So confused! HELP. Diet, no diet, carb, no carb, fat, low fat....

Timber 285 wrote:

Atkins is right for some and mostly right for me -- just not
totally.

You admit you never followed the directions, so this assertion
is false. You have *not* tried what Atkins is therefore you
have no clue if it's right for you.

Do what works for you, but if you select a plan actually
follow its actual directions. And if you fail to follow the
directions don't blame the plan for that. What you're doing
now is fine but be clear on the issues surrounding what you
have tried in the past, partial attempts.

Timber 285 wrote:
Atkins is right for some and mostly right for me -- just not
totally.

That's because Atkins is designed to correct *specific* problems, and if a
person doesn't have those specific problems which Atkins addresses, then,
yes, it's obviously not for them.

--
The post you just read, unless otherwise noted, is strictly my opinion
and experience. Please interpret accordingly.

You admit you never followed the directions, so this assertion
is false. You have *not* tried what Atkins is therefore you
have no clue if it's right for you.

Actually I mispoke in part of my original post. I did -- at one point and for
quite a while -- do Atkins EXACTLY by the book. That's how I lost the weight to
begin with.

What I didn't feel comfortable with was all the fat and I also didn't add
things back in in the long run like I should have. It was very easy for me to
stay at induction levels and eat the same things day in and day out. It gave me
something to stick with and for that I am grateful.

You don't have to give me a lecture on the fat theory. I do believe it works. I
also believe that it works quite well. I have pointed many friends towards
Atkins and low carb in general.

All I'm saying is that I didn't feel it was the thing for me anymore. I wanted
to just follow something that feels healthy for me and quit obsessing over the
number of carbs or fat grams I was injesting every hour. For me, it caused THAT
sort of reaction i.e. if I chew this once piece of sugarless gum with sugar
alcohols I may gain 5 lbs.

I know this is ALL in my head but MY head is where I live.

So, thanks for the comment but I did want to point out that I DID follow it
correctly in the beginning. It's just that like some other people I've read
about, I need to come up with my own thing that works for MY life -- something
I will stay with. I don't look at this like a diet. With a history of Crohn's
disease and several major surgeries over the years, it's got to be a lifestyle.
Period.

Timber

Timber 285 wrote:
Doug Freyburger wrote:

You admit you never followed the directions, so this assertion
is false. You have *not* tried what Atkins is therefore you
have no clue if it's right for you.

I did -- at one point and for
quite a while -- do Atkins EXACTLY by the book.
...
I also didn't add
things back in in the long run like I should have.

So much for your claim that you followed the directions. Induction
is NOT doing Atkins exactly by the book. Exactly by the book means
Induction lasts 14 days. Extending Induction may be allowed but it
is a variation *not* the core process. Atkins is something
specific no matter that few actually do what Atkins really is.

It was very easy for me to
stay at induction levels and eat the same things day in and day out.

Join the club. Induction is trivially easy to stay on. But
Induction lasts 14 days if you follow the book exactly. Atkins
is harder when you follow the directions.

All I'm saying is that I didn't feel it was the thing for me anymore.

Induction. Right, but that isn't Atkins. Following the 4 phase
process you *would* have steadily reduced fat until you reached
a level specifically tuned to your own body. OWL doesn't just
increase carbs by adding calories. It increases carbs at the
expense of fat staying at approximately the same total calories.
More work than Induction.

I wanted to just follow something that feels healthy for me

The 4 phase process does exactly that.

and quit obsessing over the
number of carbs or fat grams I was injesting every hour.

It's only needed to have a detailed carb count during the time
it takes tofind your CCLL by spending a week out of ketosis.
You're still counting something, aren't you? Even if its
counting portions. Once you've found your CCLL the remainder
of OWL is counting at that level. You may have a CCLL of 50
or whatever and to get to that number takes so many cups of
this sort of veggie. No longer any need to obsess once you've
gotten through the high effort part.

For me, it caused THAT sort of reaction i.e. if I chew this
once piece of sugarless gum with sugar alcohols I may gain 5 lbs.

The Induction mentality, exactly. Something that does not
happen when you're in OWL because on OWL you are required to
add stuff back in systematically.

I know this is ALL in my head but MY head is where I live.

A caution - You treated Atkins as an extremist system (when
it is not) and you had a problem with that extremism. Did you
in any way lift up your own extremism and then impose it on
what you're doing now? That extremism didn't come from Atkins;
it came from you. So switching to another process didn't
necessarily resolve that extremism.

I need to come up with my own thing that works for MY life

Right. Whatever works whether it's Atkins or not. But don't
claim you did Atkins exactly when all you ever did was Indcution.

With a history of Crohn's disease and several major surgeries
over the years, it's got to be a lifestyle. Period.

Have you been avoiding grains? Grains seem to cause or make
Crohn's disease worse in a *lot* of people. It's worth avoiding
grains just in case if you've got Crohns or IBS or other
gigestive problems.

Right. Whatever works whether it's Atkins or not. But don't
claim you did Atkins exactly when all you ever did was Indcution.

Imagine waking up and checking the newsgroup this morning... a SUPPORT group
that, is. And feeling just the slightest bit attacked. Look, I know Atkins
worked. Just didn't work for me -- whether it was because I didn't do it right
or because I just wanted to modify it somewhat. I am not knocking the diet so
please quit acting as if I am and dissecting my entire post into tiny bits. I
may even go back and try it again someday. Hell, could be tomorrow. I was just
trying to be honest and I came here for support, not a dressing down.

I didn't realize there were diet extremists in here ready to attack a person
for just speaking up and asking questions.

On another note:
Sincerely, thank you to everyone who offered up advice and commented. I do
appreciate the help.