Atkins Diet Quick Hits: How fast should I lose?

[sweet161402]

Thanks for the refresher course on Atkins.I've done this "diet" off and on most of my life but always done it "half-way"...like the sweetener topic stalling your progress.Thanks again.

[auggiedoggy]

Just one thing, you don't lose fat cells. Only liposuction can accomplish that. Fat cells grow and shrink in response to caloric intake. Congrats on your 211 pound weight loss. That's incredible.

[Annahealthseeker]

You lost over 200 lbs??? What an amazing transformation! I have about 20 lbs to go and I thought that was tough, but you just gave me some perspective about what's possible with commitment and perseverance. Thanks for the videos.

[bowulf]

@Annahealthseeker Yep 211 pounds in total at my lowest. You can certainly 20 pounds, and sometimes the difference between goal and not is simply staying interested in what you are eating and preventing feelings of deprivation. If I can help or answer the questions some people have, I am happy.

[jimmyjohnson691]

you need to eat some carbs you look retarted

[bowulf]

@jimmyjohnson691 You seem to be d-bag, maybe you should eat less.

PS - Just maybe if you are going to insult someone's intelligence, you might just TRY to get the spelling correct. Sheesh.

[NOM145]

@jimmyjohnson691 whos the retard now? You can't even spell R-E-T-A-R-D-E-D. xD

[bluejeaninvestor]

@jimmyjohnson691 You need to go back to school & learn how to spell in lieu of criticizing others who are an inspiration to the masses. ; )

[copnite12342]

@jimmyjohnson691 get a life douche bag

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[MyIcedCoffee]

hey im shocked that this works but its my 5th day and ive lost 9 pounds so far is this ok

[bowulf]

@MyIcedCoffee It is what it is, but it sounds fantastic to me. 9 pounds gone for good.

[BlackSkullz09]

@bowulf Hi, im 5'11 and i weigh 378lbs (gasp i know) and i made a new years resolution to lose weight and get healthy. Now i'm afraid to because i've heard even if i reach my 170lb goal that i"ll have alot of nasty loose skin. I dnt wanna go under the knife to lose it, so im asking you if there's an option to help me tighten up the skin. btw i heard doing weight training get rid of loose skin is it true?

[bowulf]

@BlackSkullz09 Check out my loose skin video for what remained after I lost 211 pounds on Atkins. Similar to how Atkins is protective of losing lean body mass (preserving as much muscle as possible), it is also extremely beneficial to the skin and repairing the damage done. I still have a bit of loose skin, but it is nothing like on some extreme low Calorie or low fat diets.

[kido282]

i've been eating very small amount for about a week less then a 300cal per day and taking multi vitamins instead. and i'm not losing much....is there any faster way? i just need to lose another little over 10 pounds

[bowulf]

@kido282 Eat more. Starving yourself into weight loss is counterproductive as the body resists change. Taking multivitamins will not prevent the body from consuming needed muscle tissue and preserving the fat/water.

[7720Love]

13 years old girl 145 punds not even 5 foot exersise at : 5 am, school lucnh: 100 calorie snake and jucie ox thats it. home snack Dinner: whatever mom makes but in small servings Exersive: tredmill for 15 mins and P90X abs. the problem is i love ice cream and i cant live without it and i can't just have small proportions so i most have t every night so please help me!!! the doctor called me obease and i got pissed off so help me find ways to stop and actually make me lose weight by this year!

[bowulf]

@7720Love Obviously a change to low carb would be a huge change, and probably something your parents would have to support. It would work for you, but it requires a commitment to a specific way of eating. It was what worked for me as I had to break from old habits. I no longer wanted Ice Cream at all which was a first.

My suggestion for you would be to figure out what works for you and your tastes. Stay motivated by figuring out what goal looks likes or means to you in visual terms.

[bowulf]

@7720Love When you are tempted by food or ice cream, figure out which one means more the thing (being lighter or at goal is) or the temporary satisfaction of food.  Low carb made the right choice easier for me to choose.

It would appear you have the exercise part down. Now it is just getting the eating right.

[7720Love]

I am 13 and a girl and i need to lose wright and so here is what i am doing and tell me what i can do to improve this.

