Mailbag: Lose Weight Fast?
01-Mar-2004

I have tried to follow the low carb diet but I have no success. I would like to lose 8 pounds. Can I have some advice on losing the extra weight fast? 

- Stefanie

Hi Stefanie,

Well, to be honest, no.

You can follow a low carb plan to lose weight quickly, but as soon as you go off low carb, you'll gain it all back, and maybe more.

Low carb plans work because they reprogram your metabolism, and allow your body to burn fat for energy, instead of a near-constant stream of carbohydrates that come directly from your food. Typical low carb plans start with a brief period of time (which is called induction on the Atkins' plan) during which you restrict your carbohydrate intake severely. Many people experience significant weight loss during this time, because they are purging their internal sugar stores, and that sugar holds onto a lot of water, too. You might easily lose 8 pounds during induction, but it would be mostly water weight.

True weight loss occurs after induction, when your body starts accessing any stored fat and burns it for energy.

You should think about whether or not low carb is the right weight loss plan for you.  Do you find that you get hungry an hour or so after you've eaten, even though you had a good, solid meal?  If you do, that could be a sign of insulin resistance -- too much insulin in the bloodstream -- and low carb could help you with that. If you don't normally suffer from cravings, low carb might not be all that helpful to you.

If you want to give it a try anyways, know what you're getting into.  The Atkins website has all the information you need to get started if you don't want to invest in a book for a trial period.  Many people do lose as much as 8 pounds, sometimes more, over the two week induction period.   

But I'm telling you this in all seriousness: if you go on low carb and lose weight, and then go back to eating bread, rice, and pasta with abandon, you will gain weight back, and quickly.  This is not a "weight loss diet," this is a "diet for life", a way of life. You can quickly lose the weight, and then spend some time figuring out exactly how many carbs you can eat before you start gaining weight back again, but that is a commitment and it's up to you whether or not you make it.

Since you have such a relatively small amount of weight to lose, you might want to consider just eating "clean" -- stay away from sweets and processed foods; eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, make sure you get adequate protein and healthy fats -- drink plenty of water, and increase your exercise.

I hope this helps. Let me know what you decide to do.

Regards,

Joan

 

Copyright 2004 MakeItLowCarb.com and Joan O'Connell Hedman.