Would like some advice please...

[C P]

Hi, Can anyone help with some advice.... story so far... successful 2 week Induction, then moved onto OWL level 1. I have stayed on rung one for 3 weeks and during those three weeks my weekly weigh ins showed - 1)Same, 2) Same, 3) Gain 2 lbs (that was last Sunday). According to the book my Induction weight loss showed medium-low metabolic resistance.

I've not been too worried, as I've read several threads on here where this happens, and I know from my past efforts on Atkins that I don't lose every week, and sometimes I gain a bit and then show a good loss after that! I'm also waiting on a late TOM, so was happy to keep plodding along and keeping my fingers crossed! Last night though I had my first cheat since I started - a piece of garlic bread. It wasn't a rebellion because of the lack of weight loss - I'd been very busy all day, and kept saying "I'll just finish 'this,' then I'll get something to eat" - so by the evening I was tired, hungry and tempted. I should have had a break and a legal snack earlier, so that is something to remember next time.... but.... I got on the scales this morning and had lost over a pound - not what I expected to see!

So... it set me thinking - over the last 10 days I've had several times during the day when I've been hungry, which didn't happen in the first 3 weeks. I had a legal snack every time, so the hunger didn't last! I've checked labels for any rogue ingredients I may have missed, and can't find anything, my water intake is good. I don't use Fitday every day, but when I enter a day's food it seems to be OK - I'm basically sticking to induction amounts with 5 more carbs worth of veggies during the day. I've reduced my fat amounts a bit at each meal as suggested in one of the OWL 'stickies' to keep the percentages in line, by using a bit less mayo/oil etc.

So... as I've been hungry here and there I'm wondering if I need to increase my food intake. I'm exercising 4 - 5 times a week for about an hour - over the winter I haven't done any exercise at all, so is it possible that I need to increase my carbs because of that? It seems a bit 'converse' increasing food intake to lose weight, but I've seen several posts that suggest it in similar circumstances.

I know that the piece of garlic bread, and therefore the increased carbs yesterday, could be absolutely nothing to do with the loss this morning. I suppose I may have to go back to Induction levels to keep losing, but I'd much rather the answer was to eat more rather than less

I was planning to move onto rung 2 and introduce some dairy this week-end, and then move up to 5 more carbs the following week, but without showing an overall loss at this level, I'm not sure whether to or not.

...'cos someone's bound to ask.....! Typical menu:

Breakfast - nearly always something with Eggs (usually 2) - examples: boiled with butter, mock danish, scrambled or fried with bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms, 'pancakes' made with cream cheese and eggs, with sweetener (splenda) and lemon juice

Lunch - Either salad (tuna, or ham, or chicken, or cheese, or cheese and eggs, or other cold cooked meats, or a combination of the above!) with salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, few olives and mayo/sour cream and herbs OR Homemade soup with veggies and meat or veggies and cheese - if it's only veggies in the soup I nibble some eat or cheese to get the protein in. Sometimes both salad and a small soup!

Evening - Stir fried meat and veggies with chillis, ginger, garlic, (sometimes lime juice) or lamb/pork chop(s) with veg - sometimes baked au gratin with cheese if no cheese used earlier, fish baked with herbs and a pat of butter and veg.

Drinks: Water, water, water, water, water, water....oops sorry - floated away there a bit! Occasional cup of decaf with dash of cream - not every day - have done this since the beginning, and two cups green tea - no milk or sweeteners.

Snacks - cheese/ham with cherry toms or cucumber, devilled eggs, stuffed chillies (cream cheese, onion, wrapped in bacon) olives, celery with cream cheese.

Veggie amounts are Induction levels (weighed/measured) plus 5 more grams of veggie carbs. I've worked my way through most of the allowed veg over the last 5 weeks - so plenty of variety there! Meat and fish amounts are around 6/8 oz. Cream and cheese are within Induction amounts as well

Sorry this goes on a bit - I've tried to include the answers to some of the most likely questions! Any advice very much appreciated - it seems the answer is going to be either 'eat more,' 'eat less,' or 'carry on the same' - easy-peasy really!

Thanks, CP

[not2late]

What was the veggie(s) you added as your Rung 1 food?

