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View Poll Results: How many times have you Tried Low Carbing before succeeding
this is my First Time 315 35.31%
Back on the Wagon - Second Time 239 26.79%
Third Time is a Charm 124 13.90%
Lost Count 214 23.99%
Voters: 892. You may not vote on this poll

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  #31   ^
Old Mon, Aug-05-02, 09:06
Flamingo's Avatar
Flamingo Flamingo is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 102
 
Plan: Schwarzbein Principle
Stats: 178/158/145
BF:36%/23.5%/22.5%
Progress: 61%
Location: Michigan
Default

My first attempt at LC was with Atkins several years ago. First 10 days were great but after 3 weeks, I felt miserable - mostly nauseated. After that experience I was not anxious to consider LC again but LF wasn't working at all.

A friend suggested Schwarzbein. After investigating the program - bam - it was like a lightbulb went off. After 3 months, I feel stronger and healthier. There hasn't been a dramatic decrease in the scale but the clothes are fitting better and my weight training is paying off.

Interesting - I went with my husband to a coffee shop the other day, there was nothing there for a LC'er to eat! It dawned on me - I wish more people knew there was a better way!

Susan
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  #32   ^
Old Mon, Aug-05-02, 15:39
skyspinner's Avatar
skyspinner skyspinner is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,372
 
Plan: Six week Body Makeover
Stats: 251.4/220.4/135 Female 65 inches
BF:
Progress: 27%
Default

Quote:
Originally posted by Flamingo
[snip

A friend suggested Schwarzbein. After investigating the program - bam - it was like a lightbulb went off. After 3 months, I feel stronger and healthier. There hasn't been a dramatic decrease in the scale but the clothes are fitting better and my weight training is paying off.

Interesting - I went with my husband to a coffee shop the other day, there was nothing there for a LC'er to eat! It dawned on me - I wish more people knew there was a better way!

Susan


Ooooh, this is exactly what I've been dying to learn...what would you say is the essential difference between Schwarzbein and Atkins? Is it a difference in philosophy, permitted foods, ease of use, what?

And boy do I know what you mean about the paucity of LC stuff to eat out there! I just came back from vacation and could not get a LC meal on the airplane to save my soul! I finally opted for a "seafood platter", only to find that it was a few shrimp and flakes of crab mixed w/ pasta! And a roll and a dessert.

And the hotels were no better. I finally just gave up and ate what I could get, figgering I'd start over when the trip was over. We were on a tour, and had very little opportunity to order anything special.

You'd think after all this time *someone* out there would know about LC, wouldn't you???
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  #33   ^
Old Mon, Aug-05-02, 16:13
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25,581
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Default

This is my first time committing to the lifestyle change. Technically, a few years ago, I tried dieting on fat free weiners, cheese, and other crappy, processed low-carb foods, but since I had never read any books, this was just a fad phase for me. I've tried 'em all.

Part of this lifestyle, for me, is allowing for days when I just carb out and forget about it - but this is because I'm basically happy with my weight. That goal over there? I don't really have my heart set on it. They've been "planned cheats." I basically treat carbs with the same respect and attitude that I treat alcohol - moderation and acceptance of the next day's concequences.
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  #34   ^
Old Tue, Aug-06-02, 07:56
Flamingo's Avatar
Flamingo Flamingo is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 102
 
Plan: Schwarzbein Principle
Stats: 178/158/145
BF:36%/23.5%/22.5%
Progress: 61%
Location: Michigan
Default

Skyspinner:

I put Atkins on one end of the diet spectrum and Pritikin on the other. The basic difference is in daily carb intake. I found Atkins too limiting for me with 30 or fewer carbs/day.

Schwarzbein recomments 60 to 90 depending on your activity level. She advocates exercise. You don't count anything other that carbs each day. She also says never eat a carbohydrate alone. Each meal should have PVCF (protein, veggie, carbo, fat). 3 meals/day. Plus 2 snacks which are PV or PC or PF. She also strongly recommends: no caffeine, aspartame (or any other artificial sweeteners), no man-made processed food. That includes protein powders, bars, etc. For carbs the program includes starchy veggies, whole grains, and fruit, again, which you have at each meal. One other recommendation she makes is with cheese. She says no to any yellow cheese. Most white cheese varieties are fine (a few she lists in a 'eat occasionally' list).

