Switching over to PP (sorry so long)

[angel20577]

Hi everyone,

I first want to thank everyone who participates on these forums as they provide so much needed information. I can't tell you how many hours I have spent through these forums finding the information I need. Now on to my question (yes, I am finally going to ask one, stepping out of my comfort zone here)

I have been doing atkins for quite some time and have just found myself stalled for months. After doing much reading on Dr. Eades blog I am going to try to stir things up a bit and see what I get. I bought the book, know my lbm is 114 I know I am to eat at least 70 grams of protein daily. I am not sure about the fat intake, I know with atkins it wasn't about calories just carbs and make sure you get enough fat. What I am trying to find out is what is the percentage of fat that I should incorporating?

After reading his blog: Low carb and calories on May 27, 2008 I have decided to do to protein shakes for breakfast and lunch and then just my usual meat and veggies for dinner. I know in his blog he says you can do this to jump start your weight loss, and boy do I need it, this stall has been so hard to keep going. I am pretty sure on Atkins I was eating too much cheese and nuts and not watching calories. So he states this in his blog:

"Were I you, I would do what I, myself, do when I gain a little weight and want to get it off. I do protein shakes two or three times per day and one meat meal. With the protein shakes I can control my caloric intake while continuing to get the required protein to maintain lean body mass and prevent a drop off in metabolic rate. Once I get my weight to where I want it, I go back to my regular way of eating, which allows me to maintain pretty well. "
My question would be the meat meal? I can include veggies you think? or is talking just a meat meal like in a meat fast? I have been doing the shakes for breakfast and lunch and having a regular low carb dinner making sure my protein is at least 70 grams. (I am 5'7 and weigh 203lbs with a lbm of 114) My fat intake is fairly low and I know it's due to the shakes, my husband wants me to add a raw egg in for the fat content but not sure about the warning of raw eggs. although he does it everyday :-) Do I not need to be concerned on fat? But I know I am dragging my calories right now are 1200-1400, I try to do a daily walk(I admit I don't always make it) and work out with a trainer twice a week for 25 minutes. I am going to start incorporating the Slow Burn exercise program starting next week.

Problem right now I jumped on the scale and after doing this for 2 days I went from 203 to 199 :-) YIPPPEE. But I am dragging here. And seriously I don't even have the energy to go walking. This sucks, I don't know what else to do. By the way I have lost 86lbs already and been in a stall for 3 months (before the stall I went off my diet for 2 months) I was down to 183 before I went off :-(

Please any and all suggestions I welcome, Thank you so much!!!!!

[DEDIKAYTED]

What exactly is in your shakes? Just protein powder and water??? or do you add a little heavy cream in it?

[angel20577]

I add almond milk unsweetened about 3 oz and a 1/2 to teaspoon of peanut butter and 1 scoop of whey protein. I don't use cream because I use cream in my morning coffee. I have about 4 tablespoons of cream a day. (coffee and tea)

[DEDIKAYTED]

Are you hungry during the day? Or do you feel satisfied doing this?

[angel20577]

I would say I am 75% content, but towards bedtime I get hungry. although that used to always be my snacking time.

[DEDIKAYTED]

I think you will need to UP your calories. Your calories seem a little low if your current weight is 199. JuliaL gave me good advice to use my goal weight X 12 in calories, so even if you used this method, your calories would be too low. I think if you up your calories, you won't feel so sluggish!

[angel20577]

Great thanks for the advice, I am going to up them a bit and see how I feel :-)

[DEDIKAYTED]

Great! I hope this works well for you. You dont want to get burned out in the middle of your weightloss phase ... especially if you are working out. You need something to fuel you through your workouts! Or else, your not going to be able to give it your all and reap all the great benefits

Let me know how it goes. Sometimes we gotta just tweak things until we get it right. I used to do Protein Power, and actually it worked pretty good for me. So good luck and work the plan!

[angel20577]

I seriously am so frustrated right now, it's like it doesn't matter what I do, I still can't lose and go up and down the 4 pounds. I am in keotois and have been I tried atkins at first then thought maybe I was getting to much protein then I did a modified atkins/protein power. I put my stuff in fit day every day and make sure I am doing good carb level and protein and fat levels. I brought my calories down with shakes and meal and oh man I just don't know what else to do. I am thinking of the fat fast maybe but I am already in keotois, I work out twice a week with a trainer and then do walks, I think I limited my calories too low. What am I to do?

[DEDIKAYTED]

Where are your calories now? And what exactly are you eating?

