This is not working...Don't know what to do.

[Whitpete]

I have been doing strict Adkins induction for exactly one month now. I lost 8 pounds in the first 2 weeks and haven't lost since. In fact I weighed myself this morning and I had gained 3 pounds! I just cried. I'm at the end my rope. I had a baby a year ago and have been trying since then to lose the extra 40 pounds with no avail. I did Weight Watchers with my first child and lost all the baby wieght in 6 months. I tried WW again with my 2nd and after 6 months I had lost only 2 pounds. I have friends and family who have had much success with Adkins and promised me the weight would come off and quickly. I was encouraged at first but now I don't know what to do. I haven't cheated AT ALL. HELP!!! (And yes, I had my thyroid checked - it was normal). I don't know what I'm doing wrong - any advice? Thanks.

[Nakkira]

ATKINS


grr...

[Luzyanna]

How many carbs are you allowing in a day? If you are allowing 20, you might try dropping to 15 for a while and stick with the strict induction regimen for a bit to see if the weight starts dropping again. I am steadily finding little things that have hidden carbs so be sure and watch everything (coffee, sweetener, spices, etc.) I had my 2nd child 2 years ago and it certainly is harder losing after each child. After my first child was born, I had dropped 25 pounds in 4 weeks (no dieting) and after the 2nd, I actually gained.

Hang in there and hugs!

[foxgluvs]

It's perfectly normal to stall out on the second and third weeks of Atkins. I did, an I read this a lot from others too.
Don't get discouraged, make sure you are being true to the plan....as in not cheating at all - drinking your water (that is important) and keeping a track of everything your eating and you will see a drop. It is more difficult the second or third time round, but I have two kids also and I have lost 75lbs....you can do it too!

[Whitpete]

Nakkira - thanks for kicking me while I'm down by growling at me for a spelling error. :(
As for the other 2 posts I appreciate your encouragement and think I will drop down to 15 carbs and stick to the basics - meat, eggs and small amount of salad veggies and see if that jump starts things again. Thanks!

[Nakkira]

Sorry Pete, I was in a bad mood and shouldn't have been as harsh, I apologize. Personally it just screams "noobie who hasn't read the book" when someone spells it as "Adkins". Again, I'm sorry.

[black57]

I don't think that lowering your carbs to fifteen grams will help more than what you are already doing. Funny, but I have witnessed many who lose once they up their carbs after moving on to O.W.L. If moving down to 15 grams doesn't help , move up to 25 grams.

Whitepete, in your stats you spell Atkins correctly so the D was just a typo in your post.Besides, when I was a newbie I misspelled Atkins but still managed to be directed to the right websites.

[Hybrid]

8/4/05 319
8/10/05 311
8/17/05 316
8/23/05 316 6/16
8/30/05 316
9/4/05 317 4/16
9/10/05 310 8/16

I can't explain the phenomenon.

[black57]

Hybrid, it is believed that we lose weight the same way we gained. We didn't gain weight on an even keel. We gained and stalled then gained and stalled. Losing weight carries a similar pattern. The difference is we are now monitoring our losses. I know that I didn't monitor my weightgain like I do my weightloss. But if I had, it probably had a similar pattern.

[joy1978]

Whitpete,

It really is normal to stop losing weight for awhile after the first two weeks. I know it is frustrating when its you ... but if you just stick with what your doing it will come off. Try not to make the WOE too hard on yourself, or you'll just want to quit. I would actually suggest moving on to OWL, but thats just what worked for me. We are about the same stats so it might be the same for you.

Keep up the good work. :D

[zajack]

Just a note...but you mention a small amount of salad and veggies...just make sure they're not too small. Veggies are a big part of atkins. Make sure you're getting your water in. Also...hate to bring it up but your TOM and salt intake can affect weight too....but it will be a temporary, if disheartening, gain. As for a slow-down...it's VERY normal to have a complete halt to weight loss in the 3-5th week...dont let it get you down.

