Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged :(

**Sherri** · September 17, 2009, 08:30 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Hi Katy,
Did you measure yourself? When the scale isn't moving the tape measure is and you're losing inches.
Throw that chrystal light away. It's made with aspertame and a known staller. What sweetner is in the Winky gelatin? If it's aspertame. again, you may want to leave it out to see if that gets the scale moving.
Your calories look good. Starvation moad is not a myth. It's a reality. Try eating smaller meals throughout the day. It will rev your metabolism up and get things moving as well.
You're also building muscle with those work-outs. Muscle weighs more than fat. Then again, that's why the tape measure becomes a better friend than the metal monster. You're toning your body with all that great exercise you're doing.
Whatever you do, DON'T QUIT. Not only are you losing weight, toning your body but you're getting extremely healthy internally.
You're getting healthy, healthy, healthy. Keep at it.
I'm sure somene will chime in on your other questions.
Keep pushing forward.
Sherri

**katytorres** · September 17, 2009, 08:35 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

WOW Sherri, you look GREAT! Congratulations on your loss!!! Yes I have measured myself and it says that I have lost an inch or so in my stomach and hips but nothing on my arms or legs! And plus measuring is so hard for me because I never feel like I am measuring in the same spot!!!

Also, when can I start to eat peanuts and other nuts, I really want to eat them but I was told they are not good in the first two weeks, I am now in my 3rd week but I didn't want to start going into OWL because I didn't lose anything this week!

Thank you for your advice, I welcome all other advice as well. Thank you!

**chauber** · September 17, 2009, 08:48 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

For some people moving on to OWL actually helps them lose weight. You can always try it and see how your body responds and if it negatively impacts your loss you can drop back to induction...but with so little to lose you probably should move up. After all, OWL are some of the steps that need to be taken to help train you how to eat healthy forEVER!

You can expect that your arms and legs may not lose much in the way of inches...just think about it as when you gain muscles they grow, growing means bigger around, and with so little to lose the fat that you have to lose is going to be hiding.

Try to measure your success with how you feel, how do your clothes fit, how about your energy levels? Also, take a look at the things that you are eating...just because you could eat them during the first week and lose doesn't mean you can continue to. Many things can stall a person, sometimes it is the cheese, other times the cream, you will have to have patience and look at each thing individually. Try removing something from your plan...like the cheese, heavy cream, and definately the artificial sweetners...and wait a week just to see if you start losing again. If you add them back in one at a time after a week you should know what is causing the slowdown.

Good luck!

**DarlingBri** · September 17, 2009, 09:07 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Are you drinking 64oz of pure, plain water a day?

I suspect from your menu that you are not doing your vegetables correctly. If I'm reading it correctly, you've got:

Mushrooms (how many? canned or fresh?)
1 c. broccoli
2 c. lettuce
Spinach

You need to eat 2 cups off the salad list and 1 cup off the other list - no more, no less. You are exceeding this.

Also I will say that a major component of induction is to wean yourself off of sugar. The cocoa drops (I don't even think cocoa is legal), crystal lite and jello are reinforcing your sweets issue.

The goal on Induction is 65% fat, 30% protein, 5% carbs per day (not per meal). Your carbs are high for that menu, probably from the extra vegetables.

PS: Sorry, I don't mean to be down on your menu - my point was that I think you can easily fix this and un-stall

**katytorres** · September 17, 2009, 09:15 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

I hate water

Is there anything that's legal besides water?!?! I don't want to drink diet soda, but I just can't drink that much water, I have to have some kind of flavor, and lemon doesn't really do it for me!

The cocoa powder I use is 10 calories and 1 carb per tblsp, and I just splash it in there.

Also I have a REALLY bad sweet tooth! Sugar free jello is bad? I need SOMETHING, does anyone have any ideas??

Let me know, and I appreciate all your comments!

**sporty** · September 17, 2009, 09:16 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

First off - you need to give it LONGER than 2 weeks. Everyone takes off the weight differently. Just because some folks are taking it off a big amount doesnt mean that you are not losing and that it is not working.