I am like 5 foot and 145 pounds

I get up every morning at 5 am and do the bike that we have in our basement for like 10 mins and i have gym also for school in first hour and for breakfast i have like 1 poptart not 2 like they come in the pacage casue i don't like bannanas and gross stuff like that. And for lunch i eat a 100 calorie thing and i have a juice box and...

[WSOPItaly]

I'm 175lbs 5'7 3/4 14 years old

I want to drop to 140lbs, How fast would I do this eating 1200-1600 cals a day on the atkins diet

[bowulf]

@WSOPItaly I made a video called "How fast will I lose X" or How much weight will I lose on Induction that deals with this topic, and its main point is it depends. Everyone loses different, and I can't predict is it going to take 1 months or 4 months or 12 months. I can say limiting your Caloric intake or feeling deprived is probably not the best solution. If you are hungry, eat. If not, don't.

[amor692u]

Kent, I am concerned about loosing weight quickly and then having that sagging skin after the weight loss. I am 39 years old and wonder if after a certain age catagory your skin will not pick up any longer? Or will the excercise help in this process? What do you think?

[amor692u]

Kent, I am 39 years old, I am extremely overweight (over 100lbs). The question is that I'm concern about loosing the weight quickly and then having the skin very loose. Will excercise keep the skin's ability to recover intact or after a certain age does the skin loose its elastic properties (or whatever it has to strink back)?

[bowulf]

@amor692u Check out my loose skin for more thoughts on this topic, but there is a chance at 39 years old, your skin may not snap back to its former shape. HOWEVER, you will look better and be healthier skinny than one does heavy whatever the difference. A rich diet in minerals and necessary proteins / fats will also assist.

Exercise or flushing the skin with blood to cool will help its restorative abilities to heal itself. Rebuilding the muscles beneath the skin will also help look better.

[look4ansers]

I know that Atkins diet calls for using whole food so I wanted to ask, what is your perspective on using Protein powder/ Meal replacements powder as one of the meals instead of eating real food? Thanks!

[bowulf]

@look4ansers I used and use protein as supplements to my protein and as an ingredient in some recipes, but I believe using them long term as a meal replacement is only asking for trouble as one never learns how to eat real food correctly. It leads to only "a diet" mentality, and diets can be shrugged off. Short term or in a pinch, it can be fine.

They are typically too low fat though to be used for long.

[herairness]

I've been on Atkins now for 3 days and haven't seen any weight loss. I know it's ONLY 3 days but I thought I would see something. Not even inch loss. Please help!

[bowulf]

@herairness Check out the Not losing on Induction video of mine on YT. There are a number of reasons it might happen. Are you tracking your daily menus at Fitday?

[herairness]

@bowulf I checked out your other videos and I think the problem could be the Atkins bars or diet soda so I'm giving both up. I am going now to check out Fitday. I thank you so very much for your reply. I'll keep ya posted if you don't mind! I'm happy you lost all that weight and are healthy now!

[bowulf]

@herairness Those can do it to you every time. We start using them as a crutch to our former lives. I am glad you think you found the cause. Looking forward to seeing the success report in a few days. :-)

[herairness]

@bowulf I wanted to tell you of my progress. I did check out Fitday and I couldn't be tied to that. So, I tweaked my own program to their principles. I used to be on Weight Watchers so I incorporated both programs I write down everything I eat and give it a point and net carb value. I am finding this better. I have lost 2 and a half pounds since we last spoke. I thank you for being so kind to answer my comment and help others with their problems.

[herairness]

@herairness I also wanted to ask you a question about muscle tone. I have noticed that I am feeling my muscles under my fat-lol. Is this possible in such a short time? Even my jawline has tightened. I also took off about an inch at midriff and hips. Thanks again for taking the time!

[bowulf]

@herairness A low carb diet can cause dramatic spot reduction (although you can't pick the spot) of weight loss as the reduction of water and initial fat is burned away. It'd be great if you could target the loss to just one spot, but it hits everyone differently.

[themuffinbride]

MSM supplement helps with skin shrinkage.

