[retrokitten]

I lost about 25 pounds on Atkins about a year and a half ago and have since gained it back. I just started yesterday to get back on program. The first 2-3 days are the hardest!!! My husband is one of those people who can eat anything and not gain a pound. It really pisses me off (I can put on muscle really easily and that pisses him off LOL!).

The first few days when the carbs are leaving my system I crave really strange things that I don't normally eat. Like cherry pie, frosting in the can, and tiramesu (sp?). Has anyone else had that kind of experience?? It goes away after about 48-72 hours, but it's a real uphill battle during that time.

[Jeff Chandler]

>>I lost about 25 pounds on Atkins about a year and a half ago and have since gained it back. <<

That's the problems with most diet plans- they are too difficult to maintain.

The goal should not be weight loss, but a lifelong change in eating HABITS. Bad eating habits must be replaced with good ones, and the plan must be simple. If you have to carry a carb or calorie chart and calulator around with you it won't last. Sooner or later you will backslide and just put the weight back on.

[FeliciaCat]

Yes! I try to stay away from "white" carbs (rice,potatoes,bread), they ALWAYS put weight on me faster then anything...I dont really diet just "maintain" - when I do, I always crave sweets the first few days..I also think my mens. cycle has something to do with this as well.

[junkyarddawg]

I have been trying to stick as close to the Atkins plan that I can. But, when I first went on it I lost 7lbs. in 3 days and I was have muscle spasms in my legs. Because of this I can't totally do the induction phase like it should be done what am I doing wrong.

[GraniteStateConservative]

The first few days when the carbs are leaving my system I crave really strange things that I don't normally eat. Like cherry pie, frosting in the can, and tiramesu (sp?). Has anyone else had that kind of experience?? It goes away after about 48-72 hours, but it's a real uphill battle during that time.

I think they say you have those cravings for sweets because your body is lazy-- it doesn't want to have to work so hard to turn your food into energy-- and doesn't like having to work hard on the protein and fat.

[A_perfect_lady]

The first few days when the carbs are leaving my system I crave really strange things that I don't normally eat. Like cherry pie, frosting in the can, and tiramesu (sp?). Has anyone else had that kind of experience??

Yes!

It goes away after about 48-72 hours, but it's a real uphill battle during that time.

It took me about two weeks for those cravings to go away. I also just felt drawn and faint a lot. It was weird, I felt like the blood was being drained from my face, particularly right in front of my ears and around my hairline. But I've always gotten odd phantom pains when I'm going through carb withdrawal, like an ache in my throat and a sharp pain on the top of my head, as if someon has placed a big butcher knife on my skull and is rocking it back and forth.

[Johnny Gage]

The first few days when the carbs are leaving my system I crave really strange things that I don't normally eat

I recently started the "induction phase" of Atkins again, and yes.. after about 48 hours, I was having MAJOR CARB withdrawl. I was craving chocolate, ice cream, pasta, chips you name it.. it was awful.. after another 48 hours it subsided and I started feeling better.

My problem is after about 5 lbs of weight loss, I plateau, and that's a real test of patience. I really need to get out and start walking again, that helps a lot.

[jennyp]

I lost about 25 pounds on Atkins about a year and a half ago and have since gained it back. I just started yesterday to get back on program. The first 2-3 days are the hardest!!!

Good luck, retrokitten! Don't give up. If you start bouncing back again, examine closely what particular foods you're eating. For me, I dropped 17 lbs, then gained half of it back. Then we stopped eating ice cream for dessert. (OK, stop snickering, it was our nightly carbo-reward. :-)

We also stopped eating peanuts, which had become our favorite snack food. In both cases we had kept eating more & more each day. So we cut them out of our diet. Since then I slowly lost weight again, and today I'm 23 lbs (and one dress size - woohoo!) lower than when I started.

[Ladysmith]

Even after months on this diet, the carb cravings are still an uphill battle in the evening. I think I found a couple solutions. First, save my Atkins bar for the evening cravings. Second, I found a cereal called Hi-Lo by Back to Nature. I have that with diluted heavy cream (to replace the sugary milk.) Of course, this cereal doesn't have that great taste you get with "Double Chocolate Sugar Bomb" cereal but it's the sacrifice I can make for results.

[Katie_Colic]

The first few days when the carbs are leaving my system I crave really strange things that I don't normally eat. Like cherry pie, frosting in the can, and tiramesu (sp?). Has anyone else had that kind of experience??

That happens to me! I can crave something like caramel or candy corn that I wouldn't ever think about eating if I weren't on a diet.