Stalled or gaining on induction??

[crazyjojo]

I have a little bit of hope. I weighed myself this morning and I have lost 2.5 pounds. I also am not having any cravings and am having a little bit more energy. I guess I am in ketosis, a bit. I know that the bars and shakes have got to go, but one step at a time. Thanks to everyone for their support.

[Susannaj4]

Originally Posted by Karen67

Argghh, I think I am very rarely cheating, but am still not losing much weight! I didn't eat more than a couple of true crumbs of my son's red velvet cake yesterday (I baked it, so I tasted it to make sure it and the frosting were OK). After two weeks of induction I went out with girlfriends for a hard night of dancing and had a few shots of tequila with diet soda (very very very rare - and my contention is I danced this off!). One other evening I had a glass of white wine. Other than that, I have been pretty strictly following induction for over a month - only to have lost 3-4 lbs. I walk about 3-5.5miles five days a week.

I eat pretty simply:

-bacon (or sometimes eggs with a little cheese) for breakfast and coffee with cream;
-protein (usu something high fat like a hot dog, sausage or burger, but sometimes turkey breast) and ~2C salad with olive oil and red-wine vinegar;
-steak or hamburger or salmon for dinner (with a smaller serving of salad, broccolli &garlic cooked in olive oil, small bell pepper (raw) or mashed cauliflower with cream).

If I get hungry outside meals I might eat an ounce of cheese or a little turkey breast or have some decaf with cream. I don't snack a lot.

The only change I think I might make is to cut out the coffee. When I make it I put only two scoops of regular (and 6-8 decaf). I use HWC in my coffee. Now I am thinking maybe I have to let those go too? My plan is to taper it over the next two weeks. I am a little afraid that if I give up my coffee with cream and don't lose weight, I"ll chuck the whole thing!

I do, at least now, feel better without the carbs in my diet. But I am getting bored! I love good food. My plan was to lose the weight on Atkins, and then try what a friend of mine does and go off one day a week or somehow moderate it (maybe ala South Beach). I am not naturally a heavy carnivore so all this fatty meat is not really my thing. Any opinions?

Ahm, Are you eating enough? I drink coffee every morning with HWC. I am restarting induction today because I have no clue how much weight I've lost--long story involving the Wii and a brand new scale. Sometimes I wanna chuck them out the window. But I feel smaller, and I look different. So I'm gonna ask, are you really eating enough?
Boil some eggs before you go to bed and stick them in the fridge.
Add some HWC to your cauliflower and butter. really yummy that way and adds a sweet taste, but not the cravings.
Do you eat green beans? I love them with butter and salt and pepper.
How about stir fry? Zucchini, squash, mushrooms, green peppers and onions with your choice of meat?

[Susannaj4]

CrazyJoJo on your weightloss!!!!!!!!

[Ellen770]

I have a advice for those of you who are trying to do induction with no success. Here is my story: I did Atkins back in high school and was highly successful. About ten years ago, a friend started doing Protein Power, and I thought, why not? So I read that book and followed the diet. Then I switched to Atkins because nothing was happening with Protein Power...I was really good...never cheated, saw tremendous results in my blood pressure and cholesterol, and not one pound gone. I did the fat fast...I exercised religiously...nada. I never could get into ketosis. I convinced the doctor to treat my borderline thyroid problems...still nothing. Fast forward 9 years. I read a book that mentioned that sleep apnea KILLS your metabolism. As I was now diabetic, this interested me. My husband had complained for years that I snored like a freight train. So I finally went in for a sleep study. Yes, I was SEVERE sleep apnea and the doctor tells me it is a wonder I am alive it was so bad. I started sleeping with a cpap machine. When your life depends on it, its pretty easy to get used to. Within four months, I was down 40 pounds without trying or changing anything other than how I slept.

I recently started Bernsteins Diabetes Solution Plan...and eat a max of 30 carbs a day. It has done amazing things to my blood sugar levels, but what interested me was that I am now in ketosis! I was NEVER able to achieve that goal before.

