Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

[IrishIrish]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

I'd be constipated too if I ate that much cheese compared to not much fiber.

[Elizellen]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

The pain could well be from the constipation The only time I had it very badly I thought I had appendicitis as it doubled me over with the pain, but after 'going' the pain vanished.

Maybe you can get hold of glycerine suppositories from the chemist/drug store, these are like a small firm jelly 'bullet' that you insert and they soften the impacted stool to allow it to be passed.

If you do get them make sure you are near the bathroom/restroom though, as for me it only took about 20 minutes before I was 'busting to go' and i hate to think what might have happened if I hadn't been at home

[deepanjali]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Hi Guys

Day 3 on induction, I feel much better, just got back from the gym, had lots of energy!!
But 1 mistake - ate Atkins bar b4 workout, while driving back home, I was extremely hungry and had nothing to eat before the gym, I had the last bar in my car, so i ate that :-(
I hope it doesn't screw up my 3 days of hard work!!
Just had dinner - Steak with mayo and half bell pepper.
lunch - 2 cups salad and egg salad
Breakfast - Turkey creme cheese rolls with half bell pepper and mayo.
snacks - 2 cheese strings & atkins bar

Worked out for hour and half today! feels good to have all the energy back. Still constipated though!! How can I check if m in ketosis??

[VGrace]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Don't beat yourself up over the bars. Its better then stuffing yourself full of donuts.lol.
We all know the feeling of wanting to grab something quick and easy on the go. Its always best to stick with whole food though. I am sure it won't ruin any progress.

[ziggy]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Your comment about too much protein is spot on, but the example is not a very good one. An egg is close to perfect in ratios of protein, fat and carbs to start with. I don't like to monkey with eggs because the yolk and white each contain elements that are needed for absorption and utilization of all the essential fats and vitamins contained in the whole egg.


From a large egg, the protein contained in the yolk is 2.8 grams and the white contains 3.5. If you eat 4 whole eggs you will have consumed 25.2 grams of protein. If you consume 3 whole eggs and an extra yolk, you will have consumed 21.7 grams of protein, only 3.5 grams less, not enough to fool with.

If you need to cut down protein, and I don't think the OP does because of her strenuous exercising, it's best to cut down on portions of meat while increasing the fat (butter, olive oil or mayo) in preparation or as a sauce or in salad dressing or cut out a whole egg.

thanks Sunny i had no idea that it was only 3.5 grams less protein and that you need a full egg for its absorption and utilization to work best


and Georgiana the percentages
78% fat 20% protein 2% carbs

that was just some percentages i get when i eat higher fat and only lower carb vegetables like broccoli

however the protein is to low i should have put it at 24% i think

[deepanjali]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Hi GUys
Induction - Day 4
I feel better, but no loss of appetite? I am as hungry as I used to be, Iam just scared by the amount of fat I am eating, I guess I am over eating.
No sign of weight loss, could it be because I have too less to loose? I am getting discouraged, please suggest!!!

[trish1]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Deepanjali YOU GO GIRL!

I just started Atkins on Monday and I was also drinking coffee like you -- it's very hard but we will get over it and we will be better off for it. I was also really fatigued and could hardly keep myself awake so I did cheat and had a half caf/half decaf yesterday.

Years ago, there was a study in the health-care industry that told us that patients undergoing surgery experienced these same extreme side effects from cutting out the coffee, and the effect usually lasts 3-5 days.

I just wanted to send a little support your way from a fellow GTA resident. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, I hope you reach your goal, look beautiful and that everything goes absolutely perfect for you!

Trish

[Georgiana]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Hi GUys
Induction - Day 4
I feel better, but no loss of appetite? I am as hungry as I used to be, Iam just scared by the amount of fat I am eating, I guess I am over eating.
No sign of weight loss, could it be because I have too less to loose? I am getting discouraged, please suggest!!!

Some math.

You want to lose 5 lbs. For you, 1 lb means 20% of the weight you want to lose. For a person who needs to lose 100 lbs (to get to a healthy weight, not from an already low weight to a lower one), 20% would be 20 lbs. For someone needing to lose 50 lbs, 20% would be 10 lbs.

I've been on the Board for quite some time and I never saw a person overweight by 100 lbs lose 20 lbs in 4 days. Nor did I see someone 50 lbs overweight lose 10 in 4 days. That would mean 5 and 2.5 lbs lost per day, respectively, for 4 days in a row.

This might sound discouraging, but most people lose 5-10% of the weight they need to lose (for health reasons, not just to go from an already low weight to a lower one) in the two weeks of Induction. You might lose a pound or so (which is already 20% of the weight you want to lose!), but don't expect to lose 5 in 14 days---I seriously doubt that is going to happen and you are just setting yourself up for disappointment.

And by the way, if you're constipated, some poop weight will show on the scale too.

Now your menu. Atkins is a high fat diet, so it is normal to eat a lot of fat. During Induction, about 65% of our total calories should come from fat. It is the ratio of fat to carbs that determines the easiness of getting into ketosis, which is the big trick behind Atkins. Unless you eat past the point of satisfaction (we should eat to satisfy our appetite without stuffing ourselves for the greedy reason that there's some room left in the belly or some food left on the plate), then you are not overeating.