[leftwingnazi]

Hey, thanks for the vids buddy. I see you're really active in your responses which shows me helping others is a passion of yours. I'm just starting a diet similar to Atkins however, I have a read carb day once a week, one meal and the end of the night. I'm a recreational bodybuilder and have heard of a lot of success through this Atkins off-branch diet. What are your opinions of a diet that incorporates heavy refeed meals in comparison to straight Atkins concerning bodybuilding? Thanks.

[bowulf]

@leftwingnazi I can only give a comparison of my weight lifting before Atkins (normal high carb) and on Atkins. I can lift as much weight or more now on a strict low carb ketogenic diet as I ever did before Atkins. My weight workouts last 40-70 minutes, and I haven't seen a detriment in terms of premature muscle fatigue,

Some guys swear by cyclical approach, but to me, resistance training, marathon running, and eating all work together. I shouldn't have to alter one to achieve the other.

[nclabtech1]

I agree with you 100%. I hope to inspire people like you have, keep up the good work Kent!!

[nclabtech1]

I love Dr Atkins and I am a big supporter of this lifestyle not diet. I have family that has been doing this for years and are almost 80 yrs old and still thin and trim. As for me I have lost 25 pounds and plan on loosing more.

[bowulf]

It's hard to argue with success and low carbers like that, but some will still try. I think partly you have ignorance in the people below and partly you have vegan ethical or moral bias against the diet that just simply hate any success that involves something they see as an atrocity. I see it as part of being a steward.

[Riboflavine12]

I'm a nutritionist and a vegetarian, I'm trying out the diet (not overweight but curious how it works) and it feels fantastic. Weight loss has been superfast and no more cravings! I really don't see why medical professionals or vegetarians would have something against it. Scientific proof is overwhelming- low-carb works and it's healthy!

[bowulf]

Thanks for providing your insight!

[amozartii]

The Atkins diet is so low on carbs it is UNHEALTHY..period. Take some time and read my earlier post. Even diabetics need more carbs that the Atkins diet..

As I said before..fraud..fraud..fraud.

[bowulf]

Really because some of the more notable diabetic researchers and educators, Mary Ross Vernon and Richard Bernstein. advocate a ketogenic diet similar to Atkins for diabetics.

"it is UNHEALTHY..period"

Well since the great amozarti has spoken, so shall it be. Since apparenly you have no desire to discuss and you have put the final period to our conversation, good luck to you and your overabundance of carbs. For me, I am fantastically healthy on Atkins.

[amozartii]

Look, you know it and everyone else knows that a human body needs carbs to survive. Without carbs the body will shut down, plain and simple...this diet is a fraud. As far as Dr Atkins goes, for all we know he became faint from lack of a good diet (at his age poor soul) and lost his balance, how the hell do you know? I suggest you go back to the books!

[bowulf]

"everyone else knows that a human body needs carbs"

What phase of the Atkins Diet is without carbs? There is no phase that is zero carb or without a complete daily dose of vegetables. As for needing carbs, I've lived the last 6 years (and friends last 30 years) on a ketogenic diet. I've ran marathons and completed HIIT workouts on 30-40g per day. Apparently the whole body shut down thing takes a REALLY long time to happen like 60 years later.

Perhaps the only fraud is you.

[MsDietician]

What are you talking about here? So you want to slowly kill yourself by shutting your body down over 60 years....a heart doctor at the hospital just saw this a laughed so hard we all had tears in our eyes. thanks for making all of us laugh on this slow new years eve day at work!

[bowulf]

Apparently your heart doctor must be a really ignorant one because two notable cardiologists created both Atkins Diet and South Beach Diet. So good luck to you, and I feel sorry for those around you.

[Serp1313]

What's it like working at the free clinic?

[Riboflavine12]

Ever heard of such a thing as 'gluconeogenesis'? I guess not! Your body can create its own glucose needed to survive! Don't just yell about fraud when you have no knowledge to back it up!

[amozartii]

By the way, Dr. Adkins is DEAD....must be a great diet.

[bowulf]

Let's see, he slipped on ice. Show me a diet that protects you from the presence of ice and natural hazzards.

