Just a little FYI for those thinking of the refeed. I'm sure it does not work for everyone, but it always worked for me when I did Atkin's previously. The thing is refeeding is not an excuse to go overboard and it does not necessarily have to be for 3 days or a week or anything like that. When I would get in a stall before, I'd go to Wendys and order a spicy chiken sandwich meal. Becuase I was unused to the carbs I'd eat about 5 fries, the chicken and 1/2 the bun (made the sandwich so dry!!!??) and 1/4 of my small frosty.....and then right back onto Atkins. Something about it causes some kind of chemical reaction in your body that makes it let go of the weight it's been holding onto (bad description, but the only way I can think of it). It's almost like it kind of tricks it and your body says....oh, okay, I'm gonna get plenty of that, I can let this fat I'm storing go. I cheated all the time previously (no chemically altered lc foods) but in great moderation. I would eat 1 scoop of Bryers strawberry ice cream with some low cal choc sauce or 3 pirroulle (sp) cookes........things like that and every once in a while I'd do the Wendys or something along those lines and I never had the stall issues and see saw weight that I've been having this time around since I've been so good, not cheating and eating too much lc foods. Last weekend to break my vicous cycle I went off for 2 and 1/2 days........made sure to consume a good amount of carbs and even sugar (in the form of like pizza sauce) and my weight fluctuation has stopped........I feel much better and I really believe I'm going to start seeing the difference in my clothes and on the scale. I've renounced lc foods and am going to stick to what works for me.

Remember though, what works is different for everyone.

Well Im fairly new two months on Atkins and I hit a stall big time . Gave up the artif sweetners, protein shakes, upped the water, The only thing that worked after talking to a fitness specialist was increase the intensity of my exercise. Not the amount of time but the intensity. I also took a 30 minute work out and break it up 15 in AM and 15 in PM. Your heart rate up keeps burning calories even sleeping. I did hear from a friend that a small bite of cheesecake will break her plateau. So now, I have Sarah Lee Cheesecake bites in my freezer but count the Carbs. The sugar seems to kick the plateau but be careful with the falling off the band wagon. Im the worst about OH well now I blew it so I make sure I plan for those carbs in that cheesecake bite. Once I increase my intensity of exercise and added weight resistance the scale moved immediately. Just a thought

I will give it a try, thanks for the info. I don't have extra time in the morning so that may just be the ticket (upping the intensity)

I was stuck at 215.5 for awhile. Got very upset. I actually cheated a bit for about a week and a half, gained about 5 pounds. However, re-inducted and lost the five pounds plus 6 more pounds in a week. I think it may be different for everyone. Me finding out that this would work for me was purely by chance.

It does not work for everyone. It's a risk you take. If you feel you can handle it not working, by all means, go for it.

hmmmm and i thought i was lucky???? I stalled too, then binged for a few days and lost 8lbs last week alone!!!! BUT so far 8 days later nothing. Should i eat carbs again????

I've binged on sweets like cookies and ice cream before and ended up llosing more weight more rapidly over those next few days... I'd say try it Butterball and see if it works, if not you can go straight back onto whatever LC plan your doing.

I think that the short-term carb-fests are a positive tool for me. I have heard that this is a regular part of the South Beach diet, one free-day pass type thing. Does anyone know if this is true?

I stalled too, then binged for a few days and lost 8lbs last week alone!!!! BUT so far 8 days later nothing. Should i eat carbs again????

was your 8lbs of loss from your start weight before the binge?

Did a very simple refeed this weekend with some friends, just a few glasses of beer and things really started picking up this week. But, we'll see how this goes.

Okay...I'm a hypothyroid, type 2 diabetic with past candida issues (I've been clear for several months now), have been 20-25g carbs for months....lost no weight the past 2 months...only one lb the previous six weeks. I have congenital laxity in my left foot...and I believe it's somehow related to the fluid retention I experience...mostly in my left foot/leg. I drink more than a gallon of water and take a lot of supplements daily...and I haven't cheated on Atkins since I started last August. I'm afraid that if I "refeed" or suddenly up my carbs for a day...or even a meal....not only would it endanger my blood sugar.....but I might never be able to return to Atkins. I miss Asian food terribly.....and real bread.......

