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Old 04-01-2009, 10:15 PM   #1  
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Default Atkins to weight watchers...........

Has anyone gone from being and losing on atkins to w.w?
Just wondered if you noticed a gain in the first week or so, as of yet I started properly at home on sunday, and as of today I weigh the same as the day I started, so was relieved to not see a gain...I feel great, eating this way its funny, I am so hesitant I feel like I should not be eating certain things, going from full fat to low fat......but like I said I feel great and enjoying this new way of life....
Just wondered if anyone else has noticed if it takes a little longer to see a change on the scale........
Thank you
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Old 04-01-2009, 11:13 PM   #2  
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I was super paranoid after switching. I had a hard time with the carbs are not evil mentality. I have had discussions with my friend who is still on Atkins, and she swears I just haven't read the whole book, but that's not true. I could never make it through the first two weeks without a mistake. I love WW. The most I ever lost on Atkins was eight pounds. I went from 155 to 147.

When I found out I was pregnant I was 155 pounds. I walked into the hospital for my C-section at 201. I was never able to get down below 185 after I quit breastfeeding. So I decided to try Atkins again. Again, it didn't work. So I gave WW a try after seeing my friend melt her baby weight off.

The first month was hard because I sort of had to unlearn the way I ate from being paranoid about eating too many carbs. I love WW. I went from 185 on April 7, 2008, to 145 in five months. I maintained for a couple months and now I am trying to lose the last five to be and feel my all time fittest. I am so thankful to have found something that works for me.

I think if you aren't seeing a change right away, don't worry. I keep a food journal. I not only track my weight every day, but I write what I eat and how much I exercise. It is the best little reminder of why I am doing this. I will feel like I haven't made any progress, but if I look back three weeks, I am three pounds heavier. It reminds me it is just a slow process and to just believe. At first, the weight melted off, but the closer I get to my goal, I really feel hungry at times. It is satiety enough to know though, that I am now a well-oiled machine, whereas before I felt like I was more like a pile of fried mess.
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Old 04-01-2009, 11:37 PM   #3  
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I do have to say that mamaspank's friend does have a point, as there's nothing in the Atkins book that says carbs are evil or you cannot move on to OWL (the second phase, where you start adding back in carbs) until you can master the first two weeks without a mistake. I think because Atkins says you can choose to extend induction, many people feel that they are obligated to extend induction until they can be perfect for at least 14 consecutive days, but that's not what is written. If you make a mistake every single day, you can still move on to OWL on day 15 (or as one of our doctors suggested to my husband, since he's on insulin and induction wouldn't be healthy - you can even skip induction altogether - although that's not a modification the Atkins program endorses there is nothing "magical" about induction). Also, in OWL, you can add an additional 5g of carbs per day each week until you reach a level you are comfortable with and can still lose weight on. In theory that could be 100, 200 or even more grams of carb per day. So I would agree that Atkins does not look at carbs as evil (but it is fairly rigid on which carbs are "better" than others, and if you're a person who believes a carb is a carb or a calorie is a calorie, or just someone who doesn't find the Atkins approach doable, you've got to find a plan that is a better fit) .

That's beside the point, of course, but I can't help but defend both Atkins and South Beach as they are often misinterpreted. They both get bad raps unneccesarily. I switched from Atkins to SouthBeach, because I wasn't comfortable with the unlimited animal fats or the unlimited anything. On both, a key part of the plan is a mindful eating component, eating until satisfied, but not full. I have poor hunger-control signals, so overeating is just too easy for me. South Beach wasn't a better fit, because I learned that I can overeat even the healthiest carbs just as easily, so I switched to an exchange plan that I modified to have far fewer high-carb exchanges (because carbs are big-time hunger triggers for me).

I think I'm most comfortable with an exchange plan, because it controls both calories and requires a certain amount of balance in the diet. I can neglect entire food groups if left to my own devices.

