It really depends on the person. For some people just a extra mile may help, while others may need to add 10 miles. If someone stalled, and all it took was an extra mile... it wasn't much of a stall. But there is nothing wrong with giving up a weekend and just working friday through sunday or monday like crazy. Maybe do 30 or 40 miles of excercise over 3 or 4 days. Once your through it, your metabolism is supposed to move up to the previous level before you stalled. In the long run its well worth that effort, and hopefully you will be through it. Also remember that for most people.... each plateau on the way down gets harder and harder to break.

Odd, there are no dumb questions

You might be better adding some resistance work over cardio - especially if you were already doing cardio. Excessive cardio can eat into muscle growth negatively effecting fat burning. Resistance work, however, promotes muscle growth and raises resting metabolism by increasing fat burning.

Nat

Yes, I heard that! I just read that cardio raises your metabolism 1 or 2 hours after doing it, but strength and resistance work does a 24 hour job!

Thanks again, Nat.

BTW, Nat, I keep peeking into your diary to see your BFL progress. It seems really good once you combine it with LC! I may be looking into starting that in the near future...

Hi Erin,

I was in the same boat as you - 3 months in, and some serious cravings which I was satisfying with extra nibbles of LC snacks but they were adding up and my weight loss halted for a few weeks.

I know Dr. Atkins recommends only using the Fat Fast if you are very resistant but I figured I'd do it for only 2 days instead of 5, in order to play catchup and 'cleanse' the system.

I followed it to the letter as described in the book and ate only items from the listed foods. Although I did experience some fatigue on the 2nd day, my cravings disappeared and I lost 4 lbs. The third to fifth days I followed an induction menu to ease back into OWL. The weight stayed off and I lost an additional 1 1/2 lbs by end of week.

I also believe I discovered what was causing the cravings. An original coffee addict, I had cut coffee out completely when I began DANDR, but after a couple of months I decided I could add back in a cup or two of half decaf/half reg coffee. That's when the cravings began. On the FF and Induction days I cut the coffee completely and noticed my cravings were gone. So I have limited myself to a cup of strictly decaf about every other day as a treat. Trust me, I was a real coffee addict - 10 cups a day - and it is possible to enjoy life without it.

Is stillman only an 800 cals a day thing? I saw some type that earlier in the thread...just curious.

Thanks,
E

There is no calorie limit for Stillman. For Atkins Fat Fast, it's 1000 calories a day.

Karen

The Atkins fat fast works.Last week I tried it with macadamia nuts I lost 4.5 pnds I did 1 full day just nut fast then since then partial fast as I added dinner back in my menue.Over the next few days I'll slowly add back other foods.I dont think Id like the all Meat one But I liked the Nut one.GOODLUCK

I know the Atkins fat fasts...but did you do it with only nuts? If so, how many nuts, cals, fat cals, etc did you consume? And did you lose 4.5 in one day? 4.5 in any week, day, and year are great for me

E

I'm doing the meat fast, started today. I'l let you knwo how it goes...

hi Erin,

On page 240 of DANDR, 1999 edition, Atkins states you may use 5 handfuls of macadamia nuts, each being 1 oz, to make up the required 1000 calories and 100g of fat for the day.

I've done fat fasts in the past, and in fact I'm doing one today. My personal experience is that I feel better, and notice more water weight loss (since the fast has a strong diuretic effect when it gets the ketosis rolling) ... when I choose monounsaturated fats over high-fat dairy. Meaning, olive oil, macadamias, egg yolk and avocado over whipped cream, cream cheese and sour cream.

Everyone is different though, and many people find that 1000 calories' worth of zero-carb sweetened whipped cream or cream cheese works just dandy.

Suggestion ... whenever doing a metabolic fast, whether all protein or all fat ... drink, drink, drink your water. More than usual, unless you normally and regularly drink 4 L or more per day.

