ok so i need help - so i will face everyone's criticism

[Privettewife]

So I have been on induction for weeks and have only lost 5 pounds. Last week I had a few Atkins bars - only 2-3 net carbs because it was my t.o.m. But went from walking maybe once or twice a week to 5 days of cardio on treadmill for 30-45 min and I have gained 2.5 pds back. I know what everyone will say, its the bars, but does that mean ill never be able to up my carbs by even 3 grams? I'm so frustrated I'm ready to leave Atkins again!

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by Privettewife

So I have been on induction for weeks and have only lost 5 pounds. Last week I had a few Atkins bars - only 2-3 net carbs because it was my t.o.m. But went from walking maybe once or twice a week to 5 days of cardio on treadmill for 30-45 min and I have gained 2.5 pds back. I know what everyone will say, its the bars

Surprise, surprise... but it was not necessarily the bars that caused the weight gain. You think it was the bars because you know you should not have eaten them. And I agree with you about this one. But I wouldn't jump to conclusions and blame it on the bars.

The extra exercise you did could have caused water retention. It's also possible that your body can't handle the bars.

Do you want to post a typical menu, including quantities and net carbs for every food? We could take a look over it.

but does that mean ill never be able to up my carbs by even 3 grams?

No. It might mean you will not be able to eat bars. Which is not necessarily a bad thing if you were to ask me.

Maybe all you need is to find some other way to deal with TOM cravings.

I'm so frustrated I'm ready to leave Atkins again!

Are 2.5 lbs all you need to give up your current WoE? Think good about it. No matter what "diet" you are following, there will be weeks when you gain weight. It just happens. Many people jump from one diet to another, without ever accomplishing anything. Not only are they not losing weight, but they are screwing up their health too. So you can make dieting your hobby and never settle for one eating plan, or you can work to make one eating plan work for you.

The scales are evil if all you care about is the number they show. If you want to be successful on Atkins, you will need to find other measures for your success.

[barrnone]

You can't get frustrated, you just have to keep moving forward. Most will tell you to get rid of the bars, I myself use them occasionally. I can fluctuate 2.5 in a day, so just make sure that you are 'eating on plan', drinking your water and keep exercising. If you follow the plan, it will work for you....patience and committment!

[dxbfatguy]

Ah.. sometimes I feel glad not to be a women. It's such an uphill battle for women, relative to men. Hang in there! Do what I did.. keep the bars in the drawer. The way I figure it is: remove all complexities from the equation. In other words, keep it simple enough that if/when there is a stall or a problem, it would be easy to identify the problem. Adding things into the mix, like bars, etc. makes it unnecessarily difficult. Why add this level of complexity when you're already frustrated?

Quick question: water retention can happen from exercise? And if so, does it affect the body measurements as well, or just the weight?

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by dxbfatguy

Quick question: water retention can happen from exercise?

Yes, it can happen from exercise. Or even from heat.

And if so, does it affect the body measurements as well, or just the weight?

Sort of... In the sense that you might gain a few inches over your biceps, calves or whatever area you exercised. But if I had a leg workout, I won't normally be gaining inches (from water retention) in my waist.

[liv]

Originally Posted by Privettewife

I know what everyone will say, its the bars, but does that mean ill never be able to up my carbs by even 3 grams? I'm so frustrated I'm ready to leave Atkins again!

I agree with everyone likely fluctuation. And certianly not a sign that you cannot eat 3 carbs more.
If you check the bars properly you will see that the carb count on the back of them says something like 18 or 19. I just check one that I have and it says 19. The Atkins company has decided that they need not count the sugar alchol or glycerin added to the bars as net carbs BUT as we often say here some of us actually absorb these as carbs so some of us may absorb close to 19 carbs from a bar and not the 3 that they claim.
Another potential issue with the bars is the ingredients. Perhaps you have a (undiscovered) nut allergy, soy sensitivity or wheat sensitivity. And if you do your body may retain water when you eat the bars.
See the beauty with following OWL and adding only one food back at the time is that you can discover this like many of us do.

I discovered my coffee problem by cutting it out and then adding it back. Coffee makes me (artificially) hungry. Knowing this has been such a great help.
So this is one reason why I do not like the bars. All that mixture of ingredients and then tell people that they can have them on induction is not really helping them at all if they have a food sensitivity.

[Jenileigh]

Makes perfect sense, thanks Liz.

[RosieC]

Have you considered also that you may have gained muscle weight from your exercise?
Have you measured yourself?

[allegra15]

And don't discount (as I talk about over and over, having experienced it myself) the "dreaded stall" in Induction. I am similar in that I work out a lot (elliptical or tread climber about 5 days a week). My husband gave me great advice - focus on the exercise for health and well being, not for weight loss. Now I agree (it was hard to swallow though - grrrr). I wanted so much to be just melting these pounds off with "hard work" and "no cheats". But for me it doesn't work that way -- it's slow. I hit stalls. Clearly my metabolism is compromised. That is a fact. I also post about this feeling a lot - it's hard not to feel "it's not fair". I feel it. But I'm learning to "get over it". This is the way it is. So I suggest that you figure out a few things to do....check your calories (i know, i know, you're not supposed to have to count calories - but i can't lose unless mine are in the 1200-1400 range most of the time). Make sure you're drinking your water, and following the plan. Hang on through this obvious stall. If you are in fact not cheating (ok, the bars were not great but they weren't the end of the world), and you're working out, and drinking your water -- you WILL break through this. It might not be immediate, it might not be as fast as you'd like. (I'm in a stall right now - 2 weeks - same ol' 1 pound up, 1 pound down - over and over). The difference is from when I started, I know the scale will eventually move downward - and I also know it WON'T be on the timetable I would like! But it is what it is.

The other choice you have, is to stay overweight and give up. I embraced that that was not an option for me. You will too. Hang in.