Hi all,

I was going to wait another week before posting this and see if anything happens, but I'm beginning to get a little discouraged, and really don't want to be discouraged!!!

Today is my 22nd day in induction, and so far have been really enjoying it, feeling great, and I certainly have no intention of abandoning this WOE. However, my primary goal is to lose weight. And so far, I have possible lost 2 lbs (I say possibly because I know what I was a month before starting, and am guessing I had gained 4 lbs since then). So, I weighed myself a week into induction, changed my stats to what they are now, and have not lost a thing since then. I'm not measuring myself, however, my clothes are not feeling any looser either.

I have previously posted my menus and people have commented that they could find nothing in them that would be causing me problems. I'm not exercising as much as I should be, but I would have thought I'd still be seeing a least small weight loss all the same. My ratios of Fat/carbs/protein are as advised, I used fitday for several days to keep a check on this.

I am possibly not drinking enough water, it is generally 64oz a day, but may occaisionaly be a little shy of that.

Is there anyway to tell if you are metabolically resistant? Other than the obvious symptoms!

My journal has my menus for the last few days, I update it every day. If any one has suggestions, please let me know. I have a lot of weight to lose and am committed to losing it, but this is very disheartening.

Thanks in advance,
Tebs.

Hi Tebs.
Sorry to hear about you hovering. I haven't checked your menues (too sleepy right now), I just wanted to wish you the best of luck. I'm sure you'll find a way out of this one way or another. Whether it will be Atkins Fat Fast or maybe KISS? Someone else will probably come along soon, giving you more advanced tips.

Please don't give in!

/gil

I looked at your journal just a sec and it looks like maybe you are not getting enough calories? Others here know more than I do about this but I think I would up your calories a bit and see if that helps.
~Cindy

Thanks Gilibel and JustCindy.

I must admit I had wondered about my calories, but I am never hungry!!! Except when I first get home from work, and then I have a light snack. Sometimes I have to force myself to eat just because I know I should.

I can't say I entirely understand why having more calories can increase weight loss. Perhaps I'd better do some more research!

Thanks you 2. ;0)

First of all, only weight yourself once a day at most and at the same time each day. Morning when you are first awake before eating is when many enjoy doing it. If you weigh yourself in the middle of the day, you are also weighing all the foods, water, fluid retention, and so on from the day.

You might also want to cut out the dairy. You seem to eat quite a bit of it. For some people (like mea) dairy means no loss at all.

The sugar free jello and other asperteme products can also stall some people. Since you are having trouble losing it would be a good idea to cut those out completely for a while.

You are also not doing induction. Since you've added nuts and other foods in, it becomes OWL at 20g a day instead of induction


You might try doing KISS as suggested. Basically that's meats, veggies, and fats for a while. It can get a tad boring, but it could jump start your loss. Then add back in some of the other foods slowly and see how you react to them to try and figure out the trigger. Also you might want to get an account at www.fitday.com to be sure you are eating a high percentage of fat and to see how many calories you actually are getting a day.



Remember that our bodies still think we are cavemen. Occasionaly havign too few claories won't be a problem, and having too many all the time can cause a gain. Consistantly having too few calories though will signal your body that there is a famine going on. Your body will hang on to its energy stores (ie fat) to insure it's survivial. Yes you can get skinny starving, but it may take a while to deplete those stores. (I'm not suggesting your starving, just meaning the very skinny anorexics). At the same time your body will slow down all functions it doesn't deem nessecary for survival (your metabolism slowing.

How many calories is too few or too many though is an extreamly personal thing based on your unique body and it's needs.

Thanks for your comments LadyBelle.

Just one thing though - I've noticed a lot of people here say that if you eat nuts you are not in induction, however according to DANDR and also the Atkins website, nuts can be part of induction, but NOT during the first 2 weeks of induction. Yes, I know induction is a minimum of 2 weeks, but quoting from the web site:

"We don't recommend eating them during the first two weeks of Induction. But after that if you are continuing to lose steadily, you can try introducing some. "

And this is talking about Induction Phase only, NOT OWL. (Yes, I appreciate they mention if you are losing steadily, which I am not, so will cut them out for now to see if it helps, but just wanted to clarify that point).

What are the other non-induction foods you've noticed that I've added? Because I've been quite careful to avoid non-induction foods. And did not add the nuts in until I'd finished my first 2 weeks of Induction.

Thanks again,
Jane.

DANDR also mentions the possiblility of wheat allergies as being culprits in the lack of weightloss. Metabolic resistance or thyroid problems can also be a factor. I would investigate those factores because even if you eat something that is not allowed, you should still lose some weight, if I am not mistaken. Unless something has changed since I was on induction, lack of weightloss can be atributed to these things.

