I've been noticing that some folks seem to be having difficulty with fat loss when they start low carbing, so I've updated the Are You Really a Turtle Post and am posting it here as well.

For some people, LC weight loss is smooth and steady. For others, it can be a bit more difficult. At any stage, our plans can be “tweaked”. We eliminate or cut down on certain foods, discover that the sugar alcohols in those two low-carb bars a day are the culprit or realize that dairy products slow us down. We may be intolerant to certain foods or are not aware that our carbohydrate intake is creeping up.

People that don’t have a lot of fat to lose – generally in the 5-30 pound range – appear to lose slower than those with a lot of fat to lose. But that’s not true. Percentage-wise, it works out to be the same. If you’re aiming to lose 100 pounds, ten percent would be 10 pounds. If you’re aiming for 10, ten percent would be one pound. Remember that this is not a quick weight loss diet, it’s an eating strategy for life. On this site, the percentage feature is in every member’s post.

Here are the 13 Top Reasons for slow fat loss...

1. Have you read the book for and followed your chosen plan to the letter for at least a month? No digression in the food front at all? No skipping meals?

2. Do you figure out your carbs/calories each day? Do you use a carb counter or a program like fitday.com? Or if you can’t be bothered with micro-managing, do you know what your critical carbohydrate level is and eat accordingly?

3. Do you regularly drink alcohol?

4. Are you scale or Ketostix obsessed? Compulsively weighing or using Ketostix will make the process seem slower and more erratic than it actually is. If you must weigh yourself everyday, chart your daily weight and figure out a weekly average. Don’t take it personally. It’s only a hunk of metal and a piece of plastic. Take your measurements or have a pieces of target clothing that get progessively smaller. It's a much better indication of what's really going on.

5. Are you trying to do a low fat version of your chosen plan?

6. Have you been a yo-yo dieter? People who have severely restricted their calories in the past due to low-fat or calorie restricted dieting may find it difficult to lose weight initially. In this case, using low-carb as part of the process of metabolic healing will help. You will lose fat once your body learns to trust what you’re doing. Persistence will pay off.

7. Are you consuming any or all of these items on a regular basis? If you are, stop consuming them one at a time, for at least two weeks to see if it initiates weight loss.

• Processed meats, including bacon
• Caffeine
• Cheese and dairy products
• Alcohol
• Nuts and Nut Butters
• Peanuts and Peanut Butter
• Artificial Sweeteners
• Diet Drinks
• Protein Bars
• Low carb food products that imitate high carb food
• Eating a wide combination of food in one day
• Overly salty foods? For example pork rinds? Processed meats?
• Sugar Alcohols

8. Are you drinking at least 64 oz. of water a day, plus 8 more ounces for every 25 pounds you want to lose?

9. Prescription drugs or hormones which impede weight loss:
• estrogens and most synthetic HRT's including birth control pills
• Anti-depressant drugs - Insulin and insulin stimulating drugs
• Anti-arthritis medications including steroids
• Diuretics and beta blockers

10. Underactive thyroid (hypothyroid) function which can be present when blood tests indicate no abnormalities

11. Ovewrgrowth of the yeast organism Candida albicans.

For more details on overcoming metabolic resistance, read Metabolic Resistance: Causes and Solutions, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, 2002 edition.

12. Often overlooked but are you getting enough sleep? Or, are you going through an unusually stressful period? Stressing over what is perceived as lack of progress, being to hard on yourself and obsessing on scales or Ketostix is fat loss hindering.

13. Have you recently started resistance training? You could be building muscle. Pound per pound it weighs the same as fat of course, but takes up less space. Also, water will be retained for muscle repair. Using body fat percentage is the most reliable indicator of what is actually going on.

After going through this list, contemplate your answers and work out a strategy for yourself. Learning to low-carb is a steep learning curve and will reward you richly by becoming educated and more aware of your body and how it will function optimally.

Don’t be discouraged! Look at overall health and well-being instead of using your plan as a diet just to lose weight. Keep learning about what works for you. You’ll be better able to deal with all the “forks in the road” and “speed bumps” along your low-carb journey.

Karen

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Thanks for the pointers!! My husband and I started doing the Atkins program in early January. He's lost about 14#. I've lost 7# (it was 8# but I gained one ). Of course, I realize that he's going to lose weight more quickly than me. He'd like to lose another 15. I'd like to lose 6 more. It's getting harder for me -- I lost all the weight in the first week and now I just go up 1/2# and down 1/2# constantly, week to week. I'm frustrated. I'm wondering about the meat intake and how much is too much? I usually give us either a large chicken breast in a salad or 1/4 chicken along with some kind of veggie & salad for lunch. Then I usually give us a large portion of either beef or pork (about 8 oz. each) for dinner along with a veggie & salad. I use the Atkins cookbook alot and make things like spinach pancakes, zucchini pancakes, daikon radish fries, mashed cauliflower. I make homemade quiche and crepes for breakfast. I bought the Atkins bagels and give my husband lox once a week. We're so sick of eggs! I buy the organic, nitrate free bacon. Is that OK to eat often? What am I doing wrong for myself? I have an Atkins shake every day and a spoonful of Peanut Butter (2.66 net carbs/2T serving) but otherwise I don't snack. I stopped giving us the cakerolls and pudding mixes because I thought maybe those were the culprits. I drink at least 64 oz. of water/day along with a couple of mugs of hot tea. (I also drink organic decaf coffee every morning -- 2 mugs with 2T cream) I'm really getting frustrated. These last 6# will drive me nuts. Do you have any pointers for me??

Thanks Karen - this post is so helpful I think and i'm glad you brought it to the front again.

Karen, as always, you are so full of wisdom.

Are you doing any type of phyiscal activity? Perhaps your just eating enough to maintain your weight. Maybe adding some daily exercise might help to get your metabolism going again.

-Ebbie

Exercise has always been a big part of my life -- I started walking regularly about 25 years ago and haven't stopped. I either walk 4 miles daily, ski 4 miles daily, or when the weather won't permit one or the other, I use our eliptical machine for 1/2 hour. Alot of people say that I should step up the exercise because my body is so used to the type that I do. Maybe once summer comes along I'll try that. I dropped 1/2 pound this week and am going to go back on Induction this week. We'll see what happens come next Monday morning!

Exercise has always been a big part of my life -- I started walking regularly about 25 years ago and haven't stopped. I either walk 4 miles daily, ski 4 miles daily, or when the weather won't permit one or the other, I use our eliptical machine for 1/2 hour. Alot of people say that I should step up the exercise because my body is so used to the type that I do. Maybe once summer comes along I'll try that. I dropped 1/2 pound this week and am going to go back on Induction this week. We'll see what happens come next Monday morning!