Hi! I am Seema. I am married w/ a 12 yr old. I have not started following any particular diet, but I started low carbing on my own 6 days back. It's hard, especially for an ex carb junkie like me, used to snacking on ALL carbs all the time. But I am VERY committed.

I am just concerned about how to stay on for a long time. I do not have a great history of staying on diets long term. 10 years back I had lost 40 lbs on Weight Watchers, and gained more back.

How do you stay on a diet when your family eats EVERYTHING and the things you used to snack on are in the home? Is it just your will power or more? Also, any breakfast suggestions?

Any help from people who have been there and done that will be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks

Seema, if you see LC as a diet then the question of how long you can stay on it becomes, until you stop. We, however, have adopted LC as a WOL (Way of life); there is no going back. If you are indeed a carb junkie then you're always going to be one, its no different than having an addiction to something else. Yo-yo dieting is very hard on your metabolism, if you eat LC and then go back to how you used to eat you will gain back the weight you lost.

Eating this way for the rest of your life is possible, and it is outlined in each of the different plans available. I would suggest you take a look at our "LC Comparison Plans" section of the forum and choose one that suits your lifestyles; not all are as strict as others. After you've lost the weight you need, you can move on to the maintenance part of the plan.

All the best,
Nat

I've fallen off from eating low carb 3 times and its taken me monthes to gather myself up to trying it again. What I found is that with friends and faimly they are the temtation not the carbs, If carbs are really driving your motovation to eat you can kick most of the cravings in a week. People on the other hand can always motovate you in a direction. If you eat low carb your really going against the grain and its unrealisted to expect that there is not going to be some heat generated. But ifyou now that its going to be difficult socially you can better prepare yoursef. Ive found that somtimes getting away from those who influance you the most is the only way to here yourself. If you can't physicaly get away from the people who are tempting you ignore everthing they say or do that is related to food. And heres the hard part because meals are a important social function, eat alone for awhile if you concernd that carbohydrats around you will be to tempting.

Thanks for the encouragement! After I wrote my original message, I bought Dr. Atkins' book and now on 2nd day of Induction. The scary part of the diet is the permission to eat the kinds of food that I have considered "forbidden" for years now. Eating so much meat and less vegetables is difficult, mentally. But I am doing pretty well. Carb cravings are almost completely gone. Did any of you have problems eating so much meat and fat on this diet and still have the faith that this is going to work?

Hi Seema:

I had problems for about the first 10 minutes.

I was a low-carber before low carbing was popular. Years ago, my idea of an evening snack was 4 pieces of fried bacon and a slice of cheese. I didn't eat much bread, didn't like pasta, rice was too hard to cook so I mostly ate veggies, fruit, butter, cream and meat. I was skinny and healthy.

Then I started listening to low-fat propeganda. My new husband was a low fat dieter and I figured I should shape up and *fix* my eating habits. A gain of 40 pounds later (ok I also quit smoking) - I realized that low-fat is a spin doctor.

I welcomed back high protein - high fat living like it was a long lost relative.

I am close to my *original* weight (not the 7 pounds, 9 ounces one - but the 139 one) and have set a more realistic goal of a few pounds more than that.

The faster you adjust your mindset on the fat issue the happier (and more successful) you will be! I guarantee it.

I didnt, after wathing my Mom do so well on this WOL, my boyfriend did though. He couldnt believe that I could eat bacon and salami and cream cheese, and eat more of it than HIM and yet lose weight. He came around quickly though, and followed in my footsteps. He is such a smart guy

Nat

Thanks to both of you! That definitely helps! I will stop questioning everything and accept for what it is. I guess, sometimes all we need is the faith and such a support of people like yourselves who have done it. Please feel free to share your experiences and wisdom on this diet. I truly appreciate it.

I was thrilled to be able to eat the flavour and avoid the fillers.

I did do low faD thing and my cravings were completely out of control because of all the carbohydrates. I lost about 20 pounds - in a year! - and after a while, wanted to stab myself in the eye with a cocktail fork out of frustration.

What kind of way was that to live? To wake up tired every morning? To eat endless bowls of brown rice with canned tuna and muesli with skim milk? To crash every day at 5:00 p.m. ? To eat a pint of chocolate sorbet from out-of-control after dinner cravings and fall into bed in a sugar coma?