[MsDietician]

Actually, you're wrong. We just confirmed this at the hospital...he was pulling a greasy ham out of the oven and fell on the floor cracking his head open on the stove. Must have been too much fat in the food. Perhaps he should have had a pasta dish!

[bowulf]

Wow for a dietician you have unbelievable command of the English language. Unfortunately, that won't help you off my block list.

[Serp1313]

Your ignorance is amazing. You're just like those liars who claim that Darwin converted to Christianity on his death bed.

Well we just confirmed something MsDiarrheatician, you eat feces. We all heard it and confirmed it.

[amozartii]

In addition, looking at your body, you clearly are on that ridiculous adkins diet. You need healthy muscles which are made from good carb choices. Let me know if you need any tips. You will lose the flab is you get off this cult like diet.

[bowulf]

First, you are incorrect on the whole ketoacidosis thing, and next you are ad hominem comments. Let's see what was your first clue on the Atkins diet thing - about 105 videos of mine saying I am? Wow talk about observant...

When was the last marathon you ran? Why would I want tips from someone who has been proven ignorant already on basic nutrition knowledge..

[amozartii]

this Atkins diet will put you in Ketoacidosis...

[bowulf]

I would suggest you watch my ketosis vs. ketoacidosis video. The short answer is a non-diabetic can not go into ketoacidosis, and the symptom of ketoacidosis is high carb intake not a ketogenic diet.

[rickml1776]

Truthseeker needs to think about primal humans. For countless years, humans, and those who preceded them genetically, drank from streams and rivers (water) and ate what they could kill (hunt) and pick (gather) such as berries, nuts, vegetables, and fruits. This is all part of the Atkins diet (though not so much during the first two weeks). It is evolutionary design. Soda pop and processed grains are our downfall, which I hate to say since I love/am addicted to that stuff, but it's the truth.

[MrTruthseeker135]

can't believe how stupid people are. my god how can you believe that this diet is good for your body!! read mike anderson and the china study pee brain!!

[bowulf]

Wow, your comments is so full of insight and brimming with wisdom, I can't understand why anyone wouldn't run out and follow your rantings. I would suggest you actually learn what the diet is and further your education.

[lazlow88]

if you live on the diet no it's not good for you. small short time on the diet. i doubt it would hurt you.

[bowulf]

Sorry, trying to do it short term is only going to be frustrating and breed short term results. If you want long term results, you need to do the diet in all its phases. The last one being a lifetime maintenance phase.

As for long time not good for you, 5 years later (and friends with many more (20+)) my health could not be better.

[gellegbs]

One thing I'm not very clear with in the book DANDR, does the Dr. say I'm limited to 3 cups of lettuce or 2 cups of lettuce 1/2 cup cooked veg from list; or can I allow myself more veggies as long as I stay under 20?

[bowulf]

The DANDR says you are limited to 3 cups of salad veggies (not just lettuce) OR 2 cups of S.V. and 1 cup of "Other Veggies." Some people might say just under 20g, but they wouldn't be Dr. Atkins.

[SHITONYAMOM]

look up raw food diet and or juice fast without disrespect just as an opinion

[bowulf]

I appreciate all methods to weight loss, and if it works for you, I am happy for you. For me, relying on a diet low in protein and low in fat while high in simple sugars would be murderous to stick to and would require constant feedings to stay satiated.

[kim24may]

should i eat snacks between meals or just eat 3meals a day?

[bowulf]

You should as you are hungry or at least every 4-6 waking hours. So you are certainly allowed snacks, but whether or not you need them is up to you.

[angelarock29]

well the thing is i dont eat most of those veggies.i didnt say you were allowed to eat 20 carbs a day of cheese i was using cheese as some carbs you count same as lettuce and some veggies.well i ate only 20 carbs a day which the carbs i ate was slenda that i put in my undecaf tea and lettuce and some tomatoes the rest was meat like chicken fish and some hamb meat.i did loose 60lbs without a day of exercise i never had no energy to exercise

[bowulf]

Well two things went wrong... Obviously we've already talked about the vegetables thing. The next problem you never progressed to the Ongoing Weight Loss phase. If you are feeling fatigued or bored with the food choices, go to the next phase. There is no medal for longest time on Induction carbs.

