If you stop doing Atkins are you doomed to regain the weight?

[Mr.BassMan]

Is there anyone who has reached their goal weight and has reincorporated Carbs into their lifestyle without suffering immediate and permanent weight gain?

Isn't there a way to use the diet as a way to lose the weight then eat a more balanced and more publically embraced way of eating to keep the weight off?

Eliminating Carbs for the short term is possible...but for the rest of my life? That's unacceptable.

Isn't there a way to make this work? Or are all who lose weight on "Atkins" doomed to regain it the moment they get off of "Atkins" no matter how careful they are?

[CarolinaRocker]

You arent eliminating carbs....if you are going to eat like the public....you will more than likely start looking like the public

Ya gotta do what works for YOU.....

[alibaba]

[quote=CarolinaRocker]You arent eliminating carbs....if you are going to eat like the public....you will more than likely start looking like the public

QUOTE]

No kidding!

[woe]

The weight comes back really fast if you just go back to the way you ate before.

[tyler43836]

Originally Posted by woe

The weight comes back really fast if you just go back to the way you ate before.

So true. As with any diet. Not just LC.

[Lisa Rae]

ok..well this is a tough one.

Yes, if you go back to your old way of eating..your going to re-gain your weight (isn't that why we all got big? because we didn't eat healthy??) same is true for any food plan for weightloss.

Does this mean you can never again have anything carby? no..it meas that hopefully by the time you hit goal..you'll have the toos to make health balanced choices. A piece of cake on occasion? sure for some this can be done..ofor others no way! It's very individual.

The one things I really picked -up on in your post however was this:

"unacceptable"

Going back to being overweight, unhealthy and misrable is "unacceptable" to me. If that means I can never have another piece of regular bread..or a donut..then that's going to have to be fine with me. I have no choice..going back is no longer an option. Not for me..and not for my family healthy long-term choices I make now are always more important then a single food item. I don't live for cake! Woo Hooooo

[Phinnk]

You don't have to eliminate carbs, just choose wisely. Just ask yourself before endulging - this looks great, but is it really worth gaining an extra pound or two??

[Hildebeest]

I think it's a matter of where you go after Atkins.

If you put high-sugar refined-starch junk food back on your menu, then you'll very probably gain the weight back. I found this out the hard way, but I sure don't blame Atkins.

It is certainly possible to maintain a loss by adding 'good' carbs slowly back into your diet, as recommended, and as you reach goal weight...but if you do that, you haven't really left Atkins. Heh.

Those trash foods are things that nobody needs to eat, no matter what your chosen WOE, and it's a good idea to eliminate them forever. If it's unacceptable to you, then you might not be in the right frame of mind yet to do Atkins, or lowcarb in general.

[JONAH'S GRANNY]

You can incorporate good higher carb food in moderation. It is the junk full of sugar and white flour that causes a problem I am finding out. I do eat a starchy vegetable most days; especially corn these days. If I eat bread or anything of its nature I make sure its whole grain and again in moderation. I eat at least one and sometimes two servings of fruit per day except for bananas (primarily apples). They are about the only sweets I eat. I have cut way back on my calories and fats in order to do this. So far, it is working great. At first I did gain about three pounds but now I'm back down and maintaining beautifully.

Again, I repeat, it is the "white stuff" that could be ones downfall and other higher carb foods should be eat in moderation. Eating more carbs means eating less fat. The only fats I eat are the healthy ones; no heavy creams, no butter, no oil unless a little olive oil.

[Tommyswife]

If you've thoroughly read Dr Atkins book, you would know that you're only eliminating the unheathly carbs in the short run. You're still able to consume healthy carbs, such as vegatables and fruits. However, during induction, your choices are limited so that you can lose the weight. There are various stages that Atkins has pointed out such as OWL Stage and Maintenance Stage. At these stages, you add back to your diet certain carbohydrates while monitoring how your body responds to the additions.

Also, the public consist of a lot of mis-informed people who will never truly embrace this way of living.

[full_of_dreams]

Bass ~ #1, as many here have stated, if you go back to your old eatting habits, yes, you will gain. (been there done that ) But, if you incorporate the RIGHT carbs into your diet and not over do it, you should be fine. Stick to whole grains which are also much better for you.

[Sugar Patrol]

Originally Posted by Mr.BassMan

Is there anyone who has reached their goal weight and has reincorporated Carbs into their lifestyle without suffering immediate and permanent weight gain?

Isn't there a way to use the diet as a way to lose the weight then eat a more balanced and more publically embraced way of eating to keep the weight off?

Eliminating Carbs for the short term is possible...but for the rest of my life? That's unacceptable.

Isn't there a way to make this work? Or are all who lose weight on "Atkins" doomed to regain it the moment they get off of "Atkins" no matter how careful they are?

There are many plans that allow for more "good carbs" than recommended on Atkins. As long as you aren't insulin resistant, these should work for you. I switched from Atkins to a more isocaloric diet when I got serious about my exercise. It's worked well for me, and I haven't regained the weight.

You might want to look into the Zone, BFL, South Beach, and the GI Diet. These plans allow for healthy carbs. While they allow for a lot more carbs than on Atkins, I still consider them to be "low carb" because they are much lower in carbs than the average American diet.

[Sequim88]

I know for a fact that for myself (and from posts here many others too) that carbs are a powerful appetite stimulant. Some sources more so than others. From what I have learned by experience there are some foods I will never routinely eat. As noted this would include all the "white stuff" but for me also it means any breads other than the most LC versions and then only in strict moderation. I can probably plan to add moderate amounts of low-glycemic items like certain fruits and maybe beans but flour, sugar and potatoes will forever remain outside my normal eating. Carbs do something very bad to my brain and make me very hungry. Too hungry to count on calories counting to keep the weight off. Avoiding the carbs makes it automatic and painless.

