I am in my 4th week of Atkins. I have switched from Induction to OWL and I haven't lost a lb. I lost 5 during induction and thats it. I didn't know if lesser amounts of weight make it a longer, tougher, road or what. I am 5 ft and 134 now. Supposidly my "ideal" weight is 100-110. I would love to be 115-120, how much longer should I wait? Maybe this just isn't the right program for me?

Maybe if you include a sample menu, there would be more suggestions. I was at a 2 week stall so I really uped my water in take. How much are you drinking? Are you exercising? How many carbs are you taking in?

Tracy

Shepixie,

can you poste a sample menu? That will help to assess if there are some improvements that can be made. Also have you tested if you are in Ketosis?

It is normal to experience a stall in about the third week or so. You are not alone. How much weight do you need to lose to get to your goal? If you are near your goal, the weight usually comes down slower.

How much water are you drinking? Make sure you get enough water to help flush out the fat.
Do you exercise? If you do, remember that muscle weighs more than fat. To give you a better idea if you are losing, measure yourself - that will give you a better indication. At times you will lose inches and the scale doesn't budge yet.

Don't get discouraged!
You've come this far - the hardest phase (Induction) is behind you!

(I was still typing my message while Tracy posted, sorry for the doubling up)

Never give up! Never surrender!

Katrin

[This message was edited by Katrin on 09-24-03 at 08:55 AM.]

Ok sample menu.....
Breakfast (everyday)
1 cup of coffee 1splenda and heavy cream
2 egg omelet with cheese 2 sausage links
Lunch(usually)
A scoop of tuna or chicken salad on lettuce.
Dinner (usually)
a meat or chicken, spinich or salad,
snack 23 macadamia nuts or celery with cream cheese
That is it in a nut shell. Somedays I may have more veggies but I can't say too much more.
I am going to start exercizing also. I have added at least 20 min extra walking a day in one form or another. I drink 64 oz or more a day and have consistantly. Thanks for your replies. I'm pretty sure I know that answer to my question EXERCIZE.....but I just always hear about all this rapid weight loss....But 5 lbs in 3 weeks is actually healthy so why am I complaining....guess i'm just looking for a reassuring word.....

In addition to exercise, you need to increase the amount of veggies you eat.. You're getting practically no carbs... The protein and fats in your meals look ok, but.. VEGGIES ARE YOUR FRIEND!

(296/226.5/135) 04/01/03
The Downward Spiral Begins

You don't have a large amount of weight to lose, so it's going to be slower. Some of us are just more resistant than others are to losing. I've gone for weeks and months without losing and then boom! I start to slowly lose again. Then back to no loss. I know it's difficult when you keep reading about those who lose 40 pounds in 2 months. (It blows my mind) If you're comfortable with this way of eating, just keep plugging along & it will come off.

Have you taken measurements or seen a difference in your clothes? Keep up the exercise of some sort, that will help.

Take heart Shepixie, it DOES work. Your menu looks OK. Might want to try some new legal veggies and eat a little more for lunch. Are you hungry?

Betty
265/203/155
Started 7/15/02

I'm not hungry at work which is a TOTAL difference than when I was counting points!Food is all I thought about then. So in that aspect of it the diet is working GREAT. My appetite is definatly curbed. I am fitting my clothes more comfortabley. Same size they just are missing all those bulges, and back fat. So maybe I'll just avoid the scale and go with the lack of hunger and comfy fitting clothes. Thanks to all who replied, I am doing this alone and so many people give their negitive opinion when they hear I am doing a low carb diet. eh. I'm not giving up yet. Butter is too yummy

I lost 9 lbs during induction and then NOTHING for like 5 weeks! But I didn't give up because I LOVE this WOE. Now, since I started in June, I've lost 20 lbs! It's been kind of slow but I'm not trying to win a race. There are lots of people who stall a lot longer than a few weeks but most are GLAD they stuck with it! Including me!

-WW

Don't forget that you could be losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time, which is probably the case since your clothes fit better etc. Hang in there and just stay away from the scales for a while.

Susan

LC and feeling better every day!

