Please, please don't take this thread wrongly - I'm not meaning to criticize or come off as evil. This is a real concern for me, and I've finally got up the nerve to ask.
I've been sliding along with this WOL, losing pretty steadily, 80 pounds gone. I've been convinced that this is IT, no re-gaining, since now I get it. I know how to eat for my body, and I'll never be fat again.
But. . .
I see threads from time to time by people who have regained, sometimes serious amounts of what they've lost, and my question is, how does this happen? I don't mean to imply that people are weak, or uncommitted. Is there something that happens in the WOL later on, does it stop working, is there some point where regaining is inevitable? If regain starts, is it impossible to stop it? Does it just not work for the long run?
I know why I re-gained on other plans - they were full of carbs, low fat did nothing for me, and the prepackaged plans don't teach you how to eat. But on Atkins I've been all full of myself thinking I had it figured out at last, but people on this plan re-gain also. I don't know what to think, and it scares me. Again, I apologize to anyone who might construe this thread as a personal criticism - that's not what it's about. I'm just hoping to learn something here.
Thanks for any insights you may be able to provide.

Stacie
222/142/140

For me all it took to regain weight was to stop eating low carb and eating way too many carbs (way too much of everything because all my old cravings returned)everyday. I did not, however, regain the weight overnight. It took me about a year to pack on 35 pounds.

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Libby

2004 174/142/138

Begin Again 2007

164/159/142

re-gaina s you put it seems to happen when we get lax in paying attention to what we put in our mouth--I have had weeks when I went up a couple of pounds due to regualr ice cream--4X in one week, getting into the thinking that one won't hurt then binging for days on whatever we feel like putting inour mouth--every choice has consequences--if you can stop at 1 or only buy 1 so you ahve to stop at one--whatever it is--then no problem--but if that package is an issue and you bring it in and eat the whole package--hello--that is what got us here in the first place! Get back int o your book--DANDR has some great suggestions for maintenance--my goal is a 5lb range basically--I would like to hover between 128 and 133 when I am done--my goal is 130 but a couple up or down is fine! Within that range I nkow that if I goup I have to take those two or three back off--I also knowt hat by going back to eating sugared cereal and whole boxes of crackers in a day will get me right bck wehre I was at 232--I have to stick with this WOE and eat my veggies and eat my protein and drink the water and stay away from the sugars! If I do not I will regain as evidenced by my gains small ones in weeks gone astray! NO that does not mean that I can NEVER have a bowl of regular ice cream or a few cheese nips again--but I do have to remember that what i put in must be accounted for and I must pay attention--forever--to what I put into my mouth! YOu no doubt will too!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

In my case, I'll tell you plainly how it happens.

I eat sugar. I am addicted to sugar, so I should know better. It starts with one small cookie, and then I'm off and running. Sometimes I get back on track ten minutes later, sometimes it's three weeks later. Sometimes (as in the latest jag), it's 4 months later.

Don't be scared. Weigt re-gain is not the fault of a low carb way of life. It's the fault of the eater. We are all so individual, that the trigger food for regaining weight may be different for someone else. Mine happens to be sugar -- in any form, natural or otherwise.

'Tis true!

Then there are those who won't regain an ounce (I truly hate those people ). Perhaps you're one of those. I'm not.

You asked:

Now, listen to what I'm going to answer......I am living testament to the fact that it IS possible to stop re-gaining weight. My lowest weight was 189. I have fluctuated from that point, all the way back up to 224 and back down many times. It was my lack of knowledge about how to control my BGL's concerning sugar cravings which had be regaining the weight. I weighed 224 on May 28th. June 1 had me starting fresh and trying an experiment with controling sugar cravings. It worked and has continued to work thus far. I got back on track and the scale said 212 this morning. There is no doubt in my mind that I WILL make my ultimate goal of 180. It matters not how quickly. I WILL get there.

This past week I even toyed with the idea of going beyond 180, down to about 160. That thought always scared me. It doesn't any longer now that I know that I can control my sugar cravings.

Am I scared that I will go off plan and regain weight? Not any more. But, if I do regain a few pounds, I am secure in the knowledge that this way of life will have me back to where I wanna be in no time.

I hope this answer helped.

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April

The face of a child can say a lot -- especially the mouth part of the face.

