Week 4 - still stuck!

[Mis4Mouse]

Okay, I'm really gonna need a pep talk from those who know their Atkins....

I've lost 10 lbs on atkins....need to lose 10 more, 15 ideally... have followed the plan faithfully, have remained on induction for four weeks instead of two, have varied my foods, cut out caffeine, avoid aspertame like the plague, only use splenda or nothing at all...drinking lots of water, using the lipo styx to make sure I'm still waaaay in ketosis, and regardless, I'm stuck. I've been stuck for two, going on three weeks. Cannot budge past the 139 mark.

I don't know what to do next. In the meantime my husband is melting away and looks and feels fabulous. I feel really good, and I look okay, but I am getting frustrated and it's hard to stay motivated. If he weren't so supportive I would've given up.

But we've both decided that Atkins just makes sense for us healthwise, and so we'll be staying low carb. On the other hand, boy I wish I knew why I am having so little success when everyone else seems to be cruising along.

HELP!
Sue

 

[TigH]

I understand your frustration, but I have to say don't give up hope!

Have you been measuring? How do your clothes fit? Are you guys planning to make this a life long deal or is this just something you are doing to lose the weight?

You have lost alot already!!! 139 is a good weight (hee hee, I can say that after wishing to be there for a few months!) Don't despair! Maybe in a week or two if you don't see the results you want you can try to Atkins Fat Fast like two of our WISHers did this week (with great results!)

Are you exercising to try to reshape your body? If so, you might be putting on muscle weight AND reducing body fat, which would show up as a no loss, no gain type of deal on the scale.

Stick with it though! Lots more benefits from Atkins (that I've read about here on WISH) than JUST losing weight!

 

[Luvinit]

Sue...You sound like ME...before Monday. Have you heard of the Fat fast??? Its a way to jump start you metabolism. It sounds like you might be a candidate...BUT it is something that you have to dedicate yourself to do...ITs not easy.

If you PM me..I will try and walk you through it. The web site is atkins.com/archive/2001/12/21-237659.printable.html?

I am not sure if this is going to work for you but you can always just go to Atkins.com...and search on fat fast...Its also on page 272 of the Atkins New diet revolution book.

Karyn (Kabuli1) and I just got through the first phase..and we are today was the start of phase 2.

Let me know what you think..It really did help us. PM me if you need to.

PS...read the post that says...results reveled....really. It shows our success.

Tracy
Tracy

 

[nativetxn]

One of the sad facts true of any weight loss plan is that the closer you are to goal, the slower you lose. Another sad fact is that men lose faster than women. Frustrating, isn't it?

My husband and I have also taken the Atkins plan as a lifetime plan, he is so much more healthy eating this way.

You are almost to goal. I know it may not feel that way to you but 10 or 15 pounds from goal weight is very close to goal. Your body is going to do everything it can to keep this weight.

If you think a different eating plan will work better for you then change eating plans.

Try changing the type of exercise you do, sometimes that helps.

Just don't give up. You will <i>never</i> reach goal if you give up. Hang in there. You can do this, we're going to help you.

You aren't really in a stall. A stall is defined by Atkins as a full month with zero weight loss. You lost an average of 5 pounds each week for the first two weeks. That is a significant amount of weight to lose for someone your size. Your body is most likely just resting up right now. I'll bet that DixieDreamer and Dizneegirl will have some great advice for you. They are Atkins experts

Katholyn

 

[Kabuli1]

I think you need to be looking at the big picture! You lost 10 lbs in 4 weeks! That's 2.5 a week!!!! From what I read here Atkins tends to work like that - big jumps followed by big slowdowns!

Also, what Kath said - you are very close to goal, it WILL take longer. You can't look for a quick fix, and besides, even if over the next several weeks you continue to lose at only 5. - 1.0 lbs/week you will still be at goal very very quickly. ANd as it's been said over and over here, the slower it comes off - the longer it will stay off.

Another thing to think about, we tend to want to weigh less than our bodies want to. Do you truly need to lose that extra 10 or do you just want to? All of us need to ask if it's a health or a vanity issue - me too! I'm still on the health issue thing - but when I get down in the healthy range, will I be willing to stop when I'm at a good maintenance weight - or will I want that extra ten just to look like I did at, say, 25???

The husband thing it truly a mystery to all of us! Men have such different metabolisms! My DH is doing Atkins also - he's out there chowing down on tons of meat - tossing back the Ultra Light beer etc etc and losing and losing. It's just a gender difference. Any plan you would do together will have that result - you can't do much but live with it and rejoice that he's having it easier than you! I know, NOT FAIR!

As far as the Fat Fast - you're not ready for it yet. You need 4 full weeks of stall - 4 full weeks of not dropping an ounce! If you get to 4 weeks - two more of induction, w/ no loss Tracy and I will be happy to help you thru it! It is not for the faint of heart, nor for the 10 from goal person.

