Help for my mum!

[newshoes]

Me and my mum are going into our fifth day on the atkins plan and I have lost 5 lbs and my mum has lost 1- we are nearly eating the same foods but my mum can't get her head around adding fat to her food i.e. butter in veg- she just won't do it (I think that is why I have lost more). She also has a few more cups of coffee a day- my limit is two.

This is not usual for us- normally she has more luck on diets as my thyroid plays up a lot- i.e. my meds are always being changed.

Do you guys think my theory is right? I can show her this (she is reading the book) and it may help her understand that this is how the diet works.

[Georgiana]

Re: Help for my mum!

Fat is essential on this plan. If one is not eating enough fat, then one is either undereating calories or overeating protein.

If one is undereating calories, then one is likely not getting all the nutrients needed for good health. Furthermore, certain nutrient deficiencies can interfere with weight loss by slowing down metabolism. And if that was not enough, low carb combined with low calorie is not healthy for the thyroid.

The other option is to overeat protein. The problem with this is that part of the protein consumed is converted to glucose. This is not bad if you don't eat too much protein... but if you consume an excess of it, the glucose that is being produced interferes with fat burning and therefore can slow down weight loss.

How much fat is your mother eating? Is she tracking her foods in FitDay?

And what's the reason for not eating fat? Does she not like it (not necessarily butter on veggies... it can be olive oil in a salad, eggs, cheese, heavy cream or fattier cuts of meat) or is she "afraid" of fat?

[newshoes]

Re: Help for my mum!

I think she is 'afraid' of fat- I don't think she really 'believes' in the diet tbh- we live about 40 mins from each other so we phone each day to see how were getting on.

She can't really use a computer- so I will do a log for her on fitday and see how she is getting on.

Thanks

[ShannonK]

Re: Help for my mum!

I just wanted to chime in and say you are a good daughter!! I wish my Mom would give Atkins a dry again. She did once and lost 30 lbs. Now, she says it is too much work, she doesn't want to work, it is too restrictive, leave her alone, etc... What can ya do?

Kudos to you both!

[tessjf]

Re: Help for my mum!

If the coffee she drinks isn't decaffinated, that may also contribute to her slower start.

Tess

[Elizellen]

Re: Help for my mum!

I think she is 'afraid' of fat- I don't think she really 'believes' in the diet tbh- we live about 40 mins from each other so we phone each day to see how were getting on.

She can't really use a computer- so I will do a log for her on fitday and see how she is getting on.

Thanks

Bless you for taking the trouble to help troubleshoot her progress

I used to keep a fitday account going for my husband when he was doing Atkins with me to keep track for him, but he really was not interested in learning the 'why' of Atkins so has not stuck to it even though he is always boasting of my progress (even to total strangers ).

I feel you might be on an uphill strugle trying to keep her ontrack if you don't live close enough to help her with her daily decisions if she has not decided for herself to do it.

Have you been able to get your Mum to read DANDR?

[newshoes]

Re: Help for my mum!

She is reading it (hopefully)- she does have a super busy life (she fosters asylum seekers).

Did a Fitday with her and after some persuasion she finally told me she had been having a glass of wine 'now and again'- so at least I know why she's not losing! Added the wine to her daily record and she was way above her net carbs for the day. She was so determined initially- maybe it will take her some time to get used to the strictness of atkins- think I will wait for her to decide if she wants to carry on- you can lead a horse to water and all that!!

Thanks for your input guys

[ShannonK]

Re: Help for my mum!

Wine is a tough one for me, too. I completely understand...

[Elizellen]

Re: Help for my mum!

Added the wine to her daily record and she was way above her net carbs for the day.

Maybeyou can tell her that each time she drinks alcohol (regardless of the carbs in it) her body will use that as a 'preferred fuel' and not use the carbs/fat/protein she is eating as a fuel till it is all used up? That might help her decide which she wants more - the wine or the weightloss

Alcohol can be reintroduced 'legally' when she gets to the fifth OWL rung to see if it affects her weightloss progress.

[not2late]

Re: Help for my mum!

After having "fat is verrrrrrrrrry bad!" pounded into our heads for years, I can see where your mother is coming from about not wanting to add fat to foods.

If butter repulses her, what about salad dressings, like vinaigrettes, or sauces like hollandaise? That might appeal to her better because...alot of no fat and low fat products were made to mimick the real stuff and she might not feel like she's eating pure fat, but a higher fat version of the low fat stuff (yeah....that sounds confusing, but I don't know how else to explain it. )