Hello-

I am in my 3rd week of SB and have not lost any weight. I am getting very frustrated and am thinking about pulling a chair up to the nearest buffet and having a chow down. Has this happened to anyone else? I've done both Atkins and South Beach previously and never experienced 0 lb weight loss in 3 weeks. Please help!!

Thanks,

I'm sorry that you're having a hard time. Would you mind posting some daily menus? Are you exercising?

While it may sound really tempting to pull up to a buffet...it will only end in you feeling even worse about yourself. It will likely make for a gain to end these three weeks...

It is a fact that if calories in equals less than calories out, you will lose weight. Take some time to measure your calories in a program like fitday. Most beachers don't need to count calories, but some find it beneficial.

Also you don't say what you weigh now. If you are already at a good weight that your body likes it will be really hard to lose more.

Here's a thread from awhile back:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63311

Good luck
Sarah in MD

Hi Zeffryn-

Thank you for replying. I am eating less than 1,800 calories a day. It's not intentional, I just eat until I am full. I am also exercising and weight lifting. I have not done enough weight training wherein I am building enough muscle to equal pounds lost. I am also measuring and have not seen any inches lost :-(

Hi Sarah-

Thank you for replying as well. I'm 5'11'' and 162 right now. My range is usually between 147 and 155; 147 when I am doing a Cyclical Keto Diet.

Actually you are not overweight for your height. Nutrionist say a healthy weight range for 5"11" is 143-178 , it may just take you a little longer to get to the lower weight. Your body may think you are just fine the way you are. It is true that the less you have to lose the harder it is, Seems unfair but it is true.

Are you on Phase II then if this is your 3rd week? How many fruits & grains are you eating? Try to post a few days menus for others to review. When your close to your goal weight already, you may not lose unless you drop your calories lower, which may make you lose muscle, not fat. Your body may not want to go much lower. Were you able to maintain your weight when you were at 147-155? If not, maybe it's not a reasonable weight for you.

Hi Anne-

I actually extended Phase 1 because my goal weight is 147. I was able to maintain my weight of 155 until a couple of months ago when I started Yaz. However, it has been a month since I have stopped taking the pill. BTW, I am in ketosis.

Here are menu samples:
B: scrambled eggs with bell peppers, cheese, and turkey bacon and coffee w/ SF creamer
S: 2 hard boiled eggs
L:salad with Chicken, Feta, and Italian dressing
S:Protein Shake
D:Meat and veggies
S:1 tblspn of Smart Balance PB


B:Scrambled eggs w/cinammon and sugar free jam and coffee w/ SF creamer
Srotein shake
L:salad
S:cheese
D:meat and veggies

first of all i can tell you that you should not be in ketosis if you are eating 4 1/2 cups veggies a day. secondly just wondering what is in the protein shake. what is meat and veggies if your having trouble losing weight have you had a variety of meat (fish, chicken, pork, beef) i know the more beef i have the slower the loss is. when i have fish i see a definate drop in weight.

Have you read the book? It's very important to understand the reasons behind the choices in this lifestyle.

There should NOT be ketosis if you are eating dairy and legumes plus 4½ cups of good veggies, not just lettuce. What you have posted is very close to an Atkins plan. You need fruit and whole grains on Phase II of South Beach.

Jnine!

What are your reasons for wanting to be 147-155? I'm 5'11" and can't imagine being that weight. It's extremely thin for our height. I concur with what Ruth said--you need to read the book, if you haven't already, and you need to move on to Phase 2. Staying in Phase 1 is not only unhealthy, it actually can lead to weight gain. Check out this thread in the FAQ for more info on that.

I'm not sure you're doing this, but going back and forth ("yo-yo dieting") in weight is really harmful to your body and your metabolism. When you get older, you may find that you've really damaged your ability to maintain a healthy weight without exorbitant effort. While you may not love being 162, consistently depriving your body of healthy food isn't a good way to take care of that issue, in my opinion.

My sister is quite thin but also found that she gained a little weight when she went on Yaz. She has remained on it but has also been intensively working out (no major change in her eating habits) with cardio kickboxing, aerobic classes at the gym, and strength training. She's looking amazing! She's lost several inches but her weight has remained the same. Here's how she looks now:

Personally, I'd recommend sticking with a healthy diet that includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy oils, low/non-fat dairy, and lean protein, and focus more on exercise if you feel that you want your body in a different condition.

If you insist on sticking with South Beach, please read up on it. You should never be in ketosis. You need to move on to Phase 2--use these threads in the FAQ to help you:

Emergency Handbook for Phase 2
What's your P2 Combo?
Phase II Food List

If you plan on sticking with dieting, you need to realize that you are trying to force your body to go somewhere it desperately does not want to go. Regardless of what you were able to do in the past, the hormones in your birth control affected your body. Estrogen has a very deep connection with fat storage and may have made a semi-permanent change in how your body works. Getting to a lower weight is going to be very, very hard work and very, very slow. To do it in a healthy way, you need to be very patient. Personally, if it were me, I'd stick with exercise and measuring inches rather than focusing on the scale, which doesn't tell us too much anyway.

beachgal. is that you in the ocean ? You are gorgeous, girl !

Jnine, I am 3 weeks into the South Beach and I lost about 9 lbs the 2nd week.I am sure alot was salt and water. However this is the end of my 3d week and I have been at a stand still. Before I did south beach and lost about 25lbs 2 years ago. I need to do a moderate phase 1 for about 5 months. This time around it has been harder. Don't give up I really think that what was said about eating more beef is true. If we try to add more fish and chicken we might get a breakthrough. There is two things I know for sure about me and wieght. 1 not eat after 6pm. 2 cut back to a protien shake everyother day instead of daily.I saw something on tv last night that was interesting. It was about the sealac disease. There is a diet if you have the disease and it talks about alot of the Gs in our food that cause sickness. I have nevr been diagnosed but sometimes I wonder because of all the problems I have had in the years. I notice I feel 100% better without all the carbs.

Bargoo, I am so encouraged to see how much weight you have lost, wow

Bargoo, that is Laurie's sister. Laurie is pretty darned gorgeous herself but is still plodding along the Beach with the rest of us.

My sister in law has Celiac. There is gluten in much more that what we would consider carbs. When she eats anything that has gluten in it, she gets ill, her body breaks out in a rash and her joints seize up. You probably feel better without all the carbs because our bodies take a long time to break down those carbs and it slows us down.