When you cheat, that cookie, scoop of ice cream, slice of pizza, bite of chocolate, whatever, throws you out of Ketosis. You stop burning fat for energy because you have glycogen to work with, and it can take up to 4 days of proper eating for your body to switch back. On Atkins, cheating is not about how many extra calories you ate or how much water you're retaining, it's about being in or being out of Ketosis. During the switchover from glycogen to Ketosis you will not loose, no matter how strictly you follow plan. Also, it's hardest to eat right at the beginning when your body is switching fuel sources and demanding more glycogen. Once you've been following plan with no cheats for a while, the cravings disappear, appetite diminishes, and it becomes habit (just the way you eat, not a "diet").

I keep reading about people who cheat regularly. It seems as though anytime something happens, a dinner out, a child's birthday party, an illness, a fight w/a spouse, a weekend get together, a bad day at work, a holiday, PMS, etc., they choose to go off plan - sometimes staying off for days. They yo-yo back and forth with Ketosis, in, out, in, out, in, out, and it takes a heavy toll on body and emotions.

If that sounds like you, have you considered that Atkins may not be the best choice for you? Atkins is pretty inflexable, and takes dedication and a real committment in order to succeed. If for whatever reason you aren't able to follow through with that committment, why not consider doing something else? Other weight loss plans, particularly weight watchers, let you plan for "cheating", and if you eat cake, it doesn't have the same impact because you aren't taking fat off in the same manner. It seems like it would really help with the frustration, feelings of failure and hopelessness that come across in many of the cheating posts I read.

Just a thought, and maybe something to keep in mind next time you pick up a cookie

Tenn

I have to interject; a lot of the cheating has to do with habit.
Sometimes it can take MONTHS to get over a habit of junk food or eating all day long. Especially if it has been since childhood.

This does not necicarily mean Atkins is a bad choice; it just means the person has some deep issues to figure out and work threw.

Well said, Tenn!!! I believe that sticking to plan is the ONLY way to do this and the book even says NO CHEATING. People might have issues, etc, etc, but I believe if a person REALLY wants to succeed then they will be able to say 'no thanks, my body deserves better.'

(will begin to listen to own advise.)

Absolutely, but the physical cravings fall away when you've been on plan for a while, and that makes the habits easier to deal with. If you cheat, you never get to that point, and you'll face constant struggle and defeat and an endless round of in\out, in\out with ketosis over and over again - it's ineffective and very discouraging. I'm not being mean or ugly, just saying that if you DO have the type of issues that make it impossible to stick exactly, then another way of eating will give you a better result.

Let me tell you this. I am new to atkins, but not weightloss. I am down almost 100lbs or right at. My eating habits have been since childhood and let me tell you. I woke up one day and decided that I was going to do this and that no one could help me but myself and it was a conscience decision and let me tell you, the temptation was there, but my will power and the love for myself always prevailed and I lost wait cause of the conscience decision I made to love myself. You have to just let those ways and habits go and do what it right for you and your body. I hope that everyone can come to the relization that i did cause things were so clear after that. I wish everyone the best of luck.

Personally I think that "all or nothing" attitude has to go. I agree that Atkins does work somewhat differently than other diets, but for me, just being on Atkins means that I eat less than I would normally even if I do occasionally have something that is off plan. I don't think I should be eating things off plan and I don't want to make those kinds of choices. But I do think there is a danger in telling myself "well I screwed up, maybe Atkins isn't for me" too.

Higher carb foods even if consumed only once will create extra water weight and you will immediately gain quite a bit back of what you had previously lost. This can feel discouraging. Also the part about having to get rid of the cravings again and recommit and be just extra careful for 3 or 4 days I agree with. I think that is the part about Atkins that is hard. Any slips require going back on "induction" and suffering through withdrawals again.

But while Atkins does say "no cheating" he also says if you do slip to go immediately back onto "induction" he doesn't say "give up on Atkins and do something else."

I don't think all or nothing attitudes serve us well. Beating oneself up is counter productive. Recommitting, redeciding that you CAN't keep cheating or giving up is important. But throwing in the towel and saying "I just can't do this" is not the answer either. Not for me anyway. I CAN do it. I just need to really focus and not allow those little deviations. And I need to recognize that it WILL be harder once I've slipped to recommit, and to stay on track for a few days.

The only failure is to give up trying. Sure there are other diets. We can switch if that seems the best option. I may do that one day, but not today.

But Sherry, I’m not talking about an occasional slip, I think most people have those, I’m talking about a consistent pattern of eating off plan. It takes it’s toll and is very discouraging for the reasons you mentioned. On any plan BUT Atkins, the impact would be greatly reduced, and the slips wouldn't cause the type of drastic consequences one faces here. You say the only failure is to give up trying, but it is also failure to keep trying something that isn’t working for you, when there are other options available that will.

Yes , he does talk about slip ups.
And he never once talks about quitting or giving up!

I think one of the biggest problem with people sticking with Atkins is that they tend to still think in terms of calories and not carbs. Atkins is not a low-calorie weight loss plan and nowhere in the book of any of his articles or the Web site does it say to watch calories.

I find that if I'm eating until I'm full with protein and fats and having the 3 cups of veggies a day that I'm too full to want to eat junk food. Knowing I can eat more chicken or more steak or another plate of shrimp if I'm still hungry makes it easier for me.

I lost the first 100 lbs eating the entire package of bacon for breakfast if I felt like it or having 2 hamburger patties with cheese for lunch if I were really hungry or eating a 16 oz steak (uncooked weight) instead of the 10 oz if I knew at dinner I was going to eat junk food if I didn't.

I agree a slip up here and there happens, but if you keep on doing it and dont ever overcome then I think that maybe you should look into something more easy going. I dont think anyone here wants anyone to quit.

I agree. but the dieter may need to give it a few more tries before the decision that it is not working.

slip ups EVERY day is not good; but when they come once or twice a week.
The dieter just may need to tweak things a bit.

I have slip ups; but I cannot move to another plan; atkins is the only way to balance my hormones. So i just have to keep trying until I get it right.

And excellent job on the 100lbs Susan. You inspire me!

I'm not the Queen of Atkins telling everyone who isn't perfect to leave, that's not my point. I read of people cheating over and over again, people who aren't doing well because of the nature of Atkins that would be so much more successful on an eating plan that's more forgiving.

No, weekly slipups are not ok. Let's take that person as an example. Monday, she's busy and starving and has a burger, fries and a shake on the way home from taking the kids to soccer practice. She immediately starts induction on Tuesday morning, but feels guilty and physically terrible all day. She decides that she's GOING to do it, sticks like glue no cheating and by Thursday afternoon, she's back in Ketosis again. She stays in Ketosis till Friday at noon, but then eats some pizza and a slice of cake at a birthday party at work. She's now out of ketosis for the weekend, and feeling mentally and physically. SO... here is a person who was perfect 95% of the week, but was only in ketosis for one day because of the way that Atkins works. Chances are very good that she will not loose any weight. Take that same person and put them on weight watchers, and they will STILL LOOSE 1 or 2 pounds. Is that more clear?

Yes. But when I have a slip up, I have a spoonful of pudding or something or a piece of fruit.
Is that the same thing?