Hi all!
my name is carrie and this is my 2nd week on induction. i just have like 7 more days to go! but im not seeing any weight loss on the scales ive read all your posts about how the scales a liar but is it true is it really just not accurate i mean i work out 5 days a week and not just cardio i do a lot of strength training but im not seeing a whole lot of results?
Whats my problem am i doing something wrong? i have Dr. adkins book and im folowing it to a T. but what am i missing?

Hello Carrie, and welcome to LCE. I'm sorry to hear you're feeling frustrated. It can sometimes take a bit of time to find your "LC Zen," as I call it.

Let me ask some questions: How much weight are you looking to lose? And is your exercise program new, or have you been doing it a long time now?

How are you feeling? How's your energy level? How are your clothes fitting? Have you taken measurements? While the scales are one way to measure you're progress, don't mistake what they say for actual progress.

Strength training builds muscle, and muscle is much more compact that fat. So what folks sometimes see is that they're losing inches and clothing sizes while the scale doesn't say a darned thing about all their work.

Check out this FAQ here - I've been following my plan and exercising, so why is the scale stuck? | LCE

Also be aware that those who only have a few pounds to lose will lose at a slower rate that those that have more. And every body is different. But there are many ways to see how you're doing, and the scale is only one.

Hang in there, Carrie. We'll do what we can to help you figure it out.

Peace out.

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

It might help if you posted some of your menus. I remember several years ago I had the same problem. Trouble was I was eating too many Low Carb Bars and diet sodas. I don't know why it stalls some people. If you haven't fallen in that trap, maybe your body is just resisting change that happens sometimes. You just have to stick with it and your body will get the message. Judy

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If at first you don't succeed, change your approach and try again

Judy-Those LC Bars are the number one source of slowdowns and stalls I've seen over the past few years. I almost always suggest that people totally avoid them during active weight loss phases and save them for a later on treat or emergency food.

But for someone doing strength training five days a week, I'm expecting Carrie is probably building considerable muscle, which, although much more compact than fat, won't show losses on the scale as quickly.

Just so you know, Carrie, muscle also burns much more energy to maintain than fat, even at rest. And there's a good chance you're losing inches, too. So you're absolutely doing yourself good by doing this, but you'll have to be aware that the scale may not reflect your work as quickly.

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

thanks for the warm welcomes!
iam about 5'4 and i weigh 163lbs and im wanting to lose about 15-20 lbs i have always been super active, ive been in karate for about 7 years and im have a whole lot more muscle mass than most normal people. This is the first diet that i have ever tried and i have actually been able to stick to for more thhan one week!
i honestly feel really good i have tons on energy and ive even noticed stuff like my skin is clearing up. i honestly do really like this diet but i just dont want all my efforts to be for nothing! Thats where ya'll come in!

As for what iam eating...... im not eating any kind of LC bars or drinks! Basicaly a normal day for me is:
For breakfast i eat 2 eggs with some cheese but not a lot of cheese.

For lunch i eat chicken or a hamburger (no bun) w/cheese bacon and mustard.

For dinner after I work out at the Gym i eat a steak or a hamburger.

If i drink soda its only one - two a day and its diet.
I do have a cup of coffee in the morning however i drink it black.
I drink water almost all day long!

like i said i do a lot of strenght training so maybe thats why the scale isnt moving at all. i also dont have a whole lot of weight to lose so i guess thats another could be another reason. thanks for all your advise and how fast ya'll responded!dance2

Carrie, you absolutely NEED veggies in your diet! Low carb isn't NO carb. I would recommend you get yourself a copy of Dr. Atkin's New Diet Revolution and read it to see how the diet works (or another plan, if you like). If you get your "info" from tv spots or a friend, you're likely to make the kind of mistakes you're describing, thinking you need to cut out all carbs and ultimately undernoursihing yourself. Even Atkins induction, one of the most restrictive, will allow 20 grms of carbs per day, figured as "Net Carbs", which are Carbs - Fiber grams.

As a matter of fact, you may have trouble losing any weight at all because of eating so few carbs and/or calories. That can slow things down tremendously from many.

