Help!! Extremely frustrated here...

Low-carbed before and it worked wonders.

Now, I am sluggish, tired, and not losing weight.

I lost 10 pounds within the first few weeks, and it is week 10...nothing since week 3...I am not exercising (I know I should), so we can't say muscle gain. I have been in ketosis the whole time and I drink plenty of water.

Possible catch - depopravera (sp?) - am I stalled because of this? Is it possible I am eating too many fat grams? And why am I so weak/tired? I take a women's one-a-day every morning.

Sample daily menu -
2 pieces of ham (2 carbs on label)
a few slices of cheddar
or 2 boiled eggs and cheese

serving of peanuts (about 5 carbs - 3 w/o fiber)

grilled chicken salad with ranch/or leftovers (see below)

stroganoff (beef, cream, cream cheese, mushrooms and onions)
or low-carb pizza (SMALL amount of tomatoes, lots of cheese and italian sausage) or maybe a chicken breast/hamburger patty and asparagus

This is my typical menu. It's pretty much the same foods switched around over and over...but again, I'm always in ketosis.

Any ideas?? I will start exercising tonight - but if weight loss occurs due to exercise, I can't really give the credit to low-carb after this stall, may think about low-fat (i hate to even say it).

I looked back over your previious posts and noted a couple of things...

For fatigue, taking calcium/magnesium and potassium supplements and upping your water intake.

Discovering around the end of September that LC Bars were causing stalls.

You haven't mentioned anything about coffee or artificial sweeteners. Still doing both?

Did you ever log in to fitday.com and find out what your daily calorie intake was? Should be 10-12 times your current weight.

Excercise will boost your metabolism if it is sluggish. Weight loss seems to be slower the second time around, not waht you want to hear, but at least you know what you're up against. It may take a little longer, but it will happen with some tweaking and finding out what works for you.

Karen

Yes, depo-provera can interfere with your weight loss efforts .. .. We discussed it here a while ago .. click here to read.

As Karen suggested ... there's still a lot of options. One thing, you might nix the peanuts ... or substitute with an actual NUT or seed, such as almonds, or sunflower kernels. Peanuts are actually a legume, like beans, and are starchier. 1 oz of peanuts is 7g carb/2g fiber ... 1 oz almonds is 6g carb/3g fiber. Even so, nuts are notorious stallers for some folks who indulge on a daily basis ... peanuts especially have a reputation for allergic type sensitivities, which can lead to fluid retention and bloating.

There's a lot of cream, cheese and dairy in your menu too. High fat dairy products are another big staller for some people, especially women, not sure why that is ... even if you account for the carbs. Try eliminating dairy for a while, see if that makes a difference.

You can do this, don't give up!!

Doreen

Thanks! I do need to exercise, but I'm a full time worker, student and wife...I just don't have the time...I thought I could fit it in tonight...ha! However, I am trying to sneak it in...take a brisk walk around the parking garage during breaks, walking to class instead of taking the shuttle (although being a night student, may not be so safe, need to find a buddy). And the peanuts, ah, yes. I finished the jar today...out of sight...and those darn low carb bars, nice while they lasted. And the dairy, all the recipes that sound good are either creamy or cheesy, go figure. Will slow down on the cheese. Thanks again. We'll see how it goes.

Oh, and no caffeine. I drink about 3 cups of decaf with cream and 3 swt-n-lows daily. Also 2 diet root beers (no caffeine). HOWEVER, I did make that LC peanut butter pie and LC fudge...and they say 12 servings...I don't think I measured my servings correctly...lol...and really, on a positive note, I don't crave it physically, it's mental.

A big part of this WOE is getting to know your deepest, darkest cravings and from that, learning how to make LC work for you.

A big part of my philosophy is that if you are a carb addict and continue to be one with this WOE, you won't get very far. Carbs are what made you fat and kept you fat. With that, there is a lot of "fat thinking" and "fat behaviour" that goes along with it. If you work on getting the artificial carbs out of your life and do some self examination as to the whys, you'll learn to live without them. Not an easy task, but the rewards are enormous.

I know it is not true for all people, and some can merrily munch there way through daily desserts with no ill effect. Some cannot.

Karen

Good news! I dropped three pounds since my last post I've been taking it easy on the cheese, no peanuts and taking cal/mag and potassium in addition to my one-a-day. Oh, and taking it easy on the dessert ... And I seem to be feeling better.

Thanks for the tips!

Good going! I've been stalled for awhile, too. And did the same ... I started being serious about my water at least 12 glasses a day, went easy on the cheese and dairy -- didn't cut them out, but I am now more careful in limiting them. And I cut WAY back on Atkin's bars ... I was eating one a day for a while ... now I have 1 or 2 a week ... and I'm losing too!

I guess losing weight means taking the whole WOL seriously enough to keep working at tweeking the plan to fit each one individually.

Thanks for being there!

Right on Wendy! It works if YOU work it!

Karen