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| Atkins Induction is now over, so why did you stop losing weight? |
Have you recently completed Atkins Induction?
If so, then your motivation and excitement level is probably still quite high.
Although most of the weight loss experienced at the beginning of a low-carb diet comes from using up your liver glycogen (the body's carbohydrate stores) and water, seeing the numbers drop on the scale can be motivating and encourage you to keep moving forward with the diet’s restrictions and demanding lifestyle.
For some individuals, the weight loss experienced
during the first few days of Atkins Induction is so dramatic that it can cause your body to put on the breaks.
When that
happens:
Weight loss can slow down or completely stop as you move past the initial two-week Induction period and into Phase 2 of the Atkins Nutritional approach.
For newbies and returnees alike, the adaption the body passes through when switching metabolic pathways can feel frustrating and confusing.
I know.
I've been there myself.
I lost only 2 pounds the entire first month I spent on the Atkins Diet in 2007 and only 2 more pounds the next month as well.
This time around isn't much better. While I dropped 6 pounds on Induction and another 4 pounds shortly thereafter, it's been a few months now, and I haven't lost any more weight.
I can relate to the desire to lose body fat as fast as possible, but things might not happen as quickly as you expected or hoped.
If you have the Atkins Induction Blues and are wondering why you stopped losing weight after completing Phase 1, take a breath.
You might not be doing anything wrong.
Maybe you heard that keto is the quickest way to lose weight. Perhaps, you listened to others who have changed to this way of life and found great success doing Atkins.
If so, you probably want that same success for yourself.
However, when you don’t understand how your body and metabolism work, the tricks the mind uses to protect you from harm can work against what you’re trying to do. This is especially true if you let the body's fat adaption process change your mind about sticking with a healthy, low-carb lifestyle.
Restricting carbohydrates to Induction levels is
dehydrating, even if you’re drinking plenty of water.
This is why bathroom scales that are designed to measure your hydration and fat levels are not accurate. The dehydration makes it impossible for a hydration weight-loss scale to accurately measure your body fat percentage when you're following a low-carb diet.
A standard digital bathroom scale is much more accurate and useful since they measure the amount of weight you've lost by a tenth of a pound. I find this type of measurement to be very encouraging, more so than the older scales that only measured in full pounds and could often give you a misreading by as much as 5 pounds.
A digital scale also helps you keep a closer eye on the amount of water you're retaining. When it comes to the vertigo, for me, that benefit is especially helpful.
To make up for this dehydration, the body starts to hold onto a certain amount of water, whatever it thinks it needs to process the fat it's pulling out of your fat stores. And by week 2, no matter what the weight-loss scale says, if you're eating at a calorie deficit, the body will be burning those excess fat stores.
If you are water deficient, drinking more water can certainly improve the situation, but drinking more won’t help if your body is spooked. This is why you need to take a good look at what you're eating and drinking and be completely honest with yourself.
If your body judges your weight loss to be a threat and has started to stuff your fat cells full of water, all you can do is wait it out.
There is no way to force your body to do what you want it to do.
The good news is:
Your body won’t continue stuffing your fat cells full of water forever. Eventually, it will begin to eliminate the accumulated water.
This water accumulation doesn't mean you are not losing body fat, so in many low-carb circles, shedding the water is referred to as the Whoosh Fairy showing up.
When the Whoosh Fairy visits, all at once, the scale will suddenly reflect your true fat loss. It is not uncommon to see weight losses as high as 3 to 10 pounds suddenly overnight.
However, for many individuals, this period of adaption can take as long as 6 to 8 weeks, or even more, after completing Atkins Induction, before the body starts to shed the water. It can even continue intermittently long after fat adaption occurs.
Since it takes about 3 weeks for the brain to adapt to using ketones for most of its needs and your muscles and body organs are burning fatty acids for fuel, a slow-down of weight loss after you have completed the Induction Phase of Atkins is a normal part of the fat loss process.
You will not continue losing weight at the same speed you lost it the first week. A low-carb diet doesn't work that way. Most of what you lose during Induction is just glycogen and water -- not body fat!
However, if you think you might not be in ketosis at all, check out our article for potential reasons why you might not be in ketosis yet.
Weight loss can slow down or completely stop as you move past the initial two-week Induction period and into Phase 2 of the Atkins Nutritional approach.
For newbies and returnees alike, the adaption the body passes through when switching metabolic pathways can feel frustrating and confusing.
I know.
I've been there myself.
I lost only 2 pounds the entire first month I spent on the Atkins Diet in 2007 and only 2 more pounds the next month as well.
This time around isn't much better. While I dropped 6 pounds on Induction and another 4 pounds shortly thereafter, it's been a few months now, and I haven't lost any more weight.
I can relate to the desire to lose body fat as fast as possible, but things might not happen as quickly as you expected or hoped.
If you have the Atkins Induction Blues and are wondering why you stopped losing weight after completing Phase 1, take a breath.
You might not be doing anything wrong.
Why Am I No Longer Losing Weight After Induction?
Did fast weight loss draw you toward a
low-carb diet? Were you expecting to lose a few pounds every single week, but it's not happening that way?
Maybe you heard that keto is the quickest way to lose weight. Perhaps, you listened to others who have changed to this way of life and found great success doing Atkins.
If so, you probably want that same success for yourself.
However, when you don’t understand how your body and metabolism work, the tricks the mind uses to protect you from harm can work against what you’re trying to do. This is especially true if you let the body's fat adaption process change your mind about sticking with a healthy, low-carb lifestyle.
When the body empties its glycogen stores before entering ketosis during the first few days, it uses a large amount
of water to process those stored carbohydrates. This usage creates a temporary imbalance in your water levels, and sometimes, your electrolytes.
Depending on the amount of water you've lost, the instinctive part of the mind can see those imbalances as a problem.
It solves the problem by:
Slowing down your metabolic rate, stuffing the water it still has left into your partially emptied-out fat cells, and screaming for sugar -- in hopes that you'll go back to eating carbs.
This is more likely to happen if you've been on a low-carb diet before, but this will sometimes happen to newbies, as well.
Out of glucose and dehydrated, even though the liver is using protein, body fat, and ketones to fuel the body's immediate needs, the mind interprets your current situation as a life-threatening emergency.
Depending on the amount of water you've lost, the instinctive part of the mind can see those imbalances as a problem.
It solves the problem by:
Slowing down your metabolic rate, stuffing the water it still has left into your partially emptied-out fat cells, and screaming for sugar -- in hopes that you'll go back to eating carbs.
This is more likely to happen if you've been on a low-carb diet before, but this will sometimes happen to newbies, as well.
Out of glucose and dehydrated, even though the liver is using protein, body fat, and ketones to fuel the body's immediate needs, the mind interprets your current situation as a life-threatening emergency.
Weight loss stops because the
body is trying to conserve whatever energy resources and water it has left.
On the surface, this solution can look like keto has stopped working, but the body is simply going through the process of adapting
to the Atkins-friendly foods you’re eating now.
It doesn’t realize that you are not starving.
It doesn’t understand that you are not going through a famine.
The body simply looks at what’s happening – the missing glycogen and semi-dehydration and lack of calories that has been ongoing for the past two to four weeks – listens to your agitation about not losing weight fast, and assumes you’re in physical danger.
It doesn’t realize that you are not starving.
It doesn’t understand that you are not going through a famine.
The body simply looks at what’s happening – the missing glycogen and semi-dehydration and lack of calories that has been ongoing for the past two to four weeks – listens to your agitation about not losing weight fast, and assumes you’re in physical danger.
Low Carb Diets are Dehydrating
The degree of alarm the body goes into depends on:
- your dieting history
- whether you’ve restricted carbohydrates before
- how much water you lost during Induction
- how much exercise you're doing
- your current metabolic and hormonal state
- your attitude toward what's happening
This is why bathroom scales that are designed to measure your hydration and fat levels are not accurate. The dehydration makes it impossible for a hydration weight-loss scale to accurately measure your body fat percentage when you're following a low-carb diet.
A standard digital bathroom scale is much more accurate and useful since they measure the amount of weight you've lost by a tenth of a pound. I find this type of measurement to be very encouraging, more so than the older scales that only measured in full pounds and could often give you a misreading by as much as 5 pounds.
A digital scale also helps you keep a closer eye on the amount of water you're retaining. When it comes to the vertigo, for me, that benefit is especially helpful.
To make up for this dehydration, the body starts to hold onto a certain amount of water, whatever it thinks it needs to process the fat it's pulling out of your fat stores. And by week 2, no matter what the weight-loss scale says, if you're eating at a calorie deficit, the body will be burning those excess fat stores.
If you are water deficient, drinking more water can certainly improve the situation, but drinking more won’t help if your body is spooked. This is why you need to take a good look at what you're eating and drinking and be completely honest with yourself.
Weight Loss Isn’t Fat Loss
If you are in a
calorie deficit and your insulin levels are normal, fat loss will continue to occur despite the numbers showing on the scale. This is one of the most difficult concepts for low-carb dieters to grasp.
Just because you are not seeing any weight loss on the bathroom scale, that doesn’t mean your body isn’t still burning body fat, especially visceral fat. You can also be losing body fat in a spot you can't see, such as across your back.
In the absence of glucose, the liver uses fatty acids to make ketones to fuel the brain. Ketones are a by-product of breaking down fat, so if you are deficient in carbohydrates, then you are in ketosis, regardless of what your scale says.
However, the fatty acids the liver is using to make those extra ketones can come from:
If your liver is full of stored fat, the body will burn that unhealthy fat FIRST, along with other forms of visceral fat (fat saturating your organs, such as your liver or kidneys), which means the number on the bathroom scale can be deceptive.
Scale weight includes everything.
The scale doesn't just measure fat loss. It measures weight loss, and that lost weight can be from:
This tendency is extremely common if this isn't the first time you have ever tried to diet. And I'm not just talking about low-carb diets. Your mind will remember how you quit any prior diet and make necessary preparations for that to happen again on keto.
Human Nature is habitual.
Part of those preparations will include keeping your partially empty fat cells ready to be refilled when more calories start coming in again.
Just because you are not seeing any weight loss on the bathroom scale, that doesn’t mean your body isn’t still burning body fat, especially visceral fat. You can also be losing body fat in a spot you can't see, such as across your back.
However, the fatty acids the liver is using to make those extra ketones can come from:
- your diet
- visceral fat
- liver fat
- stored body fat
If your liver is full of stored fat, the body will burn that unhealthy fat FIRST, along with other forms of visceral fat (fat saturating your organs, such as your liver or kidneys), which means the number on the bathroom scale can be deceptive.