[Whitpete]

Nakkira - Apology accepted! I am a newbie but I have read the book! ;) Other posts, Thanks so much for the advice! Just trying to do 15 carbs today has proved to be really challenging and not much fun. I'm craving veggies! I think I could do the 15 carbs for a week or so but not much longer than that. I guess it could kick start my weight loss but then would it stall out again once I add 5 more carbs? I swear I've read the book but it seems the senarios in there don't apply to my situation - too simplified maybe? Anyway, I'm scared of adding more carbs(25)and gaining all the weight back...but if you think it might work... My brain is having a hard time reconciling all of this (obviously). I did an hour of cardio this morning which I do 4 days a week and I'm thinking "what is my body burning here? This HAS to be doing something!!" None of it seems to be making sense to me. BUT I won't give up on losing this weight. I can't - if I do I'll only become bigger and more unhappy. That I KNOW is true. :agree: I have a Dr. appt tomorrow so I'm going to ask him what he thinks. And thanks for reminding me to drink more water - I've been slacking about that. Do you guys count 1 carb per diet drink or SF Jell-O?? Thanks again! - Whitney

[zajack]

If you're craving veggies...by all means...eat them!!! As long as they are low-carb, you're not going to do yourself any harm by indulging in them. Honest.
This is straight from the Atkins website...although the italics are something I added.
You should eat at least four cups of salad vegetables, or three cups of salad vegetables plus one cup of other vegetables
Now go eat some veggies! :lol:

[Paleoanth]

I agree with Black-try moving to OWL and upping it to 25 grams and see if that helps. You might also want to post what exactly you are eating and let us look at it. Sometimes people pick up on foods that have slowed their weight loss down.

Personally, I don't bother with the scale that much-I measure. I lose inches OR weight but not both at the same time. Have you measured youself? Pick several spots-I often lose inches in one spot at a time. Once it was my wrist!

[SadLady]

Whitepete:

One week only and after you are in ketosis:

Breakfast: 2 eggs with 1 teaspoon butter, one chorizo link.

Lunch: 3 oz of meat, fish, chicken, and a salad with 1 Tbsp Olive oil.

Snack: 1 oz Cream Cheese

Dinner: Salad with one small Avocado from California and 1 Tbsp Olive oil

You should drop about 5 lbs.

I did and I am 60 and totally inactive.

[nuttysqrrl]

I'm new too and I felt the same way. I lost pretty slowly, but my pants kept getting looser and looser. No matter what, don't stop. Keep it a W.O.L. You will eventually lose the weight. I have a really hard time losing weight and if I can, just about anyone can. Thanks for the post.

[Whitpete]

Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! I'm going to go measure right now - I took before measurements but haven't measured since. I'll start food journaling, too. I already FEEL so much better than I did last night when I posted. Helps to have support!!!

[gonwtwindo]

Just out of curiosity why does the avocado have to be from California??

[Paleoanth]

Just out of curiosity why does the avocado have to be from California??

There is a special enzyme that only shows up in foods grown in California. It has something to do with the fact that there once was a heavy gold content in the soil and there remains enough of the gold, in the form of small particles, in the dirt to influence what grows out of it. I am not completely sure of the chemistry. At any rate, this enzyme causes everyone who eats the food for a long enough period of time to mutate into a walking Barbie Doll. However, the high gold content of the soil also affects the brain like lead does, leading to brain damage and the belief in Thetans-so you need to be careful.

[gonwtwindo]

LMAO -- finally!! I've wondered how all those barbie-lookin' chicks got that way!!

[Nakkira]

Hey Whitpete, I would suggest taking before pictures as soon as you can and then progress pictures every few weeks so you can visually see your body reshaping. You don't have to show anyone the pics of course and I really think it helps keep track of the progress.

I had trouble the second and third week the very first time I tried Atkins because I wanted to add things like peanut butter, diet soda and berries too soon. I was also eating too much artifically sweetened things and like low carb bars and chocolates. I save those for that time of the month now that I have finally gotten over my sweet tooth. It really is worth it to follow the advise in the book almost exactly.

I drink a lot of green tea because I feel like it is purging my body of the bad stuff that I don't want to be holding on to. I also watch my sodium intake VERY closely. If I eat something with a lot of salt I drink a few extra glasses of water.

I know you are afraid to up your carbs but it could be worth while to try it for a few weeks. Your body might not be getting the nutrients it needs and could actually stall your weight if it thinks you are starving yourself. Better to add some good veggies than go into starvation mode IMO.

You are doing great with the exercising. I too like to do it in the morning because I feel like it keeps me going the rest of the day and helps burn off more calories. I like to do a little extra in the afternoon as well but I don't have a job so you might not have to. Have you tried pilates? It is really fun! I would suggest a beginners tape if you are interested. Even the beginners workout makes me really energized.

