Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

[Hug_it_out]

Hi guys and fellow Atkins fans,

This is my first thread ever, I am usually just a lurker but I think it's time I asked for some advice.

I've been on Atkins before, two years ago and I was losing like crazy. I am not a cheater, if anything I cut out anything that might halt me - coffee, diet sodas, even herbal teas (not green tea, just the ones with fruity flavours), I don't use any sweetners etc. Overall I am very strict with myself.
I exercise every day, at least an hour of moderate (walking) and an hour of intense (swimming or running).
I follow every rule there is.
I take adequate protein (but not too much), but I try eating fat mostly. I eat every 4 - 5 hours and stop the minute I feel full.
Now, I've been on strict induction for 2 weeks. Last time I did it I lost 7 kg (15 pounds) and I followed the same routine. I thought it would be the same.
The thing is, I weigh myself and my weight is almost the same. The 5 pounds I lost I think is water. I just cannot believe it! I am being so zealous and yet scales won't budge! I thought they were faulty so I measured myself and I lost maybe 2 cm. off my breasts and 1cm off my hips!
But the weird thing is I FEEL much thinner! My stomach is almost flat, my thighs visually decrased in size, my face is thinner. EVERYONE tells me I look much thinner and ask me how much a lost. But I hardly lost any weight!
What's going on??? Has it happend to anyone here? I know it's not important how much you weigh as long as you look good but how is it possible if both my scales AND my tape measure tell me otherwise??
Could it be that I am retaining water or something?
Now, I am definetly in ketosis because I recognize the feeling of it. My pee smells and I am thirsty all the time. I drink tons of water but my mouth is constantly dry! Could it be the reason? i mean, It's like I can't get enough of H20. I drink a glass and in 5 min. I need another.
Please, someone explain.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Oh, and I am 19 y.o. 5'5 and 138 pounds. if it helps. I am not on any medication and don't have an yeast infection.

[*Emma*]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

yeah it could just be that you're retaining water but i dont htink so, if you feel thinner i'd just give the scales a chance to catch up...
5lbs is a heck of a lot of weight! dont knock it! you wont lose as fast as the first time round, we never do, unfortunately, but keep at it and it will all come off!

i crave water too, as long as your drinking the minimum out (which im sure you are) youre good, try not to stress this too much and give it some time

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

yeah it could just be that you're retaining water but i dont htink so, if you feel thinner i'd just give the scales a chance to catch up...
5lbs is a heck of a lot of weight! dont knock it! you wont lose as fast as the first time round, we never do, unfortunately, but keep at it and it will all come off!

i crave water too, as long as your drinking the minimum out (which im sure you are) youre good, try not to stress this too much and give it some time

Thanks Emma! I know I know... I should be happy with the progress I made. I am sure many people encounter similiar feelings when you put SO much effort into something and it doesn't work as excpected. Because I was on Atkins before I worked out this little agenda, like by this date I will lose so much, in two weeks I will lose o much... And when you don't, it's so freaking dissapointing!

[*Emma*]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

you cant time your body, unfortunately, if that was the case i'd of been at goal 2 years ago, but here i am still plodding on!

I agree its disappointing, how much do you need to lose? anything less than like 40lbs always comes off real slow!

try not to stress it, you will get there in the end!

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

you cant time your body, unfortunately, if that was the case i'd of been at goal 2 years ago, but here i am still plodding on!

I agree its disappointing, how much do you need to lose? anything less than like 40lbs always comes off real slow!

try not to stress it, you will get there in the end!

I am trying to get down to 119 pounds, so I need to lose about 20 more... I know it's not that much, but I think if I was bigger I'd have an easier time. My mother does her own "modified" version of atkins and she eats things like peas and peanuts and drinks grapefruit juice and does NO exercise. And she went from 176 to 155 in three weeks! What the ****? She's also 52 years old and doesn't even believe in low-carb, I convince her to do it! And now she's a living reminder about what a loser I am (in the worst sense of this word).

[*Emma*]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

no you're not a loser! unfortunately everyones metabolism is different, it does suck, specially mens cos they lose so fast!

if you only needed to lose 25lbs at the start of induction you did amazingly!! you lost 20% of the weight you need to lose in two weeks!! Dr A said we should lose on average of 5-10% so you doubled that!! if youve done your 2 weeks move onto OWL and start testing some new foods, this is for life, not just a quick fix!

