I have been doing Atkins since June 2, 2003. I have lost 47.5lbs so far. I am pretty much on target with 1lb/wk loss rate. Of course I am proud of what I have achieved but still yearn to lose at faster pace. I've seen a thread asking what is your formula for success? Honestly...I still, after 10 months, don't know what actually gets me to lose. I've tried strict induction for weeks....left me constipated, tried coconut oil, oregano oil, carbs under 30, increased my fat, raised my calories, lowered my calories, didn't eat pass 6p, increased my water, increased my exercise...but still...nothing consistently works to give me steady weight loss. And yes..I know...something is working or I wouldn't have loss 47.5lbs. But I want a formula for success as well.

Anyone else wanna moan in here with me? Let's here your plight.

I've lost 62 pounds since Septemer 2003, so my average isn't slow. But my current loss rates are. Right now, I lose about one pound a week, and have for a couple of months.

I think for me, it's been about keeping carbs below 30, and calories in the 1500 range. I know the basic law of thermodynamics can't be violated; if I consume fewer than my body uses, I'll lose weight. So I'm now reconciled that I won't lose like I did during the first three months of low carbing, but that if I stay in the game, I will lose over time.

I think at times I read stories of people who lost 90 pounds or more in six months, I get a bit envious, but I realize that I'm not them, and everyone's body runs differently, and what am I going to do? I can't walk around envious of that anymore than I can walk around upset because I'm not as smart as Stephen Hawking. It's not the cards we're dealt that matter; it's what we do with them.

So, I'm resigned to the fact that I'll lose around a pound a week. I could improve that, as I sometimes overeat, I don't consistently exercise, and I can't do the water intake recommended. But it still works for me.

47.5 pounds in ten months isn't bad at all. The thing we're in is a marathon, not a sprint (to use a cliche!) and in another year you will be where you want to be.

Best of luck - I think your forumula is fine; if it wasn't, you'd not have succeeded as well as you have.

Scott

Hi Sophotia:

Wow you are getting close to that wonderful 50%! Congratulations on that success! I have been doing this WOE for 14 weeks and I have averaged 2.2 pounds per week over that time. But of course that includes the 7 pound first induction week. Having been on Atkins before has been helpful to me and I have lost weight faster than I did last time. I think the difference has been: exercise, more veggies, portion control, and cutting back on dairy and nuts. But I don't expect to keep up at the 2.2 pounds per week rate. I know that it will continue to slow down over the long haul.

I also notice that some people lose like gangbusters but come to think of it, I did too when I was younger. At 47, my body and its metabolism are just not going to do that anymore. I am fully prepared (okay there will be crying and whining) for my loss to slow down considerably in the future.

One of the things that helps me is to keep my weekly loss record in my signature line. I can always look at that and know that I am continuing in the right direction even as the losses slow down. I seem to need the visual.

I really look to the BIG losers for inspiration. The people who keep on week after week even after going through weeks and months of stalls and slow loss. One of the things I notice about the big losers is that they have not had particularly fast weight losses. Sadly, a lot of the folks who come to the board and lose very rapidly, seem to disappear when the loss slows down as it most certainly will. It is truly the tortoise vs. the hare in action. If we can achieve the level of patience we need over the long haul, the weight WILL come off. I think it is the getting through the slow times that will ultimately be our measure of success.

Orchid

I too loose slowly.

But on the other hand I GAIN very quickly.

As long as the needle is going down, not up. . .who am I to complain.

Also I get remarks that I am looking thinner than the scales show. Now how bad can that be? Bet you are too!!!

'Course, I'm an over the hill gang member who isn't trying to get into a prom or wedding dress

So loosen up, you are doing great!!!!!!!!!

Yes I want to moan too .....

I am in my opinion losing very slow ..... started Jan.17,2004 .... have lost 21 lbs. .... I do not cheat .... am very careful what I eat, drink 160 oz water every day, exercise 6 days a week (Curves and walking) etc, etc ...

That having been said .... I am 54 years old, take high blood pressure meds, as well as an antidepressant ... hope someday to drop these things .... as Dr. A said I think these things do affect weightloss, but I have to work with the Dr. I have and for now these will be part of my life .....

It is hard to see big losses with other forum members .... I go look in their Fit day and see that I am very similar in what they do, so I know I am not off track ....

I guess I just have to accept the fact that everybody is different and that it will be a slow journey, but somedays it feels good to MOAN!!

Enough said .... I will persevere, because this is the last time in my life I intend to go through this.

I lost like gangbusters the first 2 weeks, 18 lbs, but nothing since. I am on plan, but I take antihypertensives and have issues with edema. I have lost nothing in the last 3 weeks. My clothes seem loser and I've only lost an inch from my hips, and a half from my waist in the past 3 weeks. Even though this is discouraging, I am not gaining, nor am I addicted to food at this point. I've considered doing WW for a month, then Atkins for a month to keep things jazzed up, but I'm afraid I'll never come back. At least I'm not all caught up in food adddiction at this point and that itself is worth it. Oh, I just started exercise so I'm sure that will get the scale moving.

I'm a hearing you Sophotia and second your desire for a 'formula' .. something that's relatively logical would suffice.

I lost 41 pounds in the first 11 weeks: big first two week losses followed by average weekly shifts of around 3lb. Then, just as I was mentally counting my 'chickens': 12lbs this month, next month, month after – the whole thing goes and gets itself stuck.

Absolutley nothing has changed in my routine; <20g Carbs/day, rigorous exercise regime, 3 litres of water every single day and a dedicated supplement program.