You have to look at this as a LIFESTYLE change. Either you are ready to change or you or not. Only you can decide that.

You really should give it longer, take measurements and be strict with your foods. Are you also working out? I lost a good bit in my induction but I was VERY strict with my foods, exercised daily and pushed myself hard.

You can do it! Just keep going and the weightloss will come...

**sporty** · September 17, 2009, 09:21 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Originally posted by katytorres View Post

I hate water

Is there anything that's legal besides water?!?! I don't want to drink diet soda, but I just can't drink that much water, I have to have some kind of flavor, and lemon doesn't really do it for me!

The cocoa powder I use is 10 calories and 1 carb per tblsp, and I just splash it in there.

Also I have a REALLY bad sweet tooth! Sugar free jello is bad? I need SOMETHING, does anyone have any ideas??

Let me know, and I appreciate all your comments!

Unfortunately YOU HAVE TO HAVE WATER! Part of this lifestyle is flushing the fat out. That means you must have water. No one hates water more than me but I just make myself do it. If your not drinking enough PLAIN OLE WATER then you are not going to lose the weight.

If you go to Linda's site there are lots of desserts that are induction friendly but you need to limit them. I allow myself a little induction friendly dessert once a week on sundays as a treat for being good for the week. But it is still LEGAL and on my list of foods!

You really need to buckle down and get strict or you are going to stay in this rut you are in.

**katytorres** · September 17, 2009, 09:32 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Sporty how many calories are you eating per day? Are you calculating that? And how often do you work out? Just wondering because we are close in weight range. Let me know. Thanks!

**EverLosing** · September 17, 2009, 09:32 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Originally posted by katytorres View Post

I have heard so many people say that on Atkins the weight just drops off and I know only have like 10 or 15 lbs to lose but I really just want to get it off. I am getting discouraged like if the weight is not going to come off and I am going to stay the same why don't I just eat the carbs or whatever I want!??!?!

I also feel really tired and I have gotten a few headaches, is this because my body doesn't have the carbs - and why does this diet work better if you still have to burn through the fat you eat before you get to the stored fat, just like you have to burn through carbs before your body burns fat?!? I am confused.
I'm sure Georgiana can give you the scientific details from memory as to why this diet works better. What I can tell you is...it just DOES. It works if you work it. Do you have the book? Have you read it?
Also people are telling me stuff and I don't know what to think - some people saying that now I am screwed because if I go back to eating carbs I will gain more weight than I ever was even trying to lose, that it's bad for my health, etc. Also some people say that I am eating too little calories (I am 5'6", 157, 28 and I am trying to eat around 1,500 calories - before I was eating around 1,200 - and I work out 3-5 times a week doing 2 spin classes, two kickboxing classes, and just random workout of running or eliptical), and then I have read online that really you can drop your calories pretty low without going into "starvation mode, and that starvation mode is a myth, and even if your metabolism slows it's not much to affect weight loss."
You know what they say about opinions, right?? Yeah, tell me the people imparting their oh so expertise knowledge to you are exactly where you want to be. Generally, they're not. A few months ago, I had this really huge old lady telling me how to do Atkins correctly. I smiled and nodded and thought, I'll show you in a few months what doing it correctly will do. And I did. Starvation mode is NOT a myth. Again, opinions are like

