Frustration, Temptation, and Sleep
 

For the past two weeks I've been sticking to the plan almost perfectly. No forbidden foods, no fake food, but a little more cheese and a few less vegetables than I should be eating. But, I'm always well under 20g of carbohydrates. The first week I lost between five and seven lbs, depending on what I count as my starting weight, but this week I only lost 0.8 lbs. I've gone over my food journal to try and find any significant differences, but I can't. I actually went to the gym more the second week. The major difference between the two weeks is that the first week I was getting about 8 hours of sleep a night, and the second week I got an average of 5. Does anyone know if this should have any kind of effect? On the plus side I spent my entire morning dead tired and starving, surrounded by free baked goods and coffee and I resisted until I was done with work and could go get some eggs. But right now I feel like it's all willpower and no results. I don't know how long that will last.

Before you throw in the towel, are you drinking enough water? That played a BIG part for one of my friends. She was on Atkins for three months last year and only lost eight pounds. This time around she is drinking at least two to three liters of water and lost 15 pounds in three weeks. Are your clothes fitting looser? Sometimes inches show up faster than pounds. Also if you are going to the gym (good for you :D ), and you are using weights, you are gaining muscle mass. Muscle weighs more than fat, but takes up much less space. Your scale may be showing a weight gain, but you may be down a dress size, or at least your jeans are looser.

If your clothes aren't any looser, there are certain medications that Atkins says in his book that may inhibit weight loss. Check to see if you are taking any of these meds:

Estrogens and most synthetic horomone replacement therapies, including birth control pills

Anti-depressants

Insulin and insulin-stimulating drugs

Anti-arthritis meds (including steroids)

Diuretics and beta-blockers.

If you are on any of these meds, please don't stop taking them w/o your doctor's permission or knowledge. Don't put your health or emotions in jepordy for the sake of weight loss. You can talk to your doc. to see if there are any alternatives.
You may also be one of the people who are metabolically resistant, and it will take you longer to lose weight.

You also mentioned that you were really hungry the other day. When you are in ketosis, you shouldn't really be that hungry. Try re-evaluating what you ate, and check the labels and all of that junk. I hope some of this helped. This weight loss thing is such a bummer and a huge struggle! Hang in there! :D

Genghis it definitely might be the lack of sleep, getting the proper amount of rest is important for the body to complete a lot of functioning and it helps with mood which can greatly affect willpower and motivation. Mind as well give it a try for a week and see if it makes a difference :) .

Tummy

I've also heard your mood affects weight loss. If you're in a bad mood it somehow makes you not lose weight.

muscle weighs more than fat, so you could be gaining muscle since you were going to the gym more. If that is the case, keep doing what you are doing, drink lotsa water and after your body "reconfigures" you will drop a load of weight almost over night. Happened to me 2 weeks ago, 7.5 pounds in 1 1/2 weeks.

Thanks for all the helpful advice. For the time being I've decided to give the scale a rest for a little while and gauge my weight loss by other means. I went out yesterday and got some ketosis test strips and a measuring tape. According to the strips I am in ketosis, so I'm not going to worry about my actual weight for the time being. Is it possible to be in ketosis and still add on body fat? Knowing my body it would find some way of doing it. I'm also going to attempt to get a bit more sleep this week, but I'm not sure how that will work out given my workload right now.