[ValidRouge]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

I agree with Emma that its time you moved on to the Ongoing Weight Loss phase and add more vegetables ASAP!

Here's my reasons:
1) a lot of people find that they lose FASTER with MORE Carbs. Here's the thing, just because we do "low carb" doesn't mean that LOWER CARB is better. In fact, most times the opposite is true. Many people do much better increasing their carbohydrates. HOWEVER, it TRULY TRULY TRULY is the QUALITY of the carbohydrate not the QUANTITY! So, increase your carbohydrate intake through VEGETABLES. Not cream, not cheese, or other "special category" foods like olives, sour cream etc. Increase via quality VEGETABLES.
2) Vegetables have fiber. Without fiber, all the food you eat gets backed up in your intestines and it could appear as if you are GAINING weight. If you eat high quality vegetables (with lots of fiber) they will keep you regular and your intestines nice and clean and light weight if you catch what I'm saying here....Some nice high fiber veggies I enjoy are pumpkin, jicama, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, mustard greens.
3) Vegetables have VITAMINS and nutrients. Particularly the green leafy veggies and the orange veggies (like pumpkin) that are vital to our systems as well.
4) Check to make sure that you aren't eating processed meats. Deli/luncheon meats, pepperoni, bacon, etc. Canned foods also fall into this category (IMO). These foods are filled with preservatives that could be causing reactions in your body that manifest themselves by weight gain (in the form of water).

You said

I am sure many people encounter similiar feelings when you put SO much effort into something and it doesn't work as excpected.I am sure many people encounter similiar feelings when you put SO much effort into something and it doesn't work as excpected.

YES! I do know how that feels. I've been living like that for the last year and a half following this plan and only losing 10 lbs in the year and a half! I recently made the changes to my diet as I outlined above (actually I modified a little stricter than that) and I'm finally seeing results.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

I agree with Emma that its time you moved on to the Ongoing Weight Loss phase and add more vegetables ASAP!

Here's my reasons:
1) a lot of people find that they lose FASTER with MORE Carbs. Here's the thing, just because we do "low carb" doesn't mean that LOWER CARB is better. In fact, most times the opposite is true. Many people do much better increasing their carbohydrates. HOWEVER, it TRULY TRULY TRULY is the QUALITY of the carbohydrate not the QUANTITY! So, increase your carbohydrate intake through VEGETABLES. Not cream, not cheese, or other "special category" foods like olives, sour cream etc. Increase via quality VEGETABLES.
2) Vegetables have fiber. Without fiber, all the food you eat gets backed up in your intestines and it could appear as if you are GAINING weight. If you eat high quality vegetables (with lots of fiber) they will keep you regular and your intestines nice and clean and light weight if you catch what I'm saying here....Some nice high fiber veggies I enjoy are pumpkin, jicama, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, mustard greens.
3) Vegetables have VITAMINS and nutrients. Particularly the green leafy veggies and the orange veggies (like pumpkin) that are vital to our systems as well.
4) Check to make sure that you aren't eating processed meats. Deli/luncheon meats, pepperoni, bacon, etc. Canned foods also fall into this category (IMO). These foods are filled with preservatives that could be causing reactions in your body that manifest themselves by weight gain (in the form of water).

You said
YES! I do know how that feels. I've been living like that for the last year and a half following this plan and only losing 10 lbs in the year and a half! I recently made the changes to my diet as I outlined above (actually I modified a little stricter than that) and I'm finally seeing results.

Yeah but I eat vegetables. They are my ONLY proper source of carbs. I eat no sour cream or any of "carby" dairy, no canned foods either and no things with unknown stuff in them like salami etc. I eat cucumber, brocolli, green salad and sometimes pepper. The thing is I have Oral Allergy Syndrom so I have no be very picky with fruit & veg, like no tomatoes and most fruit. Luckily most vegetable I can't eat are starchy like pees and carrots.
Sorry if it's a bit gross but I poo every day, so I doubt my intestine is clogged. In fact I feel very light and comfortably empty most of them time. And I digest things like meat & fish fast, which is why I always found Atkins so easy to do.
Im really happy for you Rouge that's you found changes in your diet helped to shed. But it makes me so frustrated because I read the Diet Revolution like 3 times and I follow every rule there is! And I don't understand what changed in my body that it doesn't react to Atkins like it used to.