Did you read the book? I really can't help the result you didn't follow the plan as described. Congrats losing weight on your plan, but it wasn't Atkins.

Sorry you found my vids too late to help.

[angelarock29]

are u the atkins expert?are u a doctor?just because it works for you and you had hardly any side affects doesnt mean everyone does.i was on it 6 months and i was always tired had no energy kept catching colds.oh i lost 60 pounds in 6 months but i got kidney stones and gout which was caused by atkins.atkins raises your cholesterol also.i wouldnt suggest this diet to no one its not healty to do away with carbs.on indution u get only 20 but thats like in your cheese or drinks

[bowulf]

Am I doctor? No, but I know many doctors that recommend it. From my own to my brother's docs at Mayo, and let us not forget it was created by a cardiologist.

See my other response or ANY of my misconception series of videos for the response to your bomb throwing.

"on indution u get only 20 but thats like in your cheese or drinks "

If so, you are doing it wrong. Did you read the book? Did you eat 3 cups (6 servings of veggies) every day? Induction does notallows 20g of cheese.

[NiqueyBlog]

I lost 11 lbs in one week! I'm eating too.

[alkiller1992]

btw how much do u wieght now?

[bowulf]

Between 218 and 230 - depending on what I am training for such as a marathon or my lifts.

[GabriKnight]

I find it really unhelpful to have a goal like this. If I'd stall I'd get discouraged and when I'd reach the goal I'd think "that's it" ,wouldn't consider the diet so much, then fall back.

I understand that people find goals useful for motivation, but unless I needed to lose weight in a certain time for a very specific purpose, I think the idea goes against the the true definition of 'diet' which should be a long-term commitment, not a fad.

Followers will lose good weight without a goal.

[bannerdb]

I need to lose about 30 lbs. How long would you expect this to take? I've been in induction for 2 and a half wks now. I lost 5 lbs in my first week and nothing in my second. Is this normal?

[bowulf]

It is relatively fast. If you watch my "how much weight will I lose on Induction? video. Most people lost between 5-10% of their weight to lose on Induction, and you exceeded that. As for the second week, it is common to experience a hesitation in the second week as the body adjusts.

[sabin15]

5 pounds is a lot. Fill a sponge with water up to 5 pounds, put it in an area such as the stomach, and that is what you use to look like. Even one pound is noticeable if you take this perspective. I am not sure but losing more than say 2 pounds in one week is unhealthy. Also the less you weigh the harder it should be to lose weight. The last thing you want to look like is one of those anorexic people, they do not look sexy at all.

[bowulf]

Well being one who lost 4 pounds a week every week for the first 9 months on the diet, losing more than 2 pounds is not unhealthy. Losing more than 2 pounds by starving yourself and having your body cannibalize itself is.

[mrsnoelani]

Help :-( I noticed when I work out and I'm on the induction phase, that I don't lose weight at all (I'm 21 yrs old dunno if that helps) but when I don't work out I lose weight? What should I do I need to lose 120 pounds and I don't want saggy skin :-(

[bowulf]

When you work out your muscles are damaged and create microtears (this is good and how they grow), and they retain water while rebuilding. You also may hydrate yourself better after exercising. All of this means that whatever you aren't losing is temporary, and will soon come off with exercising.

That said for the first few weeks, I recommend focusing on your eating rather than necessarily starting up a new workout program as well.

[nanaenanaja]

Hi, I just wonderd how much weight you lost on average per week on your diet?

How many pounds & how many months, and would slowing down the weight loss actually help tighten loose skin?

[bowulf]

I lost on average 3.5 to 4.3 pounds per week depending on the phase and closeness to goal.

I lost in total 197 pounds on Atkins in 15 months. As for your second question, I think I answered that in this video. Did you have any questions about my answer?

