Hi my name is Sue and I just started the Atkins diet on Tuesday and I haven't cheated. You see I think I've started the induction phase of Atkins about a dozen times but I always cheat and therefore hasn't worked. So now I'm determined to either do it properly or just give it up.

I joined weight watchers back in the fall and my first week was great. I lost 4.5 lbs counting points, but then I noticed I was staying within my points and eating about 4 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a day ( I was addicted). The weight took forever to come off (if at all) so I decided to go in for the weigh-ins but do Atkins diet instead. I lost 20 lbs since Sept. 27th.

But now I'm stuck at 182-180 lbs. I had a baby back in April (he's 10 mths now) and gained about 100 lbs during my pregnancy. My pre-pregnancy weight was 145 lbs. And I wanted to lose about 20 lbs then.

I'm desperate. I'm in a wedding party in Sept. (7mths) and I'm extremely overweight. Although I haven't cheated in the past three days it seems like I'm just not dropping any weight at all.
Is this normal? Could I be doing anthing wrong? Is it realistic to think I'll lose 50 lbs in 7 months?

If anyone can offer an advice? Inspiration?

Thanks.
Sue

Hi Sue. Welcome to the forum.

To answer your question, no, it's not unrealistic to think you can lose 50 lbs in 7 months - it is however to think you can lose it in 3 days

If you've tried dieting in the past, and more specifically have tried LC in the past your body is probably thinking "Oh no, not again - hold on to that fat and water, she's doing it again guys". Yo-yo dieting, especially calorie restricted dieting, equals muscle loss and suppressed metabolism. You need to give it more time. It's going to take 7 months (or more). You need that time to learn how to eat all over again. This is where you learn behaviours and skills that will enable you to keep the fat off once you reach goal.

Advice:

Eat enough food
Eat your FAT
Drink your water

And enjoy your new WOL
Nat

Hi Nat,

Thank you for welcoming me and your excellent advice. I'll check out those three areas you posted. I guess I need to be a little more patient and hopefully I'll see a weight loss soon.

I'm going for a dress fitting next week for the wedding. I hope the seamstress can take it in, 'cause I'm determined to lose. Hopefully the 50 lbs.

Sue

Welcome Friend

Good luck in your adventures. If you stick your guns you can lose that 50 pounds. They can always take in a dress, even the day before the wedding.

Do not get discouraged if they weight does not come off as fast maybe take a look at the inches you are sheding.

Pearl

Hey, if they can't take in the dress you can wear a bathing suit

Nat

Hi Sue, let me add my welcome to those of Nat and Pearl.
3 days is way too soon to worry, give it a little longer (like 7 months ) and then watch the new, sylph-like Sue emerge!
You can do it! Go, Susanna!

Rosebud

Pearl, Rosebud and Nat thanks for the encouragement. I wish I would have registered to this site months ago, with support like this I know I can always log on and find encouragement.

As for the bathing suit. I'm just hoping I can wear shorts this summer. It's been a while since I've worn shorts and skirts. But if I do lose the weight I will most definately be in a bathing suit.

I just got back from eating at the Keg. I had a steak, garden salad, veggies and mushrooms. I also had some lightly breaded calamari for an appetizer. It truely was a light breading. I hope that didn't sabbatoge the diet. I'm actually suprised I didn't have an of the sour dough bread. It's my favourite, of course smoothered with butter.

Thanks again.
Sue

Hello....Calamari with light breading is a nono. It is deep fried as well. Here is my suggestion if you must eat it ( I have done this because my husband had to have it one night). Peel the breading away yes it can be messy but it still tastes good.

Pearl

Okay day 4 and still nothing. I'm still 181....I wonder if those calamari sabbatoged me. The breading was so light though and not your typical battered variation. I did drink a couple of glasses of diet pepsi (I hope the waiter gave me diet and not regular), do you think diet soda's could be a problem? I drink about a glass or two a day? I re-read various sections of Atkins last night and he okays diet pop.

I'm no longer in ketosis too. Two days ago the strip turned purplish (moderate), yesturday it was less purple (between moderate and trace), and today it showed only a trace amount.

I think I'll need seven years (maybe decades) not seven months to lose the 50 lbs. Maybe my brother-in-law can postpone the wedding.

Oh well...here goes day 4.

Sue

Sue, you may not have the most recent copy of DANDR - aritificial sweetners are no longer part of induction ( I believe) so the pop is out - it would have been out regardless if it was caffinated.

And breaded calamari isnt part of induction.

AND 4 days really isn't waiting any longer than 3 days

Nat

Artifical sweeteners.....

According to the new DANDR he states no Aspartame products at all.

Limit to 3 artifical sweeteners a day.

I just got back from the mall. I stopped into my local bookstore and checked out Atkins new book. Until last night I thought I had the latest one, but I guess not. Your right about the artifical sweetners and caffine. Today I had neither. I think I'll quit sipping on my diet coke for awhile to see if this helps. I didn't buy the newest book? Do you think it's worth purchasing? I have the yellow covered book. Has anyone read both, are the changes significant?

And Nat, you're absolutely right 4 days is not long enough. It's just that I keep reading about the amazing weightloss people experienced in the first two weeks and I don't think I'll be one of them. But even a pound is better than nothing.

Thanks for the support and advice.

Sue

Susanna,

I've never tried the Atkins diet, but I did go on the Bernstein diet which I don't think is fundamentally different. I have found that you have to be quite regimented in what you eat and how you go about it. The benefit of going to Bernstein is that its medically supervised and there is very good instruction on what to eat.

You can definitely lose the weight quickly. Know what your going to eat before each day starts. Get your body in a rhythm. Stick to it as closely as possible on a consistent basis. You'll see results. When you have an urge for food, think of how good you'll look being thinner, do something else, go for a walk, have water and finally, eat sugar free jello.

Unfortunately, Pete, this is not the case. As you indicated, you have not tried Atkins; it is very different from the Bernstein Diet Clinic (not to be confused the the Dr. B Diabetic Solution).

Atkins does not suggest low fat - low fat and low carb do not work well together as a way of life (WOL) LCing should be something that can be sustained for the remainder of our lives. Too rapid weight loss results in muscle loss - there is no way around it. You can only lose so much fat a week. Muscle loss results in lowered metabolism. I work too hard for my muscle to jeopardise it.

Atkins advocates high fat (higher than many LC plans) and adequate protein with very restricted carbs (under 20g to start). You might want to take a look at our plan comparison page (located in the right margin under "Which LC plan is right for me?") for a synopsis of DANDR and various other LC plans available to you.

Calories are counted on Atkins - but only in an effort to ensure enough are eaten. Undereating is something we've tried -- and look where it got us.

Nat

Natrushka

Point taken. Its that "little bit of knowledge is dangerous thing" syndrome. I'm done giving advice.