Okay, it's that TOM and I'm up 1.2 pounds. Is this the norm? I have exercised 3x this week (stationery bike and free weights for 45 mins.), and will do so this afternoon during the kids' rest period. I am drinking a gallon+ of water each day and have had leg cramps (no whoosh!) I've been tracking my menu closely for a week and it basically looks like this:

Breakfast: 3 egg omelett, Dobie Muffin (3 carbs), Decaf Coffee w/Splenda and 1 T. cream

Lunch: Salad w/lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, green pepper, cheese, cheeseburger patty, mayo, mustard, 1T Atkins blue cheese dressing

Snack: 1/4 cup toasted peacans, 1/4 cup blueberries


Dinner: Meat (Chicken/Beef), Veggies (squash, asparagus), salad

Occasionally, I'll have a mock danish or a cream cheese treat. Wednesday, I was out all day and only had time to grab cheese cubes and pepperoni slices to take with me. I snacked on these instead of eating lunch.

I have been on Atkins since July 1 and according to my calculations, I'm averaging 25-30 carbs/day. Does this sound right? Should I stay here or back down or go up? I have lost 18 pounds and have 10-15 to go. I'm a 37 yo mom to six super kids.

Thanks SO much!

Blessings,
Cindy

"Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31

Hi Cindy, congratulations on your weight loss!

TOM has a lot to do with losses and gains, mainly temporary water weight gain. Don't stress too much over it, I bet it comes off in a couple of days.

The closer you get to goal, the slower the weight comes off. Also, since you're exercising you're adding muscle mass, which weighs more than fat. I would focus on the tape measure for a bit. I have found that I don't lose inches and pounds at the same time.

You menu sounds fine, I have to watch my sodium. Which that means I need to keep an eye on processed meats, cheese and pork rinds.

You're doing great! Taking a mult vitamin will help with leg cramps, as will a calcium supplement.

HTH

Susan

Cindy
Your food choices sound right on target to me. 25 to 30 carbs and you've been doing this since July 1 sounds like you might add 5 a week and see where that gets you. But your CCLL might be low and you might need to back down on the carbs. Never weigh yourself during TOM. That only serves to discourage you. Just like I never weigh within three days of having too many low carb beers. Some people have a problem with nuts but most don't if they keep portion size under control and 1/4 cup pecans, if they aren't chopped, seems reasonable.
Finally you've lost 18 pounds and weight loss may slow now that goal is close for you.
Six kids should give you plenty of exercise but you might consider walking or other exercise to shed that last 10 or so pounds.

But good luck whatever you do.
Rob

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Okay, it's that TOM and I'm up 1.2 pounds. Is this the norm? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Completely normal - some people (me) gain up to 5-6lbs because we happen to get nasty cravings for salted almonds and macadamias..(better than chocolate, I guess).. Weigh yourself 2-3 days after its completion, and you should be back down, and may even lose a bit more.

If you've been doing this since July, and you're at 25-30 carbs, I'd start to increase just a little - add 5 more carbs per day for awhile, and see if you continue to lose.. You don't want your CCL to stay at 25-30 if you can help it...

I'm in the pms mode and I feel like a bloated,mean, ugly, grizzley whale, did I mention fat,too I wouldnt dare get on the scale I'm sure I'm up a hundred pounds anyway. Thank goodness I'll pee it all out next week. It's bad enough to have to have a TOM but you will just antaganize(man I wish I could spell)yourself if you look at the scale. Don't obcess!!and have a great day!!

Jackie

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I feel like a bloated,mean, ugly, grizzley whale, <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

*ROFL!*

Try walking at an easy pace for about 1/2 hour to 45 mins..wander through your favorite mall.. It'll ease alot of the bloating, and you'll actually feel a bit less ornery.

If you want to get your weight loss revved again, this is what I would do:

Ditch the Dobie muffin. The rest of breakfast is fine.
Cut out the tomatoes, make sure you're eating aged cheese (not pasturized processed American on that burger) and only eat 4 ounces of cheese each day.
Don't eat the pecans or the blueberries.
Don't eat the squash.
Up your vegetables considerably. You should have lots of green vegeatables.
Don't eat the mock Danish or the pepperoni.
You're averaging more than the 30 grams of carbs per day (in my opinion).

