What if nothing works?
I have been at 126 lbs. since the 1st week. I have been on the fat fast for a week now eating exactly what the Atkins book suggests and still nothing. Where do I go from here?
My husband and I are active, we walk, workout, and we own a lawn care business so I don't understand what is wrong.
I am very disillusioned and I feel very strongly like giving up. I have not cheated one time and I check my Ketone level everyday and I am always on the darker side of the Ketone level strip.
I don't know what to do, butcertainly can't go on feeling like this.

How long is it since the first week?

Also, I've read where being on the darker side of the ketosis strip may mean you're dehydrated. Are you drinking plenty of water (a gallon or more a day)?

Hi,

How do you define "nothing?" Have you measured yourself? Once you're within a healthy weight range (which you are) the scale is a terrible indicator of progress because of the difference in density of body fat and muscle.

Also, be aware that the last 10-20 lbs can be infinitely slow in coming off, if they come off at all. It depends on where your set point is. Going below where your body is comfortable will be an uphill battle.

Hang in there, it sounds like you're not doing anything wrong.

It has been 4 weeks since I started Atkins. Also, I have been drinking at least a gallon of water.

Thank you for the support. Even with everything that I have been doing all of my clothes still fit me the same. I really am trying to hang in there, but I guess I am a bit draind mentaly about this.

Hello there itsofme!

I have some questions to ask you.

Do you have a fitday account?
How do you calculate your protein , carb and fat intake?
when did you start LCing?
Have you measure yourself?
Look closely at the food you eat. IF you are on the induction phase, check the DANDR book and make sure you stick to the "allowed" induction foods.
Is there a way to see what are you eating?

thanks in advance for answering my questions.

I just set up a fitday account. I am going to start logging in it tomorrow.

Yes, I read the DANDR book and I followed induction to the "T".

I did the Atkins Diet for 3 weeks in July and I lost 13 lbs. We went on vacation and I fell off of Atkins and it took me until September to actually make it back and commit myself to Atkins again. I have been on it for 4 weeks now and I lost 10 lbs. the first week and that was it. I have been on the fat fast for the last week and "nothing".

I have measured myself and, not even one inch gone.

For the last week I have done only fat fast as it is stated in the DANDR book and been drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of cardio, and other exercise.

I really don't understand and it is starting to be very mentally draining.

The fact that you lost so much when you started tends to rule out metabolic resistance... so the fat fast may have done more harm than good!

Your body is likely desperately trying to hang on to everything you put into it now! The fat fast, and other extreme atempts at losing tend to backfire, making it harder to lose when you add any carbs back.

IMO, the best bet is to return to a "normal" induction, and give yourself a chance. I went through a nine-month stall, and it wasn't until I upped my carbs and made other changes, that I started losing again!

bitsofme...

You've been doing low carb for 4 weeks and lost 6 pounds. With so little to lose to start out with, this is actually very good progress!
It's also very normal to have a brief pause of 2-3 weeks following induction while your body sorts out what's going on and is reassuring itself that you are not suddenly being thrust into a famine.
At this point, I'd have to agree with Potatofree that you may have just prolonged the pause and convinced your body that a famine has indeed begun by jumping into a fat fast when you were doing pretty well.
You're also already within a healthy weight range for your height as Kristine pointed out, so any further weight loss is likely to be quite slow.
My advice at this point would be to go back to induction and be patient. It may be another 2-3 weeks now before weight loss resumes while your body gets over the shock of a fat fast and is reassured that you're not going to starve it again. Also, even though Dr. Atkins says that it's not necessary to count calories, some people do find it necessary to count them when they are very close to their ideal weight so that may be something else to keep in mind while you are back to following induction if you find that you are still not losing pounds or inches after another 2-3 weeks.