what if I wasn't eating much to begin with?

[BB66]

Hi everyone,
I started induction five days ago out of frustration with a length stall on the Zone diet. I am trying to lose the few remaining pounds I gained when I stopped exercising last year after surgery. I have read everything I can about Atkins and believe in the power of low carb eating -- my own mother lost a lot of weight on Atkins and recommended it to me as a way to kick-start the last phase of my weight loss. But I'm concerned: I'm eating more calories on induction than I did before I started. I used to eat an average of 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day and about 100g - 120g of carbs. Now I'm eating more like 1,300 - 1,500 a day and, of course, between 19g and 21g of net carbs. I work out for one hour, five days a week, alternating cardio (running or spinning) and strength training in a gym. I just feel like I am eating too much. Can someone reassure me? Should I try to restrict calories too (I know I know, the book says not to worry about it...)? I don't want to gain back what I lost up until now! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!! BB

[BB66]

ps I track my nutrition daily on The Daily Plate and have done so for six months now.
pps I am hypothyroid (taking Synthroid) and on hormonal therapy for endometriosis (since surgery last August).

[liv]

Zone eh? So how has been to transition to Atkins? Hard? I suppose on Zone you really watched your fats and your proteins as well.

You did not lose eating that little? Wow. What does that tell us. Our bodies can be very strange things indeed. Probably because you ate so little the body just lowered its metabolism and hung on to everything it could. Sometimes we lose more when we eat more.

You are 127? How tall are you? I would not expect to see huge results with Atkins with that little to lose but I think eating more will help you.
You are still eating under your requirement so don't worry about that. I was just thinking today how much I ate on induction and I still lost.

[momtomany1]

Up until now you have been eating too few calories. Google any BMR (basal metabolism rate) calculator and see what I mean. You can't restrict calories without restricting fat (well probably could but difficult) and on Atkins, you must eat liberal fat to get into ketosis and burn your body fat for energy. It is the RATIO of high fat to low carb that puts you in ketosis.

You won't put on body fat on say 1800 calories a day with low carbs, esp. working out like you are. It simply can't be done. Much success to you and munch away!

Do check a BMR calculator, you would want to eat below your BMR but not a lot below it.

[BB66]

Hi liv,
Actually the transition to Atkins from the Zone has been very liberating -- finally I can eat a little olive or walnut oil on my salad without having to worry about balancing out the fat in my chicken dish, or whatever it happens to be.
You know what, I have been having trouble losing weight for a long time. I have thought about giving up the idea, but I know that I'm capable of it since I've done it before! In college I went on a low-carb diet and went from 148 to 112, and LOVED it. But a horseback riding injury a year into it caused me to gain back the weight. I lost some again before my wedding last year -- down to 125. But again, surgery and recovery sent me back up into the high 130s! I've been restricting calories for quite a while now, and exercising A LOT, but not great results to show for it. I mean, from a "calories in, calories out" point of view I should have lost more by now (my heart rate monitor says I burn 500-600 cals per workout). I suppose it's just being close to goal that makes it so difficult?
I'm 5'6", 26 years old.
Really, you think eating more would help? Is that because my metabolism has slowed due to restricted calories?
Thanks! Amy

[BB66]

Hi again,
I just checked this BMR calculator (BMR Calculator) and, with my exercise calculated in ("heavy" exercise), it says I should eat 1,744 cals a day! That blows my mind, I can't even think about that much food -- is this realistic?
Without the exercise level calculated in it says 1400.28.

[BB66]

Thank you both for your responses!! I appreciate it.

[msanjelpie]

Basically I think you should get AT LEAST 1400 per day (I try to stay around 1500)... and not go over 1750...

Not every day will have the same count... some meats have higher counts than others etc...

You probably won't average more than a pound a week loss, but if you stay within your carb limit and keep exercising, the weight should go down eventually.

[momtomany1]

You will likely find that eating more will make the difference. A couple of posters have had success with using a TBSP or two of coconut oil. One poster felt that she just couldn't eat more, but she could tolerate some CO added to a cup of green tea, and it made a difference, she felt more energetic too. Others just 'man up' and take it off of a spoon.

Think about your car, how well would it run if you consistently kept it low on gas?

Food is your fuel!

[BB66]

I see what you mean with the car metaphor. Adding more fat is an interesting prospect -- I guess I just have to trust in the experience of others that my body will turn to burning its own fat, however slowly, when there aren't carbs available?