So, if you are overweight, and snore, or wake up feeling tired, or are sleeping during the day inappropriately, and find losing weight to be nearly impossible, your problem may be medical and treatable. Get a sleep study! Its not that hard and it may save your life AND your diet!

[Karen67]

Originally Posted by Susannaj4

Ahm, Are you eating enough? I drink coffee every morning with HWC. I am restarting induction today because I have no clue how much weight I've lost--long story involving the Wii and a brand new scale. Sometimes I wanna chuck them out the window. But I feel smaller, and I look different. So I'm gonna ask, are you really eating enough?
Boil some eggs before you go to bed and stick them in the fridge.
Add some HWC to your cauliflower and butter. really yummy that way and adds a sweet taste, but not the cravings.
Do you eat green beans? I love them with butter and salt and pepper.
How about stir fry? Zucchini, squash, mushrooms, green peppers and onions with your choice of meat?

Thanks, Susanna. I think I'm eating enough - I sometimes forget to drink a lot of water.

I do make whipped cauliflower with HWC in the food processor, which I loved at first, but am now getting sick of. I have to be careful with the veggies because they have really become a treat for me on the diet. Maybe I should worry less about the veggies? Sometimes I wonder if I eat too much protein vs fat - eg, the only chunk of beef I like is a tenderloin which runs pretty lean. I do eat hot dogs and sausage etc.

I think I'm going to relax a little bit on the veggies and add some berries and just see what happens. That's better than a total give up, right?

[Susannaj4]

Originally Posted by Karen67

Thanks, Susanna. I think I'm eating enough - I sometimes forget to drink a lot of water.

I do make whipped cauliflower with HWC in the food processor, which I loved at first, but am now getting sick of. I have to be careful with the veggies because they have really become a treat for me on the diet. Maybe I should worry less about the veggies? Sometimes I wonder if I eat too much protein vs fat - eg, the only chunk of beef I like is a tenderloin which runs pretty lean. I do eat hot dogs and sausage etc.

I think I'm going to relax a little bit on the veggies and add some berries and just see what happens. That's better than a total give up, right?

yes, berries

[Becca4277]

Is anyone else worried about eating too many processed meats? I grab slim jims for snacks and like to eat pepperoni or hot dogs for lunch. It is just really hard to cook meat or fish for lunch.

[NewJoyof2012]

Originally Posted by Becca39

Is anyone else worried about eating too many processed meats? I grab slim jims for snacks and like to eat pepperoni or hot dogs for lunch. It is just really hard to cook meat or fish for lunch.

hi becca39-
i eat way too many processed meats. LOL..but it's more convenient for me. I dont really cook at all.

[asdf1234]

I'm tired constantly and majorly depressed right now. i don't eat vegetables because I need to eat food constantly so my carb count is already over, adding the veggies would increase it so much. And i know this means im getting too much fat but i just cant seem to stop wanting to eat, i need the comfort.

All I think about is food all day long. I look through these threads and see everyone's menus they post and the food looks horrible or it looks like one single meal for me, not a whole day!

I see stories of how they exercise a million times a day and I look at my two kids under 3 and laugh at that idea (and yes, im sure I will look through here and see a million moms with 7 kids that wake up cheerfully and jog and do yoga with their kids, i understand thats not an excuse for me)

I think Im just hopeless. I would love to lose the 40 pounds I gained since having my boys (both pregnancies I gained over 60 lbs- once again, uncontrollable eating...) but i know it is not just going to magically happen so all i am doing is setting myself up for failure.

[NewJoyof2012]

asdf1234, what do you usually eat throughout the day? how much water are you drinking? im starting my 2nd week on induction and gained 3 pounds, but myclothes feel loose on me. dont give up! we can all do this

[Susannaj4]

Originally Posted by asdf1234

I'm tired constantly and majorly depressed right now. i don't eat vegetables because I need to eat food constantly so my carb count is already over, adding the veggies would increase it so much. And i know this means im getting too much fat but i just cant seem to stop wanting to eat, i need the comfort.

All I think about is food all day long. I look through these threads and see everyone's menus they post and the food looks horrible or it looks like one single meal for me, not a whole day!

