Sorry but I’m getting really frustrated with this Atkins diet. Like so many others, the first few weeks of the diet are great and the pounds fly off. Then the weight loss simply stops and there is little that can be done to start the loss again. It’s at this point that so many people, in frustration, try the off the wall fasts and such to start the loss again. I’ve read about the water, egg, meat, fat and so on fasts. I just refuse to do extreme things like this.

I’ve been on the diet for almost 5 months now and I’m really getting sick of the meat, eggs and vegetables. How many ways can this be prepared and still taste good. And why should I care anymore if I’m doing low carb and still not losing. I have not lost one pound in 3 months!!!

I thank Dr. Atkins for the great start but would have to tell him that after the beginning, his diet really sucks! There has to be a better way.

Bill

Willam, I know frustration--am going through it myself. I'm still not ready to throw my hands up just yet because I know if I return to my old way of eating I'm going to go through blood sugar problems and gain back all if not more than the weight I've lost so far.

As far as food goes, what part of it are you having problems with? Have you checked the recipe section? There's a lot more to eating this way than meat, eggs and veggies. Basically, we've thrown out the flavorless foods and replaced them with things that taste really good. Do you eat burgers wrapped in lettuce instead of bread? That's how I eat them and didn't know burgers could taste so good. Sure, I miss the fries or onion rings sometimes, but this way of eating doesn't dictate we remove them from our lives completely. Have you read 'Atkins for Life'? If not, pick it up at your local library and take a gander through it. It has great menu ideas as well as showing foods to eat liberally, in moderation, and sparingly. Some of my favorite foods are ones that if I ever manage to get this weight off, I will be able to add back sparingly--and those are the foods that shouldn't be eaten in heavy doses anyway.

Willam are you drinking plenty of water and excercising or reading the lables of everything you eat you could be putting yourself into a stall without even knowing it if your eating franken foods stop for awhile or up your water start a journal so that maybe someone can help you start losing again dont blame atkins for your stall or platau it happens to everyone at one time or another you might need to go back over everything you ate for the past 3 months give it a try what can it hurt...Aprilellen

It is tough.....and frustrating.

For help, try posting some of you daily food intakes. Exercise routine too. There are a lot of people on this board that are great at spotting things that can interfere with your weight. Or maybe you need to increase your carb level a bit. Some members have reported an increase in weight loss when they temporarily up their carb levels for a short time. Or your goal! 180# for a 6'tall man (by your profile #s) is a good size, especially if you're physically fit.

Hang in there. You're eating healthier and doing good for your body. That's important.

Hey William,

Sorry to hear Atkins isn't all you hoped for. There are many low-carb plans out there now, perhaps you would be happier trying something like CKD or South Beach.

Also maybe your goal weight is just too low, I am also 6 feet tall and I think 165lbs would be very hard for me to reach. Approximatly 15 years ago I lost all my exess weight on Nutri-System. At goal I was 185, and I was very thin (not very healthy though). You know yourself better than anybody though, but something to think about. Have you had your bodyfat % measured by a pro?

I wish you luck in whatever you choose to do.

Willam, I was thinking along the same lines as Nelson. 165 is a very low goal weight for someone who is 6 feet tall and male. Perhaps your body thinks it's already at a good weight and is resisting further weight loss for that reason?

There are many factors that may cause a stall on this diet, as indicated by the questions above... And there are a lot of people on this forum who have been there before you. We can help.

So what phase of Atkins are you in? How many carbs a day are you having? How often do you cheat, if at all? What kind of exercise are you doing? How much water? Are you on any medications? Are you taking any vitamins? Have your measurements changed?

Weight loss does slow down as you get closer to your goal, but it shouldn't stop for 3 months unless that is the right weight for your height. I highly recommend you put a few days worth of food into fitday.com, then post a link to it here.

--nw

Thank you all for your suggestions and support. I have read each reply many times seeking an answer to my problems with Atkins. Again, I thank you all.

My typical diet varies very little from day to day.

Yesterday
Breakfast
½ cup measured Fiber One Cereal
1 Multi Vitamin
Lunch
8 Shrimp & 2 Scallops
Dinner
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 cup frozen vegetables. (I have a freezer full of them)
3 Ritz Crackers

Today
Breakfast
½ cup measured Fiber One Cereal
1 Multi Vitamin
Lunch
1 can of green beans with 1 tablespoon of alfredo sauce.
Dinner (later)
2 small fish patties. Sometimes it’s chicken or beef.
1 cup frozen vegetables or tossed salad.
Probably 2 eggs.

During the last 5 months I have NEVER tasted any kind of diet bar, diet shake, dessert, cookie, cake or sweet thing of any kind. I have had about 5 slices of low carb bread. I did have one serving of Dreamfields pasta (Wonderful). I have never had any kind of regular soda. I do not eat nuts or snacks and during the 5 months a potato or bean has never touched my lips. My rule has simply been that if it’s starchy, made with flour or contains any form of sugar then it’s off limits. I have had about 6 fast food hamburgers but have always tossed the buns. I have also eaten at a buffet several times but ONLY have broiled fish and large salad. On rare occasion I’ve had sugar free Jell-O or an avocado. I also avoid fruit because of the high sugar content.