, everybody has one.
Can someone please help me! I am getting discouraged and I don't want to quit but I really don't want to screw my body up and end up gaining more weight or something! Sorry this is so long but I really want some motivation!
Quitting will get you exactly what you don't want...right back to where you were. The only way you're going to screw your body up is to continually switch from one way of eating to another. Motivation must come from that place deep down within yourself. It comes down to one thing. How bad do you want it?
Below is what I ate yesterday, for example:
Breakfast
2 Scrambled Eggs
American Cheese
2 Slices of Bacon
Snack
Pork Rinds
3 Tbsp. Heavy Whipping Cream (made like milk)
Lunch
Chicken Breast
Mayonnaise Packet
2c. Romaine Lettuce
6 Black Olives
Ken's Steakhouse Ranch Dressing
Dole Mushrooms
1c. Broccoli
Snack
Chocolate Cream Cheese Drops (2 serving cream cheese, splash of cocoa powder, splash of splenda, frozen)
Dinner
Tilapia
Spinach
String Cheese Rolled in Parmesean Cheese and Browned
Kraft Deli American Cheese Slice (microwaved like crackers)
Winky Sugar Free Gelatin
Other
Crystal Light LiveActive Powder
Total Calories - 1,531, Fat - 92, Carb - 28, Fiber - 11, Net Carb - 17
Ratio - 64.59 Fat, 26.61 Protein, 8.81 Carb

Chuck that Crystal Light. If the gelatin isn't made with splenda, get rid of it too. I'm not a huge cheese eater but that looks like A LOT of cheese to me. That can stall you and plug you up. I wouldn't want either of those effects. If you haven't already, set up an account (free) on FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal. It will help you tremendously. This a wonderfully supportive Atkins board full of people who discovered this way of eating/living is worth it in so many different ways. There are things you can tweak here that may make a huge difference for you but you've got to be willing to do the work and it also takes patience. So, c'mon, you can do it!!!

_________

**sporty** · September 17, 2009, 09:39 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Originally posted by katytorres View Post

Sporty how many calories are you eating per day? Are you calculating that? And how often do you work out? Just wondering because we are close in weight range. Let me know. Thanks!

I am eating between 1500 -2000 per day. Depends on what I eat that day. But I stay VERY strict with my food list. I have an application on my phone that tracks my atkin carbs and I log EVERYTHING every single day. If it goes in my mouth it gets logged on down to the spices.

I work out 5 days a week in a gym lifting weights for 40 minutes and then 20 minutes of cardio after. And I play tennis 2 times a week for 2 hours. Exercise is a BIG part of weight loss too. Just eating with no exercise will stall your results especially as you get on down toward you goal.

Right now my scale has not moved but my inches lost have. So I know I am getting healthier no matter what. Go to like fitday.com and LOG everything and then check your foods against the approved list and I bet within 2 weeks you will be happy with the results. Along with adding in the exercise.

**liv** · September 17, 2009, 10:00 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Quick glance on your menu - the things I would improve is cutting our all that sweet stuff you are eating. Eat whole foods. Drink clean water.
Also a lot cheese and cream as well , you may have to limit it.

But as people have said a pause is very normal. Keep going

**sallyseachange** · September 17, 2009, 10:11 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Keep going... you're doing very well indeed. Also, remember that the less you have to lose, the slower the weight loss. A sad truth and very irritating.

Most people, after a clean 2 week induction lose 5%-10% of the total amount they need to lose. If my math is correct, by that standard (losing 3 lbs out of a total of 10-15 lbs), you're doing fantastically!

**DarlingBri** · September 17, 2009, 10:54 AM

Re: Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged

Katy I know it is really hard to hear this, but if you are not drinking 64oz of water and you are not breaking your sugar addiction, you're not truly doing Atkins and it's going to be impossible to predict how it works for you, if at all.

You're stalled, and those are the most likely reasons why.

Sugar replacements are fine in moderation - moderation being a total of 1 tablespoon MAXIMUM of Splenda a day. But you need to be aware that sugar replacers may slow weight loss. They are also treated by your intestines as if they were sugar and can work against the glucose benchmarks Atkins is based on.

This diet is totally do-able but Induction isn't easy. You're going cold-tukey on a lot of stuff. There are a lot of low-cvarb diets out there that are more sugar-free jello and cocoa friendly, like South Beach. (Which also requires pure water in Phase 1.) Nobody here would tell you that South Beach doesn't work - people just choose Atkins because they think it's a good match to their particular low-carb eating preference.

I think it's probably key to find a diet that will really work for you, and stick to the plan like you've just found religion. If that can be Atkins, that great, and you'll get a lot of support here!

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Need Some Motivation - Getting Discouraged :(

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