Not exactly stalled but...

[Mutantmom]

Ok, I started on March 6th and have lost 21lbs. I'm really pleased with my progress not to mention I hit my first mini goal of 264 on the 5th of this month...however, since then I have been bouncing around between 264-267. I have increased my exercise a great deal (going to the gym 5 days a week and exercising at home the other two). I often get up in the morning and do 5 miles on the bike, on M/W/F I go to the gym to do weights and on T/Th I do aerobic exercises at the gym. I will then go home and do 5 miles on the bike and on weekends I do the bike as well as the treadmill all day long both Sat & Sun.

No loss since the 5th. I know it is not a real stall, but I'm getting worried. I have moved up to 25g of carbs daily and keep my calories right between 1200-1500 daily. I simply can not (nor do I want to) eat less. I Keep my sodium intake between 800-1000 so I know it is not that and I drink 128oz of water daily (on top of 16 oz of green tea - Lipton).

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Georgiana]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

A week without weight loss is normal. Take body measurements as well.

How many of those 25 net carbs are coming from vegetables? And you meant net carbs, right?

keep my calories right between 1200-1500 daily. I simply can not (nor do I want to) eat less.

I imagine that is way below your BMR, so you should probably eat more, not less.

[Mutantmom]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

Hi Georgiana, this is what I had yesterday, in net carbs.

4 large eggs boiled
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup cauliflower
4 oz boneless cooked chicken breast with skin
4 large stalks of celery
2 oz of mozzarella cheese
1 cup broccoli
4 oz beef steak
1,227 caloires
19.9 net carbs
Fat 51%
Protein 39%
Carbs 11%
Alcohol 0%

I thought I should increase my calories (but of course that goes counter from what I've learned for years and it is difficult to override those whispers in my ear...less is more...)

What do you think about this menu, I pretty much stick with what you see, I do not vary much day to day, this is keeping the percentages pretty close to what they should be in OWL. I can honestly say I've eaten this menu for about 11 days in a row now.

Thanks.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

Atkins isn't about percentages. They can be a clue for troubleshooting, but that's about it.

I think you're undereating. You're not really eating at Induction net carbs, much less OWL, and your calories about 1/2 of what you likely need.

You're probably in famine mode.

[Georgiana]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

1,227 caloires

That's undereating and all it does is to slow down your metabolism and make weight loss more difficult.

So, yes, you should increase your calories. Add some more fat there... butter on cauliflower and broccoli, a dressing on salads, etc.

this is keeping the percentages pretty close to what they should be in OWL.

What percentages do you think you should keep for OWL? I am not aware of any OWL percentages.

I can honestly say I've eaten this menu for about 11 days in a row now.

Eating the same menu for so long isn't going to help you. Like most menus, the menu you posted is low in some nutrients. Some nutrient deficiencies can interfere with weight loss, and that's probably not doing your overall health any good either.

I'd say vary your menus and eat more food.

[Mutantmom]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

Thanks for the input, I will up my calories (but not more than about 1800, my doctor told me to keep them between 1200-1500).

This was an example of just one day, I usually get in 25 net carbs (mostly from veggies). I will increase calories and fat, the percentages, I'm not sure where I got them, I believe it was either here or on another low carb site. I like percentages, they are another tool to keep me in line, so I'm ok with them.

From what I learned here, OWL is simply the process of adding back in more carbs (which you can all see I've done) it does not matter what that number is.

I also like keeping my menus as simple as possible. I will change the menu, but then stay with what I change it to if I'm losing until I stop...then I will change it up...Simplicity is what keeps me on track.

[Georgiana]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

my doctor told me to keep them between 1200-1500

Is your doctor familiar with Atkins? Does he/she know you are following Atkins?

His recommendation is typical for a high carb diet.

[liv]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

You need more energy - you're exercising so you need to fuel your body. It will just slow down metabolism if you do not and you will not lose the fat

I think the veggies you list have about 11 net carbs - you should probably be higher.

[Mutantmom]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

Is your doctor familiar with Atkins? Does he/she know you are following Atkins?

His recommendation is typical for a high carb diet.

Yes, she knows I'm doing Atkins, she does Atkins! She really wants me to move further into OWL and was totally frustrated with me during the beginning when I would not take the plunge! But she just told me again a couple of weeks ago to stay in the 1200-1500 calorie range. I am on several vitamins and get bloodwork drawn monthly (Vit. D. deficient).

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

>>she just told me again a couple of weeks ago to stay in the 1200-1500 calorie range.>>

Wonder why she thinks undereating will be good for you?

[Mutantmom]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

You need more energy - you're exercising so you need to fuel your body. It will just slow down metabolism if you do not and you will not lose the fat

I think the veggies you list have about 11 net carbs - you should probably be higher.

