HuskerMom - You are not alone in that, I think I am on the forth deodorant, I even tried my husbands brand still no good, I think I found one but it took some trial and error thank goodness they are cheap!!! I keep an extra in my purse for emergencies. I think it is from the extra protein??

Okay, I have been on since October 1st, I dont post very often but I read everyday and you all keep me motivated, I need some support and advise if anyone can help. I lost 20lbs. but have been on 128 for a month and a half now no matter what I do, I have wracked my brains to try to find out what it is that is keepingthe scale from moving. I stopped getting my period 2 months ago and my doctor said my estrogen level is dangerously low. I dont look anorexic by any means but she said this is due to my bodyfat being too low, I wanted to get to my goal of 120-125 but Ic ant get the scale to budge. I am 5'6", does anyone have any suggestions on what might make the scale budge or what I should do? Also, MeghanO-i take the gymneva too but you scaredme when you said it releases insulin, could this be why the scale wont move? I eat only the allowed veggies and salad and the unrestricted IP packets, I never do restricteds and I still cant lose anymore, I amsick of my weigh ins because I worls o hard to stay on plan and I get no results from week to week, its stuck onthat number and wont budge.
Any suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated, oh BTw, I am alwyas freezing too, I have to bundle up in layers everyday!! Thansk everyone!

MeghanO- Can you psot the carb counts for measured amounts (2 cups) of different veggies, then I can monitor more closely my veggie carb intake, maybe that could be whats holding me from losing. I cant think of anything else, I dont even chew SF gum anymore because I thought maybe that was the culprit at 2grms of carbs per slice. I do eat zucchini squash and green peppers almost everyday but theyre measured out, I dont think its more than two cups, or even two cups (per lunch/dinner)> I am at a complete loss as to what it might be that has kept me from losing for so long now and it literally stays at the 128.2 to the point day in and out, I even bought a new scale but its the same and matches my dieticians when I go for weigh in, she also is completed dumbfounded by my situation and said she has never come across this before with anyone if they were following plan to a T and I am, I am so strict so I dont know what I am doing wrong.

Cole 75- I like Fit Day to keep track of all my carbs and its free, plus you can track all kinds of stuff, like exercise, measurements ect and it is so easy to use, I hate journaling but I am a fitday junkie, if your interested its fitday.com

It's the ketosis. It happens on any low carb diet. Try Mitchum. Not the clear one(clear ones generally suck unless you have to wear black). I think it's the 24 hr. one.

Thanks WannabeIP, I will check that out definately, it does teh carb count for you if you just put in the food and amounts?

Cole 75 - Yep it sure does, you can search out just about any food you can think of, plus you can add your own foods if you have the nutritional info and you cant find it, I love it, I used to use a journal book from my weight watcher days now I am a fitday junkie!!!
Echobaby- Thanks, yep I got Mitchum and Degree and as long as I alternate them I am golden, nope cant use any of the clear ones, they make me smell worse, if that is possible!!!

Great thanks, I am going to check that out now, that will be so helpful. Yes, Ihear you onthe journaling from WW, I was on WW for three years and lost like a total of 5 lbs. and I stuck to it too.

Oh thank goodness! I will be working in the kitchen and will smell something and then realize "OH MY GOSH! IT'S ME!!!" I will look for that mitchum.

Hi Cole 27,

This might sound a little strange, and I certainly mean no offense by it... but is there something wrong with being 128.2? Do you not like the way you look or fit into your clothes? I only ask because if you've been missing periods due to low estrogen, that's a pretty big red flag that something's not right with your system, and I surprised that your doctor didn't tell you to start transitioning off the diet immediately. If you've already got really low body fat %, then I just don't understand why you'd want it to be even lower. Your body does require some fat to function properly, and women require more than men. I know I've said it a bunch on this forum already, but since we're losing fat on this diet and not muscle, you're probably skinnier at 128.2 than you would be if you were 120 lbs after any other diet. Heck, I'm the same height as you and the only reason I initially put my goal at 130 lbs was because I knew I'd gain back 3-5 lbs in water afterwards, but I'm starting to think that I've maybe set my goal too low, and will definitely revisit it when I'm 15-20 lbs away.

