I have been at my folks' house in South Carolina since Monday and I have resisted the HUGE temptations here that friends of my Parents have brought over. Homemade pound cake, cookies, brownies, etc., so today started with bacon and eggs. However, we went over to my Godparents for a lunch that ended up being dinner at 5 PM of steak, sweet potato and green bean casserole and a SMALL piece of bread. I resisted the homemade desserts there and instead ate a small Carbolite Bar on the way home to my Parents house. I then did a brisk walk for 30 minutes. I finally gave in to the WONDERFUL looking Fresh Orange Italian Cream Cake that my cousin created from a Southern Living recipe (see below) I ate two pieces just now. I can resist cookies but a good cake has always been my favorite. I am not upset about it because I will begin tomorrow with a nice long walk. I started Atkins on 11/18 and did Induction for three weeks. After the three weeks I have been only eating 25 carbs a day and doing cardio five times a week and weight training three times a week. The scale is stuck at 144(where it was after Induction) HOWEVER, my clothes are falling off of me and I could kick myself for not taking measurements before I began Atkins.

Thanks for listening and Merry Christmas to all!!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-ppurpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Fresh Orange Curd
3 cups Pecan-Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup sweetened flaked cocounut, lightliy toasted (optional)
Glazed Pecan Halves (optional)
Boxwood Garland (optional, see box above)

Hey LCD1962,

You have a very wonderful out look on this! After reading lot's of others whine about their "falls" yours is refreshing to hear. You've got the main thing, and that's "I did, now I move on." I have found some of my best loses of pounds have followed a slip up. Maybe it was because I re-applied myself afterwards, maybe though some times the body needs a change. who knows?

But I just thought you handled it great! You didn't really go over board!

And you say you are seeing a differnce in the way your clothes are fitting, so way to go, you are doing it! Yea!

You'll get past this plateau, before you know it!



Carl

Thanks icedancer, I really appreciate your kind words. Looking at your wonderful success, can you offer me some reasons on why the scale is not moving much but the inches are dropping off?
Thanks again.

Well, when ever I get stuck, I do 2 things:

1) Check and recheck my carbs

a) I found out just this week by using FitDay that I was
underestimating my carb count by about 1/3! My secret
culprit was the half & half I used in my coffee and onions in
my omellets!

b) It was easy to have hidden carbs, all those non-cal
sweetners contain about .75 gram of carbs & I was using
uhm....... lot's... like 20 a day in my coffee....

2) Step up the walking, walking is my best friend.... my worst
friend is my 30 second sprints with 30 secon rests for 20 mins.

3) Even though you're now suppose to have to count calories, I
do anyway. I find that I don't lose the weight as quickly if I
don't, I can still eat way to much!

4) Relax, let time pass, you didn't put it on in a month, it'll take
time. And that's ok, Impatience has been my worst enemy!!!

5) Inches count more than pounds if you ask me.

But that's about it, it's not really much more than make sure you are not getting any hiddne carbs and you are counting them correctly, step up the exercise a bit, and be patient!



Hope this helps, have a happy day!




Carl

Funny, I said I do 2 things then proceeded to lay out 5 items!

Am I too much or what?

Carl

Thanks so much! I actually use half and half too but I very carefully measure it out and use 4 tablespoons in one cup of coffee which is 2 carbs. Since the scale is not moving quickly, I am going to try and continue to only eat 25-30 carbs a day until I get into the 130's on the scale.
Let me know when you post enough messsages so I can send you a private message and give you my email address.

Yeah, I was making half and half lattes..... way too much! Personally if I was as bothered as you sound about the scale not moving I'd go back to induction, I've done it many times because I was impatient...... as you can see, I use that word way too much! But many do induction until they reach their goal, it won't hurt you!

BTW, how many post does one need for sending private emails?? I know nothing about this sort of thing.


Carl

Those half and half lattes cost me plenty, too. And I LOVE them...I make them last for hours, reheating over and over!!

I'm stuck on diet soda now, caffiene free, but would love another idea for sitting and drinking something in the evening.

Hey I don't even mess with half & half any more, too many carbs! I do the true Brevie, which is made with pure whipping cream out of the carton, I will even go and buy a pint of whipping cream and take it to my favorite coffee shack and they will make it up for me for the cost of the shots!

Talk about smooth!



Yeah baby!





Carl