Scale weight includes everything.
The scale doesn't just measure fat loss. It measures weight loss, and that lost weight can be from:
- glycogen
- water to process glycogen
- unprocessed food
- skin, hair, nails, and bone structure
- or muscle if you're not eating enough protein
This tendency is extremely common if this isn't the first time you have ever tried to diet. And I'm not just talking about low-carb diets. Your mind will remember how you quit any prior diet and make necessary preparations for that to happen again on keto.
Human Nature is habitual.
Part of those preparations will include keeping your partially empty fat cells ready to be refilled when more calories start coming in again.
When the body stuffs water into your fat cells, that keeps your fat cells from degenerating. It also keeps you from
losing weight, and sometimes, even inches.
A lack of weight loss on the bathroom scale or inches on the tape measure does not mean you are not burning body fat.
You very well could be.
A lack of weight loss on the bathroom scale or inches on the tape measure does not mean you are not burning body fat.
You very well could be.
What Can You Do If You Stopped Losing Weight after Completing Atkins Induction?
If your body judges your weight loss to be a threat and has started to stuff your fat cells full of water, all you can do is wait it out.
There is no way to force your body to do what you want it to do.
The good news is:
Your body won’t continue stuffing your fat cells full of water forever. Eventually, it will begin to eliminate the accumulated water.
This water accumulation doesn't mean you are not losing body fat, so in many low-carb circles, shedding the water is referred to as the Whoosh Fairy showing up.
When the Whoosh Fairy visits, all at once, the scale will suddenly reflect your true fat loss. It is not uncommon to see weight losses as high as 3 to 10 pounds suddenly overnight.
However, for many individuals, this period of adaption can take as long as 6 to 8 weeks, or even more, after completing Atkins Induction, before the body starts to shed the water. It can even continue intermittently long after fat adaption occurs.
When this happened to me at the end of 1999, it took my body 6 weeks to shed the water. It was the second time I'd done Atkins, and the body decided to resist the diet by stuffing water in my fat cells.
If you are returning to keto or have gone on-and-off of many previous diets, the body can move into this preservation mode even without the drastic weight loss during Induction.
Just losing a few pounds of water can be enough to trigger the body's opposition to shrinking your fat cells.
This is one of the reasons why returning to an Induction level of carbs won’t necessarily get you the same rate of weight loss it did before. The body will recognize what’s going on sooner and will move into self preservation quicker.
If you are returning to keto or have gone on-and-off of many previous diets, the body can move into this preservation mode even without the drastic weight loss during Induction.
Just losing a few pounds of water can be enough to trigger the body's opposition to shrinking your fat cells.
This is one of the reasons why returning to an Induction level of carbs won’t necessarily get you the same rate of weight loss it did before. The body will recognize what’s going on sooner and will move into self preservation quicker.
In addition, if yo-yo dieting has become a personal pattern for you,
the body will assume you are going to return to your old eating style sometime in the future and hold onto the water, refusing to shrink your fat cells even longer than normal.
If you have a fatty liver problem or high triglycerides, the body will have to correct those unhealthy states before you will see much weight loss on the scale. This is why patience is required to do keto.
While these things don't hold true for everyone who isn’t losing weight – for example, you might be doing something wrong if you haven’t read the Atkins book and have a clear understanding of what a low-carb diet is – most of the time when a stall follows a good initial weight loss on Induction, it isn’t really a stall at all.
If you have a fatty liver problem or high triglycerides, the body will have to correct those unhealthy states before you will see much weight loss on the scale. This is why patience is required to do keto.
While these things don't hold true for everyone who isn’t losing weight – for example, you might be doing something wrong if you haven’t read the Atkins book and have a clear understanding of what a low-carb diet is – most of the time when a stall follows a good initial weight loss on Induction, it isn’t really a stall at all.
You will not continue losing weight at the same speed you lost it the first week. A low-carb diet doesn't work that way. Most of what you lose during Induction is just glycogen and water -- not body fat!
However, if you think you might not be in ketosis at all, check out our article for potential reasons why you might not be in ketosis yet.
So what should i do. I have done yo yo diets often....it seems i went on birth control and it messed with my b metabolism the most, so i was trying everything to lose the weight...nothing has worked, not even atkins yet. I lost over a 100 lbs. Like 10 years ago, so i have lost weight before. My body is just not doing what i want it to do is anymore. It is very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this piece Vickie. I have posted it in Files Section of LCHF group I'm apart of on Facebook. Hope that's okay.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post! I have been stuck in the same weight for about 2 weeks despite bringing down my carb intake into a meager 8-10 carbs per day. I will stick it out another week.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
ReplyDeleteYes, that's fine. I'm glad you found it helpful.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteSometimes, you just gotta wait it out. Have things improved for you yet?
I've been on induction for 12 days now and I've only lost 6.6 lbs...
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear how much others have lost I find my own weight loss pretty disappointing. Whatever the case I'm soldiering on though because the bottom line is that I, at least, am losing weight...
Hi Charlene,
ReplyDeleteGlad you stopped by. 6.6 lbs is great! How much you lose the first 2 weeks totally depends on how much muscle you have, how large your glycogen storage is, and how much water retention you have. Some folks are so deficient in protein when they start that they have tons of excess water that the body dumps in the very beginning. Just know that those large losses are not fat. Inches is what matters most.
i've been in injunction for 3 weeks and have not lost a pound.
ReplyDeleteI've been on it for 8 days and have not lost even 1 pound :(
DeleteI use to drink diet tea and soda constantly. For the last 8 days I've drank only water and still nothing :( So you're not alone
I don't think you understand how a low-carb diet works. The first week, you're using up your liver glycogen stores. You are not burning body fat. That takes time.
Deleteace lau,
ReplyDeleteIs this the first time that you're tried a low-carb diet? Or have you done this before? Have you ever been on any other diet before starting Induction?
Discouraged :( Starting at about250 I lost over 100 pounds and about 40 of that was on Atkins. No surgery. That was 2005. Since then I have gained about 15 pounds back. I know that isn't a lot in 9 years but I dont want to go back there! So, I started Atkins again 3 weeks ago and have only lost about 3 pounds. I love low carb eating but this isn't working this time. I am 5'0 and about 160. Any suggestions? I have used the shakes, bars etc. Maybe I should eliminate them for awhile? Thanks for your help. ~Karen~
ReplyDeleteIt never works as well the second or third or whatever time as it did at first. The body remembers and will stuff water into your fat cells masking weight loss for quite a while. Plus, the metabolism can also fall right away for some. A lot of people discover that they have to give up the products in order to lose once they come back. Food sensitivities change. Our degree of insulin resistance sometimes gets worse. What you could do before won't apply today. For many, it's just a matter of waiting it out, but there are no guarantees unfortunately. I'm in a quandary myself, as I've gained a lot of my weight back due to having Grave's Disease.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading the stories of a lot of maintainers lately, and from what I've read, small regains like you describe are a bear to get rid of. Some people have to do drastically low on calories or cut their carbs and fats down to minimum to get the weight back off because your fat cells don't like to be empty. The body fights to refill them.
DeleteI'veThank you for this article. Ive done Atkins before 10 years ago and lost 20. Lbs. I started again about 3 weeks ago and lost 12 lbs in 2 weeks and nothing since. I won't give up. But do u think that when I do start losing it will be a lot at once or gradually? and are there some who do Atkins and never lose the weight with it? I just want some hope!
ReplyDeleteCoupon Ty,
ReplyDeleteMost people go through a whoosh, so they drop several pounds at once - when the body dumps the water weight. Others, just begin to lose weight slowly again. 12 pounds in 2 weeks though, will definitely freak the body out into stuffing your fat cells with water; so my opinion, from watching others and myself, is that you'll probably experience a whoosh. But it could take up to 6 weeks before you experience that. That's how long it took me. I try to tell people to give the diet at least 2 to 3 months to work before evaluating whether or not to tweak anything.
Thank you so much for your response. I am determined to stick it out!!615
ReplyDeleteI did eventually have to tweak my diet to lower fat and calories than the average low-carb dieter, but I didn't do right away. I waited about 90 days before I started to play with things.
ReplyDeleteI can't thank you enough for posting this! 2 months ago, I simultaneously began weight lifting and Atkins. I expected to look drastically different within a month. I lost 9lbs. in the first 3 weeks and have been completely stalled since. Everyone else at the gym is losing like crazy and I have been contemplating giving up. I will soldier on and see what the next few weeks bring - again, thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one with this issue.
ReplyDeleteI am so discouraged!!!! I have been doing the induction phase for 2 weeks. I lose 4 pounds in the first couple of days but put them back on. I am burning lots of key tones but no inches or weight loss. I have yo yo dieted my entire life so it makes sense that my body is in shock, Do I start switching things up or do I just wait. Can I do anything???? I have been eating artificial sweeteners. Do you think this is affecting my progress or lack of it.
ReplyDeleteThis article is such a godsend! I lost 16 pounds during my first 3 weeks of Atkins and then all of the sudden I stopped losing weight and gained 1.5 pounds back. What you wrote sounds so logical as to why this is happening. I will stick at it and know that this pause in weight loss will not be going on forever!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen,
ReplyDeleteIt takes a good 6 weeks and often more for the body to adjust to a low-carb diet. You don't want to go tweaking anything until you've been doing this for at least a couple of months. If you're coming from a yo-yo dieting background, the body is "expecting" you to quit dieting, so it's going to try and wait you out by stuffing water into your fat cells. That makes it look like the dieting isn't working, even if it is. I like to tell people to just let it ride for awhile before evaluating. Tweaking too soon won't help much.
Janet,
ReplyDelete1.5 pound weight gain can easily be water fluctuation. Not necessarily fat. Weight loss isn't linear, even though we'd all love it to be. In the late 90s, I ran into a 6 week stall at the end of Induction. It's very normal for the body to do that.
Thank you for having such a motivational blog. I've also been a yo-yo low carb dieter for 5 years now. This time around has been so difficult as I have been fluctuating between 4 pounds for 3 weeks now. I will say however that I feel much better on a low carb diet and that alone will keep me motivated. Hoping my body will respond soon.
ReplyDeleteThe body definitely has a strong ability to adapt to what we're doing. Patterns are remembered forever it seems. Waiting is the only game. I learned the hard way that forcing the issue only makes the body fight back.
