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Diet & Fitness 
  |  Community  |  Lose Weight  |  I can't keep the weight off
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I can't keep the weight off


question
I am 28, 5ft 6in and weigh 10st 5lbs. I am in general good health but I find it very difficult to lose weight and keep it off.
I've followed lots of diets but can't lose weight unless I dramatically reduce what I eat. The Atkins diet worked - although I developed a kidney infection!
I run five times a week in the summer. In the winter I go to the gym about twice a week but find that I bulk up easily and this puts me off so I walk and horse ride at the weekends.
- constantineblue -

answer
There's no way of escaping the basic fact that the only way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you burn. It seems to me that you're trying very hard and have already recognised that the only way for you to lose weight is to 'dramatically reduce what I eat'.

Your exercise levels are excellent. I just wonder how consistent you are with any dietary programmes that you try? You said the Atkins diet worked but you developed a kidney infection, this is not likely to be related.

Can I suggest that the dietary programme you think you can maintain for the longest is likely to be the most successful. Atkins works by making you feel full up on a high protein, high fat diet and ultimately encourages you to consume fewer calories.

There are no particular foods I would encourage you to avoid but if you did go for an Atkins approach make sure you introduce low Gi fruits as soon as possible to maintain some nutritional balance.
Dr Ian Campbell, President, National Obesity Forum

Are you on the Atkins diet? Then why not share your experiences with other iVillagers' on our Atkins Diet message board?

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