Ok, first off - I'm having a TERRIBLE day!! Second I want to ask for some help/input but I can't friggin' figure out how to put a link to my journal (the fitday journal, right?) and that's making me furious because I got on the scale this morning and GAINED weight (2 1/2 pounds) - I don't understand - this is what has been going on for a year - Actually (truth be told) I'm almost in tears - My hair is coming out in CLUMPS - I look pregnant - I'm EXHAUSTED most of the time because I don't sleep good at night - I have tried every thing (since I packed on all this weight about a year ago) and it's the same old story - I loose about 4 or 5 pounds - I stall (but I stick to it) then I just mysteriously start gaining it back (without changing ANYTHING) - WHY - I don't understand - I have NEVER EVER had problems with my weight before and not only do I have one NOW but I can't loose it! What really wigs me out is that (whispering) I've had LIPO on my stomach but THAT is where I am the fatest (which SHOULD be impossible) - I know this is a crazy question - but PLEASE HELP ME!!

Hi ... and sorry you are so frustrated and down now.

Maybe we can help.

Without knowing what you have been eating this is only guess work. You say you are "sort of" doing Atkins and that maybe the problem. Most of these LC plans when stuck to work (most often slowly) but when you have modified you maybe not doing one of the pieces of the puzzle that make it effective.

Why not post a few days menus and lets see what is up.

tell you what I'm eating - let's see typically I don't eat until noon - I'll have 1/2 LC bar (from EAS) - then I'll have the other 1/2 around 2pm or 3pm - if I get hungry I'll have a small bag (like snack size) of pork rinds. Then when I get home I'll have a vegie bow mix (i.e. 1/4 cup broccli, 1/4 cup yellow squash, 1/4 cup califlower (sp?) with about 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth and about 1 tbsp of pepper and about 1/2 cup tuna). If I'm really hungry I'll have another handfull of pork rinds with some non-fat sour cream - I drink a LOT (about 2 caffiene free diet drinks and about 32 oz of just plain old water). I cut the LC bars out starting sunday and the soda out starting yesterday. Maybe once or twice a week I'll have lowfat bacon and egg substitue (with pepper) - I'm VERY active (I don't work out regulary but I'm on my feet/moving around a LOT) - even if I was in a coma HOW is it possible that I'm GAINING weight (sob)

oh - these are my stats from yesterday (as per fitday)

Tota Calories: 741
Fat: 28 249 32%
Sat: 11 99 13%
Poly: 3 27 4%
Mono: 9 82 11%
Carbs: 23 68 9%
Fiber: 6 0 0%
Protein: 86 343 44%
Alcohol: 16 113 15%

Well the the non fat sour cream has:
Total Carbohydrate 39.94g a cup and full fat has Total Carbohydrate 9.82g a cup so cut that out.

Also when doing Atkins you need to keep calories much higher and eat more regularly. You need way more fat to be healthy and full on Atkins (if that is what you chose to do).

I would also cut out the bars since they are known to stall people and try to just have 4-5 smaller meals/snacks to keep your metabolism active.

But the gain is normal. Most of us fluctuate every couple of days. Women - water - more salt in diet some days - drank some water or didn't go to the bathroom....

But I would look into what plan you may actually find that you will want to stick to. Consistancy is the key to getting to your goal - losing inches (and weight).

but finding a plan would be heaven - i have no idea how or what to do - i've been so LOST for so long - seems like i've tried everything but it doesn't work - i don't have a problem cutting things but adding (specially calories) scares me to death - actually - when the weight first came on it was 15 pounds so i decided that i needed to get my calorie intake back up (at the worst part of the big "change", i was going for a day or 2 sometimes without eating - i wasn't hungry - i was STRESSED and i was working 16 to 18 hours a day for 3 or 4 days out of the week sometimes) so hopefully i could start sleeping more than 2 hours a night - i figured a BUNCH of the weight was water weight (because i felt like i was gonna blow up my skin was so tight but as soon as i started eating like a human again (3 or 4 small light meals) i just packed on MORE weight - when my weight hit 155 it kinda leveled off - i mean i could eat like a horse and it wouldn't go any higher but it would NOT go lower than 150 - PERIOD - that's how i've spent the last year - trying to break 150 - i've juice fasted, i've water fasted, i've worked out 5 days a week 2 hours a day - i've cut all sweets - i've vegetarian-ed - i've slim fasted - you name it - all the same - now i will say that within the first week of doing my semi-atkins, i DID (and have kept it off) lose the water bloat - what was bad is that came from everywhere but my tummy - i was so elated that i was at 149 (first time since las january) - and i have kept my little routine going but i hit a stall about 2 weeks ago (seemed to be stuck at 148) so i thought i bulk up on protein and fat stuff but my worst fears were confirmed (in my little pea-brain that is) - i GAINED - i'm sorry to be such a ninny - i feel better just getting all this off my chest - i know i'm driving my husband crazy

these are my stats from yesterday (as per fitday)

