Why do people give Atkins up after experiencing success?

[Betty]

Okay inquiring minds want to know why people give up this WOE after experiencing success with it. We know those who give it up tend to go back to their old ways, and so that is not an answer. Why does one give up something that has worked so well for them and return to ways that put them in bad health, overweight, and risking a multitude of illness that come from being overweight? On this board we are not likely to get anyone who has done this and stayed away from Atkins, but we could get some who have done this and are back with us.
So speak up and talk to us because it may help someone else stay the course instead of leaving.

[Perry]

Betty, I have not fallen off the wagon but I thought I might offer my thoughts since I have hit goal.

For me, the main reason I would fail to maintain this WOE is right at home. I have a wife and 2 teenage daughters. They have no problem maintaining their figures. It's their metabolism, I guess. This allows them to eat most anything they want without too much worry. Well, that puts me at a disadvantage. I am constantly bombarded with cookies, brownies, ice cream, chips, etc... That's OK since they're snacks and I wasn't into that food but dinners often include rice, potatoes, noodles, pasta, etc... They have been staples in our house for years. I don't dare have them give all this up for fear of being shown the door!

In a perfect world I would not be surrounded by temptation all the time (yes, this food still smells good!) but I'm not in my perfect world. The best thing going for me is my strong will to succeed on this. Maybe by example I can migrate them to a more healthy way of eating. Maybe.

So, I offer 'lack of family support' as one of the major causes of failure on Atkins.

Next?

[Betty]

I think that is probably a big reason, lets see if anyone else will weigh in on this heavily debated hot topic of the moment.

[Mandyjane]

Well I strayed from Atkins last year after losing 26 lbs. in three months. I blame it on going on vacation, screwing up while on vacation and then basically giving up because it was the easy way out. I was so proud that I had lost the 26 lbs. and was bummed that I couldn't get myself motivated again to come back to Atkins. It was more convenient to just cook one meal instead of 2-3 meals at a time. My husband supported me but like I said I just took the easy way out. I'm back now, just starting week 6 and can't believe I didn't stick with it. This is the easiest thing I've ever done and if I hadn't stopped I would probably be at or near goal by now. I have seen the error of my ways and am now planning on making this my WOL instead of just a "diet". I know I didn't really give a solid answer but that's the best I can do. I'm really not exactly sure why I quit. I just know that I'm glad I'm back!!

[Betty]

The easy way out is an answer, and we are glad you are back, and more committed than ever.

[Balloonhat]

As I get ready to move on to Pre-Maint., I find sticking with the program more challenging. I'm doing fine, very much determined. I didn't start until I fully understood the program, so I knew it would be a very long time committment on my part.

However, majority of people who "try" Atkins and manage to lose weight quit because they feel they're done. They reached their goal weight. Why bother counting carbs? If you think eating low carb as a burden, you'll probably manage to come up with all sorts of excuses not to follow the program once you reach your goal weight. Then, months or even weeks later, you gain all the weight back and then some. You're likely to blame it on the diet, that the diet failed you, but NOT the other way around. I can understand if this is the group that end up being critical to Atkins "because it didn't work for them." Uh...maybe YOU didn't work the program???? When Atkins is just a diet for you, this is likely.

I think Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance are the hardest yet the most important phases of the Atkins. Whether or not you can keep it all off and keep yourself healthy depends on how determined you are to stick with the program during these phases. But it requires so much efforts! You really need to know the priorities in your life, I guess. At this point, losing weight and get me healthy is far more important than chowing down a bowl of tempura bowl or having some to-die-for pastries.

Me, I just can't go back to that ugly obese self ever again. That's all that takes. Life's better now that I'm getting closer to my normal size, and that all those "fat" symptoms like acid reflux are gone. It's about health, it's about dignity. People around me comments I am disciplined. No, I'm just determined. That's what I say. When you relapse, it'll get much harder the second time around. Just like sobriety.

[Mandyjane]

The easy way out is an answer, and we are glad you are back, and more committed than ever.

Thank you very much Betty. I'm sooo glad I'm back and very glad to have this board! :yes

[shanrock]

Hi there...I know Im not really supposed to be here; Im not in this particular phase of Atkins yet, but I was reading posts from here to gain inspiration and insight from the "masters" and I couldnt help but add my own experience with this topic. I started Induction Jan 7th. Had a couple of screw ups here and there, that made me basically stay on Induction for close to 4 weeks. (everytime I overate one day, I would start Induction all over again) but I managed to stay away from alcohol for 6 weeks which is a biggie for me. When I was ready to move into OWL, I had already lost 15 pounds and was feeling pretty good about myself. (160 to 145) I didnt follow the guidlines for OWL close enough. Slowly but surely, I gave in to all my addictions, first being more coffee, then more alcohol, then CHOCOLATE!!! I hate the stuff for the way it makes me act! The first time I had chocolate again, I ate so much of it that I felt sick afterwards, and I've never gotten sick from eating too much candy! So, for me, I think it was the "chain" effect. Once I gave in to one addiction, it was easy to give in to others and then indulge.

[Iapetus999]

I think it's mainly because hi-carb food is the best-tasting and most enjoyable food out there.
Who doesn't enjoy stuffing their face with brownies?
Or pick the junk food of your choice.
Every time I go eat somewhere the hi-carb choices are almost overwhelming.
And that's what it's about: making constant choices to "eat right."
Sometime you just want to eat what you want to eat and the heck with carbs.
We need a new food philosophy in this country where people think of carbs an occasional treat and not a daily endulgence.

[Perry]

Bump.

I'm still chugging along on maintenance and have no desire to return back to high-carbing.