Did you take body measurements before starting Induction? You could also use a pair of pants or a top or something that is a bit tight as a reference for inches lost. If you didn't do this before starting Induction, you should do it now.

[deepanjali]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Hi dear

Thanks for the suggestion, I guess you are right! Doing induction might not solve my problem. But it might fix my metabolism from my past yo-yo dieting and start my fat burning generator which might lead to weight loss eventually. I would still like to complete induction(as I already bought my groceries, ;-), just kidding),
Georgiana do u have any other suggestion for me to loose this weight? I dont wanna starve myself and screw up my metabolism again. m no more constipated, psyllium husks worked!!
Tricia hun thx so much for all that support, I really need it although I am dissapointed but I am still giving it a try - last try How r u doing? whats ur weight loss goal?

[Georgiana]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Doing Induction won't harm. I was just saying you can't expect a weight loss in the first 4 days. You've been eating low carb before, so you probably don't even have water weight to lose.

Georgiana do u have any other suggestion for me to loose this weight?

You mean, other diet? Or some fat-burning twist to Atkins? Other diets, I don't know... I'm a bit against dieting, which is why I'm doing Atkins (a way of eating for life, not a short-time diet). As for a fat-burning twist, there really isn't. If there was, Dr. Atkins would have included in DANDR to sell more copies. The best you can do is just stick to all the rules of this "diet".

I missed one of your questions in my previous reply...

How can I check if m in ketosis??

There are several ways to do it. Ketostix are an option, but they are not always reliable as they only measure excess ketones in the urine. So if you don't have any excess ketones left to pee, there will be no color change on the stix. A more reliable way, imo, is to pay attention to physical signs of ketosis, such as fruity/bad breath, metallic taste in the mouth, change in the smell of your urine/sweat, increased energy, thirst.

[deepanjali]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Hi Guys, I have gained 2 lbs in 4 days!!!
So yeah I dont really think its working for me, I am going back to my low calories meal plan to loose 5 lbs :-( m extremely dissapointed

[Elizellen]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Sorry to hear you are disappointed in what following Atkins has done so far - as has been said, if anyone has been starving their body of nutrition, or been on a lowfat diet previously, their body is likely to take advantage of the good food they are eating and may well add weight if they are already at a fairly low weight.

[keriann_forgoodthistime]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Did low-calorie / low-fat dieting work for you up til now? I'm assuming this is the first week you've tried low-carb and within a few days you already deem it doesn't work?

I'm just saying you have to be patient, follow the program to a T and give it time!

The very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again and always expecting a different result.

Even at the low weight you're already at - you HAVE to be patient, do it by the book - and give it time.

I know you probably don't want to hear this - but the fact that you have such a little amount to lose - it might take you a bit longer to lose the weight than other people. I've been at this now for 7 months and some weeks i've had a small gain - other weeks it's fallen off - and for some weeks I lost absolutely NOTHING for a few weeks in a row...but I've changed my lifestyle because I know the way I used to eat never did anything for me but got me to my highest weight where I was unhappy AND in general - sugar is like rat poison - it's NOT good for you.

So you're gonna go back to an unhealthy way of eating that apparantly hasn't worked for you before - or are you going to stick with something that WILL work as long as you give it time?

I really don't mean to sound harsh at all - but just think about it. This isn't an "easy fix". Your body fluctuates weight all the time. There are some days I go back and forth 2 pounds (up and down) all the time BUT I know low carb does work.
You're only on the induction phase - maybe you should honestly try adding in rung 1 or 2 to see if the few extra carbs help.

good luck!

[Georgiana]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

No sign of weight loss, could it be because I have too less to loose?

Hi Guys, I have gained 2 lbs in 4 days!!!

On day 4 you had lost no weight and then on day 5 gained 2 lbs... so did this weight gain happen over night? I seriously doubt you've gained 2 lbs of fat in 4 days. That would require more calories than you consumed in these four days, so even if your metabolism is screwed up from your unhealthy low calorie diet, I don't see how you could have gained 2 lbs of fat. What probably happened is that you gained some water weight and there are many reasons why this could have happened: TOM, salty foods, change in your exercise routine or some other hormonal-related issue (are you still taking the medication you mentioned in one of your previous posts?). Starving yourself again won't do your body any good and you well know it. Hang in there a little longer and give Atkins more than 4 days---it's a healthy way of eating that you can follow for life, unlike a low calorie diet that leaves you shaky.

Could you post the menus you had in these four days (all of them, in detail), including quantities? And the exercise you did every day would be good to know too. Maybe we can figure out why you've gained the 2 lbs, whether you have to worry about them (if it's water weight, it comes and goes ), and if there's something that needs to be changed.

[Georgiana]

Re: Need Serious Help!! :-( (Atkins Fan)

Something else... You said you took psyllium husks. How much did you take? If you had more than what was needed for helping with constipation, then you will retain water because psyllium husks contain about 70% soluble fiber.