Hi everyone.

A lot of the posts I see around here tend to be along the lines of "I've stalled.. it won't go away."

{soapbox mode}

Well, I started Atkins on April 25th, have been moderately religious, and lost about 14 pounds through induction.

After that, I lost almost nothing.

I kept going, a little frustrated, but just kept eating right, and trying to get my exercise in. I watched my water intake, and my salt intake.

In the past 10 days, I've managed to lose another 3.5 pounds. (and another notch on the belt.)

I've also seen a number of posts where people claim they can't exercise. Don't fib. When I started general low-carbing, I weighed over 325 lbs. I have a neurological condition that makes walking challenging and difficult.

I started with very basic Yoga (for Dummies on DVD -- Highly recommended) and have since worked up to the point where I'm at the gym 2-3 times per week and doing my Yoga 2 of the other days of the week.

The key is to start slow. Do something that will get you into the habit without making you feel like death. If I can do it, I know that the vast majority of you can too. I've said it before -- there's a reason the Chapter about exercise in DANDR is called "Exercise: It's Non-Negotiable."

So, remember -- if you're stalled, be mindful of what you're eating. Don't get discouraged. Keep exercising. All good things come to those who wait.

This lifestyle may be challenging for you, but it's better for your health, long-term, even if you're not losing weight. Stick with it, though, and you will be rewarded.
Sorry if I was overly preachy.

{/soapbox}

Hogarth

Well said, Hogarth!!

Pre-Atkins, I started to change my habits in stages:

At first, I just started drinking water, without changing my diet.
20 #s and 2 months later, I started general low carb.
20 #s and 6 months later, I started exercising.

Now I am on Atkins and exercise 3/4 times a week without a second thought. This is my new WOE and way of Life I guess you could say.
2 years ago I would have laughed at the idea, not anymore!!

And about those 'stalls'...to me a stall would be stopping this WOE altogether. I mean, not losing a pound in a couple of weeks??
For 10 years, I never even got ON a scale!

Anyway, I will get down from MY soapbox now,
Congrats again on all you've accomplished!

Anita

Thanks for the encouragement. I've been having a terrible week, work wise, and I came home and ranted at my husband about...NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT BREAD AND STILL NOT LOSING ANY WEIGHT! He just looked at me like I was an insane person. The real issue was work. Not food. Normally I would have run to the bag of tortilla chips and salsa and chowed the whole dang thing. So one thing Atkins is helping me with is recognizing my emotional eating habits. I am, indeed, feeling "stalled" and wish I could see some progress (three weeks now...) The frustration builds. I've stopped weighing myself and now even stopped measuring because it only depresses me to see no progress. I'll just keep on keepin on.
I exercise. I ride my two horses nearly every day (vigoursly, not just poking along on the trail) I go to yoga two or three times a week. I don't know if I could fit in anymore given the fact that I have a farm and a full time job. That's the part that frustrates me.

How do you get out of a stall? Is is just a waiting game? Is it just patience and persistence? Or do you analyze everything again? It's really hot right now and I have no appetite- perhaps I'm not eating "enough"?

Yes!

For me, It's all those things.

I monitored my salt intake more carefully, added some macadamia nuts with low salt content to control cravings, and up my % cal from fat, and waited, waited, waited.

Hogarth

I weighed something over 170 (a tight size 16, needing an 18) in 1995. I took a 7-week summer job as Girl Scout Resident Camp Cook. I ate (almost) everything I cooked, which was laden with carbs (I was under the impression then that low-fat was healthy, and planned camp meals as low fat as I could get them). I was in the camp kitchen from 5:30 AM till 7 PM, on my feet (and grazing) most of the day. By some miracle I lost 7 pounds that summer. Probably from standing all day.

Motivated by that loss I started changing my eating habits, one meal at a time. First I cut out the buttered popcorn or ice cream as a bed time snack (a habit picked up from my husband at the time). Then I cut out the 4-6 slices of buttered toast for breakfast. At the same time I started morning walks around the neighborhood.

It wasn't long before I was a size 14 again. I don't know the weight as I didn't have a scale.

I got involved with a year-long cave survey here in Huntsville. It involved a 2-hour caving trip two afternoons a week, and I usually went caving all day on Saturday or Sunday. Caving is like hiking over boulders, carrying a 25 lb pack, except it's in the dark, cold, and wet. By the end of the year I was in size 12 pants. My only diet modifications were the ones mentioned above. The increased physical activity is fully responsible for the weight loss.

One of my caving buddies invited me to the gym with him one afternoon. I discovered the benefits of working out in a more formal manner. I joined a local gym, and after about 2 years there got down to a size 8 pants. And I had changed to a low-fat diet, based on what my caving buddy ate (except I didn't drink NEARLY as much beer as he did). I was hungry when I tried to lose more weight by restricting calories, and usually ended up bingeing in response.

For the last 3 years my gym attendance has been hit-or-miss. I've had ACL replacement surgery and two rotator cuff surgeries in the last 3 years, which has limited my gym attendance some. And increased work responsibilites have also wreaked havoc with my schedule. But if I don't get to the gym I will make an effort to walk, get on the treadmill or exercise bike, or do some kind of physical activity.

My weight has fluctuated in the last three years between 143 lbs and 125 lbs, and my size 8 pants have gone back and forth from tight to loose. Last summer I started Atkins and lost down to about 127 lbs. Over the school year I gained it back, and my exercise was almost nonexistant. My pants grimly reminded me that I had to change something!

