New, stalled, and need help

[Lady T]

Greetings all! I am new and in need of some serious help.

My birthday gift to myself when I turn 25 this year is losing 50 pounds.

I gained 40 pounds in 4 months due to a pregnancy, and never lost any of it. Even after my 6 lb 4 oz daughter was born, within a month I was still at 180. This was eight years ago, and the weight has been here ever since.

I have also been self conscious about my size ever since. Although I carried it well (as I was told) and people, even my doctor, thought I was only about 150, it bothered me. All those people who didn't think I was fat and thought I looked great and well proportioned didn't understand how devestating it was to go from 140 to 180 in a matter of 4 months, and then have the weight stay there like an inseparable best friend.

After visiting the doctor and hearing I had the health problems of a 40 year old, I was scared. So finally, away from all those people, free and on my own, I decided to do something about it. Since I was now responsible for the grocery shopping, I made smarter choices. Since my mother was across town in her own kitchen, I ate my veggies they way they ought to be eaten--- raw, or only slightly cooked. And last, since there was no man to enjoy the "meat" I was carrying, I joined a gym, drank mostly water and cut out everything white. Me and my untreated, underactive thyroid managed to drop about six pounds in four weeks this way. Then I found Atkins.

I had bought the book a long time ago but never read it. Thought it was a quick fix zero carb diet--- attempted it in highschool as a quick fix every now and then, but never committed to it. Didn't understand the science behind it, or why still drinking juice and having gravy were counterproductive to eating less carbs. And to make matters worse, my mother was (and still is) a nurse who is stuck on stale nutrition info (food pyramid all the way for her!)

But Atkins and I became reacquainted--- for real this time. I read the book. Re-read some parts. Had been committed to this way of eating it without even finishing it.

As committed as I am, now I have hit a stall--- I have been at the same weight for over two months and this morning, to my dismay, gained two pounds from yesterday. I had gotten down to 163, crept up to 164 last week, and this morning was 166.

I have remained on the induction phase of Atkins since I started at the beginning of May, for fear that I will blow up if I go past anything other than that. I have a rather sensitive metabolism because I am hypothyroid, my body just reacts to things differently. I must say though, when I first set out on my weight loss journey in March, I was being a not-so-obedient patient and not taking any medicine, (while also not having a specific eating plan) and still lost a little weight. When I committed to Atkins later on and took my Synthroid properly, progress was slower than the typical Atkin-ite, but quicker than it had been and steady. And then suddenly it stopped.

I wasn't doing anything differently, wasn't cheating (fell deeper in love with Splenda though, and began having pork rinds and sour cream as a regular snack), still working out faithfully and then the weight loss just stopped. It was so depressing. I was even undershooting my net carb (usually 15g-17g) allowance each day, just to make sure I didn't exceed 20. And water was not an issue, as I was drinking just about a gallon a day.

I then suspected it was by body no longer responding to my exercise routine, and cut out running each day in exchange for solely resistance training, alternating muscle groups each day. No weight change, but my bras suddenly fit even less than they already had been fitting--- what a bummer. I mean, realisticly, I know they will get smaller as I do, but goodness! What a mockery! Smaller breasts but no loss!

In addition to laying off the Splenda (even though it had never been a problem before), out of desperation, Sunday I decided to drop my carbs to 0 grams for a few days to kick the weight in the butt. Gained two pounds.

After battling through the first side effects of ketosis I've ever felt, I discarded the thought and had broccoli with my steak at lunch today. This was not due to the side effects, which have subsided, but mostly out of boredom with eating all meat and meat products.

Yesterday after work I inhaled a plate of mussel meat and a bag of pork rinds with a hunk of cheese, because the one chicken leg quarter I had for lunch at 12 left me starving by 6 pm.

I'm frustrated now. Really frustrated. I mean, the weight gone is nasty fat that is no longer clinging to me. But nevertheless, I am still fretting more than a little bit.

Please---- someone advise!

[liv]

Good job so far. You have really done well.
I suggest that the best thing to do is to post in the review my menu forum here at ADBB. Include your exercise in the info and everything you typically eat and drink in a day (include the size of the portions as well). People will help you out. Here is hoping for you to break the stall soon.

[mitzimarie]

Hi, Lady T

Sorry to hear about your frustration. It's understandable... you're working so hard, and yet, things are not going the way that they're supposed to. Hang in there, girl...

A few things...

First, I would take Liv's advice and post detailed menus (include specific foods, water, and quantity) in the Review My Menu forum. Someone may catch something that you are not aware of. I can tell you now, that pork rinds can be a problem. The sodium content is astronomical, and the calories can really add up quickly.

Next, I would like to remind you that doing Atkins correctly does not mean *zero* carbs. That is very unhealthy, and completely unnecessary to be successful doing a controlled-carb way of eating. After a clean 2 week Induction, I would advise moving to Rung 1 (more veggies).

A great number of people stay on Extended Induction longer than they need to. They develop a comfort zone there, and are reluctant to move into the next phase of Atkins - OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss). Often, people who stay on Extended Induction experience PISS (Post Induction Stall Syndrome)... your weight loss stops, even though you are eating the same way that you have been. In a large number of cases (myself included), this stall is broken by moving to the next phase and upping their carbs with veggies. Yep, that's right... they up their carbs by 5g with additional veggies.

I know it may sound like a logical notion that if cutting carbs produces weight loss, then eliminating them completely would be better. NO! Please don't do that. That's not how it works. Look at it this way - you've tried eliminating carbs and you gained weight. How about trying (for 1 week) to add 5g of veggies. What have you got to lose? If you gained weight by cutting out nutritious food, I think it's worth a try to add some nutritious food to your eating and see what happens. Honestly, without fiber, I'm not sure how you go *potty*. Some of your weight gain may be due to that!

Keep us posted on what's going on with you. Have you started a Journal yet? Here are some links to help you navigate the board. Good luck!

Atkins Low Carb Dieting - FAQ's - Atkins Diet

Review My Menu: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...eview-my-menu/

Exercise Challenges: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...se-challenges/

Journal Chats: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...journal-chats/

Journal Stats: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...journal-stats/

Atkins Foods and Recipes: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...-food-recipes/

Linda's website for recipes: Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes - Home

[Lady T]

Liv and Mitzi,

Thanks so much for the helpful advice (and taking the time to read my incredibly long post!)

Liv: I will definitely get together my menu so others can see.

Mitzi: The zero carb idea most definitely did not come from Atkins. It came from a forum I stumbled across started by some bodybuilders. I know that Atkins does not advise a zero carb diet--- I was just so desperate and discouraged. I have no other support, and looked everywhere I could.

And as far as regularity, only three days of doing that didn't affect me at all. But I will be more careful with the pork rinds, since I had considered the weight could be water retention from all the salt I had consumed the day before.

Thanks again!

[APanthesilia]

Hi Lady T and welcome to the board! It sounds like your dedication is amazing and you are doing great! I second everything Mitzi said! Try moving up the rungs and I bet you'll see some progress! Or it might be something you are not getting in your diet but we'll all have a look after you post you menu! For me I was stuck (but not stalled!) for weeks until I realised that my fat content was way too low. I started a high fat diet and the pounds started dropping off again! I hope you're not getting discouraged, you can get through this!! Thanks for posting!

[studyinscarlet]

Hi Lady T and welcome. Have you been measuring yourself as well as weighing? I personally haven't lost a single pound in almost 4 weeks but I have been losing inches fairly steadily every week. I highly recommend measuring if you haven't been. Good luck!