There’s something inherently wrong with this diet It’s not only myself that has encountered this problem. On this forum and others there are hundreds of other people that have found out this diet simply stops working after the initial loss. I don’t know about other diets as this is the only one I’ve ever tried. It seems that this low carb diet just does not work for some people as they near their goal. In reality I guess it never really was about carbs anyway. Cutting out the carbs is just a method to reduce calories by eliminating the foods that contains the most calories. So for me it looks like I’ll be returning DANDR to the bookshelf and become a calorie counting kind of guy. How many calories are in a potato anyway?

Cheers
Bill

Willam...if that's what you've typically been eating, then I'm concerned. The calorie levels of those menus is VERY low. I input what you listed above into Fitday and day one came to a total of 15 grams of carb and 420 calories.
Day two came to 24 grams of carb and 570 calories.
Your protein intake is also very low for a male of your size (41 grams of protein per day for day 1 and 60 grams of protein for day 2 assuming roughy 6 oz of fish for dinner since you said the portions were small). On the first day you listed, you only had an adequate amount of protein for lunch and on your second day, you didn't eat any protein until dinner.
If you want to give up low carb and just go to counting calories, that's up to you, but before you do you might want to consider upping your calories on low carb a lot and seeing what happens. I didn't see you mention the use of any type of fats, so your calorie intake may be a bit higher than what you listed, but unless you are eating a LOT of fat, it's still pretty low.

Hey Bill,

Sorry to hear you are giving up, I wish you well in whatever you choose to do.


As for something inherently wrong with this diet, I agree with you. What is wrong is that most people don't really take the time to find out about the plan they are following and do it properly. You may be returning DANDR to the shelf, too bad you didn't take the time to read it through first. I think this is where Low-carb gets its bad reputation. People follow their own plan, don't get the results and then tell everyone they know "Yeah, I tried that low carb. It don't work!" Pick a plan, follow it to the letter and then make judgements.

If you are going to become the calorie counting kind a guy then take a well meaning suggestion and eat some more calories! IMHO many people worry too much about "starvation mode" when really their problems lie elsewhere, but in your case it may be the answer. Those were some really low totals for daily food amounts.


Last time I checked Ritz Crackers are not Low Carb.

I dont think ritz cracker are on the atkins and same with ceral if i was u i would re read the book. Man people on this fournm never do this diet correclty is it just me or is william kidding me. ritz crakckers that like redifined carbs!

I must say, I got to 165 as a 6 foot BIG male...not one of those real small people.

You know the secret if you're stalled and can afford it, take a break. Some people will consider this a bad idea, but in my experience, I never did a weekly low-carb and not lost, and now i'm down to 165 from 245. Take a break, then come back, or do a CKD.

I'd like to add a couple of questions..are you eating the cereal dry, or something on it? Also, what type of vegetables are in the "mixed vegetables"?

My two cents...no wonder you're bored with your meal options! :-( I would be too. As said above...your calories are too low and I dont see enough leafy green veggies (preferably dark...arugala & spinach?) You can give up Atkins..but I honestly think you could enjoy this WOE if you shake things up a bit in your diet. Quick sample of how I eat and decide if it sounds better than where you're at:

Breakfast:
poached eggs on spinach with a touch of hollandaise OR
low-carb wrap with sauteed veggies & avacado OR
quick snack on grilled chicken from fridge (I do this alot because I'm never tremendously hungry in the morning) OR
1/2 an Atkins Advantage bar (PB) with decaf coffee OR
omlette with fresh veggies & chive cream cheese


Lunch:
Grilled chicken ceasar salad OR
2 slices of roast beef wrapped around arugala with bleu cheese OR
low-carb wrap with grilled chicken and avacado (tsp salsa) OR
Leftover steak cut up into a salad with bleu cheese or ranch OR
Tunafish (or chicken salad) with celery for scooping OR
Spinach salad with crum bled bleu cheese, almond slivers, and garlic/shitake dressing

Dinner:
Steak with ceasar salad OR
Grilled chicken with salad and bleu cheese or ranch OR
Chicken sauteed with fresh veggies and garlic OR
Salmon with alfredo sauce and a veggie or salad

How do those options sound?

Now...couple of notes...I never have more than 4 low-carb wraps a week and never more than one a day (I worry about a possible stall). Also...my menu may look labor intensive...but I cook most of what I eat in 1 or two sessions a week. In other words I'll grill a bunch of chicken and maybe a steak and piece of salmon to have in the fridge so that I can make a meal quickly and only have to cook once or twice a week. Hope you feel a little better about where you're going...whichever route you take. :-)

ROFL....just read my own post...can you tell I like bleu cheese?!?!?! LOL...well...obviously you could substitute any dressing or sauce etc that makes you happy there. (goes off to bed chuckling)