This may seem like a paranoid concern, but here's the deal:

I've been on induction for nine days. I watch my carbs pretty carefully (even limiting cheese to no more than 4 oz per the book) and have been eating the recommended salad greens, etc. I'm solidly in ketosis - check the strips 1 or 2x a day - and it shows up dark pinkish purple almost every single time (other times hot pink - but they've never been negative). Oh - and I drink my 1 gallon of water a day plus some.

In nine days I've only lost about four pounds. I have a LOT to lose, so it's not like I'm trying to get rid of my last ten pounds.

I've been disappointed that the weight loss hasn't been a little steeper, considering that you're supposed to lose the quickest in induction.

That said, about two weeks before going on Atkins I joined Curves and have been keeping up with my 3x/week workouts. I sweat a LOT and I can feel my muscles strengthening - can also tell by how my workouts progress.

Could this be why the scale isn't showing as much of a loss? I lost four pounds just from Curves (prior to starting Atkins - total weight loss is 8 lbs). I know muscle weighs more than fat, but I also know that muscle burns more calories. My face has thinned out some and my clothes are slightly looser but I guess I'm disappointed that the scale isn't moving more.

My questions:

1. Can you be in ketosis and still have metabolic resistence?

2. Why am I still hungry regularly even though I'm in ketosis?

3. Is it possible that I'm consuming too many calories? Here is what I ate today:

BREAKFAST: 1 link chicken sausage and 3 eggs and 1 oz. cheddar

SNACK: Atkins bar (2 net grams carbs)

LUNCH: 1 hamburger patty with slice of onion and 2 oz. muenster w/ 2 T mayo

DINNER: Two small slices eggplant, browned in olive oil and topped with 4 oz. lump crab meat and 1/4 cup homemade cheese sauce

SNACK: All beef hotdog (no nitrites) with 1 oz. cream cheese

I normally have 2 cups of salad but with the onion and the eggplant I was concerned about going over the recommended limit.

This is a pretty average day, although sometimes I'll only have two eggs and some no nitrate bacon for breakfast.

Should I be counting calories?

In the middle of the month I'll get my body fat tested at Curves and my measurements taken again. However, I'm worried about losing my resolve if I don't see some more results or get some assurance that what I'm going through is normal.

Any insights/advice?

hi Lara:

Your menue looks pretty good, but the one thing I did see was the atkins bars. They have caused many many many ppl to not loose weight and stall out there weight loss. They claim that the sugar alcohols do not have an impact on the blood sugar, but that has been proven incorrect. Some ppl like myself have to count ever singe "carb (minus fiber only) count on that package. Some can get away with counting half the sugar alcohols. With this it is a YMMV.

As for veggies.. I would up them. You are working out so your body will need more complex carbs (I.E. Vegies).

I wouldn't worry about calories unless you have stalled out for a VERY Very long time.

With this said.. I would just complete induction and move out of it into OWL. Up them carbs by 5 tomorrow and ditch the bars and I bet things get moving again.

Also make sure you take measurments. The measurments are the most important. For instance.. I did weights 3x week and fat blasting yoga 3x a week for 6 weeks and had a dress fitting 2 weeks after I started and then again after 4 weeks. I lost 4 inches in my waist alone, but my scales did not move hardly at all the whole time!

Last but not least.. make sure your drinking no less than half your body weight in water. (i.e if you weigh 200 pounds you need to drink 100 oz of water).

Don't get discouraged. I think your makeing great progress!

Tanya


Member since Jan 2002
re-started on 1-3-03
272/187/185<--(next goal)

One other comment on your menu--some people find that eating cheese stalls them--I notice you are eating a fair amount of cheese--you may want to cut back and see if that makes a difference

ouis

I'm surprised you're positive on the ketostix with the bars. But since you're testing positive, you must have a higher tolerance for the bars.

Other than the bars, which I, personally, wouldn't eat, everything you're describing sounds very positive. I would just wait for weight to come off and have patience. I don't think you need to cut calories. I think you just need to wait.

**************
"Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door."

I want to thank you all for the encouraging messages. I had a long talk with my mother about this today - she and my stepfather started Atkins over the summer and she reminded me that for the first month of it she didn't lose weight period. And then all of a sudden the pounds started dropping off her, and now she's lost 45 pounds. She also said that my stepfather thought the bars weren't good and that's why they stopped eating them. So I will try to limit/cut out bars this next week.

One question about the bars, though - what can I replace them with? They're helpful to me because I teach at the college part time. I eat breakfast before I leave and I've been packing a bar with me to eat around 2 (I don't get up until 8:30, and usually eat breakfast around 9:30), when my classes finish up. When I get home I usually have a salad and either dinner leftovers or a hamburger or something. I don't have a microwave at school. Should I be packing a hot dog and a piece of cheese instead? Something so that I'm not starving once I get home.

Thanks again - I really appreciate the support!

