Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

[Thinker]

So ....I've had a few "off the trolley" moments returning to Atkins (see my past posts). In general, however, I've been less than 20 grams. Frankly - it's done almost nothing for me.

I'm LONG TIME Atkins. It's been four years (or more) now. I'm wondering if my metablolism has just plain adjusted to it.

So...I'm making some changes. Somebody tell me if they seem stupid.

1. I'm adding more carb to my lifestyle. I'm going to go up to around 50 grams.

2. I'm adding more walking. I'm a treadmill on'again'off'againer. But - it works. My goal is to hit it in the morning - but to hit it shorter/slower in the evening too. Just enough to kick off my metabolism.

3. I"m eating something small every 3 hours.

4. I'm going to take part of my carb from oatmeal. While 1, 2, & 3 are all about boosing my metabolism - this is one is just because I miss oatmeal.

5. I'm going to add an apple into my diet as a carb source. The Apple pectin is unique in its health benefits.

6. I'm goign to supplement w/1gr protein shakes (ISO PURE) to make up for some of the high protein choices I"m passing up.

Basically - I want to shake things up a little - but in a controlled way. I don't want to find myself with a warm cookie & Ice Cream diet in two weeks. I get scared when I leave ketosis. But -- I really think my body has simply adjusted too well to eating low carb. I can't break down to the weight I want. I think I need to traipse up the Atkins Ladder a few rungs farther than I've gone in 4 years and then plunge back into Induction.

Anyway - I'd love any comments!!

- Thinker

[sadie147]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

I can completly relate and still struggle. I reached goal and I'm currently up about 8 lbs, and at least an 1" pretty much all over since last sept. Going back to induction actually makes me gain weight, i've tried everything, am a regular exerciser etc. I just wonder if sometimes our bodies find a place where they're happy?


Just an fyi, I think both oatmeal and apples are an awesome choice, though higher in carbs, both are lower glycemic and low cal. I love oatmeal too.

Sorry i'm not a whole lot of help..but just want to let you konw your not alone in your frustration. Mine is almost a yr of up and down now.

[lobstah]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

Thinker, I think that sounds like a good plan! I have not moved on the scale in a few weeks and am starting to get frustrated as well. The last time I did Atkins the weight just slid right off of me. Now, I can't convince it to leave again! The new choices you will be making sound like South Beach Options (i.e. oatmeal, apples, etc). I tried that diet as well, but prefer Atkins for it's structure and how good I feel. Maybe shaking things up will be just what you need to get the ball rolling again! Good luck to you and keep us posted!

[Thinker]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

Thinker, I think that sounds like a good plan! I have not moved on the scale in a few weeks and am starting to get frustrated as well. The last time I did Atkins the weight just slid right off of me. Now, I can't convince it to leave again! The new choices you will be making sound like South Beach Options (i.e. oatmeal, apples, etc). I tried that diet as well, but prefer Atkins for it's structure and how good I feel. Maybe shaking things up will be just what you need to get the ball rolling again! Good luck to you and keep us posted!

Hi!

I completely agree. I LOVE Atkins. I'm still 90lbs lighter thanks to the good doctor. But after 4 yrs - I think my metabolism is off. I remember the good Doctors admonition about your metabolism getting the best of you if you keep bouncing in and out of induction. Across the last 4 years, I've watched my carbs - keeping them low. But, if I went off track - - I'd get back in the saddle. Was this every week. NO WAY! I'd never have kept the weight off so long. Every month ...well....maybe. Anyway - I fell off the wagon over the last holidays so that I wanted to be thinner for the summer -- and nothing's been going on.

I just think I need to do something different to get things moving. I KNOW & BELIEVE in DANDR - but the magic just isn't happening. I've noticed something else since I've been heavier - I have almost no appetite. I think my system has just shut down. The trick, I think, is not to overdo it. Literally treat it as going up a few Atkins rungs.

I agree with you completely about preferring Atkins structure. For guys like me - it is great. I've got one thing to remember - and that's it!! South Beach alwasy seemed like Atkins-Lite to me - but maybe it is what you do when you need to do something else.

- Thinker.

[Lyssie]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

Hey, Uhm, if you already do the walking bit or whatever, you might want to switch it out for something else (like the bike or elliptical or something like that) just to shake it up. Even fitness pros have to switch around their workouts since your body gets used to the same thing and then is kinda like, whatever.

I'm trying to figure out - you've been eating under 20g carbs the whole time you've been on it? Did you try going up the rungs? I, unlike some folks here, don't know them off the top of my head, but I'm almost positive that apples and oatmeal aren't on the first rung. I know that you lose weight when you move up through the rungs and stuffs, I mean, you have the book... it should be in there. Instead of just jumping around with adding apples and oatmeal and protein shakes. Not that their bad in their own, but if you're missing protein, and you're gonna eat the apple, why not eat peanut butter with it to make up the protein instead of something synthetic like a shake?

I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm trying to lecture you or whatever, I just know that if I jump around and add an apple or oatmeal like, out of the blue, I completely get off track and start eating breads saying "it's whole wheat, it's not so bad" and then it just goes downhill from there.

[not2late]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

So ....I've had a few "off the trolley" moments returning to Atkins (see my past posts). In general, however, I've been less than 20 grams. Frankly - it's done almost nothing for me.

I'm LONG TIME Atkins. It's been four years (or more) now. I'm wondering if my metablolism has just plain adjusted to it.

So...I'm making some changes. Somebody tell me if they seem stupid.

1. I'm adding more carb to my lifestyle. I'm going to go up to around 50 grams.

2. I'm adding more walking. I'm a treadmill on'again'off'againer. But - it works. My goal is to hit it in the morning - but to hit it shorter/slower in the evening too. Just enough to kick off my metabolism.

