Discouraged....

[Simone]

Hello all,

I think you will remember a post 14 days ago where I said my husband was going to try this way of eating with me. Well, he did. We both found ourselves in ketosis starting day 2. I have been dark purple or magenta since then. I have kept my carbs under 20 and have not strayed for 2 weeks of induction. I even found ways to satisfy my desire for sweets with the ziplock ice cream and the various cheesecakes. Still remaining under 20 carbs. We have eaten a lot of backyard grilled ribeyes, chicken and occassionaly some shrimp salad and the like.

Well it is day 14. I have not lost a single pound. I didn't check daily like I would in the past. I just trusted that I would get results. And I have not gotten any at all. Not one lowsy pound. I have been walking a minimum of 2 miles a day and occassionally 3 or 4, at leats 3-4 times a week. I haven't been that active in 6 months or more.

Can someone who is an old hat and knowledgeable about this diet, please help me understand my results and why I am not seeing a reduction in weight even though I remain in ketosis? Honestly I have no other alternatives. If this doesn't work, I am hopless for achieving my goals. Unfortunately, this goal (weight loss and fitness) is affecting the acheivement of so many other things I want to accomplish in my life. Somehow it seems that this is and has always held me back. Fear of failing is manifesting in other areas because I have fed the fear with failing at this. I see others doing the same exact thing (at least that is what they say) and they are successful. Why not me? I dont' have 10 or 20 pounds to drop either. I am 96lbs away from my goal weight. The same 96lbs I was away from it 2 weeks ago.

I find it difficult to remain encouraged when I am seeing no results. Its like beating my head up against a wall hoping to releive a headache...it is not working!

Please advise sooner than later.....hanging on by a thread....holding back tears,trying to stay positive for my husband who has dropped at least 10 visible pounds.

[jroche5998]

First of all Simone, don't get down. You are in ketosis so you are burning fat. There are two things that are probably affecting the scale.

1. If you are exercising (walking you said) you are building muscle which is heavier than fat. Secondly to this if the exercise is new, those muscles are in shock to the change and will superhydrate until they are used to the new regime at which point they will shed the water. Did you measure, it is very possible for you to be losing inches and not pounds.

2. Second, fat cells are very resistant to change. As the fat within the cells is burned the keep their shape by plumping up with water. Sortof as a placeholder, as it were. Once the cells realize that the fat isn't returning (it isn't right?), then the body will release an enzyme (I forget the name) that will cause the fat to release the water. This is what is called around here as a whoosh, which everyone is so fond of. You will drop more than usual in one night.

Check to see, if your clothes are fitting better, or if you have lost inches.

I know it's frustrating to watch DH lose quickly, my wife had the same problem. But rest assured this way does work and patience and perseverence is required. Please don't give up yet.

Now, some tough love. Lose the sweets. At least for now. They are extra calories and you need to break the addiction to sweets. Stay clean for 2 weeks and you'll be surprised how you no longer will crave sweets. But by giving in to "legal" sweets you're just feeding that sweet craving monster.

Don't give up, don't quit. Be happy for your husband and use his success to motivate you not discourage you. You deserve this and I promise it works.

I wish you the best of luck!

[tickletussler]

Hi Simone,

Firstly, a few :hug :hug :hug :hug :hug and some encouragement to hang in there, to learn from any mistakes and try again.

I even found ways to satisfy my desire for sweets with the ziplock ice cream and the various cheesecakes.

Some of us stall on low-carb foods, even if they substitute the sugar with Splenda. That is why DANDR 2002 limits daily cheese intake to 3-4oz per day, cream to 1-2 tablespoons a day, Splenda to 3 packets/3 tablespoons a day, and avoidance of many low carb products such as Atkins bars, low-carb bake mix & products or even low carb ice cream.
Is there a possibility that you may be like some of us, where cheese, Splenda or cream could make you stall?

Fear of failing is manifesting in other areas because I have fed the fear with failing at this. I see others doing the same exact thing (at least that is what they say) and they are successful. Why not me?

All of us are very different Simone and sometimes we don't all tell everyone when we are failing or feel disheartened. What we all need is patience, and a LOT of it :yes For some, they would lose pounds every week. For others (like myself) maybe I lose a pound a month. When I first started I lost 6lbs in the first 2 weeks - and I was so so discouraged! Because I read about those who had lost 10, 20lbs.

Men also tend to lose more pounds than women, that is why your husband lost 10 and you didn't. Men generally have more muscle and these muscles develop more quickly through good eating and regular exercise. It means that sometimes we have to wait longer for the pounds to shed, or to find out we have biceps in our arms

Listen to Jim's advice too - he has some really good points there. Even though most of us go on about losing pounds and watch how many pounds we lose, it is really the inches that count, and maybe this is something we should harp about more. As we lose weight, fat cells tend to try and retain their shape by holding more water - and because of this, we may not lose straight away, but suddenly, these cells decide they don't need to hold onto as much water, and you suddenly get a "wooshie" (decent weightloss)

Please take care - keep coming back to the board whenever you get discouraged. Start up a journal even, in the journal section. I utilise it to voice my thoughts and my foods eaten - and because of that, I also get a lot of encouragement and support from many.

