HELP something is very wrong

[Barbee]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

I am following the exact same diet as I was when I was losing and now I'm gaining. What's with that?

I followed the induction to a "T"
I then added just a few extra carbs.

Here's my daily diet since May 14th 2008

breakfast: eggs & bacon or sausage

lunch: 1/2 cup chicken salad with celery, onion and mayo
1 cup cottage cheese mixed with real whipped cream to make a pudding that keeps me full till supper.

supper: meat of the day and allowed veggies. I get more veggies than ever before in my life.

I don't usually snack between meals but if I should get hungry I grab a hunk of hard cheese or hand full of peanuts...but that isn't very often.

If we eat out I have meat and salad.

On sat. night we go out and have prime rib, I don't order the potato just the yellow and green beans with it.

I was eating the Atkins bars for a treat but cut them out completely and am still gaining. I went from 209 to 218 in just 3 wks.

Don't ask me waht OWL step I'm on because I'm using the first ATkins book.

I don't know how I can possibly cut my diet anymore without really getting hungry.

Oh... on Wed. we go out for chicken wings and anti-pasta. The wings are made with hot sauce and butter only, no breading.

I think the weight I am gaining is water weight... when I press down on my leg it turns white and leaves an indent for a few seconds. What's with that? I used to be on a water pill but went off it because Atkins says you have to go off water pills. I really have to get rid of this water as my blood pressure is up too.

[shelly808]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

Hi Barbee, sorry you are having a rough time right now. You may be one of those people that has to keep there carbs really really low for some time. I think I read about some people having an "intolerance" to carbs???

Ive only just started, so I feel a little funny giving someone my thoughts about this, as you have been doing it for some time now but heres what my friend has been telling me to do, and so far, since monday, husband has lost 8 lbs (and he is only 15-25 lbs overweight MAX!) And I have lost about 4.5 (I realise much of this is probably water - but I am still impressed!) (AND I do have a thyroid problem)

My friend told me to chuck everything out of my frig when I decided to do Atkins, and to only eat what was on this list. I took this list to cosco and have only eaten these items. BTW, green beans have quite a few carbs and are not on this list, I picked up on that because I was getting ready to buy this big ol bag of green beans and when I checked the list, they were not on it! Sorry but I also noticed that 1/2 cup water chestnuts have like 7 carbs too.

My friend also said to eat like every 3-4 hours and suggested that I eat lots of fat....she said, I know this wont seem right to you but just do it! So I have been eating 1/2 - 1 whole avocado each day (chopped up with salt and pepper - salad topper)....plus butter, mayo, meat fat and cheese fat. Been eating mozz stuffed salmon & salami rollers.


All fish including:

• Flounder
• Herring
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Sole
• Tuna
• Trout

All fowl including:

• Cornish hen
• Chicken
• Duck
• Goose
• Pheasant
• Quail
• Turkey

All shellfish including:

• Clams
• Crabmeat
• Mussels*
• Oysters*
• Shrimp
• Squid

*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs so limit to about 4 ounces per day.
All meat including:

• Bacon*
• Beef
• Ham*
• Lamb
• Pork
• Veal
• Venison

Focus on lean cuts of beef and lamb. Some processed meat, bacon, and ham is cured with sugar, which will add to the carb count. Also steer clear of cold cuts and other meats with added nitrates.
Eggs are one of nature's most nutritious creations. That’s why eggs are a staple breakfast in the Atkins Nutritional Approach.
Feel free to get creative with your eggs: Add mushrooms and onions, or even green pepper. Top the dish off with feta cheese or add basil, oregano and other herbs.
Eggs in any style, including:

