I have confirmed that I'm in a MAJOR stall ...

I have been at approximatly 161-162 since April 19, 2002

I checked out measuring when I wasn't getting any results from the scale ... only to stop at July 7, 2002 because there had been no change there either ...

I have been working very hard at watching what I eat since the beginning of this year because I have a mini goal set ...

The scale STILL has not budged!!!

I thought I'd measure this morning .. only to find that since July 7, 2002 I have lost 0 inches ... notta ... nothing ... from anywhere!!!!

I average anywhere from 800 - 1200 calories a day .. I haven't figured out how to increase my calories without 1) feeling STUFFED by the end of the day even with small meals and 2) dramatically increasing my carbs ...

I have my fitday information at the bottom within my signature for anyone that is willing to check it out .. (today is NOT a good day however, because I'm extremely frustrated -- and dove into fast food .. (but are feelint the effects )).

I don't want to stop low carbing, because I feel good when I'm LC'ing, but if it's not going to go anywhere .. what is the purpose ..

Can ANYONE help????

Please and thanks .. I'm open to all suggestions .. I've been trying to read around to check out something that I may not be doing .. that someone else did to break their stalls .. and the only thing that I HAVE seen is to start up on Metabolic suppliments again (NOT!!!!)

As of today .. I think my stall is record .. it's 335 days ... 11.17 months (avg??) .. I'm truly hoping that someone will say something that will not have been tried by me yet ...

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!
Thanks

Hi Princesspp,

Wow, I just got over strep throat, and even eating with a throat like that I got more calories on my worst day Sorry, not trying to be critical, just thinking you must be officially in starvation mode.

I notice in your fitday, it never lists any added fat? Do you just not record that, or do you not add butter, olive oil, etc... to foods you cook? Just from personal experience I started losing a lot better when I got my fat percentage up. But, you list a specialized plan, maybe you have some limitations from that.

I'm sure there are others that will post that are more experienced than me, but that would be my first thinking, get those calories up to around your basal metabolism at least, and to avoid volume and feeling stuffed, try doing it with added fat. I like using some dips I have that are all fat, butter on my veggies, cook my scrambled eggs with a couple of tbsp of olive oil or other fat that gets absorbed in. YMMV, but hope this helps.

I'm with Kevin. Your body is hanging on to those pounds because it thinks you are starving.

How about adding some heavy whipping cream in your coffee, in a diet root beer...

There are so many creative ways to add fat.

Big salads w/ great dressings.....

Kevin .. I was nosey .. and checked out your fitday .. and I see what you mean ..

Adding a tablespoon of butter or cooking oil here and there really makes a difference with the calorie count, but not the carb count...

Lkonzelman.. I like you're idea of diet root beer and heavy whipping cream for a treat .. I really really do ..

Thank you for your suggestions, and Kevin .. don't worry about your sassy comment at the beginning of your post .. I've got a relatively thick skin, and take sassy comments pretty easily ..

I'll try and add some oils and butters, and fat to my menu .. I guess that part of me is just afraid of having too much ..

Thank you again for your suggestions .. and my mood is very much higher now, that I figured out why I've stuck it out for so long .. because I've got a horrible grudge lunch sitting in my belly .. and it's really making me feel uncomfortable ..

I took a look at your fitday too.. don't see much in the way of veggies/salads.. Protein is another thing that you can have to increase calories w/o adding carbs, preferably "pure" protein like chicken, beef, etc. Just a suggestion

.....uh, because you FEEL GOOD when you're low carbing!!???!?!?!! Silly Sally.... you know better than to entertain thoughts of 'giving up' LC!! That's not an option!!

I agree that you should try upping your fats and get at least 1200-1400 cals a day in, ok? What are you doing for exercise?? Spring has sprung!! Maybe try buying some weights and get started on a moderate program.... like Strong Women Stay Young?

Hey, I feel your pain.... I've been at the same weight for about 6 months, too. Yep, it's frustrating.... but a helluva lot better than weighing 182 and feeling like crap!!!

I'm in a much better mood, even though today is kinda shot and I'll probably suffer for it tomorrow ...

I HAVE been walking 1 mile a day on my treadmill .. (weather isn't good enough around here to really be outside that much ), and I've been working on resistance / weights for the upper body .. my entire "workout" persay, lasts about 30-45 minutes ... each day ...can't afford much more than that, cuz I need a life too

I liked Kevins suggestions .. I very seldom cook with butter and fats .. and I checked out his fitday and saw that that can make a very big difference .. so I'm going to try and go in that direction.

Thanks to everyone for their ideas .. I just needed alittle direction .. and yea .. Teri .. you're right .. I don't think I'd drop the LC'ing ... cuz I DO feel better when I watch what I eat ...

Thank you again!!

Great, glad to hear it, can't hurt to try for a while

Took me a bit to bump up the fat, seemed wrong to bump my calories up on purpose. But, once I did that, I started losing consistently, if not that quick. (course, I could recommend strep throat, lots of weight drop with that, but not the nicest way to go about it )

Check out some high fat dressings/dip. We get a brand called Renees up here in Canada. Lots of flavours, and mostly fat. Great for dipping cold cuts, cheese, raw veggies like peppers and such in. There is one called Xtreme cheese which is awesome. You might find something similar if you look around down in the States. (I find mine in the cooled sections, same place they keep the salad and such)

hope that helps, and the best of wishes.

