb Tips at the top of the page. You can heat Splenda and it's supposed to be "safer" than other sweeteners, but I suppose that's relative to what you think dangerous is.

Karen

I have been on Atkin's Induction since Jan.1/02 and have lost 24 pounds. I feel great. I have been slowing down on my weight loss but still losing 1-3 lbs. a week. When I started I weighed 192 lbs. and am down to 168. This is the first diet that I have stuck with this long. I plan on losing 50 lbs.

Well, I'm glad I read "Jumpstarting Induction" before I read this topic, but I'm equally glad that I did read this topic. It gives me balance. I am re-starting Atkins today. The first topic I read was full of encouragement and motivation and really made me take steps to re-start today versus tomorrow or Monday. But, reading this post brought me back to earth so I wouldn't set my expectations real high and then when I am inevitably unable to meet those too high expectations, then quit. I like this quote from Razzle's post:



So, now instead of being disappointed that I'm not losing as fast as I did the first time around I will take whatever I can lose with grace and cheer! If 195 (which is the lowest I got the first time around) is the lowest I can get, than sobeit. I will focus on treating this as a way of life and not a diet.

I want to read that this is a magical way to lose weight, but I need to read that this is a way of life and take baby steps to change my habits forever. Thankfully, I can do that here, I can read about everyone's successes, those first-timers really lose fast, LOL and I can read about the slow steady losses of the turtles. It's wonderful! Thank you for starting this topic Karen and thank you all for the information you contributed.

Rach

Rach, this is a great attitude to adopt Losing fat is wonderful, no doubt about it, but LC has so much more to offer. I firmly believe that only when it becomes more than a diet to you, do you truly experience all the benefits that come with a LC WOL.

Cheers,
Nat

Only one time in my life have I ever dieted and lost weight. I've tried lots of diets but lost no weight at all. So am I a yo yo dieter?
Or just a person who loses weight with differculty?

I am an yo yo dieter from way back, in my mid 50's, taking HRT, and I am a very slow loser. From what I learned from this thread, my weight is not because of genetics, it is because I caused it by my own habits.

I really was hoping that combining Atkins with an exercise program, I could up my metabolism and eventually lose the weight. Now you are telling me that I may only get to 200 and never get to be thin--ever! What a depressing thought.

But as was stated in this thread, the benefits from this program are so wonderful that I too will be happy if I can just keep from gaining more. I love the extra energy, the extended endurance, the clean teeth, the ability to sleep at night, etc. And at my age, I always think that a little extra weight is good in case of illness. I will have reserves available to me that thin people don't.

I WILL NOT QUIT!

msrachel and atrsy--good attitudes! self-acceptance and a shift to "health" as a goal more important than "looks" is a shift that I think will do a lot of us much good.

Lessara, I think yo-yo dieting means having lost and gained, lost and gained. How many times or how much weight to make you an "official" yo yo-er? That I can't say. I've lost 50 3 times and regained it, and 25 another 8 times and regained it...and spent a decade eating 500 calories a day most days, so I'm certain I qualify. As far as I know, there's no evidence that people who lower their calories for a short period of time but achieve no weight loss suffer either loss of BMR or LBM that those who DO lose suffer, which is probably part of what creates that turtle effect.

Atrsy...

I had a bit of a rough start with Atkins myself (it's all there in my journal if you are interested). I persevered though, with the help from my doctor and my newfound friends here, and I feel that I've achieved a wonderful level of success. Like you I thought adopting an exercise program as well would help. Today marks the end of my 7th week doing Body for Life and I've already seen results. My ultimate goal is not just a number on the scale, but a LBM to support the way I'd like to be eating.

I know it takes time for our bodies and metabolism's to adjust to this WOL, but they do in fact adjust eventually. Keep on keeping on. You CAN do it!

Marlaine

Bumpity-bump!

Karen

Bump Bump!

Razzle, enjoyed your post hugely as I believe you are right...as you point out, if you are genetically going to be a fat storer and are not naturally thin, then it is going to become a compromise regarding appearance, with emphasis on being healthy and well exercised, and responsivity to ketogenic diet is going to be very individual (as are most things in life).

I feel good on this WOE even though I am not losing any more weight/fat. My only concern though, and I wish someone knowledgable would speak to this, is whether or not the current statements eminating from the powers that be re diet requirements is that being under 100 g a day carbs is not sufficient for brain energy needs..even factoring in higher protein levels, most Atkins eaters are not getting enough glucose according to this.

Any thoughts anyone?

Val

Before someone starts to rant about all the links being from the Atkins web site and biased, look at them. They are compiled by the Atkins web site, but are other studies and articles not origionating from Atkins.

This is completely false. For one thing protien is converted into gluclose. Also the carbs we eat are also converted to gluclose. Even in the complete absence of carbs the body will make gluclose. The brain can also use keotones for energy. http://atkins.com/Archive/2002/1/11-434439.html

http://atkins.com/Archive/2003/1/20-542932.html

Proof of this. My blood gluclose levels hold steady around 83-88 which is well in the normal range. If I was having low blood sugar enough to effect health, it would have to get down around 40. The only time my blood sugar would get that low is when I used to be on a higher carb low fat diet. The reason for this is you eat a ton of carbs which raise your gluclose levels. Your body produces a rush of insulin and can over compinsate, driving your gluclose too low. Kind of like the crash down from caffine.

Okay, what can I expect? I have been doing Atkins since November of last year and have lost 41 lbs. Over the summer I decided to try and maintain the weight and add other foods. Basically I added a fairly good bread, had lots of fruit, had dinner out now and then....I had what I wanted but I never went crazy. I kept a close eye on my weight and it would up a couple one day, down a couple the next...I told myself that come Labour Day I would go back to being more strict, which I did. Also, over the two months I maintained the 41 lbs. weight loss which I was very happy with.

Now that I have gone back to Atkins will I have to wait until it starts coming off again?

Thanks.

Suzan