Okay. This will be the last time I write to you..... I have written a few times, but still am not getting any true answers.
I started Oct 23 and have not lost a pound. Yes, I am drinking 40+ oz. of water. I am eating when I am hungry, as much as I want. I am not watching fat intake(eating it)......I AM NOT CHEATING.!!!! I promise!!
I have been told I am not eating enough....I can't force myself to eat more.Also, If your body is in starvation mode( holding on to every pound) it has to eventually let it go , right?I am also taking L-caritine, CO_Q_10, Dhea,st.johns wort, and Vit. E.I have no clue.
I have drank alcohol on the weekends, but I drank vodka and soda. I drink diet rite and use slenda sparingly.
I think I am a freak case. I keep thinking this HAS to kick in.

Here is my fitday journal...please take a look Thank you.I feel better already! Dana
http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/Public...wner=DanaPerret

Hi Dana -

This must be superfrustrating for you...

I tried to access your fitday and it didn't come up, so I have no idea as to what you are eating on a consistant basis. No journal either... Also, you didn't say if you had measured yourself at the start. This is very important because a true stall is after 4 weeks of no loss of weight or inches.

And if you have been checking this board you will realize that known stall makers are (for some of us): artificial sweetners, bars, alcohol, nuts, seeds, diet sodas.

And no - if your body is in starvation mode it won't let it go eventually that is why most of us got into this mess to begin with. Your body will hold onto what little you put into it because it doesn't realize you are chosing to not nurish it - it thinks there is no more food supply.

Also, are you eating enough veggies (2-3 cups daily are mandatory) you may not be getting enough fiber to lose naturally - wink wink

And last but not least - have be been exercising? Muscle weighs more then fat so once again the measurements would show this to be true.

I took a look at your fitday journal back to Dec. 1 or so. Here are my recommendations:

1) Increase fresh vegetables. Include more than just lettuce or load up your salads with raw spinach, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Get carbs up to the 25-30 level with veggies.
2) Increase your calories to about 1600-1800/day. I suggest putting lots of butter on those fresh veggies you're going to be cooking!
3) Increase your water to at LEAST 80 oz/day.
4) Start walking or some other exercise 3-4x a week.
5) Try to limit your intake of processed foods (deli meats, bacon, pork rinds, etc.) to 1 serving a day.

If you do those 5 simple things I'll bet you start losing. If you don't do them, then no whining allowed!!!

Good luck!

What about induction? I read some people stay on it longer than 2 weeks to lose faster. Less than 20 carbs ....I read Atkins
What you are suggesting sounds like a normal diet.
Believe me, you will not hear me" whining" again.


PS. Where did you come up with 80+ oz. of water a day? I read an article that said you can actually drink too much water .It over- works your kidneys or something

Don't worry about the water - 80 oz. is nothing! You need to drink 8-8 oz. glasses per day PLUS another glass for every 25# you need to lose. I usually drink 3 litres per day.

Also, alchohol dehydrates - for every glass of alchohol you need to match it with water. Same with drinking coffee (if you do).

I know that if I don't drink my water I don't lose.

Keep trying!

Would it be possible to cut out the alcohol? When alcohol is ingested, your body burns that energy first, plus takes its own sweet time about coming back into ketosis.

Are you losing on induction levels? Your particular body may do better at a slightly higher level of carbs and most people when they are stuck do better with more vegetables than are allowed on induction.... so in order to accomplish both, I suggested adding a few carbs with fresh vegetables.

What do you mean by a "normal diet"? If you mean the average American diet, that one is usually 300-400 carbs/day. If you mean like a low-fat, low-cal "diet" then no, that's not what I'm suggesting either.... do they allow cheese and butter and mayonnaise and red meat and bacon? Nope. I'm only suggesting you add some veggies beyond one cup of lettuce/day.

It's widely known that drinking more water....as much as you can possibly stand and then more....will definitely help you lose the weight. ESPECIALLY if you're eating salty foods, processed foods and alcohol. There are many people around this board that drink upwards of 4-6 liters daily. As I said, 80 oz would be the minimum I'd suggest for you.