I've just been adding alittle bit more in the line of veg spread for cooking my eggs this morning, and a dip to dip my roast beef slices, and my calories are up, but my carbs are still down ..

Thanks so much for the suggestion (I got myself some diet root beer and heavy whipping cream .. wanna try a float this weekend.. thanks for that suggestion too ) ...

I'm giving it a try, and I hope it works .. (can't work fast enough if you ask me .. )

Thanks again, everyone for the suggestions .. I promised I'd take them to heart, and I am ..

Hey Sally... I was just looking at my previous post...and I don't know what I was thinking! 1200 calories is still too low for you... your range should be a minimum of 1400-1600, ok? We're about the same size, age and activity level...and I know that 1400 is my BMR so yours would be about the same. Don't go below that level.

Maybe I better switch back to caffeinated coffee!!?!!

PS - I just noticed in your profile that you haven't read any LC books?! Is that still the case??

I have upped my calories .. thanks to the suggestions given by Kevin about adding butter and fat to my cooking.. I was pretty proud of my yesterday numbers .. dramatic increase without the increase in carbs ... but still not up to 1400 yet .. hey .. a belly can hold just so much -- ya know ....

As to your question of my books that I've read .. yes .. I do have an Atkins New Diet Revolution book, that I use for reference .. even though my plan is not 100% Atkins .. I still use it for references .. as in trying to find out why I haven't moved for so long ... and then when I can't seem to get the answer there to comfort my brain ... I come here ...

So I'm being good.. I'm trying to do the research myself ... ..

Talk later .. hubby's waiting to leave .. only gets every 3rd Saturday off ... so we try and make the best of it ..



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Whoops .. just looked back at my fitday totals for yesterday .. and I DID come in at 1500ish ... boy am I good or what ... ... didn't even know it .. guess it's not as hard as I thought !!!

Boy, I'm glad to find this thread. I have been stalled for about 7 months now and starting to get frustrated. I did lose a few inches in that time, but not really that much.
I have read all the great suggestions you all gave Sally amd I think I am doing all of that and have been consistently.
My caloric intake hovers around 1700-1800 per day. 60-65% of those from fat.
I will admit that my carb intake goes a little high once in a while. I try to eat around 30g's but end up with 50g's sometimes....mostly from too many nuts, fruit, or Peanut Butter I think. I absolutely NEVER eat potatoes, bread or pasta....not even the lowcarb kind!
do you all think that even the small amounts of apples or peanut butter I eat could really be making that much of a difference.
Oh, and I AM a chocoholic, so I keep Ross's chocolate bars around, only 1-3 carbs!
I don't use fitday anymore cuz it takes so much time to wait for it to refresh. I have a program on my computer called DietPower, but it won't let me copy/paste so I'll list out my foods here:

2 eggs, with an oz of Feta
coffee w/half&half or heavy cream (minute amt)

Cheese stick or two

Tuna salad, or chicken (one can tun or chicken, 2TBS canola mayo, 1tbs chopped red pepper and 1Tbs green onion; maybe some lettuce)

about 10-15 pecans or cashews or mac's

A lean burger pattie, around 6 oz, with onions peppers and mushrooms
OR, blackened salmon
OR, chicken breast 6-7oz
LARGE SALAD, around 4 cups (I love salad)
Annies Goddess Dressing 2TBS
Maybe some more cheese, like feta in the salad or something melted on the burger

And sometimes an apple with 2TBS of Peanut Butter OR
A Ross chocolate with 1-2TBS of PB

I was really pounding down the nuts for a while and that's when I noticed that my weight wasn't changing.....however, without them I get constipated!

HELP! Although I know that I will NEVER stop eating low carb (it just makes me feel too good to give up!) I would really like to lose those last 40-50lbs!

thanks for your help!
kathy

Oh and I forgot to say that I drink approx. 64 oz of water per day, inluding a cup or two of herb tea at night.
And the coffee: 1-2 cups/day, only in the morning and I have been since I started lowcarbing. I still lost about 30lbs regardless.
And, I was excersising 20 min a day, brisk walking on the treadmill until I started to get discouraged! Started back up again this week, 25 min, 4 days a week. I am rather sedentary otherwise.
thanks

Hi Katrine,

I am stuck, too, so I don't know if my advice is worth anything, but I have read a jillion books and spent a bazillion hours on this board, so maybe THAT is worth something...

If I were you, I'd concentrate on lowering the cheese and increasing your vegetables. You're getting most of your carbs from nuts and cheese rather than some good veggies and fiber. Try upping your calories for a week or two....like 2400/day and then drop back down to let your body know there's plenty of food out there. I have recently switched to eating a VERY hearty breakfast (w/ 22g protein minimum) because of some studies I read and have noticed that my blood sugars are MUCH more stable. Keep up with your exercise!

Thanks Teri . Exellent advice!!. I'm a little nervous about going up that high in calories, but I do occasionally go up to 2000-2100. But I think you're right about the cheese and nuts. I will go back to apples and cauliflower/broccoli for snacks, with a fatty dip to hold me over.
I don't weigh very often, but I can tell when I'm losing.....I'll let you know.
Kathy