PISS-Post Induction Stall Syndrome- a reality to be expected

[fr1endly2]

I got this from another low carb site. PISS (post induction stall syndrome) is NO REASON TO QUIT

(1) When you start Atkins induction, your body dumps a lot of water
along with the stored glycogen, and there are other hormonal things going on
that promote water loss. So you lose several pounds of water, sometimes
more. You may even get slightly dehydrated at first. (2) As you continue on
induction, your body begins to adapt to the reduced carb intake. Water
retention is gradually normalized, so that you are no longer dehydrated. A
pound to several pounds of water weight may gradually return. (3) As the
small amount of water weight gradually returns, you're also gradually
burning fat. The water weight increase is offset by the fat loss, showing a
net slowdown or even "stall" on the scale, sometimes even a small increase
on the scale. (4) As you continue low-carbing, the gradual loss of weight in
the form of body fat will finally start showing up, and you'll start seeing
the scale moving down again. This whole process may encompass a period of a
month or more. Seeing the scale stop changing, or even a small increase in
weight is therefore pretty normal for many Atkins dieters, and is not a
reason to drastically change the diet or start doing a radically hypocaloric
thing. It is always a good idea, at any stage, to be careful about your carb
intake, to make sure you're correctly charting your carb intake.

If, after four weeks past induction, you are not seeing the scale start to
move, then you probably want to look at ways to get past the stall. A true
stall is not diagnosed, by the way, unless you've gone 6 weeks without loss
on the scale or in inches. Methods such as counting calories, stepping up
exercise, increasing or decreasing carb intake, cutting out certain types of
foods can be tried, preferably not all at one time (so you know what is
working and what isn't). Also be aware that on low-carb diets, many people
(not just women) seem to lose weight intermittently, rather than gradually.
They will go along sometimes for several weeks with nothing showing up on
the scale, and then all of a sudden, in one day or over a couple days, lose
several pounds. Nobody seems to know why, but this seems particularly common
to low-carb dieting. Patience is a good trait for low-carb dieters to work
on.

I hope this helps everyone!!!! I know MANY of us are in this situation like me right now!! Lets hang on and prove this theory PISS to be right on the nose! GOOD LUCK ALL MY FORUM FRIENDS!
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[momtocj7mea]

Makes perfectly good sense and is probably true.I think most people who have tried to lose weight for so long get excited when they start Atkins and think that the speed of weight loss experienced in the beginning will continue.Unfortunately, it doesn't.Making it through those forst 6-8 weeks are the toughest b/c of the stalls.If you can make it through those, you are almost guranteed success!!!

[pammie]

excellent post!
I am so discouraged to see people giving up when they hit ths stall. I also had it ...for 6 weeks, and I think, my god where would I be if I had given up then...I know where, I would be 267lbs and a size 22...that is where...
no where.

I am so grateful I had this board when I went threw my stall, and I had people telling me not to give up!

[ditien]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I've been in a stall but i just broke it today and i was jumping up and down cause its been hard, i was scared i was not gonna make my summer goal.I kinda realised im not going to be at goal but closer to it by summer.

[Ragtime Gal]

Lisa,

Great post....thank you!!!!!

It's not only hard to be in a stall...but it's hard to be in one early because you don't know if you've added back a bad food or something else. How nice to read that it's totally natural, and that you don't necessarily have to make any adjustments to start losing again. (Although I had flounder for breakfast this morning...and if that's not adjusting I don't know what is!!)

Since as you know I am in a stall, that was a real confidence booster!

I love that part about losing a few pounds in a couple of hours...lol!! If only....

Sharon

[narcisse]

3 things...

#1 I love the acronym - it describes pretty much my emotions right now .
#2 I think this is an excellent post and should maybe be added to a sticky about plateaus
#3 I think dr. A should have added another rule to his book - no weighing yourself for 6 weeks - okay maybe not, but I think ironically the scale and not the WOE is what make most people give up.

[MotherNature]

I believe you have made my day. What you wrote describes perfectly what is happening to me. The only thing that has kept me going is watching that Ketostik turn purple every night. I start my 7th week on Monday, so I am waiting for that sudden weight loss you described and now I have hope it will happen. Thank you so much for the information.

Mother Nature (AKA Cathy)

[Ra'yar]

I love this type of info as it really "feeds" the intellectual me. Thank you so much for taking the time to post for everyone to read!!

[gailann]

A LOOOONG time ago, I won't say how long, I went on the Atkins program and for 6MONTHS did not lose a single pound (the only thing that kept me on it was that I FELT so good, I was a teenager and went through and entire summer with NO ice cream (can you imagine!) Anyway one day I woke up and when I put on my clothes they literally fell off me. I went from a sz18 to a sz12 OVERNIGHT! I had to borrow my skinny mom's clothes to go to school.. now THAT"S a stall! I've read that some bodies take up to 6 months to get into fat burning mode, so it's important to notice the other changes you are experiencing to keep yourself encouraged! The test on pg 150-151 will remind yo how far you have come.

[LadyCHATerlee]

I have also heard that a way to jump start your body is to force yourself to gain 2 pounds and then start the diet over again. It supposedly works for most who have tried it. I don't know anything from experience in that arena, but who knows.