I'd like to reiterate the measurement suggestion. I know that my measurements now are affected by weight lifting, but even in the beginning, I lost inches without scale loss.

If I were in your place, I would take the next two weeks, start at induction with some new rules:

1. No alcohol. This is a no-no on induction anyway. You can always try adding it later, but right now, you have to make sure that you follow the rules.

2. 3 cups of vegetables, no starchy ones. This really should not take you over 20 g of carbs, just get you up to 20. Vegetables are important sources of vitamins and minerals. There might be something in them that you are not getting in your multis.

3. If you can, get some exercise. I'm not talking weight pumping, grinding, can't-possibly-go-another-step exercise. Just find a regular time to walk for 20 minutes to half an hour. I cut my exercise time in half when I started LC because I was a bit tired the first couple days, but it's the habit forming that you want to do right now.

4. Eat about 4-6 times a day. You might have an easier time just munching on something all day than trying to pack in 500-600 calories of food in a sitting. I try to eat small, dense meals. Someone once said, "Eat breakfast like a King, dinner like a prince, and supper like a pauper." I believe that and it helps me to get my calories in before 6:00 in the evening so I'm not going, "Oh no, I need 800 calories now or I won't make my daily limit!" Believe me, with this WOL, it has happened.

Other than that, try to stay away from dressings that are more than 1-2 g carbs per serving, and condiments like ketchup and barbeque sauce and stuff. Also, don't go for any LC bars or anything. Just see what you can eat as a base WOE for the next couple of weeks. If you lose weight, you start adding things back, one at a time to see what your trigger is. If you don't lose weight after honestly doing this, maybe sweteners are a problem. I don't have more than one per day, in my coffee in the morning. Also, if you drink coffee, try decaf if you don't already.

If you still are having problems, please come to us again. I have seen that usually, if a person is willing to come and show what their daily food and exercise is, like you have, there is a wealth of good advice. Everyone is different, you will not fit exactly as some books say you will and sometimes you have to fiddle with your situation and look at things that might sound like they are not textbook correct. I know that with your determination, we will get to the bottom of this obstacle!

Good luck! Try to stay calm! This time of year, I slow down loss just from the stress! Amber

Thank you so much. Now I am more determined than ever. I am starting over and following your advice.Today is a new day!!!! I WILL lose this weight!!!!!!! Dana

I know for a fact that you WILL do it, Dana. I started near your start weight in Feb. and am now nearly where your goal weight is. I will tell you one thing, don't look at your goal weight all of the time. It is very daunting to look at 60 pounds that you need to lose. Start by making a 200 lb break your small goal, then when you get there, set another small goal. I went by tens. When I hit 199, I was thrilled, then I would start the next ten. 189 wasn't too far off. Now, I'm trying to break 150. It'll happen. When I look at the weight I've lost, I can't believe I did it, because it looked so far off.

Keep in mind that it is going to be very hard for you in the next couple of weeks. If you cheat, get immediately back on track. Don't even dwell on it, just remember that if you KEEP on eating those foods, you'll gain, but if you just go right back to LCing, you'll stay on track.

Keep us posted! Amber

Just curious, DanaP...how are you doing now? Any progress?

Hi , I am EXACTLY the same weight when I started! I am not cheating and probably following this diet more than others.I am going to give it one more month and see if anything kicks in. I am not as freaked out about it anymore. Just going with the flow.( I have dieted all my life and maybe my body is in shock!!!Who knows. )I miss pasta! haha
Thanks for asking. Dana

Dana -

This is part of the do you think you are a turtle thread. Karens input here is great. Check it out.

-------------

Are you Really a Turtle?
So, You Think You’re a Turtle!

For some people, LC weight loss is smooth and steady. For others, it can be a bit more difficult. At any stage, our plans can be “tweaked”. We eliminate or cut down on certain foods, discover that the sugar alcohols in those two low-carb bars a day are the culprit or realize that dairy products slow us down.

Before you check-in to our Turtle Club, check this list of things that can slow your loss.

