To not understand how anyone can stay on a low carb diet

[MrsKravitz]

Honestly they are so hard to maintain. I have just been on for 2 weeks and (apart from losing only 5 lb) found it incredibly hard. (mentally, physically and practically)

I;m surpised you are not losing any weight on that diet MrsKravitz. If you have been on it a while maybe you have just stablised or something?

I agree! I started Nerys and India's Idiot Proof Diet, and lost 10lbs in 2 weeks before my holiday in May (wrong time to start, I know). Then day 3 into the holiday, I snowballed and had a carb fest. I am a carboholic so I know that low carb, should be the way to go for me, as it settles my cravings and knocks the weight off fairly quickly,(have done Atkins in the past) which is a good incentive, but it is sooo fucking joyless!

Sadly, I don't think I can make it a permanant lifestyle choice. I just can't live without bread long term-sad, I know! On the IDP you can have plenty to eat, but when you reach your goal, bread/potatoes/root veggies etc would have to be a VERY occasional thing, or the weight will pile back on.

You've lost 5lbs in 2 weeks. That is a diet working.

If you don't like it, don't live in a world where you are "afraid to eat an apple" and just make sure that you consume fewer calories than you use.

Rice, bread and pasta are not 'bad' carbs per se, just the white versions. So replace them with wholemeal.
You can't beat three decent-sized meals a day for keeping blood sugar steady- as long as each meal contains a decent amount of protein and some brown carbs. Cravings start usually when blood sugar levels drop, usually because of not eating enough at your last meal, or trying to leave too long between meals.
I tried going without carbs for just my evening meal a few years ago, and it triggered a massive, painful gall bladder attack. Can't be healthy and it's definitely not sustainable.

I found it quite antisocial too.

trillian you will find my OP was on the compliance/difficulty aspect rather than the short term loss (which would have been 3 lb water anyway)

I think you have to find a way of eating that suits you. I personally wouldn't even attempt the atkins diet as I don't eat meat. I also need to eat low fat as I get heartburn [possibly gallstones]. I still eat bread, I just eat a small amount of wholemeal, without butter. I also eat potatoes and rice, again in a reasonable portion. And 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day and 2 portions of protein. I find the best thing to do is to cook meals from scratch and to limit the amount of oil I use to cook with. I do have the odd biscuit or cake, but again keep it under control.
I am losing weight steadily and feel healthy.

I tried going without carbs for just my evening meal a few years ago, and it triggered a massive, painful gall bladder attack

I honestly cant see how missing carbs in just ONE meal would trigger any sort of attack

I also dont find it anti-social, I eat the same meat and veg as everyone else having the same meal, but I just dont have potato, or if I do, I have very little and pile on a lot more veg to compensate... If we have burgers, I just dont eat the bun..

Devilwoman, you're a sugar addict like me!
I try and follow this programme. It does involve gradually removing sugar from your day-to-day life, but it keeps weight and mood stable, and you can use it to lose weight.

Have to say I still drank wine when I did the Dukan diet. It was hard to stick to but easier than the Atkins and the weight did come off (and had stayed off - although now am pregant so not worrying about weight hoping everything people tell me about Breast Feeding is true)

My bad experience on the Atkins really really put me off that and I do try and scare people into not doing that one

The atkins I think is downright dangerous...

I was on that for 2 days and nearly keeled over. The body needs some carbs...I was craving carbs. And it's ridiculous in being high fat!

We dont have burgers or anything like that. We eat a lot of rice or noodle based meals and I used sweetcorn and squash a lot. I dont eat potato anyway.
Antisocial as I had a separate meal to my family and it was difficult at work. I had to eat separately to anyone wanting to eat in the dining room (if they didnt bring their own lunch). We cant bring food in to the dining hall. Also had quite a few dinners and lunches with work and socila invitations this fortnight.

Low carb also drained my energy. I found it hard to walk down the street! (I usually run)

Anyway, Im not giving up. Just not low carbing anymore as I find it really hard

Squeaky, I have gallstones but now only have an attack about once a year (usually after over-indulging on cream combined with being stressed at Christmas).
I can generally eat a normal diet as long as I keep a check on this. When I tried no-carbs I was eating the sort of meal I normally could eat without a problem (think it was an omelette and salad).
You may not be able to envisage that situation but believe me four hours' writhing in pain is not something I'm prepared to risk again for the sake of losing weight, and I mentioned it to point out what I see as the danger inherent in following these diets.

Low carbs is only really needed if you don't exercise, which you need to do as you get older otherwise you get 'baggy', anyway.

You have to find a diet that suits you otherwise you are setting yourself to yo-yo diet all your life. I have stopped eating white carbs but i am vegan at home and vegetarian the rest of the time for conveniance sake. High protein does stop you from being hungry, i know vegetarian options aren't for everyone but the quorn (as well as others) products usually have alot more if not double the protein of meat eating ones, soya milk also is higher in protein.

Most doctors don't recommend low carbs long term. It works because you lose water and most people eat more fruit and veg when not eating carbs, as well as having nothing to put their usual butter, sauces etc on.

Good carbs contain all the vital B vitamins

Birds Most fruits and vegetables are mostly carbs (very few foods are completely of one macronutrient, of course) so if people are eating more fruit and veg then they most likely they are eating carbs. And I find it quite easy and enjoyable to put sauces and butter on veg (wouldn't really eat them without something!).

People needs carbs, but popular culture's idea of nutrition has turned carbs into grains. Carb are found in a very wide range of foods - and grains are the poorest carb or protein choice for most people, even wholegrains (Humans have been around well before the agriculture to make mass grain eating possible so we don't digest them as well as other foods) and the nutrients found in grains are found and digested more easily elsewhere. After I started putting the sauces and flavouring I used to put on grains onto veg or occasionally meat, I found myself staying fuller longer and healthier, and so I stopped eating the grains. I'm not particularly a low-carber, but would be comparatively to most as I am my diet is low in grain products. And after a while, like the sugar busting diet above, I no longer found them appealing (and stopped being anaemic).

I have been on IPD since January, 2 stone lost and have fallen off te wagon a few times
What I like is I don't get sugar highs and lows which I got really badly previously. I ate a sandwich the other week, got really tired and fell asleep and woke up with banging head all shaky and craving sugar. It's phase 2 for me now so I have porridge twice a week as well

I did Atkins once for three months and loved it because I love protein and fat; lost loads of weight too and two dress sizes but it simply wasn't sustainable for me. I can't seem to stick to any diet that restricts foods, in the longterm at least - I find socialising etc just too difficult so give up. The diet I'm on now restricts nothing but basically advocates eating when physically hungry and stopping when full (Paul McKenna) and I'm (generally) finding it much better for the longrun.

It worked for me (lost a stone in two weeks) but it's a bastard to stick to.

I'd LOVE to be able to do it for longer than two weeks but I struggle after a few days. I'm going to try and lower my carbs a bit and stop eating them after 4pm, see if that works!

I did Nerys and India's diet earlier this year (although I wasn't as good as I should have been) and did lose a stone but I managed to put it all back on very quickly on holiday. When I have tried to restart I have found it desperately hard as I am missing fruit much more than before. It has helped reduce my cravings for chocolate though.

Just eat small amounts of the right types of carbs instead.

I still eat oats and oatbased carbs, potatoes, pasta and rice, but just in small quantities.

I've found that cutting out sugar (apart from fruit) has been the most effective thing. You no longer experience blood sugar swings and feel calmer too.

If you cut out carbs completely you'll just feel really ill and weak.