Stuck

[TRACY2]

wow, very helpful advice here. I posted this on another thread yesterday but didn't get any replies. Maybe you all can give me some insight. My mom is 49. She started LC'ing 1.5 years ago and lost 100 lbs She went from a size 26 to a size 16 and looks awesome, but has been stalled for about 3-4 months. She has increased her exercise and is probably consuming no more than 20-25 grams of carbs a day. She does have hypothyroidism and just last week found out she has diverticulotis. Now, anything dairy causes her lots and lots of pain so she's cut that out. How can she jump start her weight loss again? She's at witts end with it because it seems no matter how hard she tries, she isn't losing past 195. Her numbers are perfect and her doctor praises her constantly, but other than yeast, what could the problem be? She is not on any HRT for menopause nor antidepressants for anything. She is in excellent health otherwise.

Also, with a yeast overgrowth, other than eliminating sugar and flour altogether, how can you get rid of excess yeast in order to begin losing again?

Thanks!

[Atkins_Nutritionist]

Wow! Your mom deserves a lot of credit for her efforts. And it is so good of you to post this for her.

Just out of curiousity, why do you think she has a yeast problem?

Her thyroid issue may be the cause of her stall and if so, she may need to add some carbs, ie 1/2 grapefruit/day or some berries.

Her weight is stalled but is she losing inches?

Also as an FYI, there are people who stall for 3-6 months but remain dedicated without changing a thing. Then, one day, the weight loss begins again. It might be possible that your mom's body is just adjusting to her new weight loss.

So encourage her to maintain her new lifestyle but not to over do it, so that it kills her enthusiasm and motivation!

[Mickey Lou]

You know, I'd say add in some bulk, too....

I know when I strictly carb I had bowel issues, but eating more poorly, I've gone back to normal....however in the mean time I think I did damage to my colon/intestines. I was really struggling under a strict low carb diet with practically 0 waste products. Then I realized I wasn't eating enough good carbs.

Then, I learned in my nutrition class last semester that not having enough fiber/bulk/good carbs weakens your muscles in those tracts, and THAT can lead to divirticulitis. (I probably butchered that spelling )

[TRACY2]

Thanks for the insight. I honestly believe she has tried EVERYTHING to jump start her loss and even though she looks and feels fabulous, she is really discouraged by the plateau. I don't know if she has a yeast problem or not, but it's worth considering. She is thinking of doing the meat/ eggs Stillman fast for 5 days to see if that helps. She doesn't drink, but does have one of the shakes everyday It's really painful to watch her struggle. She also doesn't eat the bars or anything know to stall weight loss. I think she may not be eating enough. There are days when she skips breakfast and lunch and only eats dinner.

I will have her had in some berries and grapefruit and see if that helps and also, she is taking Metamucil tablets now to keep her GI tract as cleaned out as possible.

Many thanks.

[Atkins_Nutritionist]

Not eating enough can stall weight loss too! Certainly, it is not healthy. I hope she is using a multi-vitamin.

However, let me repeat because the plateau is very common for those who have lost alot and she may be struggling when the only thing that will help is, time. Time may be the answer.

Many times an avid exerciser, will lose inches and not weight. One woman told me she was heavier then her thinnesr weight but 4 dress sizes smaller!

Let me also empasize that with hypothyroid, it is not healthy to consume such small amounts of carbs.

I hope your mother can shift her main focus from weight loss to health. She should maintain a healthy lifestyle and weight loss without compromising her health.

Good luck!

[TRACY2]

I think that she has just come to terms with the fact that she will always be this size *sigh*

I will tell her to increase her carbs a little and strive to lose the inches. I really think her problem is not eating enough and going too long between meals.

Otherwise, she is the epidemy of good health at 50.

Also, on my weight loss- I had a baby 10 weeks ago and have lost 35 lbs. I still have about 30 to go to goal. I have been sticking as close to induction as possible now for about 2 weeks. Usually 2 eggs and bacon for breakfast,
salad with chicken and sf dressing for lunch, or chicken salad,
and dinner is usually pork chops, baked, fish or chicken, maybe beef and cauliflower, brocolli, a salad, etc.
No bread, rice, pasta, sweets, I don't drink any caffeine. I am getting about 30 minutes a day of exercise, moderate, 3-5 times a week and the scale isn't budging.

I even starting eating off of sauciers so that I would eat way less. I don't skip meals, but I don't snack between. I haven't been hungry.

My downfall is rum and SF koolaid. I usually have several 4 oz drinks a night but have quit as of this week and am just having a few Fri and Sat night. I was never a lb overweight in my life and was able to eat anything I wanted until I started drinking. Is it possible that I have zero tolerance for alcohol where weight loss is concerned? I know alcohol slows the fat burning process down and adds 65 calories per shot to my daily totals, but could I be someone that may not be able to drink at all if I want to lose? Also, how long after making this change can I expect to see results? 2 days, 5 days, 2 weeks?

Thanks! I love the support and advice you give us here, very helpful!