I understand this, believe me. My guru Alina can attest to my obsession with maximizing loss (without risking health, of course). Or check out my journal. I'm an every day weigher and am constantly analyzing why this or that happened. Seems the faster I lose, the faster I want to lose.

As time goes on, you will learn to trust the plan. Most importantly, you will learn to trust your body. As fat people, we stop trusting those "I'm hungry" feelings because they've led us to overeat too many times.

But with low-carb, it's a whole new ball game. I know now when my body says "I'm hungry" then I am REALLY hungry.

In DANDR, it states there is no significant advantage to keeping carbs lower than 20. In fact, it can hinder. As to calories, I think you need more. Not a lot more, just a bit. My super hungry days, I easily eat 2000-2200 calories. This usually happens once or twice a week, and my losses don't seem to have suffered. Given your current weight, I don't think you'd have any slowdowns at 2500 or so calories. But you can keep close tabs to make sure.

The feelings you experienced today are what will derail you, not a couple of hundred extra calories on odd days. Boredom and frustration are your enemy!

Hang in there!

It seems that I read in the DANDR book (or maybe it was the website. possibly both) that said when you are feeling crappy, dizzy, lightheaded, or overall like a three-toed sloth, then you should eat a handful of peanuts. I KNOW they aren't induction food, but they are supposed to help a number of things that could be going wrong in your day.

Sorry I can't help you with a quick lunch because I struggle with that myself (today I ate meatballs in a special little LC sauce that I somehow invented). But most days it's salad salad and more FRICKEN salad (I'm starting to have a vendeta against salad).

I'll bet you feel better tomorrow. My "bad" days are almost ALWAYS followed by a high energy, great day. Hang in there, Bud!!

~Angi~

Just go and eat some protein and fat already! Like everyone else has said, I think you need to quit stressing out about the silly calories. If you're consistently hungry, light-headed, and dizzy, that's your body's way of telling you that the "forum rule" is CRAP when it comes to you and your body. Everyone's different, and some of us need to eat more than others.

Total body weight is just one little factor in the metabolic/caloric equation, and probably the least important one at that. For example, I weigh 137 on a good day, and my "ideal" weight is probably about 135. Depending on the rule you use, I should probably eat somewhere between 1350 and 1644 calories to lose weight, right? Well, my basal metabolic rate is about 1450 calories a day, and I *definitely* shouldn't be eating less than that. Then, that BMR is calculated using my weight, and it doesn't take into account that I have almost 10 more lbs. of muscle mass, as measured by body-fat testing, than you would expect just given my height and weight. Guess what muscle needs more of? FOOD, that's what! Also, I am a female, as is about 90% of the forum membership, but men's bodies are different and their caloric needs are higher. If the rule works for most female people, that's probably a clue that it's too little for you. And I don't even think it works for most people except in the loosest sense, because it just doesn't input enough information about each individuall's body.

In case you can't tell, I think people stress out and obsess about the stupid calorie rule for no reason whatsoever. We can't even agree on what the rule is -- goal vs. ideal -- so why in the world should you, Jake, take it as the iron-clad way you should do things? I think you should follow the Atkins calorie rule -- you should eat as many calories as it takes to be pleasantly satisfied but not stuffed. If you hit a REAL stall -- not just a "body holiday" of a week or two -- then it's time to at least see how many calories you're eating and make sure it's not some outlandish number like 4000. But until then, go find a pork chop or something, OK?

Jake, you remind me of the story of the hungry little penguin on Nickelodeon! He was always going around biting polar bears, ect. and you could hear his tummy growling and he would always say "I'm hungry!" LOL

seriously, i have had days like that lately as well. maybe you are just needing a little more food right now? i'm just still learning about this WOE, but i do know that everyone is different and we can't beat ourselves up. maybe the others are right, and maybe you should up your calories even if it's just for a few days and then go back to being "stricter" if that's what you want. you can do this and still be legal instead of binging on junk.

anyway, i know i'm not much help. as for lunch, still trying to figure that one out myself...as posted by someone earlier, i am also sick of salad...especially since i was never a salad eater to begin with! LOL

Feel better, Jake...we need you! By the way, Jake is the name of the lead character in the romance novel that i've written. (totally clean, i assure you: and as yet unpublished **sigh**) One of my favorite names...

***grins***

Tricia

____________________________

Hug a Doula!

Tricia; "It was a soft moonlit night, He was aware of the stars only beyond the moonglow. He quietly approached the long wooden table that had been made so many years before...and he dropped to his knees...and ATE THE WHOLE DAMN PORKCHOP!" LOL!!!!!

Atlee; That was for YOU too! Thanks for the kick to my...macadamea's.

Thanks everyone! I will do some serious evaluating and try my best to raise up my calories and eat more. I am feeling better right now after having the pancakes.

I am going to make a mock cheesecake now as I am still hungry and never did eat anything else.

And...I am going to buy some lo-sodium ham tomorrow and roll em up in cream cheese...and make MEATBALLS...and get some of the other things you have all suggested...and stay on induction.

Best to all;
Jake

Jake,

ROFLMAO!!! You are too funny! Hey, have you ever thought about becoming a romance novelist? LOL

Glad you are feeling better.


***grins***

Tricia

_____________________________

Hug a Doula!

Jake,

I agree with the others. If you are hungry, eat--meat and more meat. At times, I feel I want something different. I don't eat beef and I don't eat foods with much salt such as ham. I also don't do the pork rinds because of the salt. It gets to be a problem to find something that is just different.

I think you may have been limiting your food choices too much. Keep your carbs around 20, but allow more nuts and berries.

