I just posted elsewhere about a one year plan for all weight loss. BUt I have been thinking about this a lot, as I work my way through a weight loss book, (not a diet plan) about the mental part of weight loss. Being pre-diabetic, I chose Atkins because it helped me to lose weight AND control my blood sugars. I can see that I will be staying on Atkins. It has been a slow realization, both about me, my health, and Atkins in general. Learning about the carb ladder, the long term stuff in owl and maintenance etc.
Since my loss has been slow, I had realized that I am not going "off" this diet anytime soon, that if I continue at this pace, I will be "on the diet" for a couple of years before reaching goal. THen I started to accept that I will be staying on this, that watching carbs will be something I will have to continue in order to keep a handle on my blood sugars. I slowly to came to realize, that I am making permanent changes. I can up carbs slowly according to the carb ladder, and I can reduce them again as needed to kick up weight loss.
Jersey Girl really shows us this is safe, healthy and reasonable.
Anyone else thinking/realizing they are making permanent changes to atkins or other low carbs woes?

Fatmad, Your post is very interesting and is similar to some of my own thoughts since I learned yesterday that I am pre-diabetic. While reading and thinking since I learned this, so many things that have been happening to me make sense.

I believe I am sensitive to carbs and need to reduce my intake of carbs to get my glucose down. But being new at this, I don't know if I am ready to embrace anything for life just yet (I know I am in the Atkins forum, but fatmad's post really spoke to me). I know that whatever I do, I cannot eat the starches and sugars like I used to, but I guess I need to figure it out.

This realization has been evolving for me for the past two years as I made a lifestyle change regarding food. I am eating much better than I used to, but now I need to take it a step further and cut the refined carbs. We'll see whether I need to do more than that.

sf 40, I know the atkins books all start with induction, and for good reason, but I found I couldn't do it. I went backward, lowered carbs to about 100g/day for a week or so, then 60, then finally did induction for two weeks, and have settled around 40-50 g / day now. I will go lower for a week or so every month, but I can't stick to that for long, my sugars get out of whack if I go too low! SO consider atkins or sb or primal/paleo for a while. If you start watching your sugars, you too will convert to the long term, as you will see the benefits, and learn your range. You will likely always need to be lower carb, but will learn which carbs you can manage safely.
enjoy the journey

Thanks, fatmad. I've gradually been going low carb, but do like bread products now and then. I have developed a preference for whole grain, so think it will be easy enough to entirely eliminate the refined carbs. I suspect this is my new normal for eating and will adjust as necessary to stay healthy.