Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

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

So I am guessing everyone's genereal consensus is I should eat more carbs. But isn't this kind of against the rules? I mean, a TURNIP that's like way not what induction recommends I am really scared to up my carbs. I'm so used to obsessing over every gram it's gonna be hard psychologically...

[Hug_it_out]

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.

Yeah. That's the law. The less you weigh, the harder you lose .... ( It's always the hardest when you're almost there.

[ADavis29]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

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.

I'm in the same position you are except I'm about 10 years older and 70lbs heavier. It can be very discouraging when you're doing everything right and the scales are not moving. There are 4 other ladies in my office and we're all doing different diets to see who could lose the most in 8 weeks. Sadly to say everyone else lost between 1-5 lbs since 9-4-07 and I'm the only one working out everyday and eating low carb but managed to gain 3lbs since then. Yesterday I really felt like giving up and trying something else. But, the ladies on this forum are so supportive and motivating I owe it to myself to stick it out. As they say, "The weight will come off". Something about a WHOOSI effect. Take the advice of the seasoned vets on this site and don't give up!!

[ValidRouge]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

So I am guessing everyone's genereal consensus is I should eat more carbs. But isn't this kind of against the rules? I mean, a TURNIP that's like way not what induction recommends I am really scared to up my carbs. I'm so used to obsessing over every gram it's gonna be hard psychologically...

Turnips are allowed on induction!

You are supposed to eat 2 cups off the salad list and 1 cup off the list above EVEN IN INDUCTION.

The Ongoing Weight Loss phase is to add MORE vegetables and YES, CARBS. Read that again Ongoing. Weight. Loss. Continue to lose weight. Add more carbs. The induction phase is ONLY for the first two weeks. If you stay in induction, you are only cheating your body of nutrition that it needs and should have.

Many people also find that they lose MORE weight adding more carbs than they did during induction. But, they are adding GOOD, healthy carbs.

[Evermind]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

You've just learned a lesson that it takes many of us months to grasp: It's all about losing inches, not pounds.

The scale is relatively stupid. It just shows how heavy you are at any given moment, without distinguishing between fluid and fat and muscle and bone.

But the measuring tape - well, now, that shows you something VISIBLE. After all, wouldn't you rather look thinner than weigh thinner?

If you FEEL thinner, you are. And the measuring tape has shown you. So while you can weigh yourself and be interested in what it says, rely on the measuring tape and how you feel.

[Patriciabuon]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Please check out the National Institute of Health's information about ideal weights. Using the most accepted measure (Body Mass Index), you have a BMI of 23 given a height of 60" and weight of 138 pounds. The NIH does not consider a person to be overweight until they have a BMI of 25 (at your height they would weigh 150lbs). Dr Atkins uses this same information in his book (2002 edition) on pages 156/157. While Dr Atkins says that the BMI is only a guide, he clearly thinks it is important enough to spend almost 2 pages discussing it. The important thing, however, is to find the weight that makes you feel healthy and look good. Dr Atkins advised one man (p156) "not to obsess over the last 10 pounds; he looks and feels fine, and his blood work shows the inside of him is now as healthy as the outside". Maybe your body is resisting further weight loss because it is where it needs to be. Every one is telling you that you look good. You recognize that your stomach is flat, your thighs and face look thinner. What's the problem? You look great, presumably you feel great, so stop agonizing and enjoy your life. You're only 19.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Please check out the National Institute of Health's information about ideal weights. Using the most accepted measure (Body Mass Index), you have a BMI of 23 given a height of 60" and weight of 138 pounds. The NIH does not consider a person to be overweight until they have a BMI of 25 (at your height they would weigh 150lbs). Dr Atkins uses this same information in his book (2002 edition) on pages 156/157. While Dr Atkins says that the BMI is only a guide, he clearly thinks it is important enough to spend almost 2 pages discussing it. The important thing, however, is to find the weight that makes you feel healthy and look good. Dr Atkins advised one man (p156) "not to obsess over the last 10 pounds; he looks and feels fine, and his blood work shows the inside of him is now as healthy as the outside". Maybe your body is resisting further weight loss because it is where it needs to be. Every one is telling you that you look good. You recognize that your stomach is flat, your thighs and face look thinner. What's the problem? You look great, presumably you feel great, so stop agonizing and enjoy your life. You're only 19.