Tota Calories: 741
Fat: 28 249 32%
Sat: 11 99 13%
Poly: 3 27 4%
Mono: 9 82 11%
Carbs: 23 68 9%
Fiber: 6 0 0%
Protein: 86 343 44%
Alcohol: 16 113 15%


Wow! You aren't eating nearly enough calories, especially for someone who is so active. If this is how you typically eat and you've been doing it for a long time, your body is grabbing and storing whatever it can because you are starving it. That might also explain why your hair is falling out and you feel so badly. Without adding more protein or carbs, the only way to get those calories up is to add more fat.
It also seems that you have been eating very little "real" food and a lot of snack type stuff (low carb bars and pork rinds) and while these are fine for an occasional snack, they're not meant to make up the bulk of your diet. Pork rinds also contain a lot of sodium which can make you retain water. Speaking of water, it wouldn't hurt to cut back on the diet sodas and drink more water instead (at least 64 oz. of water per day).
Skipping meals has the effect of slowing down your metabolism and when you pair that with such low calories, it's not surprising that your body is reacting the way that it is.
You need to eat regularly. You don't have to eat a large amount each time, but you do need to eat something and not go more than 5-6 waking hours without eating. Add more real foods into your menu; real eggs, real cheese, real meats and veggies. Skip the fake stuff (protein bars) like you're doing for a while and stick to whole, unprocessed foods. I'd also recommend that you get your daily calories to a minimum of 1,200 calories per day, 1,400 might be better. Try this for a couple of weeks and see how it goes.
Since you also have a history of severe dieting and have been under a great deal of stress, your body may be in need of some healing before it will be willing to let go of the fat stores and yes, you may even a gain a few pounds before the scale starts to move in the downward direction.
As for which plan would be right for you, take a look at the link on the right side of the page titled "Which low carb plan is right for me?". It gives a summary of the major plans so that you can compare them side by side. A good book that you might want to read that deals with how your body reacts to being stressed and how to help it heal is "The Schwarzbein Principle" and "The Schwarzbein Principle II".

I give up - well not like that - I mean I guess I'll HAVE to let go of my fears - Today - I left the pork rinds and the LC bars in the car (and at 100+ degrees I'm not sure running out to get them is an option - tee hee). I'm supposed to make chicken and vegies for dinner tonight (which I guess I did make it sound like I eat candy and pork skins all the time but I generally have a fairly "normal" dinner - either tuna and vegies, chicken and vegies or some type of grilled meat and salad). I must add that I am VERY suspicious of insulin resistance but have been way to busy to get all the testing done but plan on doing that during the holidays (since that's when we'll slow down a bit here and no-one will give me flack for being at the doctors). I can cut out the soda and snacks (no problem). Thanks for the help - guess I'll let everyone know - I guess the thought just hit me this morning that this summer has SUCKED (excuse my french) - I haven't gotten into my pool ONCE (out of embarrassment) and I had to buy all new clothes that were 2 sizes bigger. There are a bunch of OLDER ladies here at work that got together and did the weight watchers thing and lost about 35 pounds a piece - so now I'M THE FAT ONE (see - told you I was having a cruddy day) and I'm only 31. My last question is - given the fact that the stress/eating/sleeping habbits thing went on for about 6 months straight, how long does it typically take to recover from that kind of abuse - I mean have I made myself metabollicaly resistant?

Hello g35coupe,

First of all, as people have pointed out in previous posts, you aren't eating nearly enough and you probably have messed up your metabolism significantly. You also should understand and accept that you may gain some weight as your body returns to healthy and normal levels before you lose it to get down to your goal weight.

You need to find the time to visit your doctor and get bloodwork done. Make it a priority If somethings out of whack - especially thyroid - no amount of diet and exercise is going to have a big impact.

Also, you may want to do some "mental work outs," also. You have a beautiful family and you look great in your pictures. You sound very unhappy - in general - in each of your posts so far. Remember that weight loss is not a competition to see who can eat the least or lose the most. I challenge you in your next post to include five things that you are happy about and at least two of those need to be things that you like about yourself.

Have you made yourself metabolically resistant? Possibly. More likely, you've lowered your metabolism by restricting calories and going for long periods without eating. Eating smaller, more frequent meals (and not skipping breakfast!) will help with that.
If you are insulin resistant, keeping your carbs down should help with that.
How long will it take for your body to recover from being so stressed? That's difficult to predict since everyone's body is different. One thing I know for sure, though, is that if you start treating your body better it will certainly thank you for it in the long run.
Sorry to hear that you've been having such a rough time of it and are so frustrated. You're going to need some patience now to work through wha is going on with your body, so make an effort to give what you're doing an honest shot (at least several weeks) before jumping to another plan.



Dinner sounds great, but you need to make an effort to eat more like that at the other two meals as well, add some healthy fats and possibly break those other two meals up into 3 or 4 smaller ones. I know it's hard, but you really need to get past the fear of fat. Healthy fats (not hydrogenated or transfats) like butter, mayonnaise and olive oil are good for us on low carb. They provide your body with energy and essential fatty acids. They help the body absorb vitamins and minerals and they keep our skin and hair from being dry and brittle.

