Atkins and Low Carb Weight Loss
Starting Atkins today
Hi,
I have not had surgery yet, just finished my 3 month supervised weight loss. I was told not to lose or gain during that time as my BMI is just around 40. Anyway, when I asked yesterday if I was to start anything, the coordinator said, "I don't know" - so I decided instead of just waiting around, I would start Atkins. Atkins seems better than the liver reduction diet.
Anyway - I hope to get started losing. If I am losing steadily I may not have the surgery, I will just need to see what happens.
Any suggestions????
Thanks!
I have not had surgery yet, just finished my 3 month supervised weight loss. I was told not to lose or gain during that time as my BMI is just around 40. Anyway, when I asked yesterday if I was to start anything, the coordinator said, "I don't know" - so I decided instead of just waiting around, I would start Atkins. Atkins seems better than the liver reduction diet.
Anyway - I hope to get started losing. If I am losing steadily I may not have the surgery, I will just need to see what happens.
Any suggestions????
Thanks!
Wow! Way to start with a thought-provoking question!!!
First of all, welcome to the group. And congratulations on completing your supervised diet, how nice to have that behind you!
I've got a few questions of my own if you don't mind -- First, who advised you not to lose during the "3 month supervised weight loss"? The criteria for WLS are changing, but there are insurance companies that do not want to cover bariatric surgery unless the patient is BMI 40+ WITHOUT weight-related problems, or 35+ WITH weight-related problems. Is the issue insurance coverage because you have no co-morbidities?
Others may have different opinions, but from my point of view, it's unethical for a medical practice to have told you to participate in a "medically supervised diet" pre-surgically, with instructions not to use that opportunity to lose weight (and gain health). The point of that pre-op diet IS, in fact, to see if you can make a go of it on your own!
Having said that, it sounds like you are kind of on the fence about WLS, and since you're asking for suggestions, mine is -- If you're on the fence about WLS, don't do it (yet).
My other suggestion is, to realize that if you DO participate in an Atkins-type low-carbohydrate way of eating, you WILL lose weight. It can also be a liver-shrinking diet, but ... if your goal is to maintain your BMI, this is not the way-of-eating for you, because you'll shrink if you do it.
And as long as I'm peppering you with questions (hope you don't mind) -- What kind of WLS coordinator doesn't know whether you're supposed to participate in a liver-shrinking diet, or any other dietary change, pre-operatively? Isn't there a nutritionist or physician or SOMEONE there who can advise you?
Not sure if I helped you here or not, but we are glad to have you join our conversation about low-carbing!
Lisa
PS -- Of course, it's always better to regain your health without surgery, if you can. Many of us here are non-ops, and I myself lose (and kept off) about 70 pounds with Atkins, before I had surgery. If you think this is a good option for you, you should give it a shot.
First of all, welcome to the group. And congratulations on completing your supervised diet, how nice to have that behind you!
I've got a few questions of my own if you don't mind -- First, who advised you not to lose during the "3 month supervised weight loss"? The criteria for WLS are changing, but there are insurance companies that do not want to cover bariatric surgery unless the patient is BMI 40+ WITHOUT weight-related problems, or 35+ WITH weight-related problems. Is the issue insurance coverage because you have no co-morbidities?
Others may have different opinions, but from my point of view, it's unethical for a medical practice to have told you to participate in a "medically supervised diet" pre-surgically, with instructions not to use that opportunity to lose weight (and gain health). The point of that pre-op diet IS, in fact, to see if you can make a go of it on your own!
Having said that, it sounds like you are kind of on the fence about WLS, and since you're asking for suggestions, mine is -- If you're on the fence about WLS, don't do it (yet).
My other suggestion is, to realize that if you DO participate in an Atkins-type low-carbohydrate way of eating, you WILL lose weight. It can also be a liver-shrinking diet, but ... if your goal is to maintain your BMI, this is not the way-of-eating for you, because you'll shrink if you do it.
And as long as I'm peppering you with questions (hope you don't mind) -- What kind of WLS coordinator doesn't know whether you're supposed to participate in a liver-shrinking diet, or any other dietary change, pre-operatively? Isn't there a nutritionist or physician or SOMEONE there who can advise you?
Not sure if I helped you here or not, but we are glad to have you join our conversation about low-carbing!
Lisa
PS -- Of course, it's always better to regain your health without surgery, if you can. Many of us here are non-ops, and I myself lose (and kept off) about 70 pounds with Atkins, before I had surgery. If you think this is a good option for you, you should give it a shot.
