Oh, the plan also requires 8 continuous hours of sleep and a variety of supplements. The sleep is unobtainable for me right now and I can't afford the supplements. It's also gluten free for the first month, which I am doing my best to follow.

Remember, Kevy, that atkins isn't no carb, it's low carb. A certain amount of carbs are allowed at each meal. Your brain runs on complex carbs.

This principle sounds like what I need. Because of my Graves disease and the fact that my tyroid (and metabolism) is all controlled my a suplement, I have had a heck of a time getting my metabolism back to its normal self. Atkins and or South Beach didn't really work for me. I need to "teach" my metabolism how to work again. My Doctors are no help. They say - eat less. Well, that isn't really the whole story. Weight Watchers also isn't working like it should.

Is the Schwarzbein Principle in book form? Where is your source from. Traci?

Kevy: after you get through the "getting into keytosis" phase, you might want to add fruits to your breakfast. My dad was going way too far on the no-carb, and his breath got absolutely horrible. Once he started having fruits (at breakfast, so he could burn off the carbs right away), that problem went away. I believe South Beach is the popular variation of Atkins that includes more carbs.

I hear the concept of "burning off" carbs a lot. I don't know what that means. A low carb diet is about controlling your insulin. Carbs and calories aren't the same.

Here's how I understand it - protein and fat do nothing to your blood sugar level. Carbs are converted to simple sugars and put into your blood stream. Too much simple sugar and it gets converted to fat. Too little, and stored fat (not fat you have eaten) is converted to simple sugar.

So I think the concept of burning them off means to exercise a bit after having carbs - use the simple sugar in your blood stream for immediate energy so it doesn't get converted to fat.

This is my major problem. 2-4 nights a week I get home between 9:15-9:30pm and usually can't get to sleep until 11. Then I have to get up at 5am. :(

I have NO problem getting 8 continuous hours of sleep unless the cats decide the concept of gravity needs more testing or the furniture rearranged or Chris decides to one into one of the bed posts with his head.

The book I have is called, "The Schwarzbein Principle: The Program." It probably is just what you need. It is geared towards people with damaged metabolisms and talks about thyroid problems specifically. You are so right that calories aren't everything. It's all about the chemical reactions.

http://www.schwarzbeinprinciple.com/pgs/home.html There's the website, I got my book from amazon.

I lost about 30 pounds on my last diet....

I call it the practically unemployed and eating (hopefully) once a day diet.....

Went from around 220 to about 190....

Don't recommend the diet though, it was hell (and I am sure, very unhealthy)....

Hang in there! I have worked with a dietician and have been able to keep of the 20 lb I lost (but certainly need to lose more.) I found that eating did jack of crap for my weight loss. For me, it's completely about exercise. The change in my eating pattern (I don't eat fast food, I am more careful about portions, when I have a craving I wait it out a couple of days to see if I really do want to indulge or it was just a whim... and now I'm vegetarian and eat mostly plant-based life forms) has helped me keep off those pounds that I lost, but until I start exercising at the rate I was (13 out of 14 days in the pool) I probably won't lose any more.

My concern about Atkins is that everyone I've known that has gone off the diet has quickly gained back the weight. But there are things you can do if you chose to go off it, and the best thing to do then (or now, really) is to see a dietician, even if just for a consultation. They will have the best advice.

I support you and know that you'll be successful. If ever you need to rant about it, you know where I am.