Afternoon all! Unfortunately I believe I belong in the turtle club. I'm glad to not be alone. I've been on Atkins since 10/7/02 and have only lost 6 pounds and that was in week 3. I don't eat off plan. I don't have treats. I'll answer the other questions below .

1. Have you read the book for, and followed your chosen plan to the letter for at least a month? No digression in the food front at all? No skipping meals?

Yes

2. Do you figure out your carbs/calories each day? Do you use a carb counter or a program like fitday.com? Or if you can’t be bothered with micro-managing, do you know what your critical carbohydrate level is and eat accordingly?

I use fitday. I don't know my ccl, because I stay at induction levels for my diabetes.

3. Do you regularly drink alcohol?

Don't drink at all.

4. Are you scale or Ketostix obsessed? Compulsively weighing or using Ketostix will make the process seem slower and more erratic than it actually is. If you must weigh yourself everyday, chart your daily weight and figure out a weekly average. Don’t take it personally. It’s only a hunk of metal and a piece of plastic.

I don't own a scale, only a tape measure. I only weigh at the docs office.

5. Are you trying to do a low fat version of your chosen plan?

No way. That would be too hard. Actually I'm the opposite. I try and get as much good fat as possible and strive for 70% but it's usually around 60 - 70% .

6. Have you been a yo-yo dieter? People who have severely restricted their calories in the past due to low-fat or calorie restricted dieting may find it difficult to lose weight initially. In this case, using low-carb as part of the process of metabolic healing will help. You will lose fat once your body learns to trust what you’re doing. Persistence will pay off.

Surprisingly no. I've been overweight my entire life. I've only dieted twice before this time. I'm an all or nothing kinda gal. So if I am not going to give 150% I don't try. It took awhile for me to start again.

7. Are you consuming any or all of these items on a regular basis? If you are, stop consuming them one at a time, for at least two weeks to see if it initiates weight loss.

• Processed meats, including bacon - No. I don't like bacon and I buy my sausage from a local farmer w/out preservatives. I don't eat lunch meat and only cook whole chickens and turkeys for 'lunch meat'.
• Caffeine - Sometimes. I did give it up for a month and it did nothing. I'm going to try again though.
• Cheese and dairy products - Again I gave it up for a month and it did nothing. I'm am going to work on this because I feel I eat too much cheese.
• Alcohol - No
• Nuts and Nut Butters - No. Macadamia nuts are too good. If I bought a jar I'd eat the whole thing, so I don't buy them.
• Peanuts and Peanut Butter - Nope, I can't control myself on them.
• Artificial Sweeteners - only stevia and splenda and the occasional aspartame in a diet soda.
• Diet Drinks - Yes. Like the caffeine I gave it up and didn't notice anything. But I'm going to try again.
• Protein Bars - Never had one and don't plan on it.
• Low carb food products that imitate high carb food - No. I tried the sugar free peanut butter cups once. Too dangerous around me .
• Eating a wide combination of food in one day - I think I do. I eat all kinds of meat. I try and eat fish twice a week for dinner and tuna for lunches sometimes. I eat lots of veggies and love my salads. I get plenty of fat and protein. • Overly salty foods? For example pork rinds? Processed meats?
• Sugar Alcohols - No. They spike my blood sugar.

8. Are you drinking at least 64 oz. of water a day, plus 8 more ounces for every 25 pounds you want to lose? - Oh you are good. This is my weakness. I did for a solid 6 months and didn't notice a difference, but with some stressors of late I've been deficient here.

9.. Prescription drugs or hormones which impede weight loss:
• estrogens and most synthetic HRT's including birth control pills
• Anti-depressant drugs - Insulin and insulin stimulating drugs
• Anti-arthritis medications including steroids
• Diuretics and beta blockers
I used to be on diabetes meds and depo shots. I am off everything and have been for 4 months. Although I've heard that it can stay in your system for a year, so this could be my problem but nothing I can do about it.

10. Underactive thyroid (hypothyroid) function which can be present when blood tests indicate no abnormalities - Could be. My tests have come back fine and my temp is ok. But I sure have a lot of the symptoms.

11. Ovewrgrowth of the yeast organism Candida albicans. - Maybe. I've been on the anti-yeast plan for about 1 1/2 months. No loss.


12. Often overlooked but are you getting enough sleep? Or, are you going through an unusually stressful period? Stressing over what is perceived as lack of progress, being to hard on yourself and obsessing on scales or Ketostix is stressful.

I'm getting plenty of sleep. Sometimes too much. I have sleep apnea and have a cpap, but I could sleep for 9 hours and then take a nap during the day. I recently had a stressor, but am pretty much stress free. I have low blood pressure to prove it! LOL j/k I don't stress over the scales. I'm on Atkins for the rest of my life regardless of what my scale says. Although I'd love it to start moving downward.

I look forward to sharing with you all.
Carla