Ask the Diva: Does Low Carb Work for Everyone?
Low carb diets may not work for everyone. Find out why from the Nutrition Diva.
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
by Monica Reinagel, M.S., L.D./N.
Q. I have been on a low carb diet for over a month now. I dropped weight the first 2 weeks but now the scale is not moving. I feel thinner and my clothes fit better but the fact that I’m not losing weight irritates me! My friend said that low carb diets don’t work for everyone. This is so discouraging to me as I love the diet and could stick to it FOREVER. Should I hang in there or try something else?
Answer. Your friend is right that not everyone fares well on a low carb diet. However, from what you’ve told me, you are faring quite well indeed! The fact that you dropped a bunch of weight during the first two weeks of your diet is the weakest evidence that the diet is working.
Most of that initial weight loss was not fat, but water. Even if the number on the scale is no longer changing as dramatically, the fact that your clothes fit better and you feel thinner indicates that you’re making progress.
But the most compelling evidence that this diet is a good fit for you is the fact that you feel that you could do it forever. In my opinion, the best diet isn’t the one that produces the quickest weight loss but one that you can sustain indefinitely—because that’s what you’ll need to do in order to maintain a lower body weight. As long as the diet is balanced enough to meet all your nutritional needs, I’d stick with it. And as long as your clothes continue to fit better, I’d give the scale a rest.
Check out more about the keys to successful weight loss in my ebook, How to Win at Losing.
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Dietary warning image from Shutterstock
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.