[Whitpete]

I love pilates! My gym also has a class called PiYo which combines pilates and yoga and it's great. I don't do it as often as I would like just because of time - I always feel that I need to do cardio first. With 2 small kids my time is limited at the gym even when they're in the childcare center. Are the SF candies, diet sodas and SF Jell-O etc,.. not allowed on induction? The book I refer back to the most is the most recent publication "The Atkins Essentials" and it says you can have those things in moderation but don't overconsume and count the carbs. Do you think artificial sweetners could be holding me up??
I did take some before pictures - I can't bear to look at them right now. :o I tried to do my measurements but someone else took them initially so I think I'll have that person do them again cause it wasn't coming out right at all.

[Nakkira]

I would avoid the SF candies just because they can cause you to crave more and they are usually made with horrid sugar alcohols that can cause diarrhea and cramps. According to the induction list, diet sodas are okay in moderation as long as they are sweetened with splenda (and decaffeinated I think) and sugar-free jell-o is okay IMO as long as it doesn't cause you to crave. It is usually made with aspartame and with all the bad press aspartame gets I usually steer clear of it.

Some people believe that AS stall them so I would suggest doing a week without (if you can stand it!) to see if you show any progress. As long as I counted each splenda packet as 1 carb to be sure not to go over my limit I did pretty good. I rarely use artificial sweetners anymore tho.

[Whitpete]

Thanks for the advice!!! I think I will try to steer clear of the AS this week and see if it makes a difference. It may have been hindering more than I realized as I drink at least one diet drink a day and have been mixing EAS low carb drinks(chocolate or strawberry) w/ ice as a breakfast or snack. It only has 1 carb but it is plenty sweet. If I don't make a "shake" I've been eating one South Beach Bar which is 3 carbs for breakfast or late night snack. I don't care much for the candies - upset my stomach- but I do like my herbal tea w/ splenda. OH, and SF Jell-O every once in a while w/ 1 carb whipped cream. So....maybe I am eating too much AS!! I think I'll start writing everything down for sure. I'll keep you posted on my progress - hope it will be positive!

[SadLady]

I figure you are asking me why the avocado has to be from California. No reason in particular other than you are eating the whole avocado and they are smaller and tastier.

[treefrog]

I believe that the California avocado's have fewer carbs (maybe more fiber) than the Florida ones. They also taste better.

[black57]

the high gold content of the soil also affects the brain like lead does, leading to brain damage.

Hey, this explains California driver's psyche. :agree: It also explains the rediculously expensive real estate. :p

[black57]

I believe that the California avocado's have fewer carbs (maybe more fiber) than the Florida ones. They also taste better.

This is true. :idea: It is also higher in fat.

[pinkquinn]

Are you nursing still?????Nursing made losing weight so sloooow for me. It is totally NORMAL to stall the 3rd and 4th week. If you are excersizing you will likely retain water in your muscles. Dont fret it makes them look nice.

Are you doing STRICT induction? Dairy, processed meats and nuts stalled me. Bet if you drop these things the weight will slide off. Remeber to take supplements and eat plenty of veggies

[Whitpete]

I just weaned my son 2 days ago. Hopefully that will help. I did add nuts in the 4th week but have eliminated them again. Sticking to strict induction.

[UPMichigan]

Just to let you know...I have 4 children...the last 2 were twins. They will be 2 this year and It has taken me almost 2 years to lose 88 lbs...I know how hard it is to lose after children. Hang in there and play with the kids for exercise...they will love it and time will fly by!

Summer

[megimme]

I had the same problem...exactly! So I cheated for two days straight! I ate oreo's and McDonalds..etc :yum: . and then I went back on atkins at 20 carbs or so a day and started losing weight just like the first couple weeks. I have found that since I have done atkins so many times and quit and on and on...that my body needs the constant kicks to get it in gear. I know this is severly frowned upon, but hey it is the only thing that works for me! I eat LC for a week or two and then when I stall I go back to the worst eating habits imaginable...then back to atkins. I actually lose weight so much quicker this way. What works for me, doesn't work for everyone and what works for everyone doesn't work for me! So there!! :D If you want to quit at least try this first. Atkins made me lose 30 pounds the first time I did it in two months time, then I quit for about 3 months, never gained the weight back, got bored with junk food and did it again, over and over again. I kinda have my routine down. I am just happy the weight is coming off and I still get a wide variety of foods I love, Because I love atkins food and I also occasionally love sweets and carbs. I got the best of both worlds. :clap: Sorry all you hard core atkins fanatic's who stick by the book and a strict regiment...it just doesn't work for me. The whole reason I am doing atkins is to lose weight, not have a healthy eating style. I am young, I can worry about that stuff later. :skull: Besides who ever said eating tons of meat and fat was good for the heart?! I am sticking with what works for me regardless of what anyone has to say on the matter. :daze:

