Hi Everyone

After losing 14 lbs during induction I am now at day 12 in OWL and I have only lost 2.5 lbs. I'm trying to count carbs but am having some difficuly as I don't know how to count the 3 cups of salad I'm eating daily. I've added some various veggies dice I started OWL such as brocolli cauliflower spoinach and zuchinni. I'm eating only natural foods nothing processed at all. The only beverage I ingest is water in copious amounts as you all have suggested. Heres what I ate today.

Breakfast
3 egg omlette with 2 slices ham 1cup cauliflower and 1 slice swiss cheese
Lunch
1 lg (3 cups) of tossed salad (iceberg) with 1/3 cup onion 1/3 cup celery and a half a tomato and 3 tbls of ranch (3 carbs)
Supper
1 8oz butt pork chop seared then baked and 2 cups green and yolow beans with tbls butter

I'm trying to eat veggies with each meal but I wonder if maybe I'm overdoing the portion size. According to the ketostix I have been in ketosis since
I started atkins on Aug 22. Even though the wieght loss has slowed right down and I really want to lose the wieght I keep reminding my self of how great I feel. Not only do I have energy I am on the same level all day. Things I have too do;put the damn scale away and stop wieghing myself everyday. Get off my @#$ and start excersising which i keep putting off. This WOE resonates somewhere inside and I know it is a right choice for me.Sorry thi post is so long. I'm going to submit this and go for a walk.

__________________
Sean
Atkins Aug.22/04
233.5/173/160 5'8"
Life is very good and can only
get better if I make the right choices.

http://www.lowcarbeating.com/photopo...a_challeng.jpg[/img]

Sean,

To get a more accurate count of what you're eating go to

http://fitday.com

This site has helped me so much in figuring what I am eating each day. Besides just counting the carbs it shows you the total fiber eaten in the day as well so you can figure your net carbs. Sometimes now I will put in what I am thinking of eating so I can see how it will fit into my day.

I was having a hard time staying off the scale when I got one. I didn't have one for the first 3 weeks and drove to the docs to weigh myself. Now I just try and use my will power but still weigh about every three days. I also want to be sure I'm not posting a gain.

The exercise thing is a toughie. I am doing walking as well. Though I haven't gone for two days which seems like an eternity.

Good luck. And be proud of the weight you've already lost.

__________________
Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

Your menu looks very good to me, and I'd say your progress is outstanding. It's normal for the weight loss to slow down after induction. Losing 1 to 2 lbs a week - on average - would be pretty good. Now, many of us find our bodies are not totally predictable little machines - so much in equals so much out. There's often a variation in the rate of lose. Sometimes, people see no loss for 2 to 3 weeks, but they still lose inches. Then, suddenly, they might get a Whoosh! where 3 or 4 lbs drops off in just a couple of days.

So, try to take the long view and not stress on how much weight you've lost on any given day. There are so many variables that affect weight besides fat loss (water retention, the amount of food being processed through your body, muscle growth, etc.

If you have not already started taking your measurements, I suggest you start recording your loss in inches as well as in pounds. It can be quite helpful to find you've lost inches even when the scale isn't moving at all.

__________________
~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

I myself, don't worry too much about salad or veggies. In all reality, was it salad or veggies that made me fat to begin with? no.... I don't count salad/ veggies carbs. I know now on ongoing weight loss what I should or should not eat. Therefore I stay away from those things.... but if you have a problem with having to count all carbs, I too suggest fitday.com

Just for fun, I entered your foods into my DietPower program. I came up with:

Calories: 1438 (does NOT include calories from your Ranch Dressing . . . or any coffee you may have had).
Carbs: 22.4 (DOES include your carb count from the Ranch Dressing).

I also input your stats into the basal metabolism calorie thingy. I did not know your age, so I put in "35." This calculator came up with your body needing a minimum of around 2058 calories just to lie in bed all day.

SO, if your weight loss is slow, perhaps your body thinks it is starving and is holding on to your fat for dear life.

The carb count looks good. If you are just past induction, "by the book" you can be up to around 25 carbs/day (YMMV)

Just my 2 cents . . . .

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

BTW, 3 cups Iceberg lettuce (6 ounces) is 21 calories, 3 carbs and 2 fiber = 1 net carb. If you really want to be specific: 3.555 carbs - 2.381 fiber = 1.174 net carbs.

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

sean- i realize that after a fat-melting induction, it's hard to accept that you're still eating well, but the weight ain't flying off anymore. this, however, is 100% normal. many people actually stall out right after induction as their body adjusts to the new way of eating.

you ARE losing, albeit slower than you'd like. (and let's face it: is it _ever_ as fast as you'd like? i'm thinking NO!!) you ARE eating well, and as you said, you DO feel great.

you've just got to look at the big picture here. personally, i have been eating lc since last november, and during that time, i'm averaging a modest 2 pounds a week. some weeks it's higher, some nothing at all. not "superstar losses" by any account, but the thing is, it's a consistent trend. THAT is what you're going for, and that's how i've lost 95 pounds so far.

so don't snub the slow but steady losses. they add up. and on exercise, keep it simple and pleasant, and that, too, can become a habitual part of your new, healthier lifestyle. hang in!

