Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

[WiseChoices]

Hi, I've been on Atkins since October. I was 192 and am now 153. Hooray! But by January I stalled. By the end of February I thought maybe I wasn't eating enough carbs since my diet often only had about 10 carbs in it. That didn't work so I'm back to what I thought did. But since it is now March 25 and I'm still stuck at 153 I guess not!

I work out 4-5 times a week on my treadmill for an hour at a time. Sometimes fast, sometimes slower as I listen to audiobooks or move to 'rock and roll'.

Here is a typcial day's menu. Can someone please look at it and see if you can tell why I'm stalled? Sometimes we can't see the obvious.

Breakfast ----------------------------cals/ fat/ Carb/Prot
Bacon/low sodium ---------------------70-- 6--- 0--- 4
Egg/yolk only -------------------------121- 10-- 1--- 6
Cream for my 1cp coffee --------------205- 22-- 2--- 1
Lunch
Brocolli from frozen/1 cp. ---------------2----7-- 0---53
butter/unsalted/1 tbsp.---------------- 102- 12-- 0--- 0
Chiicken breast w/o bone 4 oz.--------- 183-- 4-- 0-- 34
Dinner
egg/whole boiled ------------------------77-- 5-- 1--- 6
Spinach/ 1 cp raw -----------------------75-- 4-- 7--- 5
cardini's ceasar dressing/ 2 tbsp.-------- 160 --17- 1--- 1

Thanks, I'm really stumped!

[Desertthorn]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

I know your not going to believe this, but according to your food list, your eating less than 700 calories. I think your in starvation mode and your body is holding on to every ounce of fat you have just for survival.
I would get my calories up to at least 1500.
Also are you exercising?

[WiseChoices]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

That's surprising and I would normally agree, but that is close, give or take 100-200 calories that I was eating when I lost all that weight.

I mentioned my exercising. Take another look, please.

During January and February I upped both my calories, and thus, my carbs, though my carbs never went to more than 25.

So, I've been trying this menu that I showed you for the month of March just to do something, anything different.

[HulaMom]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

You have the right idea to start adding a few more carbs and also food. It sounds like you need to shake up some other things to get over the plateau. Here's some ideas:

* cut out caffein which can interfere with insulin
* review your supplements, add fish oils
* up the water intake
* try a NEW exercise

Good luck!

[Porcelain]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

That's surprising and I would normally agree, but that is close, give or take 100-200 calories that I was eating when I lost all that weight.

Yes, I did this once before too. Calories as low as this is bad for your heart. It causes muscle wasting too so some of the weight you lost is most likely muscle. It takes a little while for your body to catch on but once it does, it will hang onto that fat and once that starts and until you turn it around, you won't be losing fat, you will be losing other tissues, mostly muscles.

[WiseChoices]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

I tried your suggestion yesterday and upped my calories. Yesterday I ate 1300 calories and 19 carbs. This morning I was half a pound HEAVIER! I'd rather be whining about staying the same weight then whining that I"m inching my weight back on.

This happens every time I eat more. I gain a pound or two, then it takes a whole week to lose it back to where I started.

[WiseChoices]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

I've heard that before, that eating too few calories will cause my body to attack the muscle around the heart and other vital parts. That seems to me such a inefficient thing for my body to do!

After years of evolution, you'd think my body would take vital muscle LAST, especially when there is nice plump fat all over me for it to feast on.

[lasst10]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

...
After years of evolution, you'd think my body would take vital muscle LAST, especially when there is nice plump fat all over me for it to feast on.

LOL! Wouldn't that be great??

Lynn

[lasst10]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

I tried your suggestion yesterday and upped my calories. Yesterday I ate 1300 calories and 19 carbs. This morning I was half a pound HEAVIER! I'd rather be whining about staying the same weight then whining that I"m inching my weight back on.

This happens every time I eat more. I gain a pound or two, then it takes a whole week to lose it back to where I started.

I would think that your body is going to need time to become accustomed to the calorie increase. You mentioned you have been eating at this low level for a while. 700 calories, is just way too low.

How have your body measurements changed during the time you've been keeping your calories this low?



Retake your body measurements, increase your calories, and STAY OFF THE SCALE for a few weeks until your body gets used to the change.

Good luck! (and keep us updated)


Lynn

[WiseChoices]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

Lasst10, you look great, by the way. I can only go by what my experience shows me. When I eat fewer carbs and more fat/protein I lose. This is what attracted me to Atkins, as this has been true since I was a child.

However, the fewer pounds I have to lose, I also notice calories matter and there seems to be an individual threshold where below, I lose, above, I gain. I seem to be there now with this last 20 pounds.

[Porcelain]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

I've heard that before, that eating too few calories will cause my body to attack the muscle around the heart and other vital parts. That seems to me such a inefficient thing for my body to do!

After years of evolution, you'd think my body would take vital muscle LAST, especially when there is nice plump fat all over me for it to feast on.

I didn't say that it would attack the muscles around your heart or vital organs, I said it was bad for your heart as in it puts a strain on it. It usually goes for the large muscle groups and it is the utmost in efficiency. The less muscle mass you have, the lower your metabolism goes and the less energy you use. Fat does not use energy to exist. Musle uses energy just to sit there and do nothing. Hence the reason when the body senses famine, it whittles down on the muscles. If you like, I could go talk to the head of my physiology department where I went to nursing school, he is very knowledgable about this and also into anthropology and the history of the human body throughout time. We have spoken on this before but it was a while ago. I could get references for you.

[WiseChoices]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

Hahaha, I don't think I can stay off the scales. I need to see my weight go down for motivation.

I have looked at my last few months and most days are around 1000 calories. I ate 700-900 the last 2 weeks or so and have just sat there, just like when I ate 1000 calories. Thing is, eating that low, I should have loss weight, even if I was using up vital muscle or not.

I guess that is my point.

[lasst10]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

Lasst10, you look great, by the way. I can only go by what my experience shows me. When I eat fewer carbs and more fat/protein I lose. This is what attracted me to Atkins, as this has been true since I was a child.

However, the fewer pounds I have to lose, I also notice calories matter and there seems to be an individual threshold where below, I lose, above, I gain. I seem to be there now with this last 20 pounds.

Those last pounds will fight you tooth and nail, but as you've proved yourself, what has worked for you previously is no longer working. Your calories are really way to low. That's not a workable amount to live on for the rest of your life.

I stick to what I suggested earlier.


And, thanks! (I can't wait 'till I get to my last 20, too!)



Lynn

[APanthesilia]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

I tried your suggestion yesterday and upped my calories. Yesterday I ate 1300 calories and 19 carbs. This morning I was half a pound HEAVIER! I'd rather be whining about staying the same weight then whining that I"m inching my weight back on.

This happens every time I eat more. I gain a pound or two, then it takes a whole week to lose it back to where I started.

I agree that you need to stay off the scale!! It is doing you no favours! Weight fluctuates from day to day and obsessing over it just makes it worse! Also, changing your plan for one day and then expecting immediate results is not the best way to go. Up your calories for a week or two and then check the scale. You can't rely on what has always worked if it is not working for you right now. I haven't really looked at the fat content in your menu but you might also want to up that. And the first thing to try is always upping water intake. Also, have you been measuring yourself? Sometimes pounds stall but inches don't! Good luck!

[brandywine1241]

Re: Help! I'm stalled. Going off induction doesn't seem to help, what next?

If you like, I could go talk to the head of my physiology department where I went to nursing school, he is very knowledgable about this and also into anthropology and the history of the human body throughout time. We have spoken on this before but it was a while ago. I could get references for you.

Poreclain, I would love to see the references.