What is going on with me?

[jlm1234]

Hi, I'm new here but wanted to get some feedback....... I am a 43 year old woman and my current weight is 218. I went on a almost no carb diet in my late 20's and went from 200 pounds to 130 pounds in a VERY short time. Well slowly over the years my weight went back up so I went on a 800 calorie a day diet and went from 241 to 220 and have switched 2 weeks ago to Adkins diet. One morning I wake up and weigh and it says 220 the next day (same time) it says 218. and it goes back and forth day after day. It is so confusing to me. I eat less than 20 carbs a day. I bought the strips to test with and they keep reading the dark pink one. The one by the light pink. Someone please help me. I don't know what to do and I am VERY dissapointed! Also I have high blood pressure. and I count ALL carbs I do not take away fiber or anything. I usually eat 10 carbs daily.

[scottie mike]

I would get rid of the stiks. They are inaccurate. Spend the money on better cuts of meat. If you are doing 20 net carbs, you are on target.

I am not sure about the switch from low calorie to low carb. The general belief is your body will have to adjust. Your change over may take time -- more than 2 weeks??? maybe. Remember, Atkins does not count calories. And wants you to consume fat. You should be eating a reasonable amount -->>> 1200-2000 calories per day, maybe more. You should be eating until full. Less is actually bad on the Atkins diet. As is too little fat.

Generally weighing yourself every day can be scary. Many/some people drift around on a day to day basis. In addition, a women has weight changes due to hormonal changes. I would suggest once a week -- in the morning.

If you can, do not worry too much about the scale. The weight will come off. I know that is hard to do. I personally weigh myself at least once a day, often 3 - 4 times. My scientific brain looks at this as data. I now know how my weight changes over the day and can predict my morning weight. Also, my own weight went UP before dropping again. I really was following the plan. I cannot explain why I went up, then down.

Keep at it. Good luck.

Mike

[FlorayG]

Ha ha the difference between how your body behaves in your twenties and in your forties is totally different! You can tell when you wake up in the morning!
Seriously though I think it's because you have been previously starving yourself on 800 calories. You don't say how long you did that for but I bet your hormones are still in 'hang-on-to-every-bit-you-can-get' mode. It's a fact that people who starve themselves on low calorie put it all back on again very quickly when they return to normal calorie intake. If you changed straight over to Atkins (which you're not really doing if you are so low on carbs, but that's not a problem you can do without them altogether if you want) then you need time to adjust. I would suggest you never go hungry - you need to let your body know it's OK to use that fuel and not store it this is very important. If you are hungry, eat. It's a bit difficult to get your head round that if you've been starving! Don't worry about calories, the reason you put on weight is because you have a disfunctional fat storage system, not because you eat too much. Starving yourself has made that dysfunction even worse. Keep the carbs down and your system will re-adjust and the weight WILL start to shift. Keep in touch here there is loads of support.

[FlorayG]

Disfunction or dysfunction? Anyone? Dur?

[jlm1234]

Thanks to all who responded! Also I was on the 800 calorie diet for a month. I stepped on the scale this morning again and it reads 220 AGAIN! I can't help it, I have to weigh EVERY morning or it drives me nuts! But I have yet another question. I read the Adkins book and maybe need to re read it again but to clear things up I will list a days meal for me:
I wake up at 5:30 am and around 6:30 am I usually have a couple of deviled eggs made with mayo and mustard only. For lunch I usually have a piece of meat ( a pork chop, or baked chicken) and for dinner usually a piece of meat and a handfull of lettuce with a spoon of ranch dressing. I also have string cheese that says <1 carb for 1 string cheese But I give myself 1. I drink diet coke and mio (sometimes) it has 0 calories and 0 carbs. Also I drink water (which is hard because I just don't like drinking it) As far as exercising I have lower back trouble and a bad foot so I just bought the Air Climber and do it sometimes. But thats it, Besides cleaning house I just can't understand this 218, 220 thing. It is starting to drive me NUTS!

[FlorayG]

Maybe the diet coke is doing it - some people's systems can't tell the difference between real sugar and fake sugar, I'm not sure how that works but people have previously said that diet drinks stop this working for them.

[jlm1234]

I am thinking that also. I know I drank it the first time I did the low carb diet but as I said that was in my 20's Thanks for the posts

[daffodyllady]

My sister lost 70 lbs on Atkins, and she gave me a good hint: start cutting your soft drinks with water. Over time, increase the water content, until you are drinking mostly water with a splash of pop in it. You get used to less sweetness, and will actually come to prefer it. Eventually, you may be able to go to straight lemon in water, instead of soda.

[jlm1234]

Thank you I will consider this. I am so depressed with how I look, I am fed up! No matter what I try it is not working. I am down to no diet coke and around 3 carbs a day and nothing. I just don't know anymore. I'd rather be dead than like I am right now!

[Shrinkin'Sue]

Your metabolism has probably concluded that it is a very lean season and it must conserve fat, because you spent time on 800 calories a day. I am having great success by using the "Calorie King" software (Available only for Australia, USA and Canada) and a diet which is a mix of Dukan, Atkins and calorie counting. BUT I allow myself about 1300 calories a day.

You can buy the software for under $50 or use it on line for FREE - virtually every food you can buy or grow is on the database, so you don't need to do any math to accurately track your carb consumption. Suggest you download a free trial and see what you think.