I am getting frustrated...mostly because I have no patience. Never have had. I want somethig and I want it NOW!! Same is true of my weight.

I have been absolutely faithful to atkins since Monday. I have given up all alcohol (not easy for me), have consumed a lot of water against my gag reflex , I have exercised diligently each evening on my treadmill (which broke, but that's another story), and I was still not in ketosis yesterday and still not losing a single ounce. So, out of desperation, yesterday, I did a "sorta" fat fast, and ate nothing but a small amoutn of pepperoni, cream cheese, and macadamia nuts with LOTS of water yesterday. I even purchased some metabolite, L-Glutamine, Calcium, and multivitamins. Yesterday, I began measuring to keep tabs on that.

So, what happened when I got up this morning?

Well, my lipolysis strip showed a small amount of ketones.

BUT, I had gained 1/2 a pound!!!


I have not changed my weight on this board, because it means I'd have to change it up and down in a 1 1/2 pound range every day. I have yet to go below the 194 I was at when I started.

I swear, I am doing everything I can. I'm really bored by the one day fat fast thing, and I've been doing it today, but I'm tempted to eat a salad or some greens or something with a steak. It would still be induction, but I don't know if it will hurt me or harm me.

I am losing patience (as I said, I have none to begin with). I keep trying to keep focused on the fact that I'm finally in ketosis, and to hang in there....but it's tough. In the past, I dropped 5 lbs by this time...and I know...Nat warned me it might be harder...and actually, Nat, it's your words that have kept me hanging in there....

I've decided to keep trying lc faithfully until the second week of January. By that time, if I've had no success, I may join WW, which holds meetings right at my place of work. Both lc and WW have given me results in the past in the short run, but I haven't stuck it out longer than a couple of weeks. So, I figure I'll keep giving induction, if necessary, a try until a month from now....but I swear, I'll need help hanging in there....

Thanks for listening to me whine.

but for low carb to succeed it has to become a way of life and it sounds to me like you're wanting a quick fix. Do you plan to go back to your old ways of eating if the quick fix works? If you do, then you may as well can the diet right now and avoid both the frustration and training your body even more to resist losing weight. If, on the other hand, you mean to keep to low carb then try to tell yourself this is what you do from now on because it makes you feel better and weight loss is a nice side effect.
Because, having been in the trap myself when I first started, I can tell you you're setting yourself up for failure and disappointment if everything hangs on the wee stix and the minuscule movements of the scales.
I apologise if I sound like I'm preaching here, but, as they say, nothing worth having was ever easy to achieve. The only consolation with this way of life is that, if you stick to it, it will work.

Whether I like it or not doesn't matter...I appreciate the feedback and whatever will help me. I have tough skin and a need for help.

I am not looking for a quick fix....really, I'm not. I am perfeclty willing to make lc a way of life IF IT WORKS. On the one hand, I know it works for others...but for it to be a way of life for ME, it needs to work for ME! I just want to see some progress...some movement forward...something, anything that will give me a ray of hope and help me stick with it. There is no point in making something a WOL if it doesn't work, is there?

I didn't mean to imply that if by january I will quit if I don't reach a certain goal. Only that it seems to me that in a month from now there should be SOME kind of movement forward, SOME progress, SOME indication that it is worth hanging onto and making a WOL.

I have little patience. However, I don't want a quick fix...only a SIGN that things are happening. Ketosis is one of them...but for an example, ketosis alone, with no weight loss, no loss in inches, and only gain, especially if it should continue after a month of faithful lc, would be kind of pointless to keep going on it would seem....

Or have people here had such experiences for a month...where you lose nothing, perhaps gain, even with faithful lc...even in induction....??

people have had all sort of experiences, from losing quickly to not losing quickly, from losing only every three weeks in a five pound woosh, to losing like clockwork. I predict you'll lose soon, like most of us. If you don't lose more than a few pounds in induction, then you'll know you need to stay with induction and that your likely life-long relationship to carbs should be one of eating only veggies, rare servings of berries, and no sugar or grains ever. But you're not at that point yet. Stay off the scale if you can. Once you do get an induction loss, weigh only once a month. That way, you'll focus on behavior, not minute-to-minute results.