[Jr8Fan]

I never managed to have kids but I sure took enough fertility hormones trying to give birth. Boy! Hormones will do a number on you! They must be similar to the ones you post pregnant women have running around in your systems because they make the weight REALLY hang on!! Good luck to you.

(Just as an update....we now have a wonderful son! He is adopted and just turned one! The agency has petitioned the court for us to have full custody. We have had him since birth and are waiting any day now for our final adoption papers. Motherhood is the greatest thing in the world!)

[Lisa N]

The whole reason I am doing atkins is to lose weight, not have a healthy eating style. I am young, I can worry about that stuff later. Besides who ever said eating tons of meat and fat was good for the heart?!

How you choose to lose weight is up to you, megimme, but the time to worry about long term effects on your health is now, not later, as I'm sure that many here can testify to you from experience. Healthy eating is a habit and habits take a long time to get ingrained as well as a very long time to un-learn (the longer you've had the habit, the longer it takes to break ;) ). I understand that when you're young it's easy to think that you have all the time in the world to worry about health later, but I hope you'll reconsider that line of thinking. :) Here's what Dr. Atkins himself had to say about the matter:
Uses and abuses of induction (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=34153) and also this thread (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29249&highlight=atkins+abusers)
Besides, who ever said that Atkins was about eating tons of meat and fat (although there is no real proof that doing so in the absence of a high carb intake is bad for your heart)? I've seen many posts from members stating that they've never eaten so many vegetables and in as much variety in their life as they are following a low carb program. ;)

[moonglow22]

I had the same exact thing happen to me. I lost 8lbs on induction and than stalled for 5 weeks. Nothing. It was very hard to take but I kept reading on here over and over how normal it was. I hung in there and after the 5th week, I lost a pound. I lose about a pound a week now. I also took the advice of the people here and uped my carbs to 25/ 30 a day and it kicked my weight loss into gear. I did it with veggies. My second child is 17 months now.....so maybe the slower weight loss is a harmone thing? Hang in there! You'll do it! :cheer:

[Hybrid]

Besides who ever said eating tons of meat and fat was good for the heart?! I

Well, Vilhjalmur Stefannson (http://www.powerhealth.net/articles/adventuresindietpart2.htm), among others.


:)

[JaneDough]

I am sticking with what works for me regardless of what anyone has to say on the matter. :daze:
I'm sorry, but are you testifying for a particular reason? I don't understand why someone who is very very happy with their food plan is so defensive one minute, then sniping judgmentally at the "fanatics" the next.

[elinor]

I remember reading in the Atkins book that medications can affect weight loss regardless of what you eat. Maybe you are doing nothing wrong diet-wise, your doctor may want to review medications with you. Perhaps another med will do the same job without interfering with your sincere efforts at weight loss. Happened to me. Don't give up. A happier you is worth it. Elinor

[Whitpete]

Thanks, Elinor. :agree: You're right and I think that may be part of the problem. I'm in the process of weaning myself off of Zoloft which my Dr. believes is the main reason why I've been resistant to weight loss - no matter what diet program. I haven't been so sure about that but I'm willing to try anything. I'm ready to be off the Zoloft anyway and see how I do. I started taking it for post partum depression when my 1st child was born and have been on it since. Weaning off is quite a process - kinda freaks me out that my body has been "addicted" to this drug. Today is weigh-in day for me. I'll let you know the results!

[pinkquinn]

Yup, nursing will get you EVERY STINCKN' TIME OOOOOOHH what at time I had try to lose while nursing!!!! Let your hormones get back to normal and you will probably have a much easier time. I have to drop the nuts too I am eating them as we speak (or as I type) and am eating way to many calories. Bet I could lose my last 7 if I stopped eating them. Well when I run out I wont buy any more.