Lengthy, but I need help! Pretty Please

[whiteisle]

I've been on extended induction for 5 weeks now. The first week I lost a few lbs., but I haven't lost 1 solitary pound now in 4 weeks. And no, no inches either. I have really stuck with induction- no cheating. I actually really enjoy it; it's the first time I have ever been able to actually EAT and not gain weight (although not losing is really making me mad).

Here's my typical day:
2 eggs with 1 ounce cheese
2 slices of bacon (I cut out the bacon this week to see if the nitrates were affecting my non-existent weight loss)

2 boiled eggs for a snack

Lunch is just a meat source- steak, chicken, pork. If I use bbq sauce, I made it so I know the carb content is about 1 carb per piece of chicken.

Atkins bar for a snack (I also cut these out for 2 weeks- no change)
Pork Rinds if not the bar

Dinner is a meat portion and about 1-2 cups salad
2.5 ozs cream cheese with liquid splenda, 1 tsp cocoa, vanilla
or sugar-free jello with heavy whipping cream

Lots of water

I exercise routinely- cardio and weights. I was a personal trainer for years and know what I'm doing in this area. However, I am wondering if I really am one of those truly metabolically resistant people. I have done considerable damage to my metabolism over the years (I think) by yo-yo dieting. Well, more like starving myself. I stayed between 125-140 lbs. by eating between 500-900 calories per day and occassionally doing protein shake fasts (one shake fast that lasted 30 days called the Velocity Diet: check it out on bodybuilding.com if you need to do some serious penance). The weight got harder and harder to lose or maintain, and then I got pregnant. That is when the fat lady sang. Just by eating a normal amount of calories per day for me and the baby, my weight sky-rocketed. A beautiful baby boy and 7 months later, I am now trying to lose it. I have about 35-40 lbs to lose, and I cannot wait for weeks and weeks to lose a pound. At this point, I feel like I'll never start losing again. And this is the rub- I waited to my 30's to have the first baby, and we want another, but I have to lose this weight before we try again. And time is ticking! My husband is a doctor, so I know the risks of babies after a certain age. I have to get a hold of this.

So, here are my questions: first, I've decided to do the fat fast starting Monday. I will then follow the plan as Dr. Atkins outlined and increase my calories up to 1200, while keeping the fat intake higher than the protein intake. Has anyone followed this plan like that and had success with it? I keep hearing people say that they lose weight, but just return to induction and gain it back.
Secondly, who has experimented with their fat to protein ratios and found some success with this? And what about calories? Has anyone found that weight loss increased or just started once they somewhat restricted calories?

If anyone has any advice here, I welcome it. I feel that I'm pretty informed- I have researched the Fat Fast/Kekwick diet, but I would like to hear from people who've actually used it. Also, my husband is reading Gary Taubes' book right now, and it looks like the evidence is there that this is the healthiest way to eat, but I am sooooo discouraged right now. Last note, as strict as I have been on induction, those dang ketostix just barely turn a whisper pink. I know that there are many reasons ketostix won't always turn purple, but coupled with the fact that I'm not losing, something is going on here.

[whiteisle]

Shoot- I forgot to ask if there's a genetic factor with metabolic resistance? I talked my Mom into doing Atkins with me and my husband because she lives with us, and wants to lose weight. It's easier if we are all eating the same way. Well, she has lost only 2 lbs. She has also been on extended induction with me for 5 weeks. I would say she eats about 3 cups of salad a day (more than me). The rest of her meals look like mine. Any thoughts? Should we have our water tested???

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by whiteisle

So, here are my questions: first, I've decided to do the fat fast starting Monday. I will then follow the plan as Dr. Atkins outlined and increase my calories up to 1200, while keeping the fat intake higher than the protein intake. Has anyone followed this plan like that and had success with it? I keep hearing people say that they lose weight, but just return to induction and gain it back.

Please do not consider the Fat Fast, at least yet, because if that is your menu then you have not followed Induction properly these whole 5 weeks. Once you start doing Induction correctly, your weight loss will probably restart.

During the Induction phase, you should eat 3 cups of vegetables, either 3 cups of salad vegetables or 2 cups of salad vegetables and 1 cup of "other" vegetables. And the majority of your net carbs should come from these three cups of vegetables, not from cheese, eggs and whatever other carbohydrate foods you are eating.

Here are the Rules of Induction: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...induction.html (What are the Rules of Induction?)

And this is the acceptable foods list: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...induction.html (What foods can be eaten on Induction?)

Secondly, who has experimented with their fat to protein ratios and found some success with this?

During Induction, the percentages should be something like 65% fat, 5% carbs and 30% protein, but those 5% should come mostly from vegetables. Eating too low in fat will make it more difficult to get into ketosis, hence affecting your weight loss.

And what about calories? Has anyone found that weight loss increased or just started once they somewhat restricted calories?

You are not supposed to restrict calories while on Atkins, but rather eat when you are hungry or when 6 hours have passed since your last meal, and stop eating when you feel satisfied but not stuffed. Besides, eating low carb combined with low calorie was shown to cause thyroid problems. Do you have problems figuring out when you have eaten enough to feel just satisfied or were you wondering what happens if you do a low(er) calorie Atkins?

I would also stop eating the Atkins bars and substitute them with "real" food. You know they were not the culprits when you ate no veggies, but when you starting eating those 3 cups you don't know what their effect on you will be.

[Ohbehave007]

I would say up the veggies. 1-2 cups salad is good but what about the "other" veggies. It is very important to get all of your veggies in. I know I bloat when I don't get enough but as soon as I get them in (right now around 25-35 NET carbs of per veggies) I deflate within a few days.

