Completely Stalled

[DarthBaeza]

Help Experts! I have lost 15 lbs rather quickly and I am stuck at 215 lbs and cannot break it. I'm still doing induction style, the same as before. I don't get it. I've been stuck at 215 for 10 days. ??? HELP!!!

[not2late]

Re: Completely Stalled

Dr. Atkins defines a weight loss plateau (stall) as 4 consecutive weeks without loss of pounds or inches. So if you're pounds haven't budge in 3 weeks, it's not an Atkins' stall. If you're losing inches but not pounds, it's not an Atkins' stall.

[Grant]

Re: Completely Stalled

A weight loss slow after the first couple of weeks of inductions is pretty common. I'd say 10 days isn't really much of a concern. Your body needs time to adjust and you amy be losing inches. Have you measured?

If the lack of weight loss continues you might consider switching from induction to OWL. Induction is designed to get your body into weight loss mode, not to be the primary weight loss step. I can see people with a lot of weight to lose doing an extended induction but with only 15 pounds I would highly recommend you step into OWL. Not only will it help get your body ready for maintaining your weight loss for life, and help you find what you can and can't eat to be succesful, BUT many people also find that going to OWL kicks starts their weight loss.

best of luck to you

[ncarolina]

Re: Completely Stalled

I don't know if this helps or not, but don't forget to celebrate some of the other measures of success, like inches lost, healthier eating habits, smaller clothes, and improved self-confidence. I had a long stall ---trying to focus on other NON-SCALE-related aspects and small successes really did help to get through it. The pounds WILL come off...it just takes time for your body to readjust to your healthier lifestyle.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Completely Stalled

Hang in there and things'll get moving again, I'm sure. A pause in weight loss is very common after the initial loss. Youre body needs time to adjust.

If it continues for a longer time and you're not losing inches either then maybe post a menu or two in the "Review my menu" forum. Sometimes it's only a little thing that needs altering to kick start weight loss again.

[DarthBaeza]

Re: Completely Stalled

I don't know if this helps or not, but don't forget to celebrate some of the other measures of success, like inches lost, healthier eating habits, smaller clothes, and improved self-confidence. I had a long stall ---trying to focus on other NON-SCALE-related aspects and small successes really did help to get through it. The pounds WILL come off...it just takes time for your body to readjust to your healthier lifestyle.

Is it still possible to lose inches, even though I'm not excercising? I can't excercise on this diet for reasons I don't have time to discuss. But is it still possible? My pants feel more loose this week but I'm still at the same weight. Let me know.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Completely Stalled

Yes you can lose inches without exercising. But it's better to lose them with exercise of course.

A warning... saying you can't exercise here is like waving a red flag at a bull!! Good luck!

[Buddyjay]

Re: Completely Stalled

The same thing happened to me (and many many others). I lost 14lbs in the first three weeks and then lost nothing in the next two. Then I started to lose again. Hang in there, it will kick in again.

[DarthBaeza]

Re: Completely Stalled

A warning... saying you can't exercise here is like waving a red flag at a bull!! Good luck! [/QUOTE]

This statement is once again going to make me have to defend myself, even though it takes forever to explain. I was excercising until I got on Atkins. Once again I'm being sucked in to explain myself,...AGAIN. My muscles tighten up and will cramp within 10 seconds. I can't mountain bike, stairmaster, eliptical, anything. I've tried more water, more potassium, liquid potassium, two a day vitamins. Some goofballs have even suggested that I start walking to get my body used to excercise, that's an insult to a person like me. Unlike a lot of people here, I'm no stranger to athletics and weight training. I just get defensive and frustrated everytime someone says you should be excercising. There are a lot of morbidly obese lazy individuals who say they can't excercise, I'm not that person. Sometimes there are exceptions to the rule. At 215, I'm not morbidly obese and I move well. It just pisses me off that if I try to exert my body, I immediately cramp and I can pull the muscle. I hurt my tricep last year on a bench press on Atkins. My quads will lock up going up more than 3 flights of steps. I don't understand it and it makes me upset 'cause I can't figure it out and it always takes forever to explain this. So saying I can't is not deserving of italicising and the red bull. I CAN'T, not, I WON'T. Most of my friends are very active and I've tried many activities with no luck. I pay $25.00 a month for LA Fitness and I can't use it. And yes, I posted my food intake on this forum before and no one had the answer. My muscle fiber just becomes extremely sensitive. If I flex my bicep hard, instead of a pump, I can pull it. Literally cramp it first then hurt it if I don't stop. So anyways, this is what's going on and I get bothered when someone implies that maybe I'm being lazy. Not the case with me. Once again, I thank you all for your support and knowledge and please understand my frustration on this topic. So far no one has the answer for me.

[Grant]

Re: Completely Stalled

Thought I'd do a little research for dietary causes of cramps. A couple common causes, dehydration and lack of potassium, sounds like you directly tried to address without success. But there are several other things that may or may not be in your two a day pill that you might want to look at.

Common causes of cramps:

Low levels of sodium. Thought that was an interesting one. If you changed your diet away from a lot of processed foods I could definately see you might be taking in much less sodium then you used to.

Low levels of calcium and magnesium in the blood can causes cramps. Even if you are getting enough calcium your body may not be able to process it efficiently enough. For that you need vitamin D. Also, I don't know if this would be a problem cause by your diet but your parathyroid gland regulates calcium balance and so if it's out of whack you may not be absorbing enough of the calcium.

Deficiencies of thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6) can cause cramps.