[angel20577]

coffee with 2tbls of half and half, liquid splenda, then I would have a shake with 1/3 cup of almond milk, protein powder 1 to 1.5 scoops with 1-2 teaspoons of natural peanut butter. I would have that once or twice a day, if only once then I would have 2 strips of thick slice bacon and two eggs. for dinner last nite I had a 5oz of rib eye steak and mashed cauliflower about a 1/2 to a cup of the mashed cauliflower. If I need more calories to at least make 1300 I will have cream cheese anywhere from 1 to 4oz depending on the days calories and fat intake.

so I average about 1200 to 1500 calories but I tend to stay more on the lower side and never more then 20 carbs and my fat intake is about 60-65%, my daily protein averages 80-110 grams of protein.

What do you think I should do?

Thanks for the reply.

[DEDIKAYTED]

Your menu doesn't look bad to me at all. If you consistently have menus like this, without a cheat/treat here and there, then I just think your calories may just be too low. I know it sounds weird. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around it as well. I just started tracking my calories. I'm 160 pounds and I should be eating my Weight x 10.. which is roughly 1600 calories. slowly increase your calories up to the level where you really should be at and see if that makes a difference. However, I wouldn't use cream cheese to do it. Oh, you could also use hwc in your coffee instead of half and half if you can stand it. If you could add butter to your veggies or eggs, olive oil, or something of the like that may be better. Different people have different experiences with overdoing cream cheese.

You did mention that you were excercising as well which I think with your calories being so low + exercise is just putting you way below your base metabolic rate and slowing your metabolism down.

I know. Its hard, but keep at it. Keep tweaking. This will work! We will do this.

And keep posting. I don't mind.

[angel20577]

Thank you so much for the support. I will do that, it's so hard to battle this mind game with calories, but I will up it 100 calories and continue to do so till I see a difference. I was wondering about the cream cheese if that was the issue, it's just so easy to add that for calories and fat and it has been a nice treat as well. I will have to figure something else out. Do you think eating at any time of day is ok? I have heard mixed things on never eat after 7, I usually have my cream cheese right before bed as a treat.

[DEDIKAYTED]

I'm not saying not have the cream cheese, but just don't over do it.

I try not to eat at least 2 hours before bed time. So, you could try maybe still having your treat, but not right exactly before bed laying down and just see what happens! I know its hard to think about to get all this together, but you can and will do this! Track your calories consistently and make sure you and not undereating. I know... I get so paranoid of OVEREATING, that I think I WAS actually undereating.. and causing a stall.

Don't worry, we'll get it right! Have a great day!

[angel20577]

thank you for all your suggestions and encouragement. I am going to NOT step on the scale for a week and watch my calories and continue to work out, and just see what I am doing. I went back through my ****** and was looking back about a year back and was seeing what I was eating when I was losing and I think I am going to go back to that. basically average 15 carbs, veggies, lot's of protein and fat and eating throughout the day instead of 3 meals a day and a snack. I also was averaging 1500-1700 calories and when I go back to these past months I have been lucky to get 1200 and I always over estimate. Continue to work out and get in a better frame of mind. I am thinking of doing a fat fast or meat fast for a few days just to jump start myself. This morning keeping it honest here I checked my ketones and I am not burning any. I know I knocked myself out yesterday (I had like 38 carbs) and two yes two atkins coconut bars, I am feeling defeated and really down in the dumps. I work so hard and it's not showing on the scale or how I feel and I really want things to turn around. I have lost 87 lbs so far but have been at this weight for almost a year now, I am so ready to get things moving :-(

Truly thank you for taking the time and giving me the encouragement. I seriously need it right now.

[DEDIKAYTED]

Just hang in there. Ditch the Atkins bars for a second (not forever). Eat whole foods during this week where you are trying to get your metabolism corrected. I know how it is.. you start feeling desperate. I have been through it all. I dont know if it would help you and I dont know if I can post it or not, but there is a lady on another lc site that I used to follow. She posted her menus daily. She did not count calories but she worked the heck out the Protein Power plan. She started off at like 205 (I think) and posted her meals and weight every day. It helped me alot. When I was stuck once, I found in her journal where she was my weight (probably in the 160's) and started following her menus. I just wanted to use it as a base, but I actually liked her menus so I started eating what she was eating, just to see if it would work for me. ... and it did get me past my plateau. She actually got all the way down to the 130's. When she stalled (which was never for long) she just kept the faith in the plan because she knew she was doing what the book told her. Sometimes I go back to her journal for inspiration.

Maybe it will help you. ????

Sorry, if I have typos. I have no time to reread at this moment.

[angel20577]

I would love to know the name and I think that is a great idea. Just hearing your struggles helps so much to know you can relate.

Would love to know the name or how to get to her menus.

[DEDIKAYTED]

OK. I will PM you the info.

[DEDIKAYTED]

oh. You dont have enough posts yet for me to PM you. Um all I can think to do is give you her screen name in which maybe you can put it in google...

The second link is her success story. From there you will find out what lc site that is. And then you'll probably have to sign up to read her story.


Anyway,

her screen name is MEBLADY. Just go into her journal, from the beginning, and you'll find she pretty much posted her menus from the beginning of her journey...

Let me know...