Most of the TSP'ers find that weight loss on the scale is much slower that Atkins, but inches come off. The difference for me is that great feeling that I'm not dieting and the TSP program is very do-able for life. The underlying foundation of her program is to build a healthy body and a stable metabolism.

I'm afraid that until the public catches on to this WOE, coffee shops and airplanes will be places where we LC'ers avoid eating.

There's actually much more to learn from reading Dr. S's book so I apologize for the very brief summary of her excellent explanations.

Susan
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  #35   ^
Old Wed, Jan-29-03, 13:47
lpioch's Avatar
lpioch lpioch is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 939
 
Plan: ProteinPowerLifePlan w/IF
Stats: 166/143/135 Female 62.5
BF:
Progress: 74%
Location: New England
Default explanation...

I voted "this is my first time"...but it's really my third. But let me explain.

The real first time I low carbed, it worked, and I was doing well. Then I got pregnant, and the ONLY thing I could eat was carb. The sight and smell of any meat just put me over the (sink) edge!

After weaning my baby, I started low carbing again... 2nd time around...but got pregnant AGAIN...and had the same repulsion to protein/fats. So, off again I went.

Now my last baby is a year and a half. I've finally made the resolve to restart my way of eating AGAIN...at least until baby #3 comes along! (hopefully that baby will CRAVE protein!) :-)

-- Loretta
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  #36   ^
Old Wed, Jan-29-03, 17:15
tbagram's Avatar
tbagram tbagram is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 876
 
Plan: LC/HF/MP
Stats: 248/220/180 Female 67in
BF:
Progress: 41%
Location: Upstate New York
Default

I have been on locarb three times in my life. The first time was when Atkins wrote his first book, so that was back in the early 70's I believe. I remember I got scared when my stools were messed up. The last time I did the locarb was about three years ago but got messed up when I added the eat all you want at one meal deal. This time Im much more informed and I would say this forum plays a big part of my my success. I too have learned to listen to my body and stay away from sweets. (even low carb for now). Thanks gang! Vonnie
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  #37   ^
Old Thu, Jan-30-03, 15:38
Jaxx's Avatar
Jaxx Jaxx is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 84
 
Plan: Aikens - My own really
Stats: 150.7/139.7/123.2
BF:
Progress: 40%
Location: Sydney, Australia
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I guess this can be called my 2nd time. Was doing Atkins for 3 months last year (got married, had honeymoon) then 2nd jan 03 Started again..... problem is I tend to break it every day or so in some small way...... not sure how to stick to it completely..... doe anyone have any advice as I am struggling ....
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  #38   ^
Old Fri, Jan-31-03, 09:44
gaijingal's Avatar
gaijingal gaijingal is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 76
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 171/155/130 Female 5'3
BF:
Progress: 39%
Location: Toronto, Canada
Default

This is my first time, but it's been very bumpy, as I started before Christmas and found all the parties very tricky.

I'm getting worried though...I'm thinking of moving to Britain for a few months, and then Japan in August. Both are Carbolicious countries with very expensive meat etc. Both, incidently, are countries where I gained a lot of weight when I lived in them before.

Ahh. One step at a time I guess. Hopefully being a size 8 will be so wonderful that I will not be tempted by deep-fried Mars bars or sushi.
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  #39   ^
Old Tue, Feb-04-03, 05:43
vienna's Avatar
vienna vienna is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 134
 
Plan: Low Carb & IF
Stats: 180/129/110 Female 5'2
BF:?
Progress: 73%
Location: UK
Default Second time here too

It's really inspiring to read all the stories on here. For me, this is the second time - first time I did everything wrong you could do.

I was on the CAD, and used the Reward Meal to pig out - "everything allowed" isn't a concept that's good for me. "Everything" meant whole blocks of chocolate, cookies... LOL... all the things I couldn't have the rest of the day. Today I see it as a miracle that I didn't GAIN anything, but at the time I was very upset that I didn't lose a single pound in a month.

Well... after that, I went on the McDougall Plan, that is ultra lowfat vegan (no fats allowed at all, in fact). Stayed on it for about half a year, agonizingly slowly lost 40 lbs. on that. But when my birthday came up on October I totally lost it. Went on one long binge that lasted for months. I have tried again and again to get back to eating like that, but I wouldn't be satisfied any more. Just wasn't possible - I was SO fed up with that!

So now I've decided to give (vegetarian) low-carbing another chance, a real chance this time. I still haven't lost anything, but I'm doing everything as right as I can (as a vegetarian, obviously, I have to compromise on many things). I hope and pray that it works.