3. I"m eating something small every 3 hours.

4. I'm going to take part of my carb from oatmeal. While 1, 2, & 3 are all about boosing my metabolism - this is one is just because I miss oatmeal.

5. I'm going to add an apple into my diet as a carb source. The Apple pectin is unique in its health benefits.

6. I'm goign to supplement w/1gr protein shakes (ISO PURE) to make up for some of the high protein choices I"m passing up.

Basically - I want to shake things up a little - but in a controlled way. I don't want to find myself with a warm cookie & Ice Cream diet in two weeks. I get scared when I leave ketosis. But -- I really think my body has simply adjusted too well to eating low carb. I can't break down to the weight I want. I think I need to traipse up the Atkins Ladder a few rungs farther than I've gone in 4 years and then plunge back into Induction.

Anyway - I'd love any comments!!

- Thinker

I think instead of doing a willy-nilly type OWL phase, you should do it in the organized, purposeful way Dr. Atkins described in the book.

Don't get suckered by the "health food" claims for some foods because much of it is a marketing ploy. Pectin is found in all vegetables and all fruits, like tomatoes and berries.

Oatmeal is touted as a "health food" due to its fiber. Unfortunately, 1/2 cup of oatmeal yeilds only 4 grams of fiber. That amount can be eaten in 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup cooked cabbage, or in 1/2 an artichoke.

[Lyssie]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

How is it that Not2late can put what I was trying to say into like, 3 sentences and it takes me 3 paragraphs? Totally unfair.

[Heidi3]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

I agree with Megs completely ..but do understand what you are saying as well and in that case I agree with Jen that apples and oats are great foods as long as you do not find yourself craving more carbs....

oatmeal makes me feel starved!!! whatever you do ..you will be fine I am sure...

I just know that on the third try I understood this plan and realised I needed to start eating more carbs with out increasing the total amt on my plate ...I eat a lot of food for someone my size ...but it is very health and a wide variety not the same thing day after day ...

it is hard to re learn how to feed your body correctly ...

I think I am rambling again because I hope you will stick around

[fawn]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

Personally, variety is what helps me and this INCLUDES one apple every day.

[IrishIrish]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

At least you will know that if your way doesn't work for you, you can always do Atkins again and approach OWL to determine your CCL the way Dr. Atkins wrote the plan. Best wishes.

[ttdriver]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

I think we're all different and have different requirements nutritionally. Thinker, your plan sounds fine to me, and I wish you much success with it. Keep up with consistent exercise. That alone will do wonders for you.


Betty

[Thinker]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

Thanks gang.

For me - I've always watched the total carb count. Heidi's point about carbs making her hungry is what I'm looking for. I find it coincidental that my appetite has gone down the tubes at the same time when the 20gr hasn't been shedding weight.

While I appreciate the comment about moving up & down the rungs - I have a much easier time targetting a CCLevel. A 1/4 cup of Oatmeal has about 12 grams, for instance.

[not2late]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

Thanks gang.

For me - I've always watched the total carb count. Heidi's point about carbs making her hungry is what I'm looking for. I find it coincidental that my appetite has gone down the tubes at the same time when the 20gr hasn't been shedding weight.

That's not uncommon. There are plenty of people who extend Induction too long and hit a stall---a real stall of 4 weeks without losing pounds or inches. They break out when they move onto OWL.

From my own experience, I lose slowly. When I went to OWL and found my CCLL, it was 35. For a few months, I lost at 35. Then I started feeling tired, lost the appetite suppression effect of ketosis and stopped losing. After re-reading the book, I found that if you increase your exercise level, your CCLL can be higher. During those months, I had increased my exercise. Also re-reading the book, I learned that Dr. Atkins said his diet could correct some metabolic imbalances our bodies developed and contributed to our obesity over time. In other words, your metabolism could increase because the factors that slowed it down have been corrected or improved. So higher metabolism, higher CCLL/CCML. As soon as I increased my carbs, the fatigue was gone, my appetite suppression returned and I began losing weight.

It's a very common myth that you need to stay at Induction level carbs in order to lose weight. The vast majority of us can eat well above those magic 20 and lose weight. Only a small percentage--those who have severe metabolic resistance---need to keep within the Induction levels.

While I appreciate the comment about moving up & down the rungs - I have a much easier time targetting a CCLevel. A 1/4 cup of Oatmeal has about 12 grams, for instance.

Okay, so let's say you move up to 50 and stop losing weight. What will you do? Is it the food that's causing your problem? Is it the carb level that's causing your problem? Is it both?

[Thinker]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

That's not uncommon. There are plenty of people who extend Induction too long and hit a stall---a real stall of 4 weeks without losing pounds or inches. They break out when they move onto OWL.

.....

Okay, so let's say you move up to 50 and stop losing weight. What will you do? Is it the food that's causing your problem? Is it the carb level that's causing your problem? Is it both?

My goal is to go up ...in a controlled non "Hey I can eat Ice Cream Again" kind of way and see if the add'l carb wamrs up my metabolism. I'm upping my exercise too.

I'm not really happy with this. I have am relaxed and confident in a tightly controlled carb lifestyle. But ...it just hasn't been working. I've got to do something different.

[Heidi3]

Re: Maybe it Just Doesn't work anymore for me....

your happiness is the key to your success...period ..if you are not happy than this will never work so it is good you are going to try something else IMHO! I just hope like I said you will stick around and keep us posted ..I know this worked for me but what works for me is not for everyone that is for sure! ... and I would love to know how this ends up for you OOOXXX
Heidi