I'm actually surprised that you are hungry before 2pm. Once I got in Ketosis and started eating eggs for breakfast, I didn't get hungry mid-day at all; I just felt like I had to eat something before 2pm so that I could eat again with my family at 6:30.

As far as snacking goes, there aren't many snacks that don't need refrigeration that are induction friendly. If it's an absolute necessity, I'd try to go with 1-2 oz. of Macadamia nuts or sunflower seeds. They aren't supposed to be used until you get to OWL, but they are 1000% better than those Atkins bars.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gyps:
I'm actually surprised that you are hungry before 2pm. Once I got in Ketosis and started eating eggs for breakfast, I didn't get hungry mid-day at all; I just felt like I had to eat something before 2pm so that I could eat again with my family at 6:30.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know! I don't understand it myself. I check my ketone levels 1-2x a day and I've never fallen out of it. I actually got into ketosis fairly quickly, too - less than 48 hours after starting Atkins. The first three days I had to eat a little something every 2-3 hours. The hunger has started to go away but one thing I know about myself is that if I *don't* have snacks on hand, it is easier for me to stray. Whenever I'm going to be out for an extended period of time I make sure to bring a 24 oz. bottle of water and 2 or 3 snacks. I don't always eat them all, but just having them makes me feel more safe.

You do lose slower when you are effectively weight training.....but thats a good thing in the long run. Preserving and building lean tissue while dieting is the smartest thing you can do.

Alot of people I started with lost at much faster rates, but burned out and yo-yo'ed back up. Slow, smart and steady definately wins this race!

Shark
410/260/240
lbs Lost in 2003: 56

Lara, check the recipes for some make ahead, easy to take to work snacks and meals. Things like sausage, egg and cheese muffins, quiche, lettuce roll up sandwiches, stuffed celery, cheese sticks, chicken salad, etc. This time of year I like taking LC cream of chicken and broccoli soup in a thermos. Once you're past induction, you can add things like nuts, low carb tortilla shells, cheese biscuits/crackers, etc.

It's very important when you're low carbing not to go more than 4-5 hours without eating. It puts you at risk for getting way too hungry and grabbing whatever's convienient. Not to mention getting mean and cranky.

Overall you sound like you're off to a great start though. Hang in there.





Always eat your veggies first!

When I was teaching college, I hauled cans of almonds with me wherever I went. If you're in induction, you probably can't do that for a while yet, but you can use your imagination and come up with something palatable. The sad part about this diet is that most of the good items aren't portable without refrigeration.

**************
"Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door."

Lara
I don't think you're having too many calories.
I quickly entered everything into fitday except the atkins bars and came up to about 1500 calories. I didn't know if your eggs were cooked in fat or not so i entered boiled eggs.
so even if the bars are 200 and you fried the eggs in butter that would still be 1800 calories or less. So I agree with those who point to the bars as the most likely culprit.
I also agree that maybe the cheese is a tiny bit high? I might limit it to Atkins maximum recommendation of 4 ounces a day. You hav elisted 4 ounces in addition to the cheese sauce. Actually I limit myself to 3. That's what works for me. Now you need to experiment a little and see what works for you.
Good Luck
Rob

Oh and I forgot to mention;
Your carbs were about ecc of 10 so you had ample room for a BIG salad. Those salads really help.
Rob

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rob:
Lara
I don't think you're having too many calories.
I quickly entered everything into fitday except the atkins bars and came up to about 1500 calories. I didn't know if your eggs were cooked in fat or not so i entered boiled eggs.
so even if the bars are 200 and you fried the eggs in butter that would still be 1800 calories or less.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow, Rob - thanks! I actually cooked the eggs right in the sausage fat (took the skin off the link of sausage, browned it up, and then poured the eggs over it). I was imagining that I was eating closer to 4000 calories a day (don't ask me why). I belong to Fit Day and use it to track my fitness goals/workouts, but maybe I should start plugging calories in every now and then just as a check up.

And you know, I hadn't realized I went over my 4 a day cheese alottment. I think I'll follow your advice and try to limit to 3 oz. a day this week.

Thanks again for all of your advice and encouragement!

Hi, Lara. Sounds like you're working hard to do the program, with good support from your family. Keep in mind that low-carb is not intended to be a "diet" but a way of life. You are looking to change your entire pattern of eating, which, over time, will produce results--not just weight management, but other health benefits as well.

Can you obtain a thermal-insulated lunchbox? Celery with cream cheese (I like the whipped kind) is a great snack. You can also pack other veggies and dips. I like deviled eggs any time of day. And olives.

Barb L.
Started Atkins January 2003
162/141/130

Hi Lara and welcome!

I am still in a the "new phase" so I dont have to much info for you but I see the you have received great info.

One thing I can suggest for those items that need to stay cold is maybe carrying a lunch sack with one of those freezer ice bag thingies. The ones that keep your food cool. Forget the name of them. My dh at one time didnt have a fridge at work so we got him a vinal lunch bag with one of those freezer things and it worked out great!

Blessings,

Carol

**** Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
(NKJV)****