Hi there. I was wondering how to deal with those people who are doing the Atkin's Diet and that have lost twice the weight in the same amount of time that I have on WW?? I've been on WW since June and have lost 15 1/2 lbs. Overall I am very happy with that - except when I hear from these people who have lost 25-30 lbs. in the same amount of time. It gets very discouraging and makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong or if I should go off WW and try Atkins. I know WW is a good healthy plan.... So does anyone have any wise words of wisdom for me?? Thanks.

I did Atkins for Lent one year (I was giving up carbs and needed some direction). I lost 15 pounds in the 45 days and really felt great. Problem was I couldn't stand to eat another piece of meat. Atkins works for some people, but in that multi-meat respect, I couldn't deal. Maybe you can compare Atkins to WW (which I do now) and their traits to see what YOU can and cannot fathom. I concluded that a varied eating plan made better sense for me since I'm more apt to go vegetarian than eat meat. Hope this helps.

And, one more thing, there's a chick in my WW class that has lost 100 pounds in 7 months, and I've only lost 46 in 12. How do you figure? You've really got to accept that everyone is different. I lost 122 in 10 months on another plan, but that was 10 years ago. Think about the differences between yourself and these other people--age, amount to lose, activity, habits, etc.

And if ones who lose on Atkins diet add carbs back or try to or quit doing the (extremely) low carbs they gain the weight back. They don't learn to eat a normal portion.

Many of my W/W friends have done what you are thinking and they end up back at W/W.

Actually I did Atkins for over a year and it didn't work for me. I think all in all, you are on a healthy eating plan and you are going to be able to do this for the long haul. You can sit back and see if these people are able to stick with this, or fall away. I think for most people it is natural to eat carbs, and personally I'm not convinced that LCing is all that healthy, Judy

Kelly, hate to burst your bubble, but Atkins does add some carbs back on maintenance and people to gain back everything. 95% of dieters gain back all they lost no matter how they went about losing it...so should we all stop trying?

Also, New studies are showing that yes no/lo carb dieters do loose faster in the beginning but in the long run the "sensable dieters" do just as well.

Keep doing what you are doing.
-L

Of course if you quit something and do what you always did you will get what you always want. I have read the Atkins book (and they don't add that many carbs back into their life in maintenance per the book -- btw it is sitting on my shelf because I spent money on it I won't give it away), I have tried it....it is not a lifestyle I could do or maintain for any length of time. When the person unless they are ready to stay with it forever and they start trying to eat carbs they do and will gain...

I am not saying that lowering carbs and eating more complex carbs isn't bad...what I am saying is most people are not prepared to make a drastic change like that forever...

Hello,
I did Low carb,not persay Atkins for close to 3 months an lost 60 pounds,that was two years ago,an i let myself go complelty i gained 30 back over tha last two years,i think some people are Card addicts,myself i cant eat bread an heavy startches or i gain wait.....i've seen it over an over in myself but honestly you could've asked me last year how much i wanted to lose a month i would've said 25 would be Awesome!....but now i've matured in my thought proccess to realize 25 is unheathly an that losing slower (yet annoying) your skin shrinks back,yer body is healthyer,you have more time to adjust to your eating habits ! plus you get to learn yer body over an over an over again Fun aint it? !!!

I am looking into WW because of the flexipoint system. All previous attempts at WW have resulted in weight gain. For the last 32 months, I have been doing Atkins, where my weight has gone from 376 lbs to 266 lbs. I am hopeful that WW will be able to now give me the support that was lacking previously. I just have to figure how to calculate points. For example, for breakfast I had a 3 egg omelet with cheese (2 oz)cooked in 1 Tbsp of butter, green onion and bacon (3 pieces); for snack some flavored yogurt cheese (1/4 cup); for dinner a whole wheat mountain bread rollup with yogurt cheese (1/4 cup), romaine, red pepper, summer squash and boneless, skinless chicken drumstick (4 oz). So what are the points for this? I make the yogurt cheese myself from draining whole milk plain organic yogurt for 24 hours. It makes a cream cheese consistency without the problems that come with lactose. I can't stomach fat free stuff, looks and tastes like plastic.

Dr. Atkins is the first to admit that no one diet is right for everyone. Thanks for your help.

