10 Reasons Your Low Carb Diet Didn't Work (& How to Fix It)

I'm a Low Carb evangelist, no doubt about it. I love promoting LC because I'd like to give others the same gift I've gotten. As a side effect of my LC ministry (snort!), I'm often told by folks that they've "tried the Low Carb thing once, but it didn't work." I've noticed a number of common mistakes or misunderstandings that consistently cause problems for people. Learn the pitfalls and you can effectively avoid 'em.

• Not having a plan. This is the number #1 mistake I see among would-be low carbers. So many people either a) simply stop eating carbs altogether (Errr...what about veggies, friend? It wasn't the broccoli that made your hips swell!), or b) take a friend's word for what low carbing is all about. I don't care if your friend did great with their version of LC. I mean, well, I wish 'em well and all! But 90% of the time, the info from a friend is incomplete, flawed, and altered to fit their own inclinations. Go to the source for the best information.
• Not buying the book. You can't be "doing Atkins" if you don't have the book! No pass go, no collect $200. The people who pick a plan and buy the book for their plan do better across the board. To be honest, I've never seen someone who refused this step last more than a few weeks before abandoning LC as "not working." Informed people do better. Do your homework!
• Not giving it a chance. For most people, the first week of LC is tough. Maybe very tough! The more carbs you had been consuming prior, the tougher it is. As your body goes through withdrawal, you will likely feel like heck warmed over! Once you get through those withdrawals, however, and switch to a fat-burning machine, most people report feeling better than they have in years - with more energy, less appetite, and reduced physical complaints. Isn't that worth holding out the first few days of Induction flu?
• Ignoring their LC plan, selectively. Sure, I get it. I "bent" Atkins gently when I started to keep my coffee, and it still worked for me. But the more you bend it, the less likely your results will be consistent. Want to have a "cheat day?" Still eating your favorite non-LC food? Not exercising (it's in Atkins and most other LC plans, if you have read the book!)? Let's face it: if your do-it-yourself eating plan was working so great, would you be here now?
• Frankenfoods, man. Low carb specialty foods we often call "Frankenfoods." That should give you a clue as to how we feel about them around here. Be informed and be aware. Junk food with LC slapped on the label is still junk food, and the food manufacturers are looking at their bottom line, not necessarily your health. The most dangerous from what I've seen are low carb sweets (see more on sugar alcohols) and carb bars, which are one of the top source of mysterious stalls seen around our community. The shakes are not as problematic for most, but it's always a "your mileage may vary" issue what foods 'cause problems for you personally. 
• Not utilizing LC recipes. I know you may not be a cook. Lord knows I'm not! But if this is going to be your new way of life (and if you don't want to regain the weight, it'd better be), then you need to know how to make satisfying food, LC-style. The more natural the food, the better you'll do. And learning to LC your favorites is exactly what keeps you from feeling deprived. If you love what you're eating because you've learned to cook LC, and it's great for you, too, then you have the golden ring, my friend!
• Not reading labels. Successful low carbers are compulsive label readers. Sugar is the enemy, and even if the carb count works for you, if it has sugar, you're better off keeping it out of your mouth. Know what you're eating, man. There is no replacement for informed decisions.
• Not tracking. I hate tracking, with a passion. So I also get this. Whooo boy. But I also know my eyeball estimation of a serving is way different than what the scale says, and my "what I ate today" estimation is way different than what I get when I actually keep score. Study after study, though, bears out the truth that people who track do better in their weight loss efforts. Sort of like doing a budget and tracking spending. It hurts a minute, but man, does it help! (See LCE's reviews of Fitday.com and Weight-by-Date for tracking).
• Giving up too soon. Nutrition and the body's response to dietary changes is a highly individual process. A food that causes only 1% of LCers trouble can be an issue if you're one of the 1%. Test, rinse, repeat. Ask for help. Listen to your body. It gives you the clues to what it likes based on how you feel
• Going it alone. Another factor that borne out by the research repeatedly is that dieters that utilize a support community are more successful. I can vouch personally for the fact that, had I not sought out and found the LCE community in the early stages of my own journey, I would not have been nearly as successful. You get the perspective and encouragement from the community. You get tips, tricks, ideas, and a friendly word on a day when you need it. You get people who understand and who aren't going to tell you to shut up about the diet already. It really does matter.

If you're not a member here at LCE, why not join our commuinty and let us help you find your own low carb zen? It's fast, easy, and free. And we'd love to have you.