Why not just Atkins?

I have been researching WLS for almost 9mos now and the one constant I am finding is that the recommendation for long term success is to stick to a low carbohydrate diet.   So why not just Atkins?  I read on here again and again the advice to “stick to the plan” ie proteins first, low carb, drink your water.  Even here in the DS forum, I repeatedly see the terms “ketosis” and “Atkins” itself. 

I have been very successful in the past on Atkins (lost over 100+ pounds a few times).  I’m currently having success again with Atkins, losing just shy of 50lbs in 4mos.  I haven’t broken diet once since the end of September.  I got through birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas without even a temptation.  The last time I was successful, I felt like I really had my head in the game and likewise made it through all those holidays and then was sidetracked when I had two severe bleeding episodes that ended in a semi-emergency hysterectomy.  I got back on diet after that surgery but just wasn’t losing weight like I had before surgery and got very discouraged. 

And now I feel like I have my head in the game again.  I started sure I was going to pursue WLS this time.   I have chosen the DS as it has the best statistics in the short and long term.   I honestly would not even consider the sleeve at this time, as I really feel like that is just a brainwashing tool to make you eat low carb and the benefits of that surgery are very short lived if you don’t commit long term to low carb.  RNY is a little better but DS has the stats that make WLS worth it to me.   But the further I get in to the process, the more I worry that I am creating a permanent change to my body and risking vitamin deficiencies to just be forced to do what I am already doing.    And I think it is just fear that is making me think these things.  In reality, I know I’ve gained back those 100s of pounds that I have lost.  I have NEVER gotten to goal with just Atkins.   And I picked the DS because it has the best statistics, why would I try to rely on diet and exercise only which has by far the WORST statistics for long term success?

I guess I just want to hear from fellow DSers that this WILL be better than Atkins and that I will finally have the level of success that has thus far eluded me.

I never lost when I did Atkins pre-WLS.  Post-op you should lose weight faster on Atkins and it keep it off better.  The DS allows you a bit more wiggle room once you're at goal than if you do Atkins alone as you have to be a saint forever otherwise.  Anyways, that's my 2 pennies' worth. ;-)

I think that the reason "why not just Atkins" is summed up by "lost over 100+ pounds a few times."  In my opinion, the place WLS really shines is in maintenance.  Sure, you can lose weight on Atkins and you have, but you haven't managed to keep it off.  And that's where WLS really helps.  

You answered your own question.  My answer is the same and most here would say the same.  Yeah, I lost 100+ multiple times but I could not KEEP it off.  If you can keep it off this time, great!  If not, the DS is the best choice for loss and keeping the weight off.  And most people get the whole thing with the DS.  They lose ALL the weight.  Not just down to 18 or 20....4's and 6's with no X after the number.

The short answer? It gets frustrating starting from scratch over and over again -  losing the same 60, 80 or 100lbs repeatedly. Sure the weight comes off - I wager that most of us have seen success on one diet or another throughout our lifetimes. The problem is that it also comes back.

What drove me to WLS was the fact that I'd proven to myself many times that simple lifestyle changes were not enough to help me maintain long-term success. I needed more - I needed a tool that would allow me to lose the weight and eventually be able to live 'normally' - or at least what I perceive as normal given stories I've read from veterans.

I'm just shy of 5 months post-op and don't regret it for a second. I feel better now than I ever have in the past. 

After you lose the weight, with or without surgery, you still must go into a maintenance stage. You may have not done what was required to maintain your loss on Atkins. The Atkins diet has been around since  the 70's. It does work. The earlier versions worked better for loss because the concentrated more on protein and cutting drastically on carbs, just like the lifestyle you will have postop. It was also before the invention of shakes and bars.  You will however have to do what is required to maintain your loss after surgery. No surgery is guaranteed. It's only a tool. You can learn to eat around ANY surgery. There are many VSGrs who have lost their initial weight and learned how to maintain it. The VSG is a relatively new surgery but it is half of the DS. The malabsorption will help you lose initially but if you start eating carbs again postop...you will gain along with still having to suppliment. Make sure your head is completly in the game before you make the decision on a like changing surgery. 

There is a lot more to the DS than following the Atkins diet. You laugh at the sleeve being a brainwash trick when that is a main component to the success of our surgery. I too lost 100 pounds on Atkins but I still had diabetes, that went into remission the day after surgery. If you do more research you will find when they remove part of your stomach, they also remove glans that make you hungry. I could go on and on but you already did 9 months of research. Good luck!

Atkins is great for losing weight.  Not so great for keeping it off.

I've lost hundreds of pounds over the years, but always gained them back along with plenty of their friends.  The reason I finally opted for WLS is that I wanted to keep the weight off.  "Diets" are great in the short term, but I wanted a permanent lifestyle change.

Many people who are in maintenance aren't restricting their carbs severely as they do during the weight loss phase.  It's a balancing act to determine how to maintain instead of losing or gaining.  

DS has wonderful statistics for permanent weight loss, but I wasn't comfortable with the permanence of malabsorption and some of the bathroom issues I hear from DS post ops.  Whatever form you chose will only be successful if you're compliant.  

The DS enforces you to eat better sometimes. I cannot eat all that sugar/ ice cream/ potato chips, and TRUST everyone responds different. Must of the stuff I can have however I rather be alone.

DS is much more forgiving, once you go off ATkins, it quickly a ripple affect of gaining weight..depending on how your nerves are or how emotional you are with food. DS again is much more forgiving.