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by C P

I've not been too worried, as I've read several threads on here where this happens, and I know from my past efforts on Atkins that I don't lose every week, and sometimes I gain a bit and then show a good loss after that!

Originally Posted by C P

I know that the piece of garlic bread, and therefore the increased carbs yesterday, could be absolutely nothing to do with the loss this morning.

I think you have answered your own questions. It might be that all you need to do is be patient.

You said you have reduced your fat intake. Assuming you have kept your calories and protein the same, an increase of 5 net carbs (let's say 10 g total carbohydrate) would have required a decrease of only 4.5 g in your fat intake.

If you are hungry, you should eat. It is normal to be hungrier if you are exercising. Just make sure you know the borderline between being satisfied and being stuffed.

Did you introduce any new vegetables in OWL? Just because they are good for you, it doesn't mean you can't have an intolerance to some of them.

[C P]

Hi Megs and Georgiana, thanks for reading my 'tome' and your replies! -
I've been using a big range of the legal veggies right from the start. The only veg I introduced as 'new' in OWl was peppers in the first week, and turnips in the second - following the 'no more than three times a week' rule - otherwise I've upped the amounts of veggies I'd already been eating on Induction - especially tomatoes and celery, which I love. After the first week and a half of OWL I reduced the amount of tomatoes and peppers back down a bit and upped the other veggies - especially the 'green leafy' ones. In the third week I haven't added anything new - it was the third week that showed the gain, but of course that doesn't mean it is directly related to the third week's eating I suppose.

Georgiana - re the fat - I've only dropped the amount a little, on the 'added fats' in meals, just to balance the percentages out, so hopefully that isn't a problem. I'm still eating cheese, and fat in meat (skin) etc

CP

[SunnySmile501]

Going back to induction is the wrong direction. Your food sounds right on target (and yummy! Can I come over and eat?). I think you are far enough along to trust your hunger pangs and that you should eat when hungry. I don't think you are eating too much. Since you are exercising, you may need to eat more often or eat more at a meal. You should never ignore true hunger (hunger that can't be satisfied with water and a distraction, like a walk).

I would stay away from the scale (and any hand guns lying around the house ) if you are dealing with TOM or Aunt Flo. TOM really messes with your head and Atkins and fat loss messes with your hormones. Hormones are stored in body fat. When you start losing fat, hormones start exiting with the fat. You are likely to have swings in mood, TOM late or early, and with how much fluid you hold until your body gets used to the diet and the hormones settle down. After a couple of months, PMS and the symptoms are usually much better.

My personal best guess is that you stay on rung 1 for another week--just add more veggie carbs. Dairy is a known staller for many, so until you see if Aunt Flo finally shows up or you start losing again, don't try something new.

It doesn't sound like you are having PMS cravings and munchies, which is good. I always was able to give in to the munchies as long as it was legal food, because as soon as my period started, I was not hungry for a few days, so it balanced out in the end. I would gain about five pounds, then lose that and another two to three pounds after it was over.

[not2late]

Tomatoes are legal, but like onions, they have a relatively higher glycemic index than other veggies on the lists. So you might want to moderate their use.

How are your inches doing? I went through a period of months were I didn't lose any weight, but I dropped dress sizes.

Another thing is this.....It's common for a mini-stall during 3-6 weeks of this Diet. So if you did Induction for 2 weeks, then moved to OWL (or stayed on Induction for that matter) on week 3, you might experience a mini-stall where you don't lose and might even gain. It's not in the book, but it's something Dr. Atkins addressed in one of the Atkins videos and it's something that we've seen here on ADBB. This is probably happening to you, so just ride it out. And see what happens. The chances are it isn't the 5 net carbs of veg you added.

[C P]

Hi Sunny - yes, I do love to cook - that's one of the reasons I love this eating plan so much - you can cook real food, and with good, real food, just a few of the right ingredients put together make such a yummy meal.

Still waiting on TOM. I suffer from endometriosis, fibroids and an ovarian cyst (benign) - so a longer gap between cycles does have its good points! I'm lucky I don't suffer too badly from PMS moods (although DH might disagree, but what does he know? WHAT'S HE SUGGESTING, HOW DARE HE? )

I think I will hold fire on the dairy rung for a bit. Luckily the Greek Yogurt I bought in readiness is good until April 10th, so I've hidden it right at the back of the 'fridge. I did wonder about adding it in for DH, as he has less to lose than me, and is losing slowly but steadily at the moment, but I think that would be too much temptation once it's opened, so we can both wait a while and just add in some more veggie carbs. I think if I'm totally honest my gut feeling was to stay on this rung - perhaps I just hoped that moving up to dairy might be an answer!

