Who should do the Fat Fast?

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In DANDR 2002, Dr. Atkins wrote that the Fat Fast is for the people who are severely resistant to weight loss. It's not to "speed up" the rate of your loss because you believe you are losing too slowly.

According to Dr. Atkins you can be severely metabolically resistant to weight loss for a number of reasons. But you have to rule out any weight loss "stallers" that can be reversed or alleviated.

Before considering doing the Fat Fast:

1. Did you follow the book exactly during Induction and still didn't lose any weight?

In other words, did you only eat what was listed on the Induction Acceptable Foods list, followed the rules of Induction, exercised as recommended in the book, took your vitamin supplements, etc. ? If you didn't do any or all of these things, your lack of weight loss might not be due to metabolic resistance to weight loss at all and you should really consider doing the diet properly before considering to do the Fat Fast.

2. Did you go to your doctor to have tests done for the following: hyperinsulinism, thyroid problems, and yeast overgrowth?

If any of these things apply to you, then your doctor should be able to give you treatments to help you with these problems and once these problems are solved your weight loss, typically, will improve.

3. Are you on any medications that can interfere with your weight loss?

Dr. Atkins cites anti-arthritis medications, steroids, hormones (birth control pills, HRTs), anti-depressants, diuretics and beta-blockers as some of the medications that can interfere with weight loss. If you are on any of these medications, you should sit down with your doctor and try to figure out if any alternatives can be given to you instead.

If you have gone through this list and have ruled out these things with your doctor, then Fat Fast might be an option for you.

Fat Fast isn't for you if:

1. You "cheated" through your Induction phase by not strictly following the Rules and/or eating foods not on the Acceptable Foods List or not in the quantities allowed during Induction. Those "sneaks", "cheats", and "one bites" can severely derail weight loss in some people.

2. You didn't cheat through the first 14 days of Induction and you do not have high metabolic resistant according to the charts in Chapter 13.

3. You are losing weight and want to "break a stall".

4. You want to "speed up your metabolism" to lose weight faster.

5. You want to lose weight faster.