Then I read that you should lose 1-pounds a week! Thats the same as every other diet! I know it's a lifestyle change and everything, but I wanted to lose the bulk of my weight fast. I have a reuinion coming up january 7th and I wanted to at LEAST lose 20 pounds before then. My ultimate goal is 37 pounds. I chose this diet because I can't stop eating an restrict myself on low calorie diets and plus the low calorie diets took forever just to lose weight. So I heard this wasn't AS bad at depriving you from food, and it was a sure way to lose weight fast. I know everyone is different but there is a big difference between losing 5 pounds a week, or one pound a week. I have been on this diet exactly 10 days and I have lose some weight but my scale is broken and I have to buy a new one. I am so upset....I really thought this would help me lose the weight by january!

Atkins is probably not the best choice for "crash" dieting. If you go back to a high carb way of eating, you'll gain it back very quickly. I had great results, 7 lbs the first week and 5 pounds the second. I followed it exactly, drank 80 oz. of water per day, and walked 2 miles every day. I think the fact that I started out almost 100 pounds overweight fueled my results, btw. This last week I lost 1 pound, but I know from my reading that there are often very small loss weeks 3 and 4 as the body adjusts to this way of eating.

I'm so sorry that you're disappointed in your results, I know it can be really depressing.

It's almost a necessity to read the book before assuming that the atkins diet is just for quick weight loss. The first two weeks you lose quite a bit, which is usually water. After induction, (which is the first two weeks) sometimes you'll go up a couple then the next week you could be down three. It's all according to how strict you stay with the book, how much you exercise, drink water and what time of the month it is. But i definitely agree with Tenn, this isn't a crash diet kind of diet

Lacey

I've lost 20 lbs since September 26th so it can be done, but this is a lifestyle change. I just have a particularly high metabolism which I found out during the induction phase...I was just eating horribly like 3 donuts for breakfast, McD's for lunch, a poptart for a snack and then a high carb dinner such as rice or potatos. It's a wonder I didn't weigh more than I did.

Sounds like you weren't looking for a serious change in the way you've been eating...that you just wanted something fast and guaranteed. If you've read the book, and are following induction to the letter..then you should be losing quite a bit. BUT...if you really don't have that much to lose to begin with (IE: Your body doesn't think you need to lose that much) you could possibly be doing more damage than good....and your body will rebel and not let you lose weight fast. I'm sorry you're not happy with this WOE!!

Oh god, so this isn't the best choice for me! I DO have every intention of making this a lifestyle change, but if I am only gonna lose 1 pound a week and then GAIN some weight on and off...I am not so sure if I can handle that. I am overweight but not obese and I have been committing to this diet. I eat 20 carbs or less, drink tons of water and exersise. I thought for sure that I would of lost more weight. Then I tried on my pants yesterday and cried my eyes out because they sre still tight. the thing is, I did notice a difference in my appearence somewhat..then when I got on the scale and saw I didn't lose weight I was crushed. And my pants didn't fit...how can I look like I lost say 5 pounds, yet the facts don't show me that? Maybe I should decrese my carbs even more (not on atkins I am low carbing it though)..... I just kno myself and if I don't lose weight faster I give up and thats why for the past 4 years I have gained more weight in the process. because I get depressed that I still look fat and I eat more. I would just hate to find out that this diet isn't gonna work like I thought. I will give it 2 more weeks, because I am trying to fight. If I still don't see any decent results than I will have to go low low calorie. Then again, if I quit every diet I am on because results don't come fast enough, I will never lose weight. Any suggestions on ho to speed up the process? Foods? I am a vegitarian. Though I do eat a lot of fish. Being that I am not on atkins, if I just stayed on "introduction" aka eating 20 carbs a day forever, will that be better for me?

your a vegetarian, but you eat fish? what are you eating during the day? Where are your carbs coming from? I suspect this is where the problem is...are you getting at least 30 grams of protein? Where is it coming from?

ultra low calorie will work until your body goes into starvation mode....then loosing becomes almost impossible.

Eat healthy, make smart choices....post a typical menu so we can help you spot what might be happening

I so feel for you!!! I got so discouraged with yo-yo dieting that I totally gave up several years ago. I felt like the battle just wasn't worth the toll it took on my self-esteem. No matter what eating plan you choose it's hard, and it's so heartbreaking to hear the pain in your post! (((hugs)))

Atkins is a very restrictive way of eating in the beginning - there's more to induction than remaining under 20 carbs per day. Like others, I really recommend reading the entire Atkins book, but to learn the basics, check out this link: http://www.geocities.com/cherilynn82000/Newbiepage.html

If you don't mind my asking, how much do you weigh, and how much would you like to loose? If you do some reading and decide that you really DO want to choose Atkins, come back and let us help you work on it.

Whatever you decide, I hope you do well!