With just about 20 pounds you'd like to lose, also expect the process to be slower for you than people with more.

I'd also suggest that with your described activity levels, you consider skipping induction altogether and go directly to the Ongoing Weightloss Phase. People who exercise heavily often need a higher level of carbs in their diet, and can easily support it with the activty.

You will be happy to hear, however, that exercise is more effective for LC'ers than people with "ordinary" eating habits, since you don't have all the glucose floating around to burn off first. In other words, the workouts you're doing are doing more for you now than before.

Make sure you're taking a multivitamin at least if you're not, and start adding some veggies, especially high fiber veggies. Get yourself a copy of the book and learn the basics, and make sure you're eating when you're hungry.

I am glad to hear you're feeling well and have high energy levels. Start eating those veggies and you should be on your way. And measure yourself, for goodness sakes! That way you can have another way to see how you're doing besides that blasted tyrant, the scale.

Let us know how it goes.

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

Oh-And keep it up on the water drinking! That helps tremendously.

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

Oh WOW!!!!!! man i dont ever eat veggies for some reason i was thinking that i wasnt alloed those on the induction part of the diet?
wow so should eat something like green beans or are they not on the list of veggies?
I have the atkins diet revolution book i have just failed to read it completly through.
Oh and another question should i completly cut out sodas ?
are they keeping me from losing weight?

carrie-most people find they develop a taste for veggies after lc'ing a while even if they didn't eat many before. that was my experience as well...and i used to be indifferent towards fruit but after i quit eating sugar, i found fruit to be a lot more like dessert now....but yes, veggies are where you're supposed to be getting the vast majority of your carbs. check out the chapter on induction for allowed foods list.

you can eat green beans, yeah. or salad or broccoli with cheese sauce or cauliflower or spinach or maybe celery sticks with ranch dressing or lots of other stuff. here are some ideas of what people commonly eat on lc - So what can I eat on a low carb diet? | LCE - or do a search on the forums for "snack ideas" or something. there are lots of great ideas people have shared over the years.

the book has a list of allowed foods for atkins in the induction chapter, but as i said earilier, most veggies will be fine, especially with your activity levels. i'd suggest you check out the cooking forum and look at some lc cookbooks to start getting more ideas about what you can eat low carbing.

for sodas, i assume you mean diet sodas; absolutely nothing with sugar should be passing your lips. some people use an occasional diet soda as a treat, but limit it and make sure you get your water in first. others have problems with diet sodas, either because the sweetness makes them crave sugar or it just slows them down, so your mileage may vary. maybe try a nice cup of green tea occassionally instead. that's good for you.

right now, you're very much treating lc like "any other diet" and in the long run, that's not going to serve you well. becuase if you look at it "just as a way to lose 20 pounds, "you may well lose the twenty but you'll almost surely put it back on and maybe more as soon as you stop dieting in short order.

in order for lc to actually work you you long term, you have to find ways to integrate it into your lifestyle. to do that, you'll be adding plenty of veggies and fruit over time, you'll learn to "lc" your favorite regular recipes, and you'll let go of that emotional attachement you have to the scale readout and focus more energy on how you're feeling.

now, i'm not trying to be critical, but i hear you asking about the scale every other sentence. i SO understand the mindset because that's where i started, too. i was counting the seconds, believe me! but it doesn't work that way, at least not very well. lc isn't a good quick fix because if you just use it as just another diet, you'll gain it back the minute you stop. it has to become just the way you eat, or your doomed to continue to fight those 20 pounds, you know?

so my advice is to take a deep breath, read the book you've got, try some nice veggies with cheese sauce or something your next meal, and don't weigh in more than once a week to start letting go of that "scale-itis." and relax. this is a journey, not a destination.

peace out, ms. carrie.

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

Awesome thank your so much for the awesome advise.
I ate like half a can of green beans last night i actually think that i feel alittle better today than i did yesterday!
I will try some of the other veggies (in moderation)
I also have another question ? lol i know your probably getting annoyed with all my questions!
However i followed the link from above to read about what i was permited to eat on induction and it says under the dairy column that you can eat (in moderation) plain yogurt? Is that any plain yogurt or is that a certain brand?
I know that some of my questions may be alittle to easy but all ive been eating is straight up meat an eggs i was afraid that i would through mybody out of ketosis! So i didnt want to push anything!

