As of 12/05/2010 I started the Atkins diet. It has been 12 days and I have lost one pound =/ Is this normal?

I'm afraid my body just won't lose weight no matter what I do. I know I'm only 12 days in but I seem to be in the minority that just isn't losing pounds during induction.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer and after being on radiation, chemo and steroids I simply CANNOT lose weight =( When I was diagnosed I weighed 130-134.... now I weigh 168 and my body seems to be very comfortable at this weight.... my eyes and soul, however, are not, haha. I do not feel like myself anymore and have even become a bit anti-social, whereas I used to be so outgoing and happy. I would be happy to make it down to 140 this year, **** at this point, I'd take 150! haha

Has anyone else had a stall from the get-go and then managed to lose weight farther in? If so, how much farther in? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated =)

hi! well, I decided I wanted to try and be more serious about losing weight in January of 08. I stayed between 200 and 210 going up and down the entire year. Yes, The entire year. Ironically I went on Vacation that new years to disney land and so was literally walking all day long, I went from 210 shortly beforehand to 199 in the beginning of january 09. It took me from January until june to reach the 180's, and then from June 09 until May 10 to get and stay in the 170's. I've been in the 160's since October.

What I found, for me, is that I had so many emotional issues tied to food, and to food as my identity and coping mechanism, that it has taken me a very long time to lose anything. The big thing that I think helped is that although I lose pounds slowly, I am pretty good making progress with inches. I've gone from a size 22 to a loose 14.

I will also say that the main reason this has taken me so long is that I'm done, totally DONE, with the yoyoing. Each pound I say goodbye to I don't intend to see ever again, so any changes I make HAVE to be permanent. The last time I lost weight I got down to a size ten, then freaked out and gained everything back. I don't want to do that again.

Also, regardless of ethics or preference, I believe every person's body is physiologically suited for a different way of eating. For example, my husband loves the idea of going vegetarian. But unless he eats super filling, calorie rich, protein rich food he doesn't ever feel full. He is not well suited to living as a vegetarian. My mom can only lose weight effectively if she cuts out most all refined sugar. For me, It's not about what I eat so much as it's about how much I eat. And I don't mean just calorie counting. I mean that I have to eat only when I'm hungry and stop before I feel full.

Not every diet is well suited for each person. so if you've been truly sticking to atkins, perhaps you should give it a couple more days, and then start to experiment, try a different diet and see if that's the one that's more effective for your body. also, if you can't lose weight, why not lose sizes by exercise? Do you really need to be 130 pounds to be happy, or is it the size 8 (or whatever) that you really miss? Maybe you should look into lifting weights and other inch loss type of concepts. One recommendation I would make is to check out theresa tapps (www.ttapp.com) exercises. She is a former physical therapist and trainer who made exercise videos that are based on inch loss. She's helped models get into shape. Many of her clients have different medical conditions that keep them from losing weight. But because her exercises are focused on getting your body physiologically to work more effectively, many people see results with her. There are free exercises to try on her site.

Even for how long it's taken for me to figure this all out, it's worth it. Definitely don't give up. 12 days if definitely too little time to just give up. You can do it!

Thanks atreyyena for your help! I have no intentions on quitting =) I've stuck to a low calorie (1200 cal/day), "healthy" diet with a 10 mile a day exercise plan for 2 years now with no results.... I think I can manage a year with no results on this one! haha The food is definitely waaaaay better =) The hardest part for me is not getting to drink milk but I've replaced milk with cream when I have a dairy craving.... I'll be glad when I get to the point I can graduate to half and half, haha. AND I'm never hungry and staying COMPLETELY within my allowances. I actually have to remind myself to eat! haha

are you using the new atkins book and eating the bars? That may slow you down, as can too much of anything aritificially sweetened.
However, I have been doing atkins for almost a year, and have lost a grand total of 19 pounds, almost 20. I am on atkins for more than weight loss, I can control my blood sugar really well (I'm pre-diabetic) and have lost weight with a diet that I can continue with and sustain my weight loss.
In the beginning I didn't always stick to strict induction, and that is part of what slowed me down. It was hard to sustain, and I actually had to lower my carbs gradually to be able to continue on. (we sometimes call it backing into induction). So don't worry if you are losing slowly. You will find over time that there is a downward trend and thats what really matters. If you haven't had any success with other diets, but lose slowly with atkins, the its still great to stick with atkins and enjoy the loss. YOu are also not terribly overweight, so you can't expect the losses that a larger person may see.
good luck

Thanks fatmad! No I'm not eating the bars.... I'm just eating meats, eggs, cheese (limited as I've noticed more than a couple slices a day makes me gain), lots and lots of water (102 oz. a day), cream and my three cups of veggies a day (and the ranch dressing I make with the packet, mayo and cream (not milk).

I don't know if my ratio is right though. Yesterday, for instance, I had 85% fat, 4% carbs, and 11% protein but only managed to get in 969 calories! I am having to force myself to eat on this diet because for once in my life, I'm not hungry! haha And it just doesn't seem like enough calories to me.

Anybody have any suggestions about what I might be doing wrong?

u might have a higher resistance to weightloss, like i do. dr. atkins mentions it in the book. a typical two week induction for me is about a 4lb. loss.

Well yesterday, I had:

Breakfast: 3 cups of spring mix lettuce with ranch dressing (made with packet, mayo and cream) and 3 sausage links

Lunch: 3 Cheese hotdogs

Dinner: Roast Beef and cheese and water with chicken bouillon in it.

And 102 oz. of water throughout the day and a couple servings of cream.

I would spread the veggies around a little throughout the day, and I wonder if the prepared meats are causing you to retain water. No snacks between meals, so I think you should have a little something there. YOu don't want to starve yourself.

Thanks ladies! And JerseyGyrl, do you know of any ranch dressings that are no/low carb instead of using the packets?

I bought The New Atkins For a New You... is this book not as good?

Thanks again!

-Brittan

Thanks so much for your help JerseyGryl =) I will definitely go pick that book up. I'm actually really disappointed in this book! I'm almost through it completely (except for the chapters that don't really pertain to me yet) and it only suggest adding a multivitamin, Vitamin D, and Magnesium. I'm pretty sure I've read elsewhere a couple different vitamins to get and it's not those three alone. Do you have any suggestions which vitamins would be wise to add to my daily routine? I already take a woman's daily multivitamin, Calcium, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, and Iron (due to the cancer I have become very anemic and have to take a prescribed dose).

Also, I weighed myself this morning and I'm down to 161.8 and have lost 12.75 inches all over my body =) Thanks to all that helped me!!!!

-Brittan

I'm glad you showed a loss on the scales...good for you! You might also try the salad dressings on the "Recipes from 'What's for Dinner?'" thread. The honey mustard feels like such a treat! I'm with JerseyGyrl - give up processed meats for a week and see if that helps you. All the preservatives and salt is bad news for many of us. Good luck!