Interested in low-carb nutrition? Thinking of trying Atkins? Want to try high-fat and/or high-protein eating? Whether or not you have had (or are thinking about) WLS http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/atkins/
Hi Lisa,
The reason they told me not to follow the liver-reduction diet during my 3 months of supervised weight loss is I am borderline on my BMI. Basically it was because of insurance. The only co-mobidity I have is arthritis (which I take Advil on my own, never really been officially diagnosised, but have a lot of joint pain). I was told not to lose and not to gain. My first weight was 223.8, and my last one this week was 219.2. My first BMI was 40.3, and my last was 39.4. I lost a little bit, but did not really try.
Actually, what I had wanted to do when I first started surgery process in January was to go along and try Atkins or Weigh****chers and see if I was finally able to lose weight. When I was told to stay the same, I have just kind of "hung out" so to speak. Since they are submitting me for insurance, and I won't be back unless I'm approved, even though the coordinator couldn't tell me anything, I thought I'm just going to start Atkins. I cannot stand feeling so full all the time, and so I am planning on losing (hopefully). I also thought, it seems like I will have to eat low-carb anyway if I have surgery so I thought it would be a smart move to try it first. I chose Atkins over Weigh****chers, for whatever reason I cannot stick with WW. Also, I am menopausal, 53, hypothyroid and have been told that low carb is better in my situation.
I would love to lose about 80-85#, but would be thrilled with 50-60#. The other thing that worried me after my last weight loss meeting was it sounded like for almost the first year I will only have about 500 calories. I know we don't count calories, but that just seems like such a small amount. I also chose Atkins for now as opposed to the liver reduction diet, as it seems more flexible. Also, if I lose by sticking to it, it would be a WOE for me where I could never just stay on the liver reduction diet.
I am officially starting induction Sunday, as I get paid tomorrow and need to grocery shop (I work Fri & Sat - 12 hour shifts). Yesterday I started to reduce carbs by using what I have here, and I had 60 carbs, for comparison, I counted carbs from day before and it was 245!!! I have already lost 1.5#!
Thanks so much Lisa for the encouragement. I, too, was a little disappointed that the coordinator could not tell me anything. I asked her at the end of class, and there were a couple of other patients there, and I don't know if she was uncomfortable, she had kinda a grin on her face when I was asking her - like maybe I shouldn't have said anything about not following the diet in front of anyone else????
Thanks again!
The reason they told me not to follow the liver-reduction diet during my 3 months of supervised weight loss is I am borderline on my BMI. Basically it was because of insurance. The only co-mobidity I have is arthritis (which I take Advil on my own, never really been officially diagnosised, but have a lot of joint pain). I was told not to lose and not to gain. My first weight was 223.8, and my last one this week was 219.2. My first BMI was 40.3, and my last was 39.4. I lost a little bit, but did not really try.
Actually, what I had wanted to do when I first started surgery process in January was to go along and try Atkins or Weigh****chers and see if I was finally able to lose weight. When I was told to stay the same, I have just kind of "hung out" so to speak. Since they are submitting me for insurance, and I won't be back unless I'm approved, even though the coordinator couldn't tell me anything, I thought I'm just going to start Atkins. I cannot stand feeling so full all the time, and so I am planning on losing (hopefully). I also thought, it seems like I will have to eat low-carb anyway if I have surgery so I thought it would be a smart move to try it first. I chose Atkins over Weigh****chers, for whatever reason I cannot stick with WW. Also, I am menopausal, 53, hypothyroid and have been told that low carb is better in my situation.
I would love to lose about 80-85#, but would be thrilled with 50-60#. The other thing that worried me after my last weight loss meeting was it sounded like for almost the first year I will only have about 500 calories. I know we don't count calories, but that just seems like such a small amount. I also chose Atkins for now as opposed to the liver reduction diet, as it seems more flexible. Also, if I lose by sticking to it, it would be a WOE for me where I could never just stay on the liver reduction diet.
I am officially starting induction Sunday, as I get paid tomorrow and need to grocery shop (I work Fri & Sat - 12 hour shifts). Yesterday I started to reduce carbs by using what I have here, and I had 60 carbs, for comparison, I counted carbs from day before and it was 245!!! I have already lost 1.5#!
Thanks so much Lisa for the encouragement. I, too, was a little disappointed that the coordinator could not tell me anything. I asked her at the end of class, and there were a couple of other patients there, and I don't know if she was uncomfortable, she had kinda a grin on her face when I was asking her - like maybe I shouldn't have said anything about not following the diet in front of anyone else????
Thanks again!