If you stay LC, by the way, your impatience with this and everything else in life may well start to abate. Being out of hormonal whack and having massive amounts of adrenaline flowing through us is a typical hyperinsulemic profile. I was reminded of this myself, big-time, when I lasped for a month and was snarly and impatient at work and felt entirely antisocial.

Hang in there, and best of luck to you!

Tikerberi-

I can totally relate to your feeling a lack of patience... I am well known for demanding results immediately as opposed to having the resolve it requires to be patient. This applies to my career, relationships, and weight loss. I've been on Atkin's for 5mo- and the majority of my weight was lost in the first 2 mo.

After I seemed to hit a plateau I got a bit discouraged and began to cheat... however, I started noticing the physical/mental benefits I had gained from LCing and made the decision to return to that WOL. Now, I am back to losing but sloooooowly... so all I can say is- hang in there! The benefits I think make the required discipline and patience worth it.

Good Luck!

I notice in your profile you listed "Atkin's kinda". What exactly is that?

Try reading Protein Power or CAD as well. Pick a diet you know you can stick with. If you are feeling too deprived on Atkin's you will get frustrated and can the diet.

As others have said this isn't a quick fix. It's a way of life. Think of it this way....if you are frustrated now at not losing a pound in a week, what will you be like off the diet and gaining weight a year from now?

If you are following Atkin's then do the two week induction. Nuts, pepperoni are NOT on the induction list. It's back to square one for you. I know it's hard to get use to, but in order to suceed you MUST stop playing mind games with yourself. "Well this isn't working, I will do it my way", isn't an option here. Follow the plan to a T. As Atkin's put it "Just one little bite won't hurt" mindset is the kiss of death on this diet.

If you have yo-yo dieted in the past, then yes it will be hard for you to lose weight. You MUST drink lots of water on this diet. Min 64 ozs a day, not all at once to where you gag yourself. You MUST eat. Not eating enough calories a day is in my opinion the number one staller. People forget to eat and all of a sudden they stop losing.


Don't give up. You are not being fair to your body by giving up so quickly. It takes time for your metobolism to convert to fat burner, by jumping back and forth it NEVER adjusts.

Good luck to you.

The "atkins kinda" is back from 9/8 when I first started and was following both atkins and other suggestions on this list.'

However, I'm now doing atkins (not kinda) as of 12/10. I just didn't change it in my profile. He doesn't allow nuts and pepperoni on induction but on the Fat Fast (for extreme metabolic resistance) the first thing he suggests is handfuls of macadamia nuts interspersed with cream cheese. I got the idea of pepperoni from someone online who said they did it with the nuts and cream cheese and managed to break a stall. (I only noticed this morning, after more closely reading atkins..prompted by your post, agonycat....and read the package too, and saw that it contains nitrites and atkins says that's not allowed...shoulda read closer to begin with) However, I couldn't handle it anyway, and so after only a day of that, I'm back on regular induction with less than 20 g carbs...I need a few carbs in the form of veggies. I'm also willing to recognize where the pepperoni may have set me back. But that's okay...I'll keep on trying.

I don't want to give up yet, and I haven't. I only asked for help and support because I know myself, and I need help and support to hang in there.

I appreciate all I've received so far.

Tikerberi, I would suggest you start induction all over again. From the beginning. Start it today if you haven't had too many carbs yet

You have only been on the diet for 6 days now and already messed up by the nuts and pepperoni. I believe when Atkin's said about the "extreme metabolic resistance" he was referring to those that had been on the diet for a month or so with zero loss, not simply a few days like yourself.

My recommendation for you is this: Start induction all over. You are banned from the scales for the next two weeks so you don't sabotage yourself again.

You can not have nuts, processed meats (includes pepperoni!) for two weeks.

Have you started a journal yet? If not you may want to start one and list daily your food intake. This way we can see if you are eating enough, and eating the correct foods.

Keep your chin up It gets better!

I HAVE been keeping a journal, and it's posted under T-Z journals. I really didn't have more than 20 g carbs per day...just less calories and more fat. However, don't look at the first half of my journal if you check it....that's from back in september. The last week is in the second half of my journal. I've been tracking it all on fitday too, which is how I've been counting grams of carbs, fat, etc.