I recently enjoyed a small portion of mac and cheese, had a crab cake for my Friday Lent dinner and even had a cheeseburger with a bun. None of this was eaten on the same day... but over several days. I continue to watch my scale, work out and totally stay away from sugar (this is my key so far). I am aware of the carbs I'm eating but not so much that I'm counting. So far so good.

Only negative is I don't have the desire for water that I once had. I have to make a conscious effort to drink it.

Still interested in what others are experiencing!

[jamaicagal]

I reached my goal after 3 months & have maintained for another 3 months so its early days yet but I work at an all-inclusive hotel where I am surrounded by hi carbs - desserts at lunch & dinner, pancakes & waffles & frosted flakes & orange juice at breakfast and I've been OK with sticking to this WOL. I make a mean lc cheesecake than non-lowcarbers love and that helps if I want some dessert. The pancake recipe that I got from this board is awesome & I find that these different recipes have helped me stick to this WOL.

Presently, I have in-laws from England with me for two weeks & my house is filled with loads of lc stuff & its OK, I'm not even tempted...but as I said its early days yet. Maybe because we dont have all those lc treats that feed the sugar cravings because they are just not available. Here in Jamaica we lowcarbers have to eat REAL food including but not limited to eggs & ham for breakfast, fish, poultry, beef & pork with veggies for lunch & dinner. We snack on nuts & if I feel for something sweet some cream cheese with splenda warmed in the microwave works for me. I'm going to try the clouds soon.

I excercise regularly which helps if you eat too many legal carbs & a glass or two of my favourite wine doesn't make me gain. And it didn't stall me either in my OWL either. I knew from the beginning this was going to be a WOL for me & I researched it via boards & the different books & web-sites to be as informed as possible. Reading posts of others mistakes also helped me to avoid making the same mistakes eg cheating over Christmas etc...

Sorry for the ramble but interesting thread.

[I EAT FAT]

About 5 years ago my brother lost about 100 lbs. He was dieting to meet a girl from the internet. Well it didn't work out with the girl so he stopped Atkins when he came back from seeing her. And now he gained it all back and then some.

He could do it for the girl but not for himself. I'm trying to get him going again. He is putting in half effort.

I think it's about what motivates us to do it and what motivates us to keep doing it. If we lose our motivation... :sadblinky

[GennieX]

Okay, I'm not in Maintenance yet but this is an interesting thread and I have some insight from falling off the wagon several years ago. The diet I used to lose weight that time was Sugar Busters, not Atkins, but the mindset after I went off that diet was likely the same as anyone after they lose weight but don't make their WOE a lifestyle:

1) Went on a long, exotic vacation. I thought, "When will I come here again? I might as well eat all this delicious local food, it's part of the cultural experience." The "local food" I ate most of was pastries and beer. And, the vacation was LONG.

2) The weight doesn't come back on overnight, so I thought, "Wow, I guess I really CAN eat this__________(insert calorie/carb laden food here) now that I am slim." WRONG!!!

3) Got married and ate exactly the same things and same portion SIZES as my husband, who is much taller.

4) He was not following my "diet", so it wasn't a team effort.

Now we have been on Atkins 9 months and losing/keeping it off well. I know it's not a long time in the scheme of things, but it is easy now and works for us. I have to keep reminding myself of the reasons I put weight back on last time. HTH someone!

[cmcole]

I would say there are probably a number of factors determining whether a person chooses to make this a way of life, or a temporary fix.

I guess the first would be the mindset. If the sentence above is true, and a person is only doing this as a temporary fix, then the motivation to continue and the commitment to making lifestyle changes is not there.

Family pressure, interference or just influence likely play a key role in any success story. Regardless of whether the rest of your family is involved in the same dietary plan as you, if they do not support your choices, you are at a disadvantage.

And, yes, it is easier to serve pasta, rice, potatoes (and most of the times even cheaper) than to cook other choices that they are unfamiliar with, and "risk" their disapproval.

Becoming obsessed with mirrors and scales which do not give the full story, and becoming disheartened and discouraged because they are not moving.

And, yes, Atkins for Life means that the scale is not really supposed to move significantly once you are in Maintenance, but once a person has fallen into that mindset, sometimes it is difficult to get out.

Lifestyles that involve eating out often are probably more problematic than those who have the choice (luxury) of preparing healthy, interesting meals at home. Even with many restaurants offering LC alternatives (albeit sometimes at higher prices), there are still often limited choices (especially breakfast at hotels, etc.).

These are all excuses and I suppose you could find many more.

Obviously, what I'm trying to say is that you can always find an excuse to stop doing something. What you really need is a reason to continue, instead.

[mireles]

The Science behind this way of life

I lost 55 lbs. and I'm only 5 lbs away from goal. There is no way in **** that I can go back to eating high amounts of carbohydrates. I don't miss them, I'm not tempted by them. I can be in a room full of the most "tempting" carbs and to me they are as tempting as a glass of water with rat poison in it.
People who abandon this great personal success never, ever understood the science in this way of life and that is basically at the root of their failure. Knowledge overcomes addictions, but addictions overrule the mind in some people with addictive personalities. It's pretty much like someone who gives up cigarettes for a year and then re-adopts the habit. Somehow, addictive substances have a way of playing with the inner workings of the neurons in our brain and the rational centers are obliterated and overruled. I, fortunately have a long history of non-addictive behavior. Never got addicted to cigarettes. Nicotine never did anything for my mind or body. Never got addicted to alcohol nor caffeine and now not even to carbohydrates. I'm free at last. Free at last. And enjoying the fruits of this life-style in plenty amounts of disease-free and healthy mind and body. From day one of this diet, I knew that this was the way to lead my life from now on. One day, we are all going to publicly pay our respects to the great pioneers of the low carb life style. One day the Carb Industry is going to publicly admit that consuming high proportions of carbs is bad for health, just like the cigarette companies admitted that cigarettes kill people.