Which leads me to anther question.
I got those ketone testing strips to see if i was in ketosis however whenever i use them it just shows up that iam just mildly in the state of ketosis! Is that due to the fact that iam working out alot am i really in ketosis or am i not?

You can be in ketosis and never have the strips turn. And you can have them turn a little and not lose much. They are not something you need to rely on. If you're seeing your clothes getting looser, then you're losing. As simple as that.

Some eat yogurt, any brand that hasn't had sugar or fruit added. It's thought that the fermentation process "eats" some of the milk sugar, so the carb count is somewhat lower. You won't see a lower carb count on the carton, though. It's just a given that the carbs are lower. I love yogurt, but it's hard to find good yogurt here. You can't buy a small carton of Dannon plain anymore, they just don't sell it.

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Nita

glad we're able to help...
i'll bet you do! veggies are very important-a staple of low carb eating-but that's never what they talk about on tv. most low carbers will tell you they eat more veggies now than they ever did in their lives before lc'ing! i sure do.

and i doubt that with your activity levels, veggies will be a problem for you, so i wouldn't worry overly about how much of the veggies you're eating. exercise moderation with the diet sodas and the dairy products for sure, as those are far more likely to be areas where too much can cause issues for you, but the veggies are probably the are of least potential concern. really. veggies are your friends.

not at all. that's what we're here for.

nita already answered your question about yougurt and i don't know so much about that myself; not a big yougurt eater. the main thing you're looking for with any of this is to avoid added sugars.

i've heard it said that ketosis is a lot like pregnancy: either you are or you ain't. there's no "kinda" here. and sometimes, if you're drinking plenty of water, the strips will show lighter anyway, because your "output" is diluted. that's not bad. as nita said, some people lose fine without ever showing on the strips. so don't take them as the gold standard of anything. if your clothes are looser, it's working, period.

i suggest using all the tools you have in tandem to help encourage and motivate you. if the scale isn't showing a loss one day, pull out a strip. (and cutting it in half lengthwise = double value for your money). if that doesn't show what you like, try on some clothes. or take some measurements. do whatever you can to help encourage yourself and minimize the "freakout factor," 'cause it's not warrented and it does you no good whatsoever.

sounds like you're doing fine. keep working on those veggies and give yourself some time.

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

Carrie it sounds like you are doing good. Goddess is right, and you have to eat more veggies. There are quite a few veggies that are suitable for induction. Otherwise your doing great. And muscle is more dense then fat, like Goddess said you are probably losing inches. You are absolutely right those lowcarb bars are murder. Carrie you are wise to avoid them. I haven't ate any in quite awhile. I've come a long ways in the last few years. Of course when I first started this in 2001 I made quite a few mistakes. Then of course I totally went off the wagon for 8 months and it didn't take me long to gain a bunch of weight. Live and learn from my mistakes I guess(LOL). Hope everyone has a great night. Judy

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If at first you don't succeed, change your approach and try again

Wow! Goddess... you are amazing! The knowledge is awesome. Carrie, just to let you know... I have been lowcarbing with veggies galore. I am in dark red ketosis. I am having my daughter read this thread.
Goddess, your entry name signifies 'power and control over something'.
You got this LCarbing down to a science!!! YOU GO GIRL!!

Noobus

Thanks, "Noobus."

I'll tell you something-90% of what I know about LC'ing came as a result of becoming a member of this site, so you're definitely in the right place! I believe I wouldn't have made it nearly as far as I have personally without the info, encouragement and support of all the knowledgable and friendly folks in this community. Our members rock.

I chose the username "goddess" after reading something on a blog about picking usernames and passwords, and how you're typing that stuff in over and over, so think about what kind of message you want to send to yourself when you do it. A bit egotisitical, perhpas, but who cares? I've become much more outgoing since I lost that hunk of weight anyway...and i find it's fun to be "eccentric." ha!

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?