Disappointed

[Georgiana]

Re: Disappointed

But, it tells me to go up 5 carbs every week unless my weight loss stops. That's what makes no sense. I had 23 carbs yesterday. My weight was a lb. heavier.

Your weight will fluctuate from day to day. It's normal.

How can anyone count on losing weight every week to know if this is their CCLL? Should we really be adding back 5 every week? Or 5 until we see we have lost more weight?

You can add 5 net carbs every week as long as you continue to lose weight or inches. If you don't lose weight or inches in a week, you can choose to stay at the same carbohydrate level. OWL takes a bit of experimentation.

When I was in OWL, there were weeks when I lost no weight, but I decided to move forward anyway... and I ended up losing the next week or two weeks later.

I started Feb 12 at 179. On Feb 16 I weighed 172. I am 171 now on March 5?? Why wouldn't I opt for more "dramatic progress" ? (Because it's not?)

Well, "because it's not" is a pretty good reason.

Dr. Atkins also says that having only 20-30 lbs to lose is a good reason to move to OWL.

Some people actually lose better in OWL, when they add more nutritious carbohydrate-containing foods to their menus. Being deficient in certain nutrients can interfere with weight loss.

Other than that, keep in mind that you need to progress through all the weight loss phases of Atkins before you reach Maintenance. There is no purpose in running after quick results if in the end you don't have the "tools" that will help you maintain your weight once at goal. It's OWL and Pre-Mainteanance that give you these tools, not Induction.

[brandywine1241]

Re: Disappointed

Ellenw, I hear you loud and clear. I think how to do OWL is the most confusing portion of the book. It implies you go way too fast, in my opinion. I think it was Mitzi who said she did each rung in 2 phases. First she added 5 carbs of what she was already eating for a week or two. If she continued to lose weight, she introduced one food from the new rung 3 or 4 times in the next week. On the other days she ate the higher carb level with the known foods. If she wanted to, she added another new food from that rung 3 or 4 times the next week and continued until she wanted to move the the next level. Then she increased the carb level and continued as above. When she reached her CCLL, she continued up the rungs adding new foods in the same manner but keeping her carb level the same.

If your weight loss stops, 2big recommends staying where you are for a while and experimenting with keeping the new food and reducing the carb level one week, then removing the new food and upping the carb level the next week to make sure what is causing the problem.

[ellenw12345]

Re: Disappointed

Thank you all so much for taking the time to write me. I'm still confused but maybe I can catch on from reading posts.

I will move on to OWL and try to learn what works for me. Having faith.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Disappointed

>>I'm still confused but maybe I can catch on from reading posts.>>

What exactly are you confused about?

[JaxMama]

Re: Disappointed

To the op (ellen), you should read some of my threads about obsessing over the scale when you weigh everyday. And I am trying to break myself too LOL.

I am also learing OWL different for everyone. I think RUNG 1 is the easiest (after much questioning and answers from the boards). It's the same thing you have been doing but you just add more veggies. Could be a couple servings of salads or adding in more fresh veggies, I would use a sour cream dip to add fat to my additional veggies. Some days I would eat a lot of veggies and hardly any meat. Listen to what the board tells you. Def move to OWL RUNG 1, and yes it can be confusing (even for me still). Make sure you eat enough calories and fat.

I can't wait to see your progress.

[Amy1983]

Re: Disappointed

I can understand how you feel - I had been really good on my Induction stage of Atkins and after 2 weeks I hadnt lost anything ( so I decided to stay off the scales (evil things they are!) for another 3 weeks and tonight is judgement!!! Fingers crossed for the results this week....! (My mum this weekend said she thinks I had definately lost so lets hope she is right!)

Good Luck everyone!! ) x

[Georgiana]

Re: Disappointed

so I decided to stay off the scales (evil things they are!) for another 3 weeks and tonight is judgement!!!

What are your clothes telling you? Did you lose inches?

Losing inches is a better indicator of fat loss than the number on the scale.

[Amy1983]

Re: Disappointed

Hi Georgiana, thanks for the message - my clothes are definately telling me I have lost weight, one pair of trousers are getting too big to wear now and I have lost another 7lb... YIPPEEE!!!

Good luck with your on-going weight loss

[Pirooz]

Re: Disappointed

Your weight will fluctuate from day to day. It's normal.

You can add 5 net carbs every week as long as you continue to lose weight or inches. If you don't lose weight or inches in a week, you can choose to stay at the same carbohydrate level. OWL takes a bit of experimentation.

When I was in OWL, there were weeks when I lost no weight, but I decided to move forward anyway... and I ended up losing the next week or two weeks later.

Well, "because it's not" is a pretty good reason.

Dr. Atkins also says that having only 20-30 lbs to lose is a good reason to move to OWL.

Some people actually lose better in OWL, when they add more nutritious carbohydrate-containing foods to their menus. Being deficient in certain nutrients can interfere with weight loss.

Other than that, keep in mind that you need to progress through all the weight loss phases of Atkins before you reach Maintenance. There is no purpose in running after quick results if in the end you don't have the "tools" that will help you maintain your weight once at goal. It's OWL and Pre-Mainteanance that give you these tools, not Induction.

This is a great thread. Thanks for allthe great info you all have posted. I have been reading it all and it may just have given me some additional impulse to stay on. I jst finished my third week. In the first two weeks I only lost around 3 lbs. according to the scale. this past week I may have lost 0.5 lbs. A huge disappointment. I am defenitly keeping my carbs down to around 20 to 25(max).