Do you really think I should start over today? Actually, somehow, the idea appeals to me.....though I'm still not convinced it's necessary. It seems somehow more appealing to start over now after a week, rather than adding a week later...

Hm....I actually already planned today's menu.

breakfast
3 soft boiled eggs

lunch
2 cups salad greens
diced turkey
creamy caesar dressing

dinner
perch filets in butter
collard greens with bacon

lots of water
diet sprite

On fitday, the quantities I used come out to about 1500 calories, with only about 15 g carbs.

I haven't been hungry lately, and while sometimes I want more, lately I have a hard time making myself eat it. Last night, I left half a porkchop because it wouldn't go down...I just didn't want it.

I will post what I actually at today to my journal tonight. I really want to make this work, and appreciate your help.

Your menu looks yummy today

I would make a clean start of it, if it was me. That is normally what I do if I throw myself out of ketosis. I guess it is sort of a mental thing with me. Even though I can get into ketosis in 3 days....I normally go induction for 2 full weeks to train myself not to cheat or be tempted to break out again. heheh Do that a few times and those donuts the guys bring into work for breakfast just don't look that good anymore

I would go up to 1800 to 2000 calories a day for your current weight. 1500 seems a bit on the low end.

You and I started about the same weight and we are about the same height. Main difference was I lost 35 pounds in the first 2 months and been holding steady since then (started in April). I don't let it bother me at all. At least I am not gaining weight, and I feel a lot better which is what counts in the long run. I figure I am due up for a whoosh soon, maybe it will be my Christmas present santa brings me

*hugs!*

You mentioned that you usually start over wnen you knock yourself out of ketosis.

I wasn't in ketosis UNTIL i did that goofy pepperoni, nut, cheese thing. I'm still in ketosis.

However, as I said, I kinda find the idea of starting over quite okay. Then I don't have to be frustrated over this past week...I can start afresh. After all, I can't be frustrated if I've only been on induction one day, right?

I'll do whatever I have to and tell myself whatever I have to in order to stick with it.

Thanks again. ((((agonycat))))

P.S. I'll try to hike the calories up. I "hear" Nat's "voice" in my head about that as well!

Hi Tikerberi

I also had a hard time staying in ketosis and nuts would definitely pull me right out. My best signal for entering ketosis was a slight headache in the forehead area at the very beginning. This is caused by a temporary low-glucose reaction.

All processed meats are a big NO - NO. Ground beef should be viewed with great suspicion because they sneak in sugar, starches or other carbs. Don't believe the labels. A lot of veggies will also prevent me from losing weight. I must be well below 20 gm carbs. Read my story on my web page:

The Ultimate Nutrition Program for Healing and Health

Read Atkins' and take a multi-vitamin plus alpha lipoic acid, chromium and vitamin E.

Try these suggestions:

Breakfast:
3 soft boiled eggs (as someone else suggested).
Absolutely nothing else. This is zero carbs.
This is my breakfast 70% of the time.

Mid morning snack:
Four fair size pieces of fried pork skin chips with drink.
Absolutely nothing else.

Lunch:
4 oz. fresh meat, fish or chicken.
Small helping of salad without starchy veggies.
No potatoes, yams, carrots, beets, turnips, etc.
Almond oil with wine vinegar --- this is awesome.
Gives the Omega 6 requirement.
1 or 2 tablespoon of Carlson's Lemon Flavored Cod Liver Oil.
Give the Omega 3 requirement.
Absolutely nothing else.

Mid afternoon snack:
One string cheese.
Absolutely nothing else.

Dinner:
6 oz. fresh meat, fish or chicken.
Few non-starchy veggies with any dressings.
Absolutely nothing else.

Avoid all diet colas. The citric acid blocks ketosis and they can easily cause heart beat irregularities. I know this personally.

Eating a lot of calories even though they are permissible can prevent weight loss in people like you and me.

Try herb teas and especially green teas. Personally, the high water intake did nothing for me but do drink so you are never thirsty.

Keep us informed,
Kent