Doreen

Erin
my fit day stats
1018 calories
108 fat 94%
protein 10 4%
digestable carbs 5

When doing the macadamia fat fast My sodium is well below 500 guess thats what helps push the water out. I started last tuesday with just mac nuts 5 oz then wednesday 5 oz nuts & very small dinner by Thursday I had lost 4.5 pnds No more yet but Tom showed up today so more then likely I'll stall out for a week or so.I also notice like doreen sticking to mono fats feels my hunger & satisfies me & I feel great. the first day I did get light headed & the second day was tired by then felt great.I drink over 200 oz a day during fat fast & urinate every 5 minutes but hey it works...Hope you get great results let me no!!! bye

Totals 973 cals, 38 fat, 16 carbs, 136 protein

Total: 973 cals
Fat: 38g 342 cals 37%
Sat: 14g 129 cals 14%
Poly: 4g 35 cals 4%
Mono: 14g 123 cals 13%
Carbs: 16g 40 cals 4%
Fiber: 6g 0 cals 0%
Protein: 136g 544 cals 59%

I bought this Benefiber stuff...used it and then my thought of 4 carbs and 3 fiber like it said on the box to my dismay had already subtracted out the fiber (however, it was not noted on the label - fitday told me)...

melanie look how different they look...lol.

I would love to try the fat fast with macs and cheese, but 5 oz...is like one whole snack to me...lol. I don't think I could spread it out throughout the day. I would definitely dip the nuts in the cheese...yum.

What's this a hear about cheesecake and fasting? if that's a possibility, sign me up!!!

E

Erin, you just need to be creative. I don't believe in starving, and I like to eat things that taste good. Here's a sample menu:

• - ½ c. Liberté 10% live culture yogurt, 1 egg yolk, 1 Tbsp melted butter, 1 Tbsp DaVinci SF syrup, nutmeg .. baked 400° for 20 min. .. chilled, it had the taste and texture of cheesecake
  - soup - 1 c. chicken broth, ½ Hass avocado, handful fresh parsley, puréed, 1 Tbsp olive oil
  - salad - 1 c. baby spinach, ¼ c. sliced kalamata olives, 2 Tbsp macadamia butter, 1 Tbsp toasted walnut oil, wine vinegar, minced garlic, cumin
  
  calories: 1005
  Fat: 101g (90%)
  Carbs: 17g / Fiber: 8g / 9g ECC
  Protein: 15g (7%)
  
  (you're permitted up to 15g protein and 10g carbs, which would total 100 calories. The remainder must come from fat).

Just add lots of water, some herbal tea ...

Doreen

That's not a fat fast? or is it? It's not an Atkins one anyway...

You're right, I made a mock danish and thought I was master chef...lol. The only thing I can say that's good about this...I am learning to cook w/ this WOL before anything alse. I never cooked before this, I mean never. My grocery bills were out of control.

I'll get more creative, hey where did you find that that live culture yogurt? is that in a regular grocery store? see I a problem child all over the place...lol.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll work on it

E

I chose to use the yogurt because of the live cultures .. you could substitute heavy cream or sour cream to make up the appropriate fat and calories required. The menu is my own invention .. but it meets the Atkins criteria ... 1000 calories, 90% of which come from fat, and 100 calories of carbs/protein are permitted. For me personally, as I stated above .. eating the fat from strictly dairy source, such as cream or cream cheese .. would leave me starving, and over the edge with cravings. The monounsaturated fat sources are more filling and better tolerated, but that's just my metabolism. Everyone is different.

The only deviation from Atkins is that he recommends you have 4 - 250 calorie mini-meals or 5 - 200 calorie mini-meals. My menu is only 3 meals, but relatively evenly distributed calories and fat per meal.

The Liberté Méditerannée yogurt is only available in Canada, as far as I know. It's so decadent, 10% fat, and live cultures. Of course I use the plain, but pre-lowcarb, I would indulge in Mocha, or Plum-Walnut.

Doreen

Do, you wouldnt have the nutrional info for this yoghurt would you?

Nat