This is day #8 for me. I lost 3 lb in the first 4 days but haven't budged much since. I actually weighed 1 lb heavier today than yesterday.

I know stalls are natural, so I'm not terribly put off by this (yet), but I'm also worried that the 3lb loss was just simply due to less food intake, and not due to ketosis.

From what I've read here, the ketosis sticks can be unreliable, or variable from person-to-person, so I'm sure I'll waste my money on them. So far I don't have any of the physical signs of ketosis -- coppery taste, or bad breath and body odor (no one, including my wife, has made any comments on this... not that I've asked around ).

How do I know if I'm in ketosis?

I made a couple mistakes when I started out. On day #2, I made a huge mistake, and instead of grabbing a bottle of 0 carb ice tea I grabbed a bottle of regular ice tea which had 21g of carbs, all sugar. I didn't realize my mistake until after consuming the whole bottle . Also, I didn't start drinking tons of water until a few days ago, and likewise, didn't reduce my caffine intake much until a couple days ago . Also, I've had a hard time getting my fat intake above 60%. I've managed as high as 70-75% on a couple days, but most days I was below 60%.

Is it possible I'm not in ketosis yet, due to these errors?

Another mistake I made, yesterday, I was spreading maple syrup on my son's waffle, and absent mindedly (honest! ) licked the knife afterward. Boy, was it a shock for taste buds when that suger hit. It wasn't much -- probably less than a gram -- but whammo!

Would something like this throw me out of ketosis? (assuming, I was in there to begin with)

I'm also terribly constipated. I thought the water was helping, but I've stalled there too. Now I just feel bloated.

To much sodium, perhaps?

I've been keeping below 20g carbs and about 1800-2000 calories per day. I'm counting everything, and cross referencing my counts with fitay.com just to be sure. And erring on the side of caution, as far as the carbs go.

Any advice for a constipated, early staller?

There are symptoms to watch out for - - you can have some or all --

- - Metalic taste
- - Bad breath
- - Lack of appetite
- - Feeling hot or cold when everyone around is "normal"
- - Energy surge
- - Carb cravings gone
- - Thirst (for some)
- - Urine has a "smell" - not acrid but stronger

Test strips that you can buy can also be a good tool but sometimes they can give you false readings and some people don't expel enough ketones in their urine for the strips to register.

I lost the most of my induction weight at the end of my 2nd week - nothing the first few days. I continued to lose steadily - 2-3 lbs a week until I hit 20 lbs. Then it fizzled to 3 lbs a month.

Of course, everyone loses at different rates....

And most (but not all) people lose 10% of total they want/need to lose during the 2 weeks induction. So if you need to lose say 50 lbs, 5 lbs for 2 weeks induction would be about right. If you only have 10-15 lbs to lose - - during induction you may only lose 2-3 lbs which is normal.

Oh, re constipation - - many of us suffer - - I find that eating less dairy and more greens has helped me.

And stalls happen after induction which you are not in.

And every little mistake you make sets you back...remember that. So it may take a bit longer for you to lose if those mistakes become frequent (I know!!!)

i had this problem ALL of my life till FREELAX it is the best natural laxative that i have ever used. i take two everyday and it has made that part of atkins soooooo easy

And constipation can make your scale go up So weigh yourself AFTER you "go" - - feel better.

Well, that's part of the problem. Only gone once since last Thursday! I mean, it's getting really bad.

...
Edited for posterity

Yikes, I haven't noticed any of these symptoms. I certainly haven't had a revenous appetite, but I can't say it's gone. No energy surges that I can think of. I'm guessing I haven't reached ketosis yet -- which is actually good news, in a way.

The bad news is that I must be doing something wrong...

Try some psyllium fibre with water, That should help "loosen things up"

I hope this reply with my experience helps, both me and my mother started this together, both have about 45lb to lose, from my side I started induction, and lost 8lb in the first 10 days... was absolutely over the moon, when I have tried every diet you can think of and none worked...

However I then stalled, and for the next 4 weeks , still stalled, getting a bit desperate.... then another 2lb off, then 3 weeks stall (all keeping in induction, very occasional slip ups, but generally being very good) now this week 3lb off.

All in all 13lb loss in 8 weeks which for me is amazing, just got to keep plodding on, at least not hungary on this diet...

I think I am in Ketosis, sticks are in the lower end of pink results, I do not have the breath or the taste... however are very thirsty.... drinking plenty of water..

I think this will work, best advice, eat plain food, try not to eat many foods prepared by others, I think this is were I went a bit wrong....

Constipation, has been solved by me by mixing 1 tablespoon on linseeds/flaxseeds, mixed in with my mayo on salad, once a day..

My mother has virtually mirrored my results and stalls (weird) and we live in another country from each other, so not eating the same or anything...

Hope that is of some help.

sarah

try the free lax.........i LOVE it. and I was horrid

Thanks for the replies everyone. I just got back from the grocery store, which has a "whole foods" section, and managed to find some psyllium husk caplets (not cheap!). I was a bit taken by the carb content (2.2g), but realized it's all dietary fibre -- so it should be ok... right?

I just popped a serving (4 caplets) and will hope for the best. Thanks again, all.

Well, the pyllium husks (and probably the water) seem to have worked wonders. Feeling *much* better today, and weighed in at my lowest so far (this was before the laxative took full effect. ).

Feel better.