Ok, I will increase my calories to 1700, but what I listed is a lot of food, I've never gone to be hungry and am not really sure how I am going to increase that, I was thinking putting in a pat of butter and olive oil here and there, not more veggies.

Though I have to admit, the last week or so I've had late night cravings for the first time, I actually wanted to just taste the mac and cheese I made for my family last night (I didn't). So I will look over my menu and make some changes based on the list of foods in OWL and make some changes, I've really wanted to eat a few strawberries and add sf jello so I might add those in for a week to see how it works.

Again, thank you all so much.

[liv]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

OWL as we understand it here at ADBB is a system where you try to add in sugary carbs in order and with a lot of measuring and thinking behind it

So once you are in OWL one you add more veggies and may be eating 15 or 17 or something and then you add in dairy for another 5 - try out a few items - like yogurt or cottage cheese or milk. You add only 5 carbs worth of this. the comes nuts and seeds (wonderful rung this one - so many things to try) Special rule about nuts to limit the portion sizes.
And then comes berries - and again we measure carefully to have only 5 carb worth and we tryout only one at a time. Definitely my favorite rung. I eat a lot of strawberries when they are in season.
Hope that helps
You are right that if you feel a bit unsatisfied it is time to OWL.
And if I was exercising that much and eating that little I would be starving come evening too.

[Georgiana]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

the last week or so I've had late night cravings for the first time

Some people mistake hunger for cravings. Hunger is not only a growling stomach.

You can make "mac" and cheese with cauliflower. Here's a recipe of George Stella:

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Casserole Recipe : : Food Network

add sf jello

Sugar free jello has no nutritional value. And if you mean Jell-O, it also contains aspartame, which Dr. Atkins discouraged.

[Mutantmom]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

OWL as we understand it here at ADBB is a system where you try to add in sugary carbs in order and with a lot of measuring and thinking behind it

So once you are in OWL one you add more veggies and may be eating 15 or 17 or something and then you add in dairy for another 5 - try out a few items - like yogurt or cottage cheese or milk. You add only 5 carbs worth of this. the comes nuts and seeds (wonderful rung this one - so many things to try) Special rule about nuts to limit the portion sizes.
And then comes berries - and again we measure carefully to have only 5 carb worth and we tryout only one at a time. Definitely my favorite rung. I eat a lot of strawberries when they are in season.
Hope that helps
You are right that if you feel a bit unsatisfied it is time to OWL.
And if I was exercising that much and eating that little I would be starving come evening too.

This is confusing, sugary carbs? I don't like dairy so I skipped that and my weakness is nuts so I can't do that...so I am really just adding in more veggies from the induction list, which has brought my carbs from 5g daily to 25 net grams...I said strawberries because that would be the next rung I can pull from. I am going to take something out in order to put the strawberries in that way I will stay at my 25net grams while I am trying out the strawberries, if I see a drastic change (in that I start gaining) I will go back to the menu stated here and re-evaluate.

I don't go to be hungry with what I have been eating...not at all, actually I am quite full every night even with the exercise...off to the gym!

[Mutantmom]

Re: Not exactly stalled but...

Some people mistake hunger for cravings. Hunger is not only a growling stomach.

You can make "mac" and cheese with cauliflower. Here's a recipe of George Stella:

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Casserole Recipe : : Food Network

Sugar free jello has no nutritional value. And if you mean Jell-O, it also contains aspartame, which Dr. Atkins discouraged.

Believe me when I say I'm not hungry, I think I stated it here before, I'm huge, I weigh 267lbs today, I have no problem understanding when I'm hungry. These are cravings, I crave cookies, I crave mac and cheese, I crave peanut butter etc. I have not gone to bed once since starting hungry, nor have I woken up hungry, I eat plenty of food during the day and drink quite a bit of water.

Thanks for the information about aspartame, I'm not one of those people who goes through life worrying about a little bit in my diet, I want something sweet and that will fill the bill for me, I used to use it all the time in the past and never had a problem with it stalling me or making me crave other sweets, as a matter of fact, during induction in the past, it would be that staple sweet that would keep me from eating other things I should not eat. The idea of eating that with a freshly chopped up strawberry is very appealing to me right now...so yes, I mean Jell-O (which of course you knew, but thought for some reason it was important to correct my spelling ).

Again, thanks for the suggestions, I will use all of them!

You guys are great.

Oh, and thank you for the recipe, but not going to happen in my diet, I'm not big on cheese (I think it has stalled my progress in the past) and not really big on milk products, I had the string cheese yesterday because I was out and about and did not have anything else quick and convenient.