Hi everyone,

If you have plateaued and you're on the verge of quitting (like I have been for about six weeks...), I just want to say STICK WITH IT!!!

I hadn't lost any weight for quite a while (I'm in the OWL phase of Atkins), and was thinking that Atkins "just didn't work for me" anymore. I was wrong!

Here are couple of things that finally helped me pull through the plateau. While everyone is different, maybe some of these things might help you in your efforts:

1. I revisited what I was truly eating everyday and signed up to FitDay.com. Somehow, just keeping track of what you eat, and seeing the actual carbs IN PRINT, made me fine tune my eating habits (which, in retrospect, got a bit sloppy over the holidays).
2. I cut out all low-carb bars. I was using these to snack on (maybe one bar every day or so), and quit after I read that these can stall weight loss. Maybe I'll introduce them again when I'm on maintenance.
3. I cut out all dairy except for cheese (max of 4oz per day) and heavy cream (max of 2 TBS per day). No more cream cheese or similar cheese spreads.
4. I travel a lot for business, so I started packing easy snacks for the plane and light night hotel munchies. These include almonds and little pre-packaged cheese strings and mini-goudas. But don't go crazy with the almonds...!
5. I put a picture on my fridge of myself when I was 20 pounds heavier. While I still have a ways to go, I could congratulate myself on far I had already come.
6. I increase my beef consumption. I was relying more on chicken during my plateau period, and chicken has less fat than beef (I try to keep my fat levels pretty high).
7. I continuously read the postings on various support groups, which really kept me in the LC frame of mind and assured me that there were plenty of other folks in my position.

After doing these things for just a week, I finally broke through the plateau and lost three pounds, which is a lot for me a week (I usually lose a pound at most, even during the best of times).

Hope this helps you if you're feeling kinda discouraged...!

Congratulations to you! That took some serious committment and dedicated effort. Ya did good!

Impressive and congratulations on being such a "thinker"! Good points for everyone to think about.

Lots of good ideas...I"m sure this will speak to many people. We've all been there...and we all find out sooner or later that it does work after all!

If we stay the course, that is!

I have hit a plateau that I find easy to add to but hard to break through. I found your article very encouraging to read especially the bit about the beef as I have been eating quite a lot of chicken. I think that must be a hang over from the more convention low fat diet days. Can anyone suggest any other low carb food that would promote weight loss? I would find it really helpful. I think also like you I have become a little sloppy about watching exactly what I am eating and being English I do tend to have lots of cups of tea during the day with milk. However, after reading what you have done I am encouraged to start to tighten things up again starting tomorrow. Well done and good luck with your continued weight loss.

Your points were very encouraging.
I have been going up and down for a week now and found that
the last time I stalled ......I must confess..... that I found some hidden carbs.......

I reviewed my journals this morning and found that Iwas underestimating the carbs in spinach .....1/2 cup is 4 according to Atkins. OOPS.

I also have been having more cream then I need and eating chicken so there you have it. I am also going to add some olive oil to my salads as I know I am not getting enough fat. Seems so funny to realize fat can help you lose!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the post, Debbie

Thanks. I needed to read this. I am on my 4th month. I have lost 30 pounds. I keep thinking I should be losing weight faster. I will be more patient.

Thanks again.

I'm glad to hear that my tips could help some of you keep motivated. I know that I sure need the boost from time to time...!

I'm keeping a log of all the "little things" I do along the way to achieving my ideal weight, and I'll continue to share them with all of you (and hope to learn tips from you as well)!

At the end of the day, I've learned it's the little adjustments, in addition to the overall LC WOL, that add up to big benefits in the end.

littlemel

Hi Littlemel,
I went off LC for a while fearing that it was the cause of a major sick headache I had that lasted over a week. I started back two days ago - when I weighed today I had not regained the pounds I had lost - I was very pleased with that, but I am also glad to get back into it. I have bad heartburn when I eat too many carbs and sugar and those processed foods we feed our kids - yuk.
You asked for foods high in fat - may I suggest bratwurst. It is loaded - also if you like nuts macademia's are highest in fat content, but you still have to watch the carbs.
Lettuce veggies are great and drink water, water, water to avoid hard bowel movements. It works wonders believe me.
Thanks for sharing - I needed that.