have posted many times about a stall, has anyone else had a long stall????
 

Hi, I have wrote in since August, about not losing. I have been on since June 16th, and I lost 35 pounds in the first 2 months, and since August nothing. I have tried everything, I started back walking thinking it would help, but it's not. I will continue to walk cause I know it's good for my heart. I stop drinking(alcohol,low carb beer). For awhile now. I stopped the Atkins candy bars, I'm not going to quit cause when I even cheat I gain 5 pounds the next day, and no I don't cheat all the time I did once. I was frustrated. Still am. So now I'm into my second month of not losing, has anyone else had this problem. I have gotten advice about what to do and I have done all of it, drank more water,got more calories, cut out some calories, take vit., exercise, ate more green veggies. So I just want to know if anyone else has had a long stall. I can't get past 185.I started at 220. Please let me know. I'm sorry to keep writing about this, but I'm not moving.

I've been (or am, I'm not quite sure yet..) where you are, I didn't lose that much at first. I've been stalling at 9 lbs for 7 weeks, looks like the stall is broken as I'm down 2 more lbs as of last Monday......

I made a few of my forum friends go through my Fitday.com (a nightmare to keep but an absolute must to keep track of what you're eating)

Turns out I did not eat enough carbs OR calories. My balance between fat & protein was also far off. I changed what I eat (still working on it) and whoops 2 lbs down right away. One thing fitday can't do: deduct fiber from carbs to get digestible carbs (to count when doing Atkins) but it's dead easy to do the deduction yourself. Acc to Atkins, you should eat at least your body weight (in lbs) x 10 or 12 in calories. The perfect calorie breakdown is:

4 -10% should come from Carbs ( no more than 20g of Carbs)
25 - 30% should come from Protein
65 - 70% from FAT

If you eat less of carbs and cals, your body goes into starvation mode = stall. A stall is (acc to DANDR) a period of 4-6 weeks without any movement on scale or measurements.

Basic FAQ tips for stalls:
- up the calories (if too low - based on your weight in lbs etc)
- lower the calories (if too high - " )
- drink more water, drink more water and some more water
- cut down on salt/sodium
- skip any kind of sugar alcohol/fake sugar, even Splenda. as it can send confusing "sugar"-signals to your system
- make sure you're not eating foods with "hidden carbs". Use Fitday scrutinously.

I got a very informative e-mail from Atkins support during my stall, if you like I can mail it to you, send me a PM with your e-mail adress as it's too long (4 pages) to send in a private msg

From one of my forum buddies Becky160 I got this link. She successfully broke her stall with "refeeding" I think she did this for a weekend. You can read about the leptin hormone and refeeding here:
http://www.theministryoffitness.com...s/article18.htm

You can also check directly with Becky160 what she did and how it affected her.

Good luck to you, hope you break your stall !

I have lost a total of 25 lbs in almost a year. I had stalled for five months of that year. Atleast, I call it a stall because I did not take any measurements during that time and I do not know if I lost any inches. A true stall means that not only has weight loss stalled ( I think that has to be in a total of 6 weeks ), but there has been no loss in inches either. I did not like the fact that I had stalled but I continued to plug through this "diet". Then in August I had lost 5 lbs. I think that it was because we bought a new home that has 2 flights of stairs and that its where my exercise came in. I am hypoglycemic and peri-manopausal so that has to be computed into the weight loss, or lack of.

In my opinion, it is more important to stay consistant so that your body can get a clue as to what you are doing. If you make too many changes, that could be more detrimental than a cheat. Every year, I make the resolution to lose atleast 20 lbs. Therefore, 25 lbs is more than what I could have ever hoped for in the past. I have set up goals with Atkins WOE and I have discovered that I have expected more from this diet than what my body is willing to respond to, which isn't fair to myself or Dr. Atkins. My final goal is to weigh 125 lbs. I will get there whe I get there.