• Deviled
• Fried
• Hard-boiled
• Omelets
• Poached
• Scrambled
• Soft-boiled

Keep in mind that cheese does contain carbs, about 1 gram per ounce. You may have about 3 to 4 ounces of cheese per day. An ounce is about the size of an individually wrapped slice of American cheese or a 1" cube.
Cheese including:
Type Serving Size Grams of net carbs Blue cheeses 1 oz 0.7 Cheddar ½ cup 0.0 Cow, sheep and goat 1 oz 0.3 Cream cheese 1 oz 0.8 Feta 1 oz 1.2 Gouda 1 oz 0.6 Mozzarella 1 oz 0.6 Parmesan 1 tbs 0.2 Swiss 1 oz 1.0 Vegetables:
You should be eating approximately 12 to 15 grams of net carbs per day in the form of vegetables, which is equivalent to several cups depending on the actual carb content of the veggies you select.
1 cup is roughly the size of a baseball. Measure the following salad vegetables raw.
Vegetable Serving Size/Prep grams of net carbs Alfalfa sprouts 1 cup/raw 0.4 Argula ½ cup/raw 0.2 Bok choy 1 cup/raw 0.8 Celery 1 stalk 0.8 Chicory greens ½ cup/raw 0.6 Chives 1 tablespoon 0.1 Cucumber ½ cup 1.0 Daikon ½ cup 1.0 Endive ½ cup 0.0 Escarole ½ cup 0.0 Fennel 1 cup 3.6 Jicama ½ cup 2.5 Iceberg lettuce
½ cup 0.1 Mushrooms ½ cup 1.2 Parsley 1 tablespoon 0.1 Peppers ½ cup/raw 2.3 Radicchio ½ cup/raw 0.7 Radishes 10/raw 0.9 Romaine lettuce ½ cup 0.2
The following vegetables are slightly higher in carbs than the salad vegetables listed above. They also provide important nutrients and add variety to your daily foods. Make sure you stay within the 12-15 grams of net carbs. Unless otherwise noted, measure these veggies after you cook them.
Vegetable Serving Size/ Prep Net Carbs Artichoke ¼ of medium 4.0 Asparagus 6 spears 2.4 Artichoke hearts 1 canned
1.0 Avocadoes 1 whole (raw) 3.5 Bamboo shoots 1 cup canned
1.1 Broccoli
½ cup 1.6 Broccoli raw ½ cup 1.0 Broccoli rabe ½ cup 1.3 Broccoflower ½ cup 1.4 Brussels sprouts ¼ cup
2.4 Cabbage ½ cup (raw) 2.0 Cauliflower ½ cup (raw) 1.0 Swiss chard ½ cup
1.8 Collard greens ½ cup
4.2 Eggplant ½ cup
1.8 Hearts of palm 1 heart 0.7 Kale ½ cup 2.4 Kohlrabi ½ cup 4.6 Leeks ¼ cup
1.7 Okra ½ cup
2.4 Olives green 5 2.5 Olives black 5 0.7 Onion ¼ cup (raw) 2.8 Pumpkin ¼ cup
2.4 Rhubarb ½ cup (unsweetened) 1.7 Sauerkraut ½ cup (drained) 1.2 Peas ½ cup with pods 3.4 Spaghetti squash ½ cup
2.0 Spinach ½ cup (raw) 0.2 Summer squash ½ cup
2.0 Tomato 1 (raw) 4.3 Turnips ½ cup
2.2 Water chestnuts ½ cup (canned) 6.9 Zucchini ½ cup
2.0

Salad Garnishes Crumbled bacon 3 slices 0.0 Hard-boiled egg 1 egg 0.0 Grated cheeses (see above carb counts) Sautéed mushrooms ½ cup 1.0 Sour cream 2 tbs 1.2
Herbs and Spices (make sure they contain no added sugar)
Basil 1 tbs 0.0 Cayenne pepper 1 tbs 0.0 Cilantro 1 tbs 0.0 Dill 1 tbs 0.0 Garlic 1 clove 0.9 Ginger 1 tbs sliced root 0.8 Oregano 1 tbs 0.0 Pepper 1 tbs 0.0 Rosemary 1 tbs 0.0 Sage 1 tbs 0.0 Tarragon 1 tbs 0.0
Salad Dressings - Any prepared salad dressing with no added sugar and no more then 2 grams of net carbs per serving (1-2 tablespoons) is acceptable. Or make your own.
Blue cheese 2 tbs 2.3 Caesar 2 tbs 0.5 Italian 2 tbs 3.0 Lemon juice 2 tbs 2.8 Oil and vinegar 2 tbs 1.0 Ranch 2 tbs 1.4

Fats and Oils
There are no carbs here, but keep in mind that the serving size is approximately 1 tablespoon.