The only mistake(s) may have been using some Atkins approved products with 1 to 3 carbs as subs for some meals or to supplant them. I have also used carnation whitner liquid (zero carbs) in my coffee along with sweetner (truvia or Equal etc). And a couple of times when I had a few Almonds.

On the positive side, I have done the threadmill (3.8 m/H) for 30 min 3 or 4 times a week. I have no carb cravings anymore; last night at a birthday party I touched nothing and did not suffer for it! I no longer have the headaches that are so prevalent in the first week or so of carb starvation. So all and l it is a pitty to throw in the towel, only to pick it up again later and go through the same wihdrawl symptoms.

In any case 3 or 3.5 Lbs. in 3 weeks is a paltry shadow of what i used to lose on the Atkins many years ago. I do not feel my clothes get any loser either so I can not blame the so called "eveil scale" , LOL.

When I started my weight was 227 and my goal is 180 or 190 Lbs. I am a couple of mm short tof 6'.

Having read all the replies here, I will keep going for a while and see if any Lbs. come off.

Pirooz

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Disappointed

>>I have also used carnation whitner liquid (zero carbs) in>>

This isn't likely to be 0 carbs ... doesn't it have corn syrup ... and possibly transfats?

If you want to post your menu, we can take a look ... see if anything (other than what you've mention) jumps out.

[Pirooz]

Re: Disappointed

Hello Atkinsgal08
How are you?
Thank you for the observation. Indeed the Carnation I had used until Thursday may have had more Carbs, what I have been using is a PUBLIX supermarket brand creamer with the following nutritional info:
1 Tblspoon 15 ml:
Fat 3 gr
Trans fat 0
Cholestrol 10 mg
Sodium 10 mg
Total Crbs <1 gr
Fiber 0
Sugars < 1 gr
Protein 0

As for the menus I have used I basically relied on Dana Carpender's low carb cook books, picking the menus with carbs that add up to about 20 to 25 (my guesstimate) . last night for example I had a portion of tuna-mayo-celery-sour cream - lemon- scallions-butter-some walnuts with lettuce.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Disappointed

>>what I have been using is a PUBLIX supermarket brand creamer with the following nutritional info:>>

What's the list of ingredients?

The nutritional label doesn't tell the whole story.

>>As for the menus I have used I basically relied on Dana Carpender's low carb cook books, picking the menus with carbs that add up to about 20 to 25 (my guesstimate) . last night for example I had a portion of tuna-mayo-celery-sour cream - lemon- scallions-butter-some walnuts with lettuce>>

That's nice... I like Dana's cookbooks.

However ... that doesn't help anyone to help you ... assuming you want help!

And you know that walnuts (or any nuts) aren't allowed on Induction.

[Pirooz]

Re: Disappointed

>>what I have been using is a PUBLIX supermarket brand creamer with the following nutritional info:>>

What's the list of ingredients?

The nutritional label doesn't tell the whole story.

>>As for the menus I have used I basically relied on Dana Carpender's low carb cook books, picking the menus with carbs that add up to about 20 to 25 (my guesstimate) . last night for example I had a portion of tuna-mayo-celery-sour cream - lemon- scallions-butter-some walnuts with lettuce>>

That's nice... I like Dana's cookbooks.

However ... that doesn't help anyone to help you ... assuming you want help!

And you know that walnuts (or any nuts) aren't allowed on Induction.

Thanks again. Point well taken. I have read most of the ALL NEW ATKINS ADVANTAGE by Stuart Trager and tried to use only ingredients they put on the accepted list for the induction. However, admittedly the position stated about nuts is to avoid them in the first 2 weeks and later if induction is extended Ii.e. week 3 , 4 etc) they could have a limited role. I did avoid nuts in the first two weeks. This having been the third week I allowed them to creep into that menu.
Would it be your recommendation to roll back the menus to the strictest guidelines of the first two weeks?

As for the creamer ingredients this is what it reads:
Light cream, Disodium Phosphate. Contains milk ingredients.

I read it when buying and aside from the milk ingredient part (which ones?) I did not see any red flags. Maybe I am wrong.

thanks again

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Disappointed

>>I have read most of the ALL NEW ATKINS ADVANTAGE by Stuart Trager>>

The book followed here is Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002).

>> As for the creamer ingredients this is what it reads:
Light cream, Disodium Phosphate. Contains milk ingredients.>>

Light cream should be fine.

"Creamer" in the US generally means some frankenfood.

[Pirooz]

Re: Disappointed

>>I have read most of the ALL NEW ATKINS ADVANTAGE by Stuart Trager>>

The book followed here is Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002).

>> As for the creamer ingredients this is what it reads:
Light cream, Disodium Phosphate. Contains milk ingredients.>>

Light cream should be fine.

"Creamer" in the US generally means some frankenfood.

Thanks again. I will continue to use the creamer in reference then. As for the book I mentioned it is practically the same as the Atkins book, the only great difference being it has a structured exercise guide included for the different levels. Otherwise it is the same as I remember the Atkins book from the last time i did the diet.

Still so I understand your objection: should no nuts be used in any diet even after the 2nd week? Same for veggies like asparagus etc with higher carbs?
Thanks again