Black57

To be successful in anything, one must be consistant.

ok
 

Hi, ok I don't understand the refeed thing. But I think I'm getting enough calories.I wear I should be. I don't know hwat to do, I 'm getting really frustrated. I'm not losing inches either.

Lacey, pauses in fat loss are normal and as you're finding out, unavoidable. Your body is really in control here. This is when we need to focus on other aspects of our lives and our new WOL. Yeah, it would be nice to have it all come off a little at a time, every week, but it just doesn't seem to happen that way. And from personal experience, I can tell you that the one time it did, it all came back on a few months later.

Most of us didn't watch the scale or use a tape measure when we gained the weight - so we have no clue where we stuck on that journey. Fat loss (and fat gain) is never a constant one way slide, there are pauses and stops.

My suggestion is to take this time to become an expert on Lacey and LC. Enjoy your new size and wardrobe. Enjoy your new healthier lifestyle. Your body will catch up. The next few months are going to pass by regardless of how we eat or what we do - all we can control is how we face that time. It helps to think long term, IMHO. I am a LCer, I will be eating this way for the rest of my life - the fat can't help but come off.

Cheers,
Nat

Well Lacey, you're ahead of me! I was just this minute lamenting on the fact that I'm stalled for the past 8 weeks - truly stalled - Have been faithfully following the low carb eating and, to add injury to insult, I have been going to work out (Curves) 5 times a week (upped it from 3 times a week thinking that it would help break the stall). Well, I GAINED 2 lbs. the first month (I know that old 'muscle weighs more than fat' but I ain't buyin' it - I'm not 198 lbs. of muscle!

I started at 220 Feb 24th so, according to my path, you're ripping along! Wish I was at 185...

I also am frustrated - to the point of thinking of switching to another type of diet. I'm going to stick with this through December though; If I'm still stalled by then, I will reassess (and probably get a dr. app't to check my labs...).

My husband is down 50 lbs; sucks to be me!

Good luck!

i've been stalled for 2 months now, but it is my own fault.
(coffee, random cheats with sweets)

Lacey O-Congrats on your success so far and I just wanted to tell you not to give up!

Last spring, I was on Atkins for four months and felt great, lost inches and 15lbs, toned my body and became a perfect size 6.

I became a little lazy about meals and started to eat sugar alcohols and bars and eventually they got me craving processed foods and really high carb food.

I went off of Atkins for three-four weeks after having so many bars and eventually eating pizza and pasta! I gained back all of the weight and inches! I totally regret giving up because all of my hard work went down the drain. I am now starting over bar and sugar alcohol free and will never go off this lifestyle again.

You have showed great willpower and strength and stick with it. Don't give up. Before you know it you will get over this hump but it may last a little while so try to be patient. You body just doesn't want to push yet but it will when it's ready! Good luck and I know you will meet your goal!

I had a 16 week stall during the spring/summer. While there are things that I could guess caused the stall, I really don't know the whyfore of it. I have since lost 13 lbs. without changing anything significant.

Hi Nille,
Thank you for the informative post. I just had a question about the % breakdown:

"4 -10% should come from Carbs ( no more than 20g of Carbs)
25 - 30% should come from Protein
65 - 70% from FAT"

What does the "4-,25-, 65-" mean? and shouldn't 10% + 30% + 70% add up to 100% or am I reading it wrong?

:) Linda

Stuck here with you Lacey, haven't moved anywhere in months now. :rolleyes: I wanted to get to my goal weight by Christmas, use to think that would be no problem. The stuff was just falling off! Well, times change, but my body hasn't since the begining of August.

Don't try the refeed thing, that much I know! Sure, so people are lucky, and :( whoosh! All it did for me was set me back. Took a week to two weeks to get back to where I was.

Guess there is really nothing I can do but go on, and be happy for where I have gotten so far. Easier said than done. On the up side my husband has been stalled longer than me, and not he has lost 5 pounds in two weeks. (I hate him :lol: ) Guess I can always hope some of that fairy dust will rub off on me.