I guess my point is, if you like the way you look now and want to stay healthy, is 3 pounds really worth the stress and expense?

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrit...egetables.html

Click on the above link to a see a Vegetable Carb Counter Chart. PLEASE keep in mind that NOT ALL THE VEGGIES ARE ALLOWED on IP.

Hi Cole, Welcome here!!
I read Elishatamar's post and here's what I want to ask you: have you been exercising or lifting weights? Have you ever weighed 120-125 before, and if so, were you an athlete? You could be in the most enviable of positions...at your correct weight/body fat percentage...and not know it yet.

I know you read our posts, but maybe you should go back and read the ones which discuss our collective body dysmorphia. If you have time, go back all the way to November and read every post....it wasn't 'til Lilita brought up the term body dysmorphia a couple days ago that we ever used it, so don't search the threads using that term. We all don't see ourselves as particularly thinner yet..

Something's very differnt about this diet in that a majority of us are fitting into smaller clothes and having smaller measurements than we've had at previous times at the same weights. Elisha is probably right, we've lost only fat this time.

So if you like the way you look now, forget about the dang scale. We all support you either way.

I'm going in an hour to teach my boyfriend's daughter(11 years old) the rules of football and to watch the college championship game. Weird, but I feel like I'm somehow passing on a tradition (my son couldn't care less). I hope my Dad will be smiling up there.

Hook'em Horns!!! Oh, People, traffic here is a nightmare. But GO BEVO!!

Zumba is a great workout that includes latin, salsa, hip hop dance/aerobics. I have become addicted to it along with yo+lates which is a mix of yoga and pilates. I am just wondering if anyone else is working out and having issues?

MeghanO, i would be very interested in knowing if you work out. anyone have suggestions on how to work out and still loose weight on this without having hunger cravings. MeghanO can you also explain a little more about the insulin release from the supplement you take for cravings?

I remember day 4 and I was starving - I know I wasn't supposed to be still hungry, but I was. For me, I think the reason was that I've always been a BIG eater. big portions and second helpings. My theory was that my stomach had more adjusting than some others. I drank water and had tea when I was hungry and it did pass - I just kept thinking - worth it, worth it, worth it...

Veggies - the simplest for me - I bought a 2 cup measuring cup and I cut my vegetables into the cup. My sheet says no more and it also says no less than 2 cups. I was trying to follow the "rules" i was given, but mainly, it's hard to know how much 2 cups actually is by eyeballing it. i was surprised at how much it really is and would have been shortchanging myself. (green cabbage is sweeter and is on the restricted list I have)

I also bought myself a kitchen scale - just a cheap one. I use it all the time to weigh my meat - again, it's really hard to eyeball portions and I find that 5 ounces is really a lot. I do this, not to make things more complicated, but to make them less complicated - no guessing - no doubting yourself.

In Dec., I noticed that MeghanO was having great losses - she started same as me and about the same time and was having success every week. she mentioned the 20-25 carb/day plan - and it got me checking out the "allowed" veggie carb counts. I just googled vegetable carb counts and printed off the list - most are listed in 1/2 cup portions so it's easy to figure.

Wouldn't you know it - I was eating all the higher ones like g. peppers and asparagus. I know they're still not actually that high but maybe they made the difference when my weight loss stalled. I also checked out the carb counts on my "non-restricted" items - here's the thing the wildberry yogurt has 14 g carbs (why is it not restricted??) - chocolate drink has 7. Omelet, soup and pudding are lower 2-3 g. If you try to stay around 20-25 - and have a yogurt, and a couple of choc drinks, you are over before you even add your 4 cups of vegetables. Now that Christmas is over - I'm going to give MeghanO's ultra low carb plan a whirl and see how it goes.