I also found a couple sources that said that although there is no good scientific reason why this works but there is a lot of evidence that taking vitamin E can prevents cramps.

Hope that helps

[sallyseachange]

Re: Completely Stalled

This statement is once again going to make me have to defend myself, even though it takes forever to explain. I was excercising until I got on Atkins. Once again I'm being sucked in to explain myself,...AGAIN. My muscles tighten up and will cramp within 10 seconds. I can't mountain bike, stairmaster, eliptical, anything. I've tried more water, more potassium, liquid potassium, two a day vitamins. Some goofballs have even suggested that I start walking to get my body used to excercise, that's an insult to a person like me. Unlike a lot of people here, I'm no stranger to athletics and weight training. I just get defensive and frustrated everytime someone says you should be excercising. There are a lot of morbidly obese lazy individuals who say they can't excercise, I'm not that person. Sometimes there are exceptions to the rule. At 215, I'm not morbidly obese and I move well. It just pisses me off that if I try to exert my body, I immediately cramp and I can pull the muscle. I hurt my tricep last year on a bench press on Atkins. My quads will lock up going up more than 3 flights of steps. I don't understand it and it makes me upset 'cause I can't figure it out and it always takes forever to explain this. So saying I can't is not deserving of italicising and the red bull. I CAN'T, not, I WON'T. Most of my friends are very active and I've tried many activities with no luck. I pay $25.00 a month for LA Fitness and I can't use it. And yes, I posted my food intake on this forum before and no one had the answer. My muscle fiber just becomes extremely sensitive. If I flex my bicep hard, instead of a pump, I can pull it. Literally cramp it first then hurt it if I don't stop. So anyways, this is what's going on and I get bothered when someone implies that maybe I'm being lazy. Not the case with me. Once again, I thank you all for your support and knowledge and please understand my frustration on this topic. So far no one has the answer for me.

Wow! Seems like I upset you. Well that wasn't meant at all. I was really just talking lightly, and saying you'd get lots of people querying your "can't". You don't seem to have noticed that I didn't query it. Ok...

1. Yes... now I remember your cramps issues. I'm sorry you have them and I'm sorry I didn't remember it was you who have them. We read lots and lots of posts daily as mods, and it isn't always easy to remember who said what. I apologise.

2. I hope you find the solution. Grant did some helpful research. Fingers crossed for you.

3. If you say you can't exercise with no explanation, you're bound to get people asking you why. My advice, if you're tired of typing the story of your cramps repestedly (understandably), is to use the copy and paste feature.

4. I understand your frustration, but so far in this thread, no one, including me, has implied that you are lazy, as you stated. I'm sorry you took it that way.

[ragazzarossa]

Re: Completely Stalled

In response to your original query - yes, it is possible to lose inches without exercising - but it is not recommended. Dr. Atkins talks about it in his 1992 book.

My fiancee is a lifter/personal trainer. I read him your post and he mentioned that your extreme cramping could be a sign of ALS. You should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Also, it sounds obvious, but have you gone to any lifting boards to post your query?

I also read your previous postings - you should not be turning the ketostix dark brown. Even though you think you may be ingesting a lot of water, you should track it to ensure that it is at least 150 oz a day. If you are drinking that much water and the ketostix are still turning that color, you might be having some problems with your kidneys (which also might explain why your body isn't holding onto the minerals you need to prevent cramping). Again, see a doctor, not a public bb.

Otherwise, this diet may not be the one for you. I think we've all learned that not all diets suit everyone. Sounds like you are having a hard time on this one. Best of luck.

[DarthBaeza]

Re: Completely Stalled

In response to your original query - yes, it is possible to lose inches without exercising - but it is not recommended. Dr. Atkins talks about it in his 1992 book.

My fiancee is a lifter/personal trainer. I read him your post and he mentioned that your extreme cramping could be a sign of ALS. You should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Also, it sounds obvious, but have you gone to any lifting boards to post your query?

I also read your previous postings - you should not be turning the ketostix dark brown. Even though you think you may be ingesting a lot of water, you should track it to ensure that it is at least 150 oz a day. If you are drinking that much water and the ketostix are still turning that color, you might be having some problems with your kidneys (which also might explain why your body isn't holding onto the minerals you need to prevent cramping). Again, see a doctor, not a public bb.

Otherwise, this diet may not be the one for you. I think we've all learned that not all diets suit everyone. Sounds like you are having a hard time on this one. Best of luck.

No, I feel great. Lots of energy, no carb cravings and I'm not having a hard time. Someone just said I need to excercise and I said I can't. As long as I don't excercise, I'm fine. As far as the dark brown, I meant dark purple and a lot of my personal friends have had the same results. I also have (5) 36 oz bottles a day of water. I see no cause for alarm. I work and lift at my job without problems. I just can't workout and isolate one body part. I work with the local ALS people 'cause I work in healthcare and we have their account. I seriously doubt it's ALS but thanks for the words.

[Mickkey]

Re: Completely Stalled

If you look in chapter 15 of the book, Dr. Atkins discusses the different reasons for hitting plateaus. However, I don't think you're there just yet, you're just stalled some, which happens to everyone. It took me almost 5 weeks to lose 5 pounds, after my first two weeks induction. This I understand to be normal results. Everyone has their own pace. Just hang tough, it'll happen.

[not2late]

Re: Completely Stalled

What was your pre-Atkins laboratory work like? You might want to have your doctor re-do those labs to see if there is any difference in the values.

And again, a stall by Dr. Atkins' definition of no loss of pounds or inches for 4 consecutive weeks. So you're not in one.