Can anyone please tell me if weight loss can be enhanced if one stick to the meals every six hours rule? I have been doing Atkins for 2 months and only lost 5 lbs. Is it possible that this diet may not be appropriate for me?

I think I'm still on induction, but I'm not really strict with the eating every six hours rule. In addition, I also allowed myself pistachio for snack occasionally. I drink plenty of water and excersice with weight 3-4 times/week. Hopefully, the non-movement in the scale can be attributed to the muscle gain.

Hi there Mochadaw,

Not eating for 6 hours or more can make your body think you are starving it, so it will hang onto all it can. In fact, eating small meals often, 5 or 6 times a day has been proven to increase metabolism, thereby assisting with weight loss.

I wouldn't worry too much, matey. You have almost certainly gained some muscle weight, along with fat loss. You have also very little to lose, which tends to mean the weight loss will be slower. It is also quite possible that your body has reached a point where it is happy - your weight is well within normal guidelines.

I would add a few healthy carbs (to the point where you don't gain any weight). Have another look at your book, especially the premaintenance section.

How much are you eating? I can't help but wonder if you are eating enough. Remember you need at least 10 times your body weight in calories just to maintain normal bodily processes.

All the best to you, Mocha!

Rosebud

Mochadaw, the fact that you're lifting weights and asking that your body create muscle you would benefit by eating more frequent, smaller meals every 3 - 4 hours, as Roz suggested. When muscle is being created it requires a constant stream of amino acids - by not supplying this with your food your body is forced to find it elsewhere (i.e. from your other muscles) - this is counter productive.

Have you checked out the General Exercise forum? You should find some good tips / hints there on how to maximize your workouts and your eating.

Nat

Thanks so much for the advice. I knew I can always count on my buddies at this forum for support.

I'm eating 3 meals a day, usually at 9:00, 1:30 and 7-8pm. Due to work schedule, I sometime eat later than 10:30pm, but sleep 3 hours from then. As far as quantity of food, I am eating a lot more than I used to be b4 this WOE. Therefore, I'm not too concern about eating too little. I hope this is not the weight that my body is happy with since I have been around 110 to 115 in the past.

Anymore advice to speed up weight loss would be greatly appreciated. Anyone think I should go the fast fat route?

Hi Mocha

You end your last post with should I do the Fat Fast. The answer is no. You have lost weight and so are not exhibiting total insulin resistance.

Unfortunately some of us are slow losers. Its pain, but a fact of life. However, if we want to suceed and stay slim then it is worth the weight.

I am a great believer in that the fat from the cells gets used slowly and is replaced by water. It is only when the last bit of fat get used up that the cells collapse and then you see some weight loss. This, for me, often happens the morning after I've done a good session at the gym.

As you do not have a lot to loose it is the last few pounds that often take the longest. No comfort, I'm afraid. Make sure not only that you are eating enough in calories, but that you are having a reasonable number of carbs, around 30 to 40, at least, with all the gym work you are doing.

Keep the faith and be patient.

I eat when I'm hungry (and usually can't go more than 4-5 hours between something). Typically I eat a small breakfast around 7am - a snack around 11am - lunch at 2pm and dinner at 6pm. I try not to eat anything after 6pm because I am in bed by 10pm and if I do need a snack, its something light..piece of cheese, SF gelatin, etc.

I see more "rules" posted on this forum, than I have read about in the books I agree wholeheartedly with the others on here... eating many mini-meals is better than eating 3 through the day... the very act of eating will stoke those metabolism fires. I done induction for a month... probably ate every 2-3 hours... not anything big...a quick bite of something, a hard boiled egg, some cheese... a little LC something, and I managed to lose 20 lb. in a month~ plus 34.50 inches lost... I am on my own combination plan now,... probably stricter than induction but hey it is ok with me... I can do it and do not feel deprived... try eating smaller mini-meals/snacks... and also you have to remember that muscle weighs A LOT more than fat does, and takes up A WHOLE LOT LESS space... so you maybe should do some measuring, and see some results that you won't see on that scale beast!!!

Suze, the "eat every 6 hours" comes directly from Dr Atkins' book.

Rosebud

The thing is.... that doesn't mean that someone can only eat every 6 hours. I am in the process of rereading the books~ been awhile, so am doing a refresher course so to speak~ guess I ain't got to that "rule" yet.

Suze, you've misunderstood the 6 hour thing, matey!

The rule is about not going longer than 6 hours without eating - not waiting 6 hours until eating. It's intended to make sure people eat even though their appetite has decreased with the onset of ketosis.

See page 122 of the book - it's #1 of the Rules of Induction.

Cheers.

Rosebud

I didn't misunderstand anything.... I was referring to the first post here... and in my DANDR the #1 rule for induction is 1. Your diet must contain no more than 20 gms of carbohydrate a day. So you must have a different version of it than I do... anyhow I don't go by 3 meals per day anyhow... so no biggie.