283 -> 140 Can it be done?
 

Hi Everyone,

I have 143lbs to loose (lost a few in the past few weeks at last weigh-in I was 272). I have heard of many success stories of people who have lost weight low-carbing. I am hoping I can be one of them.

I have been low-carbing for 4 weeks, and initially I was loosing. But the past 10 days I started to gain. I had been sticking to the eating plan, and it was abit disheartening because I didn't know what I was doing wrong.

I fell off the wagon 2 days ago, but I don't want to get back into old habits and have joined this forum to keep me motivated. I am also hoping that I can find advise that will help me understand why I might gain wieght even though I am sticking to the eating plan.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this. I really want to do this! I don't want to be another fad diet that i give-up on.

:-)

I'm basically in the same boat and I think my problem is sugar alcohols. Many people here find that sugar alcohols keep them from losing weight. Also meds could be causing problems. The support here is tremendous so hang on, someone will come up with an answer that rings true for you!

Food like hot dogs and bacon have alot of sodium too, so keep away from those. I use real bacon instead of the one's in the frozen section of the market.

Drink lots of water and be sure to be getting plenty of fats in your food, like olive oil, coconut oil and so forth.

If your in Induction, stay away from the LC bars and shakes for now they stall alot of people.

Good luck,

Lily

Thanks for the reply and your support.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what are sugar alcohols? Do you mean from drinking liquor, wine or beer?

Hi Lanie,

Welcome to the TDC.


You most definitely can lose 143 pounds! I am going for 130 and 143 isn't much past that so you have come to the right place!!

I was looking for an old thread that talks about the week 3/4 phenomenon. It's very common that you lose very well in weeks 1 and 2 and then in week 3 and possibly week 4, you lose nothing or go back up a bit. This is just part of the process (and I am sure someone else will post the reasons for you). Bottom line -- don't give up, the weight will definitely start coming off again and you'll be happy with the results!

Louise

Hi Lily,

Thanks for your advise and support.

I take it that sodium is a probelm? I do have bacon a few times a week - prepacked, but not frozen.

I am not sure if I am getting enough fat, right now I guess I average about 100g per day (based on today's FitDay.com info - I just signed up to help me keep track). What is a good average per day of fat?

Not been eating any LC bars or shakes. Basically I have been sticking to fresh food, with some prepackaged items like meats, or Slim Jims. But I have been eating tomatoe, lettuce and brocolli every day - in small amounts.

I do find that I often forget to eat though, and I have been wondering if I am eating enough. Hence signing up for FitDay.com. I am hoping that this will help me get a better picture of where I am on a daily basis with my carb and fat counts, and also let me know if I am not actually eating enough calories.

Thanks again, I appreciate your insight.

:-)

Hi Louise,

Thanks for your post and your words of support. It is so encouraging to see someone like yourself who is doing so well. Congratulations on your weight lose so far.

We had a similar start weight and have a similar goal. So your success is something that will act as some inspiration for me. I would love to be under 200 lbs. I have an entire hamper full of clothes waiting for me to get there!

I look forward to chatting with you, Lily and everyone esle here ongoingly. I think it is going to be a big help.

Thanks again,

Lanie

Sure it can be done, although according to your profile you are 5'9-1/2" tall and 140 sounds a little low to me. However, you have to decide to do it. If you keep going back and forth between eating lowcarb and high carb you will not lose the weight. If the scale is bothering you, try staying away from it for a few weeks.

I find that I only lose if I stay away from all lowcarb fankenfoods -- shakes, bars, artificial sugars, lowcarb breads and cereals, etc. I eat meat, fish, chicken, eggs, tons of vegetables, some cheese, some berries, occasional melon, and some nuts. I make my own salad dressings with olive oil and red wine vinegar. I've lost consistently for 1-1/2 years now, although it has slowed down.

Hi lanie! :)

I see you and I have the same starting weights so I wanted to stop by! I really think this way of eating can be done. You just need the right mindset. Things may not always go yoru way and I have gone up and down as well but I think in the end if you can stick with it, you'll get the best results possible! I have also had a stall of a little more than a month but I just sticked with it and now my weight is going down again!

Best wishes to you on your new way of eating!

I think you can be successful. Those sugar alcohols are in the sugar-free low carb candy and bars. I wouldn't worry too much about the bacon. If you drink alot of water, it will even out. I swear by fit-day because it really does keep you honest. I'm in a 3-4 month stall right now but I was overdoing it with the sugar-free chocolate and I think those sugar alcohols really do cause a weight gain or stall. good luck

I agree with Liz that 140 MAY be low for you depending on your build. In other words, go for where you feel comfortable and good about yourself, not for a number on the scale. Some of the people on the forum who don't have much to lose in the first place or who are near goal seem to beat themselves up for not hitting that magical number rather than looking at how they look and feel physically. Some bodies are just meant to weigh more.

The cardinal rules: water, some form of exercise (don't overdo in the beginning or you'll give up), keep the carbs you do eat healthy, realize that this is a way of eating/life-it doesn't happen all at once, don't stress out it you're not perfect, enjoy how much better you feel eating this way and the time will pass anyway so make the best use of it you can and the weight will pass also!

Connie

Hi Lanie,

My fat intake falls between 75-85%. Especially now that I've started taking the coconut oil.

Sodium, retains water. Tuna has 250g's of it. So I only eat tuna once a week sometims less.

I found myself in the beginning not eating enough also, but once I started eating more and with more fat I started losing weight. I average now about 10 pounds a month. Hopefully it'll continue that path.

Good job on using Fitday that is a very helpful site.

Keep up the good work,

lanie,

It's very common as your body adjust to it's new diet to stall in the 3rd or 4th week. You can't expect the rapid weight loss the 1st two weeks to continue throughout. What you can expect though if you stay on the WOE is to lose 1-3 pounds average a week. This means if you lose:
Wk1 = 5 lbs
Wk2 = 0
wk3 = 0
wk 4 = 3

You'll have lost 2lbs a week. Which is good.

Yes, it can be done, but it will take a while. I'm in the same boat. Low-carbing does work, but I do notice it seems to be a less consistent form of weight loss (measured on a week to week basis) for a lot of people. But as the poster mentioned above, when you average it out, you are losing well. Don't let weeks of not losing get you down, tough it out and the weight will come off.

Valerie

Yes it can be done.

Think of it in terms of 30/50lbs goals than the full goal.

Its easier to maintain enthuaism this way

Good Luck