But again, all of that is off the point of the OP, but in switching for Atkins to South Beach, I had a small gain, which I now suspect was mostly water weight (though in examining several months of my food journal, it seems pretty obvious that I do seem to lose better and have more energy on 1800 calories of relatively low carb as opposed to 1800 calories of high carb). Too many carbs seem to make me more prone to lethargy. In my exchange plan, I can vary the number of carb choices, and I have noticed that the fewer carb choices I use (my plan allows me some flexibility) the less water I retain and the more energy I have.

All that rambling, in essence means I think all you can do is experiment and see what happens. If you're lucky, you may do equally well, regardless of your carb level and choice of carbs. I am insulin resistant and studies have shown that insulin resistant and diabetic folks are more likely to respond to carbs drastically differently than folks without insulin resistance. So a calorie may be a calorie to some folks, and for others the source of the calorie may be just as important. If you have normal blood sugar levels, or if you're just physiologically more resistant to blood sugar and insulin spikes from high carb foods, you may notice no difference in weight loss at all. If however, you're insulin resistant or otherwise carb-sensitive, you may notice you lose a little slower. Even that doesn't mean you should go back to Atkins, or try to eat Atkins-style while following Weight Watcher's, it just means that you have to weigh the benefits. Sometimes I consider returning to Atkins, because I can lose faster on the Atkins program than any other, but then I think losing fast isn't the only or even the most important consideration - finding something you're willing to stick with is far more important.

Last edited by kaplods; 04-02-2009 at 12:02 AM.
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Old 04-02-2009, 03:28 AM   #4  
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I think anytime you change eating plans, you're going to see some shifts on the scale Good luck on weight watchers!

~ tea
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Old 04-02-2009, 08:36 AM   #5  
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I've never done WW, but I did switch from low carb to calorie counting. I didn't just do it cold turkey though. I actually calorie and carb counted for about a month, then I slowly added more and more carbs until I was at a "normal" level of carbs. I don't remember if my weightloss stalled at that point, but I've lost so slow anyway that if it did it didn't make that much difference.
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Old 04-05-2009, 02:26 PM   #6  
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I would also like to point out that the proof is in the results for my friend and I. She has struggled with the same ten pounds over and over again. She actually said to me, "Atkins isn't all that bad; I ate an apple the other day." I teased her about being such a rebel and said that it didn't really sound like any way of life for her, especially since I know she would like to eat the things I eat and don't feel guilty about. So with that said, I have successfully lost 64 pounds, and am two pounds from my goal. She is screwing with her system by constantly throwing her body in and out of ketosis.
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Old 04-05-2009, 03:31 PM   #7  
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I really know nothing about Atkins, I've been a WW'er for nearly 10 years now; what I do know is that on WW you can eat whatever you want - there are no restrictions, you just have to be accountable and count the points for it. So technically, couldn't you switch from Atkins to WW by simply adapting the points at first and then making adjustments as you go along?

For example - I don't actually eat a lot of bread, pasta, rice, potatoes... I mean I do, but in quite low numbers, because I feel a lot better and fuller when I'm on more protein and less carbs and sugars.

Personally, I think the whole point of being on a "plan" is to do something you literally can stick to for the rest of your life. Whether that is Atkins, or calorie counting, or WW or whatever, it has to be right for YOU. Finding the right balance is the hard part. So, I think, if you are going to switch, it should be easy enough to do almost the same as you do with Atkins, adjust to the points and then find your way from there, without too much interruption of weight loss.

Just my two eurocents
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Old 04-05-2009, 07:21 PM   #8  
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I am so pleased I made the switch, I am loving all these lovely new foods...
Its been a week, and I am down 2 pounds....................
Thank you for all your support......
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Old 04-05-2009, 07:30 PM   #9  
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I was on atkins for 2 months and only lost 2 pounds. i did everything by the book. Had to cut out cheese and eggs because of the yeast thing and all that. so i decided to switch to ww. at first my weight stayed the same but now its coming off. Ive lost like 15 pounds since ive ended atkins. I can eat without worry if its gonna keep me from loosing or not. Like not being able to drink a diet coke with worry that it will keep me from loosing or eating to much of one thing. IT was very stressful for me. I Know ww will work for you good luck!!!
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