[SlimQuest]

Hello Kent, I was wondering... when I am calculating my BMR do I use my current weight or my goal of 225 lbs? I am currently eating between 2000 and 2500 cals per day... up from 1500 cals before atkins... based on my current BMR it says I should be eating 3,043 cals per day... I feel like I am stuffing myself as it is... Please give me your thoughts on this and what is best for optimum weight loss... thanks again... SLIMQUEST :) my ratios are about 65f - 30p - 5c at a CCLL of 30/40 carbs per day

[bowulf]

Your BMR should be as it is at today's weight, which is why sometimes as we lose weight we need to retrain ourselves the portion sizes we should be eating. That should be helped by the appetite suppression though.

The number I roughly shoot for is within 500Calories or so of my current BMR number. In your case that is roughly 2500 Calories per day.

This is not an exact science (BMR), so that is why I have the leeway. I also encourage people to stay in tune with their body and its energy.

[hellsingorg2]

hello. um i was wondering and trying to dispel this myth going on at school. does one lose more weight doing cardio , or just lifting weights ( no running no walking. nothing to elevate heart rate)

[bowulf]

Cardio will help burn more Calories over a longer period of time, but it is extremely canabolic to your system. I don't believe in doing one without the other especially cardio at the expense of core workouts. The exact mix is dependent of what your goals are, but if you want to be fit you have to do both.

[emelypinto]

how much do i eat i dont eat exercise ?

help

do i eat when im hungry ? help please im desperate

[bowulf]

Start reading the book, especially the Induction chapter.

Eat when you are hungry or every 4-6 hours at least but only off the Induction Acceptable Foods List. Google for the list and how much of each type of food you are allowed.

[carbuff34]

I have noticed on some atkins drinks and bars that it will say Net Cards which is lower because of the fiber in the item. My question is if you take fiber pills like fiber con will it lower the cards that you take in during a meal?

[bowulf]

No, it won't lower the carbs of the meal. It will lower the carbs of the drink. Say you have a meal with 10g of total carbs and 1g of fiber (9 net grams), and fibercon with 5g of total carbs and 5g of fiber (0 net grams). The total for the meal will be 9 net grams of carbs. The fiber grams of the drink or pill can only negate itself not part of the meal.

[natural1reigns]

i have been on atkins for about a week and two days. I have noticed a pain in my left side in my back area where my kidneys are. It doesn't hurt really bad but it just got really sore all of a sudden. Do you think i should stop the diet. I hate to cause i am really committed and doing so well. Help?

[bowulf]

While I am not doc, I would suggest that ensuring you are drinking enough water 64+ oz (watch my water video for the exact amount you should target) each day. Not drinking enough water can certainly cause the problems you highlight. Your kidneys are doing extra work now flushing the excess water and toxins out of your system, so you need the extra water now.

[natural1reigns]

Thank you so much. I will drink more water.

[sidecrank]

This kidney nonsense was put about by a lot of idiots,probably working for the big carb pushers.

[evesrib]

Wow I'm not on the Atkins but I have cut out eating sugary foods (for the most part + no soft drinks) as well as limiting breads (no more pizza, etc.). I haven't drastically reduced my calories either, AND I am eating fruits along with the meat and veggies. It's been a week and I've already lost 6 pounds! I'm really starting to believe that our weight has a lot to do with the types of food we eat and not just our calorie count.

[bowulf]

Yep -- there is something about what you are eating than just the Calories you are taking in. Atkins might not be the answer for everyone, but at least it raised the conscious about the negative effects of refined sugars and starches. Good luck with the diet you are on.

[HelcarAdan]

how do you know what your metobolic rate is?

[bowulf]

Google Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator, you find a number of sites that give you an approximate amount. Yours may be slightly higher or lower than that number.

[amontap65]

can i have movie popcorn if i have no other carbs during the day

[bowulf]

On Induction, no. Popcorn is one of the later rungs of the OWL phase. Atkins is more than just eat below a certain level of carbs.

[epeya2]

Hi, I have been on an Atkins Diet since Sept 1st 2009 and I would like to know what you think about Carb cycling? I have been told to eat off my Diet plan about (but not restricted to) every 18-21 so your body does not get used to the lack of Carbs. Is this a good idea or a bad idea? Thank you

[bowulf]

I am anti-carb cycling as I think any "trick" to get you to lose weight is a bad thing. I much more favor picking a long term way of eating and simply following that all the way to goal. You may have plateaus along the way, but the overall trend will be downward.