Generally people that don’t have a lot of poundage to lose – the 5-20 pound range – lose slower than those with a lot of weight to lose. Percentage-wise, it works out to be the same. If you’re aiming to lose 100 pounds, ten percent would be 10 pounds. If you’re aiming for 10, ten percent would be one pound. On this site, the percentage feature is in every member’s post.

OK, here goes!

1. Have you read the book for, and followed your chosen plan to the letter for at least a month? No digression in the food front at all? No skipping meals?

2. Do you figure out your carbs/calories each day? Do you use a carb counter or a program like fitday.com?

3. Do you regularly drink alcohol? Your body will burn alcohol before it burns fat.

4. Are you scale or Ketostix obsessed? Compulsively weighing or using Ketostix will make the process seem slower and more erratic than it actually is. If you must weight yourself everyday, chart your daily weight and figure out a weekly average.

5. Are you trying to do a low fat version of your chosen plan?

6. Have you been a yo-yo dieter?

People who have severely restricted their calories in the past due to low-fat dieting may find it difficult to lose weight after the initial few pounds. If you have yo-yo dieted, your body will hang on to your fat stores because it thinks you are trying to starve it again. In this case, persistence and upping your calories in the form of fat may help.

7. Are you consuming any or all of these items on a regular basis? If you are, stop consuming them one at a time, for at least a week to see if it initiates weight loss.

Processed meats, including bacon
Caffeine
Cheese and dairy products
Alcohol - alcohol will be burned for fuel before fat
Nuts & Nut Butters
Artificial Sweeteners
Diet Drinks
Protein Bars
Low carb food products that imitate high carb food
Eating a wide combination of food in one day
Overly salty foods? For example pork rinds?

8. Are your calories at least 10 – 12 times your current weight?

9. Are you drinking at least 64 oz. of water a day, plus 8 more ounces for every 25 pounds you want to lose?

10. Have you eaten any high-carb foods?

After going through this list, contemplate your answers and work out a strategy for yourself. You may not be a turtle, just mis-informed. Learning to low-carb is a steep learning curve. There are no stupid questions.

Don’t be discouraged! Look at overall health and well-being instead of using your plan as a diet just to lose weight. Keep learning about what works for you. You’ll be better able to deal with all the “forks in the road” and “speed bumps” along the way.

Karen


__________________
There are no answers, but there are plenty of choices!

Progress, not perfection

http://www.karenbarnaby.com
http://www.fishhousestanleypark.com



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Jan-13-02 20:45

Karen,
Thanks for your support. Yes, I have read the book. I don't consume any artificial sweeteners except for 2 splenda in my (1) cup of coffee every other morning. I may drink one diet rite. not much cheese unless I just have to have something different. This past week while on vacation, I did eat some nuts, but not a habit. I do drink alcohol on the weekends...I know that is burned first,(vod-soda) but hey ,Its not burning anything anyway!! I drink at least 60 -80 oz. of water each day. I do not have to count my carbs because the ONLY ones I am getting are in salads. I am eating no carb salad dressing ( Walden) or ranch(which is low) I am not low fatting it. I don't pay attention to it. The only thing I am NOT doing is exercising. I am going to have to work it in this new year. I have no idea why this weight will not budge off of 210.
Even if I wqas not doing low carb, you would think that this WOE is just good for you.....meat and vegtables??I have not cheated one bite!!!!!! Dana

Hi Dana, that's a really good point .. aside from the weight loss or lack thereof, do you feel healthier? Less headachy before meals and less sluggish after? More energy? For me, the difference was amazing, and knowing that I was treating my body better helped keep me going when I've been stalled.

I know how frustrating it is to feel like you're doing everything exactly right, and for a substantial amount of time, and not see any result. The only advice I can give you is what everyone else has already said: identify the foods that might be a problem, cut them out for at least a week at a time, and see if that helps. Also, I would urge you (as others have done) to eat more vegetables. I try to make sure to get most of my carbs from fresh veggies (in other words, the cheese, cream, eggs, splenda, diet soda, etc etc is less than half my total carbs). That helped me a lot.