Hope it helps.

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by whiteisle

Shoot- I forgot to ask if there's a genetic factor with metabolic resistance? I talked my Mom into doing Atkins with me and my husband because she lives with us, and wants to lose weight. It's easier if we are all eating the same way. Well, she has lost only 2 lbs. She has also been on extended induction with me for 5 weeks. I would say she eats about 3 cups of salad a day (more than me). The rest of her meals look like mine. Any thoughts? Should we have our water tested???

I don't know her menu, but is she eating only things like lettuce? She might want to switch those for more nutritious veggies. Is she also eating Atkins bars?

And how much does she have to lose? Age might also play a big part in her weight loss. Is she exercising?

One cannot say anything about your metabolic resistance, because if you want to use the charts in DANDR you need to have followed all the Rules of Induction.

Forgot to ask in my previous reply, but are you taking any nutritional supplements? I also assume you are not on any medication...

[Georgiana]

Oops, I missed the 1-2 cups of salad part. Sorry about that.

Yes, what Ohbehave007 said. Up them to 3 cups and choose a variety of nutritious veggies.

[Slapshot]

In addition to Georgiana, I'd add that the Jell-O likely contains aspartame, which can be a staller for some folks. Also, FWIW, the nitrates in bacon do not cause weight gain/stall. Dr. A. said to avoid them because they're "known carcinogens" (his words). Finally, query whether your sodium intake is helping you retain water? Pork rinds, bacon, etc. are quite salty.

[whiteisle]

I did eat the veggies and salad as instructed, but cut them back this week to see if that helped. In the old Atkins book, it says to cut out the salad if you're not losing weight. That didn't work for me. I have the Atkins books, and I know that I'm folowing the plan correctly. And the Atkins bars- I don't see a change with them or without them. I didn't touch one for quite a while and saw nothing. I don't think it's helpful for people to be so discouraged to try the Fat Fast. The Kekwick diet has been proven to be very helpful, and not just with Atkins followers who are metabolically resistant.

If you are a person who has the patience to wait for weeks and weeks to lose a pound, then I applaud you. But I just ain't that person. I am discouraged and tipping into depresssed over this no weight loss issue. If the fat fast allows for thw scale to move, I'll be happy.

Originally Posted by Georgiana

Please do not consider the Fat Fast, at least yet, because if that is your menu then you have not followed Induction properly these whole 5 weeks. Once you start doing Induction correctly, your weight loss will probably restart.

During the Induction phase, you should eat 3 cups of vegetables, either 3 cups of salad vegetables or 2 cups of salad vegetables and 1 cup of "other" vegetables. And the majority of your net carbs should come from these three cups of vegetables, not from cheese, eggs and whatever other carbohydrate foods you are eating.

Here are the Rules of Induction: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...induction.html (What are the Rules of Induction?)

And this is the acceptable foods list: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...induction.html (What foods can be eaten on Induction?)

During Induction, the percentages should be something like 65% fat, 5% carbs and 30% protein, but those 5% should come mostly from vegetables. Eating too low in fat will make it more difficult to get into ketosis, hence affecting your weight loss.

You are not supposed to restrict calories while on Atkins, but rather eat when you are hungry or when 6 hours have passed since your last meal, and stop eating when you feel satisfied but not stuffed. Besides, eating low carb combined with low calorie was shown to cause thyroid problems. Do you have problems figuring out when you have eaten enough to feel just satisfied or were you wondering what happens if you do a low(er) calorie Atkins?

I would also stop eating the Atkins bars and substitute them with "real" food. You know they were not the culprits when you ate no veggies, but when you starting eating those 3 cups you don't know what their effect on you will be.

[whiteisle]

Originally Posted by Slapshot

In addition to Georgiana, I'd add that the Jell-O likely contains aspartame, which can be a staller for some folks. Also, FWIW, the nitrates in bacon do not cause weight gain/stall. Dr. A. said to avoid them because they're "known carcinogens" (his words). Finally, query whether your sodium intake is helping you retain water? Pork rinds, bacon, etc. are quite salty.

I make my own jello- I got the recipe off a list of desserts suitable for induction. I will look into the sodium issue.; however, I just don't see how sodium could be such a hamper to weight loss.

I would really like feedback from others who have done the Fat Fast. This might rub some the wrong way, but we're all adults here. No one really actually appreciates being told that they shouldn't do the Fat Fast if they are not seeing any weight loss and have stuck to induction like a trooper. I am up at 5 am during the week to exercise, pack my lunch everywhere I go, say no countless times during the day to food (and I live in New Orleans, where everything revolves around food)...and I'm getting no where. How many people do you think just quit Atkins all together because they are so discouraged? If the Fat Fast helps, so be it. I have done many, many dangerous "diets." I believe I have done some real damage to my ability to lose weight. There are some of us who could really benefit from the Fat Fast. Sorry if I sound rankled, but I have read countless posts where people ask for information about the Fat Fast, only to be told not to do it, it's harmful, and what they're doing wrong. The scientific data is there that proves it works. Look up the Kekwick trial. Or check out Gary Taubes' book titled Good Calories, Bad Calories.

[liv]

The fat fast is not for you and it is a risky thing to do and yet you want to because you are not losing fast enough? I think this does not sound like a path you should be on. Your body and your metabolism should be treated with care and honored. They are going to be with you for a long time.
Atkins is for the long run. We are learning a new way to approach foods. You just started a bit ago. We have all experienced slowness, pauses etc. You are approaching it like it is one of those super drastic things you've already have done like shakes or extreme calorie reduction and if you do you may just do as much damage as ever. Slow and steady wins the raise because health is about good nutrition.
Good luck you.