Susanne
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  #40   ^
Old Tue, Apr-08-03, 10:26
Sentoria's Avatar
Sentoria Sentoria is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 183
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 210/181/160 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 58%
Location: New York
Default

This is my second time around. First time almost 11 years ago I lost 50lbs, got to a size 8, After that I had an operation that changed my metabolism and became so depressed that I stopped watching what I ate. Now I am trying to go back to 160-155lbs again.
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  #41   ^
Old Wed, Apr-09-03, 12:51
Katana's Avatar
Katana Katana is offline
Urban Jungle Denizen
Posts: 4,061
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 180/165/150 Female 5'10"
BF:
Progress: 50%
Location: Tel Aviv
Default

I don't know if I'm on my second round, or if having a "hiatus" is just all part of an ongoing process...

I started LCing last January. I stuck with it really well for 6-7 months, and came pretty close to my ideal weight. Then I started cheating, and that was pretty much that - I started putting on the weight.

The thing is - I never wholly abandoned the WOE - I still couldn't bring myself to freely eat bread or rice or potatoes... But even worse, perhaps, I would allow myself to eat cakes and other nonsense I never actually liked that much because it was a birthday/holiday/special event, and once I did that, I felt like "what does it matter anyway?"

In any case, I didn't put all the weight back on, so in a sense I'm still a successful LC'er!

Now the trick is to convince myself to continue being one
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  #42   ^
Old Tue, Apr-22-03, 08:38
orzabelle's Avatar
orzabelle orzabelle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 377
 
Plan: Dr. Atkins
Stats: 134/132/127
BF:don't wanna know
Progress: 29%
Location: NYC
Default

8 years ago, I did Zone and lost 35 lbs. Basically, I stayed semi-low-carb after that (i.e. lots of protein, no buns on my burgers as a matter of course, small servings of pasta, though I had the kinds of carbs I really wanted). Haven't gained any of that back.

Wanted to lose a few more, and tried, about 3 years ago. Lasted three days on Atkins! Instead, I got really thin by exercising far too much, and eating plenty of carbs but not many calories. Lost 14 lbs. but gained 8 of it back.

So now I'm beginning week 4. This is assuming that I will succeed this time! Though, I made it through induction, so my hopes are high!
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  #43   ^
Old Thu, Apr-24-03, 10:12
cre8tivgrl's Avatar
cre8tivgrl cre8tivgrl is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,045
 
Plan: Low carb
Stats: 20/08/00 Female 5'10"
BF:not/low/enough
Progress: 60%
Location: The great Northwest
Default

I have stopped thinking of it as an on again off again process lately. It's ongoing. It's life, good and bad.
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  #44   ^
Old Thu, Apr-24-03, 19:17
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luddybell luddybell is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,041
 
Plan: 35-65 net carbs
Stats: 362/281.8/150 Female 62 inches
BF:
Progress: 38%
Location: Chesnee, SC
Default

this is my first "try" on this woe... i have tried lowfat in the past lost about 60lbs.. kept it off of about 9 months to a year then started dating a guy who was a desert eater, went out to ice cream ALL the time.. gained it back... decided i needed to lose him and the fat.... but was sick of the lowfat lifestyle... starving myself... YUCK i remember days i was sooo hungry i could barely walk the stairs to the elementary school that i student taught at... well i'm hoping this new woe is gonna work... i have been lcing for 7 weeks now.. and have lost 20 lbs... and am not hungry at all... but one question to anyone that reads this.... does anyone on this WOE seem to get sick more often??? i have been sick 3 times the past month... and my boyfriend has told me that if i dont start getting better then im gonna hafta stop this woe until my immune system catches back up...
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  #45   ^
Old Fri, Apr-25-03, 10:11
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MelanieH MelanieH is offline
I Love Butter !!
Posts: 965
 
Plan: Meat and Eggs
Stats: 368/285/180 Female 5'11"
BF:Its scary!!
Progress: 44%
Location: Hillsboro, New Hampshire
Default

This is my second time around. We tried 2 years ago but my boyfriend got really bored. Well this time we have been doing it for almost 3 months. I have made it bettr for him. I am making things that are more interesting and more choices that way he doesnt get bored. So far we are doing great. I am down 37 pounds and he is down 30 pounds. Have a nice day,


Melanie
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