So when school was out I started Atkins again, but more importantly, I have been reliably going to the gym or doing time on my treadmill. My weight is starting to drop again, slowly, but steadily.

So that is my story. The point of it is, in case anyone missed it, is that it's not necessarily diet alone that causes weight loss, but exercise! Of course, diet is a contributing factor, but the body's metabolism is higher with exercise and increased muscle mass. Exercise doesn't have to be formal "gym" exercise. There are lots of fun way to get physical activity in. Anything is better than sitting.

My goal for the rest of the summer -- lose 15 lbs of fat, gain 5 lbs of muscle.

Joan

Thats great. I think we can all use a little encouragement sometimes Hogarth. I'm on week 4 of induction. I chart my weight once a week but weigh myself everyday even though its against my better judgement.

When we first start out this plan, its exciting and new. The first couple of weeks you really see the weight drop, pork rinds are your new best friend, instead of buying eggs by the dozen, you buy them by the case,You can just feel that sugary bloat melting away. You can't wait till the next time you have to pee and have the ketosticks sitting in a special place right by the toilet, you scream if someone drinks the last the 1/2 & 1/2 and theres only that horendous whole milk in the fridge.Its a time when you just feel fresh and new and alive and hopeful.

NOw its week 4 or 5, its month 6 or 7, and ya know what, maybe those porkrinds arn't quite so exciting, maybe you think to yourself "If I eat one more hard boiled egg I'm gonna barf", I'm in a stall. I want a drink...A real drink, I'm getting bored here, maybe I'll go out for some Hagendase (however you spell it)...you know, that sinfully delicious icecream.

The trick is make it new again, make it exciting, change the routine, try out different menus, treat yourself to a new outfit, manicure, day at the races. Whatever you do that'll be a treat.

When things get boring and the excitement is not as exciting, its time to look back, find out what motivated you, what your goals were, your plan to reach them, and then revise the plan, adding new things, deleting things that aren't working and remembering how far youv'e come already. Look in the mirror, be happy with what you see and imagine the finished product.flutterbye

Thats great. I think we can all use a little encouragement sometimes Hogarth. I'm on week 4 of induction. I chart my weight once a week but weigh myself everyday even though its against my better judgement.

When we first start out this plan, its exciting and new. The first couple of weeks you really see the weight drop, pork rinds are your new best friend, instead of buying eggs by the dozen, you buy them by the case,You can just feel that sugary bloat melting away. You can't wait till the next time you have to pee and have the ketosticks sitting in a special place right by the toilet, you scream if someone drinks the last the 1/2 & 1/2 and theres only that horendous whole milk in the fridge.Its a time when you just feel fresh and new and alive and hopeful.

NOw its week 4 or 5, its month 6 or 7, and ya know what, maybe those porkrinds arn't quite so exciting, maybe you think to yourself "If I eat one more hard boiled egg I'm gonna barf", I'm in a stall. I want a drink...A real drink, I'm getting bored here, maybe I'll go out for some Hagendase (however you spell it)...you know, that sinfully delicious icecream.

The trick is make it new again, make it exciting, change the routine, try out different menus, treat yourself to a new outfit, manicure, day at the races. Whatever you do that'll be a treat.

When things get boring and the excitement is not as exciting, its time to look back, find out what motivated you, what your goals were, your plan to reach them, and then revise the plan, adding new things, deleting things that aren't working and remembering how far youv'e come already. Look in the mirror, be happy with what you see and imagine the finished product.flutterbye

I used to be in Amatuer powerlifting and they would make us eat over 3500 calories per day (calories provide energy which makes you stronger if focused). I was about 230lbs at that time with 28% bodyfat. I worked out and ran everyday! I got stronger and stronger, (I hold the amatuer squating record to this day) but I never lost weight. I was one of those guys who looked huge but had layers of fat over his muscle. I had to realize that exercise alone would not give me the body that I wanted. I implemented a very strict diet with my weight training. Well I lost a lot of my strength but at this point I had to realize which is more important! The moral of the story is Exercise alone will not cut it just like dieting alone would not cut it. You must combine the two to achieve your goals. I will say this the perfect body does not come from a gym but from your kitchen! Your diet is crucial in your exercising process. Make sure your doing it right

Battousai

Well, Hogarth...first of all - congratulations on your progress!
Since you are in this mood I'd like to add some more..."preaching".
Actually - some people may take it for preaching, others for encouragement.
Exercise? Absolutely! BUT - the most important thing on this WOE is:

PATIENCE!

We all have to learn this WOE and give it a fair chance. Instant gratification thinking won't work here.
What each of us can learn from this forum is - this works, this is the right way to health and healthy weight. Look in peoples journals, look in success stories, I guarantee you will find someone to relate to.

I wish you all good luck!

Take care.

Alina

PS Hogarth - nice CV! Yes, I do read!

Hogarth, just a quick thanks for making your timely post After four months of thinking there was no way I could fall off the wagon as I love this woe so much, but for some reason, I did. It started with me allowing myself to have a regular Pepsi for lunch. I did this three different days, although not in a row. Yesterday, I went to lunch with a friend and ended up eating Pepperoni Bread and a regular grape soda (they didn't have Pepsi...lol), and then went home and ate a small bowl of cereal. I am not sure what caused my "binge", but today I'm back on track. It was actually a struggle today not to let myself have another Pepsi, but I overcame. I've come too far and learned too much to continue allowing myself to stray. I just wish I knew what caused it so as to avoid the same triggers in the future.

Anyway...thanks again for your post. It was very encouraging to me.

L