Another reason carb cycling looks like a bad idea is simply because who wants to do Induction flu more than once. It was bad enough the first time.

[cooperider85]

i love this video.. i have a question when you loose body fat do you loose it all over like back, face, arms, legs, ect or is it just in your stomach. i do work out a lot on tredmill and eat right

[bowulf]

I noticed in some places quicker than others -- like the face and legs, but that is probably more due to my size and how slow it takes to notice the loss in some places. That is another reason I suggest measuring oneself with a tape measure to capture those unnoticed changes.

[amricanka]

What Should One do iF faced with PLATO (NOT LOSSING )

[bowulf]

Watch my "why am I not losing?" and how to break a stall videos. They deal with this question. First step is know that it is a plateau. The above videos should help answer your question.

[Edelien]

I've lost 17lb 1 month and I've already started having some sagging skin under my arms, but I have to admit that I haven't been exercising, because since starting induction, I get tired quickly when using my crosstrainer. Now Im gonna move to OWL, because I don't want to make my skin sag more than this, since Im too young for that. :D (20yrs old) Im going to try and loose 55lb, hopefully I'll be able to do so till christmas!

8lb a month, do you think that's too much?

Thanks for all your vids!

[bowulf]

I don't think the OWL will necessarily affect the saggyness directly. It might help mitigate the tiredness when working out. I would encourage you to work towards that. As my exercise videos say, your body will get acclimated after a short period 2-3 weeks. That excess blood to your skin as you sweat should assist in the saggyness and regenerated the skin.

The pounds per month won't matter in the long run -- it is how the weight was lost -- diet&exercise, the total amount, and age.

[smcamden]

Thank you so much for your informative videos! My husband and I just recently started following the low carb diet. He wants to lose around 70 lbs and I need only lose about 12 lbs. I was on a similar diet a few years ago, drinking grapefruit juice with every meal and maintained a slim size 4, I am very small boned and only 5'1. My question is, how necessary is it to graduate to higher carb intake? Can we stay at 10 or so carbs per day as long as we want if feeling okay? Thank you again.

[bowulf]

My only question would be why? If it is because you have no desire to eat more than that amount, that is one thing. I would recommend a good multi- and keep trying to get a variety of vegetables eaten. If it is to lose quicker with the intention to raise it later, then I would suggest you are misguided.

You can certainly eat at Induction level carbs for perpetuity as long as your blood work comes back fine, and you have no additional cravings.

[afi567x]

I've been on a low carb diet since March and just last week I hit my 45lb mark of 210lbs, but since then I have been losing weight very slowly. From when I was losing 1lb a day I am now only losing .2lbs a day. I find this very frustrating and I'm unsure if this is a stall or if my body is trying to maintain my weight. I have been eating the same foods and doing the same exercise so I am very confused about why this is happening.

[bowulf]

Congrats on your weight loss so far...

Are you still on Atkins? Last time we spoke, you had wanted to get off Atkins and wanted to increase your carbs to over 100g. As to the amount lost, I would like to point out you are still losing 1.5 pounds per week. While this is not 7 pounds per week you had been, but you are still losing. Weight loss is not a sprint, it's a marathon. Occassionally the body will take a period of adjustment and hold on to weight longer.

[afi567x]

Okay, thanks. I'm still on a low carb diet but in June I successfully increased my carb intake from below 5g to 200g, although I usually only have a little over 100g everyday. I still do plan to get off of this diet when I reach 180. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to do it but I plan on doing it nonetheless. But anyway, thanks for clearing this up for me.

[user7145]

IMO it's very possible to lose weight fast and still be healthy if you have a lot to lose. When I started, based on my height, weight, and age, my BMR - just the basic metabolic stuff - required 3600 calories to maintain my weight! Since I was now eating about 2000 calories per day, I lost really fast. The exercise helped too.

The idea is to train yourself to eat until you are full, and eat the right stuff. I was definitely not starving at 2000 calories, and the weight was still flying off.

[cc1sillygoose]

Great info. Thank you!

