hello everyone,i wonder if anyone can help, ive been using a low carb diet with exercise(three times a week aerobic) for the past 8 weeks and although my weight has reduced by 9 lbs it now appears to be static. my carb intake is very low and im in ketosis every time i measure it. any advice would be very much appreciated. thanks enzo.

enzo:

If you are following a LC eating plan and you are working out, you are probably not seeing the scales drop because muscle weighs more than fat (and takes up less space). The amount of protein consumed when you eat LC makes working out pay off in a way it just doesn't when you follow a low fat/hi carb diet. If you haven't already, take some key measurements (hips, waist, chest, thighs...) or grab a pair of pants that don't quite fit (you'll hear that referred to as the "pant-o-meter"). I think you are probably losing fat but gaining lean muscle mass. Also, consider starting a journal. Members will "visit" and might be able to help you tweak your LC WOE (way of eating) - that might get the scale moving again... FYI: I keep losing and gaining the same 10lbs., but I'm getting into clothes that I couldn't get on at the same weight 9/1/02. HTH

your experience with LC and exercise sounds very similar to mine. I lost a lot at the beginning, like everyone, then it seemed to slow down to a near crawl, and in fact my wt. didn't change at one point for 5 - 6 weeks. I work out a lot - 4 -5 days a week, lots of swimming and some cycling. I don't know for sure if I was gaining muscle wt. and loosing fat, but I feel and look a lot fitter, and the wt. did eventually start coming off again.

For me, a pattern seems to be emerging: I lose 4 - 5 pounds, get stuck for a week or two or more (sometimes a lot more), then I start losing again.

All I can do is stick with the plan, keep up the exercise, and just get used to all of this as a new way of life, a new set of habits. I'm starting to not worry too much about the pace of my wt. loss - it's gonna happen at it's own pace no matter what I do or what important social event I am hoping to lose wt. for and no matter what goals I set and no matter how much I worry about it.