slowing down? - please help

[7Miriam]

I'm tyring to decide whether to stay on Induction. When I started 3 1/2 weeks ago I had 170 pounds to loose. So far I've lost: week 1 - 6.4 lbs.; week 2 - 5.2 lbs.; week 3 - 3 lbs.; and the first 4 days of week 4 - 1 lb. (My TOM has not come since starting Atkins and is now about 2 weeks late - so it is possible that it is coming and that is affecting weight loss - I'm not sure.)

I think that I have had unstable blood sugar for a long time - before starting on Atkins I constantly had hypoglycemia headaches, moodiness and lots of the other symptoms described in 2002 DANDR.

My my plan was to stay on Induction for the first 40 pounds (since I have a lot to loose and could benefit from my metabolism recovering from unstable blood sugar), then do the first rung of OWL for the next 40 pounds (more veggies), and then at this point, when I am down 80 pounds and have 90 left to go, start slowly working my way through more rungs of OWL and then at some point later into pre-maintenance and maintanence.

However, I'm wondering whether this slowdown in weight loss is normal and to be expected since my body lost a lot of weight in the last few weeks and may need to adjust a bit, or if it is a sign that staying on Induction longer is not what I should do.

So I keep thinking about things like: How much do people tend to lose on Induction and OWL? Does weight loss decrease on OWL? Can staying on Induction longer result in less weight loss than moving on to OWL?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be very appreciated!

[momtomany1]

Re: slowing down? - please help

The slowdown is normal and healthy. It would really not be healthy for your body to continue to lose 4, 5 lbs a week. You should see it settle to a norm of 2 to 3, with maybe a 'hold' now and then, and maybe a 'whoosh' now and then, but it shouldn't average out to a really high number.

Induction is safe up to a year, esp. if you are taking your supplements. However, there is a lot to be said for being able to eat extra veggies, yogurt if you like it, almonds, etc. Owl does not slow your loss, I assure you. I was comfortable in induction, but I have still continued to lose weight at a rate I am happy with, which at this point averages to 2.6 lbs a week.

Congratulations on your losses so far, and on stabilizing moods, blood sugar, and I am assuming you mean the headaches have cleared. Isn't it grand? I feel like a million bucks, esp. on the days I exercise!

[7Miriam]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Thanks momtomany. I am feeling very bad about this diet for the first time since starting, and feel like giving up. I couldn't prepare my own lunch today. Really I guess I chose not to - I wanted to do certain things and the only way to fit it all in was to eat out. I tried to pick the best thing I could - a steak with sides of summer squash&zuchinni and a small side salad. But the salad included some things mixed in that I should not have eaten - and I ate them anyway. I figured it out afterwards, and I ate about an extra 1/2 cup or so of lettuce, a couple tablespoons of shredded carrots, a tablespoon of bacon bits and a tablespoon of bluecheese dressing - and I assume the bacon bits and dressing may have had sugar since I think these tend to when store bought.

I'm almost done with week four now, and as of this morning still down just one pound for this week.

I really don't want to slow down weight loss - but I'm thinking maybe I should go to OWL and add more veggies. I think I should really stay on Induction longer b/c I have so much to lose - but I'm afraid that if I don't have some more flexibility I may wind up going off a lot more than I did today and then just quiting.

If I go to OWL do I still need to eat all the Induction salad veggies? Can I add any other veggies, or just have more Induction veggies?

I'm trying to tell myself not to be so down about going off the plan and that maybe what I did won't have too much of an effect - but I'm really upset about all this. Must be those high glycemic carrots getting to me ;(

[momtomany1]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Hi, Miriam, you pick your veggie carbs when you move to OWL. Just add 5 more veggie carbs a day, from either list. You keep eating your induction salad veggies, and 'other list' veggies if you are eating them, and just add more.

Some of your difficulty right now might simply in the emotional ups and downs all of us women have. You will likely be on an emotional upswing soon, and you will say, "Quit? are you kidding? I've stabilized my blood sugars and kicked some awful headaches!" Give it time.. we all rise and fall emotionally like that.

And btw, I think you made pretty good choices for a meal out!

[Lyssie]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Hi Miriam.. you can stay on induction or move up I think without slowing down weight loss and perhaps even with increasing the loss (at least it did for me). I stayed on induction waaay too long and found out after being stalled that moving up helped me out a bit and the variety was such a welcome change.

Are you drinking all your water (64oz + 8oz for every 25lbs to lose) and getting in your exercise?

[7Miriam]

Re: slowing down? - please help

THanks guys. I've been drinking water and doing lots of exercise (at least it is a lot of exercise compared to what I was doing before).

If I go to OWL and add the 5 net carbs of veggies - is it only Induction veggies - or any veggies - like carrots? (I'm thinking it is only Induction veggies - but want to make sure).

I'm surprised that I'm feeling so bad about this now - maybe I just have to get trhough dinner on plan and see how I feel tomorrow. It is kind of irrational - but I feel so upset that it is not going well.

[Lyssie]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Okay. Hold on. I don't know why you feel like it's not going well for you. You have had losses every week. Ones that I would be mad jealous to have mind you. In 3 weeks you lost about 15lbs. So an average of 5lbs per week. You knew that your body needs to readjust after this kind of drop. A lot of people will slow down or even stop for a couple weeks after the first couple to give their body a chance to adjust. You haven't stopped, you're still losing, just slower. THat's fantastic news.

