Questions! Questions! Questions! Can anyone help?

[is thin possible?]

Hey all! It's me...is thin possible? I am just getting around to reading the site and posting for the first time in several weeks. Life has been soooo hectic! ( Sorry Cleo! I said I would make a committment to get on last week-end..and I am just getting around to it! Thanks again for the PM and for coming to look for me! ) Anyhow, even though you all have not heard from me in awhile, I think of you all and am doing well staying "on the wagon" and eating healthy, as well as maintaining my weight loss. I still have at least 10 to 15 pounds to go, but I am taking it very slow. So...overall I am doing fine. But here are my questions and concerns, if anyone can advise I would be forever grateful! Here goes:

1. I have been feeling alot of fatigue lately. As I moved into my exercise routine and a steady induction, I felt more and more energy. But the last 2 weeks I have been feeling weak and had a loss of stamina. Let me recap my exercise routine. I have missed maybe 6 days of exercise since January of 2005. My exercise consists of intensive cardio (This has gained in duration and intensity as the weight has come off. So, it didn't start at these levels.)
including the following: Running 3 miles and walking 1 mile, or walking 4 miles, or 40 minutes on the elliptical machine, or mixing up my cardio with stair stepper, treadmill and elliptical machine in one session. In addition to this, I have faithfully lifted weights 3x per week since Jan. of '05. I currently leg press 180, 90 lbs. on lat pull down, and 80 lbs. on the pec deck, as well as 90 lbs. on seated cable pulley, just to give you an example of what I am lifting. (Yes, I carry alot of muscle!) Could my fatigue be from over-use? Should I be taking more rest and recovery time? (I do cardio 7 days a week.) I am scared to back off on my exercise for fear of gaining. But do I need to?

2. The next question I have is this: Has anyone noticed that as they have been adding back in carbs in the latter phases that they can see and feel the water retention in certain areas of their body? Amazingly my body weight has stayed steady between 168 and 172 depending on TOM, even with the feeling of some water retention. But I definately can feel the retention in my right leg (I had trouble with this leg before) and my stomach as well as my breasts. I do understand that there are more molecules of water attached to a carbohydrate so this stands to reason. If anyone can comment on their experience with this, please advise!

Thank you all for always being around to bounce off my questions and concerns! You all are a God send!

Blessings,

[not2late]

Re: Questions! Questions! Questions! Can anyone help?

hi.

When I began OWL, I found my CCLL and ate at that level. All the while, I was increasing my exercise. Soon I began to feel fatigued, then I read how exercise can increase your CCLL. So I started looking for my new CCLL, as I added more carbs, the fatigue went away. My "new" CCLL was only 10 more carbs than my old one, but those 10 made a BIG difference.

I haven't noticed any water retention. Well, I'm alittle swollen now because I've added a new exercise to my routine and my muscles are "super-hydrating" right now. In a few days, I expect them to be used to this new routine and will return to their regular size.

As for your body weight, you might need to monitor your calorie intake. As we become smaller people, our bodies won't need the same number of calories our heavier selves did. So, you might want to calculate your BMR and AMR, see what they are like and adjust your calories accordingly. It's hard to imagine that we don't need the same amount of food we "always" ate, but that's the way it is. Smaller people generally need a smaller amount of calories.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Questions! Questions! Questions! Can anyone help?

yep what Megs said also in DANDR DR Atkins tells us if we are fatigued we need to eat more so see if a bit more food makes the fatigue go away if you are at your CCLL.