back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

[stevae]

first a quick history. a while ago, i came on here with a 43 inch waist, and wanted to get down to a 36 waist. so i went back on atkins, and stayed on the induction phase for two months. mission accomplished! then i went off of the diet, but still ate responsibly.
i was fine until coming back home to america, and staying with my family for an extended visit (months). well, my family keeps huge stores of junk food, the likes of which i hadn't seen in many many years. since my sister had sold my old car, i have been without transportation for my entire stay.
since i had been oversea's, i hadn't really seen very much american tv in many years, so i spent the first month and a half eating tons of junk food and sitting around on my butt watching tv. needless to say, my body exploded. at first it didn't seem to affect me very much, but all the sudden my belly was huge and i got tired just walking up the street.
so, back on atkins i went (very difficult with so much ill fated food sitting around everywhere). but i am extremely strong when i decide to do something, so i have been very good about not eating the crap food. however, i have forgotten some things and am worried about not doing everything the right way as i have hit a wall of sorts. in about three weeks time, i went from around a 42 inch waist, down to a 37 inch waist. and i went from 205 pounds, to 185 pounds. pretty good, huh? but that was two weeks ago, and i am still the same weight and waist, eventhough i am now running five days a week (3-4 miles a day), and resting for two days in between. i just can't figure out why my weight loss and fat loss have stopped. any help is very much appreciated.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

Welcome!

>>i have forgotten some things>>

Time to get out your copy of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002)!

>>i just can't figure out why my weight loss and fat loss have stopped.>>

If you want to post your typical menu, with net carbs and quantities, we can take a look.

I'm sure you know that you won't lose every day ... or every week ... or even every month.

And I hope you're planning on making Atkins a way of life this time!

[stevae]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

i basically eat two egg's and two pieces of bacon every morning. sometimes i add some ham or turkey in with my egg's. i drink two or three cups of coffee a day. i use splenda in my coffee, and a creamer with less than 1 gram of carb per spoonful.
i eat a couple of pieces of meat, usually chicken, beef or pork, for lunch. sometimes i add a small salad with it.
then i have basically the same things for dinner. i snack on sugar free jello, or pudding (with heavy cream) and peanuts. i drink water most of the time, but sometimes i have diet dr pepper cherry.
that is it. i think that is pretty strict, but if i am wrong, please let me know. adding the fact that i am exercising five days a week, you would think that i would be losing quickly. or am i missing something? thanks again for the help.

[Georgiana]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

and a creamer with less than 1 gram of carb per spoonful.

Creamers are junk, regardless of their carb count. Did you read the list of ingredients? There is probably sugar (corn syrup) there... and trans fats.

Why not use cream instead?

i eat a couple of pieces of meat, usually chicken, beef or pork, for lunch. sometimes i add a small salad with it.

I'm not sure what you understand by "small salad"... but over half of your net carbs should come from vegetables. And undereating, either carbs or calories, can slow down or stall your weight loss.

i drink water most of the time, but sometimes i have diet dr pepper cherry.

How much water?

Are you staying within your sweetener limit?

And some people are stalled by aspartame... which is why Dr. Atkins told us to avoid it.

Are you on Induction, as your profile says? With 5 lbs to lose... you should be in Pre-Maintenance.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

>> peanuts.>>

Not allowed on Induction.

Are you staying on Atkins this time or is it another quick fix for you?

[stevae]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

Creamers are junk, regardless of their carb count. Did you read the list of ingredients? There is probably sugar (corn syrup) there... and trans fats.

Why not use cream instead?

because cream is expensive, and the creamer i use is cheap and has zero carbs, and therefore no sugar.

I'm not sure what you understand by "small salad"... but over half of your net carbs should come from vegetables. And undereating, either carbs or calories, can slow down or stall your weight loss.

well about a cup of salad per meal. but i did not know that too few carbs or calories could slow your progress. thanks for that! which are the best veggies to use in a salad?

How much water?

Are you staying within your sweetener limit?

i drink about four glasses of it a day. and what do you mean by sweetener limit? i have always read that the total carb count was the limit.

And some people are stalled by aspartame... which is why Dr. Atkins told us to avoid it.

i don't use aspartame. i've always hated it. it gives me headaches. i use products with splenda. always splenda.