Black57

Our bodies fight to survive. That is all they know. If calories are too low the body will fight to hold on to fat to prevent starvation. A good diet - Low carb - permits us to feed our bodies and the body will realize that it won't starve and it will give way to those pounds. I make sure that I eat 3 meals a day. I make sure that I am comfortably full without gorging myself. Even while I was going through periods of no appetite, I ate AND I lost weight. I also beleive that eating, while having very little or no appetite, helped to restore my appetite.

JMHO,
Black57

Just had a quick look at your journal.

I agree, you do seem to have a lot of dairy in your menus. If you post your quantities this will help. Are you measuring your quantities or guesstimating?

The squash is quite high in carbs.

The meat in the Subway salad likely has quite a bit of sodium and sugar in it.

To get your weight loss started, I would go back and do a strict induction - no nuts, no LC treats or desserts, limit deli meat and other processed foods, and no veggies not on the approved list. Measure and weigh all your food to make sure your portions are the size you think they are. Carefully track all carbs. Be obsessive for two weeks! It's not that long.

Then if you still have no loss, consider the solutions DANDR offers for those with high metabolic resistance.

Good luck! Hang in there.

Hello there !

I'm with you on the nuts - and I for one LOVE macadamias !
BUT
that does not mean I can have them... If I eat macadamias my weight will not budge. I've tried to introduce them 3 times during this WOE, and with the same result every time..... NO weight movement.

(I checked with Atkins center a while back, and according to them - Induction is Induction only if you follow Induction rules "by the book", when you start adding other stuff, you're technically in OWL even if you stay around 20 carbs. Guess the book can be "read and understood" differently. This has also been discussed in other forums and as far as I can see they've reached the same conclusion - so LadyBelle is right !)

Of you have a high metabolic resistance it might be necessary for you to count calories also. Atkins recommend 10-12 % your present body weight in calories..... A quick glance at your journal makes me wonder if your body is in "starvation mode" like others have suggested here. You don't seem to be eating enough of some stuff - veggies (not just salads) and too much of others (cheese). Check the SF Jello - might contain Aspartame, known as a staller for some......

Entering your food in Fitday might me a good help for you to check if you are in fact eating enough carbs and calories. Some people find 65-70 % fat, 25-30 % protein and 5 % carbs works for them.

Good luck !!

FYI...dairy for me is evil...slows/stalls me all the time in the past. I now only allow myself 2 oz of cheese and 2 servings of 1/2 & 1/2 in a.m. with coffee and its helping me shed pounds/inches faster.

Hello Tebs,
Your problems seem so much like mine. I feel satisfied with the amount that I am eating (not hungry) and don't have much appetite but the calorie intake may not be enough. I am going to take some of the suggestions that the other lowcarbers have offered and run with them. I don't fully understand the fat,carb,protein ratio thing. I'll reread some of my book and try to understand that. I haven't yet tried the fitday site.
Good luck with getting over the stall.
2muchofme

I guess the recommended ratio of 65-70%fat, 25-30% protein and 4-6% carbs has developed from the fact that our body burns energy in the backwards order. First it relies on carbs for fuel (or alcohol), then protein and lastly fat. Since our goal is to stick to 20g carbs during induction, the protein and fat have to be "distributed" optimally (is there such a word?). The more fat we eat, the more the body has to rely on burning already stored fat (the whole idea of ketosis). But we also need a certain (adequate) amount of protein, for our muscles sake f.ex. And since another rule of thumb is to eat our bodyweight in lbs x 10-12 (depending on lifestyle), this percentage ratio has been proven to work for most people in order to get enough (high amounts of) fat and adequate amounts of protein while staying on 20g carbs.

The percentage ratio will change slightly during OWL an onwards (fat % will get lower as the carb % gets higher.)

Some people, with a metabolic resistance, are recommended to try the so called "Fat Fast" - but only if this resistance has been thoroughly proven. Then the fat% is drastically raised (up to 90%) for a week or two, in order to speed up the burning of stored fat.

Another way of kick starting is to follow the KISS (Keep It Simple, Sweetie) regimen for a couple of weeks. KISS is basically a stricter version of Induction, with no processed food at all. Here are the Rules for Kiss. And here are some other Guidelines for Kiss. There is a KISS challenge thread on this forum as well.

So, now I think I've confused everybody even more.

/gil

Nah, Gilster, I think your're doing a great job explaining and making things clear ! Keep the info flowing girlie !

Hugs

Thanks for the explanation. By George, I think I've got it. I did read the book but there was so much to comprehend that I think some of the info just bounced off the top of my brain. I'm going to check out the KISS. I wondered what those initials meant. You're very helpful. I really appreciate that and I'm sure all the other Newbies do too.
Janice