Hola!

I've just joined this board.

I've been trying to restrict myself w/ 30-35 grams of carbs every weekday and about 50-70 carbs/day over the weekend. I know I'm not supposed to be looking at the scale, but I do!!! For most of December, my weight kept going back and forth 5 lbs.

For the past 2 weeks or so, I've started doing 20 min workouts on an elliptical trainer (5 days a week). Towards the end of each workout I get a heartbeat of around 145-160 bpm. I'm currently stuck at 209 and my weight refuses to budge!

I don't have very much time as I'm a student and working full time and I work out during the evenings. What else can I do to see better results?? Reduce my carb intake and/or add simple weights?

Thanks,
Rosa.

Hi Rosa! I read your post and I just have a few suggestions. First, let me start by saying that I have lost 90lbs twice on the low carb diet, so stay with it. I am taking 80lbs off once again. To your issue, make sure that you are in ketosis (and you should be with 30-35g/day), try to do 30min. of aerobics, make sure your heart rate is in the aerobic zone the entire 30min. (excluding warm up), and you may need to add LCarnitine and/or Coenzyme Q10 to your regimen of supplements. I can't stay in ketosis and lose weight without LCarnitine and CoQ10. If you aren't taking these supplements, try LCarnitine 500mg 2x/day and CoQ10 100mg/day. Good luck to you!!!!

There could be water weight gain right there--carbs take water to process. Your body doesn't really care about Saturday and Sunday. My weekends aren't any different calorically and carb-count wise than any other day.

Basic equation applies--are you eating too much? Despite all the talk, you can still not lose weight on LC if you eat too many calories. Can't tell from what you've written.

Agree about the supplements--they've helped me push away from the table. More exercise is almost always a good thing, too. Adding daily dog walks to my routine shifted about 5#.

I roughly calculated what I eat everyday:


1) Breakfast ~ 8am -> 2 toasts (low carb bread) w/ butter + 1 hardboiled egg + 1 cup of milk tea. Carbs = 9.5, Calories = 450.

2) Lunch ~ 12pm -> 2 1/2 tortillas (low carb) + veggie/meat entre + 1 cup of milk tea. Carbs = about 13 - 15, Calories = 560.

****5pm -- Work out for 20-25 mins*****

3) Dinner ~ 6:30pm -> 2 1/2 tortillas (low carb) + 2 chicken breasts/fish/turkey + small salad. Carbs = about 13.5, Calories = 850.

4) 2nd Dinner ~ 9:30pm -> Salad + 1/2 chicken breast/fish/turkey
Carbs = 2 - 3, Calories = 300.

***** sleep by 1 am ******

I guess taking the max gives me about 41 carbs and 2160 calories. I occasionally munch on raw walnuts or almonds, which add a lot of calories but very few carbs. I drink about 2 - 3 liters of water everyday.

I didn't know we were supposed to also watch the calories. I was mostly looking at carbs and fat grams (each meal has to be < 30g according to Protein Power).

So what do you guys think should be taken out of my diet? I'm constantly hungry - esp after working out!!

Also, I'm curious about LCarnitine and Coenzyme Q10. Do these have any drug interactions? I'm taking these mega vitamins for women which I will stop once I'm out because I'm also taking oral contraceptives. My gyn advised me that mega vitamins + oral contraceptives aren't suitable for a long period of time.

Rosa.

Rosa,

Are you following a specific plan? If you are on Atkins, your calories seem about right, but your carbs are too high for induction. If you are on another plan, 2160 calories is quite a lot. I suggest following a specific plan to the letter, and you will see results immediately. Ask around to see what plan is right for you.

As far as exercise, try including some weight training. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. I use the FIRM, and although I don't weigh myself, I can see a definite difference in how my clothes are fitting.

Hola,

Why don't you try Atkins. Go to 20g of carbs for 2 weeks and see what happens.

i would maybe take a look at the nuts you're eating....i love to snack on a small pinch of walnuts--but they have carbs and they do add up! even though the label appears to read 0 carbs, there is something about the fiber already being subtracted? i think i have that right...so nuts can be dangerous!

I find that lifting has DEFINETELY helped my weight loss--almost more than anything else, I would even say.

I agree with fletch...try Atkins for a couple weeks to jump start your system, then slowwwwllly increase your carbs to what you're eating now. And the weekend carb increase is probably what's holding you back. Start off at 20, do that for a couple weeks (or until you are closer to your goal), then increase it by 5 grams/week...until you hit goal. Doing this will also show you at what carb intake level you stop losing weight. Hope this helps!

you are averaging a little above 10 kcal/lb body weight - try reducing calories to 8-9 kcal/lb body wt (~1600-1800 a day) and see if that does you better. You still need a caloric deficit to lose weight, no matter the PRO/CHO/FAT ratio.

You might try dropping either the bread or the tortillas and substitute with some other carb source - maybe oatmeal or oat bran in the AM and more fiber-rich veggies later ?

You might try HIIT (high intensity interval training) for your cardio instead of steady-state and alternate days of HIIT with some full-body weight training to rev up your metabolism.

okay, thanks for all the suggestions!! I will try reducing my calories down to 1600-1800 and try some weight lifting to see where it takes me.


Rosa.