1. Butter
2. Mayonnaise – make sure it has no added sugar
3. Olive oil
4. Vegetable oils – Those labeled “cold pressed” or “expeller pressed” are especially good and olive oil is one of the best.
   • Canola*
   • Walnut
   • Soybean*
   • Grape seed*
   • Sesame
   • Sunflower*
   • Safflower*
   
   

*Do not allow any oils to reach overly high temperatures when cooking. Use olive oil for sautéing only. Use walnut or sesame oil to dress cooked veggies or salad, but not for cooking.
Artificial Sweeteners

• Splenda – one packet equals 1 gram of net carbs

Beverages

• Clear broth/ bouillon (make sure it has no sugars added)
• Club soda
• Cream, heavy or light.
• Decaffeinated or regular coffee and tea*
• Diet soda (be sure to note the carb count)
• Flavored seltzer (must say no calories)
• Herb tea (without added barley or fruit sugar added)
• Water – at least eight 8-ounce glasses per day including...
  • Filtered water
  • Mineral water
  • Spring water
  • Tap water
  
  

* You may have 1 to 2 cups of caffeinated tea or coffee if you can tolerate caffeine without experiencing cravings or symptoms of hypoglycemia. If you are truly addicted to caffeine, it's best to break the habit during the Induction.
Alcohol:
Alcohol is not allowed during the first two weeks of Induction. If you remain on this phase longer, you can have a glass of wine, a low-carb beer, or a small amount of spirits mixed with water or club soda, but be sure to avoid mixers that contain carbs, including fruit juices and tonic water. Understand that consuming alcohol may slow your weight loss.

[Georgiana]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

I think the weight I am gaining is water weight... when I press down on my leg it turns white and leaves an indent for a few seconds. What's with that? I used to be on a water pill but went off it because Atkins says you have to go off water pills. I really have to get rid of this water as my blood pressure is up too.

The only thing I can think of is that your water retention issue is much worse than what Atkins can fix. Can you talk to your doctor about this? Atkins is a natural diuretic, which is why taking a water pill could cause more harm than good... but if you need to take it, you should adjust the dosage with your doctor.

Another problem could be an electrolyte imbalance, which you may or may not be able to solve by tweaking your diet. If one or more of the electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, etc.) you need are very low, your body will hold on to water in order not to eliminate any more of them. Again, it is an issue you should discuss with your doctor.

[shelly808]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

oh goodness I missed that water retention thing....sounds like edema!

Your tissue should bounce right back and not pit like that! I agree - I would definitely get to your doctor about this.

[Elizellen]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

Shelly, I think the list you posted is from the new list published on the Atkins company website. Here we follow the list in Dr Atkins New diet Revolution which varies a bit.
Here we follow the '3 cups of veg' rule and not the '12-15 net carbs' rule.

[susan423]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

And, Shelley, green beans are the same as string beans, which is on the list

[Barbee]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

I didn't need a water pill on the induction... I was urinating like a race horse. But slowly as the diet progressed it stopped. It's almost as if my body got used to the low carb diet and has compensated to keep me fat.

[Georgiana]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

It's almost as if my body got used to the low carb diet and has compensated to keep me fat.

Did you enter your menus in FitDay? If you click on the Nutrition tab there, you will see how much of the daily RDA/AI you are getting in from food. It would be interesting to check that and compare it to what is in your multivitamin.

Did eliminating Splenda make any difference?

[Barbee]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

I'm also wondering if heredity plays a big part in who loses weight on the diet and who doesn't. My father was 5'10" and weighed 300 lbs. (or more) My mom was about 200 and my sisters all have weight problems. We ate good food in our house... meat, potatoes and veggies. Seldom had desserts. The old fashioned cooking. (I'm 65). My grandparents were overweight too. Maybe I'm just meant to be fat. But my knees are hurting me so bad... I'd really love to lose at least 20 more.

Those lists of foods here and in the diet books are great but yuk on some of them.
If you don't like them how can you eat them? The only fish I like happens to be deep fried with lots of breading... so fish is out.

I do like broccolli, cauliflower, green beans and brussell spourts but only with cheese or butter on them. Otherwise they are blah.

[Georgiana]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

I'm also wondering if heredity plays a big part in who loses weight on the diet and who doesn't. My father was 5'10" and weighed 300 lbs. (or more) My mom was about 200 and my sisters all have weight problems. We ate good food in our house... meat, potatoes and veggies. Seldom had desserts. The old fashioned cooking. (I'm 65). My grandparents were overweight too. Maybe I'm just meant to be fat. But my knees are hurting me so bad... I'd really love to lose at least 20 more.

Don't think of it this way. You've gained about 10 lbs in 3 weeks -- this has nothing to do with genetics. There are also a lot of members here who have been extremely successful on Atkins, even though they have a history of obesity in their family.

Those lists of foods here and in the diet books are great but yuk on some of them.
If you don't like them how can you eat them? The only fish I like happens to be deep fried with lots of breading... so fish is out.

That's alright, there are still plenty of foods to choose from, which I believe is one of the great things about Atkins.

I do like broccolli, cauliflower, green beans and brussell spourts but only with cheese or butter on them. Otherwise they are blah.