Wow,you did wounderful on atkins,but i know after a while you need more support then a Book....i went down hill fast because of it!! but you've lost almost 100 pounds on it an thats great atlest you didnt "gain" so to speak......alotta people dont try things because they are afraid to loose something well with me...all i can loose is WEIGHT!!

I would be interested in the documentation that finds that 95% of people regain all their weight no matter how they lost the weight. While this kind of figure is thrown around quite a bit, it does not match the studies I have seen. Sometimes we just repeat half truths so often, they seem to become fact. The reason that this is important is because, I too, had heard the regaining percentage. It kept me from starting WW because, "Why bother?" After beginning the journey, I found out that this number is not accurate. The original studies were done on a small number of people who were hospitalized for weight loss-not a typical person IMO. There are many variables in percentages who regain. We all need to be careful not to repeat things we've heard without checking it out.

Actually most studies that have been done on successful weight loss programs and maintaining have proven more like 85% regain some or all of their weight because people don't make a lifetime committment to keep the weight off. And yes I have check it out in many of my nutrition classes.


Marishka, "For example, for breakfast I had a 3 egg omelet with cheese (2 oz)cooked in 1 Tbsp of butter, green onion and bacon (3 pieces)" = 15 points

"for snack some flavored yogurt cheese (1/4 cup)" = ~1 a point

"for dinner a whole wheat mountain bread rollup with yogurt cheese (1/4 cup), romaine, red pepper, summer squash and boneless, skinless chicken drumstick (4 oz)" = Not sure on the rollup but a medium size flour tortilla (which is similiar) is 3-4 points, 1 point for the chicken.

It is not meaningful to give one percentage number for all programs. There are many variables. Was the weight loss from gastric bypass surgery or cabbage soup diet? Did the people need to lose 5 lbs. or 100 lbs.? The National Weight Loss Registry has some good specific studies.http://192.138.176.29/services/bmed/...nwcr/research/

Actually the figure I gave is based on an average of all programs and if it is a weight loss program a person utilizes it is still valid. While a percentage of maintains per program is different. It is still finding a program that one can live with for a lifetime...not just for weight loss. But we all have lost on another program and then gained it back at one time or another otherwise we wouldn't still be battling.

Ate out in a restaurant for breakfast and lunch. Here is a sample of my food today, calculated with carbs and points. The formula I was given to figure the points was as follows: (calories + fat - fiber) / 50 = pt. Fiber no more than 4 grams allowed in calculation.

3 egg omelette ----------------------0 carbs / 6 pt
2 tbsp cheddar ----------------------1 carb / 2 pt
onions, mushrooms, tomato ------4 carbs / 0 pt
1 tsp butter --------------------------0 carb / 1.5 pt
tea--------------------------------------0 carb / 0 pt
4 tsp half and half ------------------4 carbs / 2 pts

2 oz oysters -------------------------0 carbs / 3 pts
romaine, cucumber, tomato ------4 carbs / 0 pts
4 oz lobster --------------------------0 carb / 4 pts
1 tsp mayonnaise -------------------1 carb / 1.5 pts
2 tbsp ranch dressing --------------1 carb / 4 pts
¼ cup cooked carrot ----------------3 carbs / 0 pts

WW Mountain Bread ----------------6 carbs / 1 pt
2 tbsp yocheese ---------------------1 carb / 1 pt
romaine, red pep, sum squash ----4 carbs / 0 pt
4 oz chicken ---------------------------0 carb / 4 pts

Totals ----------------------------------34 carbs / 30 pts

100 oz water

Walked one mile - 266 lb x 30 min x 0.00023 = 1.8 activity point earned

This took me some time to figure out, but it was a real education. I learned I can eat healthy with my low carb plan and use the points to keep me from overdoing. During the 32 months I have been doing Atkins, I have had periods of plateaus, but I continued to eat the same healthy way. My shrink was so happy with the way I was able to come off my meds, and how well I felt, that he now recommends cutting out the white stuff and trans fats to his patients. He said he found research to support the notion that the white stuff and trans fats are toxic to some humans. He started Atkins four months ago himself. My search into Weight Watchers is to allow me to portionize my food, because as I get to maintenance I will add in more whole grain and fruit and slim down the protein. That's Phase 3 and 4 of Atkins. These two plans can definitely support each other for those who want this as their choice.

Mary
376/266/160 Atkins 1/19/2001
BF 50%+/37.7%/29%