[gtulman]

Can you describe your typical food day. What do you eat now? Are you as strict with your carbs as you were when you started? I am very much motivated to start the program each day but each day I fail because I am constantly craving sweets. Are there any suppliments to curb my sweet tooth? Let us know what are you eating now and do you ever slip of the wagon?

[bowulf]

I am as strict within my particular phase as I was when I started, but that doesn't mean I still eat below 20g each day. My daily limit now is closer 40g per day. What do I eat now?

Breakfast is usually a stirfry with sausage,peppers,onions or breakfast sausage or bf quiche with broccoli. Lunch is usually salad with chicken or roast beef or bunless cheeseburgers. Supper is probably the most varied meal - last night I had lc pancakes, before that steak, before that bbq chicken pizza.

[bowulf]

Yes, there are supplements to help the sweet tooth -- chromium picolinate is the most famous one. L-Glutamine can also help - watch my supplement video to get all my supplement views.

No, on the slip off the wagon, but at maintenance my wagon is lower to the ground than Induction. I still don't go off even on days like today where I was in a tech seminar and the only provided meal was Turkey sandwich, chips, pickle, and a cookie. I ate the turkey off the sandwich and called it a meal.

[bowulf]

My meals are pretty varied, and are mostly centered around how to integrate meat of some sort with a veggie. I use a fair portion of cream, butter, and cheese (still within daily limits) in my meals. I am constantly amazed at the variety of foods I can make or new takes on old dishes. Most of these taste actually better than the things I used to make, and LOTS better than the processed foods I used to buy.

[newbirth35]

I really don't think it's healthy to lose over 2 pounds per week unless (like you) you had so much to lose that it's possible to lose more than that in a healthy way. I never lost more than 2 pounds week except for the first month when I was losing water weight as well as fat. But really, for the average dieter (especially woman) losing more than two lbs. a week will mean that they are losing muscle along with the fat.

[bowulf]

I think potential of big weight loss demonstrates the need for exercise (particularly resistance training) and adequate protein / fats to rebuild afterward. If you are actively using your muscles and fueling to repair the micro-tears, the chances of muscle lost are much reduced.

I keep saying does it really matter how fast you lose if you are developing a long term eating pattern. Does someone who loses it quick more or less likely to keep it off? Nope, it just means got their first.

[capito111]

eeeuuuu

[bowulf]

ok?

[gtulman]

I've been listening to your video's on a daily basis and the question that I have...During your 2 year weightloss did you ever experience craving for ice-cream,cookies, and other things you shouldn't be eating on ATKINS. If yes, what did you do? How did you overcome these cravings? did you ever go and indulge? How did you loose all that weight without craving sweets? I am constantly struggling with cravings. Whenever I start the diet in about 3 or 4 days I start to crave sweets. What do I do?

[bowulf]

Yes and no. There were definitely times where the cravings for certain treats were more front of mind than others. As for what to do, there are often times lots of substitutes for these past treats. For example, ice cream has a good substitute in ziplock ice cream (google it, it's amazing how good it is). Another option is to distract it with a different food, such as a really nice ribeye, or treat, like cheesecake.

For the most parts, daily life wasn't about the cravings. (to be cont.)

[bowulf]

(cont.) Once your routine has featured ice cream every night or have partaken of donut friday in months, it becomes a lot easier to say no. The main thing is you need to set the standard or habit that no is your answer.

To be honest, there are times when no isn't that easy. Sometimes it sucks. Sometimes you may have to go hungry because you didn't plan as well as you should have.  (been there done that-- meetings or get-togethers) Please watch my temptation video where I deal this question.

[teresahelton]

thanks,, great information!

[gtulman]

why do you constantly say the "word diet" diet usually means temporarily. Why dont you every say that its a lifestyle and encourage poeple that its more of a lifestyle not a diet

[bowulf]

The word diet is misused or misthought of by most people. For example, a Vegan diet or herbivore diet is indeed lifestyle, but it is only when it gets attached to popular culture that it gets perverted into something temporary or short term. I don't know any way around it. Yes, I could and do call it a lifestyle, but I think it goes beyond that as that implies choice where I think part of it is rooted in genetics.