Tenn

How long have you been on this? Have you read the book? It will explain almost everything to a T.
When I began, I started as a vegetarian also. On induction there's not much of anything to eat if you're a vegetarian. I had a lot of salad, lots of brocolli and cheese and I was literally starving my body. I had to choose to start eating meat or I wouldn't have been able to stay with it because our bodies need protein and the induction list veggies have lil' to none and nuts are not allowed on induction.
The book also states that when we aren't losing weight we are almost always losing inches.

Lacey

I agree with what has been said here. There is real science behind low carb and what makes it work for folks so you MUST read the book and understand the concept rather than just cutting carbs to under 20g a day.

And I'd like you to re-read your post of earlier today: "I DO have every intention of making this a lifestyle change, but...." & "I just kno myself and if I don't lose weight faster I give up and thats why for the past 4 years I have gained more weight in the process". Listen and really hear what you are saying. We have all struggled with this but we are here because we want/need to lead a healthier life and we want/need to feel better. It is an inside job that we need to do on our hearts/heads, first, before we can really act upon all the stuff we read and hear about changing our lifestyle.

So slow down, look inside yourself, ask the hard questions and then, seriously, make the changes necessary to make this work for you. You can do this! We are here to help!

Kel

There hasn't been one diet where I've lost 1 lb and then gained 2 - 3 lbs back fast.

With any diet, you must follow it or it isn't going to work. I went on Atkins because I needed to stay away from bad carbs all together. I couldn't just have one portion of chips or bread and the more I ate the more I wanted. Atkins kept me away all together.

Read the book and really dedicate yourself to the plan for a few weeks and you'll see if its the plan for you.

Good Luck !!!

Hugs

Thank you all so much for replying. I know I can sound crazy but it's not insanity just desperation. When every day all you think about is how you have to lose weight it really can kill you. I literally look in the mirror every single day to see if I have lost anything. To answer your questions:
I am 5'2 and weight around 145 pounds maybe a little more. I don't eat meat at all. I eat salmon, tuna, eggs, cheese, shrimp, and things that are really low in carbs(low carb veggie meals 3 full carbs per serving, 1 net carb). A lot of people just eat healthy and under 20 carbs rather than atkins because it's easier to stick to. I can't tell if I am not losing weight, or if my expectations are so high that I am letting myself down. I will take some of your advice. I will try this out for a while and hopefully I will see results. If not then I have to fix something in this. Thanks you guys for trying to help

Cindy, believe me, we all understand desperation. Some times I think its my middle name.

Let me just say, your 145 lbs which means you really don't have ALOT to lose, so the weight will come off slower than some one who's 200 or 300 lbs. Shoot, those folks can drop anywhere from 5 - 10 lbs a week. See what I'm saying. So for you to lose probably 1 - 2 lbs a week IS GOOD !!!!

Don't be so hard on yourself and maybe you'll see those changes you so desire.

Eating fish on atkins is good, you'll need to eat some dairy too in order to get enuf protein. At 5'2" your goal is probably what? 125 - 130 ? Also, how old are you, weight does not fall off your body for a 40 year old like it does for a 20 year old. How is your muscle mass? are you big frame? small frame? You need to take all this into consideration.

HUGS !!!

From this statement alone proves to me that you should read the Atkins book...I don't think you know what it's really about. You are 5'2" and 145 lbs...I'm 5'2" and 148 lbs right now. The closer I get to my goal weight the slower it will come off just because that is the way the human body works. I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think any diet short of starvation is going to get you the results you are wanting. It also sounds to me like you are doing this to impress others instead of doing it for yourself which always means death when it comes to a diet (not literally, but you know what I mean). Don't you think you would be happier if you even just lost five lbs or ten before your reunion or whatever it is that you are losing weight for? Believe me I still have a goal met, but I'm happier in my 148 lbs than I was in my 168 lbs. My energy has increased, I actually am feeling my age now, and my husband and I's relationship is better than ever. Just take all these things into consideration. Atkins or low carb my not be the way of life for you, but I think you should be looking to improve yourself in the long run than to impress a bunch of people you see once every ten years.

Cindy, are you eating 3 meals a day? maybe a snack thrown in? I think it was suggested you post exactly what you eat. There might be something in there that you're not seeing that might be stopping the weight loss. Or if you're not eating enough that could be the cause. You also said you weigh around 145 pounds and want to lose 37 pounds? that would put you at about 108 pounds which maybe is the reason your body is rebelling on the weight loss issue. Don't judge how your weight by the scale. Judge it by your clothes. Are ALL your clothes still tight? or just some of them? Were they "ultra tight" to begin with and now are just snug and you're just imagining they're tighter than they are? The little differences will show first. Rings fitting looser. Watches hanging. Face looks thinner, etc. Don't get discouraged but don't starve yourself either. Sounds like you're truly trying to 'fix' the way things are going and we're all here to help