I'm new.
 

Hello.
Like others I've read about, I was just surfing around the internet and found this site by accident. I'm glad I did as I'm pretty discouraged right now.
I started the Atkins diet Feb 28th and lost 9 pounds the first few days. After that it's been .... nothing.
I have ketostrips that have shown at best a trace on them but most of the time nothing.
I have read, reread and re reread the book and know what it says almost by heart. I also have rosacea so have been on erythromycin for 3 months. I've been taking acidophyllus/bifidus combination thru one jar (15 million of the little buggers in each pill) and I'm now starting a second jar.
I do keep my carbs down to 20 a day or less. The veggies that I do eat are very low in carbs (cabbage, lettuce, celery).
I haven't lost anything since that initial 9 pounds in the first few days. I'm thinking that I'm doing something wrong but for the life of me I dont' know what!
The only thing that I haven't done so far is exercise. I'm 58 and my DH and I are raising 3 grandkids who are now all teens. They keep me busy enough.
Can anyone out there tell me what I'm doing wrong?
I do have to say tho that I'm finding it truly easy to do this diet.
I have been a carboholic for years and can say that I don't miss them at all. I cook them for my family and am not even tempted.
That's the good part.
Now, I have a question too. If the diet isn't working for me, will my cholestral (high) and blood pressure (high) still come down?
Please oh please will someone out there tell me that I WILL lose eventually?
Thanks, Gail

Welcome! Yes, the benefits of low carb will remain, even when you aren't losing weight.

Have you measured yourself? It is true that we often lose inches without losing pounds.

Another suggestion would be to post a menu or two of your's either here or in a journal, let others check it out - may see some things you missed.

Do you use fitday?

I know the feeling
 

I started Atkins in Feb also and have really lost only 9 lbs also. I have never been able except when I exercise to get the ketostix to register more than a trace.

My best advice is to lose the ketostix. To start some form of cardio exrcises. Looking after kids is great, but your body is use to that and you have to raise your metabolism to lose weight. Exercise in combination with diet is the only way.

Measure your self every 2 weeks. Even though I have only lost 9 lbs, I have lost 16 inches all over. This means that my clothes fit better and I am heading down to a new size.

Keep trying eventually everything will click together.

Thank you manvan and Iowa girl. :)
I haven't done anything with fitday ( I don't even know what it is yet) but will look into it.
Ok.......... I have to start doing some exercising. It's going to have to be something like walking sort of slow because I get chest pains. I've been to the doc for it but there's no evidence of heart problems. So walking it will be. And no more ketostix.
I will put in a couple of my menus soon too.
My internet has been out all day so I'm catching up now.
I didn't measure before starting! I think I was too ashamed and really didn't want to know anything that the tape would have to tell me. I can do that now........ I guess. LOL It might be helpful in keeping me on track here.
I'll check out the fitday and the menu things and come back.
Thank you both for your help.
Gail

Fitday
 

Fitday is a web site that you can track your daily food intake, activity and goals on. I like it because it is easy to think you are not going over on your carbs when you are eating many small meals. I also use it to see if I can have some thing extra like a dessert on certain days.

Hi mavnan
 

I've taken a look at the fitday and it will take some getting used to for me.
I just now found this place in here again after looking for days for it. LOL
I'll definitely keep track of the carbs that I'm eating if nowhere else, on paper for myself.
Haven't made any progress lately but feel fine. :)
I still haven't the guts to measure either. That will come.
Thanks for your input.