Are you on Induction, as your profile says? With 5 lbs to lose... you should be in Pre-Maintenance.

to tell you the truth i couldn't care less about my weight. my true goal is getting fat off of my body. the entire endeavor is about loss of fat, period! i want to get back down to a 34" waist. and induction is the most strict, and therefore the fastest weight loss. that is why i stay on induction. i have no problems being strict.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

>>because cream is expensive, and the creamer i use is cheap and has zero carbs, and therefore no sugar.>>

It's not likely to be 0 carbs ... and "therefore it has no sugar" is likely also not to be true. The list of ingredients will tell the tale ... why don't you post them?

>>i drink about four glasses of it a day.>>

That's not enough. As you should know from your reading of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, 64 ounces is a minimum.

>>what do you mean by sweetener limit?>>

Mentioned in two places in DANDR ... the limit is 3 servings of sweetener per day.

>>which are the best veggies to use in a salad?>>

Any of the ones from the Induction food list that you want to put in a salad! And ... you can eat vegetables by themselves.

>>that is why i stay on induction.>>

Does this mean you're not going to do all the phases of Atkins and make it a way of eating for life?

[stevae]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

>> peanuts.>>

Not allowed on Induction. Are you staying on Atkins this time or is it another quick fix for you?

i use atkins to lose weight. simply that. i normally eat very well and balanced. i rarely have health or weight problems. but after being away from these things for so long, and having nowhere to go, and nothing to do. i found myself sitting around eating crazy foods and amounts, and watching a lot of television. so to answer your question, i will use atkins to lose as much fat off of my body as needed, then i will continue to eat a balanced diet. i still hold with many of the atkins ideals, even when i am not dieting. but i don't live rigidly on the atkins diet all the time. i am a marine biologist, and live on remote islands all over the world. many of these places make it impossible to stay on any phase of the atkins diet.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

>>i use atkins to lose weight.>>

OK.

>>i will continue to eat a balanced diet. >>

Atkins is balanced!

[stevae]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

>>because cream is expensive, and the creamer i use is cheap and has zero carbs, and therefore no sugar.>>

It's not likely to be 0 carbs ... and "therefore it has no sugar" is likely also not to be true. The list of ingredients will tell the tale ... why don't you post them?

>>i drink about four glasses of it a day.>>

That's not enough. As you should know from your reading of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, 64 ounces is a minimum.

>>what do you mean by sweetener limit?>>

Mentioned in two places in DANDR ... the limit is 3 servings of sweetener per day.

>>which are the best veggies to use in a salad?>>

Any of the ones from the Induction food list that you want to put in a salad! And ... you can eat vegetables by themselves.

>>that is why i stay on induction.>>

Does this mean you're not going to do all the phases of Atkins and make it a way of eating for life?

first, my water glass isn't a regular 8 oz glass. it's approx. a 16 oz glass. second, i never read in the atkins books, anything about 3 servings of sweetener. i thought that less than 30 carb's a day put you into ketosis. has this changed? i don't have an atkins diet book here with me. is there a list of the induction acceptable veggies on this site? and finally, yes that is what it means. i am on this diet to lose weight, not begin a life long journey. i mentioned the reasons for my intentions in my last post. the induction phase is the most efficient phase for losing fat, so that is what i am interested in. is that a sin, because i am getting a weird vibe here?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

>>i never read in the atkins books,>>

Makes it really hard to do Atkins then, doesn't it?

>>is there a list of the induction acceptable veggies on this site? a>>

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6781-what-foods-can-eaten-induction.html#

Atkins isn't a quick fix ... it's a way of eating for life ... so when someone uses it as a "quick fix" ... there can be a vibe.

[stevae]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

atkins is a different thing for different people. some people need to stay with atkins for a lifetime, others don't feel the same. and considering that we are just talking about a diet, not curing cancer, it shouldn't be enough to get a vibe if someone decides to walk to their own beat.
some of us only need a quick fix. and if that is the case, then that shouldn't be something that upsets people. it should be a happy thing. the world is a better place because we all believe and do different things. live and let live...

thanks for all of your help!

[atkinsgal08]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

>> some of us only need a quick fix.>>

Atkins isn't a quick fix though.

And I'm not at all upset ... what you do or don't do has no impact on me.

[stevae]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

bingo!
well, i believe that atkins can be what ever you decide you want it to be. i also believe that about anything else as well. it's called freedom. freedom of thought and freedom of act. life is all about a mindset. you have the power to make it what you decide to!

[atkinsgal08]

Re: back on this board after a long break, but i have some questions.

>>i believe that atkins can be what ever you decide you want it to be. i>>

Yes, you're right ... you can believe that.

Doesn't mean that that's what some of us believe ... or even what Dr. Atkins thought.

But then ... I've read the book, so I have an advantage!

Bottom line ... good luck on the quick fix!