How many times did you try Atkins?

**Kent** · November 21, 2009, 01:39 PM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

Twice, the first day I started I hadn't read the book, and did what I thought was correct (20g or less). I had LC yogurt that first day and then discovered the error of my way. I restarted the next day and have been on ever since.

**Frelled** · November 21, 2009, 02:12 PM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

I've tried it about four times - the first time, I was incredibly successful and lost over 60 pounds (those are my before and afters in my sig). I had a stressful divorce in 2006-2007 and put all the weight back on, plus about ten pounds extra, so I've tried to get back on Atkins three times since then.

Once, in January 2007, I tried but the stress was too much and I found myself stress eating all sort of things I shouldn't, plus drinking beer.

Once, in January 2009, my fiancee and I started, and he managed to lose about 15 pounds, but when he stopped because he lost the weight he wanted to, I stopped as well because it's hard to make dinner for someone who loves pasta and bread without wanting to have some yourself!

Now, November 2009, I'm back at it, although a little modified from straight Atkins. I've been reading a book called "Good Calories, Bad Calories" about the history of how we got to where we are in our current "good" diet guidelines. It's really messed up how so many studies were done in the 50s and onward that showed that low-carb, high-fat, moderate protein is THE way to have healthy blood levels and prevent diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, but most of it was ignored and ridiculed (like Dr. Atkins was) because it didn't fir with what "everybody knew" about how fat must cause people to be fat. It's a LONG and very information-dense book, and I'm only about 30% through, but reading it made me realize that I'm only hurting myself by being overweight and eating carbs all the time. I know this WOE works to lose weight, and I know my bloodwork was never better than when I was eating this way, so I couldn't convince myself anymore that I could just eat "normally" and be fine.

So, this time, I'm not just doing it to lose weight, I'm doing it because all the evidence I have points to this being the best, right way to eat in general. I'll have no excuses for not doing it, because I know it's the smart thing to do all around.

**sallyseachange** · November 22, 2009, 03:30 AM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

Once... after trying every other diet out there. With Atkins, things seemed to "click" and have stayed "clicked" ever since.

Years ago, when in my twenties, I used to sometimes do the "steak and salad" diet, which was low carb... but without really knowing anything about low vs. high carb diets.

**Sarina D** · November 22, 2009, 04:16 AM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

This was my 2nd time...the first time I did very much what Kent described during his first try....I did my own "version" of Atkins instead of following the book.

This time I did it MUCH differently (followed the book) and haven't looked back!

Sarina
-----------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 169 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

My personal Journey -
Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

My Journal -
My journey through peaks and valleys

**LageNomAi** · November 22, 2009, 06:16 AM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

Kent - your photos are fabulous!!

This is my second time on Atkins. I had a great deal of success the first time around (although I've since figured out that I wasn't eating enough veggies). I had to stop Atkins when I got pregnant.

While I was nursing, I was burning so many calories that I was able to eat literally anything I wanted all day long. It was like finding heaven on earth and I completely indulged and stuffed myself to the gills with all the sugar and high-carb stuff I could simply because I knew I'd never have this opportunity again. To be honest, I'm really glad I did that and enjoyed that little window of time where I could eat anything. Most people never get to experience something like that!

Once I stopped nursing, I did a half-hearted low-carb meal plan, but six months later, my mother took a photo of me that struck me as terribly unflattering. That was my inspiration to get serious about Atkins again and once again, I've had great success. I have reached my goal weight and now am seeing if I can go even lower.

**kifl1981** · November 22, 2009, 08:31 AM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

I am on my third time, and this is the only time I have ever done it "by the book."

The first time was about 3 years ago. I was on induction, but on the weekend I would allow myself one "cheat" treat. I still managed to lose about 30 pounds, but then my husband and I decided to start a family and I had to get out of the weight loss mindset in order to have a healthy baby.

The second time was about a month after my daughter was born, and it was way too soon. I would eat a low carb breakfast, and by lunch I would be ordering pizza. I was in no way ready for a true commitment to Atkins.

So finally, here I am, a week after starting for the 3rd time, and I am doing it all exactly as outlined in Dr. Atkins' book. I feel awesome, I lost 8.5 pounds my first week, and I am not going to cheat. I have a LONG ways to go (about 100lbs.) but it's so refreshing to know that with Atkins, when you get on that scale once a week to weight yourself, you WILL have lost weight. (Unless you hit a stall, in which case, it eventually works out)

**Eama** · November 22, 2009, 09:15 AM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

This is my 3rd time and I don't intend to stop this time.

Third time's a charm.

