Well, I've been at this exactly 4 months now, I lost 23 lbs and haven't lost lbs or inches for the last month. I haven't gained anything but I'm getting bored with the whole process. I haven't been walking like I used to, I haven't been eating things I shouldn't other than I've been really enjoying cheesecake in restaurants without the crust but still has sugar in it. I'm 10 pin bowling 3 nights a week so that gives me about 2 hours excercise each time and I walk up the stairs from the parkade to our apt so I'm not totally idle. I've stuck real close to induction all this time, today breakfast was 1 wasa high fibre crisp bread with a teaspoon of peanut butter, lunch was chicken wings, coffee and water throughout the day. I know my calorie counts are low and I don't eat enough but I eat quite a bit at dinner. Tonigh will be meat and veggies. I will also have strawberries with whipping cream on them. It's not that I want to change what I'm eating, I'm just discouraged that I'm not losing anything at all!!! I know, I should be grateful that I haven't gained either but when you still have 60 odd lbs to lose it seems to take forever. Any suggestions???? Thanks.
Debbie

You probably aren't going to like my suggestion. Patience. Would you rather enjoy your cheesecakes and such, and gain all the weight back - plus some? We all go through stalls, I've gone through 2 recently - one 6 weeks, one about 7 weeks. Your body is adjusting and healing, but it is working!

Maybe you need to vary your diet and try out some new recipes. My first time through Atkins - that was one of my biggest mistakes. I got bored with the food. Make a pact, and try at least one new recipe a week. Remember though, put your new (and old) receipes through fitday.com to see what is in it - sometimes I am suprised at how high or low some of them are.

It is worth it, you are worth it!

Debbie:

I've been low carbing since 8/1 - not as long as you but I know what you mean. It seems to me that variety in diet will be the answer. Sometimes I don't exactly diet low carb but I always eat low carb, my two never-to-be-broken rules are no breads and no sugar, especially no sugar. When I can't stand it any longer I'll make a cream cheese desert of some kind sweetened with no sugar- maple syrup. I'm thinking of this as a life change.

It's true, this is something you can only do for yourself. It seems to ge so slow for me too but I have my eyes firmly fixed on the prize. I dearly want to get out of the "large size" side of Fashion Bug and buy my clothes in the "normal" section. Since diabetes runs in my family I want to avoid this disease if at all possible. I know this is the only way I can do it.

Best of everything to you & good luck!

Katie

Hi Debbie,

I agree with the others about variety.

However I think I'll have to be the big bad wolf and point out that you can't really expect to lose pounds or inches when you are eating non LC cheesecake! I know that when I weaken and eat something like that I'll gain a couple of pounds and have to wait a week or so to lose it again.

So if you are not eating LC and not gaining weight I think you are actually doing very well!

And yes, you do need to be eating more and spreading it more evenly during the day.

How about going back to Induction? Yes, I know you said you are sticking close to Induction but if you reread your book and only eat what's on the list for even just one week, you may have a pleasant surprise!

And as I guess you know, you really have to hold off on stuff with sugar.

Rosebud

Another way to look at it is with this thought...

In four months from now, would you rather be where you are now, or back at the weight you started at?

Rosebud's suggestion of going back to induction as a "tune-up" measure is a good idea. Sometimes the concept of low-carbing and how and why it works can float far away from you and you end up sitting there wondering what went wrong.

Make a low-carb cheesecake and freeze it individual pieces. Before you go for dinner, take out a piece to thaw.

Karen

Thank you all for your responses. I love this forum!!! I actually gave my atkins book to a friend and so i need to buy a new one. I am lucky I haven't gained a single pound eating non lc food so I am fortunate and you are right Karen, I don't want to gain back what I lost. I have to get back into the swing of things. I wouldn't be where I am today without all of you, you know. Karen, I would love to meet you and Marlaine and Ruth sometime for coffee, it makes a huge difference to have friends. I'll keep you all posted.
Debbie

>>"It's not that I want to change what I'm eating, I'm just discouraged that I'm not losing anything at all!!!"

...I blame the sugary cheesecake, too - I think you're kinda shooting yourself in the foot there. Remember, it's insulin control you're really after. If you're hungry, you can eat - just choose non-carby things.

Best of luck! You'll be out of that stall before you know it - you just have to get back to basics.

It's not that I'm hungary at all. I don't get hungary unless I don't eat all day then I'm ready for something, but I always have breakfast and eat lunch it's just that I'm in this snack food mode. Even when I eat lc snacks like peanut butter cups, cheesecake cupcakes or lc brownies that I make, I eat them all within 2 days all by myself and the cheesecake thing is whenever we go out for dinner. But you're right, back to basics.
Debbie

I cycle a traditional LC diet with CAD (which allows some "forbidden" treats) to keep me fresh and keep the body going in different directions so I keep losing. Five and a half months and counting......

I too had to return to induction to restart my weight loss. Although I never ate more than 30 grams a day, I began eating LC chocolates, sunflower seeds, and LC bread--none of which are allowed on induction. Remember, induction refers not only to the quantity of carbs, but also the quality. Many LC sweets are sweetened with sugar alcohols. While it is believed that they have little effect on blood sugar levels, they do postpone fat burning as they are metabolized first. Try cutting them out.

This time around on induction, I am banishing my bathroom scale from the house. The temptation is just too great to do a daily weigh-in. You might try taking measurements instead. I know that I seemed to stall for four weeks, but my dress size has gone down! I plan to weigh myself at the end of the two week period, but no matter what LC is the way for me. Good luck and stick with it.

Look at yourself in the mirror (like I have myself) and ask yourself "How bad do you want it?"

I want it bad and I refuse to give in ever again


Jeff

Dude! I don't know if you realize what you are putting in your mouth and just exactly how many carbs are in it.
Maple syrup, for instance...not good as a sugar substitute. Try stevia or spenda, which has a few carbs, but better for you than aspartame.
Also, chocolate and cheezecake, even when it is low carb, still has carbs in it. It sounds like the sweetness is causing you to over indulge on the sweet stuff. I think the suggestion to go back on induction is a very good idea. But be very strict. On induction, you aren't to have any artificial sweeteners.
Also, try increasing your activity level. I don't know how many calories bowling burns, but you need to be getting your heart rate up. I don't think bowling is very good exercise, but definately a great activity if it helps you to relax. You mentioned that you used to walk... 30 minutes of faced-paced walking each day will really help you to burn that fat.
Just really be aware of what is in your food and I think you'll be fine. Hugs and good luck!

Thanks everyone for being here for me. I'm sure once I get my head screwed on the right way I'll be back at it properly. Jeff, you're so right, I want to be the sexy thin thing I never was!!! I don't know that I'll ever get that far but at least I'm not gaining and I won't ever go back to the bread, potatoes, pasta, starchy veggie way of life. I feel so much better doing lc. I need to get off the dessert thing and get back to protein, fat and veggies which I'm not doing very well at the present. I sure appreciate all of you being here for me. I couldn't have gotten this far without you all.

You have GOT to keep track of what you're eating!! If you don't know what the carb count is...don't eat it!

"I haven't been eating things I shouldn't other than I've been really enjoying cheesecake in restaurants without the crust but still has sugar in it. "

Do you have any idea how many carbs are in restaurants cheesecakes!! jeepers!