undefinedHi guys, just have a question. I see that some of you know a lot about this stuff. I am 20 years old, I read most of DADR and have been doing this since July and lost 25 pounds as of February (got down to 137) but since then I have gained back about 7 (today I was 144.5) and I think I gained about an inch around my waist. I think it is because I have been eating more carbs and wasn't counting what I ate even though it was mostly low carb foods, stopped going on this site, exercized a little less, etc. Well I really binged on Easter but since last Monday 4/12 I have been eating an average of 30 carbs and 1750 calories per day. I also started weight training 4 weeks ago for an hour twice a week, just toning and stuff. I also do about 45-60 minutes of cardio (elliptical, bike, run, walk) at the gym about 3-4 days a week. I haven't lost anything since I started to shape up last Monday, I would have thought at least 1 pound or something. Should I lower my carbs? Any advice? Here is my menu for today (about 2150 calories, and I think about 30 carbs):

9:00 am: piece of low carb bread with butter

10:00 am: atkins bar

1:00 pm: cheeseburger patty
sauteed mushrooms
2 tbsps peanut butter

2:00 pm: 1 string cheese
atkins bar

6:00 pm: salami and cheese
5 pieces of cauliflower

8:00 pm: piece of low carb bread with butter
1 piece of low carb candy

10:00 pm: some cheese

I drank water and diet cherry coke


I know I eat late but I usually go to bed around 1:00 am, I stay up late studying. I really want to get down to my goal, I would actually like to get lower than my goal weight says but I think that my goal weight is probably more realistic.

Anyone wanna take a shot at giving me some advice?

Thanks,

Jen

okay here we go...

1. not nearly enough veggies!! gotta eat those leafy greens, they are crucial to success, IMO and my experience.

2. atkins bars- 2 of them in a day? thats a lot of calories and a lot of sugar alcohols... those could definitely be causing you problems.

3. the low carb bread is pretty high in carbs. you should be getting your carbs, as i said, from veggies.

Just something to remember- if we were allowed to get 20 carbs a day from non-healthy foods, we could eat sugar free ice cream and chocolate all day long. But in order to stay healthy and still lose weight, you need need need to follow the guidelines. I'm not saying don't have atkins bars. I'm not saying don't have the bread. But if you're not getting your vegetables in there before reaching the amt of carbs you allow yourself, then you need to cut out some of that other stuff and add in the vegetables.

I hope that helps

Hi Jen

Congratulations on your past success. It is only to easy to take your eye off the ball and gain a few pounds back. Unfortunately it is always harder to lose them second time around, but be patient and they will go.

Firstly you have said that you have recently increased your exercise amount. That is good and what your body is doing is converting your fat stores into muscle. If you measure yourself you probably will have found that you have shed some inches even though the scales have not moved. This is quite normal as muscle weighs heavier than fat. For a really toned body you will weigh slightly more, but look a lot better.

I do not think that you should lower your carb level, but you should watch the amount you eat. Even though you are doing lots of exercise you really want to keep your calorie level around 10 to 12 times your body weight, so 2,000 is too many calories. Don't go the other way and have less than a 1,000 a day as that will have negative effects as well. At the moment you are probably giving your body enough fuel through your food so that it does not need to tap your fat reserves.

The last 10 pounds of any weight loss are always difficult as your body is more reluctant to lose them, so just hang on in there.

Whilst you are only 20, remember that you need to adapt this to be your permanent lifestyle. Do eat more healthly. More veggies, less atkins bars, low carb candy etc. These will not help you in the long term. I know that being young these will be more attractive and healthy living may not seem a necessity, but keeping your food more natural will help your skin and hair as well as your waistline.

Keep at it.

I agree with the above.
Add back the veggies and eliminate the sugar alcohol and artificially sweetened products.

I think you'll see the changes.

Make sure you're consuming enough water (at least 64 oz or more)

Exercise, even if it's only a nice brisk walk

Thats what helped me Jenn. The more simple I keep things, the better and more I lose. The more veggies I eat over things like I ate the first month of atkins (ex.bacon or hamburgers) the better I lose. Really, all it was for me was too many calories. I eat around 1500 a day and still lose. I also eat alot of low carb yogurt, I eat that for breakfast instead of having like a 500 calorie meal with sausage and bacon. Just make sure you get in that fat some way or another. I just add butter to all the veggies I'm eating. Hope this helps. =)

Thanks for all the advice guys! The thing is I know I should eat less calories but I just get hungry a lot. Today is another 2000 calorie day. How do I get myself to not get hungry so much and shrink my stomach? Is it just replacing a lot of vegetables into my diet and drinking more water? Any other tips?

Thanks,

Jen