Am I the Only One Not Losing?

[bamagirl]

Guys, I just don't understand why I'm not losing. If you look at my menus I'm under 20 carbs and eating real foods that are all legal for Induction. July of last year I weighed 147 - today I weigh 146. What gives?

[genny]

I usually lurk here, but I thought I'd respond...
I'm in the same boat. Under 20 carbs and induction legal foods, and no losses for weeks at a time... then a half pound or a pound here and there.

The thing is, my calories are high. I know Atkins says you aren't supposed to worry too much about the calories, but they do say that you can't "overeat". I think that's what I'm doing. I'm forming a plan to get my calories down. I just have to figure out how. It's hard for me to be satisifed, without a high volume of food.

[Moonwalker]

your menu looks good, you are getting very close to your goal, that is why. If you ask me, you need to up your carbs. You are almost at goal yet still not even eating 20 carbs a day. You need to get up to about 30 carbs or more, that will get things moving again.

[liz175]

The thing is, my calories are high. I know Atkins says you aren't supposed to worry too much about the calories, but they do say that you can't "overeat". I think that's what I'm doing. I'm forming a plan to get my calories down. I just have to figure out how. It's hard for me to be satisifed, without a high volume of food.

I have found that I need to carefully watch calories, in addition to carbs, in order to lose weight. What I have been doing is alternating weeks when I keep calories somewhat artificially low (and lose weight) with weeks when I carefully watch my carbs but let calories go somewhat higher (and I maintain). I don't want to send my body into starvation mode by keeping calories low all the time and watching calories is too stressful for me to keep it up all the time. On the days I am keeping calories low, I also try to increase the intensity of my exercise.

This has been working for me. I've lost about 7 or 8 pounds in the last month after stalling for over two months.

It's a lot easier to keep calories low on a lowcarb diet than on a lowfat diet, because I am much less hungry when I lowcarb. On the low calorie days, I do not snack, I eat lower fat protein (lots of fish), and I carefully watch the quantity of caloric foods -- such as salad dressing -- that I am eating. I make sure to get plenty of protein so that my body doesn't start canibalizing my muscles. However, I can only do it for about four consecutive days and then I start to get too hungry. At that point, I increase calories to maintenance levels for about a week and then start the cycle again. The first day of low calorie is a little difficult, then it gets easier until about the fourth days when it gets harder and I take a break for a while.

[liz175]

your menu looks good, you are getting very close to your goal, that is why. If you ask me, you need to up your carbs. You are almost at goal yet still not even eating 20 carbs a day. You need to get up to about 30 carbs or more, that will get things moving again.

The advantage of upping carbs a little is that it may enable you to get calories somewhat. Things like berries and cottage cheese are a little higher in carbs, but fairly low in calories. That may be what you need right now. On the other hand, you want to be careful not to go too high in carbs because that could set off cravings, which is what you want to avoid!

[tagcaver]

Bamagirl,


From looking at your fitday your calories seem a bit low, in addition to your carbs. You should be looking at NET carbs, which is total carbs minus fiber. The days in the last two weeks I looked at you had way less than 20 total carbs, which means you probably only had around 10 or so net carbs. Your calories also are between 1000 and 1200, with a few days up to around 1400. If you keep your calorie count that low for too long your body will go into starvation mode. That could be why you aren't losing.

My suggestion - eat more veggies, being sure to add butter.

Good luck

Joan

[Nancy LC]

It's hard to overeat on induction to the point of gaining weight, but not hard to over eat to the point of not losing weight. At least for me.

I've recently become stricter about calories and started using the PC version of Fitday and I'm finding the weightloss is happening again at 1500-1600 calories.

[jun keater]

I've been on a stall for a long time now. So I am trying the "fat fast". Today is my second day - ONLY eating what is allowed. I have to get it moving again, or I am going to give up....