I've shed just 1lb in the last 4 weeks. So given that I'm still very overweight, but eating less and exercising an order of magnitude more ... I must now exist in some disperate dimension .. one of Hawkin's Brane's where "thermodynamics" is less a rule and more a nice idea.

The only constant with this WOE .. is it's fickleness with all who do it. Just as I was blown away by the rapid opening salvo of weight reduction .. then the ubiquitous slump around week 3 .. now I'm becalmed along with just about everyone else who gets to 14 weeks and beyond.

At least I'm in good company ... and the loss of 'wind' is much appreciated in chez TBP.

I started January 18th and as of today have lost 19.9 pounds. I was getting annoyed, started analyzing things (I love numbers ) and then decided, hoped, maybe, losing it slowly is the ticket to keeping it off. I don't KNOW that of course, but I do know I have lost it faster (lost 116 pounds once between July 11th and April 19th) and it didn't stay gone. So for me, for now, I think some of this is intended to help me learn to eat and think differently about food and I'm good with that. I am trying to focus on me, not on what is happening for other people. They aren't me, even if the stats look the same.

So of COURSE I wish it were faster, but it isn't so even though I look with envy at a co-worker with half to lose as me, who has lost twice as much as me and doesn't have to look at calories, I am just planning to hang in there because this is so much more enjoyable for me and a lot less work for me than low calorie low fat was!

PecanPie

Whoah baby I am home. Since December I have been battling with the same ten pounds. I take it off then put it on take it off and put it on. I am on meds for depression but I think other issues are what I am really dealing with. I get discouraged not with Atkins but with myself. I lose sight of where I am headed but running into tree once in a while wakes me up. I am not where I hoped to be at this time this year but I also am not where I was last year at this time. Trying to keep a positive out look is like crossing a river, Some times the waters are so dark and deep I am afraid to step in other times they seem shallow but are moving so fast I am afraid of being swept away. This ten pounds is the River I must get across before I can move on, But I will cross it. I don't know what lies ahead but I know what is behind me and I don't want to go back. I have lost 60 solid pounds since May last year and once I get past this 10 it will be 70. I don't know how that averages out but I do know this journey is for life in more ways than one.

Like Scott, I was losing very quickly at first, then about the end of January it started slowing to about 1 lb a week, though not consistently, up and down. I was getting pretty frustrated, but consoled myself that at least I was losing.

Over the past week & a half though, I've lost over 6 lbs. I wish I knew for sure what the reason was. I've been in week 3 & 4 of the TDC fitness challenge, but if that was it, shouldn't the weight loss have started a couple of weeks prior?

I've been tracking my food in fitday.com, but I don't think my calories have been much different. I've been toying with the idea of needing to eat as many calories as my BMR is so if anything, my calories might be a bit up (not much though).

The only two things that really seem new is that I have been more carb-conscious, trying to keep them lower than usual. I think I was probably averaging 35-45 net carbs before, and now I'm trying to keep them in the 20-30 range. And, I've been exercising on a rebounder (mini-trampoline). The Fat Flush Fitness plan says rebounding helps weight loss because the bouncing helps flush out the lymphatic system (that's all I know, third hand info, I haven't read the book), so though it seems far-fetched to me, maybe that has helped.

Having said all that, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'd love to see myself settle at a couple pounds a week loss, but I'm kind of expecting the worst and expecting it to go back down to a slow rate.

Not helpful, I know - sorry.

Valerie

I feel the same way. Lost over 60 pounds and then after some over indulgence over the holidays I have not been able to get down to where I was, even after weeks of induction. I lose a few but the pounds come right back on. I seem to have lost the momentum that I had in those first 8 months. Not sure what the answer is.

I know all this weight didn't come on in a day, but am I wrong for wanting it all off tomorrow?! I lose slowly but gain back really quick if I sway from this WOL! I seem to range from 1-2 lbs a week if I'm very very very careful with what goes into my mouth.

It'll be 1 year for me on April 26th and I'm stalled out and have lost around 55 pounds in total...which is nothing to sneeze at! I think my body is just adjusting to this WOL and I can't expect to have a whooosh every time I turn around (although it would be nice!) I know my calories have been waaaaaay too high and am adjusting them to be no more than 1900 per day and see if that makes a difference. I'm guessing that it will.....keep the faith and we will all succeed.

Excellent topic!

Nicole

I'd say my 20 lbs in 8 months (being 100% true to my program) counts as slow loss. I had pretty good weight loss at first, but slowed to a crawl most of last year. My Dr. said I should expect that after losing so much. Boy, was she wrong.

Here is a chart I've been keeping since 266 lbs (when I switched from a diabetic diet to low carb.) My maximum loss most of last year was lucky to be 2.5 lbs per month. I was not cheating on my program and was exercising daily. Look what has happened this year: http://forum.lowcarber.org/attachme...achmentid=10021

The rate changed to 2.5 lbs per week when I started using Fitday PC. Only difference is a better net daily calorie balance due to portion sizes and added exercise. I know a lot of folks get really tired about me talking about this, and I seriously considered not posting in the "slow losers" thread, but I am every bit as much a slow loser as anyone else here and have the graph to prove it. I also have a graph that shows how focussed calorie management, in addition to low carb WOE, can change rate of weight loss. There's a number of others in the TDC who are having similar success with Fitday and/or Fitday PC.

Lynda

I have been a very slow loser as well lately, with a complete zero loss from january to march. However, as I started paying attention to calories a bit more like UptheHill suggests, that has helped me start to move and I have lost 10lbs since March, which is a big improvement for me! I don't track calories via the computer, for me that is too picky but I do pay a little more attention to what I eat.

I'll try it this way until I get stalled again and then we'll see.