What happens when you hit a wall?

[Garyrajsich]

I started the Atkins Diet 8 weeks ago, with a goal of losing 50 lbs. After 4 weeks of induction and daily visits to the gym, I lost 25 pounds. I figured since it was working so well, I'd stick with induction. I've been doing everything the same, but over the past 4 weeks I've only lost 4 lbs. And I'm very strict with my carbs - I doubt I've topped 5 carbs on any given day since I started the diet. Is this normal?

[Ohbehave007]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

For one you need to be eating 20 carbs during induction, about half to two thirds should be from veggies...are you eating veggies?

Can you post a menu? Add measurements.

[Brook]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

For one you need to be eating 20 carbs during induction, about half to two thirds should be from veggies...are you eating veggies?

Can you post a menu? Add measurements.

She's right. Aside from the nutritional value of the veggies you should be eating, they provide bulk and fiber and they're lower in calories. It's a win/win/win/win deal.

Start eating your 20 carbs like you're supposed to be- making sure the majority of them come from veggies. Bet you'll start seeing a difference soon.

Honestly? You've lost 29lbs in five lousy weeks. What do you do when you hit a wall? Well, first you have to hit a wall - and you haven't, love. Then when you do hit it, you tweak a little here and there and you keep on keepin on.

Let's see the menu.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

>>I doubt I've topped 5 carbs on any given day since I started the diet. Is this normal?>>

Eating less that 5 carbs isn't normal ... nor is it Atkins.

Are you reading the book, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002)?

An answer to your question though ... what happens when you hit a wall ... well, for you ... I would suggest doing Atkins the way it is supposed to be done!

[MelTin]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

I don't know what you will do on your diet. Maybe you should buy the book and try Atkins to see if that would work for you.

[Garyrajsich]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

Thanks for the responses so far. To answer your questions, no, I am not eating many vegetables outside of salad. I understand the health benefits of vegetables, and I know I should eat more of them. I don't however understand how a lack of vegetables would inhibit my weight loss.

Yes, I do have the Atkins NDR Book, 1997 edition, and I've read it cover to cover.
In fact, on page 92, under Rules of Induction Diet, Atkins states "your diet must contain no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day". If I am consuming 5 grams a day, that's certainly not more than 20. Why would that be an issue?

Here is a typical menu:

Breakfast:
16 oz Rib Eye Steak
or
Four 4 oz Hamburgers (no bun, no ketchup)

Snack:
1 oz Cheddar Cheese

Lunch:
Three 4 oz. Pork Chops
or
Four Hebrew National All Beef Frankfurters w/ 1 oz. Sauerkraut
or
12 oz Grilled Swordfish or Grilled Tuna
Snack:
1 oz Cheddar Cheese

Dinner:
2.5 oz Tossed Salad, typically Romaine and/or Spinach, with Walden Farms Sugar-Free Dressing
or
1 Can Tuna Fish w/ Regular Mayonaise
Beverages:
Two 32 oz Bottles Seltzer, Two 16 oz Cans Sugar-Free Aspertame Free Caffeine Free Diet Soda

Other:
I usually cook on the outdoor grill, but when cooking inside, I will fry with Olive Oil. If I marinate anything, it will typically be with olive oil and either garlic salt, onion salt or Sea Salt, along with Black Pepper.

Thanks again for your feedback.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

>>no, I am not eating many vegetables outside of salad. I understand the health benefits of vegetables, and I know I should eat more of them. I don't however understand how a lack of vegetables would inhibit my weight loss.>>

It does though.

In the 5+ years I've been offering advice and support on Atkins, I've never seen anyone who underate vegetables be successful.

Atkins is really about the vegetables.

MOST of your daily net carbs should come from them.

Undereating in both carbs and calories (and eating at about 5 carbs IS undereating) is simply counter-productive and "not Atkins".

>> Four Hebrew National All Beef Frankfurters>>

Wow. That's a massive amount ... every day??? Limiting processed foods is a good idea ... and ... since these do still have sugar in them, they put you over the sweetener limit per day.

>> Two 32 oz Bottles Seltzer, Two 16 oz Cans Sugar-Free Aspertame Free Caffeine Free Diet Soda>>

Where's the plain water? Aren't you drinking water? You need about 100 ounces of it.

Your portions seem "huge" to me ... almost "gorging".

More vegetables ... less slabs of meat!

[liv]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

We do the 2002 version here. Atkins was more insistent on veggies in that version than he had been before.
Don't know why that is true about veggies actually being good for weightloss. But some people find that to be true. People come here to discuss a stall or a wall and we tell then to eat veggies and when they do the scale starts to move on them again. My unofficial theory is that the body needs nutrients and when you give it nutrients it gets happy and lets go of more fat. When the body is worry about starvation and perhaps nutrients it slows itself down and will not let go of fat.

I would try that for sure.
I also think with your exercise there is nothing to worry about from veggies. Nothing bad can happen so why not give it a go.

Also I am not sure how tall you are and I have not entered your food analysis down but I think you are eating a lot of protein. Is that because you feel you need these quantities to stay full? Have you tried a little less?
Protein can be made into sugar by your body. Atkins does warn against too much protein. Fat is a safer thing to eat. Perhaps try a smaller steak with some mushroom cream sauce (I love mushroom cream sauce

Are you measuring? Perhaps you are losing inches - getting a smaller waste as we speak. This often happens. The scale may stand still but the inches move. Last fall I lost several pant sizes without the scale moving (I was running and lifting hard )

Also walls come and go. It is a natural part of this process. I just continue the programme because I know things will work out in the long run.

Let us know how it goes.

[Brook]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

Thanks for the responses so far. To answer your questions, no, I am not eating many vegetables outside of salad. I understand the health benefits of vegetables, and I know I should eat more of them. I don't however understand how a lack of vegetables would inhibit my weight loss.

