Could this be a carb increase problem?

[Trueman]

I started this week really well and had got down to 6.2kgs by Wednesday. However on Friday morning I weighed in at 7 kgs. I have eaten a fair amount of macadamias and also had a bowl of low GI ice cream with 9.2 gms carbs every second night this week. Could I have perhaps increased my carbs a little too much? This morning I feel extremely hungry and am craving iced coffees and foods Im not allowed to have but have never craved them before until now.

I am sick of always having to go to some type of social engagement on the weekend and tying not to drink beer but then giving in. This weekend our group of friends has organised a sunset bbq on the beach as we often do and so once again I will be forced to decide between not drinking beer whilst everyone else is or drinking beer and facing another Monday morning weigh in where I haven't really lost any weight for another week in a row.

Heres a couple of photos.. Tell me if you could say no to this.



My mate Steve drinking a beer.

[northernlady]

You pose tough questions Trueman. tough questions!


8)

[Evrrdy]

This one is easy for me...

I'd go to the party, with plenty of stuff that I could eat and drink

and forego on the beer... and inside think to myself, that I
will never have a belly like your buddy Steve as long as
I stay faithful to myself and my health and this way of life.

Hm, well, the nuts should be added in SLOWLY - and, at 1 ounce (about 10 - 12 nuts) per day.

Alcohol can be added, later. Go without for the two weeks of Induction & see how it goes from there.

ALso, if you're drinking alcohol, eating nuts and NOT drinking water, you'll be retaining water, as th salt and alcohol are dehydrating. So make sure you're getting your full 2 liters a day. And those diet sodas with caffeine could be a retention issue, too.

Make sure you're getting your 3 cups of veggies a day and count those carbs.

Remember, nothing tastes as good as being thin feels - even when it's beer!!!

[Trueman]

Evvrdy,
You make a good point. I had never really noticed that before but I am probably smaller in the stomach than Steve is now. (I wasn't before Atkins believe me.) I should print that photo out and stick it on my fridge.

Lori Ann,

I am off induction now but I originally didn't want to add extra carbs so sort of stayed on induction. I then decided to add some new foods for some variety but probably added too much. It was a nice change to have the ice cream but I think I will ditch it and same with the macadamias.
I have been on Atkins since 1/09/03 so this Monday will be my sixth week completed. I have lost a total of 7 kgs (15.4 pounds) so thats around 2.56 pounds per week. Do you think this is a decent rate of weight loss? I dont seem to have had that Whoosh effect that everybody talks about. Is there a reason for this perhaps?

Thanks.

[twosisters]

Trueman.....remember you post on things you can do now that you weren't able to do before you started Atkins. Do you think the beer and ice cream are worth going back to your old ways. There is nothing wrong with going to a BBQ at such a beautiful place just remember what is important to you. Having a drink with your friends or knowing you are living a healthier life where you will be there for your wife and kids?

I know that ice cream pitfall that was my weakness STAY AWAY it really is not worth it.

Besides your looking good why stop now

[blueskyes2]

Trueman,

Pick your "poisons". If having some beer is important to you, then back off the ice cream. Personally, I think the ice cream is largely responsible for those cravings that you are getting. Back off the sweet stuff for a while and see if the cravings go away. The nuts shouldn't be the issue and the beer (in moderation ) may not be too bad. The ice cream is the straw that broke the camel's back and is pushing your body to remember the heady days of carb overloading, IMHO.

[Paendora]

Hey Trueman!

Nope, I couldn't resist the beach. All ya need is a sailboat anchored out ready to take off...

Now..Steve I could resist. No offense to a good mate, but.....hmmm. well. I think ya know.

BBQ and parties with friends can be tricky...especially if you've always helped down the case and now they've got extra (is there such a thing) beer to consume. So Drink one. One. Very Slowly. Carry it around as a prop for fun conversation. Find someone to hold it while you get a soccer game going in the sand. Use it as a tool for the latest sand sculpture. That helps protect that image that might be important around your friends, but doesn't do considerable damage to the work you're trying to accomplish weightloss wise.

The ice cream during the week? These are the habits that got you where you are, and where you Don't want to be. Break 'em now. Be done with them...and move on in the life you are creating that's full of activity.

You can do it!
Susan

That's a good rate, Trueman! The goal you're looking for is 1 - 2 pounds per week - average. Now that you're a few weeks into the program, you may go a week and sometimes up to 4, without losing anything - according to the scale!! However, that's a time you'll often SEE more visible signs. Your clothing will be loser, you can tighten your belt an extra notch, etc. And, often after not seeing a loss on the scale for a few weeks, that's when you'll see a WOOSH! As you build up lean tissue, it is much denser than fat, so your weight may just be redistributing. However, if, during this time, the carbs HAVE crept up, you may stall for real. So, don't give up the nuts all together, just remember to measure them carefully. Blueskyes beer idea was a good one! And when it comes to things like ice cream, I keep that to no more than once a week. However, I've occasionally made my own with low carb soy milk & it comes out to about 2 carbs per 1/2 cup, and that I'll finish up a batch of in a week!

Hang in there and keep up the awesome progress!!

[firelady]

I can echo Lori Ann the past 3 weeks I've lost only 1.5pounds but my waist decreased 2". I've had stalls but the net (started 7/15/03 or so)
has been about 2 pounds a week and even when I don't seem to be losing weight I do seem to be restructuring in a good way.

I also think to pick your poisons. As long as you keep a reasonable # of total carbs a low carb beer probably will not hurt. Bring along lots to eat that is acceptable. That's how I've survived the fall picnic season.

By the way I live on a beach in the chilly NE USA. To live on a beach like yours would be paradise.

[EZ4U2NV]

dont give yourself a chance to decide. just tell yourself no, and dont give in. once you make that a habbit, there will no longer be any cravings.

just another obstacle in the way of weightloss, your already depriving yourself of many good treats while practicing the atkins plan.... why cheat yourself by indulging in beer at these social events.

enjoy a bottle of water. you dont need beer to be social. if you want to get a lil buzz, take a bottle of vodka and club soda's in an ice chest and drink hard liquor with your boys.

anyway good luck.

[Susannaj4]

LEt us know how it went.