Exercise and Weight question

[Amara]

Hi I am really nervous. I started the diet on Feb 26,2009 and lost 31 pounds. I started to exercise and now the scale wont move. It is just staying the same. I am still doing the diet correctly but kinda feeling depressed. I needs some support because I did cheat last night. I am feeling that the diet has stopped working.

[kibskix]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

you're building muscle, and that muscle is retaining water. when you start working out, you need to take measurements because your weight is going to be effected by the added muscle. you're -still- losing fat, but you won't see it as often with the muscle being added. the diet doesn't magically stop working when you work out, dont worry! you will actually lose -more- inches from workout out than from not, so you may have not lost much, but still go down a size.

[Georgiana]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

Hi I am really nervous. I started the diet on Feb 26,2009 and lost 31 pounds. I started to exercise and now the scale wont move. It is just staying the same. I am still doing the diet correctly but kinda feeling depressed. I needs some support because I did cheat last night. I am feeling that the diet has stopped working.

Yes, you are probably gaining muscle or retaining water from exercising. You could also post a menu if you want us to take a look over it.

Are you eating enough? If you are exercising, you will probably need to increase your caloric intake.

[Amara]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

Thank you kibskix and Georgiana for your replies. I feel much better now that I know I should be losing inches. My daily menu is lots and lots of water, diet green tea that has no carbs or sugar. I eat a piece of baked chicken and 2 adkins shakes. I know that I should be eating more but I am not a big meat eater at all. I have a sugar and junk food addication so without being able to eat those I really dont have an appetite. If I need to change my diet to lose weight I will. Please let me know if I am doing something wrong.

[Georgiana]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

Are you eating any vegetables? You don't have to eat a lot of meat on Atkins. Most of our calories should come from fat.

Can you post food quantities? How big is that piece of chicken? Are you eating anything else besides chicken and shakes?

[Amara]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

I do eat a salad like one a week with cucumbers and tomatoes. I use a tablespoon of ranch dressing that has no sugar and 2 carbs. The chicken is 4oz. I feel good on the diet and have more energy than usual.

[Georgiana]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

Ouch, you should be eating 3 cups of vegetables per day. You don't have to eat them as salads if you don't like salads. Cooked veggies are just as good. You can also use them for dressings, soups, cauliflower pizza...

You can stop losing weight if you are not giving your body the necessary vitamins and minerals, so vegetables are very important.

4 oz of chicken and 2 shakes is simply not enough food and all this will do is slow down your metabolism. Furthermore, about 65% of your calories should come from fat and only 30% from protein -- with chicken and shakes, I doubt you are eating enough fat.

Did you check the Induction menus in DANDR 2002? They will give you an idea of what you should be eating.

[Amara]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

I will start eating more vegetables as of today. I want to thank you for your help. I will check out the menus also. You have been alot of help and it is greatly appreciated.

[chinadoll]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

Your body may be adjusting to the addition of exercise and you may also be in Post Induction Stall Syndrome which is very common after the initial rush of the first few weeks. There is a whole thread on this. Are you losing inches? Then you are still losing fat. You may be a wait and whoosh type too. You need to be patient and see what your body is going to do and how it is going to react. This WOE often loses weight in a non linear way (Weight loss is non linear is another thread you should read) You need to be able to wait out these times without throwing in the towel. As long as you are doing the work you have to trust that these temporary pauses will pass.

All three of these boldface lines have threads that may be helpful to you. Bear in mind that only a rare number of people continue with the quick consistent weight drops you get in the first couple of weeks. After that your body settles into its own weight loss pattern. Working through the glitches helps you learn about YOUR body's weight loss patterns so you will become less frustrated as you learn what to expect. You have had a phenomenal start but it is unrealistic to expect your losses to continue at that pace or with that consistency. Hope this helps.

[kibskix]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

i bet its the lack of veggies! if my carbs are too low, i won't lose weight. i'm actually amazed you've lasted this long just eating chicken and shakes, i couldn't do that. make sure to read the stickies in the 14 day induction thread, and print out the list of acceptable foods there. theres lots of other things you can have, and veggies are super important, but only the right kinds first, then you add in others higher in carbs later. i bet you'll feel a lot better and start losing again when you try it! good luck!

[chinadoll]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

Kib is right. I would guess it is the veggies. But do read the other posts because it pays to know what to expect before it happens and you get frustrrated enough to give up.

[Georgiana]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

I will start eating more vegetables as of today. I want to thank you for your help. I will check out the menus also. You have been alot of help and it is greatly appreciated.

You're welcome. Let us know how it goes.

[pagliaccia]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

One other question - when you say you're drinking diet green tea, do you mean the Lipton green tea that comes in the bottles? If so, I think that has aspartame, which is a no-no for Atkins.

Is this the type? LIPTON Diet Green Tea With Citrus ? Ready to Drink with Flavonoid Antioxidants

If not, sorry to ask! But I used to love this stuff, so I had to give it up for this WOE.

[Sarina D]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

Hi Amara,

I agree with everything that has been said above. Eating veggies is crucial and I'm sure once you start eating the amount you're suppose to you'll see and feel the difference.

Keep up the exercising and increase your veggies and food consumption, this is very important!

Keep in touch and give us an update on how things are going for you.

Cheers,
Sarina
--------------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
Current weight – 217 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Brand New Mom]

Re: Exercise and Weight question

try to grained flaxseed and eat them with water or topping them on your salad about 2 tsp aday ... because they are agood fatty source .. and healthy to be include atkins and also lower your chorostrol level .. and your heart health ... i highly recommened them for you .. and also .. they are good for weman health in general .. try this and you'll thank me later ... just tell me the results ... im just like you not a meal eater i dont eat much ... light breakfast like small omelate egg + mashroom and coffee later ... then for lunch time chicken breast only one meduim size grilled alone OR chicken ceaser salad .. OR grilled salmon .. thats it .. for dinner i have my 2 tps of flaxseed with water ... i really dont eat much ... i dont know why im overweight then lol ... and try to do some interval training they are super good in breaking out the stall ... good luck dear hope u all the best in weight loss