Best advise: take it slow and steady and be happy for every .5 you drop! Drink gallons of water, exercise, don't eat too little and hang in there!

Karyn

 

[TinkerPixie]

You are doing fine.... things will start to move again, this way of life will teach patience, as well as healthy eating....
I can tell you about my six month stall if you like, but its a long sad story... I have just now begun to see a small amount of movement on the scale again. I did, however, shrink in that time two sizes, so I know something was happening all along.

Patience, patience, patience......it will work for you!!!!!

 

[Mis4Mouse]

Thanks so much to everyone who responded!


Well I started this journey on May 24. And in that time I lost 10 pounds. You're right Tigh, at least I lost the 10! Also, I just realized that it's the time of the month I most retain water.... So, things could turn around after I get through the pms thing.

I'm not quite ready for the Fat Fast, although I will give it another Two weeks. If I have not lost a thing by then, then I will try the Fast.

Tracy the Fat Fast looks tough, but I will take you up on your offer for the walk through when I decide to go through with it. I am very disciplined and I think I can do it.

And Karyn, you are absolutely right of course - Deep down I know it's a vanity thing, and that to you and anyone else I probably look fine the way I am. But I am soooo close to reaching my goal that I just can't seem to leave it alone. I just want to be able to wear a size 6 again - I have a tiny frame and a bone disease that limits the amount of weight I can safely carry without causing stress fractures.

Thank you all for your support. I know you all have worked hard and made great progress. My measly 15 lb goal seems pointless compared to some of you, but to me it's really important, and it means alot to me to have you validate it by your show of concern, and your encouragement.

Thanks so very much!
Sue

 

[nativetxn]

My measly 15 lb goal seems pointless compared to some of you

Never. Every single WISHer here has a goal that is unique to them. We all have different amounts to lose and reach goal but no one's goal is more or less difficult than another's.

I think that is part of the magic of WISH. The fact that we are all facing the same challenges although our goals are all different.

You can always count on your fellow WISHers for support--always.

Katholyn

 

[DixieDreamer]

In addition to what everyone else has said I would like to add the following two points:

1) Almost everyone experiences the dreaded "post induction stall". It occurs anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks after you begin induction. It is a period of time where the scale does not move - but for many of us the inches were still coming off. What is happening is that your body is kind of "catching up" to this new way of eating. If you remain on plan... the pounds will begin to come off again shortly.

2) A stall is not only 4 weeks of no scale loss - but NO INCHES lost either. This is very important. Because Atkins is an adequate protein way of eating... many people will repair/build muscle that was cannibalized by our bodies during periods of eating high carb/low fat/low protein. You may be losing FAT, gaining back some lost muscle tissue and the effect is that you will be getting slimmer (muscle occupies less volume pound for pound then fat) but the scale will not move.

At this moment I am LIVING PROOF of this phenomenon! I have been working out at the gym fairly regularly for a month and a half now. During the first 4 weeks of this - I lost 4 lbs of scale weight - but 16.5 inches were lost and my body fat percentage went down by 2.4%. The past two weeks my scale weight has been the same (no losses) but I just did a quick measure this morning on a couple of key areas (because I am feeling smaller!) and sure enough... I have lost another 1/2 inch on my hips, 1/2 inch on my thigh, and 1 inch on my waist!!!

The scale weight loss will happen eventually. It's very important to keep the whole picture in mind. Just losing pounds is not a good indicator of health... you could be losing muscle and enjoy a loss on the scale.... better outcome is to lose body fat, build and maintain a good firm muscular structure, and to improve our cardiovascular health. Getting SMALLER for the right reasons!

Wishing you success.

 

[Mis4Mouse]

Dixie - your post made me realize something that I've been wondering about. This is the first "diet" I've ever tried, where I lost some weight, and it wasn't all in my chest! I've been marveling at the fact that my bra size didn't go down at all while I did go down one pant size. On ever other diet I've tried, I went down a whole bra size before I made much of a dent around my waist. I've been wondering how come....

I also noticed that there are short sleeve blouses I couldn't or wouldn't wear last year because they were too tight around my upper arms, and now they fit really well, even loosely. It must be what you are talking about -

Thanks for the input - it really makes sense!
Sue

 

[Beanie]

Originally posted by nativetxn
Never. Every single WISHer here has a goal that is unique to them. We all have different amounts to lose and reach goal but no one's goal is more or less difficult than another's.

I think that is part of the magic of WISH. The fact that we are all facing the same challenges although our goals are all different.

You can always count on your fellow WISHers for support--always.

Katholyn

I couldn't agree more with Kath!! She is exactly correct here...no one on WISH is more important than anyone else...regardless if you have 5 pounds to loose or 500...we are all here to support one another!! I know I can always count on my WISH friends to give me the support I need, which is why I have been so successful on Atkins...Sure, I have done my part by not eating the wrong things, but the WISH board is a huge part of that accomplishment for me! They are always here when I need them most!

Hugs to you!!