Please help me!

[Kentishgirl]

Dear all,

Please help me. I am so frustrated and tired and have just joined this site to try and get some answers.

I have PCOS and currently weigh 262 pounds (119.3kg). I am not on metformin. I have been on a low carb diet (25 to 40g of carb) since 18th August 2008, and officially started Atkins 58 days ago, restricting myself without fail to a strict 20 g or less ofs carb and the allowed foods for the induction phase.

Since August, my total weight loss has been around 18 pounds. Compared to this length of time, my low fat weight loss after this many weeks will usually be about 24 pounds or more.

I have not had a steady weight loss and seem to lose, gain, remain the same. Yesterday, I gained 1.34 pounds even though I had a brilliant week.

I drink 3 litres of water daily, and exercise very hard, four times a week without fail, burning an average 700+ calories in exercise and 55% fat, as I target my fat burning zone.

On average, I would have boiled eggs and salad for breakfast, fish and salad for lunch, snack on cheese and cooked meat, and have grilled fish or meat with loads of steamed dark green vegetables for supper.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I am thinking of re-introducing blueberries this week, and increasing my carbs to 25g as I don't think the induction 20g has really worked for me. I am also thinking of eliminating cheese from this week as it is the only new introduction in my diet until I started Atkins (I was a low fat junkie).

I track inches and have lost some. Clothes are looser but I don't find the measurements a consistent or reassuring way of monitoring progress especially as I don't know how many inched I should be losing to indicate good progress, when compared with other people generally. I would rather prefer to lose 1 or 2 pounds weekly on a consistent basis.

Have you experienced similar? How did you get back to consistent weight loss? Is there anything I should be doing? Any suggestions please?

Thank you very much.
KG xx

[Skeptika23]

First, let me welcome you, congrats on 18 pounds in two months gone, and point you to a couple of stickies I have found very helpful.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ot-linear.html (Weight loss is not linear)

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...n-journey.html (Tidbits from Tabekats Induction Journey.)

Glancing at your menu the first thing that occurs to me is that you may not be eating enough fat. Try to keep your calorie ratio at 65% fat/35% protien/5% carbs. Is that cheese full fat? Are you cooking using olive oil, coconut oil, or butter? Are those cuts of meat fatty or extra-lean? I'd also wonder if you are eating enough calories? It's very easy to undereat on Atkins - you don't want your body in starvation mode (I struggle with this myself).

Try using something like www.fitday.com to track your menu - it'll give you all of these calculations.

Given that I have become the poster girl for measuring, I wouldn't discount the value of it if I were you. Muscle weighs more than fat. You can actually gain "weight" and lose inches because of this sometimes (although over time you'll lose pounds too).

Since I started in September and I have "only" lost 13 pounds total (my goal is relatively modest - only 40-ish pounds). However, I have lost 4-1/2 inches on my waist, 5-1/4 inches on my hips, and 4 inches on my thighs - dropped two pants sizes so far. That is success, far more than I ever had on a low fat diet (on which I gained 10 pounds and was so hungry all the time).

Measurements are what you actually see, not what a scale says - it loves to lie to you because it's an evil hunk of plastic sent by the debbil.

You can gain up to three pounds in the course of a day (eating, drinking the water, etc.). You could have eaten something salty and you're retaining water. Or it could be TOM time (I don't count my weight at all during TOM).

Moving up the ladder in OWL as Atkins recommends helps some people who seem stalled - Induction is not the whole program, of course. You probably should do the ladder in order so you can determine your ACE (CCLL).

Sorry to ask - but you have read the book, yes? Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002) is what we use around here.

If you think 4 oz cheese or less a day is a problem food, eliminate it. Dairy is a problem for some people.

I know others will give much more wise and sage advice, but that's my two cents, for what it's worth.

[Momma2threegirls]

Hi KG,

First off congratulations 18lbs isn't nothing. I really agree with Jackie about possibly not enough fat. I second using fitday to track things (be sure to add fiber as a focus though - I drove myself nutty with the carb counting for awhile). What is great is it breaks down things into percents at the bottom. You are striving to eat 70%of calories from fat/35 from protien, and 5% from carbs. You are NOT counting calories. Without a more detailed menu from you it's hard to say...but you could be over doing the veg, meat, and dairy and not getting enough fat. It's not really a high protien diet - it's a high fat diet. It's all about the right balance. You will get there, hang in there!

[ceemarie]

Are you on any medications? Sometimes certain medications can restrict or slow down weight loss, especially anti-depression meds.

[Sweet Strudel]

I don't really have much to add to these ladies posts except some people stay on induction too long thinking if they do they will lose more weight faster. Not necessarily. Its time to move up the rungs I think and see what happens then.

As has been mentioned, if you haven't done so already...read the book.

Good going on the 18lbs lost thusfar!

Oh and Welcome to the Board!

[Kentishgirl]

Hi Skeptika,

Well done on your weight loss and inches losses. Thank you so much for your very useful post.

The 18 pounds is since August. I have read Atkins book and will check out the threads and fitday.com.

You are right about the fat and I will work on this week. I was a low fat junkie and finding it hard to figure where to add fats to food.

Take care and much appreciated.

KG xx

[Kentishgirl]

Thank you all for your posts and all very good advice, much appreciated. I will check out fit day and report back and I am definitely moving on to OWL!

Take care all
xx

[Skeptika23]

Kentishgirl, it's a very, very hard habit to break, the "low fat" thing - understandable and it's not uncommon at all. Took me months to break my DH of that habit of always buying "lowfat" everything.

Cooking with natural fats - like coconut oil, butter and olive oil - helps. Sometimes it's a matter of adding a tablespoon of mayo to your salad... little things like that.

Good luck and check back - like to know how it's going!

[Kentishgirl]

Thank you so much Karen. I'm still struggling to stop my DH panicking when I have anything with fat in it! We'll get there.

Take care xx

[Kentishgirl]

I just wanted to thank all of you for your help last week. I am happy to report that after the last three weeks of staying the same/gaining, I finally lost weight this week.

I lost a whooping 5.5 pounds this week, (the higest weight I've ever lost in one week, all my life), getting my total loss to 22 pounds! I am thrilled beyond words.

This week, I eliminated cheese completely, and increased my intake of olive, walnut and toasted sesame oils. I also increased my carb intake from 20g to 25g, adding blue berries, nuts and seeds to my diet.

I joined fitday and from a low fat intake, have increased my fat to about 62% or more.

Thank you all. I am most grateful for all your help and support.

Best wishes

KGxx