back on atkins...with a BIG question

[laurafye]

hello, i'm laura...i lost approx 40-50lbs last time i was on a "diet" which mostly relied on the Atkins approach. I was able to keep it off for almost a year doing very well. A few months ago (about June) I started to just eat whatever I wanted...ice cream, pizza, you know, the usual crap. At first I didn't notice a difference and I thought "Great! what I eat won't affect me as long as I don't overindulge", then almost overnight...15-20lbs back on my body. I didn't have the same drive I had before so I dealt with it until recently, when instead of being able to squeeze into my size 8/10's (hey, I used to be as big as an 18!) I was now finding the 12's a bit of a squeeze and could probably use a true 14 if I admitted to myself it would fit better. Anyway, when I realized this truth, I decided to go back to low-carb. It's been about 4 days of strict carb counting with no more than 15 or so, certainly no more than 20 grams per day (sometimes less, really).
I'm waiting for the same "immidiate" results I had last time, but have noticed a significant decrease in stamina and I'm literally tired all day long. Is this normal? I don't remember this from last time. It's possible it's just coincidence, however I did just begin this whole thing again and was wondering if anyone had any insight on the possibility of it being related to the diet.
Thanks in advance,
Laura

[laurafye]

perhaps I should share my typical day's menu:
scrambled eggs/egg beaters, sausage, 2 strips of bacon, water, coffee for breakfast
tuna (out of the package), string cheese, 3g low carb yogurt, celery sticks with cream cheese, water for lunch
some sort of beef, usually steak, with grilled portabella mushrooms, brie cheese (on top of the steak, only a slice or two), salad (mixed greens, walnuts, goat cheese, roasted red peppers and a splash of balsamic vinagrette) and tonight I added about 1/2 C mashed cauliflower (made with butter, garlic and heavy cream) and water for dinner
occasionally I add the no sugar/no carb jello cup with no carb whipped cream for a sweet snack.
Hopefully this will help in getting my question answered...
thanks!
oh, and PS...with a diet like this one, how soon for the typical results? I think I remember stalling in the beginning last time because I was doing it wrong (with lots of sodium and pre-packed meal bars and whatnot...not enough whole foods), then I got it "right" and it seemed to come off quickly. I am remembering this correctly?
thanks again..

[jds8957]

... I decided to go back to low-carb. It's been about 4 days of strict carb counting with no more than 15 or so, certainly no more than 20 grams per day (sometimes less, really).
I'm waiting for the same "immidiate" results I had last time, but have noticed a significant decrease in stamina and I'm literally tired all day long. Is this normal? I don't remember this from last time. It's possible it's just coincidence, however I did just begin this whole thing again and was wondering if anyone had any insight on the possibility of it being related to the diet.


It takes time for your body to fully adjust to changes in metabolism. Many people are breaking life-long eating habits the first time they try atkins. I know in my case it was true.

After doing low-carb for a long period of time, your cells, organs and blood chemistry adjust to burning fat for energy.

Even if you binge and gain 15lbs, your body still will not lose its fat burning chemistry overnight ... it is still there. Your body now should be able to switch back and forth from ketosis (fat burning) to glycosis (Dr. Atkins term for a sugar based metabolism).

Water weight will come off when your body lets go of it. There are many variables that influence this. Your high salt breakfast (bacon and sausage) might be causing water retention.

You are actually much better off to lose the water weight slowly than quickly. Losing it too quickly causes loss of electrolytes. Muscle cramps are one of the symptoms ... and Dr. Atkins recommended supplements where I personally believe he should have advised slower water loss.

Also, are you drinking enough? dehydration will actually cause water retention. You only mentioned coffee and water on two meals.

After 4 days of 20g or below, you should be in ketosis ... unless you have a medical condition (thyroid or liver), or are on certain types of medication. Best way to know if you are in ketosis is to check with a test strip.

Remember, Happiness is a Purple strip. Get that and the rest will follow :D

[SunnyCarol]

This doesn't sound like a very "strict" Atkins to me. Nuts are not allowed in the beginning (induction) and neither is balsamic vinegar as it has sugar or yogurt, LC or not. You are eating a lot of cheese. Only 3 to 4 ounces are allowed. There is no 'no carb' whipped cream--it all has some carbs. Cream and cheese has carbs as do walnuts, so I'm not sure how you could only be consuming 15 to 20 carbs per day. I'd advise reading the book again and re-learn what is allowed on induction and check out the carb counts for what you eat so you know how many you are really ingesting.

Sunny!

[KvonM]

i can't stress what sunny said enough... read the book! you said that your previous diet was mostly relying on the atkins approach, but it sounds like you weren't doing atkins specifically. when you re-read the book, you'll find a lot of things that will be very familiar, but you'll be sure to come across things you forgot or didn't know the first time around.

also keep in mind that it's not just how much cheese you're eating, but the kind of cheese too. on atkins, you stick with the hard cheeses (cheddar, monterrey jack, colby, etc.). soft cheeses like brie or goat cheese can be re-introduced later, but not now. i think cream cheese is the only exception to that rule.

also, to make sure you're doing a clean induction, skip the egg beaters and use real eggs. ditch the sausage for now... the bacon is ok as long as it's not sugar cured. as far as "typcial" results, one thing i've learned this time around is that there is NO such thing as typical... except in the fact that we've all lost weight, we all feel better, and we all enjoy what we're doing :).

good luck, and welcome back!

[MicheleK]

Welcome!!

Like everyone said...read the book! If you've already read it, re-read it. It will keep you motivated and strong.

For me, I stall big time if I eat more then 4oz of cheese a day. Nuts do the same thing...so I stay far away from them. You have to figure out what stalls you and go from there, everyone is different. Even w/eating a clean induction menu I still have to watch for big stallers!! (cheese is mine, and heavy cream).

Best of luck and welcome!!

[joylorene]

Great to have you!! You mentioned your decrease in stamina and being tired - that's the Atkins "flu" and yes everytime I go off plan then get back on I suffer from it and the severity depends on how much junk I ate while off the plan (you'd think I would learn). So when I'm doing the clean induction I usually just go home after work and pretty much just take it easy. Then after about 4 or 5 days I start to feel GREAT then I start my exercise. So this will pass it just will depend on how much junk has to get out of your system. And yes read the book - I'm always checking back to it.