Sorry that nothing seems to be working right now. These are great replies you have already had. I second the suggestion that you need to step back a bit and take a break from trying so hard.. Just enjoy the food and make the healthiest choices you can, while being mindful not to gain, of course. Once you're ready to continue there will be lots of different paths to explore:
Have you looked over Dr. Atkins' recommendations in his book? You could try some of the supplements he suggests - one or two at a time. For example, lecithin helps the body to burn fat.. and I seem to remember that he cited a trial which found that people who supplemented with vitamin C had a slight advantage over those who didn't.
I cannot remember what was suggested to you in other threads... but have you tried including oily fish and increasing the green leafy veggies in your diet? Swapping the Omega 6 oils in your diet for omega 3 ones will possible cut down on any inflammation, also swapping your normal cooking oil for coconut oil might help your body to move into a more ketogenic state, the oily fish might help to boost your vitamin D levels - that can help some people to lose better.. and plenty of nutritious leafy veggies like kale (preferably organic) will supply important nutrients, which might assist in making your body work more efficiently.
I know that you're quite active already, and on your feet all day, but have you considered adding in some of that high intensity short-term exercise? Basically you'd do bursts of 30 seconds of vigorous activity on an exercise bike or similar several times a week.. Here's an article about it:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...s-activity.html
I'm just thinking that perhaps introducing something a bit different might jump-start your system a bit.
Another thing to try is raising your carbs a bit by adding plenty more veggies. Some people need more carbs than others, and you might be one of them. The beauty of Atkins is that it is a very flexible plan.
I know how you're feeling - I get stuck at 168 or thereabouts - I haven't managed to get my weight below that in all the years I have been low-carbing. It's only 4lbs above a normal weight for my height, but in my case there is too much fat and flab, so I cannot kid myself that this is a healthy state. Occasionally I get the blues about the lack of weight-loss. I find that focusing on enjoying my food choices and concentrating on my health and feeling good about myself really help me to keep things in perspective.
I have started to experiment with raising my carb and calorie levels, and also trying out different foods. I am not doing a very strict form of the diet, so there's plenty of leeway for creamy sauces, berries, nuts and some low-carb baking occasionally. Having said that, I am quite strict about sticking to a fairly clean diet. I avoid anything artificial, limit dairy and products, and generally don't use sweeteners apart from stevia.
Someone called Christina posted something very helpful recently in response to a query about slow losing / regaining. It gave me lots of ideas which I can try in the future. I hope it's helpful to you as well:
Quote:
Originally Posted by livinright
My general advice that comes from personal experience and many years of observing others on low carb forums.
C&P from my journal:
1. Make sure you're eating within 200 calories of your BMR ( http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ ) with your fat % over 60. (75% is even better) If you’re in induction phase, 12-15g of your carb grams should come from vegetables. OWL, aim for 30 -40 carbs with 75% of carbs coming from vegetables. (Aiming for an average trend on this, not daily perfection)
2. If you're eating any bars, shakes, sugar-free candy,gum, or alcohol containing drinks, try going without them for a couple of weeks and see if that helps.
3. Foods that are fermented, moldy or yeasty can cause problems for some people at a certain point.(That point can be at induction) Kraut, pickles, vinegar, soy sauce, mushrooms, cheese, dairy in general, nuts...and dried spices that have been around a while.
4. Artificial sweeteners and caffeine affect weight loss for a very small % of people.
5. Thyroid function and medications can also affect weight loss.
6. You could have a food intolerance. Common ones include eggs, soy, milk and cheese.
On my first round of low carb, I had to pull all of the foods from #2, 3 and 4 out and test them individually to see what my body liked. For me everything I listed in #2, plus most dairy, all commercial salad dressing and olive oil (my body is weird. I know of no one else who has issues with olive oil) had to be eliminated for me to get past the 160 pound mark.
It can sometimes be like a little experiment with your body as you try to find what foods work best for your individual body.
And don't forget to revisit your Dr. Atkins book for other reasons for no loss. (The chapters on metabolic resistance, yeast reactions, engine stalled? and food intolerance should be most helpful) I had to do this recently myself. A medication I was taking was the culprit. Had I not picked the book up again, I might have just given up instead of finding my answer.
Reality is, the plan/diet will have to be worked and focused on every day for life to reach and maintain.
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I think some of us suggested that you try raising your calories in response to one of your previous posts.. Did you try that? I tend to undereat myself, and I am currently focusing on raising my own calories. Adding about 300-500 calories to my daily diet hasn't changed my weight at all, but it has got me closer to my basal metabolic requirements. I'm hoping that if I can boost my system to a more normal intake of food, then perhaps I'll have more energy and my body will burn the fat for fuel rather than hanging onto everything. It does take a bit of effort in terms of tracking and planning, but eating more indulgent and delicious food more than compensates for the extra work.
Good luck with your diet. Stick around. I'm sure that you'll find a way forward if you keep experimenting.