ReplyDeleteVickie,
ReplyDeleteI have done Atkins many of times off and on. However this time I have hit it full force! I let my self get to 210 pounds and knew I had to do something. I lost 10 pounds in my first 2 weeks. Then the next week I lost nothing. I then lost 2 more pounds and gained that right back. I have been sitting at 201 now for about 2 weeks with no loss at all. Im getting really discouraged but I know if I give up I will only gain so I am trying to be strong. Any advice?
Thanks for the post. I'm at a point where I need to decide whether to stay on the low carb way or try a different approach. After an injury that left me unable to exercise for 2 months, I gained about 14 pounds, and my clothes no longer fit me. Last month I was able to go back to my workout routine and because decided to give the Atkins diet a try. I'm in my 3rd week of Atkins induction and have yet to lose any weight. I hover between 174-175 pounds, and am a 5'6, 30 year old female. While I have yo-yo dieted I have never tried a low carb approach before. I honestly only want to lose 15 pounds or enough inches to fit back into my wardrobe. I should also note that I am an avid exerciser. and run between 3-5 miles a day, and have done so for the last 5 years. I have followed induction quite closely, and am well aware to be on the lookout for hidden carbs. I've been very careful to prepare all my meals (which takes a lot of prep and time) and have even eliminated caffine from my diet these last 3 weeks. As dairy can sometimes bloat me even when I'm not dieting, I made the choice to stay away from it during induction. After so many years of avoiding butter and fats, cooking and eating this way is definitely a huge psychological adjustment, but I'm more than willing to stick it out if it works.
ReplyDeleteAs I said, this is my 3rd week of induction and I have yet to see any weight loss, so I'm questioning whether this is the right approach for my body. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. Also, before setting out on this low carb journey I had complete blood work done, and my thyroid and hormone levels are all normal, so I know that isn't an issue.
One last note, I realize that much of the weight loss during induction is due to water weight loss, and because I'm a pretty solid, muscular build, and have always watched my sodium and water intake I probably didn't have a great amount of water to lose, I still thought I'd see at least 1-2 pound decrease on the scale, of actual fat loss.
Thank you so much for your time!
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThis is really quite typical of a lot of dieters. What happens is that you lose so much water the first couple of weeks that the body puts on the breaks and starts stuffing water in the fat cells. That will mask any fat loss that is occurring. This phenomenon can take 6 or 8 weeks to correct itself. Once the body gets comfortable, it will shed the water and you'll see a weight loss. I know it difficult to ignore the scale, but you just gotta wait it out.
ddemos84,
ReplyDeleteAvid exercising can mask weight loss, since it takes water to heal the microscopic muscle tears that occur. Also, with only 15 pounds to lose, it's going to come off very slowly.
Usually, I tell people to give the program a good 8 weeks to work before tweaking or trying something else. But a lot of people over at Low Carb Friends who are also heavy exercisers have said the weight stayed put until they cut way down on the exercise. There's something odd metabolic-wise that goes on with low carb and exercise, but I don't know for sure what that is. Low carb technically uses the starvation pathway, so I'm thinking that its some type of protection device going on.
Make sure that you are in a calorie deficit. With only 15 pounds to lose, you won't be insulin resistant and you'll need to pay attention to the volume of food you're eating. Especially the fats.
Vickie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight. I'm committed to giving it another 5 weeks. I'm wary of drastically cutting down on the exercise as that is how I got into this mess in the first place. I track all my food (mostly so I can keep count of my protein and fat grams) and consistently come in between 1300-1500 calories a day, with the minimum being 60% from fats.
My game plan is to continue on and hope for the best.
At 1300 to 1500 calories, you are definitely not overeating, so your plan is a good one. The general advice at Lyle McDonald's forums has always been to give a diet a lengthy trial before giving up.
ReplyDeleteI beginning week 3 of Induction and still no weight loss. I have lost weight before (~50 lbs. seven or eight years ago on WW) but have never been a yo-yo dieter. I have steadily gained weight over the years and weigh 208 lbs. at only 5 feet tall, so this weight has got to go! My husband is having gastric sleeve surgery next month and his bariatric surgeon says Atkins is the best diet around. My sister, also ~5 feet tall, lost 50-60 lbs. doing Atkins 5 or so years ago, so I know it works.....it's just not working for me!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOk so this is my 3rd week on atkins and I'm no longer losing weight. Should I track my macros? If so, what percentages? Also, I am breastfeeding I got the ok to do so from the pediatrician. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have 80 lbs to lose.
ReplyDeleteJane,
ReplyDeleteWhich version of the diet are you doing? When I re-started in 2007, I only lost 2 pounds the first month. I was severely insulin resistant. I had to tweak the macros to get the diet to work for me.
Marie,
ReplyDeleteYou're in your third week and are not losing weight anymore. How much weight have you lost so far? You won't lose weight every single week. In the beginning, you lose water and glycogen, and sometimes the body adapts to the water loss by storing water in for your fat cells awhile.
I am doing the version described in Dr. Atkin's New Diet Revolution. I used to eat only once or twice a day, skipping breakfast and not eating until maybe 1 or 2 o'clock, then again around 6 or 7. I know it sounds strange, but I wasn't "hungry" and would forget to eat. Now I am eating three meals a day (well, 2 meals and a protein drink for breakfast) with a snack in the morning and afternoon. I was also not so good about drinking water, but am really trying to consistently get at least 64 oz. a day. I'm hoping that if I just stick with it a while longer things will start to progress. I thought I would crave sugar, but I don't really. I LOVE potatoes in any form and haven't missed them at all. And I don't miss the bloat from eating bread either, so even if it takes a while to lose weight, I FEEL better now.
ReplyDeleteNot being hungry is not strange at all. It's one of the major benefits of eating low carb. Drinking enough water is really important, as it takes water to process ketones and flush out the fragments. Bloating from eating bread is a sign of wheat, gluten, or grain intolerance.
ReplyDeleteUggh. I've been re-reading all of the comments here, and realized I didn't understand what you were referring to. I'm so sorry. My comments sound really out-there, now that I've been re-reading all of this. Although Atkins doesn't address the issue of calories very often, when you go into the Atkins Diet having already been eating at a low calorie level, it becomes extremely important not to eat more than you were eating before. You metabolism will have adjusted to your prior intake, and you "have" to eat at a deficit to lose. Most of the advice given in the Atkins books are for those who have come from a SAD background, eating hundreds and hundreds of carbs and calories per day.
DeleteWhile I never tell people to restrict their calories while getting into the state of ketosis, as hunger will skyrocket during the metabolic switch, once ketosis kicks in and your appetite drops, you have to eat at a deficit.
I have been doing under 20 carbs a day for 2 weeks now. I am 5'10 150 pounds. But I am trying to get down to 140. I have been eating lots of meat, and veggies. I have been working out for at least an hour at least 5 days a week. Lifting weights, as well as cardio. I don't know what to do, I have actually gained 3 pounds. Anyone???? Please help. Any ideas on what I can do?
ReplyDeleteTammy,
ReplyDeleteLots of cardio and working out while low carbing will cause you to stall or gain weight. The body uses a lot of water to repair the muscles and tissues that get damaged while working out, and excessive exercise will cause the metabolism to tank.
It's also going to be especially difficult to lose weight if you already weigh 150. At your height, that's goal weight already.
To lower body fat percentage at normal weight, a cyclical low-carb diet is more appropriate or a Protein Sparing Modified Fast like the Rapid Fat Loss Diet by Lyle McDonald. Check out www.bodyrecomposition.com for how to lose weight when working out extensively like you describe.
DeleteVickie,
ReplyDeleteWould you discourage working out while doing low carb? I'm on my second week and lost 7 lbs but started gaining it back. Thanks!
Megan,
ReplyDeleteIt depends on how hard, long, and number of times per week you are working out. With low-carb, you want to exercise, especially if the body is used to it, but tone it down a bit.
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteI've been on induction for 6 weeks and lost 15 pounds so far. Starting weight 245 and now I'm 230 lbs but for the past week or 10 days I have not lost any weight. I workout only 1-2 or 2 days a week and am pretty sedentary for the rest of the time and drink plenty of water.. Is this normal not to lose weight and any advise. Thanks
Yes, it's perfectly normal for the body to take a rest. 15 pounds in 6 weeks is a good rate of loss. Your exercise level sounds about right. In the beginning, low carb can be very dehydrating, so the body sometimes stuffs water in your fat cells if it thinks the deprivation is only temporary. Eventually, it will shed the water. Weight loss won't happen every single week.
ReplyDeleteThanks vickie
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI started my induction 2 weeks ago now. My starting weight was 127.5lb and I wanted to lose 14lbs at 5'2". I haven't lost a single lb and I am wondering why? I feel I am doing it all for nothing.
Thank you!
Without knowing your dieting history, I can only give you general advice. Those who don't have too many pounds to lose are most likely not insulin resistant. Weight will come off slowly and calories will matter much more than for those who have a lot of weight to lose. There has to be a calorie deficit. The amount of exercise you're doing also matters. The first two weeks are designed to get you into the state of ketosis. Weight loss is a by-product of doing that. It's not the goal of Induction. Sometimes, the body will retain water during that period, especially if you have a history of having dieted before or if you're very active. I usually advise people to give the diet 6 to 8 weeks to start working before trying to tweak it.
ReplyDeleteThis has help me decide to stay with it. I just finished the first week and only loat 1.3 pounds...barely into ketosis. I will solider on..but unhappy.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many variables when it comes to weight loss. Degree of insulin sensitivity is a biggie. I only lost 2 pounds the first month. I didn't know that I had autoimmune thyroid disease back then. It takes a lot of patience to get results.
Hi all, I am on Atkins, phase 1, Wednesday of week 3. I think I have lost 4 pounds if that. I did not get on the scale when I started, but since my husband started too and loves to get on it,, I get on too. I am bummed that I don't see much weight loss, and I average 10-20 carbs a day which consist of salads. I have done Atkins before and last time it took my 8 months to loose 28 pounds (one cheat every 2 weeks), but I lost it. Here I am again trying because I don't want to be chunky anymore. I weight 178 and need to get back to at least 145 (I am 5;4) which was my weight before I had my 7 year old. I stick to the Atkins way and do not have cheat days. I just decided to cut out diet coke (1 day) to 0 a day today. I am now cutting out, my morning sweetnlow in my coffee and no cheat days. No more aspartame for me as it may be a reason of no weight loss. After seeing my mother battle so many health issues, I do not want to go through that, so at 39, I need to loose this weight.
ReplyDeleteAny comments or suggestions.
PS All the above comments are great.
Doing the math for how quick it came off before: 8 months, 28 pounds, that comes to a little more than 1 pound per week. This time, you're in mid week 3 and have lost 4 pounds. To me, that's about the same rate of loss. I wouldn't get discouraged yet.
