What's wrong with me??

[ShannonElisabeth]

Hello Everyone! I truly appreciate having this board to come to when I'm at my wits end. I've been on the diet 12 days and I haven't lost anything!!!! What's wrong with me? I eat eggs (either scrambled, sunny or boiled) in the morning with some cheese and a slice of bacon, boneless chicken breast and a small cup of large spinach leaves for lunch, and usually a turkey burger with cheese for dinner. I barely have any carbs, but I haven't even seen a change in my clothes. I'm drinking at least 3 liters of water a day, and seems I'm doing everything right, right? I walk at least 1 to 3 miles a day and I do weight training a couple times a week. Is there anything you guys see that I'm doing wrong? Is my body metabollically resistant to weight loss? PLEASE HELP! I'm on the verge of quitting, because I can eat whatever I want and stay the same... so why put myself through strict restriction and remain the same. Please help! I love you guys!

[ladyinred]

Hi Shannon. Welcome! Can we have a bit more info on you? i.e. how old are you, how tall are you and how much are you looking to lose? Maybe you don't have too much weight to lose to begin with?

The first thing I notice from your sample menu is that you aren't eating enough veggies. We are allowed 3 cups a day (2 cups salad veggies, 1 cup other veggies). Take them! Eat them! Cutting them out will only hinder you.

The other thing is that you exercise quite a bit. Good for you. Are you new to exercise though? Sometimes the body retains water in response to exercise. It will go away after a while. You may also be gaining muscle while losing fat, so the scale won't show the difference (scales aren't very smart).

Did you take your measurements before you started? Perhaps you are losing inches but the loss isn't showing up on the scale.

These are the only things I can think of for why the scale might not show a loss. I'm sure others will be along shortly with some advice. Hang in there! You're on the right track.

[ShannonElisabeth]

Thank you so much for your response! I'm a 23 yr. old female, 5'10 and 210 pounds. I want to lose at least 50 pounds. I realize I don't eat enough veggies, but I thought the less carbs you take in the better, even if it means to forgo your cups of veggies. I haven't lost anything in inches. My body hasn't changed at all. If anything, I feel bloated and bigger. I'm just crying and literally stumped. I'll incorporate more veggies, but what else am I doing wrong? I don't get cravings or anything. I have been drinking either tea or diet sodas, maybe one or two a day. Will that hurt me that much? I thought I would still lose something.

[Bren]

Hi Shannon!

Welcome to the board! LIR has asked all the pertinent questions. One more, are you on any medications?
Also, THROW THE SCALE AWAY!!! just kidding. But, sometimes it can be your worst enemy. Make friends with the tape measure.
and FYI, diet soda is a known staller.

[ShannonElisabeth]

Thanks for your response Bren! I can easily quit the diet sodas, and unsweetened iced teas. I'm not on any medications. I do take acidophilus to keep me regular since I'm taking in less fiber and veggies, but that shouldn't cause any harm I wouldn't think. So at this point, I'm thinking it was the diet sodas and caffeine. I know I shouldn't have them, but many of my co-workers drink them liberally and still lose massive amounts of weight on this diet, during all of the phases of the diet. I guess I'm just different.

[Elsie150]

((ShannonElizabeth)) Ditch the teas and sodas...up those vegies. Read the ingredients in the acidophilus to make sure there is no hidden sugar or startches in it. Take your measurements. A lot of the times those can change even though the scale isn't. Also...with all the exercise you could have lost fat but gained muscle and muscle weighs more so sometimes that scale is lying. That is one of the reasons everyones says measure.

Hmmm...just turkey in your turkey burger? Remember everyone is different...and just because your buddies can drink the diet stuff doesn't mean you can. For some even chewing sugarless gum affects them...for others it doesn't. This is a process about learning about your body as much as it is about losing weight. Good luck!

[Bren]

YOU CAN DO IT! Don't get discouraged. Upping the vegies will help with the "bloat" too!
Always remember, every one is different and YMMV. But, diet sodas stall me and cause horrible cravings.

[ShannonElisabeth]

Will eating too much cheese hault my weight loss? I noticed that the shredded cheese has a gram of carbs yet the Cracker Barrell Cheese Sticks have absolutely no carbs. The first week I ate nothing but the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, but it had carbs, so now I only eat cheese that has no carbs. It's weird that the same exact type of cheese have carbs while others don't. Apparently they add something to the shredded cheeses that make it have carbs, versus the cheese sticks and some blocks that have none.

[msnicksmom]

Why hasn't anyone advised you to READ THE BOOK??? You are on the right track, but need a couple clarifications, and Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, the 2002 version, will clear those right up. For example, drink 8 oz water as a base, then add 8 more ounces for every 25lbs you want to lose. Also, 2-3 cups veggies (2 from the salad list, 1 from the other list) are MANDATORY. Cheese is to be limited to 3-4 ounces daily. That worked for me as one serving w/every meal and one snack.

Also, NOT from the book. Nothing has "no" carbs except butter, oil and pure fat. Nothing. The labeling laws read if it's less than .5 g per serving, they can mark it 0. So beware. But if you are sticking to the cheese allowed on the plan, it should be fine, but the same holds true of eggs, meats, processed meats, olives, etc.

Also, I've seen lots of experiences of people who were eating pretty LOW-FAT just before starting Atkins have a slower start. Can't explain it. But you'll catch up. Stick to it, throw the scale away til day 15, use tape measure and clothes to judge. Read the book, stick to the plan, and wait for the miracle.

HTH!

Denise

[G-Mom]

Hi Shannon! Excellent name by the way! I don't think you are eating enough fat, IMO. Up that fat! You will be pleasantly surprised by the results. Also, be aware that too much protein in your diet will be stored as fat, so I think, that is why we must eat our allotted veggies, for one (they have LOW carbs, LOW cals, HIGH fiber) and they prevent us from taking in too much protein.

Good luck, darlin'!