[Haunch]

What got you here in the first place, will get you here again. Moderation and monitoring will be the key to your lifetime success.

[GeorgiaBride]

The question is this- are you doing Atkins to lose weight (which makes it a 'diet') or are you removing the unhealthy stuff from your life to improve your health?? (Makes it a WOE- A Way Of Life, as it is for so many of us, me included) If you bring back the crackers and white bread and cookies, well, you will eventually gain all the weight back and probably more. If you choose to make healthy choices for the rest of your life, and incorporate only those carbs that your body can tolerate, then you will not have a problem. -The key being -what can your body tolerate? Obviously, it can't tolerate the high carb lifestyle, or you wouldn't be looking to lose weight in the first place, right?
Good luck!

[rosyposy]

Lose the weight on any plan, not just Atkins, and then go back to your old way of eating - you will regain the weight. Of course you will, it's what made you fat in the first place.

Lose the weight doing Atkins properly, not eliminating carbs but restricting them at first), adding good carbs back methodically as you move through the phases, making exercise as part of your life, discovering a new way of eating that is sustainable for the rest of your life - there would be no reason to gain the weight.

If by a "more balanced and publically embraced" way of eating you mean meat, fish, eggs, cheeses, healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil and butter, vegetables, salads, fruits and wholegrains; that's Atkins maintenance.

[IrishAngel40]

Great responses to this post BassMan...

Adding my two cents..

The first two weeks of Atkins induction is the same for everyone. How to maintain on Atkins varies enormously from person to person. People who successfully lost weight & kept it off are those who committed themselves to the work of finding what worked for them and sticking with it..

[CarbCrazyChristine]

Count on it. The same goes with any other diet. You are not eliminating carbohydrates completely. Only the bad ones.

[inatic]

Most people are able to move through the carb ladder and return to eating some good quality carbs as their bodies learn how to rehandle eating them.. Return to junk food, like any plan no way.

Atkins is not a no carb diet! Your suppose to move through the carb ladder and return to eating GOOD clean UNprocessed foods. That is the purpose of the plan.

Exercise also allows your body to handle eating more of them (carbs)

[KajunDC]

If you go back to doing what you were doing when you gained the weight in the first place, yes you will gain the weight back everytime, no matter how you lose it.

Can you change from strict Atkins induction to something a little more easily done with more carbs once you accomplish your goal weight, absolutely. Just don't go back to living like you were before and take changes very slowly to see how your body reacts to them.

[boss lady]

Well, yes there are Mr.Bassman. My dh for one. He's lost 80#'s and has kept it off for going on 2 years now. 90% of the time he eats low carb. But, if we go to IHOP he'll have the pancakes, (he LOVES pancakes). He does induldge, yes he does gain some, but he doesn't eat like that constantly. Plus if he does go up, he's just more strick with himself. But basicly he eats anything he wants, just not all the time.

[JuliaL]

I am a person who has added good carbs back into my woe and have been able to maintain my loss. I am very picky about which carbs I eat - only whole grains, such as oats or quinoa, brown rice, fruit and veggies. I do occasionally have a sweet treat, but I never eat bread, potatoes or pasta.

[sugarless4life]

Let's see, how simple can I say this:

NO SUGAR
NO WHITE FLOUR
NO STARCH
NO REFINED CARBOHYDRATES

Otherwise, eat up!

Betty

[bamie]

7years ago I did Atkins. I lost 98 lbs and became my goal weight. I was on induction for the whole time, I maintained it for a year because I started added carbs but still never went over 75, which for the average person is one meal but for someone who was induction for 8 months straight it is heavan. I started eating and stopped counted. It all came back +40lbs. I am back, I am in my third week. I have decided that this will have to be my way of life. the sacrafice that I have to make to be happy. There are so many low carb products out there now that I am not even nervous about it. I really just hope that I can stay strong through it. This board is my lifesaver and all of the success stories keep me motivated.

[Catsgetnhealthy]

Originally Posted by Mr.BassMan

Is there anyone who has reached their goal weight and has reincorporated Carbs into their lifestyle without suffering immediate and permanent weight gain?

Isn't there a way to use the diet as a way to lose the weight then eat a more balanced and more publically embraced way of eating to keep the weight off?

Eliminating Carbs for the short term is possible...but for the rest of my life? That's unacceptable.

Isn't there a way to make this work? Or are all who lose weight on "Atkins" doomed to regain it the moment they get off of "Atkins" no matter how careful they are?

I don't look at it as a diet. It's a way of eating I will do the rest of my life. I'm not giving up carbs, I'm giving up sugar and refined junk.
So yes I'm sure someone who does Atkins, or any diet plan, to lose weight and then goes back to old eating habits will regain (and probably more) weight.

[Matt]

its not about reintroducing carbs, its about reintroducing sugar. If you can go back to eating nothing but healthy complex carbs then you will be fine... add in the sugar again and thats when the problems start.

[Peskie]

Originally Posted by Mr.BassMan

Is there anyone who has reached their goal weight and has reincorporated Carbs into their lifestyle without suffering immediate and permanent weight gain?

Isn't there a way to use the diet as a way to lose the weight then eat a more balanced and more publically embraced way of eating to keep the weight off?

Eliminating Carbs for the short term is possible...but for the rest of my life? That's unacceptable.

Isn't there a way to make this work? Or are all who lose weight on "Atkins" doomed to regain it the moment they get off of "Atkins" no matter how careful they are?

If you read about maintenance, you'll see it's very balanced.

But, to answer the question, Dr Atkins says in his book if you don't continue with that, to make sure you go to some diet so that you don't regain it. It's not about Atkins or nothing. It's about doing something that works.

Not dieting will not. And regaining will not be any different if you go off another plan.