I was on Atkins for 2 years, I came off about 8 months ago and started slowly putting the weight right back on. I am really sick of Atkins and decided to do it the way I had always maintained my weight by counting calories & fat. The problem is the weight is not coming off, I have been dieting now for over 6 weeks, I have not lost a single pound. I walk every day, and I mean every single day, between 3-6 miles, at a rate of a mile every 15 minutes. Still nothing. I keep my calories around 1200-1400 per day. I am really getting flustrated, has anyone experienced this after Atkins, if so how long did it take to start making any progress. I really don't want to go back to Atkins, I don't miss potatoes & bread, just the fruits & veggies.
All I can think off the top of my head is to give it time. You aren't far from your goal, and many people who lose a lot say that the last 10 pounds take a long time. If your first 10 are your last 10, then maybe it will take a while. It may take longer than with Atkins, but if you can keep the weight off then that will be the key.
Also, Susan's right. Weight lifting is a great idea for a lot of reasons!
I was also on Atkins on and off for about 3 years. I have also had a hard time losing weight by counting calories and fat. I vary between 1100 and 1900 calories a day, and excercise frequently. At first I thought that I was just in the Atkins mindset, that I was expecting to lose 5 pounds a week like I was on Atkins, and would just need to lower my expectations to 1 pound a week. I read something last week, I don't recall where, the person was saying that once you have been in ketosis, your metabolism slows down dramatically. I will try to find the reasons why that is and post them for you. I know that for my weight, the number of calories that I've been eating, and the amount of excercise that I've been doing, I should be losing weight much faster than I am. It is frustrating, but I am convinced that this is the way for me to go. I can't cut out entire food groups and expect myself to stay with it for the long haul. Good Luck!!!
I'm a former Atkins girl too. I followed the diet from Jan-Oct 2004 and lost 61 lbs. But then I decided to start eating sugar again and ended up overeating myself into a 37 lb regain over the next year and a half. Sigh.
I starting calorie couting two weeks ago and it's working for me so far, as I've lost 9 of those 37 lbs (my first goal is to get back where I was. Then I want to lose the other 30 lbs to get down to a "normal" weight for my body size).
Have you thought about zig zagging your calories? I've been doing it, since I figure that it's pretty much how I eat when I'm not actively dieting: a binge here, a low cal day here, a regular cal day there, etc. If I allow myself to have planned splurges now, then I won't overdo them if/when I fall off the wagon - or better yet, they'll stop me from falling off the wagon altogether! Plus, it seems to be working for my metabolism. I've been jumping all over the place with my calories, eating 2000 one day and 1200 the next, but I've averaged 1500-1600 over the last two weeks and the weight's already coming off.
I also realized a sneaky thing about Atkins. I used Fitday to record my carbs, but I also ended up recording my calories. And I found that the calorie average for the six month period when I was losing steadily was only about 1550. So the low carbs/ketosis may have aided in hunger, but I think that I would have lost the weight no matter how many carbs I was eating. Go figure.
I only did atkins for a month so i'm not having problems, but like cryan313 said, it is possible that your metabolism may have slowed because of the simulated starvation. i'd try zig-zagging. Go really high one day, very low the next 3, etc. Hopefully it'll keep your metabolism guessing.
Also, have you taken measurements? Are those dropping?
Your system/metabolism may be recovering from being on Atkins. You might be retaining water, do you drink much water? If not, then I would suggest drinking some as one of the best ways to beat water retention is drink lots of water. How are you tracking your calories? Are you writing them down?
6 weeks really isn't very long at all, seeing that you are close to your goal and from reading the experiences of other people on this board, when people do get close to goal their weight loss slows down. You might be experiencing this.
As for Atkins, well I had a nice post typed out then realised I was on my soapbox so deleted it . Let's just say I did it, lost a bunch of weight, came off it, put said weight back on. I discovered too late that Atkins was not something I should do as a short term weight loss solution.
Thanks for everyones advice, I was also thinking of zig-zagging my calories - thought maybe I was not eating enough. I will try that for a while. I have also considered light weight lifting, getting pretty flabby in my 40's, thought maybe that would add some tone.
Cindy, I lost 100 lbs on Atkins and kept it off for 6 years. But like you, I miss fruit. It's taken me almost a year to lose the next 45. But it will come off eventually. I find I lose more when I zig-zag my calorie days too.
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Hi
I've been on Atkins for nearly 2 years & have lost 85 lbs. I went from wearing a size 3X to now wearing a size 10/12. For me, (and I realize its not for everyone) Atkins is for life. I enjoy this way of eating. I feel 100% better than I have ever felt in my life.
Cindy63, you mentioned missing veggies & fruit Veggies & fruit ARE allowed on Atkins.
Atkins is a program, that when done correctly, works...BUT...it MUST be a lifestyle change. When people think of ANY eating plan as just a diet to lose weight and then they go back to their "old habits"...be it Atkins, SB, WW, etc., etc., etc. It is NOT going to work. I am NOT on a diet...I am on a way of life.
Life After Atkins
. Let's just say I did it, lost a bunch of weight, came off it, put said weight back on. I discovered too late that Atkins was not something I should do as a short term weight loss solution.
Veggies & fruit ARE allowed on Atkins. 
