5 days - up 2 pounds

[Cyndeg]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum but I thought I'd post to ask for help. I started this on Monday and I think I'm doing it right but I have gained 2.5 pounds since I started. I'm female, 5'7 and 233 (was 230.5). Here is an average day of eating:
Breakfast
Sliced chicken or beef grilled or boiled eggs. 1 cup coffee with 1 splenda with 1 tsp cream.
Lunch
2 cups salad with 2 tablespoons blue cheese, 2 boiled eggs, shredded cheese, maybe a sprinkle of onions or banana peppers.
Snack
Cubed chicken (no carbs) and 2 string cheeses
Dinner
2 Baked chicken thighs with 1 cup broccoli
Snack
2 sugar free jellos w/1 tsp cool whip.

Water intake - 50+ ounces
I don't take any medications but I did start the psyllium husks this morning

This was my meal from yesterday, Monday and Tuesday I had an atkins shake and bar, and I had several diet drinks when I was hungry. I stopped drinking those on Wednesday because I thought maybe that was causing the "NO weight loss". When I got up this morning, I was up 2.5 pounds. After 5 days I'm very discouraged. I haven't cheated once with all the cookies, cakes and snacks at my job.

Any pointers on what I'm doing wrong? I haven't exercised this week because of long hours at work, etc.. but I hope to start this weekend.. I just want to stick with this, I don't want to fail. Also, I purchased those Ketone sticks and it always shows "trace" or "small".
Thanks,
Very Frustrated...

[Georgiana]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

Sliced chicken

Do you cook this yourself?

salad

Lettuce?

shredded cheese

How much cheese?

Cubed chicken (no carbs)

Again, do you cook this yourself?

2 sugar free jellos

This would count as two servings of sweetener. Sweeteners are limited to 3 servings per day.

My opinion is that jello is junk and you'd be better off without it.

Plus, it only feeds your sweet tooth.

cool whip

There's sugar (corn syrup) and trans fats in it.

Definitely ditch it.

Water intake - 50+ ounces

The minimum is 64 oz.

Many people do better drinking more. Drinking half your body weight in ounces would not be a bad idea.

atkins shake and bar

These often stall people.

I had several diet drinks when I was hungry

I'm confused... Diet drinks don't help with hunger.

If you're hungry, you should eat.

[Georgiana]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

How many calories are you consuming, on average?

How many net carbs?

How many of your net carbs are coming from vegetables?

I purchased those Ketone sticks and it always shows "trace" or "small"

It doesn't matter if the color is light pink or dark purple.

In fact, you could be in ketosis without changing the color at all.

And the sticks don't tell you whether or not you're doing Atkins correctly.

[Cyndeg]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

The chicken I eat at night I always cook, the chicken or steak in the morning is prepackaged with 0 or 1 gram of carbs. Salad is usually spinach or romain lettuce. OK, I'm giving up the Jello and I gave up the diet drinks already. I also gave up the Atkins products. Is that one cup of coffee hurting me? I use to drink 6+
Sometimes when I'm in a rush I'll eat oscar meyer hot dogs with 1 gram of carbs, is that ok?
Thanks for your tips, I'm going to keep working on it.. I'll start exercising too.

Do you cook this yourself?

Lettuce?

How much cheese?

Again, do you cook this yourself?

This would count as two servings of sweetener. Sweeteners are limited to 3 servings per day.

My opinion is that jello is junk and you'd be better off without it.

Plus, it only feeds your sweet tooth.

There's sugar (corn syrup) and trans fats in it.

Definitely ditch it.

The minimum is 64 oz.

Many people do better drinking more. Drinking half your body weight in ounces would not be a bad idea.

These often stall people.

I'm confused... Diet drinks don't help with hunger.

If you're hungry, you should eat.

[Cyndeg]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

How many calories are you consuming, on average?

How many net carbs? 20 or less, I've been counting those.

How many of your net carbs are coming from vegetables? Not much maybe 4

It doesn't matter if the color is light pink or dark purple.

In fact, you could be in ketosis without changing the color at all.

And the sticks don't tell you whether or not you're doing Atkins correctly.

Ok, that's good to know, I guess I need to throw those things out, they are discouraging me.

[Georgiana]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

the chicken or steak in the morning is prepackaged with 0 or 1 gram of carbs.

There is probably some form of sugar among the ingredients. Always read the list of ingredients, not only the nutritional label.

Salad is usually spinach or romain lettuce.

Over half of your net carbs should come from vegetables. With 2 cups of lettuce/spinach and 1 cup of broccoli, I doubt this is happening now.

Lettuce is fine, but eating a variety of (more nutritious) vegetables would be better. You could add some peppers in that salad, for example.

Are you using FitDay or some other similar tool to enter your foods?

Is that one cup of coffee hurting me?

Difficult to say. Some people lose weight while still drinking a cup of coffee... but I've also seen people saying that coffee stalls them.

You could also switch to decaf.

Sometimes when I'm in a rush I'll eat oscar meyer hot dogs with 1 gram of carbs, is that ok?

I assume there's sugar in them. I wouldn't eat them.

If you plan ahead and freeze some meals... or cook a quiche... you will have good food to eat when you're in a rush. Hot dogs are not a good choice.

[Georgiana]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

Also, don't forget to take body measurements. We can lose inches without losing pounds... but lost inches are still an indicator of fat loss.

[Georgiana]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

With all the sodium coming from processed meat, cheese... plus whatever amount of salt you added in cooking, if any... it's possible that you are retaining water.

Especially if you've not been drinking enough water.

[Cyndeg]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

Ok, thanks for your help. I know I have work to do to adjust my eating. I guess this weekend I'll cook up a lot of fresh meat and eggs for days I'm in a rush.
Thanks again.

[liv]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

Just wanted to say hi!!!! and welcome
Looks like your diet needs fat and water (both are also great for moving things through your system if you know what I mean )

[Georgiana]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

You're welcome!

Adding to what Liv wrote... approximately 65% (it's not carved in stone) of your daily calories should come from fat. The percentages are displayed in FitDay, if that's what you're using.

[Cyndeg]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

I am drinking a lot of water.
What do you mean by fat?

[liv]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

You did say 50 in your first post and that is far from enough - I am smaller than you at this point and I drink a lot more than that.

Fat - like in butter, oil, fatty meats, mayo, dressings - Atkins is a high fat diet. That is the revolution part of it - eat fat - get thin

[Cyndeg]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

Ok I purchased a 1.5 quart Evian bottle today, so I'm going to drink 2 of those. I've got a LOT of planning to do this weekend..

THANKS!!

You did say 50 in your first post and that is far from enough - I am smaller than you at this point and I drink a lot more than that.

Fat - like in butter, oil, fatty meats, mayo, dressings - Atkins is a high fat diet. That is the revolution part of it - eat fat - get thin

[OzLover]

Re: 5 days - up 2 pounds

Also check out recipes here on the board. I also recommend getting the 2002 version of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution if you don't have it. We refer to it as DANDR here at ADBB.
Good luck!