ReplyDeleteCheat days (before) will definitely slow down weight loss, which might be why it came off so slowly back then. Since you've done this before, initially, the body is going to plan for you quitting. Or it could be planning for you to have cheat days again. It's amazing what the body remembers. At 2-1/2 weeks, the body won't be adapted to burning fats for fuel yet. Give it some time to work.
How about using a water pill to get rid of some of the excess water?
ReplyDeleteIt's my current understanding that the body puts the water right back on, but I don't know for sure. That's something to discuss with a medical professional. Water pills can be dangerous if used incorrectly.
DeleteI take a water/bp pill daily and it doesn't help at all. I am surprised how swollen I am every morning because I take my medicine and I drink tons of water and drinks. It really makes sense that the cells are holding on to water, that's the only way I can explain why I am so swollen still. I have been on for about 5 weeks and lost 12 pounds, but nothing the last 2 or 3. I'm looking forward to the fairy whoosh!
DeleteThanks for sharing that. Some people have said that the fat feels "squishy" when the body has stuffed the water into the fat cells. Waterlogged, I guess you'd say. Hope your whoosh comes quickly. Feel feel to let me know.
DeleteHello. I'm on week 3 and had lost 13 pounds. Now I have went up 2 pounds and haven't lost any in the past few day. I do zumba once a week now and take daily walks. I'm getting used to having more exercise. Could me exercising be delaying my weight loss?
ReplyDeleteMany people find that exercise interferes with weight loss, but it depends on how hard you are exercising. In general, exercise causes microscopic tears that the body has to heal. It takes extra water to do that. Sometimes, exercise all causes the metabolism to slow down. This isn't true for everyone though. 13 pounds in three weeks is enough to scare the body into thinking you are going into dehydration. That's more likely what's happening. Give the diet a few weeks to work before trying to tweak anything.
DeleteThank you! I increased my water intake and am slowly going back down! :) Must have just been dehydration.
DeleteYou're welcome. I'm glad to hear it's working for you.
DeleteHi Vicki, I had gastric bypass 9 years ago & gained back 60% of my lost weight. I have been on Atkins for 3 weeks. Lost 11lbs the first 3 days then nothing for 18 days. My calories are between 1300-1800, my protein is between 80-120 & my fat was high the first 2 weeks while adjusting (80-100) but I have lowered that #. My water intake is fine & I am doing deep water aerobics. I am at a loss at what to do to get the #,s moving downward. Atkins (modified) is what I am to be on after gastric bypass & for the rest of my life but I am about a week away from ditching it if I don't see something encouraging. I am tall 5'11" & 389lbs....not diabetic so the weight should be melting off. Do you have any morsels of wisdom ?
ReplyDeleteI jumped right from my ww diet to lchf. The first week I dropped 4.5 lbs and now nothing at all. It's been about 10 days.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult moving from one diet to another, especially if you went from extremely low fat to extremely high fat. The body has to learn how to burn fats for energy. It can take a while to adapt.
DeleteIn addition to having to adapt to the higher fat content, by making the enzymes necessary to digest fats, going from a low calorie diet to a higher calorie diet will simply stall your weight loss. You have to stay at the same calorie level it took to lose on Weight Watcher's. All diets work through calorie deficit. The advantage to low carb is a lower insulin level and hunger control.
DeleteI'm so glad to have found your post and website. I feel like I could use some guidance and words of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteI'm three weeks into the induction phase, day 24 to be exact (since Atkins says you can stay on induction longer than two weeks I chose to do that). I lost 5.5 lbs. in the first two weeks. Now with three weeks under my belt I've gained 1.5 lbs. What? First, I think that 5.5 lbs. isn't that much. And that 4 lbs. total is paltry. No inches lost either. I don't think this is a "tremendous amount of weight loss: that would put my body into panic mode. Right?
I don't know how this is possible. How are others able to lose 10 lbs. in two weeks? I follow this diet meticulously. I weigh absolutely everything that goes into my mouth. I drink tons of water...I mean, a lot of water. I eat 18-22 carbs each day. And of those carbs at least 12 come from approved phase one veggies.
I understand keto flu, but thought it was supposed to go away within a few days or a week. I’ve still got it. I feel like crap. Zero energy. Three weeks in and I’m asking myself, “Why am I even bothering?” I mean if I’m not losing weight (even gained some back) and feel so awful with zero energy why should I keep torturing myself.
What am I doing wrong?
Is this the first time you've ever gone on a low-carb diet? 5 pounds shouldn't have spooked the body. Low carb works by correcting hormonal imbalances. In 2007, I only lost 2 pounds the whole first month and another couple of pounds the next month. My body really fought the weight loss, but I'd been on and off Atkins several times with Weight Watcher's in between, plus I had gluten intolerance and Grave's Disease, so I was extremely insulin resistant.
DeleteThe Atkins Flu is sodium deficiency. Imbalanced electrolytes. Up your salt intake and see if you feel better.
This is the first low carb diet for me. I can't imagine what's keeping me from losing weight. I monitor my daily sodium intake as well to keep levels high because that's what Atkins says to do.
DeleteI am totally at a loss then. Normally, newbies have super-good results.
DeleteSince I wrote the above comments, I've learned that potassium, magnesium, and calcium also have to be kept in balance and higher on low-carb diets, along with higher levels of sodium. These minerals are flushed out of the body due to the way ketones are produced and dumped. Water retention and Atkins flu are both signals that electrolytes are off somewhere.
DeleteHi, I am on day 11 of induction and haven't lost a single pound. I am staying within the 18-22 net carbs a day and I've only worked out twice during this time. I am shocked that I haven't lost a single thing. Well, I lost 1.5, but then gained it back the very next day and I didn't do anything different. I am eating eggs for breakfast, an Atkins snack for snack, then an Atkins micro meal for lunch, an atkins shake for snack, a protein & veggie for dinner, and then an atkins snack for snack. I am even trying to stay around 1350 calories. Do you know why the delay? I was thinking about extending the induction phase into another week. I have 15 pounds to lose and they are stubborn, I guess. Thoughts about why no weight loss and if I should continue induction a little longer?
ReplyDeleteWeight comes off super slow if you only have a few pounds to lose. However, some people have found that Atkins products cause them to stall. I've never tried them myself, so I don't personally know. I would definitely extend Induction for another week to see if that helps.
DeleteAtkins meals are a gimmick dont trust them. Just stick to meats,cheese, eggs and veggies and youll be way better off.
DeleteSince I wrote the above comment, I've learned that the Atkins snack bars are made with sugar alcohols. Atkins meals are processed with chemicals and suspect ingredients like any other frozen meal. The shakes are made with normal sugar substitutes, but many people still stall when using them. I'm guessing that by "gimmick" you mean the carb counts are way off? I totally agree with you that the best way to do low carb is by using real foods and skipping the processed stuff. However, homemade protein shakes did work for me very well.
DeleteHi Vickie!
ReplyDeleteI'm having serious trouble losing pounds, and I'm hoping you can shed some light on the issue for me! I'm getting married in May 2016, and on August 10 of this year I began my journey, nice and early, to lose 15 pounds before my big day. I should start by saying that I have definitely yo-yoed before. Back in 2010 I lost about 40 pounds doing weight watchers combined with daily workouts 6x/week. In 2013 I put about 20 of that back on. I used portion control, then, to drop 10 of those pounds and then my body stalled and I pretty much have stayed there ever since.
I am 5 feet tall, 28 years old, and at the beginning of this most recent attempt to lose weight I was 137 pounds. I felt my best around 120, so that's my goal for the wedding. This time, instead of portion control, I have decided to try low-carb. I should also add that I am a very bad eater… Only within the last four weeks have I begun eating very basic salads, literally in my entire life. (By basic I mean lettuce, meat, a sprinkle of cheese and maybe a few croutons with a lite dressing.) I am not a big fruit and veggie person, but I am trying because I feel that my weight has gotten to a point where it is now very stubborn.
I went from 137 to 133 in the first week. Since then, I've had three more weigh-days and I have been stuck at 133!!! Literally for a month now! I don't know how I could possibly eat any less. I stick to one cheat meal per week, and otherwise my daily food intake consists of two coffees with artificial sweetener (morning and afternoon), about 5 bottles of water, lunch salad, dinner salad (both including protein and a sprinkle of cheese), maybe an apple in the afternoon with some almond butter and a weight watchers frozen yogurt bar at night as a snack. Occasionally I will have a chicken or turkey burger without the bun and some soy glazed green beans on the side. I am an avid spinner - I take spin about 5x a week and the other one or two days I do treadmill..... I try to give myself one rest day per week but working out does tremendous things for my mental health as well as my daily energy so I've been hesitant to cut down on the exercise.
Could that be the problem? I've always been an exerciser even when I wasn't trying to lose weight. Maybe my body is too used to that portion of my routine? Am I holding on to water in my fat cells? What the heck is going on here? For someone who's eaten fried, processed foods her whole life - transitioning to a salad, almost bread and pasta free lifestyle you would think I'd be dropping pounds left and right! Help!!! :)
First, don't panic. Going from 137 to 133 is a great first week. Most of those pounds were glycogen, but that means the body is doing its job. When you don't have very many pounds to lose, the weight will come off slower than your average low-carb dieter, so you're going to need some patience with the process. You definitely could be stuffing water into your fat cells since this isn't the first time you've dieted. When I did Atkins at the end of 1999, it took 6 weeks before the weight started dropping again for me. The scale measures all sorts of things like water, muscle, your organs, as well as body fat, so no movement at this point doesn't mean a whole lot.
DeleteHow are your clothes fitting you? Are they any loser? Fit better than before? How's your hunger level? Did you see a dramatic decrease in hunger sometime during that first week? Do you have more energy than you had before? These are all ways to check up on yourself to see how well your body is receiving what you're doing.
For some people, exercise stalls weight loss. That happens if the body interprets what's you're doing as life threatening. That's obviously not true, but mind can do that to us. It can also put up a fight if it believes you're gong to back down and go back to your old way of eating. Since salads, fruits and veggies are new to the body, it's probably seeing what you're doing as a temporary situation. If that's what's happening, the only course is to wait it out.
What low-carb diet plan are you following? Apples are typically not considered a low-carb food and low-carb diets also don't generally use light dressings. However, you don't have very many pounds to lose, so you won't be as insulin resistant as others. It's also possible that you aren't eating enough fat. While I tend to caution my readers about eating too much fat, you can go too far the other way, especially if you're only eating what I call dinner salads right now. If you're using lean meats and light dressings, that also might be problematic.
