You knock yourself out of ketosis for however long it takes the body to process the glycogen you created with the sugar intake, because your body will burn off all the sugar before switching back to fat burning (ketosis). During that time you won't burn fat or loose, no matter how strictly you follow the plan.

Tennessee, it isn't that I disagree with you exactly. But for me, I slip, it may take awhile to get back into the swing of things. Every time I've ever started Atkins (except for perhaps the first time) it has taked a few days to get there. It isn't an easy diet to follow 100%, but I'm not certain we have to follow it 100%... What IS 100% anyway? 20 grams or less? Some people think that way, but that isn't what he wrote.

Actually how many grams of carbs you can eat and still lose weight depends a lot on your individual body. It depends on how much glycogen you burn with your exercise too.

I feel better about myself when I am fully committed to avoiding foods that I consider off limits. That is the perfectionist in me. But I'm not always going to be in that head space all the time. Sometimes I get off track and need a little while to rerail myself.

I think perfectionism is a very dangerous mindset. And I think telling people they would be better off with a different diet is like saying "you aren't supportive, you are talking the talk, and not walking the walk, go away, we don't need you here."

I know Tennessee, that isn't what you mean or want to say. I know that. I just do know too, that there was a time when people said similar things to me and I couldn't help but feel like they were right. My feelings were hurt, I wanted to get back on track, but was having a hard time doing it, and that kind of talk just defeated me. Made me hate myself, made me not want to even try any more.

So I went off Atkins and gained back up to 268 after being down to 220.

I think dieting is hard enough. We feel bad enough about ourselves already. We don't need folks saying "this isn't for you."

My way of looking at it has changed. I believe that we should celebrate EVERY success. And sometimes our successes are simply not gaining the weight back. Sometimes they are in simply continuing to TRY even though we aren't perfect. You may be right that another diet might be a good choice for awhile, but then it might not too. I just don't want to see anyone start to feel like I did, like I wasn't "worthy" to keep on talking and joining in, just because I couldn't get on track for a little while.

Well, here's how I see it.

First of all, the ketosis thing is a little overrated on those pee strips if you ask me. I never turn the little suckers color no matter which brand I try and I still lose the weight.

Second, Atkins never recommended staying on Induction the entire time you are trying to lose your weight. That's what Phase 2 is for. It involves you finding the carb level at which you still continue to lose weight by adding 5 more grams every week - and you can add in fruits like berries at this point along with macademia nuts, sunflower seeds or cottage cheese. If people stick to Induction for 2 weeks and then branch out into Ongoing Weight Loss, they are going to be more likely to stick with the program. I only hear people on this site talking about Induction, never any of the other phases. Frankly, I pretty much skipped Induction when I started Atkins as I always ate macademia nuts and jello and still lost 100 lbs.

Third, this is not a race and it's not a competition. It's a lifelong change to your eating habits. No one is going to do any program perfectly for life and you have to be able to live with your food. If that means eating a piece of fruit or some sugar free Jell-O, well, the sun is still going to come up tomorrow (we hope).

Fourth, when we set ourselves up for perfection, we fail. As human beings, it is not possible to be perfect 100% of the time. Life is what happens while you are making other plans.

I'm not talking about the strips, I'm talking about actual physical ketosis. If you read about them, you'll learn that the strips are inaccurate. If you eat too much protein they turn very dark, and if you drink tons of water your urine will be so dilute that ketones either won't register, or only show a very light pink. The strips were not developed for use by low carbers, but for diabetics looking for a specific medical condition.

No, it isn't, the question is why keep doing something that isn't working? If you're not loosing, getting depressed, feeling like a failure, ill and tired and just flat worn out, why would you keep doing yourself when there are other plans that will allow you (not meaning you personally, btw) to eat off plan on occation and still loose weight well?

I have to say that I really didn't expect some of the hostile and defensive responces I've gotten in this thread. However, if the people I was thinking about when I posted will give the idea some consideration (rather than being angry and\or silent) maybe they'll be happier and more successful in their weight loss efforts.

Tenn

I hope I wasn't "defensive or hostile", Tennessee. Or at least I hope I didn't come across that way. I know I wasn't on the inside, but sometimes things don't come out in print the way you mean them.

I think that dieting of any kind is a mind game. Mind first. You have to be able to set your mind to a certain course of action and you have to be able to focus on that. If something comes along that upsets that focus, it can leave you distracted and confused.

I'm very one track, I'll focus in on doing something and if something distracts me it is very hard to get back my focus. I've thought about and tried changing diets, but it is really hard to do because then I have to refocus my mental energies, retrain myself as to what is allowed and what isn't, and I usually wind up screwing up and not dieting at all. So for me I don't want anything messing with my focus on what I know works for me. Sure, it doesn't always work, because I'm not perfect and there are times when I just want something that isn't on plan. I'm human. I'm hoping and trying to train myself to NOT do that this time. But I may reach that point again. I did before. I hope that when that time comes I don't have anyone encouraging me to give up and try something else, because that I know doesn't work for me.

I think we women tend to be so hard on ourselves already that sometimes even reasonable suggestions can feel like criticism. We are so self critical that we take it that way, even if that isn't what was meant.

I may try the Sonoma Diet, once my book gets here. I will probably come back to Atkins though even if I do try it. I don't like to mess too much with what works.

*wink*

Tennessee, I wasn't trying to be hostile either. Please don't take offense.

I can tell you, I've tried every diet plan out there -- Weight Watchers, South Beach, Sugar Busters, Jorge Cruise, Carb Addicts, Cabbage Soup, Scarsdale -- you name it, I tried it. Atkins is the one that worked best for me even if I'm not perfect with it every day.

Didn't you just LOVe the cabbage soup diet?

This is a good thread- I agree....but the weird thing is- there are SO many things made low carb that we shouldnt slip up- there is candy-bread-even pasta made for this lifestyle...not to mention once you are off induction there are a lot of other things ( like alcohol if you imbibe)that help keep you from feeling deprived-I know some of these things are expensive...but if we kept the cravings and giving in down to a minimum ( like holidays etc...) then the low carb would be affordable- when my whole family was on I made a chocolate cake and frosting usng relatively low carb items...we loved it...and lost weight.

i agree tennessee,i am on a cleaning program right now as a matter of fact to get my system back in kertosis,its hard to do and i feel kinda nauctious,but i hope it helps.

OK Marie - time to share the recipe for the cake and frosting!

I actually have a good chocolate cake recipe, Grandma Lee's 3 minute chocolate cake to be exact!

3 Minute Chocolate Cake
In 2-Cup Pyrex baking dish blend
1/4 C Soy Flour (or almond flour)
1 T Cocoa Powder
1/4 t Baking Powder
5 Packets Splenda

Add the following:
1 T Water
2 T Melted Butter
1 Egg

Blend thoroughly with fork.
Cover with plastic wrap (To vent, cut small slit in center of plastic wrap). Microwave on high 1 minute or until knife comes out clean. Cool a bit; eat warm with whipped cream or cool completely to ice.

2 servings - each with 5.5g Carbs 2g Fiber 1g Sugar

I used the brownie mix from atkins (but tns sounds better!) and then we mixed vanilla protien powder with cream and splenda- plus vanilla extract and whipped it up- the protien powder made it smoother and not so fluffy-it was good- in an atkins kinda way

OOOHHHH Tennessee, that sounds yummy. And I can eat almond flour. I can't have the Atkins brownie mix because it has wheat gluten and maltodextrin.