By the way Great advice Natrushka !

Hi Lacey O:

My friend Nille wrote me to come over this thread and see if I could help you out. she has done a GREAT job explaining you the most important things to know during induction. :yay: :yay:

In order to be able to help you, I need to see your Fitday.
Do you have a Fitday Account?
How long have you been in Ketosis?
Are you still in Ketosis?
How many calories a Day are you eating?
How much fat do you eat?
Do you skip any meals?
How much water do you drink?
do you measure yourself?
Have you lost any inches since then?

Please answer these questions...From here I will be able to help you out. Believe me! But I need your cooperation.

See you soon.

If you want you can send me a PM.

Stick with it Lacey! Imagine where you'd go back to if you quit this WOE now. You are doing so well! It's totally normal to stall like this, although it makes you want to pull your hair out. I stalled for about 6 weeks after Induction, but then one day the weight started coming off again. I didn't change my eating habits, and I didn't try a bunch of radical things to get it going again — my body just started losing again on its own. It will happen for you, just keep at it!

Hi Linilinda !
 

About the breakdown - it's all down to maths. Carbs, fat and protein procentage of what you're eating will always be 100%.

This is the formula: fat x 9, protein x 4, carbs x 4 = amount of calories.
(as 1g of fat has 9kcal and protein & carbs have 4kcal/1g)

From my Fitday the other day:

Total: 1429 Calories
Fat:108 970 69%
Carbs:40 75 5%
Protein:90 360 26%

It all depends on what you eat. Other days the procentage can be different, more fat, less protein, but it will always end up 100 % total.

I don't like Fitday, but it helps me to keep control. Most of us does not eat enough of one or the other (fat, carbs, protein).....In Fitday the other day I found I was way under in carbs that day. Through the programme I found out I could meet my target by eating a tomato etc. It's all a learning process, and it does not work for everybody. But it helped me and it might, just might, help somebody else. We're all different, but when you've stalled for a long time, it's better to try other ways of doing stuff instead of giving up. I wish it was more simple......

About the refeed, - as I understand it, it can be done in different ways. It's about finding the method that works for you....and if refeed is for you at all. The same as for any other advise. I agree with Nat, learn to be an expert on yourself, what makes YOU lose or stall.....like I said it is a learning process. I'm still a novice and learning every day.

thanks
 

thanks alot folks. But I have heard all of it before, and nothing works. But I will stick with it. Here's my fitday
http://www.fitday.com/webfit/public...l?owner=Lacey+O

I was thinging the same thing Lacey, when I read the responding posting. I know you have been around here for a while. Like me you know all the rules, and can easily advice others on what to do and what not to do. It is hard for some to realize that you can do all the right things and still stall out. I am not ready to go back to my old ways. That would just kill everything I have done. Right now I am fighting to make myself step on the scale everyday. I am afraid if I advoid it to long the news will be bad indeed. The only thing I take comfort in is the fact that I know I am still in ketosis. Although I may not be losing, at least I am not gaining.

Hopefully one day my body will give it up and kick back into gear.

I am with the stallers %100 percent. Would really like to see the breakdown of an exact meal plan from some of the the more successful stall breakers. Just any kind of general day with typical foods would be helpful to me. Thanks and good luck to all the fellow stall queens.

Hey Lacy O,

when you make jello-pudding... are you making it with skim milk as the box says??
I made it for myself about 1 week ago... and i used 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 1/4 cup water... instead of the 2cups of skim milk.. it took longer to set but it tasted awesome...
I did notice that i have lost nada this week... not sure if that causing me to slow on lose??

Maybe you should try cutting out dry cream in your coffee and the aspartame?? I know you have already tried to take this out and nothing but maybe you should try going back to induction only foods....

I am not the expert as I have not been stalled for over 2 weeks... but thought i would try to help...
It also looks like you are not getting enough calories??
I think you need to eat more...

