Hi all!
i've been doing this atkins lark now (at strict induction level during the week and a bit less strict with a few drinks at the weekend) for nearly six months and have probably lost around half a stone, thing is i have been stuck at the same weight (147pounds/10 stone 7) for MONTHS (since about may) - it seems like the only way i can get it off is by doing D.A's Fat Fast...in fact i did it for 2 weeks before my hols and managed to get down to 10 stone - obv it didnt stay off and i have drifted back up to the 10 1/2 mark and have been stuck their again since july. I love this woe and at least my weight has stabilized (give or take the odd cheat or two where water weight has registered on the scale) but i'm really starting to get hacked off, especially when people go on about the weight just "dropping off" on atkins - I WANT SOME OF THAT TOO!!! - after all it has been 6 MONTHS!
Anyway, my brother's getting married in 1 month's time and i'm a bridesmaid - the thought of walking down the aisle with people getting the dreaded backside view is filling me with dread so last monday i decided to experiment and do a low carb detoxy type thing that i did in january (i lost 6 pounds on it that time) - here is the menu:

breakfast - 2 hardboiled eggs

lunch - 1/2 iceberg lettuce, 1 fennel and 1 celery heart all made into a salad with lots of olive oil, white wine vinegar and rock salt.

Dinner - 250g baked cod/turkey breast (no fat) with loads of vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, baby corn and mangetout) dressed with olive oil and salt

2 litres water

low carb and low calorie, i thought i was onto a winner as i have felt a bit lighter and relatively healthy (give or take the odd stomach rumble)...this morning i weighed myself and guess what?! - 149 pounds (10 stone 9) - 2 pounds on!!!!! -
Does anyone have any suggestions as i am coming to the end of my tether...i have to lose some poundage by october 18th!!!!
Could anyone help me....PLEASE!!!!!??????
thank you!
ax

Actually, whilst i was detoxing i forgot to mention that i had a dull headache every now and again.

Hi Adrix!

The only thing I can think of is exercise. I don't know if you already do some but I know that the closer you get to your target weight, the harder it is to come of, and you're pretty close (even though you don't feel it!) The last 10lbs are the worst (I've heard!) and since you have only 22lbs to go...I'd say you need to up the anty.

Try shakin that booty and see how it goes!

Good luck! x

Hi Andrix !

I feel for you ! I'm going through the same right now....not for as long, but it feels so depressing. I thought I had stopped stalling and started losing again, - but I was stupid enough to get on the weight today.....(even if my weigh in day is Monday)

Anyways, what I wanted to say is that I wrote Atkins support a few weeks ago, and got my answer just the other day. The mail is 7 pages long, so of course I cannot post it here, but send me a PM with your mailadress and I will forward it to you ! It lists a few good ideas and checkpoints.

Don't give up, I'm sure you will get there !

You have my sympathy too.
I started atkins October 2002 and went from 11st 3lb down to 10st 7lbs pretty quickly. I stabilised for a while at about 10st 10lbs but since then the pounds have crept back on and I'm back to 11st 3lbs again.
It's incredibly frustrating and I am eating l/c and very healthily. I do eat more fat than you do though, in the form of cheese and mayonnaise.
Still why did it work when I first started and now it doesn't ??
I have 2 youngs kids that I run around after, I'm never sit down until at least 9pm and I do aerobics once a week...to say I'm frustrated is an understatement. The same thing happened to me when I was doing WWatchers. I'm starting to think that 11st 3lbs is what my body thinks I should be and won't budge from it. It's seriously demoralising. If I was stuck on 10st 7lbs I would be gloriously happy but the extra 10lbs isn't comfortable.
Saying all this, my shape has definitely changed, my clothes fit better and I have alot of comments about the weight I've lost...it's very strange.
Here's hoping that sooner or later, you and I will get to where we are happy...Good luck !!
Ali

Hi Adrix and Alibubble

I know how annoying it can be when you think you are following the plan and the scales do not move. In the last 2 years I have spent several periods of a one or two months without any weight loss.

Firstly not everyone can lose weight with ease. If you have a history of yo-yo dieting it gets harder each time, as you alter your basic metabolism. That is why I have just lost 4.5 stone in just over 2 years. But for me the major factor is I am still losing, if somewhat slowly.

What I have found out, by trial and error, is that there is a zone for me in which I will lose weight. If you start losing weight eating certain things and doing certain exercises then your body gets used to that. After a while it accepts that as the norm and you have to do something else to trigger more weight loss.

Plum has had a very frustrating time over the 18 months I have been on this forum and loses in fits and starts. She is still here as she believes this is the way of life for her. The more you stress the less likely you are to lose.

Check out how many calories and carbs you are eating. Less is not always better. I would recommend being around 30 to 40 g carbs a day and around 10 times your bodies weight in calories. If you eat to little your body goes into starvation mode and you will not lose weight as your metabolism slows down. If you consistently eat more then your body will have no need to use its own fat reserves. I keep track of my calories and carbs on Fitday. It can be a chore, but I know where I am with that. See the link in my signature.

For me I have found that exercise is key to weight loss, particularly a work out in the gym. It is when I've not done that that my wieght has stayed the same.

Remember to drink plenty of fluids. If your body is not fully hydrated then you will hang on to your fluids and again not lose weight.

So my advice would be to reevaluate your food and exercise plans and see if they need to be tweeked.

Every success.