[Kathy54]

Wow congrats on your weight loss so far, you've done super!!
What I think though is you should be increasing your carbs, moving on to OWL, you will continue to lose and you can have a better variety of foods.
Moving on to OWL is a very important part of this plan, you will be more successfull once you reach your goal and go on to maintainance.
So read the OWL chapter in your book and Move on :) :)

Cheers Kathy

[Marieshops]

Bamagirl,
I agree with the others. You really need to up your carbs - where are your veggies? Looking back over your fitday, you seem to get at the most 1 cup a day. You must take some great fiber supliments! Calories looked low also, but at least get your 3 cups of veggies a day and look at adding some berries in your diet. Since you have already added back in lc muffins, some nice strawberries since it is spring would be nice for you. Everyone is different, so good luck and hope this helps. Congrats on being so close to your goal.
Marie

[bamagirl]

Wow, and all this time I thought I was eating too much! Well, it couldn't hurt to up the carbs some. I may start adding things like nuts, berries and low-carb bread. That might help. I do appreciate your help! I'm not very hungry, so it may be hard to add foods. However, I do love to eat and it would be nice to branch out a little.


It's just that I haven't lost much of anything in 8 months, which was why I stuck with Induction levels. Everyone else seems to lose 1-2# per week. I'd be happy with that - I haven't lost anything!

I'll try it for a week and see what happens.

Thanks!

[Idabelle]

I finally gave up on the idea that I need to pack the fat in. I have found that the only way I can lose is to keep my calories around 1400-1500 and my carbs around 30. It is nice to read that others are the same.

[sju59]

I really don't know how to fix your stall, but I think the others have good idea. I just wanted to voice my support for you and hope that things get better. You really have made amazing progress. When things seem bad for me I always hop on the scale and say that no matter what happens today no one can take away what I have accomplished so far! Good luck!

[KristyC]

Hi hon! I'm sorry you still aren't losing. I would up your carbs, as they suggested...shaking things up a bit ought to help you. ;)

[freckles]

Yes! Up the carbs! There is a REASON...a GOOD reason...why Dr. Atkins created 4 levels of this woe....ALL of them are important...and the closer you get to goal the more important they are. I don't understand for the life of me why everyone believes in induction like it's the gospel truth...but don't even bother with OWL and pre-maintenance. If induction works so well...just the way Dr. A says it will...then why is it so hard to comprehend that the rest of his plan will work just as well? If it wasn't an important part of this woe he would not have included it in the book. If you read the entire book cover to cover a couple of times you get the impression that following all four steps will help heal your metabolism...how else would you only be able to eat, say, 30 carbs in OWL...but then be able to raise that in pre-maintenance? Raising the carbs slowly does SOMETHING important - not to mention being able to find out those foods you have an intolerance to . We need to believe in the WHOLE plan...not just the part where we supposedly can lose weight the quickest. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

[bamagirl]

Initially I went back to Induction to "start over" and climb the carb ladder as laid out in the book. I didn't do that the first time - I did what others on the BB were doing - modified Induction. Anyway, Thursday was the two week mark, so I was due for upping my carbs 5g.

I've just started taking supplements - Co Q-10, L-Carnitine, Super Omega complex, and chromium picolinate. I'm curious to see what they do - so far I feel a little better having taken them. But, until I have these cysts removed (Tues.), I won't know what feeling good feels like.

I'm concerned about the glucose IV - will that set me back? I may request saline instead if at all possible.

[LadyBelle]

Go ahead and request the saline, they are probably going to just giv eyou that anyway. Talk to the diatician at the hospital befor eyou go in. Schedule an appointment, then go see her and tell her what you can and can't eat. That way you can come to a comprimise and not have to smuggle in food, starve, or go of fplan completely.

[bamagirl]

Thanks Ladybelle - what a great idea! I think I'll be leaving after recovery, so I won't have to worry about the food. This is awful, but I'm hoping that I'll lose a couple of pounds after this surgery! I take a loss any way I can!