Hi,

I have been doing Atkins for about 5 weeks now and initially lost about 3 kgs. But in the last 3 weeks have not lost anything. I was just wanting some advice on getting back on track. We have trouble here in NZ getting hold of LC food and the deli meats I think are particularly bad.

I drink about 8-10 glasses of water a day (mix with herbal teas) and drink decaf with Equal (all I can find here). I do rely on cheese a bit, but try and have lots of salad and veggies for lunch and dinner. My carb count is always 20 or less but my calories are too high for my weight if I understand the 10/12 x body weight calculation.

I do drink wine as well but I am reasonably active and do a lot of walking and running around after my 4 yr old daughter.

Any help appreciated

Here is my Fitday journal

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/Public...tml?Owner=geric

Bye

Hi Geraldine,

I think maybe your body has reached the point where it just plain doesn't want to lose any more weight.

At 5'7 and 116 pounds, you are at the very bottom of the healthy weight range. 108 pounds would make you definitely underweight.

Low carbing is about good health as much as just losing weight. Please reconsider your goal weight, as you are putting yourself at grave risk of an eating disorder by trying to become thinner than you are already.

Rosebud

Hi Rosebud,

I really love this WOE and believe I am eating healthier than I ever have on low fat diets. I am wanting to be healthy, and although my post was about not losing weight anymore, I am just as interested in getting some advice on eating correctly and whether it is OK what I am doing.

I have been slimmer than I am now, but I did have an eating disorder. I have finally kicked that bingeing /purging demon for good and this WOE helped me to do that. I did pile on a lot of weight after the birth of my daughter and it has taken 3 years of hard work to get to where I am now.

The urge to stay slim is still with me. I guess I just don't want to go backwards again. But I will consider your words, and I thank you for your advice. I know that my DH would agree with you.

thanks

Geri

Hi Geri,

I look at your fitday and since you wanted advice - here it is:
you are having a major calorie deficit.



20 gram carbs is absolute MINIMUM. Your calories are WAY too low.

You really need to eat more, this is not fair to your body.
Please, think about it.
Good luck!
Alina

Hi Alina,

I have been looking around this forum for a few weeks now and you always give very sensible advice and encouragement

I thought for my weight that my calories were a bit high, they seem to average around 1500. I thought if I was meant to be having 10-12 x my body weight that I should be on about 1100 or so. Please let me know if this is wrong.

Like everyone one here I have my addictions and I believe that this WOE is really freeing me into eating healthier again and enjoying food without guilt and counting calories. I have recently begun trying to add more veggies into my diet as well.

I have found this forum to be a wealth of information and support so thank you for helping

Geri

Thank you, Geri. I try my best
From your fitday you can see how many calories you need according to you basal needs (just to stay alive) and lifestyle (activity level) From what I saw you have deficit almost every day.
Since you are slim already I think you should eat according to this WOE to maintain weight but absolutely not to lose anymore.
Just check under Reports at fitday - how many calories you burn, are you eating enough nutrients etc.

Also, on maintainence you need to up carb level - see in Atkins book how to do it.

I can read between the lines that you understand this, you know you don't need to lose anymore weight. I also really try to understand your previous experiences - I hope you can put them behind and eat healthy. Check in Atkins book again, add some fresh berries, nuts or whatever you like from legal foods.
Stick here with us!
Best of luck!
Alina

I don't agree with that. I looked at your fitday as well, and as far as I can see, aside from a couple of days, you're doing great. A great rule of thumb is to take in 500 less calories per day than you burn. It takes 3500 burnt calories to lose a pound, so at that rate, you should lose 1 per week (or .45 kg)

Bleach,

That calorie deficit only applies to those trying to lose weight. The advice Geri is being given is that she doesn't need to lose weight but only learn how to eat healthy low carb in order to maintain her weight.

Geri - I concur you likely don't need to lose more. No one should ever go under 1200 cals per day. And Alina is right -- check Fitday (Activities button) to see what you baseline body needs are.

If you don't meet this, your metabolism will be truly buggered, and your body will break down organ and muscle tissue to meet its requirements. I'm sure you agree that is definitely NOT healthy.

Set a good example for your little one and try not to be afraid of food. Read your DANDR about maintenance or check the website (www.atkinscenter.com) for more info. Remember, if for some strange reason you do find you gain, you can always cut back. But I'm sure you'll be surprised that you can eat more and still maintain.

You may even find your body shape improves if you stop feeding off your muscles, girl!!

Wishing you good luck! Don't hesitate to pop in here when things aren't going so well.

K.

That's all good and fine, but I was posting an answer to her original question. She wanted to know how she could lose weight - not what people thought of her goal weight. I understand that you all were letting her know that you thought she shouldn't lose more weight - that's your opinion. But my response wasn't aimed at that.

Hi Alina,

Sorry I have taken a while to reply my DH is a bit of a computer hog.

I guess I don't really understand Basal and lifestyle calories and have only being working from what I see as the total calories at the bottom of the page minusing fibre.

I have had a couple of really rough days health wise with a trip to the hospital today which was really upsetting, nothing too major but I have arthritis which she blamed on my lifestyle and diet. Not Good

I think I will investigate into fitday a bit more and see what kind of calories I should be having. Although on this way of eating I have never been hungry which has been a blessing.

hope no one has taken offence to my post and I hope you all understand that we all have problems to overcome in all shapes and sizes. I am no different.

Thank you all again for taking the time to reply to my questions

Bye

Geri - feeling a bit sad

Hi Geri,

I'm sorry you're feeling unhappy at the moment, matey.

It's possible that your arthritis could have been caused by your past eating disorder, but your current WOE can't by any stretch of the imagination cause such a thing. Could well just be coincidence.

I take fish oil capsules which have really helped my arthritis. Good for cholesterol too. If you choose to try them, make sure you get the enteric coated ones, to avoid the "fishy burps."

I do think you need to concentrate on your health for now. Do try to maintain your weight - even putting on a couple of pounds, scary as that may seem, might be a good idea.

I don't quite accept all of Fitday's statements about calories out, but I agree with the idea. The 10 to 12 times calories we talk about here is for weight loss while low carbing. I would think if you aim at around 1500 to 1800 cals, you'll probably just maintain your weight.

And I definitely agree with Alina that you can increase your carbs. I'd do it gradually - maybe start with an extra 10 daily. Just make sure they're healthy carbs. Fitday can help here with info on higher carb vegies. You could probably even add in the odd slice of whole grain bread - see what happens.

All the best, lovey.

Roz

Hi Bleach, this is a support forum, and that means we care about each other. Alina, Kaillean and I are trying to encourage Geraldine (who has an eating disorder history) to eat a little more because we are concerned about her well being. My "opinion" will always be that to encourage someone who is verging on underweight to lose more would be irresponsible. Eating disorders don't just cause major health problems - they kill.

Fortunately, Geri is trying to overcome her problems and I think we should all be supporting her in this.

I'm sorry if I sound a little harsh Bleach, but in my work as an RN, I have nursed some tragic cases of girls whose health has been destroyed by eating disorders. It is far more serious than just "wanting to be thin."

Rosebud

Hi Rosebud,

thanks for the tip about the capsules I will have a look at them.

I have had arthrithis since I was 21 so they certainly weren't blaming atkins on my latest dose. You could be right about the abuse I have put my body through in the last 15 years having been responsible.

I think I need to do a bit more reading on calories, LCing, Atkins and health in general.

Thank you Rosebud, Alina, Bleach and Kaillean all for your kind words

Geri