It sounds like I will never know unless I agree to take that risk. Actually, without knowing it, I did just that on a repeated basis when I was a teenager. It was the late 1960's....and I discovered Dr. Stillman's Quick Weight Loss Diet. All protein, no fat, no carbs.....but I could only handle it for six days at a time. Seventh day, immediately after my weekly weigh-in, I would gorge myself on hot dogs & Miracle Whip...and whatever else my Mom had leftover in the fridge...and maybe top it off with brownies or chocolate chip cookies dipped in Dream Whip or ice cream. Always, the very next day, I'd be up 4-5 lbs....then I'd go six more days on Stillman's....and proceed to lose those lbs plus at least two more.

I'm turning 50 next month...a long way from my crash & binge eating of the '60's....but, healthwise, maybe I should consider it again?????

maybe......maybe......

I want to TESTIFY! that refeeding works for *me*

I have tried it twice and both times it worked.

I had even made a prediction on another lc board that what I called "carb-loading" would become very popular among low carbers in the next 5-10 years. I was VERY excited when I saw this thread.

Anyhoo, this is how I stumbled on refeeding:
My mum sent me ingredients for my favorite meal of all time, which is an imported yam based meal. It is pure carbs(no sugars) -around 120 grams of carbs per half cup. I had not eaten it in six years.
Around the same time, I was stalled at 262. (three days without weight loss for me is a stall since I am eating less than my BMR and less than half of my daily needs.)

When I got the package, I went crazy. I had 3 servings per meal, two times per day, for two days. If anyone is adding up, this is 1440g , yes fourteen hundred and forty grams of carbohydrate in only two days. It also amounted to about 6000 calories in two days, not counting the vegetables and meat that goes with the meal.

I gained 1.5 lbs from that adventure. I did not care. This was my favorite meal and I had not had it in six years. I had expected to gain more and so I was actually happy that this was all I gained.

Then the weight started coming off, and boy did it come off. I lost five lbs in the following 7 days from 263.5 down to 258.5 This was almost twice the rate at which I had been losing before.

The second time I tried refeeding, I had the exact same food but only once per day, then I had snacks of ice cream and a lot of sugar laden foods. That time I gained 5 lbs. When the weight loss kicked in again, it was like magic. I lost the five lb water? gain in two days THEN lost an additional 5 lbs over that in only five days.

For me, the key is to take in a lot of carbs but no sugars. Even for a "higher carb" person like me, sugars are very addictive and can be the cause of a lot of heartache and overindulgence. I still kept my calorie count to under my daily needs, but I raised carb intake to about 90% of my intake. I only did it for two days.

Is it something I would advice everyone to do? No. I would hate for someone to refeed and gain weight only for the weight to stay. Proceed at your own risk

very interesting thread.i went crazy with the carbs today(no sugar,just ate bread).so maybe i shouldn't feel so bad after all...

You're lucky you could get back on the plan, Addie.

I don't dare. I just don't know if I have it in me to make it through another withdrawal. Better that I don't take that first bite.

I've read all 8 pages by now and I have to say that I am deathly afraid of a refeed and will never do it on purpose. That's not to say I won't lose my will/discipline and fall off the wagon, but I just can't see planning a day-long pizza fest (dammit! )

I hope this post doesn't sound judgmental; that is not my intent, but I'm prepared that some posters may interptet it that way.

I started this WOE because I really want to reach a healthy weight. But I also promised myself that I wouldn't treat my journey as a diet -- something I started and then stopped when I became thin. This time my way of eating would become a way of life. I didn't want to eat food that clogged me. I wanted to eat food that cleansed me!

It's not that I can't see myself spending a day or two eating all my favorite "binge" foods (e.g., pizza and garlic bread and Italian food and chocolate). I'm drooling just thinking about it. And I am jealous of every one of you for whom refeeding has worked! But another part of me avidly wants to avoid eating that way because that's what got my weight up to an all-time high of 182. I sure didn't get fat eating chicken and vegetables!

And while I admit an occasional, small treat when I'm at maintenance is reasonable, I am terrified of the binge/gorge thing. What if I can't get back on???

I am wondering if there a way to do a refeed with whole, natural foods. For example, piles of steamed brown rice with melted cheese and beans or mounds of whipped potatoes with garlic, thyme and French butter or masaman curry...

Does it have to be sugar? Has anyone done a refeed with natural foods?

Yes, I think what you are talking about is carb cycling, and currently there is a long thread about it in the Tips and Stalls section...but I don't think anyone on that thread is doing between 300 and 600 carbs on their "carb up" cycle...I am in agreement with you about eating healthy foods during the "refeed"...
hidingfox

Well, my last post will explain my refeed and now I have the results. This morning I weighed myself and I may have lost half a pound past my stall weight. I have to add that I have started a crunches and situps routine. Good luck!