I see stories of how they exercise a million times a day and I look at my two kids under 3 and laugh at that idea (and yes, im sure I will look through here and see a million moms with 7 kids that wake up cheerfully and jog and do yoga with their kids, i understand thats not an excuse for me)

I think Im just hopeless. I would love to lose the 40 pounds I gained since having my boys (both pregnancies I gained over 60 lbs- once again, uncontrollable eating...) but i know it is not just going to magically happen so all i am doing is setting myself up for failure.

You aren't hopeless. I still go thru the thinking constantly about food, especially right around my TOM.

First of all, the longer we do this WOE, the smaller our portions become as long as we don't fall off the wagon. I fell off for three days at Christmas and then had my TOM so I am just coming off of that, so trust me, my meals weren't small. I'm sitting here right now eating 2 1/2 scrambled eggs for breakfast. I eat when I'm hungry. One thing to remember is don't eat because you are bored.

I remember when my kids were little. I had two in diapers at the same time. They were both boys and climbers. I had to take them with me to go to the bathroom. It was quite depressing not to have a minute to myself. But there are the lulls in time where they are occupied and you aren't hungry, but you eat. I've been there. Can you post a sample menu of what you are eating in a day?

You are gonna get thru this.

[asdf1234]

Thanks guys. I really have been forcing myself to eat less. The last two days have been okay I guess. Today was:

B-coffee with HC & 3 splendas, 2 turkey burgers with mayo and spicy mustard

L- pizza chicken (chicken with 1/8 cup of SF sauce and maybe 1/4 cup mozz. cheese, garlic salt)

D- another coffee w/ HC but with 3 Pure Via (first time trying, not sweet enough, going back to splenda) and 1 splenda packet
2 servings of spinach, mozz. & cheddar cheese quiche

throughout the day I probably had 35 oz. of watered down crystal lite (do not like plain water)

I do not count carbs like I should, i just never seem to have the time to do it, so I dont know how much that is exactly but it feels like it's under 20... And I just got fresh green beans so that will be for snacks, vegetables are hard for me to get in my diet...

And yes, with the kids it's so hard to feed them off the atkins plan without taking a small bite of their food :/ but I'm trying.... I start back to work next week so that will be a whole other set of problems I'm sure... But I just can't quit this time, I cant!

[Susannaj4]

Originally Posted by asdf1234

Thanks guys. I really have been forcing myself to eat less. The last two days have been okay I guess. Today was:

B-coffee with HC & 3 splendas, 2 turkey burgers with mayo and spicy mustard

L- pizza chicken (chicken with 1/8 cup of SF sauce and maybe 1/4 cup mozz. cheese, garlic salt)

D- another coffee w/ HC but with 3 Pure Via (first time trying, not sweet enough, going back to splenda) and 1 splenda packet
2 servings of spinach, mozz. & cheddar cheese quiche

throughout the day I probably had 35 oz. of watered down crystal lite (do not like plain water)

I do not count carbs like I should, i just never seem to have the time to do it, so I dont know how much that is exactly but it feels like it's under 20... And I just got fresh green beans so that will be for snacks, vegetables are hard for me to get in my diet...

And yes, with the kids it's so hard to feed them off the atkins plan without taking a small bite of their food :/ but I'm trying.... I start back to work next week so that will be a whole other set of problems I'm sure... But I just can't quit this time, I cant!

HEy, try cutting out some cheese. IT causes me issues and I seem to stall when I eat it until I get into ketosis really good.

[asdf1234]

Yes I forgot to add that cheese is a major thing with me! It's hard for me to find substitutes for it in meals. Like, just plain chicken would not satisfy me. I'm not a good cook at all so I'm not great with seasoning things...

[Alero]

I hate plain chicken too. Here are some things you can try, that don't add carbs.

First of all, are you eating the very popular boneless, skinless, chicken breast? Cuz that is just dry and horrible in my book. I don't eat breast. I like dark meat. My favorites are thighs and wings. Much more flavor.
Plus, on Atkins you can have the skin, and leaving the bone in keeps the flavor better. Just saying. Everyone is different. But that's my two cents on that.