Megs - my inches did go down, but waist/tum and hips have gone back up a bit - but then pre TOM fluid could be to blame. I did wear a pair of trousers for work today that I've had to leave in the wardrobe since Christmas as they were cutting me in half! Hooray to that! I measured for the beginning of the 6WEC on Sunday, so I'm going to try to leave the tape measure alone until that is up.

Interesting about the 3 - 6 week stall (6 weeks is up on Sunday - don't worry I won't hold you to that date!)

Anyway, I have felt so many benefits from this WOE, I'm not crestfallen by this ''blip.' Thanks to all for your help - I'll just 'keep on keeping on' as they say!

CP

[not2late]

Originally Posted by C P

Hi Sunny - yes, I do love to cook - that's one of the reasons I love this eating plan so much - you can cook real food, and with good, real food, just a few of the right ingredients put together make such a yummy meal.

This was one reason why Atkins appealled to me---REAL food. Not this artificial this or artificial that. REAL cheese. REAL cream. REAL meat. REAL vegetables. REAL eggs---the entire egg, not just the whites.

Megs - my inches did go down, but waist/tum and hips have gone back up a bit - but then pre TOM fluid could be to blame. I did wear a pair of trousers for work today that I've had to leave in the wardrobe since Christmas as they were cutting me in half! Hooray to that! I measured for the beginning of the 6WEC on Sunday, so I'm going to try to leave the tape measure alone until that is up.

Inches count! Losing inches means you are losing weight according to Dr. Atkins. Also, I retain water and bloat during my TOM. So I try not to weigh or measure during that time----too depressing and discouraging.

Interesting about the 3 - 6 week stall (6 weeks is up on Sunday - don't worry I won't hold you to that date!)

If you look in the Memorable Posts Forum, you'll find a HUGE thread about the PISS---Post Induction STall Syndrome.

Anyway, I have felt so many benefits from this WOE, I'm not crestfallen by this ''blip.' Thanks to all for your help - I'll just 'keep on keeping on' as they say!

CP

That's how I felt too. My asthma and allergies improved so much that I didn't need 3-4 medications. So for me, not having to take all those chemicals made the weight loss a pleasant side effect of Atkins.

[C P]

Originally Posted by not2late

If you look in the Memorable Posts Forum, you'll find a HUGE thread about the PISS---Post Induction STall Syndrome.

ROFL - what a great name for it!

And yes - the health improvements are huge - just a quick run through of some things I've noticed...
Waking up every morning about 3 - 4 am with really bad heartburn -GONE!
Constant Sinus pressure and pain - GONE!
Headaches on waking 4 -5 times a week at least - GONE!
Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms of 30 years - GONE!! (from experience - probably linked to wheat)
Several general aches and pains - GONE!
Pain from ovarian cyst - VERY MUCH IMPROVED - (say 80% better) (if anyone has any ideas how this 'works' I'd be interested - but if not, I'll take it anyway!
Having to take a few deep breaths at the top of the slope before going into the office at work - just to give me enough breath to say 'Good Morning' - GONE! (I only realised this this morning when I strode up the slope.)
Mid Afternoon Naps - GONE!
Mid-Morning Naps - GONE!
Lie-in until lunchtime on my day off - GONE!
Feeling gutted if I drop something on the floor because it means struggling to bend down and pick it up - GONE!
The first few grey hairs - SOME GONE - weird this, but when I do Atkins they fall out naturally when I brush/wash my hair - more than the brown ones!

There are more I'm sure, but they are the ones that spring to mind first. I just keep telling myself that if I feel this good after a few weeks, think how I'll feel in a few more months...

CP

[chinadoll]

You might want to check out my post today "Not Losing? You might be a Wait and Whoosh Body Type."

Not everyone loses this way but I sure do. I also find that some cheeses, processed hams, etc. will cause a 3-4 pound gain for a day or so til the water retention ebbs. So drinking more helps with that too. I think you just need to be patient. Thats often the hardest thing to do.