See if you can get those two books by Dr. Schwarzbein from the library (it's too hot to do anything outside right now, so you might as well stay in and do some reading ). I think they (especially the second one) may address a lot of your issues.

Its hard when we have the low fat diet stuck in our heads. But LC will not work with the small amount of calories you are eating. You must eat! No more low fat substitutions. The beauty of LC is that we dont have to have that. Also, this is what turned the corner on me from eating low fat is that when the fat is taken out of foods...it also takes out the flavor. In order for the food to have the flavor they add sugar...lots and lots of sugar. So girl no more low fat dressing or low fat sour cream for you!

Eat.

All advice given here was sound - you have to eat more and stop with the "reduced-fat" products that are more often than not carb-laden (AND chemical-laden! Ugh). One more suggestion - have you had your thyroid checked? If your hair is coming out and your sleep patterns are erratic, you could very well be hypothyroid. Have it checked, honey, and best of luck to you. Don't get discouraged, it'll be ok.
Peace,
Lena

first i have to address the "not happy comment" - while today i have posted more than all other days combined AND i am very frusterated (today) i am not an unhappy person. i have more than i could ever possibly deserve and then some and i am extremely greatfull for that which i love and make sure that they (of course i'm talking about my family) know it and feel it.

maybe that's been part of the problem - i'm always up - nothing really bothers me - throw me a curve-ball and i adjust - i pretty much think that's how i got here in the first place - i agree with the general concept of not competing or being disenchanted with ones life and being an overall satisfied person but for the most part (in the past) i am the one that always adjusts and i think i spent WAY too long doing so at my own health's expense (which is typical for an overachiever - yes, I'm an overachiever - sigh).

that being said there has been a lot of "cheerleading" going on for my benefit today - i REALLY needed that - the advice (believe it or not) i KNEW most of it already - why i chose to overlook that and just be crabby is a mystery only my hormones (and husband) understand. i guess when things come so easy for you for such a long time it is very difficult to accept that you may have to actually put effort into something to get it's benefits.

i guess my boss caught wind of the crabbiness because he took me to lunch today - and as much as i was tempted to just blow the whole thing off - i had roasted chicken and salad with eggs, tomatoes, green beans and cheddar cheese - (but i admit i had a finger dab of bannanna pudding - just for grins) and reading how all you came to my "rescue" touched me - really - i've NEVER had that kind of support before in my life - so we'll see how i finish this day and start tomorrow.

i'm sitting here trying to come up with PRE-PLANNED menus for the next couple of days - we'll see!!

HOORAY FOR YOU!!! Why not start a journal and let us watch you succeed.

Great job at lunch!

I understand what you're saying about being an overacheiver. I often fall into that trap, myself (by the end of summer term I was not about to accept anything less than an A+ in my statistics class).

I also apologize for not knowing the whole story and basing my opinion on just what I've read. I should know, too, that as an "always up" person, people are absolutely shocked when you have a down day, (to the point that they're ready to get you some Prozac).

Somehow I managed to become focused on doing Atkins "right," which gave me that to overacheive on, rather than focus on how hideously high my weight had become. Along with that came a sense of "power" when I chose not to eat something "bad."

As far as meals go, I strongly suggest that you make up some staples ahead of time and freeze them. I keep in thre freezer (all cooked and weighed out in separate servings) a sizable stock of ground turkey, chicken breasts, pork and shredded chicken. That way, when I don't know what to fix, I can pull something out and have it ready to go with a few veggies in a matter of minutes

Hey! Just wanted to tell you to keep it up and feel better!! I know you dont actually *know* any of us personally, but after awhile of posting on here, and getting such positive feedback...it starts to feel like family. I know I always have somewhere to turn if I feel like crap about what I ate, or what I didnt do (exercise..grr!). What theyve been telling you about adding calories is true. I posted about 2 weeks ago about a similar thing. I was only eating 1200 calories and freaking out if I ate more. They told me to up them to at LEAST 1400 (my basal). That was scary to me. I still sometimes only eat 1300...And if I get above 1450 Im very nervous. Its hard to think that you can eat so much, and feel full all the time...And lose weight/maintain. I like to get onto fitday the night before and plan out what Im eating the next day...sometimes I do it for days in advance. Its a good way to make sure everything evens out and youre eating enough. I also like to have 5 meals a day. 3 bigger ones, 2 smaller ones. It helps me not feel deprived. You sound like a really busy lady! Maybe you could make a bunch of portable meals...or meals in advance so you can grab one on the go. I have a bunch of little tupperware things and I put a serving of salad in each one, that way I just throw whatever toppings I want on and go. Or hardboil a bunch of eggs? Ummm...Tuna is good, and yummy..easy to eat on the go if you premake it. Cottage cheese? Im sure everyone could give you some more ideas. Sorry if Im rambling, you just seem like you dont have time to eat, or simply forget (my mom says that comes with being a mother ), so I thought Id throw some quickie meals out there..Didnt do such a great job but its been a long day. Hope youre feeling better!