My Blog

Stacie,
Yours is a legitimate question, and I'm glad you asked it. All I can give you is my take on it, and so, here goes:
In two words, we're human. Most of us here have issues with food, for one reason or another, and those issues are the real challenge we face. In times of stress or unhappiness, I still want to cuddle up to a bag of Oreos, and there are times when I give in, against my better judgement. What I try to do is recognize just what triggered this, and work on substituting something else for sweets. I'm still a work in progress, but each time I get a little better at working those problems out.
Low Carb works, and it's healthy, and it has changed my life. But it is not a magic bullet. It takes effort and attention and perseverance. I've learned that I have to adjust my carb and protein levels as my weight changes. I've learned to ride those blasted stalls to the end, and not give up. I've learned that, yes, I have to exercise. My woe is a living thing, and needs nurturing to live. I don't always get it right, but I keep at it.
I think what I'm trying to say here is that everyone is different, and each of us have stumbling blocks to overcome. But as we learn and grow, we can win against anything that is in our way; even regaining weight. We never need to be afraid of it again, as long as we understand more fully how our body works and gain the tools to keep ourselves healthy.
I know I've rambled here, but I hope I've helped just a little.

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Trina

Vice-President of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

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I've just come back from a "re-gain" although I never touched any sugar. I was just eating way too much, ignoring my body's signals telling me to stop at full. I also think too much of the LC treats (instead of more veggies) derailed my objectives, inducing me to think treats were okay after every meal. After 5 lbs, tight waistbands, and a few really big zits, I'm back to my resolve to keep on eating healthy.

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Karen
147/135 LF
135/127/117 LC

Thank you, everyone, for your input. It seems that it comes back to knowing yourself - how different foods affect you, and your own personal tweaks to optimize the program. I really like the idea of the WOL as a living creature - learning as each day goes by, how best to nurture it! I'm still really a newbie, only having LC'd since September, and all your insights have been so important to me over the months. Thank you, Thank you!
I was afraid the WOL would eventually fail me, but I understand now that as long as I don't fail IT, all will be well. Let's all wish each other strength and luck. May you have the strentgh to maximize your luck, and the luck to have the opportunity to use your strentghs! No mere food can defeat us in the face of knowledge! OK, I'm optimistic again, can you tell??!?!!

Stacie
222/142/140
Yes, I live in my own little world, but there I am Queen.

I can think of three ways people regain.

1) You cheat. You get tired of the diet, you go off it, or you feel like you're at goal and you deserve a little something, etc., etc. I'm sure that accounts for 99% of the regain situations. The good part of this is that this is totally within your control.

2) Things out of your control. You get ill, you get on a medication that makes you gain weight, or you have to take anti-depressants, you're ship-wrecked on an island with nothing but potato chips, etc. These things can sometimes be overcome by waiting for the situation to change or by changing your plan. Sometimes it's just unfortunate and you try to minimize the damage.

3) Creeping weight gain. You've lost a lot of weight, perhaps you've been stalled, you've been doing things the same way but it's not working and you're even gaining weight a little bit, gradually. If this happens, you need to examine your diet with a magnifying glass to see if there has something that you've taken for granted that you shouldn't. The problem can be hidden carbs. The problem can be that you've become just too accustomed to freely eating too many calories of legal food. (That, apparently, was one of my problems.) The problem can be a change in your metabolism that requires some small adjustment in your eating plan. There are too many possibilities to count. But, if it's a very gradual weight creep, you might want to look at it as you would a long stall.

Weight fluctuations are normal. A regain one month followed by a loss next month is no big deal. Don't go mucking around with something that's really working just because of normal fluctuations. You can drive yourself nuts doing that. I think it's better to strive for stability and regularity in your eating, keeping things simple enough to require little attention. The less you try to manipulate a plan, the easier it is to follow it on a daily basis.

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"And so, in my State of the—my State of the Union—or state—my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation—I asked Americans to give 4,000 years—4,000 hours over the next—the rest of your life—of service to America. That's what I asked—4,000 hours."

THANKS for bringing this up yet again... i have been skeptical at best about how this WOE is different than any other weight loss plan.. mainly because of how i see the same elements in the posts here since january... i see quick loss.. slow loss.. short stalls.. LONG stalls.. i see creeping weight gains.. and people who just disappear.. many to return with stories of gains.. i PRAY the others are off enjoying life with their new way of eating.. but i DONT believe that unless you WORK at it.,,, as with any OTHER weight mgmt.. you will NOT stay the same weight.. some what mentioned by dr. a ... you are smaller.. you need less.. the ketosis stops and with it comes the appetite..
i WILL say.. again.. that for ME.. it is an EASIER .. healthier way to DIET.. but for my two cents.. its an onGOING diet.. much like the others.. where you need to eat less as you shrink.. and that when you get out of ketosis .. your cravings can and do return..
my two cents.. and not worth much..*L*

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