hey mj...I was having the same problems. I was doing an ab workout video tape thingy, and it was 460 crunches, 4 times a week...and yet I'm still all blubbery.

I'm going to go see if I can find out what the link was, I can't remember, but I'm sure I can find it...I'll be right back!!


O

OUCH, I started at the very beginning of this thread and have read everything that you have posted and MY GOD, I would swear that we have the same problem!!!! I stay at or under 20 carbs everyday, I walk for three miles at a very fast pace, I drink a ton of water and I have only lost 3 pounds the whole time. I gained 2 of it since Monday. I am sooooo mad right now, I am ready to give up. I really do feel like crying. I feel like I am suffering by giving up all of the things that I have and to not have the results that I expect. I am angry more than anything. I am a mother of three and still look like I am a few months pregnant because of all of the loose muscle and flabby fat and skin, it is disgusting!!!! My legs are disgraceful too, one day I wish I could walk around in shorts and not have them ride all the way up!!!!! I am so sick with myself!!!!

I think just the fact that you're trying to do something like this for yourself should inspire enough confidence in you to wear those darn shorts!

it's rough going, and I don't know how in the world I keep up with this plan, with every bite I eat, but I do. I think I'm afraid mostly of gaining back excess weight if I go off of this plan.

So, I'm not gaining, and I'm not losing...which should make me happy...but I'm pretty miserable and uncomfortable with my mid-section, so I'm not really thrilled with it.

Still sticking with it, for now...

O

Well, so far today I have had a 16 oz. cup of decaf coffee with just half and half in it, and an EAS Carb Control Shake for breakfast. For lunch, I had another Shake and four pieces of bacon. I am kinda hungry right now, but mother hubbard's cupboards are bare, so I am running out of things to eat. I guess I will get another bottle of water to fill me up till dinner. Tonight, it is Steak and Mustard greens. I just did my 3 mile walk. I do it in about 45 minutes, not bad for a newbie!!!! I guess I am like you OUCH, I am afraid to quit for fear of gaining but I don't want to continue this when nothing is happening. I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I guess I will continue. Wish me luck. And by the way good luck to you as well.

Hey everyone....I just wanted to let y'all know that I am now putting weight ON...which kind of goes against everything I'm trying to accomplish with this WOE

so....I think I may be ready to stop it. I'm just not sure where to go from here. If I go back to regular old everyday eating, I'm sure I'll pack on some more belly.

I have no idea what to do.


O

My daughter, the one who just came home, purchased 2 boxes of girl guide cookies at the door. Looking at the box, I see that 3 cookies ( kind of the size of Oreos) have 28 grams of carbs! To think that many times over the years, I would buy three or four boxes, take one for myself, and eat half the box in one sitting. Still, here they are sitting in the cupboard...one box unopened so i wouldn't touch that, but one box half eaten by the family....they wouldn't notice if I had one! SO..thank you to all the people who have indicated how yucky they feel after having a carb relapse..I have not eaten anything carby for 6 weeks and really don't want to start this new week by munching out. And for me, it was never one cookie....it was most of a box! Off to grab my eggs! Next time, the girl guides get a donation and i won't take the cookies.Still, funny how I am aware that they are there in the cupboard....Have a great day!

Don't get to obsessed with weight gain - could be water, could be TOM, could be a number of other things. You may weigh in tomorrow and find out you haven't gained at all.

Did you measure yourself before you started? I find that's a good indication. I've lost 2 lbs. since Friday, wich for my weight goals is on the slow side, but I've also lost 4 inches at the same time.

Ouch: I am so sorry it appears that you've actually put on 2 pounds. But I must agree with Teaselus - there could be numerous reasons for it and it might not truly be (and probably is not) a weight gain but a temporary hang-up. Did you eat more sodium than usual or have anything different? Did you eat a little more than normal the day before? Did you exercise differently? Personally, I would wait until the next weigh-in before I actually counted that as a weight gain. If it's still there the next time, then yes, it is a gain. If it's not there....it never was. Since you've devoted this much time and effort to low carb, why not consider doing another plan before you throw in the towel completely? There are variations in all the plans to one degree or another - maybe you need a different foundation to work from. Just a thought . Course, you're probably ready by now to tell me and my questions where to go, huh ! Whatever you decide, ouch, I hope it all works out for you. I, for one, would miss you should you leave.

Emptynestr - great job resisting those cookies !! Just keep reminding yourself that even though you're aware they're in the cupboard, you're also aware of how terrible you'd feel mentally and physically if you ate any ! Maybe you have the leeway in your daily eating to have yourself a good and lucious low-carb dessert

Ouch-

Not to give you false hope here, but every time I gain a couple of pounds-a week or so later those and another pound goes away. I seem to go up right before a whoosh (and of course my TOM). I don't know why-perhaps it is my fat cells holding on to additional water before they all let go-but that is the pattern for me. The first time I went up 2-3 pounds, I freaked!

Hey guys

I don't want to give up, believe me, I've never been so committed to something before in my life! Who would have believed that me, the ultimate football chick, would give up beer? nobody would have believed it! haha, and here I am, 4 months, no beer. Not one beer, not even for superbowl!

I haven't changed anything in my diet to make up for the sudden number change on the scale, but I'm not actually all that upset about the appearance of the extra pounds on the scale. I've been going by how things fit, and by measurements since day one.

My clothes all fit me exactly the same as they did at Christmas. So, nothing's changed...except my grocery bill is higher!

I'm still at it. I think I may take a while off, and then go back at it like crazy, and follow it absolutely to the letter and see what happens.

you guys are fantastic, and I thank you

(Shadow, I'd miss you too, you sweet thing!)

O

Oh, ouch, I am ecstatic that you're not leaving - I was crushed to think you might go away !

Who knows, a break followed by a strong return may be just the ticket. For your sake, I certainly, certainly hope so!!!! But don't abandon us entirely during your break - how would we know how it's going for you??? I would be here fretting and stewing and wondering....Please at least keep posting in your journal so we can stay in touch . Deal?????

Had to run here and tell you - my scales told me that I gained 2 lbs today. But know what? I've lost a total of 6.5 (!) inches since MONDAY (!!!!).

Hang in there!

Quick note - I measure arm and thigh, too, so for the usual b-w-h measurements I've lost 5 inches since Monday. Still not bad!

Try measuring yourself instead. Scales are EVIL!

WTG, Teaselus! That is fantastic .

wow Teaselus...that's phenomenal! way to go! that's the way it should be working!

I'm doing a new kind of ab exercises now, and still sticking to the 20g of carbs a day, and I'm enjoying the food. I have no problem with that...

I'm sticking with it for a few more weeks. Then I'm going on vacation for 6 days. i'm going to drink my beer, and eat my cookies. I'm going to enjoy my BIG birthday while I'm away, I'm going to go to a rock concert. I'm going to have a ball.

Then we'll see how my body reacts. THEN, if I still think I can handle this torture of nothingness with my body, I will return to this WOE, strict induction, and I will need your help. we'll see how it goes until then

thanks again for the encouragement!!!


O

A lot can happen in a few weeks, ouch (and I know what you're thinking..."yeah, right")! Glad you'll be here til then. I'm really hoping that after your vacation (from us and this WOE) that you'll be chomping at the bit to jump back in and join us