new here and soo frustrated!

[freeofecho]

Hello all, I am new here and thankful to have found a support forum.
I started low carb dieting in the begining of March and lost 8 or 9 pounds in the first month. Since then not a single pound has come off and I am soo frustrated! I have no clue where I am going wrong. I know I am keeping the carb count at next to nothing. Even if it says 1 carb in a serving size i try to stay away from it so I know I am way under 10 to 15 carbs a day I eat no sugar. I bought some of those Ketostix but I have had no color change in weeks now. I dont know what to do or where to turn.
This fat is keeping me from success in all areas of my life and I am determined to make this change but I am stuck and lost!
Any advice Please!

[maki2000]

Hi there! It sounds to me like you are just in a stall. Don't give up! I would just suggest that you be a little more lenient with your carb intake, try to make it closer to 20 carbs that are good ones. Your body may not be getting enough food to sustain itself and lose weight at the same time. Don't be afraid of carbs, just make sure they are the right carbs. Get those veggies in if you aren't already. I always put mushrooms in my eggs or zucchini in my shrimp stirfry. Maybe you could post a sample of your menu so people can give you some tips on what to add/take out?

[Kisal]

Welcome! I think you're doing just fine! :thup: However, you devised your own plan without reading any books about low carb, and it's possible that you are eating some food(s) that aren't as low carb as you might think. It's impossible for me to say. Perhaps you could list a few days of your typical menus, including the amount of each food you ate.

On Atkins, it's common for people to experience a pause after their first 2 weeks on the plan. That's temporary, usually lasting 1 to 4 weeks. That might be what's happening to you.

Also with reference to Atkins, the average person commonly lose about 10% of their excess body weight during the first 2 weeks, and then their weight lose pauses, as I mentioned above, in order for their body to rebalance its chemistry. By losing 8 or 9 pounds, you have already lost more than 10% of the 70 lbs you want to lose.

Just be patient and stay on your plan! :wave:

[montanasun]

Congrats on your weight loss so far! Hang in there. I have to agree with Kisal, post your menu so we have a better understanding of what you are eating. There maybe hidden carbs in something you are eating.

Are you noticing a difference in your clothes? If so you are on track.

[DarkFairy]

Hang in there!! You may want to check out your drinks. Sometimes there are hidden carbs in drinks and even in some foods. I bought a carb counter book from the book store and it stays in my bag at all times so I can look something up if I am not sure. Good luck and keep at it!

[Leonora]

Hi there, just one question from me. Will a person loose more weight by eating up to 20 carbs per day compared to no carbs? I am on a plan (Brittish Travel diet) where one starts off with no carbs for 3 weeks and then they start introducing 5 carbs per week. So far I have lost 9.68 lbs in three weeks. Is this an average weight loss for the time period, or should I be loosing more? Please anyone - help!!!!! Regards, Leonoar

[PearlWhite]

Well, in the original Atkins diet (in the '70s) he said 0ö5 gr. carbs a day. But then it got changed over the years up to 20 (my theory is it was in order to apiece the "health nazis"). And those 20 gr. were supposed to be in the form of nutritious, fiber-rich veggies.

Many people don't eat 20 gr. every day, som as little as 0-5. The diet says up to 20 gr. a day. So I see nothing wrong with what you're doing, and a 10 lb loss in 3 weeks is amazing! Why would you think you should be losing more?

10 lbs in 3 weeks is, according to my calculations, about 15% of what you want to lose, and in Atkins it's said that on induction (2 weeks) you lose aboud 10% of what you need to lose. So I think you're doing great!

[Leonora]

Thanks so much. The reason why I think I should have lost more is because some of the other ladies attending the clinic have lost 2x as much as me. Our lecturer told me that it is because they weighed more than I did when they started, so they will obviously loose more. I just want to loose as much as possible as quick as possible! But that is also incorrect hey! The slower one looses, the more permanent it is. Thanks for the help. Although I am on this Brittish clinic diet, I think I should read my Atkins books again. I am sure it will help hey! Regards, Leonora

[onesource]

This was helpful to me. I lost 10 lbs right away, then stalled for a few weeks. I got disgusted and have been struggling for a few days with eating carb-y stuff. I have had a why bother attitude. It's nice to know a 1-4 week stall after initial loss is normal. Thanks.

[lola2005]

Hi there - there's no mention of your workout routine - with any diet when you're stalled it helps to up your cardio and weight training. Good luck - I just started 4 days ago and lost only 3 pounds so far - hoping to lose a total of 20. I know it's hard when you dont see results but the fact that you're maintaining is a positive too!

[dancinbr]

Lo carbs and exercise is what works.

Lo being anywhere between 20-60. This is quite personal.

If you are following Atkins specifically then there is the induction phase followed by increased carbs after induction.

If I recall correctly, you try to find a comfortable level.

But for many of us Low carbs also helps us control our diabetes.

Carbs raise blood sugars in a diabetic.

I gather you are NOT diabetic.

Good keep it that way. Make low carb a way of life and you can avoid this disease. I had tried Atkins and Stillman all earlier in my life. Had I stayed with it I probably would not be a T2 diabetic today.

Weight is coming off slowly for me this time around too.

I hope to see 20 pounds or so come off this year.

Last year I did take off about 30 pounds, but again I am obese to begin with.

I do exercise and I need to do more.

But stay with low carbing the rest of your life; you will not regret it.

Best wishes,

Ralph

[pennink]

measure. measure. oh and measure.


so many of us eyeball what an ounce of cheese or cup of loosely packed lettuce is. You might see you're eating much more than you think.

As for exercise? I don't know... never have done any since I started, plus most people report a bit of a gain when they start. Try the measuring and being careful to log everything first.

[emmy_808]

The best way to jumpstart your metabolism is EXERCISE! You can lift weights and do some aerobic stuff and if you are eating enough but not too much, like 1800 cals/day, staying within the induction rules of eating (like no more than 4 oz cheese per day) and staying under 20g carbs then you WILL lose. The likelyhood of you adhering to that and not losing weight is about 1 in a million. Especially if you have a lot to lose.

An exception would be if you have thyroid or med problems maybe, but even then...