Thank you for this article. An issue I am having in induction...I've been on induction for a couple of weeks and I am experiencing hypoglycemia; hypoglycemic episodes are common for me over the years. Do you have any advice, I had an episode the last two days and ate everything in site due to brain fog and dizziness.
DeleteIf it's been 2 weeks, you should be past the initial problem converting fats into energy. I don't know a lot about hypoglycemia, but from what I've read, sometimes being low in potassium can cause hypoglycemia. Low potassium occurs due to all the water you lose on Induction. The Atkins.com site used to recommend that you move out of Induction to the first level of Ongoing Weight Loss, by upping your carbs to 25 per day instead of 20. That works for some people. If it continues, however, I'd definitely see a doctor.
DeleteHi... I've read thru all of these posts. What great information! What a wonderful feeling to know I'm not alone! What patience you have repeating the same thing over and over and over; I feel for you!!! I so appreciate that you reply to every post too.... all this has given me the motivation to stay with it! I was really upset the other day because I'm stalled, without any changes, but now I know, know I understand! I'm PSYCHED to continue on.... Thank you everyone for sharing your stories and trials and tribulations! Most of all Vickie, if you're still around - I'd hug you in person if I could. Thank you for being here. Hugs to you, great big virtual hugs!!!
ReplyDeleteYou definitely are not alone. Stalls are very common. I have a sister-in-law who had weight-loss surgery, and she told me that it's normal for her to sometimes stall for several weeks before the weight loss kicks in again. The body is hard-wired for self preservation. That's the most important point to remember! Good luck!
DeleteThis site has encouraged me greatly!! I typed into google "stall on atkins"and this was the first page I saw. I have been lo-carbing for over 2 months. First 6 weeks I dropped 16 lbs but ever since, I havent been able to lose and havent changed what I have been eating too much. Nothing that would cause a stall. After reading all of the comments I feel encouraged to see how your body goes into a mode of storing water and I absolutely will NOT give up even though Im a bit discouraged at the moment. Knowing I am not alone in all of this is such a blessing. Not that I wish this on anyone but to know others have similar struggles and we can encourage each other lifts my spirits. Keep pressing on everyone and NEVER GIVE UP!!!! Best wishes to all and may all fo you have a wonderful Thanksgiving....
ReplyDeleteThank you Tara for your wonderful comments.Losing weight takes lots of hard work, and I've seen this water thing happen so many times. 16 pounds is a LOT! Are your clothes fitting you any better?
DeleteI have to say...I feel so much better having read so many stories like my own. Thanks Vickie for giving us all a place to find answers! I was so discouraged. I have been on the diet a week and have only lost 1.5 lbs. I was expecting so much more...but having read this blog....I realize I just need to be more patient. I have been using the Atkins bars and shakes a little, but I have also been eating real low carb food. I have given up all sweeteners other than sucralose, and I only have that occasionally. I have also given up all nitrates and nitrites. I am drinking all of the water Atkins recommends. I think I am doing everything right......
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I will continue to hang in there and try to have patience, before I jump the Atkins ship and try something else. If you have any other suggestions, I would love to hear them!
Thanks again,
Jeannie
Thanks Jeannie for sharing your experience. I completely understand just how hard it is. The body really has a mind of its own sometimes. At this point, patience is the only thing I know of to do.
DeleteHi Vickie...thanks for the response. I gained a half pound today. So...now I've only lost 1 pound in 1 1/2 weeks. I talked to Atkins yesterday and they recommended I eat more veggies and give up all sweeteners...that includes the Atkins bars and shakes. He said I could have 2 per day, but I'm limiting it to once a day for now. So....it's hard to come up with something to eat for breakfast. I don't like anything heavy in the morning....I usually just eat something like cereal or yogurt or a banana...so I'm having a hard time in the morning. When my stomach can handle eggs I do that. Any suggestions for breakfast that's lighter? The bad thing...I bought a ton of Atkins food and now, I'm scared to eat it! I will take any advice anyone has!!
DeleteThanks again,
Jeannie
I just talked to Atkins again and got more info that may help others having problems with not losing weight. The girl I talked to was so helpful. We got more in depth with the whole sugar alcohols issue. She said the maximum number of sugar alcohols grams for people sensitive to them is 15. If you look at some of the Atkins bars, they have more than 15 grams.....so for now, I am setting those aside. The shakes do not contain sugar alcohols...but she also reiterated that I needed to limit sugar substitutes to 3 packets per day...so that means I can have one shake and maybe one other packet of splenda. Because I only have 19 pounds to lose, she recommended that I go up to the Atkins 40 plan and up my vegetable intake and to eat more frequently throughout the day. I am going to try all of this and see what happens! I hope this info can help others too. We'll see how it goes!!
ReplyDeleteThey don't advertise how detrimental their bars can be to your weight loss.
Thanks for sharing all of that info. Wow. I really appreciate it. Please keep in touch and let us know how you're doing. I'm also going to work on a post about breakfast when you're used to eating light. I used to do the shakes for breakfast when I was on Induction, but I made them myself, so I could control the amount of sugar sub I was using, as well as the type.
DeleteI'm thinking that if you're not use to eating much in the morning, maybe a snack like a cup of vegetable soup or a piece of cheese might work better for you. If you're moving up to Atkins 40, though, there are a lot more options. Low-carb yogurt, cottage cheese with a few blueberries, a hard-boiled egg even.
Oh....I forgot to ask...please post the recipe for the shakes you make!
DeleteOkay. I'll round them up and do that.
DeleteThanks Vickie! Atkins suggested I have chia seed pudding and I LOVE it so since yesterday, I have had it twice!! I had it for a snack last night and again this morning for breakfast! I looked at the carbs in chia, and it very low....so I made two batches...one with unsweetened almond/coconut milk, splenda and vanilla extract. Oh my goodness...soooo good! The next back, I used a vanilla Atkins shake as the milk, then added a tiny bit of cocoa powder. No sweetener needed because the shake already has splenda. Both were so satisfying and delicious. I made another one for dessert tonight that I'm looking forward to....almond coconut milk, splenda and raspberry extract. I am going to have a few almond slivers and fresh blackberries on top! Something to look forward to tonight!
ReplyDeleteAnd...by the way...I was down a pound today! Hooray!!
If anyone needs the recipe for chia seed pudding...let me know and I'll post it!
Chia seeds should be mostly fiber. Right? That's great! At the moment, I can't eat a lot of fiber, except for salads and soft veggies because I was accidentally glutening myself with a local brand of butter we were using. It took me quite awhile to figure it out, so healing is going to take awhile.
DeleteI would love for you to post the recipe. Either here in the comments, or you can send it to me at Lavender.Rose27@yahoo.com and I'll build a post around it, giving you the credit for the recipe.
I'm so glad you found something that works. I was thinking custard and went in search of how I used to make that.
It just dawned on me that even if you'd rather post the recipe here in the comments, I could still add it to my breakfast post. Would that be okay?
Of course! I hope to help others who have having the same problems I was having....I was down another half pound today! I finally figured out what was going wrong! I was eating too many Atkins bars!!! I was only eating 2-3 a day, but that was way to many for me! Sooo..if you are doing everything right and you're eating sugar alcohols and not losing...you may be sensitive to the sugar alcohols....take them out of your diet for a few days and see if that makes a difference. It certainly did for me!! No more than 15 grams a day..and some bars are already more than that!! Also...keep even sucralose (Splenda) to 3 packets a day....so you can have 1 Atkins shake and then 1 more packet of Splenda! If you have a bar....that's all the artificial sweetener you can have for that day! Since I gave up the bars and sticking to the 3 packets a day...the weight has finally started coming off!!
ReplyDeleteAtkins also told me that the frozen meals have no sugar alcohols, so I can eat those.
As for the Chia Seed Pudding recipe....
You can use any kind of "milk" you want...or will fit into your plan
I use a variety of different things, Atkins Shakes, Almond/Coconut Milk, Cream
the basic recipe is:
3TBLS of chia seeds
3/4 to 1 cup of "milk"
1/2 to 1 packet of Splenda (according to how sweet you want it)
flavoring (vanilla extract or any other extract you like. I also add a little unsweetened cocoa powder sometimes)
Put it all in a jar....shake vigorously and continue to shake every few minutes until the chia seeds bloom enough to keep the seeds from sinking to the bottom.
Put in the fridge and let fully bloom. You can eat it at whatever stage you want. I like to wait until it's the consistency of custard.
As for the sweetening....as you are putting it together, you can taste it and add more sweetener if you wish.
When you eat it...you can add toppings like fruit and nuts.
I absolutely love this and it feels so decadent when you're on a diet! So good for you too!
I hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much for all of that. I really appreciate it.
DeleteI am working on the breakfast post right now, but I think the information about Atkins Products is important enough to create a separate post about it. I'm sure that others are probably also having trouble losing weight if they're eating a lot of these products and not sticking to the 3-pack sugar sub rule.
DeleteI lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks then a 1/2 a pound in the 3rd week. i ran more on the treadmill in the 3rd week like?
DeleteI lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks then all of the sudden in week 3 I lost a freaking 1/2 a pound! Ugh. I worked out alot more in week 3, you think thats the problem?
DeleteFor about the first 6 to 8 weeks, water fluctuations will be crazy like that. What you lose the first week or two is mostly water and glycogen. Once the initial water and glycogen comes off, weight loss slows down, since you're mostly burning fat.
DeleteBecause of hypoglycemia reactions to low carb I bounce between low carb and WW diets. I always gain weight on WW diets; any suggestions for staying on the low carb maintenance phase and not experience low blood sugar?
DeleteI don't know very much about hypoglycemia, other than when it occurs due to a low-carb diet, it's a signal that you're insulin sensitive rather than insulin resistant. Keeping your blood sugar stable is a matter of discovering how many carbs per meal will keep your blood glucose in the normal range. The best resource I know of for blood sugar problems is:
Deletehttp://www.bloodsugar101.com
Re-reading this, I realized that if you're experiencing hypoglycemic episodes on low-carb, but not when using Weight Watcher's points, then you probably are not adding carbs back into your diet as the Atkins book recommends. Atkins is about finding your specific carbohydrate tolerance level, so the ideal diet might be to find that out, and then adjust your calories to lose.
DeleteHi Vicki - thank you so much for doing this blog and also taking the time to answer questions.
