Hiya fellow low carbers,
I recently recommited to a low carb lifestyle and so far I've been losing some good weight. My sister decided to join me and I though GREAT. I'd love to have someone low carb with me.

Unofrtunately, she's a seriously finicky eater and doesn't like to say no to food. She says she wants to go on the diet, but I can tell she doesn't mean it. Several times in the last week, I've had to keep her from cheating. She gets that look on her face that says she wants the fries and knows she doesn't need them, but she wants them. I've tried to get her to read the Atkins book, but she kinda expects me to be her quickreference to the diet an she doesn't want to read about it.

I told her today that milk isn't allowed on Atkins cause it has a lot of sugr and she said she wanted to continue drinking milk even if it wasn't on the diet. She also said she agreed with another sister that diets are evil, but she said she needed to lose weight and wanted to go on one. She doesn't want to eat any different then before she started the diet and she's finicky about what she'll eat. She doesn't like fatty cuts of meat and love grain products and potatoes. How long can she resist?

I know that maybe her mindset isn't ready for a diet because she obviously isn't ready to change what she eats and maybe even though she loses weight on Atkins it may not be right for her.

Anyway, she's my sister and I love her. Doesn anyone have any advice on how I can help her with the diet. Should I just accept that this is something she has to do for herself and stop trying to help her stay with the diet?

In my opinion, she is not ready to make this a WOL. Like an addict or an alcoholic, there is nothing you can do to help them until they are ready to help theirselves. It has to be their choice, not yours. No matter how much you love her and how much you know this WOE is best for her, until she is ready to make that change, I think your wasting your time.
Hope I didn't hurt your feelings but thats just my personal opinion.
Your doing good. Concentrate on that. Mabe when she how good you are doing, eventually, she might want to get serious too. Good luck!!

I feel for you, I know how much you want what's best for your sister, but like the previous poster stated, unless she's ready to commit to a change, there's not much you can do other than be an example by your actions in the way you take care of you.

I wish that my sisters and mother would have made the changes, my mother and one of my sisters had adult diabetes. They refused to reform their way of eating, both passed before the age of 50. The youngest, (40), of my sisters died of illnesses that might have been controlled and prolonged her life had she committed to a healthier way of eating. So yes, I understand your wanting to join you on this journey, but no matter what you say, it won't stick till she makes up her own mind that its worth it to her to make the change.

Just try to give her the information when she ask, and point her in the right direction where she can make decisions for herself, but try not to let it frustrate you too much if she doesn't follow through.

My sister was the same way - we tried doing it together but she never read the book - even thou I gave her one and she expected me to tell her everything and when I gave her food ideas she just ate the same thing every day then complained that she couldn't stick to it because eggs & meat made her sick because that's all she ate. She never got it but now she is having the lap band procedure and from what I've read on this board after her surgery she will pretty much have to follow a diet similar to atkins anyway so she will be in for a surprise!!

I do tend to agree that it sounds like she isn't ready to accept the Atkins eating plan. There's always the possibility that one of the other lc plans might work better for her -- South Beach or Protein Power, for example.

Still, if she insists on continuing to eat in the same way she always has, the way that caused her to gain weight in the first place, then I really don't think there is anything you can do to change her mind.

My sister says she wants to LC, too, but always has excuses for eating what she thinks is good, i.e. HC. I've tried to talk her into joining this forum as she likes the info I pass on to her but no luck. Like the old saying goes, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink."

I think you answered your own question.

Just lead by example.

Lisa

We more often win folks over to "our" side when we use "attraction" rather than promotion. In other words, and everyone here has said this, just tend to your own food plan and your weight loss. THAT success will have a greater impact on your sister than any words that come out of your mouth.

It is natural to want to take the message throughout the land ....... but our energy is best expended on changing ourselves and letting other folks be in charge of THEIR changes - always being ready to support their willingness to change when it happens......if it happens.

everyone here is right... this is something your sister has to decide to do for herself. she can't rely on you or anyone else to help her with it, and that includes being a quick-reference.

one of the things your sister needs to determine is what's more important to her: losing weight or eating the way she's always eaten. she can't have both, and until she makes a commitment one way or the other (and yes, that includes making a commitment to enjoying food and being happy no matter what her body looks like), she's only going to frustrate herself and you.

an ex of mine didn't see the point in dieting. when i told him about low-carbing, he immediately threw all the typical "lowcarbing is bad for you becase..." reasons at me. he refused to listen when i gave him hard facts. it got to the point where he actually said to me "well, jillian and i discussed it, and we've determined that not only is dieting completely unnecessary, low-carb diets are harmful." i said "well gee, thank you for re-writing the laws of biochemistry for me and adjusting my physical appearance with the snap of your fingers. i'm indebted to you." that was just one of the reasons he's an ex .

how willing are you to give your sister a good dose of tough love? if she's not ready to do this for herself, stop trying to help her. no matter what she asks, respond with "i don't know, look in the book." it doesn't matter if she's asking if the steak you're eating is allowed, tell her you don't know and continue to eat it. you can only give help to someone who's ready and willing to accept it.

meanwhile, let her get all sorts of envious while you get skinny and buy new clothes.

My opinion, focus on yourself! I've tried and failed to help my mom on Atkins, and it just drives me crazy, and close to the point of falling off the wagon myself, lol. My sis is doing atkins, and she's doing better than me actually. I would give advice when she asks, but don't be her drill sergeant, b/c you'll just stress yourself out. When she really wants to do it she will, and then you can get support from EACH OTHER.