Discovery

[cmcole]

It's only been a week since I've been making a conscious effort to eat at least calories equivalent to my BMR, but I've been noticing a few changes.

- My fingernails are stronger
- I seem to have more energy (I noticed I was really starting to "run on empty" literally, I guess)
- My stomach does not look quite as swollen/bloated as it had been (I had been worrying that I was actually regaining fat or something)
- My vision, which had seemed to been getting worse, seems to have improved. I don't need my glasses for every little thing (I only use my glasses for reading, anyway, but have been able to get away with not putting them on for everything).

I had realized that things had begun to deteriorate, but didn't have a solution.

That is probably the major problem with my weight gain prior to this. Things just sneak up on you, and you don't know what's going on. This time, I knew there was a problem, but wasn't sure how to fix it. Just a little different, but an apt comparison, I guess.

Thanks, everyone, for replying to my previous posts and setting me back on the right track. I appreciate your honesty and helpfulness. Even as you approach Maintenance, there are things you need to learn. I think I had been listening to too many (or reading articles) who said about watching calories, and I had fallen into the low cal; low fat trap, thinking I could get rid of the stomach if only I ate less (minimaly) and exercised more. I wasn't doing myself any favours, I can see that.

Either you follow Atkins fully (whole heartedly), or you will set yourself up for disappointment or even failure. Strangely enough, I thought I was following the plan, but just reducing the fat and calories to "improve" things.

I realize that in Maintenance things are due for an adjustment, but it is still necessary to eat within your BMR/AMR numbers to maintain optimum health.

[2big4mysize]

good for you some folk arrive at maintenance and can't make those adjustments and either keep losing or stop Atkins cause they have arrived and then months later post YIKES I gained it back.

Happy low carbing.

[CadesMama]

I too found a wall at the last 10 lbs i needed to lose, so i played with this , I ate something legal every hour, no not a meal just a snack, so after a week of doing this, I lost 3 lbs.I kept doing it, now it is a habit, but you must prepare yourself and take nuts or a legal LC bar with you, and lots of water.
I would eat something, I mean put something in my pie hole (lol) no pies though) on the hour, I looked forward to 9 am, 10 am and so forth, I ate a salad or veges for lunch, then snacks til 5pm(last snack) and dinner at 6pm, then something sugar free for dessert if I felt I had to have it,.. hope this helps, it may not work ofr all but maybe someone, it did me. :joy

also LC hot chocolate mix that Keto makes is great, for a sweet tooth.

CadesMama

[cmcole]

Thank you for the input.

I wasn't happy with the scale this week, but I'm taking it in stride, hoping it is just my body adjusting to more calories and some more exercise (longer walks with the dogs), and trying to figure out what I'm doing to it.

I'm sure I didn't deplete it all at once, and it won't get back on track all at once. I just have to remember it's all a journey, and a learning experience along the way.

[cmcole]

Again a disappointing weigh-in day (up another two pounds).
However, I did accomplish 5 km run yesterday, followed in the afternoon by a 5 km walk with the dogs (which is nearly like a run, based on how fast the dog was pulling me).

Also, this week I am expecting TOM, so I'm hoping the combination of muscles and hormones had something to do with the weight gain.

Otherwise, I could be severely bummed, and revert back to "starvation mode" just for spite.

[BikerGoddess]

Hang in there. PMS makes everything seem worse than it is (even for those around me, I'm told )

I've also noticed a fluctuation in my weight the week before and I return to normal after. If I just ride it out, it takes care of itself, so don't get too discouraged.

Laura

EDIT

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