ReplyDeleteLike many others, I am getting close to the end of the induction phase and I am perplexed by my non-results. I am not looking so much at losing weight as at losing the fat developed around my midriff and on my arms, so I have not been checking pounds but checking inches. There has been no change, although I "feel" lighter somehow; I also have a weird sense of having a hangover in the morning when I first wake up. I'm 57 and am on what I know is a low dose of HRT, but I'm in a part of the world where it isn't easy to find a doctor to tinker with that. Followed the diet carefully, lots of water, multivitamin, etc. There was one failing when I got caught at a lunch with a client and had to eat off-diet as there were no alternatives on the menu.
If I talk weight I guess I would need to lose about 20 pounds. Yes, I've done many diets before, and my body has always right back to where it is after two weeks of induction.
That's the history. Now the question: if it is a story of waiting it out six to eight weeks, is that six to eight weeks of induction, or general low-carb dieting?
Thanks so much.
Either one. In 2007, even though I had way more than a hundred pounds to lose, I only lost 4 pounds the first 2 months. After that, I started tweaking because I knew it wasn't just about water fluctuation.
DeleteVickie, could you share what your tweaks were? This is my 4th week of induction and I've lost one pound overall. I plan on sticking with the diet but would like to prepare what I will tweak when/if it becomes necessary. Thank you so much!
DeleteHi Migdalia,
DeleteI did quite a few experiments, but eventually settled into the Kimkins Diet, as it was originally posted at Low Carb Friends. Not whatever it morphed into at Kimmer's website. I ate 72 to 90 grams of protein, 20 full carbs (not net), and 60 grams of fat per day, or so. For me, that was my sweet spot when it came to low carbing.
From what I've seen in others, as well as experienced myself, calories and the amount of fat you eat is particularly important for a large subset of low-carb dieters. In 1972, the original Atkins Diet wasn't what it's evolved into today. Most of the fat recommended was supposed to come from your protein sources, which in those days was a "relatively lean" piece of meat.
However, there are a few individuals who do better on a higher fat, lower protein diet. But you still need to be in a calorie deficit.
why shouldn't you exercise when you are doing a low carb diet? I am very confused.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which comment you're replying to, but exercise is necessary for health. On Atkins, it's not optional. Some people, however, overdo it, which can cause your metabolism to tank, or the microscopic tears in your muscles from doing too much exercise can cause you to retain water. That doesn't mean you shouldn't exercise. The body will eventually shed the water. You just have to be patient with the numbers on the scale. I have vertigo myself, so I can't exercise.
DeleteIn addition to what I said above about exercise, too much raises stress hormones. Cortisol is one of those hormones, so it can be counter-productive to mix intensive training or lots of aerobics with a low-carb diet. Cyclic low-carb diets are more appropriate for those who don't want to keep their exercise on the light side.
DeleteAlthough your post is very interesting & helpful, it is also very discouraging. I am going on a month- long beach vacation in May & do not want to eat <20 carbs a day on vacation. I've lost about 10 pounds in 2 weeks, which I know is good, but knowing now that a 6-8 week stall is coming soon makes continuing for 4 more weeks a waste of time. So, I may as well stop now & restart after my vacation. I guess no beach body this year#
ReplyDeleteA month-long vacation sounds great! As for those dreaded low-carb stalls, not everyone stalls for 6 weeks. It's just a possibility. If you're new to low carb, those kinds of hang-ups are rare. However, a month-long vacation can definitely put the weight back on if you go back to the way you ate before, so I understand your point. If I were in your position, I'd probably just wait, too.
DeleteWill high glucose levels hinder weight loss on Atkins. I cut all my carbs and sugar because my glucose levels were at 300. I've gotten it down to 180. Still no weight loss results but my doctor told me the Atkins diet is good. Will I not see results until my glucose levels are normal?
ReplyDeleteI think it is bad advice to continue on induction (for more than 8 weeks?!?) when your body has aclimatized. Going more than 4 weeks without fruit is just plain bad for your body. My skin already looks 10 years older. When your body figures out something is "up" adn stalls out then it's time to change it up and keep it guessing. This is the difficult part, as adding almost anything different at this stage puts more weight on. Just eat clean, avoid grains. Good luck everybody.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you're referring to here, as this blog post is about the biological reasons why one's weight loss might stall after being on Induction for 2 weeks.
DeleteIt's not about what might be causing you to stall once you're fat-adapted. It takes several weeks for fat-adaption to occur. The body can retain water for 6 to 8 weeks after the initial 2-week Induction, which can look like a stall on the scale, but in reality is not.
If you believe that going more than 4 weeks without fruit is bad for your body, then why are you doing a low-carb diet? The Carbohydrate Ladder doesn't return fruit until you reach rung 4, which takes several weeks.
Glad to hear that you found something that works better for you. Thanks for your input.
For other readers who might wonder about the above comment that Induction is dangerous if you stay on it for over 8 weeks, that's not true. The Keto Diet is set at 20 to 25 carbs for the entire length of your weight loss journey, and people following that low-carb diet are getting very good results. No stalls because they count calories as well as carbs.
DeleteHi Vickie I started the induction part of atkins Feb 22nd 2016 and lost 13 lbs. I'm trying to lose another 40 lbs but as everyone else I'm at a standstill. I'm getting frustrated. What is a good breakfast meal? I miss my special k cereal. I also exercise 5 days a week doing Cize by Shaun T. But haven't lost anymore weight.
ReplyDeleteI took a quick look at Cize, since I hadn't heard of it before, and looked over a couple of reviews at Amazon. It's low intensity dancing, correct? If so, then that's a great workout for low carb since over exercising will cause your metabolism to slow down.
DeleteWhen I had this problem myself, I ended up tweaking my low-carb diet by cutting down on fat. To do that, I turned to protein shakes in the morning made with low-fat cottage cheese instead of using heavy cream. Sometimes, I'd eat low-fat cottage cheese mixed with blueberries. Or I'd scramble a couple of eggs in a non-stick pan mixed with leftover vegetables.
While the Atkins Diet tells you that you don't have to count your calories, what I've been reading lately from people who have managed to reach goal weight and stay there is that the body tries everything it can to re-fill its fat cells, once emptied. Calories count more than the average low-carb dieter wants to believe. Since protein and carb amounts are pretty much set, the only nutrient we have to control calories is fat.
But also keep in mind, that sometimes, the body will stall if you're not eating enough. It all depends on your past dieting history and how the body chooses to adapt to what you're doing.
This is a great article! I started April 4th and by April 15th I was down 13 lbs. The scale hasn't budged since then! It is stuck at the same weight down the ounce. I have PCOS (which also makes me prone to fatty liver), so i carry a huge bulk of my weight in visceral fat. This was exactly what I needed to read today, it makes perfect sense. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteFrom what I currently understand, losing visceral fat doesn't always show up on the scale in huge "weight" losses, so you'll have to be extremely patient. Most people lose their visceral fat deposits first. PCOS will also make it slow going, once the body adapts to burning fats for fuel, so take it slow, and just know that low-carb is the best way to go for those with extreme insulin resistance.
DeleteHi Vickie! I was so excited to still have the link to this blog saved! I ended up losing over 30 lbs and having a successful pregnancy after 3 miscarriages before keto! Even my specialist agreed keto was the main reason for my fertility success. I had my son back in March and I started to keto again on Monday. I decided to look at the scale and I had gained a pound. It was an unwelcome shock. I have the keto stix and I’m definitely spilling ketones. I’m guessing since I did this diet before my body knows what I’m doing. Ugh. At least coming back and reading the article and comments is reassuring that I just have to wait things out. I know obviously it hasn’t even been a week but seeing the scale go up was unwelcome. Last time I lost 9 lbs in the first week.
DeleteThis is what happened to me pretty much. Lost only 1/2 pound the first week after coming back. I can really relate to the frustration. Sometimes, the body just expects us to quit though. How are things going? I'm sorry for the late reply.
DeleteHi all I've done this diet 5 years ago and lost 2 stone I've since put on a stone and decided to go on the atkins again.week 1 lost 8 lb week 2 put on 6lb now just starting week 3. I can't remember it being like this is this OK?
ReplyDeleteOh and I've had more upset stomach then last time.
Thanks eric
Hi Eric,
DeleteWater fluctuations are extremely common in those who have done Atkins before. When you return to a low-carb diet after being away for a few years, the body almost never reacts in the same way. It will be more efficient at using ketones and adaptions to weight loss will occur sooner. Losing 8 pounds the first week is GREAT. The body is most likely storing water in your fat cells, temporarily.
However, a low carb diet shouldn't give you a stomach ache. Are you eating a lot of fat? Too much fat can give you a stomach ache.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteim am male 33yrs. first 14 days i went from 198lbs-180lbs on atkins from 34% BF to 27.1% BF. this is my second time doing this diet. first time was 8 yrs ago. days 15-16-17 (today) i havent lost any weight. infact the scale gained 0.5lbs more. kinda uoset that i stop loosing as quickly as before. good article to read. im going to stick it out some more. maybe my fat storage is packed with water, and will eventually shrink and let me continue to loose weight. btw the first 14 days only 2 days of good cardio excercise.
ReplyDeleteHello, I have been reading all the comments, looking for answers. Im a 50 year old male. 6'2 and 300 lbs. I have yo yo dieted my entire life. Doc said I was pre diabetic,low T, thyroid was normal.. I went strict induction, completely cut out alcohol, drink 64 oz water. Under 20 carbs
ReplyDeletetypical day menu, 3 eggs fried in butter, lunch, salad with ranch dressing 2 slices turkey, dinner, new york steak with 1 cup vegies or salad, snack 2 oz cheese. thats it nothing else. n cheating no nothing. end result after 2 weeks is loss of 2 lbs...... I feel dismayed and confused over this. I mean I got some serious weight to lose. Today I had coconut oil with my coffee for breakfast. Oh and I walk 3 miles a day. Thanks for reading
Tom
Hi Tom,
DeleteWhen you have done a lot of yo-yo dieting, the mind remembers that pattern, so it's not really anxious to give up the fat because it believes you're going to eventually quit. I've seen some heavy people even gain weight on Induction before the body gives up and starts to let go of the fat. My own experience? I lost only 2 pounds the entire first month. I was a steady yo-yo dieter too. For some, it's a waiting game. The body can't hold onto the water forever.
Thank you for the reply :) I think I will do a few day (fat fast) and see if the spurs some water loss? As I get older , this whole weight loss thing, becomes excruciatingly hard. MY mind says hey your a big guy the weight should just fall off when you eat low carb (and less food). exercise 3 miles per day, stay active......you are right, the body says hey your gonna quit after a few weeks so im gonna fill up these fat cells with fluid. Waiting for the (whoosh) lol
DeleteThe fat fast is not a bad idea either. It would definitely tell you if it's an elevated insulin or protein issue. Let me know how it goes.