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

I began Atkins back in July and did really well and then... I got to a certain point and kept going up and down between the same 3 pounds - 1 day down 1, next day up 2, next day back down 1 - always within the same 3 pounds. No matter how diligent I was with my eating it was the same 3 pounds. The scale refused to budge below that 180 mark. It was weeks, many, many weeks... and then I found this site. I was mega discouraged and posted. A couple of people responded and it gave me the courage I needed to persevere

It helped me to realize the scale had become a huge bummer that I must avoid at all costs!! I made the decision to weigh only once a week - Saturday mornings at the gym - I don't even have one at home.

Then... guess what!!! It happened... down 2 pounds. I finally was able to break the 180 barrier. I took Shrinkydink's advice which was to 'eat something and drink more water' and it worked.

My advice is to hang in there - it took sooo many weeks for that scale to budge that I lost count. I've battled weight all my life and if I can do it, hopefully you will find the strength within you to continue. It helps me to always remember this is a lifestyle change and not another dreadful 'diet'.

Good luck

Guess what I think that we have been trying to loose the same three pounds. I have decided to up my water intake and to go back on the iduction phase and to put the scale away for two weeks. Congradulations on getting below the 180 mark. my "can't get below weight" is 188 but by joining this forum i think I will get he support needed.

Unfortunately stalls are more common on this way of eating than on low cal dieting. To realise that you are progressing, you often have to go by what clothes you are wearing.

Sometimes I think that a stall will end in its own good time, regardless of how well we play the rules. Someone on this board remarked that we stall at body weights that previously we maintained for some time. It's as if the body remembers! I find this very helpful because I know I was around 189 pounds (13 and a half stones) for quite a while in the past. I'm sort of hovering around that now, longing to get down again, but I must be patient. I know it'll happen. I've come too far to give up now!
Clare
217/189/140
Since June 2nd

Hi i am fairly new at this but I do see it working. I might be eating to many nuts or a little to much cheese and not enough veggies as I was under the impression little veggies. Believe me it will work. My neice has lost 34 lbs in 3.5 months. The first time I weighed I had not lost after a week then on day 14 I weighed and lost 7 lbs then it was slow but now I am at 11 and I am seeing the difference. It is not that I have been hungury I am board and want to snack. But make good choices and stick with it and it will surprise you as it is me.
Keep up the good work.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by charm:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by shepixie:
I'm not hungry at work which is a TOTAL difference than when I was counting points!Food is all I thought about then. So in that aspect of it the diet is working GREAT. My appetite is definatly curbed. I am fitting my clothes more comfortabley. Same size they just are missing all those bulges, and back fat. So maybe I'll just avoid the scale and go with the lack of hunger and comfy fitting clothes. Thanks to all who replied, I am doing this alone and so many people give their negitive opinion when they hear I am doing a low carb diet. eh. I'm not giving up yet. Butter is too yummy <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Shepixie,

I am so thrilled to see someone else who is vertically challenged (5 ft.) and is in the same weight predicament as me (started at 134 lbs.)! I have been reluctant to join these forums (but I read them daily) since I felt guilty about only having about 20 lbs. to lose. I have been on this WOE for about 4 mos. now and have lost 12 lbs. These pounds are HARD to lose, regardless of where you start on the scale!

If you are like me, then the weight is coming off, but it is such a small amount each day/week that you really need to give yourself more time to see the results. Take the advice offered by the others but remember to muster a healthy quantity of PATIENCE and do not give up yet! I expect that it will take me until Christmas to get down to my range, but I don't care. I feel great, look TONS better (even to myself!), have lost two dress sizes, AND I enjoy what I eat!

Keep at it. I keep telling myself "Slower weight loss is supposed to be the key to keeping it off long-term."

Sonbin

I'm a slow loser, too. I was finally at the point where I was happy to lose 2 lbs a month. But, I'm on the short side (5'4"), too. Also, since I am over 50, I knew the weight loss would be slower than when I was younger.

As I got smaller, I had to tweak my eating plan and pay more attention to portion sizes. What worked when I was heavier, quit working later. A smaller body needs less fuel! The last 10 lbs were particularly challenging.

~~~Teelbee

174 (Mar. 2002, highest weight), 164 (Jan. 2003, begin LC)
164/135/137-134
remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic