1 year plateau

[BigBenny]

I don't post here much, but I read often, so hello everyone.

I hit the 316lb mark in the middle of March 2010. I began my journey at 420lbs on October 10th, 2010 and lost, mostly steadily, 105-110lbs within the first 5 months. Since then, I've lost maybe 5lbs, but I hover between 310 and 315.

I'm looking for help and/or ideas to get me losing again. I normally eat VVLC (sub 10g carbs per day) and really have no interest in moving up the "ladder" even though I'm not on Atkins anyway. I consume almost all meat, although lately I've enjoyed jalapenos with cream cheese and bacon -- but this was a recent addition and cannot be considered a contributor to my stall, I don't believe.

I've tried taking L-Carnitine (2000mg/day and CoQ10 300mg/day) and saw no difference. I've tried: adding salt, eliminating salt, adding dairy, eliminating dairy, eating more, eating less, weight lifting. None of which saw the continuation of my weight loss.

I drink nothing but water (1-1.5gallons per day) and 1 cup of coffee with 1-2tbls cream and 3-4 splenda packets.

I recently tried a carb refeed day, after careful research and consideration, and I've yet to lose all of the water weight from it (I tried it February 24th). The purpose of this was to raise my leptin levels. I'm still waiting to see if I'm still losing fat through this water weight, but I'm not confident that I am.

A typical (and I mean typical -- I eat nearly the same foods every day) would consist of between 1.5-2lbs of 73/27 or 80/20 ground beef or sirloin beef tips with 10 of the jalapenos mentioned earlier (with approx 5oz cream cheese and 6 slices of bacon total) eaten about about 9 or 10pm. I eat that late because I have a more nocturnal schedule than most.

My calories range from 2,000-3,100, depending on if I eat the GB or the sirloin tips and jalapenos. I do still weight lift occasionally, but I don't do cardio. I'm thinking of adding that in -- it can't hurt. Maybe it'll help.

Aaaand to wrap things up, I look forward to hearing from anyone with some tips. I may have left some things out, but I can't recall what they are.

P.S. Apart from the planned carb refeed day, I never cheat.

[PilotGal]

hiya benny... seen ya around.
i too eat nothing but meat and was stalled for a few years.
i finally got the hcg drops that everyone on this site is talking about.
did it for 3 weeks.
i think it reset my metabolism because i am finally dropping weight on zero carb... i eat no more than 10 carbs a day as well and nothing was moving it..
now it's finally moving.
i'm not saying this is the end all to get the weight moving again, but it honestly worked for me..
check out the hcg progress thread on this forum..
see how men and women are losing weight consistently and good luck to you.

[jmh]

Gosh how frustrating. You've done so well though. I'm experimenting with something new which you might want to look at. I can't make any definite recommendation because I have just started it.

I have downloaded the programme Cron-o-meter (free) and am working out my micro nutrient levels. My theory is that maybe I am not getting enough of the right vitamins/minerals at a cellular level to encourage my body to lose the weight (I have lost a lot but like you have stalled for a long time). The hardest part is working out what my ideal amounts should be, but my initial observations suggest that I am very low on vit C and most of the B vits as well. Wouldn't hurt to have a look and tweak the diet to include more of what looks low, or to supplement. Just a suggestion. I'm doing a bit of both.

I'm hoping to get the new book 'The Perfect Diet' soon to get a better indication of the correct levels - if anyone can pass this info I would be most grateful.

When we restric our diet we inevitably end up reducing other nutrients that our body uses. This might become a big problem for those of us who may not be absorbing nutrients from our food very well.

This is a just a theory, and I only mention it because to me you seem to be doing everything right. I personally would not add cardio but continue with the weights and do as much walking as possible if you are not already.

[BigBenny]

PilotGal, thanks for responding. I'll do some research into the HCG drops. Did you you drop your calories down as well during that time and continue eating only meat?

jmh, I've been thinking that I may have some deficiency as well. I plan on having my thyroid and a full blood work up checked in a couple of weeks. Thank you.

[1fatass]

Heah Big
Just some ideas, if not helpful, look onward.

several years ago i lost 80 pounds pretty ease. This go round, I have had to reduce carbs to lower than before, and I had to reduce my calorie intake. Do consider reducing your calories as an option. I have done this through IF which has brought me back to a pound or slightly less per day loss when i do this. It can be used to get the ball rolling again.

Also, look for those hidden carbs, like the 3 or 4 in the splenda packets, and the carbs in the cream cheese. Some are affected by the nitrates in the bacon (buy nitrate free).

just some thoughts to throw to see if these things have been tried, or thought of. Good Luck

And I commend you for sticking to it, as with a stall of that length, one could certainly get discouraged.

[BigBenny]

Thanks for dropping in, 1skinnyass! The BMR (not totally accurate all the time has me at between 3150 and 3780 cals a day, which I rarely meet. I'm not sure if I need to drop lower than my average of 2500 at my current weight, but if all other options fail, I will certainly give it a shot.

Thank you

[NortonMan]

You mentioned coffee. Decaf? Regular coffee increases insulin.

[BigBenny]

Yep, decaf instant

[Neanderpam]

I just wanted to add that L Carnitine is used to slow the thyroid in patients with hyPERthyroidism. The only time in the two years during my weightloss (and now I've been maintaining eight years) that I experienced a stall for over 5 weeks is when I read that L Carnitine would be 'good for me and my weightlifting'. It did the opposite. Just sayin'. Best of luck to you losing to goal Benny.

[heirloom10]

Where is this hcg drops thread?

[Jonika]

There are threads about drawbacks of eating too much protein. According to them, too much protein acts like glucose in a body...Maybe you should consider that.

[akman]

I have a theory on why LC stops working after a while or right from the start. LC needs to also be moderate protein and high fat.

OK - We know carbs have 4 calories per gram, protein has 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9 calories per gram.

On a 2100 calorie diet, with 20 grams of carbs a day, one should also be eating 120 grams of protein and 160 grams of fat.

This is based on a ratio of 3% carbs, 22%protein, and 75% fat. Which is pretty close to what all the low carb diets recommend for 'induction'--please someone step in if I'm wrong.

A sample daily menu of that would be:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (0 carb/90g prot/3g fat)
1 3oz portion of sirloin steak (0 carb/25g prot/6g fat)
1/2 a banana (20g carbs/1g protein)
12 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (168g fat/0 carb/0 fat)

Total for this day would be 20g carbs ~ 80 calories (3%); 116g protein ~464 calories (22%); and 177g fat ~ 1593 calories (75%) for a total of 2137 calories.


Now, no one would want to eat like this! But, if you take in too much protein, I've read your body will treat it like excess carbs and it won't lead to body-fat loss. So, we need to find ways to add fat without adding protein. Good ways I see are chicken w/skin, fatty cuts of meat, coconut oil, olive oil, peanut butter, cream... you get the picture.

Looking at the Original Poster's sample menu, I think it looks a little protein heavy. Maybe he (and all of us) could benefit by re-examining or protein to fat ratios and adding adjusting if needed.

[Buttoni]

I fully understand, as I've been stalled 15 months now at 170-172. I really don't cheat either. I've followed this religiously and very slowly moved all the way through the carb ladder. I'm holding at no more than 35 net carbs (on special occasions, 40-50 , but I don't gain) and around 1500-1800 calories a day. Fats around 60-65% nowadays (sometimes higher).

My doc's working on some hormonal issues and I just started bio-identical hormones last month. Gained 5# since then (which he told me to expect) but have lost 2 or those already. He's also looking into my thyroid as a possible issue. My TSH test in January was so low it was .92 when the normal range is .35-5.6. Don't know the results yet of the other thyroid test he ran recently. Have to call him this week to find out. Hoping that may shed some light.

I just hang in there, trying not to get too discouraged, eating what I know is right. Maybe one day I'll start losing again. I want to take of another 20-25#. But I'm in this for my health, so if I never lose the rest, well I'm OK with that. :) I KNOW I'm healthier, feel better and have a pretty good lipid panel that I hope continues to improve.

[violinist]

I would love a link to the hcg drops thread too (or website). I googled it but I got mostly websites that are hcg drops manufacturers/sellers and I'd rather read about it from a non-biased source. Thanks!

[Buttoni]

Here's a link that gives a lot of information on this: http://www.hcgweightloss.com/category/pounds-inches-by-dr-atw-simeons/

[Eastnary]

Thanks for posting this. I'm close to my goal but also stuck, or stalled. Reading this advice, will try to eat more fat now, to see if that will help. Already cut out the fake Atkins candy bars too (was eating one every couple days). Have tried to take multiple-vitamins, but they make me feel a little sick unless taken on a full stomach. Lots of good ideas here. Good luck breaking that long stall Benny. Not sure what hcg is...my first reaction (purely a reaction) is to stay away from it. This is a newbie speaking. But even when stuck, this is a healthy way to eat, and that's the first priority.

[Nancy LC]

I've been using hcg too. I couldn't lose either. Tried about everything. I use the hcg injections. Found an ND in the area to get them from. Google "Pounds & Inches" which describes the protocol.

It is a short term, very low calorie diet. I've modified it somewhat for myself so that it is also low carb. I've lost 25-ish pounds since January after having been stalled, and even gaining, for many years on LC. It does seem to help the metabolism some. Although I'm not sure how long lasting the effect is. It seemed to wear off after my first round in a couple of months.

Heck, if I had to do a round once a year, I wouldn't mind. I'm on my third round now and feel quite comfortable on the low calorie phase.

We've got a couple of hcg challenge threads in the challenge area.

[Adorablema]

I just wanted to toss out there that I am reading that low carb can slow the thyroid dramatically as can any long term diet. Your thyroid perceives starvation because of living on ketones for so long...google long term carb thyroid and you'll see what I mean. I have found that intermittently varying is helpful but I think you have to do it more than one day. I have at times gained 10 to go back and lose 15.

[Adorablema]

The reason the HCG drops help is that it helps with the thyroid.

[Israeli]

Just to toss in this bit, the protein we eat on LC should only be 1 gram per kilo of IDEAL weight. For example, I want to get to 140 pounds (about 63 kilos) so I should eat only 63 grams of protein a day. If a man wants to be say, 187 pounds, he should cut his protein down to 850 grams a day. It will turn to glucose if its more than the body needs and act as a carb.