Quote:
Originally Posted by Bout2Lose
when I am on a low carb diet I eat chilli. but its stalling me and I don't know why. here are my ingriedients
hamburger meat
chilli powder (package says it only has 4gs of carb)
cayenne pepper
tomatoes (canned)
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There are a lot of possible issues
1. Carbohydrate count
Are you sure the chili powder package (since you're eating the whole batch) has only 4g of carbs - or is it 4g per serving?
2. Sodium
How much salt is in the chili powder and do you add any extra? When I eat a whole batch of soup within a single day or two (even if it's extremely low-carb and and low-calorie), I always see a weight gain that can last for up to a week. It's not really a stall, it's just water rentention, but the scale can't tell you how much is "real" weight and how much is temporary water weight.
You may need to find a lower sodium chili powder, or make your own (lots of recipes online most have very few ingredients - usually oregano, garlic, onion powder, cayenne, and cumin. If the package has a lot more ingredients than that, youi might consider making your own - it usually tastes better too.
Another possible help is drinking a lot of extra water to flush the sodium (but it still can take a few days).
3/4/5. Portion size, calorie content, and the role of the non-starchy veggies.
In the Atkins books, Dr. Atkins does mention portion size in meats. I don't remember the exact guidelines, but it's something like 6 ounces per meal - with the recommended veggies - and if you're still hungry you're supposed to weight 20 - 30 minutes before deciding whether you're still hungry.
You're also supposed to follow hunger guidelines that are layed out in the book - it's not an "all you can eat" or even an "all you care to eat," plan - it's an "eat until you are (just) satisfied" plan.
This was the hardest aspect of Atkins for me to get. I was used to eating until I was "full," and I didn't feel full unless I was a little uncomfortable. That's still something I constantly fight with, recognizing the difference between "not hungry anymore" and "full" (which invariably means too full).
Even though you don't have to count them, calories do still matter on Atkins, and it is possible to overeat to the point of stalling, especially if you're not eating the veggies (especially the bulkiest, lowest calorie ones like the salad greens) or aren't following the portion guidelines. The high-fiber, low-effective carb veggies are going to help fill you up, and if you're not eating them, you're going to be more prone to overeating the fat and protein.
Consider calculating the calorie count in your chili at least once. I know that you do not have to count calories on Atkins (usually) but calories still count. If you're making chili with 1 lb of beef and 1 can of tomatoes and that's how much you're eating in a day - the batch of chili could contain anywhere from 700 - 1500 calories. If you're using 2 lbs of beef and 2 cans of tomatoes - that's 1400-3000 calories.
Personally, I have completely messed up hunger signals - I can't tell the difference between true hunger and false hunger (I don't know that I even experience a difference), so for me any plan (such as Atkins and South Beach) that requires some level of mindful eating, doesn't work for me.
Since I can't tell true hunger from false hunger, I have to add a portion control element beyond the one advocated by Atkins, so I chose a low-carb exchange plan instead, that way I control calories as well as carbs. You can translate any stage of Atkins into an exchange plan (no it's not Atkins anymore, but if the Atkins' portion-control guidelines aren't working for you, sometimes you have to make modifications) . Many (probably most) people don't find this necessary, but I can stall even on induction carb levels, because of my insatiable hunger (and inability to tell if it's "real" hunger).
This also helps me get in my veggies, because I tend to be a "jag" eater, especially when it comes to veggies. I either eat way too few, or way too many.
Fat is also something I tend to either under or overdo. And while I know Atkins doesn't limit fat, I feel like crud and my weight loss stalls, if my fat intake is too high (or if I don't eat enough fat. I realize now that one of the reasons Atkins made me ill, and induction flu never got better was that I was trying to eat as little fat (and therefore calories) as possible. Even though the book warned against eating too little fat, I thought I was eating plenty. Only exchange plans helped me learn how much I actually needed to feel decent while low-carb dieting.
Through experimenting with low-carb exchange plans, I've discovered that I can eat at least 300 calories more on low-carb to lose the same weight as on higher carb eating. However, if I'm eating 3,000 to 6,000 calories (even if my carb levels are under 20g), I'm going to stop losing and may even start gaining - and it was not unusual for me to eat 6,000 calories when not limiting portions. During PMS/TOM, I may even have had days that exceeded 6,000 calories.
I'm not saying that you have to count calories or exchanges, but it doesn't hurt to have at least a vague awareness of caloric content, especially if you tend to have portion control issues, tend to want to eat until full (not just satisfied), experience mixed or unclear hunger signals, or have a tendency to eat out of stress, boredom or other non-hunger cues.
I think Atkins as written, works for most people, but for some reason, even people who've read the book sometimes lose sight of the finer points discussed in the book - such as portion-control techniques/timing discussed, the warning not to eat until full, and the recommendations for getting in ALL of the veggies recommended, and the warnings and limit recommendations for artificial sweeteners (at least I believe there are artificial sweetener guidelines - I might be mixing that up with the revised non-Atkins written Atkins).
why am I not losing any weight?
Sorry I didn't have a better answer.