I don't understand, I thought this is a web site for people suporting each other. What I am doing it perfectly healthy and I am not going to kill myself over my weight, im not some kind of a crazy anorexic case. I am just not happy and want to improve my appearance. My goal weight is still considered healthy for my height. And I am not "obessing", if I was obsessing I wouldn't be doing this diet and would'nt be looking for intelligent advice, I would be starving myself!
When a person is not happy with their haircut nobody is saying to them "stop obessing, your haircut is healthy". As long as it's not damaging my health, im going to alterate my appearance the way I want.
And I know my body is not "resisting" because I was at a lower weight and felt fine until I had some personal issues w. family and put a lot of stress on myself and gained weight.
I hope you understnad I didn't come here to show off my BMI and let people tell me I am thin enough. I came here for lpvely support & advice of those who understand.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

You've just learned a lesson that it takes many of us months to grasp: It's all about losing inches, not pounds.

The scale is relatively stupid. It just shows how heavy you are at any given moment, without distinguishing between fluid and fat and muscle and bone.

But the measuring tape - well, now, that shows you something VISIBLE. After all, wouldn't you rather look thinner than weigh thinner?

If you FEEL thinner, you are. And the measuring tape has shown you. So while you can weigh yourself and be interested in what it says, rely on the measuring tape and how you feel.

Actually I went and tried on jeans and they're kindof loose on me!
I guess I overreacted with the whole measurement thing. It's just that scales were ALWAYS the ones to show me either weightloss or weight gain.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

You've just learned a lesson that it takes many of us months to grasp: It's all about losing inches, not pounds.

The scale is relatively stupid. It just shows how heavy you are at any given moment, without distinguishing between fluid and fat and muscle and bone.

But the measuring tape - well, now, that shows you something VISIBLE. After all, wouldn't you rather look thinner than weigh thinner?

If you FEEL thinner, you are. And the measuring tape has shown you. So while you can weigh yourself and be interested in what it says, rely on the measuring tape and how you feel.

You know, I am probably going to sound like a freak but I NEVER tried turnip in my life . It's just not common food where I live. Also, isn't turnip starchy vegetable, from the same family as carrots and beetroot? Cause I can't eat these. I guess it's worth a try anyway.

[Patriciabuon]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Great to hear you are feeling good and staying healthy. I don't intend to discourage you, just to add some extra thoughts. I also wasn't suggesting you were 'obsessing', just quoting Dr A. (although you did use the word about yourself in one of your posts " I am really scared to up my carbs. I'm so used to obsessing over every gram it's gonna be hard psychologically...")

I generally agree with everyone else. My experience is that you need to monitor your carbs very carefully and see how they jibe with the scales and the tape measure. You also need to make sure you are getting most of your carbs from nutrient rich sources - vegetables. Some advice I was given about this was to try and get as many colors in your vegetables as possible. This might not include carrots which are high in sugar, but could include as many orange, yellow, dark green and white vegetables as possible. It's normally the case that root vegetables are a problem because the purpose of the root is to store starch for the growing new plant. Most root vegetables are no nos - although turnip is allowed. I lost about 35lbs on Atkins about five years ago. I stuck very closely to all the guidelines and it worked. I also weighed myself regularly so that if I had an indulgent day and saw that I had gone up a couple of pounds I could address it immediately. I don't appear to be an 'addict' to food - something I have heard a lot about on these forums - so I'm lucky. I just have extraordinarily efficient storage process! My life style involves a lot of travel and over about three months recently I didn't weigh myself. The inevitable happened - up about 7lbs. So I went back on induction and am gradually easing into OWL. I have lost the 7 lbs but want to lose maybe another 10 lbs. I'm 62 and fight my slowing metabolism so am always looking for ways to boost it. I eat breakfast if I feel like it or not and try and walk a mile in the morning most days in the hope that will fire up the furnace a bit. Well done, stay realistic, stay focused and above all ... stay healthy.

[Jaded]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Hey Hug

I can't say anything more than what everyone else has said about the veggies, etc. But I can say, from the experience of someone who has been there, that you don't want to let yourself "obsess over ever gram." Once you do that, and have a "mindset that you HAVE to get there" (though that is good to keep you on track), you can start to convince yourself of a lot of things that arent very healthy, especially when there are boys/other reasons involved (not saying there are, just relaying my experience). In 2003 I followed Atkins from June-Jan 04. I lost 55lbs. Then I started thinking, if I am eating low carb so my body can burn the fat in my body, if I eat NOTHING I can burn MORE fat in my body. And that is what I did until March (with a few peanuts here, and a piece of chicken there) when my roommates staged an intervention and called my parents.

I'm not saying you would do that, but be careful not to get yourself "obsessing" about the scale, and make sure you HAVE to reach your goal for YOU and only you. Don't let yourself start to have issues about food, b/c even if you stop the bad habits, the obsession is always in your head.

Again I'm not implying that I think you'd do that, but I never thought I would. Best of luck to you!

[Patriciabuon]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Thanks Jaded. You've been where I feared others may go. I was beginning to think I was the only person who saw this particular "red flag". You have expressed it so much better than I did because it comes from your own experience.

[Jaded]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Patricia - I also just posted on your thread about that.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Great to hear you are feeling good and staying healthy. I don't intend to discourage you, just to add some extra thoughts. I also wasn't suggesting you were 'obsessing', just quoting Dr A. (although you did use the word about yourself in one of your posts " I am really scared to up my carbs. I'm so used to obsessing over every gram it's gonna be hard psychologically...")

I generally agree with everyone else. My experience is that you need to monitor your carbs very carefully and see how they jibe with the scales and the tape measure. You also need to make sure you are getting most of your carbs from nutrient rich sources - vegetables. Some advice I was given about this was to try and get as many colors in your vegetables as possible. This might not include carrots which are high in sugar, but could include as many orange, yellow, dark green and white vegetables as possible. It's normally the case that root vegetables are a problem because the purpose of the root is to store starch for the growing new plant. Most root vegetables are no nos - although turnip is allowed. I lost about 35lbs on Atkins about five years ago. I stuck very closely to all the guidelines and it worked. I also weighed myself regularly so that if I had an indulgent day and saw that I had gone up a couple of pounds I could address it immediately. I don't appear to be an 'addict' to food - something I have heard a lot about on these forums - so I'm lucky. I just have extraordinarily efficient storage process! My life style involves a lot of travel and over about three months recently I didn't weigh myself. The inevitable happened - up about 7lbs. So I went back on induction and am gradually easing into OWL. I have lost the 7 lbs but want to lose maybe another 10 lbs. I'm 62 and fight my slowing metabolism so am always looking for ways to boost it. I eat breakfast if I feel like it or not and try and walk a mile in the morning most days in the hope that will fire up the furnace a bit. Well done, stay realistic, stay focused and above all ... stay healthy.

No, worries, I undertand you just want to help. I shouldn't have use the word "obsession", I was half-joking, of course. What I mean is, I always believe, if you do something you must do it right. I was never a food addict either but If im not on low-carb, it always seems like "just a little bite of cookie" would do no harm, but once you take the bite, your body just wants to continue. On Atkins I have ZERO food cravings. Like, I like ice cream a lot, but when im in ketosis, my mind knows I can't have it and It's very easy to say no. In fact, I even stopped perceiving ice-cream as something eatible!
I know how hard it is to eat right when you travel. I actually find it easier to eat nothing at all when im on the move, but I try to, cause I know it's not healthy to go hungry.

[Hug_it_out]

Re: Am I losing? Or just deluding myself?

Hey Hug

I can't say anything more than what everyone else has said about the veggies, etc. But I can say, from the experience of someone who has been there, that you don't want to let yourself "obsess over ever gram." Once you do that, and have a "mindset that you HAVE to get there" (though that is good to keep you on track), you can start to convince yourself of a lot of things that arent very healthy, especially when there are boys/other reasons involved (not saying there are, just relaying my experience). In 2003 I followed Atkins from June-Jan 04. I lost 55lbs. Then I started thinking, if I am eating low carb so my body can burn the fat in my body, if I eat NOTHING I can burn MORE fat in my body. And that is what I did until March (with a few peanuts here, and a piece of chicken there) when my roommates staged an intervention and called my parents.

I'm not saying you would do that, but be careful not to get yourself "obsessing" about the scale, and make sure you HAVE to reach your goal for YOU and only you. Don't let yourself start to have issues about food, b/c even if you stop the bad habits, the obsession is always in your head.

Again I'm not implying that I think you'd do that, but I never thought I would. Best of luck to you!

Thanks for the kinds words. Just wanted to clarify, when I said "every gram" I menat every gram of carbs, not my body weight.
I have to confess, I had a period (not now, but two years ago) when I consciously limited my food intake while on Atkins, I even skipped breakfast and just went straight to the gym! The thing is, when you're on low fat, you're hungry and I always find hunger very hard to ignore. But when in ketosis, I have no feeling of hunger at all, so it's very easy to abuse your body but not eating anything.
However, I realize that starving does way more harm and doesn't help you to lose weight! I know body needs to have food at least every 6 hours, otherwise it holds your metabolism back.
And I understand the pressure all too well. When my boyfriend and I broke up, he mentioned how I have a stomach and a "big butt" and how I should lose some weight, which sent me into this intense diet / gym regimen (not atkins). I thought if I had a perfect body, he'd fall back in love with me. BUt the truth is, I gave up because it was making me more miserable and he already moved on with someone else I was really devastated.
Now that I'm older I know you shouldn't try to lose weight for someone else, you should only do it for yourself, because otherwise it becomes this awful self-destructing race.