VS - I've been low carbing, more or less, for about 5 years now.
I started off with a weight at 10 stone 11, which was creeping up and up even though I wasn't doing anything any differently. At 5ft 2, it was way too much.
The lowest I reached was 9 stone 3, but then complacency hit and I thought I could eat more of what I wanted, with the inevitable result.
I find holidays especially difficult - and low carbing is not a forgiving way of eating. Because it's just that - a way of eating not a diet.
I've been struggling over the last year, probably, with the result that I'm now weighing in at 10 stone, as of this morning.
I have never followed a particular plan, although I had done a fair bit of reading about different plans, including Atkins and Charles Clarke and, more recently India Knight/Nerys Thomas - so I know a bit about the theory and what is/isn't appropriate.
From day one I can honestly say that I have never suffered the withdrawal symptoms or lack of energy that some seem to have had. I think it is a way of eating that suits me very well (when I behave!)
The best things about eating this way are:
- being able to eat decent quantities of decent food (butter, olive oil, cheese, nuts)
- no more having to calorie count
- no longer being humgry - I don't get that horrible 11 am empty stomach 'have to eat something' feeling - in fact, I can easily go till 2 or even 3 pm without eating simply because I sometimes forget!
- no longer being obsessed with food and what I'm going to have/will be allowed to have at my next meal
There are some downsides, which is why I struggle. Not eating bread, pasta, potatoes and rice means I often can't eat 'normally' - because our diets are so skewed towards refined carbohydrates. For example, on Friday DH and I went on a visit to a vineyard near us, (DH's 50th birthday present from his sister). As well as the visit (and wine tasting!) a buffet lunch was included. This comprised of:
sandwiches
pork pies
cocktail sausages
mini Scotch eggs
cornish pasties
salad
The only thing I could safely eat was the salad - but even that had a balsamic (and therefore sweet) dressing!
I travel a bit for work and may often be at client meetings over lunch - where invariably sandwiches will be served. Out and about, have a look at all the food that's available - sandwiches, fruit, crisps, pastries - nothing that is low carb.
So there's a lot of planning involved, and occasionally I do tell people that I can't eat wheat. It seems a trivial thing to tell people, as it's about my weight rather than for medical reasons, but the other thing I have found since I started low carbing is that my IBS (which I suffered from occasionally) has gone - and only comes back if I start to eat too many carbs. I rarely, if ever, suffer from thrush and my skin, which used to get very dry and itchy, is also better.
So on balance, it is a way of eating that I (mostly!) feel very happy with.
The reason why I haven't got my weight down is, I think, down to several things:
- I drink too much wine
- I actually consume too many carbs overall by 'cheating' - that little bit of naan bread with my curry, the odd crisps here and there - all adds up
- I haven't got that much weight to lose and probably ought to avoid things like cheese and nuts as they are very calorific. Even though you don't count calories on this way of eating, there is a need for some self-control!
So a very long explanation of me and why I do what I do. I do occasionally think "oh bugger it" and consider going on a low cal diet, so that I can eat pasta/potatoes/bread again - but then I remember the feelings of hunger and deprivation as well as obsession with food!