I NEED Your help and advice PLEASE!!!!!!

[hydroflame]

Okay, it already has been a year. Yes I feel great, and yes I look okay, but the past 3 months have been really frustrating. I've hit my plateau and its getting really hard to loose all the other weight that is left over. I dont know what to do. I run at least 4 times a week 3-5 miles on the treadmill. Weight train for a bit. Im afraid that the carbs are starting to creep in as well cause of the fact that I have been really busy, and the cost of living low carb at an art school allowance sucks. AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I dont want to starve myself, but that seems to be the only option other than eat the dreaded ramen noodles, a dorm room staple.

Since I have started to implement a little bit of carbs here and there, I feel that its too late for a turn around. I was thinking of starting from scratch once again. Get my body to rid itself of the starch and its sugars. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

[sallyseachange]

What phase of Atkins are you doing Hydro? Are you in OWL? Sounds like that might be the answer for you, if you're not.

I see from your siggy you're still shrinking. That's great!

[Creek]

Congratulations on your amazing success!
Congratulations on being in Art School!
Congratulations on being 6'1" and 22!



You've been so successful, that I feel like you should be telling me what the best plan would be, but, as you know, Dr. Atkins considered a stall to be no loss of weight OR inches. You're losing inches, so no doubt you are replacing fat with muscle.

Were you thinking of dropping back to Induction? What total number of carbs are you currently consuming, ramen noodles and all? Have you found your ACE/CCLL?

[valleriek]

I'm not one to give advice, you are the pro!!!! But look at you!!!! WOW!! You look great!!! I think you know what to do, I mean, you lost over 100 pounds!!!!! Don't let school be a reason to be lax, because you will be putting that wt back on before you know it!!! I am just amazed by your transformation!!! Keep doing the right thing!!!

[ValidRouge]

Hydroflame, there are a few of us that found this same thing happening. We are all runners too. I would suggest that you
1) Do MORE WEIGHT TRAINING less running, unless you are trying to run a marathon or a race of that nature, do less overall running. And, when you do run, do High Intensity Interval Training (google it).
2) DO MORE WEIGHT TRAINING. The more muscle you build, the more fat you will burn (without all the running/cardio) The objective here is not a number on the scale, but a sexy, muscled body, Right??? That's what Ithought. More weight training.
3) Go back to induction ONLY long enough to get yourself back into ketosis. No longer. Then move immediately into rung 1 OWL.
4) Make veggies your friend. They can be inexpensive. Do you have a fridge and microwave in your dorm room? Go to the grocery store and get frozen veggies (canned will do in a pinch) and eat the WHOLE BAG as a serving (provided the package is 10-16 ounces) Each meal, make sure you have that. Don't forget to add a fat, olive oil or butter are great choices. If you're gourmet type, splurge a little on some roasted walnut oil. YUM YUM! When you eat on OWL, 3/4 of your plate should be veggie, 1/4 protein (fatty protein at that, skin on the chicken, fatty ground beef, marbled meats--no boneless skinless chicken breast unless you add a lot of fat to it). Butter, oils, etc. as condiments!

If you are eating sugar free junk food (drinks, candies, garbage), ditch it immediately. Once you are losing again....then you can AND SHOULD start experimenting with your foods to see which ones make you crave or gain weight.

[hydroflame]

Oh gosh thank you all......It is just really frustrating you know..........I just want to pull all of my hair out.