third time the charm??

[LCRobbie]

Round 1 on Atkins yielded magnificent results. In the span of about a year, I went from 388.8 to my lowest of 318, about 70 pounds. However, in the process I added serious muscle from working out and looked pretty good for a 318 pounder. I received many positive comments. During my wife's pregnancy, I gained more than she did and went from 318 to 350.

Round 2 on Atkins was pretty decent. After becoming a father 7/1/05, I became refocused. I went from 350 back down to 330 but ran into a carb-ladened tax season (I am an accountant) and went back to 345.

Round 3 started 2 weeks ago eventhough it is tax seaason. I did induction to the letter of Dr. A's book, with the slight exception of caffeine elimination. I am very fond of Coke ZERO and Diet Dr. Pepper. I did drop down to my current weight of 337 (8 pounds).

I am wondering this….each time you "refocus" start over, or whatever, does the induction phase lose its effect? The intervals that I wasn't LC'ing religiously, I was LC'ing with moderate exceptions….occasional LC bread, fruit, some really bad stuff too, not going to lie.

Also, I have researched caffeine and so on and its effects on people's weight loss and the majority of people drink regular tea, coffe, diet soda, etc.

Other than sticking to the plan and being patient, has anyone experienced this type of weight loss (interval) and been successful? Any advice on how to get back into fat burning mode.

Keep in mind that I am an LC veteran…since 8/03.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[Dogbert199]

Robbie, I can answer this one. . . I lost a lot of weight and regained and lost and regained and every time I started over, I never had the massive weight loss numbers as I did the first time around.

Bottom line, though, is that you know where you're at and where you gotta get to.

My wife gave birth 8 months ago yesterday, my daughter is NOT going to remember a fat dad (I stoke that from kyrasdad) and while it's a struggle sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do.

What I've been doing is sticking to mostly fat and protein, meats, hard cheeses, eggs, and I try to make sure I get enough fiber in my food, not just in sugar free metamucil.

You know how to exercise, so do it. THAT will help you get back in fat burning; you burn fat when your glycogen is low, so let's do the things that burn glycogen til it's next to nothing, and it'll force your body into fat burning mode.

[WildCherry]

The first time on atkins I lost 25lbs in 3 weeks, the second time I lost about 10 lbs in 2 weeks....and this time I think i'm actually gaining....

It's very frustrating.....But hang on....Soon you'll be there again.

[diemde]

Ok, my theory is that once you've done low carb and had success, you remember it and really don't pig out nearly as much on carbs as you used to. So instead of eating 300 carbs per day, you might have been eating 150 before you started lc'ing the 2nd time. Then when you go truly low carb, the difference is smaller between where you started from the first time around, so the weight loss isn't as dramatic. So 300 carbs down to 20 carbs is a difference of 280 carbs for the first time around, but the second time its 150-20, so only 130 carbs.

I believe our bodies were designed with feast or famine in mind, so they can handle the periods of highs & lows just fine. It's just once we have the knowledge, we don't go nearly as high carb as we used to.

Just my 2 cents. :D

[Greenwitch]

I noticed that my loss on induction this time was about 50% less than it was the first time around. First time around I was the incredible shrinking woman and I think I dropped 22pounds in 2 weeks or something wild like that. This time 11 pounds in 10 days. So..definitely less. Since then, about 1 more pound and that's it. Mind you, if I consider that I started early this month, that's 11 pounds in 1 month. I shouldn't really care, but you know how stalls feel..::: sigh :: feels like nothing is happening.

Anyway, you should feel VERY proud that you didn't regain all your weight and that you're starting again. And congrats on the little one! :)

[SRabbit]

I think you will find the same story in most of the replies you get to your query---I lost 85# 3 years ago and gained it back.

This time I am losing a bit slower, but the funny thing is I am also more committed, so I don't mind as much (last time I pushed myself too much, got depressed every time I went up or down on the scale, etc.)

And I'm still losing well, 42# since Christmas so that is great, almost half what I lost before already gone!

What this tells me more than anything else is this time I have to really stick with it---if it's going to get slower every time I can't afford to keep gaining/losing---I need to just get it off and be done with it!!!

Good luck, this is a good thing you are doing for yourself AND your family!!!