If you're looking to move into OWL, I suggest adding the 5g of carbs a different time than the new rung of food. For example, if I want to do the carbs first, I would eat the 25g carbs of induction food for a week, ensuring that it's not the carbs that is stalling me, *then* I would add in the veggies. If you are consistent with doing it this way, you will know whether you can not eat (as an example) cashews or not eat over 60g of carbs. If you add both at the same time, you need to cut them both out and start by adding one back then the other.

[7Miriam]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Thanks. I'm thinking that maybe my TOM is coming, its like 3 weeks late now - and maybe that is what is really making me so upset. I'm noticing some other signs that this may be the case. I feel a little silly now.

[momtomany1]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Don't feel silly... we all get there from time to time. It is normal, and you are normal, and you are going to be just fine!

[7Miriam]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Thank you.

[Elizellen]

Re: slowing down? - please help

If I go to OWL and add the 5 net carbs of veggies - is it only Induction veggies - or any veggies - like carrots? (I'm thinking it is only Induction veggies - but want to make sure).

Yes, Miriam, you start OWL by adding 5 net carbs from either list of the induction vegetables.
Depending on how many carbs you have been eating on induction you could be eating up to 25 net carbs. So if you averaged say 16 net carbs on induction, your Rung one number to aim at is 21 net carbs.

I found that moving to OWL made me felt much less restricted, as I could have a larger salad and not have to leave half of it in a restaurant as well as an extra serving of the 'other veg' list at another meal.

In fact I stayed on the Veg rung for a few months, so I could experiment with using things like cauliflower, aubergines (eggplant) and courgettes (zucchini) in dishes like lasagne or pizzas to expand my menu choices and feel less 'deprived'.

You can stay on any OWL rung as long as you like to find out how different foods on it affect your body - one member here discovered she can only eat one brand of ricotta without getting blood sugar symptoms by persevering and trying different ones till she knew what her body could cope with and not get cravings.

Some people even stay on the lower OWL rungs adding more servings of 5 net carbs till they discover their CCLL before moving up to the higher rungs like legumes and starchy veggies.

So treat OWL like the great scientific experiment it is, with your body as the lab rat and your mind as the scientist, and you will learn a lot about your body so as to be able to happily stay at your goal weight when you reach it!

[7Miriam]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Thanks Elizellen. I feel much calmer this morning and am very glad I did not give up yesterday. Tomorrow is the first day of week 5 for me, and I'm going to look for some new Induction recipies and think of using some different Induction veggies. If I can't figure out some new meals (I'm getting pretty bored with the same things I've been eating) then I will move onto rung 1 of OWL.

Do I understand correctly that if for, example I go up to 25 net carbs, I can try adding more veggies for a few weeks, then take out the extra veggies and start adding some nuts, still staying at 25 net carbs, and then take out the nuts and add some berries, still staying at 25 net carbs. And then stay at 25 net carbs and on a particular day add in either the extra veggies, the nuts, or the berries that I have found not to create cravings? Would doing it this way and staying at 25 net carbs be likely to result in more weight loss than increasing beyond 25 net carbs? I'm wondering if I can do this to get more variety, and not slow down weight loss mcuh as I still have a lot to lose.

[caesarsally]

Re: slowing down? - please help

I am going through a similar stall. Congratulations to you on your outstanding loss. I am starting my 4th week of Induction in 2 days have have lost only 8lbs. Today the scale read that I was up a lb. I am very distraught as I have been following this WOE to the tee. I believe my body is adjusted to the lower carb way of life and thank goodness I am not craving sugar anymore. That was a real issue. However, I used to lose between 1-2 lbs on Weight Watchers and now I am at a complete halt and up a lb. I am journaling my food and know that I must eat more and often. But what do I do about this stall? Also, I feel drop dead exhausted and I am normally pretty perky. I can bearly get out of bed. Thank goodness I have my dog and she forces me to walk. Any thoughts? Also, I am already getting into a food rut and feel like crying when I have to eat yet one more egg for breakfast. Please help?!

[Elizellen]

Re: slowing down? - please help

Yes, that is the way to do a 'modified OWL'

As to whether it will increase your likely weight-loss, no-one can say. It is a YMMV (your mileage may vary) thing.

But making the way of eating more interesting by allowing more food choices can help you stick to plan which will I am sure assist your body to lose weight the best way it can

[7Miriam]

Re: slowing down? - please help

I just went through my food jounal, and figured out that on average for the last 10 days that I counted carbs I had about 16 net carbs. So next week I am going to go up to 20 net carbs and add more veggies. I'll try this for a few weeks, and then maybe consider going up to 25 net carbs of veggies. I've been thinking about all the advice here, and I think that I need a little change or else I risk getting too bored and going off plan.

I was also surprised this morning when after my weight not budging for several days (other than slight upwards tics) this morning I was suddenly down a pound. Maybe me feeling so bad yesterday was my body's effort to get me to eat carbs - I kind of wanted them - but I guess I'll never really know why I suddenly got so upset. It was very strange because since I've been doing Atkins negative/sad mood swings and headaches have virtually disappeared.

I'm so appreciative of everyone's support and advice during my litte crisis! I'm feeling much better now