Confused...

[CherTLC4u]

Let me try to put this into words...

I've been doing this WOE since March 6, 2005 and have never cheated. I've lost 25 pounds. 14 during 2 weeks induction.

I use fitday (i dont do it every day because its always the same and too depressing) and 99% of the time, my fat is above 70% my carbs 2-3% my protien is around 20%. The one day I kept my fat at 63% i lost 2 pounds!

I have cut out cheddar cheese and have only 1oz of cream cheese per day. I dont use cream anymore.

I havent used Splenda in about 2 weeks.

Ya'll say if you're hungry -- eat! Eat protien and fat to help hunger. Well if I do that, my fat percentages go up! ... and no weight loss.

I'm drinking 100oz water per day and excersizing 30 minutes per day 5 days per week.

At this moment, I ate 3 eggs with 1oz cream cheese for breakfast. I was hungry a few minutes ago and made 2 Bubba Burgers with 2 tablespoons mayo in it and I'm still hungry! (I checked the nutritional information for fresh chopped sirloin and fat percentage is the same as the Bubba Burgers which are frozen hamburger) and I have had about 32oz of water so far today.

I am extremely aggrivated because all I do is think about this.

Am I a hopeless case? What can I eat to make the hunger go away without adding to my fat percentage? Any other suggestions would be helpful.

[not2late]

Re: Confused...

ARe you losing inches?

If you are exercising, you might be losing fat (the loss of inches) but the scale won't show it.

Otherwise, the percentages are a guideline, not an absolute. When I began Atkins I came across an article that analysed the Atkins sample Menues in Chapter 18, that and the diet analysis done during the Duke Study are the sources for the %. Again, they aren't 'hard-and-fast' rules. You really should be eating according to your body's needs rather than to make the percentages come out right.

The other thing too is the hunger thing. One of the signs of ketosis is loss of appetite. So there are a couple of things you'll have to figure out. 1. is anything you are eating contains added sugars or starches? If so, drop that product from your diet. If you are eating the low carb bars/shakes/etc. you might want to drop those from your diet too and see what happens. Otherwise, go through your food diary and see if this hunger coincides with the addition of any food.

2. are you eating enough calories for your body to function properly? Your caloric needs change with your body's needs. If you are a smaller person, you might not need as many calories as you did when you were a larger one. Conversely, if you are a smaller, but active person, you might need more calories. So, you'll have to see what's happening with you.

[Momof3greatgirls]

Re: Confused...

A thoughtabout your hunger. Sometimes Thirst is masked as hunger, are you thirsty? The other thing is, is it real huner or just habit? I had to break the eat when bored, lonely, watching tv ect... habit.

Hope this helps
Amy

[CherTLC4u]

Re: Confused...

Thanks for your replies.

I'm drinking plenty of water and I'm not thirsty. I dont eat bars, shakes, ect. I follow the list of induction foods and shop only the outside aisles of the store sticking to fresh veggies only and real meat, nothing canned, except tuna. Habit? I recognize the habit hunger signs. This is real in my stomach hunger.
I'm not losing inches. I still fit nicely in the same clothes I was in before.

I'm not eating enough calories, but if I up my calories my percentages go up. My BMR is 1594 but I usually eat around 1300. Should I just eat more protien?

:::: someday I'll figure this all out.

[Finelly]

Re: Confused...

The fact that the day you limited your fats to 63% is the same day you lost 2 lbs does not mean they are related. Most of the time, increasing fat will get us out of a stall or cause us to "whoosh". In your case, perhaps you were just due for a whoosh.

If I were you, I wouldn't worry so much right now about the fat intake. Eat what fills and satisfies you. The weight loss does slow down according to the scale, and we have to be patient. In the meantime, you are doubtless losing inches.

[not2late]

Re: Confused...

Thanks for your replies.

I'm drinking plenty of water and I'm not thirsty. I dont eat bars, shakes, ect. I follow the list of induction foods and shop only the outside aisles of the store sticking to fresh veggies only and real meat, nothing canned, except tuna. Habit? I recognize the habit hunger signs. This is real in my stomach hunger.
I'm not losing inches. I still fit nicely in the same clothes I was in before.

I'm not eating enough calories, but if I up my calories my percentages go up. My BMR is 1594 but I usually eat around 1300. Should I just eat more protien?

:::: someday I'll figure this all out.

Again, don't eat to satisfy the numbers, eat to satisfy your body.

You might want to look at the veggies you are eating and make sure you are measuring them properly. We had a member here in whom broccoli caused cravings and another in whom celery did the same. So take a look at your veggies.

If you eat consistently below your BMR, your body will go into "starvation mode" and you will not lose weight.

[spirittalker]

Re: Confused...

If you are really concerned about eating more protien try adding some chicken breasts to your diet that will up your protien and lower your fat. You should also try to vary your diet so you do not get bored. It sounds a bit as if you are eating the same thing every day which will not only lead to boredom but your body will adjust to that and you will lose weight more slowly. Hang in there.

[not2late]

Re: Confused...

I took a look at your fitday. Since you only have 1 entry (July 9) since July 5, I don't have much to go by. But it looks like you aren't getting enough protein. Your total cals were 1134, your protein grams was 64, so 23% of your calories were from protein.