DeleteHey Vickie, I as well have tried Atkins several times, Back in the seventy's and A short stint in the 90's. My Third time was started 3 weeks ago , and I had lost 13# in 2 weeks, now the third week I have gained 5# back. I also been diagnosed with PAD. Plus Nuropathy in both feet.
ReplyDeleteI really hope I can change my LDL and lower my chances of heart issues with this diet. Any suggestions?
If you dropped 13 pounds the first 2 weeks, the diet is working great! It's not uncommon for the body to put some of that water weight back on, especially after losing so much.
DeleteLow-carb diets are a good choice for correcting heart issues, as they burn triglycerides for energy, which improves blood circulation. Many people report improved LDL numbers as well. When I had my heart checked for calcium deposits a few years ago, the cardiologist told me they had never seen anyone with arteries in as good of condition as mine were. I had no calcium deposits.
While I'm not a doctor, in my own personal experience, if you have PAD, I would do Atkins like the book, and ignore the modern-day low-carb advice to up your fat and lower your protein. Give the diet time to work.
It seems like I am singing the same blues, like most of the posters. I have been induction for three weeks now, and only lost 8lbs. I am at 167, 4'11" in height. I was on Atkins before and the same thing happened. Since then, I have had two surgeries, have problems with my legs, and taking depression meds. The cocktail of medication caused my weight to skyrocket, tanking at 185, from 130. I lost weight (not on Atkins) and came down to 171. Birthday weekend came , and weight shot up to 177. I began Atkins again when I hit 175. For as small as I am, I can lift weight (not muscleman weight), and can do cardio ( I do the classes at the gym, or I stick to the elliptical). I get discouraged at all the effort I put into my lifestyle change, and am not losing anymore weight. I drink more than 64 oz of water, and am sticking to Induction til considerable weight loss has occurred. Should I stop working out, or just wait it out?
ReplyDeleteLosing 8 pounds in three weeks is a lot. Did you lose that on Induction, but haven't lost anything since then?
DeleteLifting weights along with eating adequate protein is the best way to help maintain muscle mass. What you want to watch out for is that you don't add too much cardio because cardio can increase cortisol levels, resulting in water retention, especially if you're eating at a huge calorie deficit.
However, if you've lost 8 pounds in 3 weeks, I'd simply wait and see how things go before attempting to do something different. At 3 weeks, the body won't quite be adapting to burning fatty acids for fuel just yet, so you're going to see a lot of water fluctuations. I like to tell people to give the diet 6 to 8 weeks before you do any tweaking.
If this isn't your first time doing Atkins, the body will adapt to what you're doing faster, due to body memory. You won't have the same results that you had last time. The diet will work, but it's going to work a bit slower this time around.
I started Atkins 2 week ago. I lost 3 pounds but I can see my bosy changing. Is it possible to see changes with very little weight loss?
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late reply. I've been out of town for the holiday. Yes. Your body can definitely change faster than the pounds do. Pounds measure all sorts of things and not just body fat, so water fluctuations are particularly common in the beginning of the Atkins Diet.
DeleteBeen on induction for 3 weeks and have only lost 5 lbs. However, I am borderline diabetic and my blood sugar has gone down measurably. I also have fatty liver and happy to read about that in this blog. I feel much better and do not have indigestion problems any longer. All in all it is easy to stay on this diet, I am just anxious to lose the weight. I will persevere and feeling hopeful after reading this blog. Thank you, Patty
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Low carb diets come with many benefits. Glad to hear that your blood sugar has improved. Waiting for the pounds to catch up is often hard, but so worth it in the end.
DeleteI started Atkins on June 13,and in the fist 2 weeks I went from 286lbs to 269lbs,then in week 3 I stalled, now starting week 4 I have gained back up to 279lbs doing the same diet, all I've added to my all protein diet is sauteed onions, mushrooms, and jalapeños, and I eat broccoli on rare occasions. I don't drink coffee or diet coke, only diet 7up, but mostly water, this is very discouraging and I am ready to quit but I really need to lose weight. Also my ketosticks show I'm in almost moderate ketosis, my family says my stomach looks smaller, bit my clothes still seem to fit the same. I don't know what is going on or what to do.
ReplyDeleteThe first week, most of the weight you drop is due to emptying out your stored carbs in the form of glycogen and water. Dropping 20 pounds of water in the first 2 weeks can certainly cause severe water retention, and even weight regain.
DeleteA stall is defined as going 6 weeks, or more, without losing any pounds or inches.
What happens is the body sees the amount of water you dropped during Induction and slams on the breaks. It starts to stuff water into your shrinking fat cells, which makes it look like the diet isn't working. Weight loss stops until the body adjusts.
If you're at the beginning of week 4, you still won't be adapted to burning fats efficiently for fuel, yet, so water fluctuations will be common.
Low-carb diets are easier to stick to than low-calorie diets, due to the reduction in hunger, but they are not a crash diet. They take time to work.
Thank you Vicky,I guess I'll stick with it a little longer
DeleteThank you Vicky,I guess I'll stick with it a little longer
DeleteHi there vicky! i think i need you. in fact, i do. i just stumbled across this site. it is *ace*. i LOVE your take on things vickie. thank you for this wealth of information and sharing it with us. ok. choking back the tears here... i am having a real issue and it goes like this (and i am scared i might need to find a personal LC/Atkins nutritionist to help cos i know how expensive it will be). i know i am a sugar addict. i used not to be able to resist ice cream, chioccy, biscuits etc... really, i ate kilos every day...i couldn't stop....i went up to 182 pounds ( loathed it) .so i wanted a low carb no sugar plan.i studied atkins and i started atkins. i am 46. i weigh 175 and am 5 foot 7. my BMI is i think 26.5? i lost 6 pounds in the induction period, and am in ketosis, and as far as i know, i am doing everything right. no cheating not once. in the 4 weeks since i have lost nothing (well i lost three then put on four then lost one= same as at end of induction!) . in four weeks of scrupulous atkins behaviour i have lost nothing. i do looko thinner. lost 3 inches off my waist. feel sleeker...but weIght loss? none at all. i really need real help. i am starting to feel powerless., impotent., desperate. can you help me in any way and if you can thank you so much i would be thrilled, even just a word or two. cheers, genie :-)
ReplyDeleteoh! vickie... i just measured my waist and those 3 inches are back. lovely. i just dunno whats doing this... i could scream. i feel frightened...' and if atkins is the answer... why after 6 weeks ham i still at the weight i was after 2 weeks? i am sure i am following the plan vickie... i feel hopeless now ... :-( i can't wait to hear
ReplyDeleteIf the 3 inches are back, and this is the first time you have ever gone on a low-carb diet, then yes, this is very weird.
DeleteWhen I did Atkins for the 2nd time, I lost weight on Induction, but then it was 6 more weeks before my body let go of the excess water weight, and I was able to lose weight again. In 2007, I only lost 2 pounds for the entire first month, and 2 more pounds for month two. That's it. The body can be very stubborn.
You're on Atkins, so I'm assuming that you're eating 20 net carbs per day? Can you give me a sample menu, so I have a better idea of exactly what you're eating? How are your cravings doing eating this way? Have they gotten more controllable?
hi there vickie. thanks so much for getting back. the time delay is cos i am british.
Deleteok, so this morning the 3 inches have gone again. my waist is 31 inch. my weight is 175. my boyfriend says i look visibly slimmer and the fat around my hips look definitely smaller.(i can agree with that) this is not the first time i tried atkins but the same happened last time. i lost 7 pounds then never lost again for a month or so and got terribly depressed cos i never cheated once (i am very disciplined) and that was that. then i did cambridge diet and lost 70 pounds and never gained them back ever.i just have 5 t go (but in time i want to lose 10-14 more cos i want a BMI of 22/23 . anyhow, this time i said NO . enough! i am going to make low carb work somehow. and i will but i need help and you seem like the biggest most experienced expert online and believe me i have looked everywhere! i certainly get bloated. for sure. like you said about yourself doing atkins. i drink 2 litres a day. i am going thru atkins flu only now, 6 weeks in, when i decided to lower from 20 net carbs to as little as poss. but it is prob still too many. my calories (which i though we were not supposed to pay any heed to) range from 1450 to about 2000. i find it interesting about not having keto flu at the start but when i seriously lowered the carbs. really interesting.. i am really looking for advice from an expert, so here i am :-) on your page. love, genie
sorry vickie, that should read, i used to be heavier, and i needed to shift it fast, so i did the cambridge. short and sweet. and that i only have 15 pounds to lose. sorry, my typing is crap but i mean well! hahaha
Deletesample menu:
Delete100% meat sausage fried in olive oil (EVCP)
3 fried eggs
(or a cheese omelette fried in butter)
a cup if coffee with heavy cream (which i hate,hahaa:
or tea with illegal milk. but it is only a dash. truly.
a stick of celery with 2/3 ounces of cheese
diced chicken with ginger and onion (small amount onion just to favour)
a cup or two of salad with or without diced tomato (again, small amount)
another cup of tea
maybe prosciutto crudo with salami (n sugar, all natural) and mozzarella and 8 olives as a snack
THAT'S ALL FOLKS!
i cant chug cream or munch butter sticks cos i tried and was very sick.
i tried a fat bomb and the same thing happened.
i dont eat bars anymore, i used to have 3 a day. once i had 7. they had to go. i was addicted.
i have had zero cravings at all since i started atkins not once once. they went. overnight.
but i gotta get losing or i feel just so disheartened. i am going without a lot, especially a social oife. and i need to feel the pay off is good. but i dearly want to stay on it cos i hate being hungry ad feeling faint. i am taking broth and magnesium for the cramps.
love, genie
Thank you so much for your kind words. I had to look up the Cambridge Diet, so I could see what that was. It sounds similar to the HCG diet; very low in calories and carbs.
DeleteYou've lost 70 pounds eating that way, and now, you only have 15 more pounds to go, but what you really want is to have a BMI of 22 or 23. Currently, your BMI is 26.5 or so.
Do I have that right?
For your age and height, your target weight of 150 to 160 is fine.
Bloating is generally a symptom of either water retention or a food sensitivity. In this case, it's most likely water retention because the Atkins flu is a sign of an electrolyte imbalance. Electrolytes are calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.
