I get so frustrated reading the posts of all the newbies (and stalled veterans) who start this diet with all the enthusiasm in the world and get stuck because they believe Atkins bars and "low carb" muffins are going to help them lose weight.

Has anyone here actually lost the weight and maintained it while using these "low carb" equivalents? To me, those products looked like the "low fat" racket all over again, and I never bought any of them.

In addition, I feel that, for long-term success, you have to make fundamental changes in the way you eat -- and subbing "low carb" bread for regular bread does not strike me as much of a change. When I went on this diet, I didn't sub Diet Coke in for my 4-5 cans of The Real Thing -- I switched to water. And as for the huge quantities of sugary candy I was eating every day -- I used this diet to lose the cravings for it, something I could not have done using "sugar free" substitutes. The freedom from those cravings has been one of the main joys of this diet.

I totally agree with you. One problem is that a lot of new folks see "Atkins" on these products, and then assume they can do the Slim-fast plan with them. It's not entirely their fault: Atkins doesn't do much to discourage their use, for obvious reasons.

To answer your question: lost the weight with them? No. Maintained with them? Yes, but not in abundance. I buy RS sugar free chocolates once in a blue moon. There's no way I'd spend the money on the fake breads, muffins and cereals, though.

You can divide people based on what they're willing to do to get rid of the weight: some are willing to do anything and practically go Atkins KISS right off the bat. Others, however, can't imagine giving up bread, etc, and are desperate for "replacements." Most fall somewhere in between. I think we have to decide for ourselves where the balance point is: where you've cut enough of the junk to be successful, but you have enough enjoyment of your food to feel like you're not a deprived dieter. The price you pay with the frankenfoods is the risk of slowed or stopped weight loss.

I use the low carg muffins and candy for an occassional change of pace. I do not depend on them. But sometimes I need something different and don't want to cheat. They help me there. Only use them maybe once a week at the most and they help me. Guess you need to use them sensible. Good Luck

Hi downscale, I guess I'm one of those people who successfully lost weight while using all the 'low carb substitutes'. I ate low carb bread, totillas, sugar-free products, aspartame & saccharin containing diet sodas.. I was lucky to have not been affected by any of the foods considered possible stallers. However, I was not dependent on them. I only ate them when I felt like eating them at the time. They were never out of intense craving or such. I have no problem foods or binge foods now except for maybe cheesecake

I agree with you that it should be a permanent change to healthier eating, which I have done. I actually crave vegetables now! But as Kristine said, I guess I'm one of those 'in-between' people who feels I should eat whatever I want, in moderation of course.

I use lots of LC equivalents. I love to bake and use almond and walnut flour to replace the regular stuff. We have about 15 DaVinci SF syrups in the house for coffee, baking and sweetening cream cheese/cottage cheese. I eat an EAS bar for breakfast with a cup of coffee several days a week (at work). I leave the house at 6:30 so it makes sense to wait until I am here to eat. I cut the bar up into 7 or 8 pieces and nibble on them all morning long. I splurge on Atkins bagels and have about one a week. Sometimes a cup of tea and a bagel with cream cheese is what I really want for lunch or an afternoon snack. I'm not a big meat eater so I never use meat as a snack food. Raw veggies were great in the summer but I need my comfort foods this time of year. RS SF candy and Bryers Carb Smart ice cream are handy for desert. I've made ice cream topping by mixing DaVinci syrup with SF jelly. I have pinapple and strawberry. Throw some whipped cream and walnuts on top and I'm in heaven!

Got to get to work.

Barb

PS - I do agree that a lot of people rely on LC substitutes too often to try and replace their old carb diet without really getting into the LC woe.

I do use the frankenfoods in moderation. If I want a bagel or a hamburger as an example, it is nice to have something that will work. I hardly used any of the frankenfoods while losing. There is no doubt I have changed my way of eating but ever now and then I want something sweet. I feel like a lowcarb candy bar is much better for me than a sugar filled one. I'm one of the lucky ones - they cause me no problems at all and have not created any weight gain for me. YMMV.

Wow, saw what I wrote before and it sounds like I live on junk. I really don't. I do love desert two or three times a week and I make a really mean Sunday. I have found that sugar alcohols don't cause me to have cravings the way regular sugar did. I can have a piece of RS, enjoy it and walk away. This past Easter I was a monster. Kept popping candy from the kids baskets and then walking around with a terrible "itch" until I popped another piece. It was frightening how out of control I was. SF candy does NOT do this to me.

It's so liberating being free from carb cravings. My son's b'day was Tuesday and he wanted a chocolate mousse cake. In past years the cake would be gone by the next day. DH and I inhaled it. My son and daughter don't crave sweets at all so even though it is a tiny cake (Shop Rite sells little ones around here) it is still waiting to be eaten. It is so wonderful to not be like Homer anymore. I used to be just like him, drool and all.



Barb

I have never used any of the low carb Atkins products. I want to eat healthy and to me eating those foods on a regular basis would not be healthy.

In the last few months I have found some sugar free chocolate (without artificial sweetners) in the health food store. I got into that for a while then switched to the sugar free, dairy free carob instead (made with soy products instead). That agreed with me much more than the previous product. Even that I haven't had for a few weeks now.

When I have stalled my weight loss, say when I have reached a particular goal, I have sometimes used some high carb products to maintain my weight at that point for a while. When I am ready to go lower then I go back to pure low carb.

My first few months of low carbing, I was really strict about eating whole foods and avoiding processed LC substitutes. I had a goal and I was totally focused, "eyes on the prize."

Now I'm much more relaxed about the whole thing. If I want a sugar free chocolate bar, I have it. Likewise low carb ice cream, or Keto spaghetti, or a slice of LC bread with peanut butter and Steele's jam, or whatever. Low carb is a lifetime eating change for me. If I treated food like a penance, forever denying myself things I enjoy just out of principle, when there are lc choices, there's no way I could make it work for the rest of my life. Now if only lc foods weren't so expensive

SarhO - I have to agree with you. I want to eat healthy but there are just times when I like a change or have an urge for something sweet. When I do, sugar free candy helps.

I have been considered a health nut by a lot of people for a long time, but prior to my weight loss I had succumed to my addiction to sweets. It was a relief to find sugar alcohol sweetened stuff. Then I overdid it on that which defeated me. Now I only occassionally have it. I know I would be better off without it completely, but I'm simply not there yet.