Bloated feeling

[happymomto4]

You'd think all of my questions would be answered by now as I'm in my 14th week...but here's another one. When I have dieted in the past, I loved the way my stomach would feel empty and sunken in every morning. But with Atkins, I almost always have a bloated stomach feeling in the morning. Plus, I'm disappointed that I haven't lost many inches in that area. Do you think it's related to my food choices (I'm on OWL 1 and doing well following the plan in this phase), or maybe due to my age this time around (just turned 40). Or maybe it's because Atkins isn't your traditional low-calorie diet and I'm just not going to have that empty feeling because I'm not depriving myself. Thoughts anyone?

[RitaCeleste]

I never get in enough fiber. I should go take some now while I am thinking about it. But when I feel bloated, I usually am. Too much salt, cheating, whatever I bloat. The rest of the time on Atkins, the water weight is so low it makes my weight seem unreal. If I cheat really good, I gain about 5 pound of water and it takes days to come back off. So if you want to have hunger pains, that's probably not gonna happen on Atkins. You could try not eating after 6PM and see if you feel empty? Really, as long as the weight keeps coming down, I wouldn't sweat it. It takes time to loose a lot of weight, you really don't want to FEELlike you are starving for YEARS! And you can move up the rungs some and see how it goes. I found out I can have strawberries once a week and still loose weight fine. Do everything you can to make this way of eating a normal feeling thing. In the long run that will serve you better than feeling more secure you are loosing weight because you feel hungery. Its way easier to stay on plan if you arn't starving. And you probably will still weight less first thing in the morning.

[goin2befit]

Originally Posted by happymomto4

I loved the way my stomach would feel empty and sunken in every morning.

I don't think you mean hungry, just that feeling of it being relaxed and not tensed? Like it is flat, but not really flat or empty (not starving). I would suggest looking at your veggie choices and see if any of them are causing gas like onion, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus. Also, if you are eating a good amount of fiber, make sure you are drinking enough water. Lastly, are you using psyllium husk or flax seed?

As for the where you are loosing and haven't lost to many inches there, it varies person to person. For me this is the most fatty place on me and it seems as if it will take the longest to get off.

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by happymomto4

You'd think all of my questions would be answered by now as I'm in my 14th week...but here's another one. When I have dieted in the past, I loved the way my stomach would feel empty and sunken in every morning. But with Atkins, I almost always have a bloated stomach feeling in the morning. Plus, I'm disappointed that I haven't lost many inches in that area. Do you think it's related to my food choices (I'm on OWL 1 and doing well following the plan in this phase), or maybe due to my age this time around (just turned 40). Or maybe it's because Atkins isn't your traditional low-calorie diet and I'm just not going to have that empty feeling because I'm not depriving myself. Thoughts anyone?

Could you post a menu, including amounts?

You will likely not have that empty stomach feeling if you follow Atkins correctly. That's pretty awesome, I think!

As for the inches, unfortunately they don't always come off from those places we think are our worst spots. Sometimes we lose weight from strange places, such as our wrists or ankles, and sometimes we lose fat surrounding our internal organs (which rocks!). What is really cool is that you are getting thinner (I see you have some awards from the 6 Week Challenge ) and healthier.

[happymomto4]

Thank you for the replies. I have thought about eating earlier, but with my fall schedule, it's always 8pm before I get to sit down to dinner. I am also taking psyllium husk every night before bed (along with a multi-vitamin) to keep things moving. I drink 100oz a day (for the past 2 days, 80 oz a day before that) of water. And...drum-roll...I exercise every day for the first time in my life! I have been walking 1-2 miles every morning and I'm almost ready to up that by a mile 3 days a week.

I just want to feel better (thinner, not bloated) first thing in the morning. I did forget about losing fat in places that you don't measure, like wrists and around organs. So that makes me feel better. Here's my menu from yesterday.

B: white castle hamburger pie
L: Chef salad (2oz ham, 2oz turkey, 1 hard boiled egg, 2 cups salad veggies, 2 Tbl dressing)
Snack: 1 cup broccoli with dressing
D: 3 Baked Meatballs cooked with 1 cup zucchini in butter

Fitday has this menu at 1250 calories, 67% fat, 27% protein, and 6% carbs

Thank you for the help and suggestions.

[goin2befit]

Originally Posted by happymomto4

it's always 8pm before I get to sit down to dinner. I am also taking psyllium husk every night before bed (along with a multi-vitamin) to keep things moving.

Just curious if you have always taken the psyllium husk??? I know everyone is different... but I can't take it. I get so so so bloated feeling. Even if I go to the bathroom the feeling is still there. I originally didn't use it and then thought lets do it by the book and tried for a few days, stopped, and tried again.. Finally I declared I can't use it! I now use flaxseed if I need something, but usually I just eat my veggies and I'm fine...

Now on that note. There is something about lettuce (romaine, iceburg, ect) it doesn't matter which kind, if I eat more then a shivering I get the same feeling. Again, took me forever to figure it out. I can eat spinach just fine though.

Just some food for thought. Otherwise, I can tell you I do wake up with that relaxed empty feeling of being flat in the mornings. Hope that helps.

edit to add: as far as dinner... Dinner is normally 8pm at my house or 8:15.. so I honestly don't see it as a problem and I usually go to bed at 10-10:30pm and wake up feeling fine...

[happymomto4]

I definitely need something (if not psyllium husk, something else) to keep things moving. The nights I forget, I regret it the next day. I'm not sure I've seen flax seed at the store, but I haven't looked for it yet. How is it packaged? I think I'll try that and see if it makes a difference. I don't think the lettuce causes me a problem, but broccoli has turned into my favorite veggie (several times a week) and maybe it's time to take a break from that to see how I feel. Thanks for sharing your experience with this!

[goin2befit]

Originally Posted by happymomto4

I definitely need something (if not psyllium husk, something else) to keep things moving. The nights I forget, I regret it the next day. I'm not sure I've seen flax seed at the store, but I haven't looked for it yet. How is it packaged?

flax seed-flax seed oil,flaxseed,flaxseed oil-Golden Flax Seed

Also you can even order it from here if you can't find it. I usually find it at Trader Joe's or an International food store.

I think I'll try that and see if it makes a difference. I don't think the lettuce causes me a problem, but broccoli has turned into my favorite veggie (several times a week) and maybe it's time to take a break from that to see how I feel.

Do try different things. There is so many different individual findings for myself that is a little different from the book. I use the book as my main guide but we all have our allergies and dislikes and differences, so something that is why having a food journal and note how you feel can bust many mysteries.

P.s. I see you have lost 70lbs... way to go... did you loose it all in 14 weeks or was you doing something before Atkins... Congrats on such an achievement.