What about veggies from the "Salad Vegetables" list? Do you like any of those? Maybe you like them cooked?

You could use a dressing, instead of just butter and cheese.

This is a sticky thread Megs (not2late) wrote in the OWL forum:

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/ongoing-weight-loss-owl/25258-eating-more-vegetables-owl.html

You can use the ideas there for Induction, as long as you are watching your veggie carbs.

[imagood1]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

Those lists of foods here and in the diet books are great but yuk on some of them.
If you don't like them how can you eat them? The only fish I like happens to be deep fried with lots of breading... so fish is out.

I do like broccolli, cauliflower, green beans and brussell spourts but only with cheese or butter on them. Otherwise they are blah.

You need to give yourself the benefit of the doubt here -- when I first started Atkins I said the same things about veggies and fish -- once you try different spices you just might end up like me, and enjoy eating them differently. I even like some fish now with the right spices.

You can have butter on your veggies -- you can even put bacon grease on them if you feel the need -- I've taken some of my cheese, a little cream and microwaved it to make a cheese sauce for my veggies -- these are perfectly legal ways to eat on Atkins.

[imagood1]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

sorry -- I thought of something else -- you say you can't exercise...I was reading around the board the other day and saw a lady who weighed so much she said she "couldn't exercise" but one day she got an exercise video, started it and while sitting in her chair she started following the exercises as best she could....that got her started on her exercise routine and she was able to loose weight because she was doing something other than sitting on the couch feeling sorry for herself.

There are ways of working around an injury and getting exercise in - you just have to be creative. Good luck

[msanjelpie]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

"I'm meant to be fat" - that's one of the best excuses I've heard...

If you were to only lose 2 lbs a month would you still stay on the diet? Or would you quit and continue to gain weight? The choice is YOURS. You are meant to me what you put your mind to. It's a matter of how much YOU want it.

You have to FORCE your body to lose weight, and it takes a LOT of hard work, day after day, meal after meal. It's not just going to melt away without any effort... It's going to take a long time and at the end of that time you will feel a sense of accomplishment that you have never felt before because you made a committment and stuck with it.

So quit with the heredity excuse. Yes families tend to be fat together because they all eat the same way. The parents teach the kids how to eat and the cycle continues. It's up to YOU to break the cycle with yourself and be an example for the rest of your family...

[Barbee]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

"I'm meant to be fat" - that's one of the best excuses I've heard...

If you were to only lose 2 lbs a month would you still stay on the diet? Or would you quit and continue to gain weight? The choice is YOURS. You are meant to me what you put your mind to. It's a matter of how much YOU want it.

You have to FORCE your body to lose weight, and it takes a LOT of hard work, day after day, meal after meal. It's not just going to melt away without any effort... It's going to take a long time and at the end of that time you will feel a sense of accomplishment that you have never felt before because you made a committment and stuck with it.

So quit with the heredity excuse. Yes families tend to be fat together because they all eat the same way. The parents teach the kids how to eat and the cycle continues. It's up to YOU to break the cycle with yourself and be an example for the rest of your family...

That's about the most insulting thing anyone has ever said on this board.
And it isn't an excuse! In 3 wks I'll have been on the diet 1 year and lost only 6 lbs.

This board is supposed to be encouraging not deflating. And for your information my family all ate good food. Back in the 50's there wasn't any junk food. We had meat everynight. We couldn't afford desserts. We didn't eat a lot of fried foods either. We weren't low carb but we had good eating habits. Heredity DOES play an important part and it isn't just the eating habits. What about metabolism? Low blood sugar also runs in our family as does diabetes. I know people with skinny parents who eat like hogs and don't gain a pound. The girl I work with eats donuts and candy all day long and eats a hot fried lunch in the cafe... she is skinny as a rail but so were her parents.

[boonie stomper]

Re: HELP something is very wrong

...Second the motion USE THE DANDR Revised 2002 edition!

Also, start a log at www.fitday.com and test your menus using exact (as close as possible) amounts, ingredients and preparation type for everything you eat and drink. Aim for the percent ratio at the end of a whole day's worth to be 65-70 fat, 30-35 protein & 5% carbs* (this is for the 1st 2 weeks), it will show total carbs, from which you should try after subtracting fiber grams total, to have as close to 20 as you can. One more tweak: have some of all 3 with each main meal (in other words, spread your veggies around). In doing so, you can experiment with trial and error on the internet instead of your body. quantities DO matter, as do those % ratios, rendering the calorie counting unneccesary ((but they do count!)