Summary of the post below: I'M SO STUCK, STALLED FOR EVER!

Hi Y'all! Have been on atkins since Jan. 1 and only have 8 pounds to go but I have NOT lost any weight in 3 months, in fact I've gained 3 lbs! My entire family is doing this diet and I've been the best of all --at not cheating! but I am the only one not loosing an once..... My stats are:
5'1" (very short and small bones)
33 yrs. old
120 lbs.
want to get to 112-114.

My calorie intake is high, I just found out,: 2000-2800 calories a day because I eat a lot of red meat. I figured this out using fitday.com and for one medium steak the calories are a whammy!

My carb intake is between 20-25/day.
I walk 3-4 times a week (2.9 miles each time) and do some free weights for upper body toning.

I have 1.5 weeks of being off coffee (and the cream and the 2 splenda packs that went with it) and 99% aspartame free (I don't say 100 % because the stuff is EVERYWHERE!). I still drink 2-3 cans of Diet RC a day (it is made with Splenda).

I am in desperate need to loose 4-5 pounds NOW because I am going on a cruise with my hubby and another couple in exactly 29 days! I do not look or feel good right now because I am so petite and these 3-4 lbs. I've gained back are SHOWING big time on my abdomen and thighs . My tight jeans that fit good now are HORRIBLE on me again...I look like a badly wrapped sausage

I figure I have to make a drastic move and from reading a LOT of posts today, I think my choices are:
a. go on the egg or meat or egg/meat fast
b. re-feed for one night and start again next morning on a fast (meat-egg)
c. take out a loan and do emergency liposuction! JUST JOKING!
D. I don't know!

I am basically in induction since January. I know I have little to loose and that these are lead pounds (hard to drop). BUT PLEASE, there's got to be a way. What is my option?

I would appreciate ANY help you could send my way. THANKS!

vv

I was going to suggest cutting back your calories. I'm 5 10" large bones, I exercise a lot and have significant muscle for a female... I run into trouble eating more than 2000, 2500 calories a day. If you do what you are doing now, but with smaller portions - for example half a steak instead of a whole one (it takes getting used to) you should lose weight.

However, you're in a time crunch so go for one of the extremes.. I personally had unbelievable results in 2 weeks from the fat fast, even though I didn't stick strictly to the rules. For example I'd sometimes have 1200 calories instead of 1000 and I'd have 20-30% protein instead of 10. I'd also recommend switching one or two of your walking days for HIIT training, for example do sprints on some stairs for 20 minutes, or on a field. I prefer stairs because it works your butt better and there is less impact than sprinting on flat ground. Your performance will not be great if you're fat fasting.. but your goal is to lose the fat and look toned, not optimal performance.

Good luck! With some work and discipline you will be strutting around in tight clothes all over that cruise

Meg

THanks Meg! Your reply confirms to me that I am not alone out here...was starting to think that since noone was replying!
I have started the egg fast today and so far so good but I entered my entire consumption for today (I already included what I am having for dinner) and one thing is bothering me....
THE CALORIE COUNT IS HIGH! Please tell me is that a problem on this fast? here is the link to my fitday for today.... any advice?
http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/DayFoodsTab.asp

and here is what I have eaten (including dinner I will have tonight):
breakfast - 4 hard boiled eggs, salt and pepper
lunch - 3 fried eggs, 1 tablespoons of butter, salt pepper
snack - 3 hard boiled eggs, salt
dinner - 2 fried eggs (no butter, PAM instead), 2 egg -egg salad with 2 tablespoons mayo, 1 teaspoon mustard (yellow, regular), salt and pepper. Pork rinds (about 2 oz. - no carb. kind)

I have had 114 oz. of water up until now (5 p.m.).

What do you think? Haven't been TOO hungry but did need the mid afternoon snack (3 hard boiled eggs).

Any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated.
And by the way, I just want to look "not so round" in a bathing suit -forget the tight jeans...those are for "measuring purposes"!
THANKS for the words of encouragement, you are very kind

VV

hello! I couldn't access your fitday breakdown, it would only bring me to the main page. So I entered your foods myself (pretty simple, 14 eggs and 2tb mayo +1tb butter) and the total was 1343 calories. Not bad, considering it is half of what you normally eat!

I don't think that the egg fast has a caloric restriction, within reason.. Try to keep things under 1500 and you'll most likely see results. If, in say 4+ days you're not noticing anything then try another type of fast - you're not starving yourself on the egg fast so you shouldn't have to worry about going from one to another.

An egg recipe I really like is to mush a hard boiled egg with 1 tb mayo and some chopped scallion and 1/2 to 1 oz bacon. It is a small portion but it really curbs the appetite.

Another yummy is to make egg crepes... just scramble some egg with cream or water until it is pretty thin and on a nonstick pan sprayed with a nonstcik spray make a very thin "crepe." Make a whole bunch of them and layer them with a little butter and no carb syup then roll it up.

Good luck! Keep me updated on your progress.
Meg

Okay! You just game me a morale boost and I think I will be able to keep this up. I hope that I will be in Ketosis tomorrow since today at lunch I still wasn't!

I will keep u posted and hopefully this works!
And you are right, I am going to go onto a meat fast for 4-5 days after these 3 days of "egging it" (it sounds so gross!!) and then I am going to stay in STRICT induction for the remaining 2 weeks prior to the cruise.....

Then, I will be a good girl while ON the cruise and try to avoid the "attack" of carbs ...you know: 24 hr. pizza parlor, 24 ice-cream stand, desserts GALORE! etc.!! I will enjoy myself the last day in the cruise by eating desert at dinner time and then go straight right back!!! (I'll consider it as refeeding!! je, je.... incredible how we can "rationalize" just about anything!!)

Thanks again Meg! I will post tomorrow. How are you doing, by the way?

VV

p.s. I want to turn my Ketostix the color of this ink.....PURPLE!
Here's hoping!