Good luck hun... we are all rooting for you :)

I am reading a book called "The Secret to low carb success". In this book it states that your body can convert 50% of the protein you eat into glucose. It also says if you are stalled it could be because you are eating too much protein.

I have not been stalled, but have been losing very slowly the last 4 weeks (around 1 lb a week). Looking at my fitday stats, I was eating over 100 grams of protein a day, the highest day I consumed 156 grams. This week I decided to try keeping my protein between 85-100 grams a day and have lost 4 lbs. I am also trying to up my fat grams by snacking on macadamia nuts and adding more olive oil when I cook. Could just be a coincidence, but I am going to continue limiting protein and see what the outcome is in future weeks.

I find it frustrating that this WOE needs so much fine tuning for each individual. What works for one person doesn't work for all. I have no intention of giving up, but I find this one point nerve wracking!! I am still trying to find out what works the best for me.

Hi Lacey,

Have you tried cutting back on salt? I noticed from your fitday that you eat a lot of salty foods - bacon, pepperoni, cheese, pork rinds, etc. This can cause you to retain a lot of water.

Also maybe drop the powdered cream substitute in your coffee (though I see you don't use this everyday).

Processed foods might be contributing as well. They often have a lot of hidden carbs. Try eating plainer foods for a while - meat and veggies with some dairy.

I note some days you don't use Fitday. It's not for everyone, but I've found it really helpful. On those days that you don't record your food, are you still carefully watching carbs? Sometimes when we cook for others it can be easy to pop a mouthful of that or a spoonful of this without thinking. Is that a possibility?

It's great you're continuing to stick it out. I'm sure you'll discover a breakthrough soon.

Good luck!

I've been in a several-MONTH stall since quitting smoking, and I've recently made the switch to the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet. It's been about a week and a half, and I've finally lost a pound.

Between "shaking up" my diet, and exercising more, I'm finally starting to lose again!

I wouldn't recommend changing plans to everyone, but it seems to be working for me.

WOW....I'm sooooooooooooooo happy to know I'm not alone in this waiting game. My nerves are just about plucked. Up two pounds this am. Nothing in 7 weeks inches nor pounds. I'm starting to get depressed, I get depressed, I eat, trying not to to eat 4 million calories a day.

Ok, I have gone thru your fitday, and I have to say the following:

Many days you have been having less than 700 calories a day.
Only few times you arrived to eat 20 gms of carbs.
Other times you have eaten more than 60 gms.
You eat to little fat and to many proteins, and of course, your percentages don't look right.

Remember that in order to loose fat, you need to eat FAT.

I suggest you re-read the book from page 1.
Work on the right percentages as Nille mentioned.
Eat more Fat , less proteins, 20 grams of carbs, and more calories.
You have been starving yourself (check August), and this is the reason why you are getting STUCK.
Drink lots and lots of water.

I have spent time checking your fitday, so I will really aprreciate you take a look at it and analize it yourself. Copy and paste all the percentages into word on in your diary. You will be able to see what I am talking about.

This is a copy of my post at a different thread. It maybe of help here.

Measuring could be a more accurate indication of losing weight than using the scale. Here is why:

When you lose body fat, water may get into some of the empty fat cells replacing the fat. This could make you notice no change in your weight and could lead you to believe that you are "stalling".

When your body retains water, it stores the water evenly all over the body surface not specifically in the areas where fat has been. This is why in this case you notice that your waist, chest and hips measurments indicate that you have lost weight although your scale indicates no loss.

After an unpredictable amount of time, your body will release the retained water and you will notice a sudden drop in your weight.

It is good to know that the body fat loss is a continuous process, we actually never stall as long as we are in the state of ketosis. The water retaining/releasing cycle is what makes us believe so.

As you come closer to your goal weight, your body fat loss slows down to a degree that the water cycle becomes the most important factor in your weight fluctuation.

I was stalled for three weeks due to sugar-free ice cream. After just four days of not eating it, I am back in ketosis and have lost 2 lbs.! :yay: