Stall, Plateau, or what????

[deec73]

Hello, ive been doing atkins(low carb) for 8 weeks now. Im 33 years old, Male, and weighed 372 when I started. I started off great, losing 21lbs in the first 3 weeks. Sad to say, over the last 4 weeks, ive only lost 3 lbs. Tomorrow is my weigh day, which will be the 8th weigh in. I tried to put in the foods I eat in fitday, but im not having any luck doing it.

Can someone take a look at one of my daily meals and see if im doing something wrong?

Breakfast:

Side salad with tomatoes, onions, cheese, lettuce with 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing.

Hamburger steak(prob 8oz) with cheese and onions

2 scrambled eggs

Lunch:

2 whopper jr's from burger king with lettuce tom mayo onions cheese, no ketchup, no bun.

side salad with lettuce tomato ranch dressing

supper:

hamburger steak with cheese, 2 scrambled eggs

Drank about a gallon of water throughout the day.




Thanks in advance,

Dee

[Evermind]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Man, that's a lot of meat. What are your percentages (protein, fat, carbs)

[TheNewGuy]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Hi Dee....

At first glance, a couple of things come to mind. First I notice that you take in a high amount of protein. Because of this, I'm thinking that you're beginning to pack on some lean muscle mass.... Because you're reducing fat but building muscle, your weight loss will slow, but your body will be transforming. Have you noticed your clothes fitting any differently in the past four weeks where you only lost three lbs? If you haven't, try taking your measurements and see if you notice them reducing.

Second thought is that it's the post-induction stall or slowdown... it seems to happen to a lot of people after a few weeks of induction. Your body is just taking stock and adjusting to what's been going on and it will pass eventually (but eventually is a huge variable). If I were you I would try to kickstart my metabolism back into high gear by eating a meal or two that is higher in carbs than the induction level... but HEALTHY carbs (e.g. more allowable veggies). Step it up a notch for a couple meals, and then go back to the way you were doing things, and weigh yourself a week later..... see if you've begun losing again.

Lastly, try skipping the cheese for a week as it is also known to cause a lot of stalls.

Hope this helps.

-Ken

[ThinSoon]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Dee Are you doing any exercise or weight lifting?

Mayo at BKing may be salad dressing and not actual real mayo and could contain sugar?
Cheese can stall - do you know approximately how much of it you are eating each day? I think you are allowed 4 ounces but I don't have my book handy.
How much ranch dressing are you using?
Tomatos and onions have more carbs than you may think, how much of them are you eating?
Induction levels are two cups of salad I think, maybe you have too much? Are you in OWL now?

How about mixing up your menu a little, not so much beef but maybe fish or chicken? I know the last go around for me when I ate too much beef I wouldn't lose for awhile, not sure why. When I had it for only one meal or every other day I began to lose again. I also did better if I had a bit more fat in the diet.

Many things you can do and they are easy.
Egg salad
Chicken salad
baked chicken
tilapia filets - and easy to make!
shrimp and veggies - stir fry it up

Like Ken said, are your measurements down? I know for alot of people the scale won't move but they are down 2-3 sizes already!

Hang in there - Hope to hear from you!!

Tracey

[kate58]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

It is a lot of meat, and beef especially. While if you are working out or exercising a LOT, that might turn to muscle, if you are not, then protein can be turned (via gluconeogenisis) into glucose in the blood - which has the same effect as eating too many carbs.

With the amount of protein you are eating from meat, eggs and cheese, I think it is highly likely that your protein + carb percentage is a little too high.

You are also eating quite a lot of onion - which is fairly high carb and which you need to be somewhat cautious about. A medium onion (about 2 and 1/2 inches in diameter) has over 5 net carbs, a similar size tomato has over 4. Two of each of those in a day and you are already at 20 carbs.

I'd try cutting the protein back a bit and getting more varied veg (green leafy stuff especially, excluding lettuce, so things like kale, cabbage, broccoli).

[deec73]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Thanks for the advice. To answer some questions. No, unfortunatley I havent been exercising, so maybe thats my problem. To much protein not getting burned up and just doing the same thing as eating to many carbs. I do notice my clothes fitting looser, and people coming up to me asking how much weight ive lost, etc... But I want to see it on the scales. Dont we all? lol

I thought I was doing good eating beef. Its not as conveinent eating other meats, I will also have to check on the mayo at Burger King. It dont taste like a salad dressing type Mayo, but who knows.

Im going to keep at it though, thats for sure.

One reason I made the post is to see if someone could plug in my meals and see what kind of numbers that fitday calculator put out. I tried it but couldnt find half of the foods to input. If someone could do that for me, that would be great.

Thanks,

Dee

[Evermind]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

You just don't need that much protein. Really. So cut out meat except for once a day.

[ThinSoon]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Thanks for the advice. To answer some questions. No, unfortunatley I havent been exercising, so maybe thats my problem. To much protein not getting burned up and just doing the same thing as eating to many carbs. I do notice my clothes fitting looser, and people coming up to me asking how much weight ive lost, etc... But I want to see it on the scales. Dont we all? lol

I thought I was doing good eating beef. Its not as conveinent eating other meats, I will also have to check on the mayo at Burger King. It dont taste like a salad dressing type Mayo, but who knows.

Im going to keep at it though, thats for sure.

One reason I made the post is to see if someone could plug in my meals and see what kind of numbers that fitday calculator put out. I tried it but couldnt find half of the foods to input. If someone could do that for me, that would be great.

Thanks,

Dee

Dee - I don't know how much of everything you ate, so I wouldn't be able to put it into fitday.

Chicken breast, those can be heated just like a hamburger. Do you have a fridge at work? Taking tuna, egg or chicken salad is already made by you at home and easy to eat if you are hungry?

Tracey

[ThinSoon]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Dee - your PM is full so I'm unable to post to you.

Here are my suggestions: Maybe someone else can chime in.

Dee - it does work. You are consuming almost 3900 calories per day! that is way too much - for any way of eating! I recalculated and you are at 19 grams of carbs but if you read the book, even dr A will tell you calories do count, plus you are not exercising.

Cut back to 4 ounces of beef each time, do not go to fast food. Can you take your lunch? If you must go to fast food, ask for the small hamburger - nothing else, no lettuce etc - maybe mayo and mustard. Have a side salad with that and not all your meals. The rule for induction levels is 2 cups of lettuce and 1 cup of suggested veggies per day.

I consume alot of fat with my egg salad etc but since my calories are in check, I'm doing ok! Plus if you were to get some good fats in there, I think you'll find you aren't as hungry.

Meal suggestions:
Breakfast:
bacon, eggs, leftovers from dinner - heck I had turkey burger with horseradish mustard for breakfast (2-4oz burgers, no sugar in the mustard)
L- will be for me 1/2 cup of my homemade egg salad on a bed of lettuce
S- yes, I have a snack in the afternoon, sometimes another turkey burger - just one or a cup of veggies that are induction levels, 1/4 cup of maybe tuna, egg or chicken salad - this is not a meal this is just one item.
Dinner - chicken, fish or shrimp with induction veggies

For dessert or a snack later - lately I've been having 1/4-1/2 cup of pumpkin, add pumpkin pie spice and heat in the microwave - add a dollop or two of whipped cream! It's great, just don't over do it on this.

One tip - drink more water. A gallon sounds like alot but if you keep drinking if you are hungry, that hunger goes away. I'm not saying starve yourself but I think that you need to cut the calories down to at least 2000-2500.... maybe I'll go look at some menus on the board to see how guys are doing it.

Tracey

[deec73]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Thanks Tracey. I cleared out my box. Wow, you are only allowed 25 messages at a time. Im use to forums allowing 500, lol. Sorry it was full and you couldnt send.

I didnt realize I was consuming so many calories. No wonder the weight loss is slow. You wouldnt think a hamburger steak, 2 whopper JR patties and another hamburger steak would be almost 4000 calories,

Talk to you soon,

Dee

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

You just don't need that much protein. Really. So cut out meat except for once a day.

Meat only once a day? Or, are you not considering poultry meat??? I don't understand.

Sunny!

[Hoping]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

To be honest, it seems like you're over eating with your meat consumption. As other said it can cause you to gain weight.
Nearly 4000 calories and no exercise?

I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing you, but you have to take this way of eating seriously. That means fitting in exercise, and keeping track of your foods. Another thing you need to ask yourself is: Do you stop eating when you're satisfied?
Remember it's not about feeling "full," it's about feeling satisfied.
Since you're in ketosis I would think you wouldn't be as hungry.
Remember to also drink plenty of water. 64 ounces, plus 8 more ounces for every 25lbs you need to lose.

Just to refresh your memory go back over the book, it'll help you better balance your diet.

[ThinSoon]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Thanks Tracey. I cleared out my box. Wow, you are only allowed 25 messages at a time. Im use to forums allowing 500, lol. Sorry it was full and you couldnt send.

I didnt realize I was consuming so many calories. No wonder the weight loss is slow. You wouldnt think a hamburger steak, 2 whopper JR patties and another hamburger steak would be almost 4000 calories,

Talk to you soon,

Dee

I calculated 8 oz burgers since that is what you thought may be the case. I think more so is the hamburger itself. Like I said, when I did this the first time, I also ate alot of beef - because it was so easy to make them ahead of time and then just heat up, but it really did stall me. I began to lose again when I added in chicken, fish and other things. I'm not sure what your schedule is or where you work but if you have a fridge and microwave, then you can have all kinds of options.

So - do you have things available to you so that you can reheat and cool at work?
Is there anything that you don't like that if we gave you suggestions you would not eat?

You lost so well at the beginning and I bet you have still lost inches losing this way, but I'm sure you are frustrated at this point. We'd love to help!

Tracey

[Evermind]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Quote:
Originally Posted by Evermind
You just don't need that much protein. Really. So cut out meat except for once a day.

Meat only once a day? Or, are you not considering poultry meat??? I don't understand.

Sunny!

No, I meant any form of meat. He can have fish. He can have an omelette. He can have all kinds of veggies, particularly when he moves to Rung 1 of OWL.

Here's a typical lunch or dinner for me: 1-2 zuchinis, sliced. 1 slice of onion, diced. 1 cup of cauliflower (uncooked), grated.

Fry them up until golden brown in a tablespoon of olive oil. Top with 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Cover until melted.

It's got fat, protein, and carbs. And no meat.

I eat meat about 3x a week. I'm not saying everyone should, but certainly meat 3x a day is a bit much. 2 is even a lot every single day of the week.

[deec73]

Re: Stall, Plateau, or what????

Thanks for the input. Over the next week or 2 I will try to cut those calories in half, to around 2000 and ive already planned on 6 days of exercise. Nothing extreme, just some exercise bike and treadmill, alternating days with resistance training (bowflex).

I should see some good results. I will post here how it turns out.

Thanks again.

Dee