You're eating plenty of salty foods, dairy, and taking magnesium supplements, but your diet is very low in potassium, which you get from vegetables. Going super low in carbs when you are not insulin resistant creates an electrolyte imbalance, resulting in what's called the Atkins flu.
Going very low carb is counterproductive to what you want.
The scale doesn't weigh just body fat. It weighs water, blood, organs, muscle tissue, connective tissues, undigested food, skin, hair, etc. The weight on the scale is the sum of all of those things, including body fat, so just because the scale number isn't moving downward, that doesn't mean you are not losing fat.
There isn't much you can do to hurry the process. With only 15 pounds to go, your choices are to eat comfortably and lose weight slowly or eat at a higher deficit. With your cravings, it's better to relax and take it slow.
The purpose in lowering carbohydrate in the diet is to correct elevated insulin levels, which eliminates cravings and makes you less hungry. Going very low carb when your insulin level is already low enough will not make you lose weight faster. Body fat is lost when you eat at a calorie deficit. Ketosis makes eating at a calorie deficit more comfortable.
The reason why Dr. Atkins didn't concern himself with calories was because most people will naturally eat at a deficit when they restrict carbohydrates. However, the closer you are to your target weight, the more calories matter because your maintenance level of calories becomes smaller than it was when you first started dieting.
I realize you're doing Atkins, but I ran your stats through the Keto Diet calculator to see how close you're coming to a natural deficit. According to the calculator, your maintenance calories (the number of calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight of 175) are 1615 to 1809, depending on how active you are. Most people are not nearly as active as they think, so the Keto Diet recommends that everyone consider themselves sedentary.
According to the calculator, 1600 to 1800 calories per day is your maintenance level of calories. Keto doesn't go for large deficits, so to lose weight, they recommend 1300 to 1550 calories a day for you - with the lower figures for sedentary. Just something to keep in mind.
In my experience, however, from what you've said, I think your body is stuffing water into your fat cells, and that you need to go back to eating 20 net carbs a day -- mostly in vegetables -- and give the diet a chance to work before you do any tweaking. On the average, it takes a couple of months for the body to adapt to a low carb diet.
Your body cannot hold onto the excess water forever.
Thank you. I've been blogging for a very long time, and some of the science coming out doesn't support a lot of the old low-carb theories, so some of the information on the site is outdated. I'm just beginning the process of updating everything to be more accurate.
ReplyDeleteCertainly. My address is in the right sidebar.
ReplyDeleteyou'll laugh. i just lost a couple of pounds! love genie xx
ReplyDeleteGREAT! That's a "good" type of laugh.
DeleteTurning low carb into a lifestyle is the key to making this work. So glad to hear that you are doing well.
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome, and don't worry about hogging up the site. That's what the comments are for: sharing your happiness as well as your frustrations about low carb. I am so glad to hear you are doing so well.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's possible. Some people have problems with their metabolism slowing down if they don't eat enough fat. The trick is simply to make sure you're still eating at a deficit, rather than just tacking on fat, which you're doing beautifully!
ReplyDeleteThat is the biggest mistake most people make, thinking they can eat all of the fat and calories they want to. At 250 pounds, perhaps, but not when you get close to the weight you want to be. Just be careful when you lower protein that you don't lower it too much. You need 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass or you'll start to lose muscle tissue. Carbs are not needed by the body, but when some people drop them too low, the weight loss stops. Just play around and stick with your personal sweet spot for each nutrient.
ReplyDeletei just thought i was getting it and today, four pounds on. not suddenly either. its been up down up down. i am lowering calories to 1300-'1500 and tryin not to throw the frigging things out the window. love genie xx
ReplyDeleteWater fluctuation is like that. Just keep telling yourself: It's not fat! It's not fat! It's not fat!
DeleteI ran your numbers through the keto calculator again and here is what I got for lightly active:
1447 calories (20 percent deficit at lightly active)
20 grams of carbs per day
85 grams of protein (0.8 grams per lb of lean body mass; yours is 107 lbs)
114 grams of fat
These are just a place to start from, as you've already discovered. People often over-estimate how active they are and how much their eating, so you'll have to fine-tune the figures to fit what's going on. Also, since you've already lost 70 pounds, your metabolism is likely to be 10 to 15 percent lower than the average person for your height, age, and weight.
Minimum protein intake for your size and age is 65 grams a day. That's not optimal, though. That's just enough for repairs. You're better off eating at least 72, in my own experience.
LCHF is for people who are severely overweight or severely insulin resistant. You probably fit that category when you started out, which is why you're having better luck with upping your fats.
Here's the link for the calculator:
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Just ignore what all of those LCHF people are telling you. Most of them live in a fantasy world. Low-carb diets get rid of cravings and hunger, so you're more comfortable eating at a deficit. But there "has" to be a deficit.
ReplyDeleteSedentary for your height, weight, and age:
Maintenance calories are 1615 calories
20% deficit would be 1292 calories
20 carbs
85 grams protein
97 grams fat
This is still considered a high-fat diet; it's just adjusted to fit your caloric needs. 1292 calories is only a 20% deficit. Body fat won't come off very fast at that rate; maybe a pound a week, if that. If you want a higher deficit, you could go down to 1200 calories or even 1100 without stressing out your body too much. The amount of fat you eat would then have to go down, though.
I am 39, 238#, and premenopausal. I've been living the LCHF for about 5 weeks. I lost 31# in my first 3 weeks now my body is just at a stand still. It was completely discouraging until I read the questions and comments posted here. I will continue to plug along. I had read else where that it was possible my body was holding onto additional water because at week 4 my cycle was due and a women's body will naturally hold water until her cycle begins...but now that has been thrown off schedule due to my new eating habits. I have been under stress, actually lots and my exercise regimen isn't exactly where I need it to be so I'm sure all of this contributes. Any insight or assistance with my issues.
ReplyDelete31 pounds in 3 weeks is a huge "weight" loss. Your body is most likely dehydrated from losing that much water. If you were not eating enough protein before you started low carb, some of the water loss could be from previous protein deficiency as well.
DeleteIs this your first time on low carb? Have you ever dieted before?
If you have stopped losing weight, then your body is working normally. It has to adapt to that huge water loss. Low-carb diets do not work any faster than other diets that have been optomized for fat loss. You're doing GREAT.
Menstrual cycles do upset fat loss. They also will cause you to retain water and have large water fluctuations swings before-and-after. In my own experience, fat loss stopped completely during that week.
The only caution I have at this point is to make sure you don't over-exercise. Exercise is great, but tons of it will cause your metabolic rate to slow down due to the fact that low carb predominately uses fats for fuel instead of glucose. Most people on low-carb diets discover that less exercise is better than too much.
Hi, after 7 weeks on Atkins losing only 5 lbs., I have a question. After your body decides to let go of the water and subsequently the fat cells, does it become any easier to lose weight? Like everyone else, I have been faithful to the diet with only minimal success. Thanks, Patty
ReplyDeleteHow quickly the body fat comes off, once the body adapts, depends on your calorie deficit and how much you have to lose.
DeleteHi, Thanks, after complaining last week, all of a sudden a few pounds have dropped, just enough to keep me motivated. I need to lose 50 pounds by Feb 2017, I believe I can do it. Every time I get frustrated I reread this blog
Deleteand it helps me, so thanks all for your comments. Patty
Thanks Patty for keeping in touch. I love updates! It's always difficult to stay motivated when the scale won't budge. So glad to hear that you've lost a few pounds.
DeleteHow do you figure out what your calorie deficit is?
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to the calculator I use. I think I need to link to it from the sidebar.
Deletehttp://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Thank you. I was able to figure it out. I find it hard to follow the higher fat diet and still maintain a calorie deficit.
DeleteThat's one of the biggest reasons why so many people stall partway to their goal. I'm glad to hear you figured it out. Feel free to keep us updated.
DeleteWell, I did exactly what my body expected me to do today... cheated after three weeks on Atkins. But I'm back at it tomorrow. I have so many hormonal issues, and I'm not starving myself. I'm just frustrated with no weight or inch loss. I've yo-yo dieted for the last 30 years. I just get tired of having to watch what I eat every single day. It's so easy to gain 10 lbs in a week. I want to live it up!! Lol
ReplyDeleteWell, I did exactly what my body expected me to do today... cheated after three weeks on Atkins. But I'm back at it tomorrow. I have so many hormonal issues, and I'm not starving myself. I'm just frustrated with no weight or inch loss. I've yo-yo dieted for the last 30 years. I just get tired of having to watch what I eat every single day. It's so easy to gain 10 lbs in a week. I want to live it up!! Lol
ReplyDeleteI can honestly relate to this! I don't enjoy tracking my food intake either.
DeleteI just started this 8 days ago but have not lost anything. I'm not cheating and I haven't had any diet soda or diet tea, just water for 8 days. I'm ready to give up
DeleteA lot of people don't lose weight the first week because all you lose is water and glycogen. You won't start burning body fat until the body adapts to using fatty acids for fuel.
DeleteI started induction Aug 25th and I have stayed at 20 carbs a day strick , My ketone strip is dark pink or purple everytime, I have only lost 4 lbs, as of today sept 30 , I work out 5 - 6 days a week for an hour or more, please help ! Thank You
ReplyDeleteKetosis doesn't make you lose weight. Ketosis simply means your body is burning fats for fuel, but that fat can come from your diet as well as your excess body fat. You have to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. However, too much exercise causes elevated levels of cortisol in some individuals. Since low-carb uses the starvation pathway, too much exercise can cause your body to slow metabolic rate.
DeleteIt's hard to say what your particular problem is. Height, weight, age, past dieting history, type of exercise you're doing (lifting vs cardio), and a lot of other factors need to be considered. For most people, they're eating too much, but not always.
I'm sorry, I didn't give you all that info, I'm 63 , 170 lbs ,5'5 , I have read the Atkins Book and I'm doing everything it says to do, I'm eating about 30 ozs of protein a day and around 18-20 carbs a day, I walk on the treed mill 30 mins and do weights for about 30-45 mins , I have always worked out even before I started dieting , I must be doing something wrong
Delete30 ounces of protein? That's like 195 to 200 grams of protein a day, about twice as much as you need. Your body will burn much of that protein for energy, instead of body fat. Try cutting your protein down to 16 ounces a day. 20 carbs is perfect right now, till you find the amount of protein and fat that will let you lose.
DeleteI ran your stats, maintenance calories are between 1500 and 1600 calories, but you don't need a huge deficit to lose on low carb. Often, 300 calories less than maintenance is plenty.
16 oz protein - 104 grams, or 416 calories
20 carbs - 80 calories
That leaves about 100 grams of fat per day