Here's my list of ways to make your chicken yummy:


Cajun seasoning. (A favorite of mine, Tony Chachere's)

Mustard. I like to coat chicken in mustard, then add Tony Chachere's.

Try pan frying in different oils. Canola, olive, peanut, etc.

Lemon pepper is really good.

Add bacon. (This applies to anything, really. One of my favorite things about Atkins)

Other tips: watch your sweeteners. Each packet counts as a carb. I don't know what Pure Via is, but I know Tru Via is 3 carbs per packet!

Drink as much water as you can force yourself to drink. I personally hate water. But NOTHING makes you lose like water. With lack of fiber that comes with this WOE, you need water to keep things moving. If you drink the amount of water you are supposed to (typically 64-100oz) you can literally lose about a pound a day, as long as you are following the rest of the rules.

When it comes to kids.... I treat my kids' food as if it is poisonous to me. Sounds absurd, but I won't even lick my fingers if I touch their food. I am one of those moms who always eats their kids leftovers, unless I'm doing LC. I just remind myself... "I am not a garbage disposal". I had to let go of the fact that kids waste food. A lot ends up in the trash. This was a HUGE moment for me, when I realized that I HAD to let that go. I can't eat off their plates just to save the food from the trash.

Check the boards often. There is SO MUCH encouragement here.

This is hard, but staying fat and unhealthy is hard too. Getting healthy is so worth it. Imagine actually having enough energy to *want* to play with your kids. (Another of my huge issues, idk of that applies to you or not.)

Keep your head up. It WILL GET BETTER.

[asdf1234]

today was a very bad day. tomorrow will be better

[NewJoyof2012]

Originally Posted by asdf1234

today was a very bad day. tomorrow will be better

aww boo, what happened?

[asdf1234]

i just got in a huge fight and then ate chinese food take out i have done pretty good since then but i haven't lost anything... today is actually going bad too- not personal but hard diet day. just not being satisfied with whatever i am eating.

im tired and running out of ingredients for atkins foods....but our grocery bill is becoming so high, I can't keep going to the store and buying more and more. my child care situation has just changed and now those bills are going to be even higher starting this week. and my husband won't be back at work for another 4 weeks (injured on the job so getting paid but he doesn't get the overtime that we need) .... just getting overwhelmed i guess...

[Susannaj4]

Originally Posted by asdf1234

i just got in a huge fight and then ate chinese food take out i have done pretty good since then but i haven't lost anything... today is actually going bad too- not personal but hard diet day. just not being satisfied with whatever i am eating.

im tired and running out of ingredients for atkins foods....but our grocery bill is becoming so high, I can't keep going to the store and buying more and more. my child care situation has just changed and now those bills are going to be even higher starting this week. and my husband won't be back at work for another 4 weeks (injured on the job so getting paid but he doesn't get the overtime that we need) .... just getting overwhelmed i guess...

Ok, well, the grocery situation-- I have three kids to feed, and two of them are growing boys who eat EVERYTHING. I can't afford for them to eat everything. So, I buy deli meat on sale, but not from the deli counter. I shop at Target now--but only because it's cheaper. I buy storebrand. The kids eat it and I actually like it too. I cut my grocery bill in half by doing that. I also buy the store brand frozen veggies. Cauliflower, broccoli, etc. And then you can get canned green beans if you like. The store brand butter is cheaper as well. I throw in a few boxes of store brand mac and cheese for the kids because I just don't like them, won't eat them, but it's a filler for them.

Take a deep breath, cut where you can, and have faith. You can work this out. We are here for you too.

[asdf1234]

thanks. yeah we are a family of store brands! haha thank god not one of us care about the slight difference in taste. and i hardly ever buy fresh vegetables- always canned and frozen. my youngest son gets hand me downs and my older son usually gets target or walmart clothes- another thing we aren't picky about our biggest money obstacle is child care which can't be helped. that, and now our grocery bill. me and my husband just eat alot i think and LC stuff is just killing our wallets.

but youre right, we just have to work it out. we always seem to get by, just another obstacle....thanks for the listening ear!