[Hoping]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

It really sounds like you're doing great.
Have you watched that movie "What the bleep do you know?" It's very interesting and it explores the idea that our minds actually set the tone of how our bodies feel. If we feel that a certain food is bad for us than our bodies feel yucky. If we think what we're putting in our bodies is great than it's wonderful. It explores other ideas, too.
But one of the main point is how our minds affect results to some extent. So if you think you look leaner, than you're probably right. You know your body best.
I feel that I look thinner, but the tape measure is showing me pretty much the same measurements. But I can see a difference.

As for not losing as much weight. You're older now, and our bodies don't function in the same manner as they did years ago. Even if you are a teenager, it's still some time later.
When I was a teenager I lost a lot of weight on Atkins. When I re-did induction over the summer I lost 12lbs the first time around with exercise, and the second time I lost 10lbs without much exercise (didn't have time--and no I don't recommend this).
If you exercise remember that you may be gaining muscle mass.

I'd say go with your visual results. And to me it sounds like you are losing, or at least becoming more lean. After all, people aren't going to ask you how much you measured or how much you weigh.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

It really sounds like you're doing great.
Have you watched that movie "What the bleep do you know?" It's very interesting and it explores the idea that our minds actually set the tone of how our bodies feel. If we feel that a certain food is bad for us than our bodies feel yucky. If we think what we're putting in our bodies is great than it's wonderful. It explores other ideas, too.
But one of the main point is how our minds affect results to some extent. So if you think you look leaner, than you're probably right. You know your body best.
I feel that I look thinner, but the tape measure is showing me pretty much the same measurements. But I can see a difference.

As for not losing as much weight. You're older now, and our bodies don't function in the same manner as they did years ago. Even if you are a teenager, it's still some time later.
When I was a teenager I lost a lot of weight on Atkins. When I re-did induction over the summer I lost 12lbs the first time around with exercise, and the second time I lost 10lbs without much exercise (didn't have time--and no I don't recommend this).
If you exercise remember that you may be gaining muscle mass.

I'd say go with your visual results. And to me it sounds like you are losing, or at least becoming more lean. After all, people aren't going to ask you how much you measured or how much you weigh.

Yes I did!!!!!
I watched the movie and I read the book.
I also read this book called "Seth speaks" and I can tell, everything it's totally true! Your mind definetly influences reality!
I guess everyone here is right - I should stay positive. I know for sure that this method it right so I'd stick to it till I reach my goal and beyond, of course, to maintain my results. Thanks for reminding me of this wonderful documenary. I highly recommend it to everyone!

[SandyL2002]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Oh, and I am 19 y.o. 5'5 and 138 pounds. if it helps. I am not on any medication and don't have an yeast infection.

How much weight are you trying to lose? 138lbs at 5'5" isn't a bad weight...

[ValidRouge]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

cucumber, brocolli, green salad and sometimes pepper

This is not enough. These, while better than lettuce, aren't the types of vegetables I'm talking about. Start bumping your carb count higher with the higher carbohydrate vegetables that provide lots of nutrients. Vegetables on the "other vegetables" list. Broccoli isn't that high of a carb veggie. It's good, it's definitely better than the lettuce or cucumber. What about brussel sprouts, cauliflower, greens, spinach, asparagus?

Here's the "other veggie" list:
artichoke
celery root
pumpkin
artichoke hearts
rhubarb
asparagus
chard
sauerkraut
bamboo shoots
collard greens
scallions
dandelion
snow peas
bean sprouts
dandelion greens
spaghetti squash
beet greens
eggplant
spinach
broccoli
hearts of palm
string or wax beans
broccoli rabe
kale
summer squash
brussels
kohlrabi
tomato
bean sprouts
leeks
turnips
cabbage
okra
water chestnuts
cauliflower
onion
zucchini

[jimmyolsenblues]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Atkins is the only thing that ever decreased my appetite. I know Atkins works for me. I must exercise to lose weight also. I have been there many times where I wondered , am I losing? How could a high fat diet actually work? Its tough sometimes, which is why I am grateful for a board like this. I have lost weight and I have felt better on atkins. My Mass Body Index was way into Morbid Obese, and a low carb lifestyle really helped me, maybe people who's BMI is close to fit would have a different response to atkins, I don't know because I have always been overweight.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

How much weight are you trying to lose? 138lbs at 5'5" isn't a bad weight...

I am trying to lose about 15 more pounds. I know it's not "bad" but this is not what I want. I have an idea in my head of what I want to look like and I kindof have this mindset that I NEED to get there.