Ok, I've read the books, after my 2 weeks of induction I tried adding 5 carbs and gained weight (immediately). Does this mean my CCLL is less than 20 and I have to stay here forever? Is this common? Thanks in advance!

Have you tried using a food tracker? If you do you'll have a better idea whether your weight gain is a fluke or you really do have a low CCL.
I would stay at 25 another week and see if it happens again.
Rob

Food tracker? Ya mean like a carb counter book? Sorry to sound stupid! I have Atkins gram counter and count everything. I'm SCARED to keep at 25, the first day I gained .5 and the second day I gained 2! Last time I gained I hadn't been really counting carefully.

go to www.fitday.com where they have a food tracker there. It will calculate your counts for you.



Barb
Atkins-3/14/03
174/151/135
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

Also I wouldn't freak out over it - many people have a "stall" in the third or so week after getting started.

SO many things can influence daily weight fluctuations - water intake (or lack thereof), high sodium foods, TOM, heck even if it gets HUMID I retain water and my weight goes up! Exercise too, can make your muscles retain fluids if you're not used to it.

SO - I'd go with the 25 carbs for a week. If you MUST weigh daily, then average your weight over the week and see if you're truly UP or not. Better yet, stay away from the scales except once a week!

Char

Don't squat with yer spurs on!

Thanks for the advice! It's so helpful for my sanity to know that I'm not in this alone! I'll also try that food tracker.

I find that if I weigh myself every day I go nuts! It's so easy to gain two pounds overnight even if you've maintained within your daily carb range; and all for reasons we pull our hair out trying to figure. Take Char's advice and give youself a break on the daily weigh-ins. Make sure you are measuring -- this is where the true results will show! Water, water, water!!! Make sure you are drinking plenty -- 1/2 ounce for every pound you weigh. It will happen, through the frustration and all.

Kellie, F38
Started Atkins 8/1/03 (off and on for the last few years but sticking to it this time!)
206/194/160 -- 9.5 inches GONE! (as of 9/3)

Vanitee, you need to get some Ketostix and test yourself. If you're above your CCL, you'll test negative. If you test positive, you're below your CCL.

Scales can be fickle, up one day, down the next, based on things that don't relate to how well you're actually doing on the diet.

actually ketostix aren't an indicator for anything other than ketosis. you could still be in ketosis (and thus your sticks registering positive) yet gain weight if your caloric intake is simply too high for your daily activity level. too much protein, too much fat, too much carbs, too much calories... these can cause weight gain while still being in ketosis. and likewise, some people can still lose when not in ketosis. its very individualized to your own body.

your best bet is to just give it time, and dont weigh every day =)

btw, if you do need to stay at low carb levels, its not the end of the world! some of us are just slow losers =) eventually it will come off, just takes a bit more patience.

That's true. They only tell you if you're in ketosis. But that's the whole point of a ketogenic diet like Atkins. You eat less carbs so you can go into ketosis and the ketosis kills your appetite so you don't want to eat as much food. Weight loss can be caused by all kinds of things that don't relate to whether you're doing the diet correctly or not.