Am now on day 9 of induction and barely hanging on. This past weekend was horrible. Was a long weekend here and I found it incredibly difficult to stick with the plan and found myself craving things - like chocolate cake and banana muffins (which I never normally eat anyway) - like crazy.

The structure of Monday - Friday was easy but weekends are usually when I cook homemade pasta, and pizza...where we have a nice bottle of wine or stop for a pint somewhere. Had people over to watch footie on Saturday and I felt so deprived as everybody sat around eating tortillas and salsa and beers and I sipped my herbal tea.

Could not face bacon and eggs for breakfast yesterday and would have killed for a bowl of cereal.

Despite taking numerous multivitamins the leg pains are back and were so bad last night I couldn't sleep. Went cycling (am normally quite fit and used to cycling for long periods) on Sunday and my muscles reached exhaustion stage after about 2 minutes.

Lost 7 pounds in the first two days but the scale has not budged since.

Worst of all is the constipation. First tried coffee, and then had to resort to a laxative last night after 6 days of not being able to go and now have those annoying stomach cramps.

Am wondering if it is all worth it. I do want to lose weight and I hate giving up but I feel so tempted to.

Hi,
Have you started a journal in the Bootcamp section.? By writing down what you eat, it's easier for us to have a peek and make suggestions...

Not enough fibre and water can cause constipation. How much water are you drinking, and what kind of veggies and amounts are you eating.

It's also normal to slow down and not lose weight on the scale after induction. It's the body's way of resting. You might be losing inches and not pounds. Have you taken measurements and compared?

Also, check out the recipes section for snacks. There are some cheese chips that are apparently to die for. Its cheese melted in the microwave until they they are brownish and dry, and are a nice substitute for chips. There are tons of sncky things to eat..it just takes a bit of imagination or searching around here for recipe ideas.

It's quite common to feel a little discouraged when you start. Your body is going through a lot of changes. You are going through a lot of behavioural change sin changing the way you eat, and especially the way you think about food.

You also need to manage your expectations. Do you expect to lose every day, every week, until you reach goal. You might want to adjust that expectation right now, because quite simply, that's not the way our body's work. It's natural to lose some, then slow down, then eventually lose some more.

Hang in there kiddo! It really does get better with time. If you really want to lose it and keep it off, it's worth the hard work and aggrevation at the beginning. Nothing good in life comes easy.

Thanks for the encouragement Angela....

I don't use a journal as such, but I do use fitday and am keeping my calories around 1200 - 1500 a day and my carbs around 15g a day.

I am quite a good cook so dinners and lunches are not a big problem (fresh tuna on chinese greens/roast chicken and salad/chicken parmesan and steamed veg etc) but breakfast is a killer. Bacon and eggs or an omelette are becoming tiresome. I've never eaten so many eggs in my life.

However I'm rarely hungry between meals so snacking isn't a major issue. Thanks for the tip on the cheese but I don't have a microwave!!

It's also quite difficult to get any low carb products in Ireland.

I didn't expect to lose every day but I did think the scale would drop another pound or two after the first two initial days.

I also really hate not having my physical strength at regular levels. I want to work out, I feel energetic, but my body just won't go there.


...oh yes and water, I drink a ton, around 4 litres a day....

HONEY, MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY--UNTIL TODAY DAY 7 I GOT THE BOOKS 3 OF THEM AND WENT WILD WITH EXTRA CALORIES JUST GOT BACK FROM THE GYM, MY ENERGY AND RESISTANCE LEVEL HAS SHOT UP TODAY.
THIS IS WHAT I HAVE EATEN SINCE LAST NIGHT
8.PM DINNER:
2XHARD BOLIED EGGS, 6 SLICES PARMESAN CHEESE, 6 SLICES PARMA HAM, 3 POACHED CHICKEN WINGS PLUS SKIN IN SOY SAUCE SALAD LARGE, 1X AVOCADO, 6 OZ CHICKEN BREAST-SKINLESS,


9.AM BREAKFAST TODAY:
A 2XEGG WHITE OMELETTE WITH CHEESE, MUSHROOMS, 6 SLICES AMERICAN SHRIVELLED UP BACON,

3PM BIG WORKOUT AT GYM

LUNCH 5PM:
1 X 8OZ TENDERLOIN med rare
fried mushrooms
2 fried eggs
6pcs bacon (us)

now can you imagine my cholesterol level !
Well I hope this guy is right , if not when we all keel over with heart disease in 10 yeras thime our kids can sue his arse

Now hmmmmDINNER, think I'll have some goose liver
yea, pan fried fois gras, more steak and creamed spinach with lashings of Irish Butter ! Oh God..

MORE FAT MORE MEAT,... you're right it just feels so unnatural, im not a f---ing tiger ha ha ha!

yesterday we opened a backery at my establishment ND I WAS dying FOR A JAM DOUGHNUT ...Heeeeelp

ps see my threads we speak the same language..
I have more energy today but i am REALLY worried about all this FAT intake ...yikes(the book is pretty ok on the subjects but refers to alot of obscure studies noone has ever heard of.....oh well..
Richard Hong Kong

Hi!
One of the things I am learning on this plan is that I have to have a LOT more calories than on any other diet.

Otherwise I feel sick and dizzy...

You might try adding a snack. Some of the recipes here are great, and they don't take special ingredients. Yesterday I had a snack that was 2 mushrooms, a piece of salami, and an egg, all fried up in a pan with some bacon fat. It was yummy!


Hang in there!

-misty

Aisha we do indeed speak the same language. I've been worried about those things as well.


Misty Bee - I'll try, but don't mention eggs, please, for the love of god, nobody tell me to eat any more eggs!!!

Hi again
Just found an interesting plan used by Cinderella
see(Question on Calorie counting) in the Atkins diet forum..
Although there are 'sgge' there arnt that many.
Remember whatever your weight multiply by 10-12 and thats your cal content the fit day site albeit laborious and a bit confusing to set up does give you an idea of what to eat
I might try Cinderellas plan and add to it
keep the faith

<giggle>
Well, I definitely haven't been in the mood for any HB ones lately at all ... but they can be used for so many other things...

I think that making sure to have diversity in what I eat - as well as some favorites - helps me to stick to my food plan.

I'm trying to figure out what to have for dinner, right now as it happens...

-m-

I was incredibly sick of eggs, too, and wanted nothing more than a bowl of hot cereal in the AM. Found Flax O Meal (through this site) and I eat that in the morning now. I feel like I am saved! I ordered it on www.netrition.com.


-Shelly

PS the Banana Walnut pancake mix isn't bad either, but I miss the syrup!