**GRAPES** · November 22, 2009, 09:45 AM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

Honestly, too many to count. I started when I was around twelve. I wasn't even overweight, but my mother was obsessed and had me on diets and prescription diet pills. It was called the Airforce Diet then, but it was the same premise. I am struggling along this time, mostly doing well and hoping this will be my last time.

**liv** · November 22, 2009, 09:58 AM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

I kind of thought about doing Atkins a year before I really started but I could not really motivate myself. I read the book and everything. A year after I was really ready but I feared I would not be able to lose. I had never been able to lose weight by dieting. I started a bit fumbling but I found this forum and got the book and managed to do it right. This forum has been so great for me. It has been nice to have support and to be able to ask any question one is wondering about.

**sham** · November 22, 2009, 04:53 PM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

This was my second time.First time I lost over 3 stones but got pregnant and put weight on after the baby was born.Now after over 5 years I came back to the great diet and have had huge success.I must say Im so glad I did.

**RitaCeleste** · November 22, 2009, 07:52 PM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

Two really good efforts. I'd done the Summer's food combining thing after my first child and stuck to protein veggie meals mostly. It took a month for me to start loosing weight on that one. When I first tried Atkins I was eating way more than two cups of salad veggies. I lost about 10 or 15 pounds then stalled completely. Turns out I had gotten pregnant, so no more diet. Then I got a divorce and went from about 235 to 180 on Atkins. Moved in with the ex and gained it all back in a year. Then right before I moved back out, went on it two and half years ago and am still at it. I've gone on and off it. Sometimes I mess up and eat things off plan still. But having tried other things, Atkins is the easiest to do and it works for me. I like the foods, real meat and veggies, enough to do it for a long time. Also its the only thing that controls my hunger to the point where its a joy to be on it. I see and taste foods that aren't on Atkins, but its no big thing to do without them. I think of them as little extras, most of which I don't even look at anymore. I don't think I'll be regaining the weight as this time, I have learned to eat low carb most of the time. I took the time to find out how much carb I could have not gain and not be way hungry. As long as I don't completely let myself go, I'll stay littler this time around.

**msanjelpie** · November 22, 2009, 09:14 PM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

I started Atkins in 2003 at 216. Stayed on induction and lost 101 lbs, going to 115. I stayed on Atkins for a while but slowly went back to my old eating patterns and gained back all of the weight plus another 33 lbs.

Started Atkins again several times in between but couldn't seem to lose more than 20 lbs without giving up and thinking "I'll do it next month"... after all it seemed so easy that I figured I could do it any time.

Hitting 249 with a BMI creeping up towards 50 was a wake up call. Feeling worse and worse by the day, cholesterol out of control, diabetes knocking on my door I decided that 'next month' just wasn't going to cut it anymore.

So I consider this my second 'serious' time doing Atkins. I'm over 1/3 of the way towards goal and even though I have cheated a couple of times, it wasn't more than 3 days off and I was able to hop back on. Especially since I felt so nauseous and dizzy when off plan. Getting back on plan was actually a relief.

This time instead of staying on induction the whole way I have decided to go up the OWL rungs. I was afraid of losing slower, but I now realize that it doesn't really matter how fast I get there, as long as I get there eventually I'm doing great.

**mizski** · November 22, 2009, 10:27 PM

Re: How many times did you try Atkins?

This is my first time doing Atkins and thank goodness I found ADBB so I can do it correctly.

I knew for years that lowering my carbs was my only successful path to weight loss but didn't really know what I was doing. I would try conventional low cal, low fat diets and cut way down on starches and sugar. Went thru the gamut with those diets with little success.

First real low carb experience began a couple years ago with Medifast (had to stop that when I developed severe soy and artificial sweetner sensitivities). Moved on to South Beach which taught me a lot about healthy, whole food eating but it was still too many carbs (their weight loss plan is more like my maintenance plan).

Atkins was my last resort. For years I had heard "the bad stuff" about it but thanks to a former ADBB member who is active on another board and very much a by the book successful Atkineer, I researched Atkins and found out the truth and the correct way to do Atkins.

My search for diets is over. I just wish I knew what I know now years ago before I got so heavy. Now my journey is a long one. One time (on the weight loss phase) will be enough for me and by the time I get to goal I have promised myself: Never, ever again will I allow myself to get fat.

Geez, that was long!

Sorry about that!

It seems that many have to repeat the weight loss phases on Atkins because they didn't have the correct info in the first place. It's too bad there is so much crazy info out there. The success rate for first-timers would be much higher if they had the correct Atkins diet.