I also realize you want the scale to drop. The most important thing is the way you feel. Today, you may not feel well; but, think of how you have felt yesterday and the day before. Also think of how you felt before you began this woe.

You may need more water, so drink!!!!!

I think we have all had days when we wanted to throw in the towel, but keep with the program. You have actually been an inspiration to me as well. You are very informed about this woe as well as many other topics and are helpful to many of us.

I have found onions cause me to be more hungry than usual. I don't know why, they just do. Your body may be trying the old starvation exercise. Many have said that a day of hunger, may mean a weight loss in the near future.

hmmmm! something different.

how about a chef salad.(lettuce,sliced up lunchon meats, cheese, a couple of olives, topped with bleu cheese. yum yum, or..

vegetable cream cheese .chop finely (onion,carrot, celery, pepper)
mix with cream cheese, roll it up in salami or ham.

I know this may not help anyone, but I feel that I am very lucky to have a hubby who is so totally supportive of my efforts. His best piece of advice to me through the many years that I have tried this diet & that and bounced all over the scale...'

"It took 10 years to put on the weight. You will not lose it overnight".

I try to remember that every single day and TAKE "BABY STEPS". I know that once you start a diet, there is a big rush to try to hurry up and lose the weight (I am just as guilty of it as anyone else!!). But...try to concentrate on feeling better and keeping a positive attitude.

I agree with what everyone else has already said...when I am hungry, I eat. When I feel satisfied, I stop eating. This is the way I am trying to "retrain" my brain and my hunger mechanism so that I can eat healthy for the rest of my life. I am trying to look at this not as a diet, but rather as a healthier way of eating and hopefully living a llonger life and definitely FEELING BETTER

Hang in there Jake.

A few things that I do for lunch:

On Sundays, I spend hours cooking lots of stuff so I can just shove it in my lunchbox on weekdays. For instance: I cook a whole head of cauliflower, divide it into lunch-size portions, smother it in butter. (Or asparagus or whatever warm veggie I want to have--cold salads get really boring for me.)

I might cook 9-10 fried porkchops, breaded with pork rinds. Throw a couple in your lunch. Eat one as a snack during the day.

I keep easy things in my desk...tuna, of course, vienna sausages, canned chicken breast.

My favorite are the meat/cheese/lettuce roll-ups. Also, I do the meatloaf thing. Love to eat it cold. Meatballs too. Cook several big steaks, cut into lunch size portions, put into ziploc bags. Easy to throw in the lunchbox.

Good luck Tomorrow is another day and you will do great!!!

scottjan: More WATER? OH MY GOD...NOT THAT! Dang...I just got that new water-cooler system put into my house and ALL I do is drink water. I AM DROWNING in the stuff. It is getting to a point that when I take a shower, I simply look-up and drink!

Tricia: I have written a novel, a collection of short stories, and a book of Peotry...all unpublished. I love to write!

Blemay: NICE horse pic! You are of course, correct...and I thank you for taking your time to write. I WILL do more "bulk-cooking" as you and others have suggested. I have no idea why I did not think of that myself...I have been abit "anal retentive" on this whole thing....(not constipated)! LOL!

Well; I skipped that mock cheese cake thing....and had some boneless/skinless chicken with mayo, scallions, swiss all rolled up into a large leaf of lettuce. Also, a cup of cauliflower...It was very good and I am feeling better. My calories are up there now too:

Calories Eaten Today
source grams cals %total
Total: 2534
Fat: 207 1867 74%
Sat: 88 792 32%
Poly: 17 150 6%
Mono: 52 469 19%
Carbs: 26 64 3%
Fiber: 10 0 0%
Protein: 144 577 23%
Alcohol: 0 0 0%

Man...I have not seen that many calories in a long time!

Actually...it feels pretty good! Now, if only I had a damn CANOLI!
Best to all;
"Not so hungry Jake"

Last night i had a craving for the wierdest thing.....much like what you posted, i took some sliced Roast Beef, put some shredded cheddar cheese on it, and rolled it up. I zapped in the microwave for a couple minutes. I used mayo as a dip for it. Never craved anything like it before, but made it again today for a snack....was damn good.

Yep!!! More Water...

Water is a great diuretic!!!!!!

Glad you had enough energy to look up in the shower and drink.
I think I will try that. I'll probably drown; then, I'll blame you.

Glad you are feeling better.

Jake, lots and lots of good suggestions so far.

There are many fresh vegs to be had right now. Something that never fails to fill me and my DH up is some stir fry.

I cut up several fresh vegs: snow peas, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, green onions, and turnips if I can get them. Throw them in a skillet with olive oil and a little butter.

When you get them in your plate, put some more butter on them

I do a big skillet of them and measure out some for lunch or dinner and reheat the rest the next day. Just be sure to measure and do a carb count on everything that goes in and divide it up into portions.
Delish and VERY FILLING!
Cheers

avocado is another high fat/filling thing to eat.

i don't like it plain, but hiding under some salad dressing, it's ok.

Really hungry? This may not work for lunch (unless you make it ahead to take to work), but SOUP is SO filling....and really easy to make.

There was a recipe on the Adkins site today for egg drop soup. I made it for dinner tonight and couldn't even finish it. You just start with a can of chicken broth, add seasonings (ginger), sesame oil, green onions, eggs (already beaten) and shrimp. SO filling! You can really make any kind of soup you want in a flash when you begin with the broth. Add fish, cabbage, spinich seasonings...,...the sky is the limit. And again, the best part about soup is it's ability to fill you to the brim!