__________________


Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

Wow Sean youre doing great, youre body is doing just what its supposed to do. However i agree with alida, you may need a few more calories, but then again maybe not. And on the exercise thing, uh yes you do need to get some in, it will make a huge difference.

Great job so far.

__________________
Started LC 1-10-04

302/199/160, 103lbs down, 39 to go, simply remarkable.

Restart- 8-19-07
242/226/160


405 points to date ( HOLIDAY CHALLENGE )

Sean,

I agree with Goddess, sometimes (okay, USUALLY...) our expectations are too high. It looks to me like you are doing very well. (My only suggestion would be to ditch the iceburg lettuce for a variety with more nutritional value, but hey, one step at a time.) If you are feeling good, and can appreciate this way of eating for its many benefits other than weight loss, I'd say stash the scale. I've done this recently and it has been very freeing. Hang in there, and stop by often for support and encouragement. The folks here are amazing!!

__________________
Staci

Sean,
maby you should try adding a little more protein in during the day... like some grilled chicken w/ your salad at lunch..maby cut the tomato out for a while since it is a higher glicemic veggie.. and onion is the same.. lower those and add in maby some green pepper or some broccoli or cauliflower.. if you add in some grilled meat w/ your salad you wont feel you need to eat that entire 3 cups of lettuce.. or even a hard boiled egg choped in to your salad..

You do need to keep in mind since you are now exersizeing your body is building muscle. Muscule weighs more than fat! Now dont go thinking well i should stop exersizeing...NOOOOO... keep doing that. Just hang in there and eventualy you will start burning fat agin... you have APX 60 som lbs left to loose.. wich in all honesty isnt ALOT.. when i started this WOL i had 100 lbs give or take a few LBS to loose..

Your body will kick in to high gear soon... My only thoughts are to add in a little more meat.. and watch what meat you are eating.. you said "Slices of ham" is that lunch meat???? lunch meat has lots of hidden carbs from processing.. just becarefull and go for some grilled or baked meat that you make (or you can buy alredy grilled meat at the store... heck.. they even sell caned chicken for those penny pinchers.. You are doing GREAT! hang in there we are all here for suport for you.. keep posting!

__________________
01/02/04-248{ 4/29/04- 218} 6/30/04- 204
7-05-04 198 8/30/04 - 190 (got lost after that-)
4/03/08- 261 -
Goal-140-145

Thank you so much everyone. Your words of encouragement and suggestion are just what I needed to hear. Plus I got an the scale this morn (I know I wasn't going to) and I'm down another .5 lbs fo a total of 17 lbs lost. You folk are awesome motivators. I went for a hour walk last night and slept like a baby. By the way Alida that dietpower program sounds facinating and I have cut out all caffiene although I really miss my tea. The only thing I am drinking is water and lots of it. One other amazing thing is that I feel very little temptation to cheat. I work in the food industry so the opportunity to nibble on high carb food is great. I do breakfast on the week-ends and I make some wicked homefries and haven't even put one in my mouth. Again thank you very much for your support; this site is such a great help

__________________
Sean
Atkins Aug.22/04
233.5/173/160 5'8"
Life is very good and can only
get better if I make the right choices.

http://www.lowcarbeating.com/photopo...a_challeng.jpg[/img]

Sean - Don't get discouraged - your weight loss is excellent. Keep eating those veggies! I consider lettce "free" and eat Huge salads at lunch and dinner. It has really helped me stay on track and continue losing. Stay off the scale if you can and limit to max once a week. I weigh once a month and have to say it's been really fun not focusing on numbers, but more on how I'm "shrinking" and my clothes are getting bigger on me. You're doing great - carry on!!!!

Debra

Sean, everyone has given you such good advice already. I have a couple of questions for you.

You are a guy, right? If so...........you MAY need MORE protein!!!!!!
How much weight do you want to lose?
Have you ever yo-yo dieted?

I don't remember if I posted to you early on about how the body works in the beginning of LCing. So forgive me if I am repeating myself, but the first two weeks is about getting rid of stored glycogen in the blood, muscles and liver. That is what the beginning dramatic weight loss is about. After your body has emptied itself of those stored poisons, it gets down to the REAL business of losing weight and burning fat. So therefore, the weight loss slows WAY down. Your body is doing what it is supposed to. You are doing very well. So don't lose heart. AND YES, exercise is ESSENTIAL!!!!! You can only go so far with this way of eating and then your body plateaus. The exercise will increase your metabolism, which is actually good news, because then you can eat more food!!!!!! (if you feel the need) Your water intake is very good. You are doing everything right. As for your tea????? I would say go ahead and have a cup or two. It's full of wonderful antioxidants (which fights cellular rust!!!!) Hang in there, you're doing GREAT!!!!!!!!

__________________

Tea! Every night I have a 12 ounce cup of decaf tea with a few drops of Sweetzfree (liquid Splenda . . . ZERO carbs) and a dash of Almond extract or a splash of sugar-free DaVinci syrup. Can you say COMFORT?

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135