[TheMuffinLady]

Hello, all. Two years ago I was on Atkins for about 5 monts (if I recall correctly) and I lost about 25 pounds, 140 -> 115. I started Atkins again Oct 1st at 116 lbs, with a goal of 105. I'm only 5' tall, so it really isn't as thin as 105 seems.

Anyway, to my problem. For the first week of induction, I was doing great and losing about one pound per day. Sometime in the beginning of my 2nd week of induction, I had a run-in with some "sugar-free" frozen yogurt that turned out to have carbs (there wasn't a nutritional facts label), which bumped me back up to 111. By the end of induction I was 109, only four pounds to go. I stayed at a limit of 20g of carbs per day, and only introduced ketchup, macadamia nuts, and the occasional handful of blueberries to my diet, all in moderation. I walk about 1 mile per day and am constantly running back and forth at my job. Even with all of this, I haven't lost any weight since induction, staying at a plateau of 109-110. What can I do to lose weight again?

I'm trying to provide as much information as possible to get the most accurate advice, so here is my average day:

breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs, 1 sausage patty, 1 cup of crystal light.

lunch: 1 slim-fast low carb diet shake--2g net carb(they taste better than the atkins ones)

possible snacks: one string cheese, a handful of cheese cubes, some cold cuts, OR about 1/2-1 cup of sugar-free jello.

dinner: 1 hamburger (no bun)--or one hot dog--with about a teaspoon of ketchup with about 2/3 cup of green beans or broccoli and a glass of diet coke or crystal light.

dessert: 1/3 of an Atkins Endulge bar (whole bar has 2g net carbs).

Anyone have any advice?

[StarPrincess]

a couple of things -

1. Don't trust the net carb count! People that sell you sugar free sweets subtract out the sugar alcohols, but research has shown that they are carbs and they are digested by most people, just generally more slowly, so the shake and the endulge bar could be doing more damage than you think.

2. It seems to me that you are seriously lacking in veggies. Where are your vitamins coming from? Try to eat veggies with at least 2 meals and as a snack.

3. You may need to build up some muscle. Have you considered strength training?

[marie.]

Look at Leenies FAQ thread and repeat after me...

"water retention masks weight loss"

I was on for over 4 weeks before I lost a pound and I knew everything was on the up and up....when my body figured out it wasnt going to starve or shrivel up it finally let go....and this can be aproblem ESPECIALLY after you hit 40 or so....

[Sonnet]

Welcome Muffinlady! Come join in the daily threads any time.

I didn't think catsup is allowed due to the high sugars, but someone correct me if I'm wrong since I"m still "old yellow book". That would surely put a stop to my efforts. A handful of blueberries would do me in...until I am on maintainence, unless it was ONE strawberry on top of Atkins' cheesecake recipe for 6-8 servings. Come to think of it, greenbeans slow me down. I prefer measured green salad, artichokes, broccoli or spinach for a good loss. I didn't think sasauge was allowed unless it's sugar-free. Bacon is fine. A handful of cheese might be more carbs than it appears to be. I don't touch lunchmeats or hotdogs for weight loss, due to nitrates/nitrites?

This is all just me though--everyone is different.

[Leenie]

Welcome Muffinlady, cute name for an Atkins person

Ditto's to what the girls have said. Give your body time to adjust to the weight loss that you have already indured. 1 lb a day is ALOT.

Hang in there!

[TheMuffinLady]

Thanks so much to all of you for a speedy reply! I'll hang in there with your advice.