You asked. This is my answer. Don't eat those extras. So, you're probably sitting there saying: "Well, she told me what NOT to eat...so what should I eat???"

Here's what I'd do:

Breakfast:
eggs - 2
coffee

Lunch
Two hamburger patties
OR
two chicken breasts
OR
two cans of tuna
OR two cans of chicken
a dollup of mayo
can of green beans and/or
can of spinach and/or
cooked broccoli and/or
large salad of iceberg lettuce with a smattering of shredded colby cheese and full fat Ranch dressing

Dinner:
repeat of lunch

Snack:
2 ounces of swiss cheese sandwiched with a few slices of turkey breast or roast beef
handful of radishes dipped in Ranch dressing

If you eat that way, you're only eating foods from their natural state, with nothing processed or prepackaged. Natural. Healthy. Lots of veggies. No bars or shakes or muffins or glycemic foods like berries and tomatoes and onions.

Don't eat after 7:00pm.
Eat only until comfortably full
Drink your water.

That's what I'd do, and have done, and I lost 15 pounds in August.

When you start losing at a good clip, you can add those foods back in that you like (low carb) and if you're still losing...go for it. If you stall or start gaining, then you know your body can't handle those things.

My two cents....

April
352 / 202 / 180
5'10", large frame, size 13 shoe
www.geocities.com/aprilreinhardt

If I don't eat after 7, I will faint by the time I get home from work. Some people's schedules are different. So hopefully my eating late won't affect my progress

~Steph

Ok, try not eating within 3 hours of bed time. Basically, you don't want to go to sleep on a full stomach.

Thanks all for all the helpful suggestions. April, I really appreciate the "what to eat" section. I don't really understand the glycemic index stuff and have just focused on the carbs and protein. Basically, since I read your post earlier in the day, I've eaten big salads with green beans on the side. I did eat zucchini tonight b/c that was the only other green vegetable I had. Hopefully I'll see some progress soon, but if anyone else has more input, I'd be appreciative. Also, if anyone can explain the glycemic index stuff, that would be great too. Thanks! Cindy

"Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31

Mom,

It seems you may have joined the lose and stall club. Give it time. And since you don't have a ton to lose, it will be slow. But just think about how much healthier you are eating compared to how you ate before. You didn't gain overnight, you won't lose overnight. AND you won't lose at the same pace you did on induction. It slows way down, which is what it is supposed to do. So in a word, you are............NORMAL!!!



Barb
Atkins-3/14/03
174/149.4/135
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

I sat in front of this computer the other nite, ready to write a rant about stalling and ready to throw in the towel. But I figured I'd wait until after TOM and see if that was the problem. Yesterday .... WHOOSH !!! This morning (5 days into TOM) I hit a new low weight. I would guess it's TOM ... I've learned that I'll gain a couple at the beginning of TOM and then it WHOOSHes as we near the end. (Now if I can just remember this next month !!!!)

Sheri

Even if you don't get another whoosh next month, why would you throw in the towel, and be so ready to undo all the good you've done?

I have the same problem too. I just ride it out. Patience IS a virtue. I don't know how many times I have posted about learning you patterns of stall and riding them out. It works for me. I know I will stall monthly, and even gain a couple back. But then the Whoooosh comes and it's all good. But what I REALLY remember is how much healthier I am eating and how much healthier I am getting. You're doing this for health reasons, right?



Barb
Atkins-3/14/03
174/149.4/135
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

I gain up to 7 pounds during my TOM (YIKES) so avoid that scale at all costs. But the good thing is that after that I will drop all that plus 3-4 pounds. Everyone is a little different but it WILL affect your loss, so just don't weigh and keep up the good eating. It will level back out.

Susan

LC and feeling better every day!

Atkins since 7/18/03
210/185/140