Please....say something before I give up!!

[bcky]

Hi..

I'm 26, 5'4", 122 lbs.
Last year I weighed only 100 lbs.
I unintentionally starved myself till I got that thin.
However, I've started to eat again and ... also to gain weight so quickly.
I've gained 22 lbs in a year. ( I really hate my big tummy )
Now I've been on Atkins for 3 weeks.
I lose nothing but gain 4 lbs!!
I exercise a lot.. jogging 1 hr everyday plus weight training 5 times a week.
I also drink water a lot .. 2.5 - 3 lt. per day.
Most of my meals are grilled/boiled chicken, roasted duck (fat and skin eaten), grilled pork, fried egg, fried fish, salad veggies which I'm sure not exceed the limited amount and I snack on pork rinds.

Is there anything wrong with what I've done???
If not, then WHY I'VE LOST NOTHING BUT GAINED??? and I also feel like my belly is getting bigger!!!


Anybody please tell me that eating high fat and low carb on ATKINS can really help me lose weight...

I am so desperate and feel like crying.
Please help before I give up..

[sugarfreeone]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

Hi There I don't want to discourage you, but 122 pounds is within the weight range for a woman of 5'4". A healthy weight range for a young woman of your height is about 110-132 depending on the size of your frame. You are right in the middle of the range.

At 100 pounds you were definitely underweight before. Your body could be "rebounding" from the unintentional starvation you say you encountered last year. My sister had this problem in the past. She dieted and starved herself to the point where her metabolism was very much impacted and it has become very hard for her to lose weight now. Her body really wants to hang on to everything.

Nonetheless, post a full day's menu for review so we can see exactly what you eat in one day. The types of foods you are eating look ok.

Also, if you are exercising alot please keep in mind that muscle is more dense than fat and it weighs more. If you add muscle to your body you will actually see a gain on the scale.

Kat

[bcky]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

Thanks Kat for your reply.
I know that 122 lbs seems to be ok at my height but I got a really big belly.
I look like someone who got pregnant and my clothes size keeps going up!!!
I just wanna lose some weight but not that much till I get down to 100lbs again.
I think my metabolism has been affected by starvation (like your sister) .
Anyway, I have just taken a ketone test and the result is "light-pink".
Does this mean that I am in ketosis and my body is using fat for fuel???
Or I need to see a darker color???

By the way, here is my menu for today.

BF : Deep fried pork about 200 grams (fat and skin eaten), stir fried iceburg lettuce with minced garlic and a bit of fish sauce (I also use olive oil).

L : 2 grilled snake fish (medium size), 3 small pork sausages. I didn't have veggies on lunch today.

D : I will dine out with my family tonight. (I'm in thailand and it is 5.40 pm here) I guess I can order something legal.


Thanks again for your help.
bcky

[ttdriver]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

Your weight fluctuations could be caused by too much sodium. I would limit the pork rinds and see if that helps.

I agree that your weight is within range and probably 100 pounds was too thin for your height. I am 5'3 and weigh 102, however I am very small boned. I am also very muscular; (I run and do weight training).

Your menu looks good, except I would nix the iceberg lettuce and substitute a more nutritious type of salad (i.e. romaine or baby spinach). Iceberg has no nutritional value whatsoever. Add more high fiber veggies. At your weight, I would think you could be basically following the maintenance plan of Atkins and do quite well. Total elimination of all sugars and starches and focus on lean proteins, healthy fats and non-starchy fruits and veggies.

Betty

[sadie147]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

Betty's right, sodium will cause water retention. also are you close to TOM (time of month), that will also cause water weight and bloating, especially in your stomach area.

What other foods would you eat on a normal day? It's a good ideat to open an account on www.fitday.com so you can track your fats/protein/carbs.

I also agree that 122 lbs at 5'4" is well within a healthy weight range. It is also possible that your body is comfortable at this weight.

[ShannonM]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

bcky, the most alarming thing about your post is not how you eat, but how you think. You may no longer be acting in an eating-disordered way, but between your previous lack of eating, your negative attitude about your appearance, and your excessive workout time, you sound like an anorexic at heart. The fact that you're beating yourself up about your belly when you're just recovering from starvation is troubling, to say the least. I'm very glad you're eating again, but I hope in addition that you will consider getting some help, perhaps in the form of counseling. Please concentrate on all aspects of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Good luck to you.

[bcky]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

Betty.. thanks for a good advice on veggies. I'll try romaine or cos next time. And I guess you are right about the pork rinds. I really like it and overdo it sometimes. I'll cut it out then.

Jen .. My TOM is another 2 weeks. I'm not sure whether it is the case or not. Anyway, thanks for suggesting the good site. I've already opened a new account. ..

err.. I should eat 65% of fat, 30% of protein and 5% of carb right??
Since I gain weight on induction, I worry that I might eat too much fat.
Is it possible that I gain weight on induction because I eat too much fat???
I ate a lot of roasted duck (I like its skin. It is very yummy and also very oily ).
Main source of my fat intake is animal fat. Should I limit the animal fat???

Oh... there is another question. Sometimes I crave for something oily (especially animal fat like pork rinds and roasted duck skin ) and I would not be satisfied if I didn't eat enough fat in that meal. Is it normal to feel this way?? I guess this WOE turns me into a fat eater now!!


Thanks for any help
bcky

[bcky]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

ShannonM.. Thanks for your concern. I admitted that I have a negative attitude about my appearance. I live in thailand. Everyone here seems to be thin and skinny including my sis and bro who are so skinny even they eat a lot. They are taller than me but weigh less . I am the fattest in my family. Can u believe that?? .. I live with these skinny people and that's why 122lbs at 5'4" with a big tummy is still not good enough.
Anyway, I just wanna lose some weight (around 5-8 lbs.) but not too much and I will definitely not starve myself ever again.

I really appreciate all of the advices I got here
Thanks a million
bcky

[Brook]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

You're over training too, depending on how you're doing your weight training. With that kind of training you're going to put on quite a bit of muscle and you risk hurting yourself too.

[julirama723]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

Atkins is a high-fat diet, so Yes it is normal to want fat--if you don't eat enough, you won't have that "satisfied" feeling after a meal. I had a bit of trouble with this until I figured out that a pat of butter with my veggies, or ranch dressing with my grilled chicken balanced out my protein/carb/fat ratios and I wasn't hungry an hour after dinner.

[not2late]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

If your stomach is as bloated as you say, I would suggest that you see a doctor. There are many medical conditions that can cause a bloated/swollen belly. I'm not an expert at these matters, please see a physician, because there are a number of medical conditions that can cause this, especially since you live in southeast Asia.

[sugarfreeone]

Re: Please....say something before I give up!!

Not2late was reading my mind. You should go see a doctor if your stomach is extremely bloated or larger than usual. Malnutrition and also forms of liver or kidney disease can all affect the size of your stomache...Not to frighten you, but it is much better to be safe than sorry.


Kat