[tuxmom2]

Hi everyone, I'm an Atkins newbie - on my second week - lost 10 lbs and now I have hit limbo - are there any "fun" foods you can eat to help stay on track - it is so hard going cold turkey from foods I used to eat. I can live without the bread and chips, but once in a while I could really use something sweet - are there any other foods we can eat other than what is in Atkins book - help!!

[asdf1234]

for sweets, i like the snack you will see on here alot- 1-2 oz. of cream cheese (i soften it a lil in the microwave) with 1 packet of splenda and a sprinkle of crystal lite (you dont need much so i save the individual packets for a couple servings). its sooo good, and you can change the crystal lite to what mood you are in- I like the snapple iced tea one the best!

the reason i like it is that i struggle with portion control and this is so filling, I get one of my kids' little spoons and eat it slowly and it satisfies me. sometimes i put a little bit of whipped cream in it too.

and i know alot of people say no to the atkins bars in the beginning but i like one once in awhile- never more then 3 net carbs... the chocolate with the coconut and almonds is good.... but some are pretty bad IMO!

hmmm, not too many choices (im so sick of jello heh). i guess i now use coffee as a snack. ill get a small cup of it and make it extra sweet with 2 Tbsp HC and 2 splendas (i use the same amount in the morning but a bigger cup- therefore my second cup of the day is sweet like a snack!)

[rashell03]

Its been awhile since doing the Atkins, are the rules or guidelines posted anywhere? Thank you

Oh and also how do I save threads or do favorites? Sorry just anewbie.

[Bunianne]

Rashell....if you can lose 81 pds in 6 months that will be a new record....I really like to set a goal of 5 pds at a time...i think we would all like to weigh 135 again but realisticlly most of us will never be that small again. As we get older our bodies change and what looked good on us at 25 or 30 doesn't work when you are older. I have lost 8 pds since
Jan 12th and need to lose another 30...I think I can do it by May if I stick with it. I think if you try to get it off too fast you will get discouraged by setting too high a goal at the start...good luck....one day at a time

[tennisluv33]

First time I've posted here. I started induction 1/23. I am weighing each morning and see how I drop and then up a little. Discouraging.
I like cream in my coffee. Is 1/2 % 1/2 okay??? I think I am snacking on string cheese too often.
What is the best low carb sweetener?
I love reading all the posts!

[asdf1234]

i tend to not follow very strictly so i wouldn't want to be the one to answer your questions. but for coffee, I believe heavy cream (heavy whipping cream) is best. and you need to count your Splenda as one carb each packet, if that is the sweetener you prefer.

string cheese is a great snack but i rarely use it because i tend to use too much cheese a day (about 3 ounces is good) so i save it for dinner recipes so i can have bigger portions!

good luck!

[Wildwest8]

It is so nice to know I'm not the only slow and no loser, after three good weeks my blood sugar is so much better but the weight doesn't want to give in. I just feel so much better so I'll keep visiting for encouragement and eating right.

[asdf1234]

yes! keep coming back! even when you fall off the wagon- its frustrating to see people just post all positive and then when they cave in and eat bad, they hide hehe

are you following strict atkins or do you modify any?

[NewJoyof2012]

Originally Posted by asdf1234

yes! keep coming back! even when you fall off the wagon- its frustrating to see people just post all positive and then when they cave in and eat bad, they hide hehe

are you following strict atkins or do you modify any?

the forum is really helpful. We all have good days and bad days...but not to worry, there's always tomorrow. Maybe youll lose 2 pounds a week, and then see a .5 gain...the key is to NEVER give up

[ltmclandry]

I'm in my second week of induction and I'm just not losing weight. I've used the ketone stix and typically fall in the "small" category but I read that any amount should result in weight loss. I lost a few pounds of initial water weight and haven't seen the scale move since.

A typical menu consists of:

Breakfast- 2 eggs, bacon, decaf coffee with 2 splenda and creme
Lunch- salad (lettuce, shredded cheese, mushrooms, cucumbers) with grilled chicken and whole fat bleu cheese dressing
Dinner- turkey lettuce wraps or salmon fillet or other meat

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.