Hi everyone

I’m glad I found this forum, I think I’ll be able to get some great tips and maybe find out what I’m missing.

I first tried the low carb route back in 99 (I think) using Heller & Heller Carbohydrate Addict plan. I went from 180 to 143 very easily. I did think I went a little too low and didn’t mind when I went back up to 150 and stayed in the low 150’s for a very long time without any problem.

However….there’s always a however at this point of a post like this.

Over the past year, I’ve been creeping up. I know I was being a little sloppy for a while and that’s what started it. Believing all the time that it was no problem, I could fix it quick (anytime I wanted to). So back in Sept. I started to get back on the stick (mostly) following the plan that I’d had so much success with in the past. Problem…no weight loss. So in Oct. I got very serious and haven’t had more than 10 grams of carbs a day, probably less. After about a month, nothing.

I went back to the book and started looking for clues and I came up with the possibility of how diet drinks could fool your body into raising insulin levels. So I cut that out and drinking only water (after my morning coffee). Currently I’m also in the process of removing caffeine also.

After another week and a half…nothing.

Right now I don’t have cravings and don’t even eat breakfast, and I’m not hungry for lunch so I skip that about half the time. Dinner I either have a green salad with grilled chicken or an omelet. For desert, Jell-O.

I’m not having a problem maintaining this pattern other than being discouraged because I expected to see results by now. After all, it’s been about six weeks of little to no carbs and now the holidays begin!!!

So here I am discouraged but not broken and looking for answers.

Rich

I don't know but the Atkins book suggests eating more if you don't lose weight. Why not try eating lunch and a bit more fat?

I don't know your plan, but if you were on Atkins I'd say you aren't eating enough or often enough. I'd consider that your body may be in survival mode, conserving energy and weight because it's afraid it's being starved??? I've heard people on this forum talk about upping their intake and making sure to go No longer than 6 hours w/o eating and seeing the weight start coming off again. Also, on Atkins we are to eat 20g of carbs even on the strictest part of our program (induction) which includes a large salad and low carb vegtables. Please consider feeding your self more and more often???

Also, if your diet jello is jello brand, it would have aspertame in it which causes problems for some people. There is an easy recipe for making jello with splenda, let me know if you want it and i'll search it out for you.

Congratulations on your awesome losses so far, and best of luck in finding out how to continue.

I agree, you are not only not getting enough carbs, you need to eat more often . I would definately say your body id in survival mode and holding on to everythin you eat......eat more , you will be pleasantly surprised. Also since i started this I found out that large quantities of caffine mimic what sugar does to your insulin levels so that is a huge factor if you drink alot of java. ( I was drinking at least 2.5 large pots of coffee per day) and i switched to decafe....it tastes the same. GOOD LUCK

Thanks for the replies.

Sure, I cut out the diet drinks but it didn’t dawn on me that the Jell-O was essentially the same thing… doh! Well at least I would only have that once a day and not every hour like a diet drink. I would like that alternative jello recipe thank you,

The survival mode situation sounds like it might be my problem. I can try to eat little snacks but I do have a problem of eating more than I need. I find it so much easier to just not eat at all than to start. Since I was only eating when I really got hungry, I was able to avoid putting myself into that situation.


I’ve started to gradually reduce my caffeine intake and this week I’m at 25% caffeine and next week I’ll be totally off. I also have replaced my diet drinks with plain water and have been downing about four or five bottled waters a day.


Assuming this is survival mode, wouldn’t it have given up by now? I don’t ever remember going this long without some results. I usually hit plateaus of course but then after about two weeks I would begin to lose again. I wonder if it would break faster if I reduced my intake even more. I know and believe what you are all saying about eating more but I can’t help but wonder if I held back a little (assuming I only eat when I’m really hungry and then only a reduced portion) more if I could break the dam so to speak faster. What are your thoughts?

I’m doing every thing I can think of at this point so survival mode is the only answer. I can continue this and Thanksgiving won’t be that hard but Christmas at Disney will be a very, very big problem.

Rich,
I am in NO way an expert or health professional... I am just a caring friend trying to relay some of the information I've found as I understand it...

Here is a link to a way to figure out your basal metabolic rate -
http://www.countcarbs.com/tools/basal_metabolism.htm

That will give you a clue as to how many calories you need just to survive w/o any activity.

Jello recipe:

2 pkgs unflavored gelatin (knox)
1 packet Kool aid flavoring(unsweetened, the kind you would add sugar to)
8-10 packets Splenda
2 cups boiling water
2 cups ice

Add 2 cups boiling water to gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add lookaid and splenda and stir until dissolved. Add ice and stir until melted. Refrigerate
Can substitute cream for some of the water (I haven't tried it that way to tell you the measurements)

You said "I do have a problem of eating more than I need. I find it so much easier to just not eat at all than to start. Since I was only eating when I really got hungry, I was able to avoid putting myself into that situation. "
I definately know where you are coming from with that comment. But, I have found that since I am LCing, and staying in ketosis, I don't have the desire to eat more that I need, even after I start eating something. Have you found yourself wanting to eat too much when you are Lcing or is that just a bad memory from your carb laden eating days?

Keep me posted, I am interested in knowing how you work this out. Also, since I'm on Atkins and you are on CAD maybe you could post your question in the CAD thread and find more help... http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?f=100

Thanks Terry

There's some eye opening information in that link! Maybe I should go home and eat.


Thanks also to the jello recipe!


Rich