Please help me end 6/52 stall

[plum]

Ive read similar requests here.... answers have been helpful but havent shifted any weight so far !
Basically I lost 12 lb on induction, 2 lb the following week, and nothing at all since for 6 weeks !
I have put all my menus in fitday and they all seem ok. Tried giving up my 2 cups coffee (caffeine ) a day. Walk an hour a day.
Drink lots of water. Not cheated once ( what a saint !)

However, I have noted that I feel best when I only have 2 salads a day. Going up to 20 carbs a day , or 25, while Im still "in ketosis" according to the sticks, I dont feel so well. It would be true to say I have a much better feeling of "wellbeing " on less carbs. Also, lost 14 lb on Atkins before but gave up as the same thing happened and I got discouraged....pre internet days !

I have stuck to 20 to 25 carbs a day these last 6/52. I guess my question is ---- should I try the 2 salads again. ?? and if I cant lose on less, is it ok healthwise to do this longterm ??
I do feel I 'ought 'to be eating more green veg.

So far I have been trying to wait this 'stall ' out. I have a 30 year diet history... like many people.... but I only got obese after High Carb diets.......

I have 5 stone to lose (70 lb )
Thank you for your support. Its good to read everyones successes and problems. if it hadnt been for that I dont know if I would've lasted 6 plus weeks.

[plum]

oops... should add, the tape measure hasnt shown anything either...

[Natrushka]

Plum, when you say you plugged your menus into fitday and they seem ok could you give us a few examples? Please include quantities and qualities :)

Are you on any meds? Have you had your thyroid checked?

Have you ever tried having more carbs than 25g? Can we assume that the 30 year history of dieting includes yo-yo dieting?

thx,
Nat

[plum]

Thanks, Natrushka
Yo Yo ? I should say so ! since I was 11 when my Gp put me on a diet I have been losing it , thinking about it, or gaining it!

No meds, my only health problem is rosacea for which I see a homeopath who treats me intermittently ( with good results )as conventional treatment has failed.
havent been tested for thyroid as my GP would have a laugh. However, no other thyroid symptoms present.
Some menus

B mock Danish 6 C 1 egg 3 oz cream cheese
S 1 handful macadamia
L 2 oz pate in lettuce wrap
1/4 custard tart to LC recipe
D 4 lamb chop 6 oz plus 1 cupcauli mash ( fauxtato recipe )

B scrambled egg x 2 pat butter S 1 pepperami
L 3 oz tin salmon made into fishcake with 2 oz cheese and mock mash
D 6 oz chargrilled chicken salad with pizza express dressing 1 C 1 stirfry pepper

B mock Danish 6 C
L 2 chicken breasts with ham and cheese 1.6 carb per pack
D roast pork 6 oz geen bean 1 cup broccoli 3 florets 1 pat butter.

each day 3 cups coffee, one with 1 tblsp cream

[plum]

Natrushka, sorry youre getting my reply in bits, Ive typed the darn thing x 3 and keep getting disconnected !!

anyway I have kept a menu diary all through and do try fitday although to be 100 % honest sometimes I get in a muddle with their amounts. but I reckon I average about 1,500 - 1, 700. I have had a couple of weeks of only 1,200 or so and its adding fat that brings me back up,

If I add extra fats I feel marvellous.... but have psychological problems with it having been low fat so long.

8 years
ago I had ketones plus in pregnancy and I had a GTT.
The results were dramatic massive rise in blood sugar then an immediate plummet.
I asked at the time... summoning my courage..'is that why Im fat ?' you can guess the look I got....

I would like more carbs and if you think it wise I will. I havent tried to go above 2 servings veg a day. The times I ve had 2 cups veg at once ive felt very tired and nibbly afterwards and felt what I can only describe as hyopglycaemic....that old roller coaster

the only other thing of note is that this current weight is one I have possibly spent the greatest amount of time at.......

so Natrushka I welcome your constructive criticism, thanks for listening I didnt really mean to ramble on so much ! Ps I ve been counting in 1 carb for each coffee and also counting in the cream I use

[Natrushka]

Have been disconnecting here on this end too, thought it was me :)

Ok first off I would say be a little more patient with yourself. I realize the weight isnt coming off as quickly as you'd hoped (at leat not anymore) but from what you've said three things stick out.

1) The Yoyo dieting has put a lot of stress on your body and getting things to settle down to something resembling a normal metabolism will take some time. Be pateint and think about this as a process, a WOE. If this is something you're going to be doing for the rest of your life then the weight will come off, eventually. Doesnt LC make you feel better? You've only been LCing for 2 months give or take, and as you said you've been gaining and losing that weight since you were 11.

If I add extra fats I feel marvellous.... but have psychological problems with it having been low fat so long.

This can be tough to get over, but over it you must get. Adding fat to your diet will make you feel better, as you've seen, and it will fill you up. And face it, there is only so much fat you can eat ;)

2) You should be eating 10 - 12 times your body weight each day. At 194 thats 1940 calories minimum. You're right about using fats to get up there, olive oil, flax oil. sardines, nuts and seeds, avocados, butter and mayo. Chicken with the skin. I would also keep an eye on the cheese, no more than 4oz a day.

3) I think if you add a few more carbs AND more calories (up to that 10 x body weight minimum) you wont feel that roller coaster feeling in blood sugar. Be sure to get those carbs from green veggies, cabbage, kale, broccoli, asparagus, collard greens, zucchini etc.

I really do think its a matter of eating more and being a little more pateint and forgiving of yourself. You're following this WOL for its many benefits (or at least I hope you are :)); enjoy feeling healthy and sleeping better and let the weight loss happen.

Nat

[IslandGirl]

Plum, Nat has excellent advice for you there... especially on the minimum target calories of 10Xcurrent weight and the good sleep.

I would add (based on my 3+ years experience) that until things settle down a bit and your body actually gets used to getting good and thorough nutrition in the form of ESSENTIAL fatty acids and ESSENTIAL amino acids, you keep going.

Extra tips over and above those provided by Nat:
- Be *aware* of the carbs in avocados and nuts (and try to weigh your portions of these items in particular), but try to expand your nut 'repertoire' with almonds, hazelnuts, brazils and flaxseed, sesame seed, sunflower seed ... all these things are loaded with good fats needed by your body;
- Be absolutely sure to drink sufficient water (2 litres plus 1/4 litre for every 25 pounds (almost 2 stone?) of extra weight);
- Seriously consider a good quality multivitamin daily (and I think a good B-Complex as it provides essential metabolic co-factors for liver processing of fats, proteins and carbs);
- If you have blood sugar spikes and drops as a 'normal' thing (and it sure sounds like you do), spreading your meals out over the day as much as possible will help level these things ... so 6+ snack-meals a day is probably much more useful to you than the 3 squares + 2 snacks approach... though it requires more planning.

Good luck to you! :wave:

[plum]

Dear Natrushka and IslandGirl,
Many thanks for your replies. I am grateful and very encouraged by your messages.
I am sure you are right, I must follow my instincts about the fats and just carry on. My body just doesnt trust me an inch yet not to slam it back into my old low fat diet pattern !
Also Ive had another thought about the salads Im having. Yes, I feel much better with them -- but I also get fats then through the salad dressing I use on them -- so now Im looking at that in a different light.

I am also going to try that approach of more frequent , smaller meals as I think that may suit me.
Yes, I do feel more alert, stronger, more energy and I can see small things like my fingernails have got strong -- they were really weak.

I must get over those old low fat indoctrinations !
I am feeling really upbeat and encouraged today..thanks to you..Hooray !!!!!