Again, fiber moves things through your system more quickly. The veggies are low calorie, hunger squashing, nutritious filling bulk in your system. You trade out 3 cups of veggies for one of those pork chops or frankfurters and the calorie deficit adds up. Atkins isn't about eating low calorie, and Dr. Atkins told us not to count calories, but that does *not* mean calories don't count. You're eating a *lot* of meat which means you're eating a *lot* of protein. Too much protein in the body converts to glucose. Gotta be careful.

The difference in veggies is only a lousy 60 calories. A carb = 4 calories. 5 carbs=20 calories. 20=80 calories, but the difference in fiber and bulk in your belly counts! Not to mention the benefits of blood sugar stabilization.

There's more though. When your body has the nutrients it wants/needs, you're not as hungry.

And then there's that detail of learning to eat properly and balanced, which 5 grams a day is *not*.

This board subscribes to the 2002 DANDR - the last one the good Doctor wrote. His diet evolved as his research did. There are reasons he made the changes he made.

All that said, you've still not hit a wall. If you're looking to/hoping to continue the rate of loss you've experienced up to this point, it's not going to happen. The first several pounds are a combination of water loss/glucose storage loss/fat loss. Now you're dealing with just the fat loss. Each pound is going to make a BIG difference, but you're going to have to earn them

I wish you success.

[Shrew2u]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

One more item to consider:

Muscle mass weighs more that fat mass of equal volume. As you work out, you are not only burning fat stores but also building muscle. At this stage, your measuring tape may tell the tale far better than your scale.

~

If you want a 100% objective view of your diet, go to FitDay or Nutrition Data and enter the food from the menu you posted. Look at whether it is deficient in vitamins/minerals. Know that, even if you take a vitamin/mineral supplement, your body can assimilate those elements best when it receives them from the foods you eat. You make an effort to put the appropriate gas in your car, right? Do the same for your body - 'cause you sure can't trade it in for a newer model when you wear it out!

[Garyrajsich]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

That is all very helpful. Hunger is not an issue - I have to force myself to eat. I eat so much meat only because a) I like it so much, and b) it's so easy to just throw a steak or chop on the grill. I mean, I really love red meat. Once I actually start eating, I find that it takes a lot before I feel full, despite not being all that hungry in the first place.

The Frankfurters are a once a week thing, and I use Hebrew National because they are the only packaged brand I found which had no sugar, no dextrose and zero (not <1) carbs.

I will take your advice and work some more vegetables into my diet. Again, my version of the book never said anything about getting close to 20g of Carbs. In fact, it says if the Induction is not working, to cut out the one salad on the Induction Diet Menu.

One question I had about the pure water comment - is Carbonated Water truly different than Pure Water? The ingredients on the Seltzer Bottle simply state "Carbonated Water". That's it. If I drink 3 bottles = 96 ounces of Carbonated Water, will that be less beneficial than drinking 96 ounces of non-Carbonated Water?

Thanks again for all the advice & support.

[liv]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

Don't force yourself to eat. Eat all meals but maybe buy a bit smaller steaks. I like leftover steak so for me it is no problem storing a bit in the fridge.
Carbonated water (plain) would work fine. Atkins was a bit worried that the bubbles would fill up people too much and they would get all the water they needed but if you are drinking lost and it is carbondated that is OK.
Yes try those veggies.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

>>I use Hebrew National because they are the only packaged brand I found which had no sugar, no dextrose and zero (not <1) carbs.>>

They are still very processed ... and 4 at a time is probably at least 2 too many.

>>f I drink 3 bottles = 96 ounces of Carbonated Water, will that be less beneficial than drinking 96 ounces of non-Carbonated Water?>>

There is a school of thought that carbonated water doesn't count for the purposes of "water".

It's a gray area ... why not try having some plain water ... and then some carbonated?

>>Once I actually start eating, I find that it takes a lot before I feel full,>>

Make the vegetables the star of the meal ... not the meat.

[Elizellen]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

Yes, I do have the Atkins NDR Book, 1997 edition, and I've read it cover to cover.
In fact, on page 92, under Rules of Induction Diet, Atkins states "your diet must contain no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day".

I don't have a copy of that version to hand here at work, but the 2002 edition has more added to that sentence in the rules of induction

3. Eat no more than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, most of which must come in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. You can eat approximately three cups-loosely packed-of salad, or two cups of salad plus one cup of other vegetables (see the list of acceptable vegetables on pages 125-126).

I did notice this in your menu

Beverages:
Two 32 oz Bottles Seltzer, Two 16 oz Cans Sugar-Free Aspertame Free Caffeine Free Diet Soda

Dr Atkins suggested we limit our sweetener to 3 servings per day - and in those 2 cans you have 4 servings already! Some people find their weightloss affected by too much sweetener.

[Elizellen]

Re: What happens when you hit a wall?

I started the Atkins Diet 8 weeks ago, with a goal of losing 50 lbs. After 4 weeks of induction and daily visits to the gym, I lost 25 pounds. I figured since it was working so well, I'd stick with induction.

Dr Atkins suggested that people who lost very little on the first 2 weeks of induction or who had large amounts to lose 'might benefit' from a longer induction.
I think you have passed the 'induction optimal' stage and would benefit from moving to OWL instead.

Apart from the possibility that adding more veg carbs might well increase your rate of losing (many people report this phenomenon) you do need to discover if you have any 'trigger foods' and how many carbs you can eat while losing, so I think moving up the carb ladder can only help you along your Atkins journey.

Dr Atkins did suggest we should be moving to the third phase of Atkins when we have between 5-10 pounds left to lose, and doing OWL thoroughly is easier if you still have excess poundage to drop