Question:
Is anyone following the Atkins or Zone diets?

Is anyone following the Atkins or Zone diet around here? How many carbs is everyone eating? I know most of us eat between 500-900 calories daily, what is the breakdown in Fat, Carbs & Protein? I've been checking mine daily on Fitday & I'm interetsed in other peoples experiences. I've been also following my loss & it's interesting that it will slow & quicken. I'm encouraged to see the pattern emerging. It's making the slow times of losing seem less ominous. I'm STILL fighting the fear that this won't work. Even after losing half the weight & it not being close to a year. Ah, just because something is in front of our face, doesn't mean we can see it. Sometimes the blinders don't come off until it's the right time. Whenever that is. Nan in MadPk 240/175/130 9/6/02    — LionGirl2k (posted on January 27, 2003)

January 26, 2003
I cannot tell you how strongly I feel about this. I decided very early on that I would NOT go on a diet with this surgery. It is my desire and purpose to be NORMAL and not to have to live on a diet for the rest of my life. Remember this, if you go on Adkins or anything else, when you STOP, your body will begin gaining again. Why? Because you have starved it from things it was used to having. When that comes back into the picture, you body holds on to it. I just don't want to get back into the yo-yo dieting thing again. That's one of the main reasons I wound up as heavy as I was. I didn't do ANY dieting, and don't dump on anything. And I must tell you I am happier about that than if I had DIETED for the last 10 months! BE FREE FROM DIETING!!! Yes, change your bad eating habits and try to eat healtier, but don't DIET!!!! Just my opinion.
   — Robby E.

January 27, 2003
Good question, Nancy! I don't know much about Atkins, other than it's high-protein, low-carb (and allows high-fat -- which eliminates it as an option for me because high fat intake makes me CRAVE more foods, especially fats and carbs, soooo...uh uh). I've heard mixed reviews of the Zone. I think what you are doing is superior to either, though -- by tracking what you're eating, and linking it to your weight loss, you're learning what works for YOU and what you can live with down the road. That's exactly what I'm trying to do, instead of following some "paperback" diet plan that I know I won't be able to live with in the long run. (Unless one of them turns out to be YOUR perfect long-run diet!)<P>Some folks here swear by the less-than-20-grams-of-carbs per day diet, especially until they lose 75 percent of their excess weight (or get to goal). I don't do that, because I wanted to take this precious pouch-healing time to re-learn my eating habits NOW (not diet, and then try to figure out how I'll REALLY eat "after I get to goal" -- that would never work for me, I've screwed myself up too many times with that kind of thinking while on "diets"). :( At almost 8 months out, I'm eating 1,200 calories a day, with 100-125 coming from protein (including two protein shakes) and 80-100 coming from carbs. I've always strived to keep my protein at about 45% of my daily gram intake, and carbs at around 35-40%, if I can. (Couldn't do it without the protein shakes, though, and I'm not giving those up!) I'm nine pounds from my goal (and I'm AT my surgeon's goal), so I need to up my calorie intake soon in order to stabilize, but I'm still going to aim to keep those ratios constant. I hope you find the right combos for you, too. I am a total fitday.com addict!
   — Suzy C.

January 27, 2003
Gak! I meant to say 100-125 grams of protein, and 80-100 grams of carbs, daily.
   — Suzy C.

January 27, 2003
Thanks for all the answers people! Y'all have been very helpful in your answers, especially the ongoing message of NOT dieting.
   — LionGirl2k

January 30, 2003
AMEN ROBBIE!
   — **willow**