Boy I thought I'd blown it for sure this weekend. We went camping and an old farmer had a produce stand set up close by. We had fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, strawberries, and cantalope. I couldn't resist!

For mothers day, my husband bought me some clothes that fit so I've been feeling rather fat. You know, you get use to the baggie, lose clothes, and when you finally put on some that fit your new shape, you can feel your weight again.

So as I lay in bed this morning, the scales looming in my head, I told myself, you've gained weight this weekend so you might as well accept it. I've been holding steady since the end of April without a weight loss so I've been really discouraged anyway.

I got on the scales and NOT AN OUNCE GAINED!

I do think I'm going to have to go back to my "strict" induction way of life just to see if I can boost my weight loss again. I'd been doing so well with 2-4 pounds a week since February and then I come to a stall. I knew it would happen but I had really hoped I'd get a little closer to the 1/2 way mark before I did.

I've been told I need to shock my system and pig out on carbs for a few days and then go back on 20 carbs or less but I'm scared to death to consume so many carbs. Of course I might be amazed at how many carbs I really consumed this weekend with my little produce man.

What I'm really craving is a big bowl of cereal with MILK!

Hey thanks! Can you tell me what Refeeds are? I bet you are referring to carb loading aren't you? And you are right, I don't want to gamble with those scales. I don't think I'll be walking so close to the edge for a long while.

The day I ate so much fruit, I woke up in the middle of the night, say 1:00 a.m., and was HUNGRY! I thought, "oh no!" I went back to sleep with a noisey tummy.

Some of the best advice someone gave me was, this is not a race. But, a little quicker would be nice!

You can add berries when you're off induction----I eat berries almost every day with whipped cream and I've lost 55Lbs since January!!

I love having the sweetness-keeps me on plan--and they're good for you too!!

You eat strawberries? How much in a serving? Oh, I'm getting excited here! You've been doing this since January and lost 55 lbs? That's awesome! Did you hit a plateau and how long were you there and did you do anything to get through it (other than patients of course)?

First of all, you are doing so good...congrats!

After a year of not cheating I finally had some low carb ice cream ( 2 weeks ago) I've never had any rev rolls, nothing, lol. I am so deprived! So here I was, watching TV with dh and having some lc ice cream when I thought... I need some pecans in this ice cream, I put 2 cups of pecans in the bowl AND got some more ice cream..... then I talked myself right into having some chocolate candy in that ice cream to go along with the pecans. I convinced myself alright, it was so good! It would have been a lot better if the ice cream had been Ben and Jerry's but the lc stuff was still good.

I thought I was going to be sick, I never felt sick at all. In the back of my mind I was thinking how I needed to "shock" my system like you said, and at the same time that was my excuse...lol. But, it worked After weeks of not losing, I was down 3 pounds in 2 days! Now I can't pig out like that again, or not any time soon, but my system was certainly shocked I went right back to being good the next day, and have been good ever since. Pigging out might not work for everyone, but it did for me.

I want cereal too and milk!!

Again, you're doing so good!!!

Gee-Ma I just laughed when I read your post! I think you and I would get a long very well! Glad to hear the pigging out didn't backfire for you! Were you good the whole day up to that point? Some folks have said, pig out for a week. I think I would die from the guilt and worry. I'm going on four weeks with no weight loss so I may try it -except not with fruit this time. I don't know, maybe not.

10acGirl--what stage of atkins are you on? Berries come back in pretty early in OWL (right after nuts, if I am remembering correctly).

Typically, I can eat five strawberries or 1/3 cup of blueberries as a serving. I eat fruit maybe five days a week. You just have to watch the portion size.

i eat berries as well pretty often. i eat around 5 medium sized strawberries with cream and splenda or 12-15 raspberries in whipped cream with vanillaseeds... its such a treat and it works fine with my weightloss
mylle

Thanks guys! I have so much to learn. I've been pretty much sticking to induction foods since Feb. But I have added nuts when I need a little pick me up in the afternoon. Glad to know I can add strawberries without the guilt!

I'd encourage you to move beyond induction into OWL. There are a lot of foods you can add back in without disturbing weight loss. And it is important that you learn to do that now, so that when you hit maintenance you will be ready to maintain.

Unless you plan on eating at induction for the rest of your life, you will need to start adding foods back in at some point.

I tend to stick around 30-35 net carbs, but my variety is much, much greater now. I really feel like I can do this forever, as I really don't feel deprived at all. I have such a huge array of foods available to me.

Sorry I didn't get back on to respond to your post, but as you can see there's lots of strawberry eating going on here!!!

The important thing, as you add in other foods in OWL, is be in charge of your plan. I stay as close to 20 carbs a day as I can, it's just what works for me, if I go higher than 30 I stop losing usually---since I've learned this about myself, I have to pick and choose my carbs. I do eat salads, but not everyday. A couple days each week I primarily eat very high protein.

Here's what I ate on Sunday as an example-
b-2 beef patties
l-mixed berries w/splenda and whipped cream-a cup or so
one mock danish-double portion
d-thin sliced lunchmeat rolled up around cream cheese-4 of them
snack--small handful of cashews

So my carbs came from the berries, cashews and cheese---things I must be able to digest well, as I lost a lb!!


I was really busy at work, but because I ate a lot of protein I wasn't hungry. On other days I might eat eggs for breakfast and a huge salad later with big chunks of chicken and cheese in it as well as lots of veggies, or a big steak and a small salad. I tend to eat the equivalent of two meals probably, but spaced out, and I try not to eat at night----

I'm NOT recommending my individual plan, I just lose best when I eat higher protein, and I can't eat a salad everyday, probably about 3-4 days a week!

Oh, and as a lot of people here know I work for a pizza company, so I sometimes just scoop the toppings off a pizza onto a bowl of lettuce, and have a salad that way too!!

I'm very happy about my weight loss, and hope to keep going!!!

Oh, and in answer to your other question from my post, I haven't hit any plateaus per se, but I have had a few weeks here and there where I didn't lose anything, and I've had weeks where I lost 6 lbs and other weeks where I lost 1 lb, it's just been steadily popping off.

If I don't lose for a week, I up my exercise and have a day or so back under 20 carbs with high protein, not eat after dinner, drink tons of liquid (yes I drink diet soda---oh my!) and it seems to get me going again.

My best advice is really believe in this plan, keep going whether you stall or plateau or even blow it, and in a period of time, either long or short, you will reach your goal---good luck!

SRabbit - thanks so much for all the information. It is very helpful to hear what you eat on an average day. Gives me some ideas too. You are doing an amazing job and this plan is working well for you! It sure sounds like you've got it figured out. I still feel like I'm wandering around in the dark - but thanks to people like you, I'm getting there!