All I wanted was to find a way to eat permanently. A way that would be long term, keep me fit and keep me sane. A way I could eat for the rest of my life while still enjoying all the flavours I loved!

For me, low-carb is it!

Karen

Just 2 days back I had such a hard time believing that eating SO MUCH food can make you loose weight. But not today! This is my 3rd day of Induction and I have lost 4 lbs already. I re-checked the scale 4 times to make sure that there is no error. This is unbelievable!

Before this all I knew was self-control, deprivation, starvation, and ultimately guilt when nothing worked.

I am still cautiously optimistic and get a little concerned eating saturated fat. I had a very high Triglyceride level (300+). Did any of you had high Triglycerides (300+) and still could feel healthy eating on the plan, without any heart problems?

Hi Seema: Well well well!!! Congrats on your loss!

How do you feel otherwise? Your body is going to be your BEST critic. Listen closely to other improvements it's telling you about.

I used to eat a bottle of TUMS a week before low carbing. I kept a bottle in my car, beside the bed, at work, in my purse....

I haven't had to take any for the last 20 months. I think my body approves of what I am doing!

My cholesterol is fine, and always has been. But I have heard lots of testimonies of those with problems who have realized good results - one is a woman I work with - her Dr. is amazed at the improvement in her numbers in only a couple of short months - and frankly so is she.

Keep up the great work!

Thanks, LC Sponge (I like your name). And congratulations to you too, for going lower than your goal. Excellent!!

Has anyone used dietary supplements that Dr. Atkins recommends? Especially the cholesterol lowering formula? In your experience, which is better, buying separate pills for all the nutrients that he recommends or taking the Vita-Nutrient formula? I am assuming that the Vita-Nutrient formula is like a "one-stop shop" where one dose contains all the required nutrients.

I am reading about the supplements in the book, but I would love to hear about it from people who have used it.

Hi Seema

Welcome to the site & wow you're doing great. 4 lbs is so encouraging for after just going through carb withdrawals.



Well said, Seema. You've expressed exactly how I feel about all those other lousy WOEs!

Personally I use a set (3 diff gel caps) of multi vitamins formulated by a local pharmacy. Doreen T (one of our LC gurus & the administrator) recommends "super" or "forte" labelled muti-vits for the extra b vitamins they contain & that are needed when LCing. Your local Walmart should have something suitable. Ie it's not necessary to spend big bucks on your supplements.

Extra potassium & magnesium: pretty well a must for LCing too.
Nat recently replied to another ? on supplements, have a read:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...m+and+potassium

Happy LCing! Ruth

Seema - I don't fit the norm here. I never tried any of Dr. A's pills. I take a good mulitvitamin (designed for women so with extra iron) - Centrum. Then I take additional supplements on top of that in individual pills:

Vitamins C, B6, B12, E, Folic Acid, Biotin, Chromium Picolate (sp?), Calcium

I started just with the multi at first, then as I read up on differernt uses for different vits and required them (i.e. biotin for the nails and hair, vit C to deal with constipation, etc, etc) I added them to my *cocktail*.

Thanks Ruth & LC Sponge for the info on supplements. I will start incorporating some along with my multi-vitamin.

This is my 4th day on Induction and I am getting tired of having to eat so much meat. It's getting harder and harder day-by-day. I like veges more than meats... off course, I used to like bread more than veges before:-) ... Since I can have limited quantities of veges on induction, I have started skipping meals for not eating meats.

In the book, New Diet Revolution, Dr. A. mentions that the vegetarians can also do this diet, but choices are limited. Although I am not a vegetarian, I would like to KNOW the vegetarian choices.

PLEASE HELP!!

Seema - do you like fish? That's a nice alternative on occasion.

If I get tired of meat, I often have a souffle for dinner. Are you handy with a stove? Eggs are quite versatile.

Check out the recipe section here up on the orange bar at the top of the screens, you might find some inspiring recipes. There was a great one I was looking at today - one of Karen's about the cauliflower grated and used as a "rice" for fried rice. Check it out.

If it comes down to quitting, cheating on illegal foods OR enjoying a day of just veggies, then I suggest you go ahead and indulge. The truly problematic veggies are: peas, potatoes, corn and carrots - they all contain way too much sugar/starch. But go ahead and feast on the others if you want.

Watch the scale and see if a once a week vegetarian day works for you.

The whole point of considering this to be a life-long endeavour is to make sure it "fits" with your personality and likes and dislikes.

Enjoy