:hug

[Effie]

Hi Simone,
I agree with what both previous posters have said, so I'm not going to give you any additional advice or insight into why this might not be working.

I do want to let you know that you have every right to feel discouraged. You worked your *** off for 2 weeks and didn't get any reward. You feel cheated, and I would too. I know it's tough to have something like this happen and then have to listen to advice like, "you're doing everything right, just keep going!" or "we're all different!" But you know what? IT'S TRUE! Please keep doing what you're doing for another 2 weeks. IF you still haven't lost weight or inches after a month, then maybe something is wrong. Don't give up just yet!!

Do you feel any better since starting this WOE? I didn't lose very much to start either (it's almost a month, and I'm not even down 5 pounds yet, with 50+ to go), but I feel so much better that its so worth it. I'm no longer a slave to food. I have saved about $20 just in diet coke alone. I've started running again which I've tried to do for the past 2 years, but never could get into it. All of these benefits are more important to me than the number on the scale. If you can focus on any successes like these, maybe it'll give you motivation enough to stick with it another 2 weeks, and hopefully by then you'll have the whooshie of a lifetime!

[Moochiecat]

I had around 90 pounds to lose as well, and I understand about letting your weight and health hold you back. I got so tired of that mindset, and I know it seems bleak, but it's only been two weeks, so grab on to us all and hang in there, my friend! :hug

I just wanted to support what everyone's been saying here regarding cutting out the sweets and not comparing yourself to your husband. Make friends with your tape measure and put your scale away for a week or two.
Maybe post a menu in the Review My Menu forum and lets have a look at what's going on. You're using Fitday to track your intake? Here's the link to help you with it if you haven't seen it already:

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/viewtopic.php?t=66107

Good job on the walking!!! :icondance My first reaction was to tell you about how muscle weighs more than fat as well. In no time you're going to see differences in your legs and your breathing will be much easier as well from this. That's what I found when I started walking last Jan. Whether you realize it or not, the walking does wonderful things, so keep it up!

So keep with the walking...support your husband but don't compare yourself to him...post a menu...buddy up with your tape measure and hide the scale....stay strong and stay focussed on your goal! :joy

[Elizellen]

Hi Simone :wave
It is good to see you back here again :hug
You have been given good advice and information about how some of us experience weightloss - or not :yikes
I know it is hard to persevere when the scales are not encouraging you but stick with it and I am sure you will soon see results.
If not in pounds lost then maybe in inches gone or just generally feeling better. :hug

[wannabethintoo]

Hi Simone,

This is what I do although some people may disagree with the calorie counting but I have had great success.

I only eat foods listed in the induction foods list and I ignore the "Convenience Foods" section.
http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-464579.html. I keep my foods very simple. I only select foods from the perimeter of the grocery store. Eggs, meats, veggies, cheese, butter, bacon... I don't look for low fat meats like I used to. I buy chicken with the skin on. Much more tender.

I limit cheese to at most 4 ozs per day and I limit cured meats like bacon to 3 slices per day. I get the majority of my 20 gms of carbs from legal veggies.

I keep track of what I'm eating using fitday.com and stick to the 65% fat, 30% protein and 5% carb rule. I also keep track of calories. I stay slightly above my basal metabolic rate amount. See http://www.room42.com/nutrition/basal.shtml to calculate what yours is.

I drink around 120 ozs of water a day. I only drink decaf coffee and no diet drinks. I don't use any sweetners at all. I also don't use any cream simply because I don't like it.

I exercise daily (except for Sunday which is my day of rest) either doing an hour of swimming or gym-type work like treadmill or stair climber (1 hour).

I weigh myself once a week only.

On a daily basis I read posts from this forum to keep me motivated to continue.

I lost 15 lbs during the first 2 weeks of induction. I decided to remain on induction for a while and I've lost 4 bls during the 3rd week.

I never feel hungry or have any major cravings. I don't monitor my ketones.

Hope this helps and good luck. Don't give up. Give it another try.

[G-Mom]

Oh, Simone, dear... :hug Please don't give up, you are doing so very well. Please put the evil scale away for a whole MONTH, yes month. I did that once, and it was a good thing. Concentrate on measuring yourself and how your clothes fit. Numbers on the scale are misleading.

How do you feel? I'll bet better than how you were eating before. Another idea, now that you are past Induction, watch your calories. Those ribeye steaks are usually about 1000 calories each, and that adds way up! Some of us need to really watch our calories, others don't. I am more successful when I don't eat many calories (just enough to not go into starvation mode). AND those cals I do eat are very good ones (no frankenfoods or sweet low carb foods).

Drink lots and lots of water too. Keep up, dear, you ARE in ketosis, yay!!! Your cals just may be a bit too high. Try everything!

Take care and cheer up, your health IS improving!!! :icondance

[soliwit]

I think most things have been said already, but I just wanted to let you know that we are here to help you and encourage you, keep up the work and I am sure you will start losing !!!! :hug :hug :hug

[Isabeau]

You've been given some wonderful advice and encouragement. We're here to support you. Hang in there! I've seen it time and time again how patience pays off. :hug