Increasing the amount of fat and decrease protein

[kristy]

I was just reading the FAQ on the atkins site and came across this:

http://atkins.com/helpatkins/newfaq/...FewMonths.html

Does anyone know why "Increasing the amount of fat and decrease protein" would be a suggestion for people who plateau?

I would think it would be the other way around - anyone know the science?

[beansprout]

I'm not sure about the exact science, but I know for me, everytime the scale slows to a crawl or is not moving at all and enter what I'm eating that day or previous days in at Fitday.com, I come up short on my fats everytime. For me, constant weightloss comes when my fat percentages are around 67%- 70%, proteins around 25%-30% and 3%-4% carbs. It's vital that you are getting a complete balance of all of these food sources - they somehow work together. When we're not consuming many carbs, the extra fats in our diet becomes the fuel as does our own fat stores. When we have a tendency to cut back on our fats, it is easy for our bodies to slip into starvation mode. Select lean cuts of protein and consume your carbs from a wide variety of fresh, wholesome vegetables only and your body will reward you with steady, consistent results. Don't be afraid to feed your body, make healthy wise choices, up your daily exercise, cut back on your caffeine consumption, eliminate all those little extras and drink tons of water and those stubborn stalls and plateus won't stick around long.

Beansprout

[Teuthis]

The basic presumption behind the idea of replacing protein with fat is that the fat is cloying; and you will end up eating less nutrient-dense food overall. It is my opinion that protein should be eaten in moderation anyway. But remember, fat is nutrient dense [calories] too, and if you do not eat it in small amounts, allowing for the cloying effect to work, it will do the same thing to you that too much protein does. The concept in all of this is to eat less food than you did before you were on Atkins. In some cases this means a lot less food. Calories matter and you cannot eat too many of them and lose weight.

I recommend that you make green and leafy vegetables your principle food volume item. That is really what Dr. Atkins stressed in his overall regimen. When he talked of increasing carbohydrate consumption he meant primarily vegetables. If you are hungry you can eat a lot of vegetables and not exceed your carb limit or get too many calories.

I have cited my own experience before, but here it is again. I eat 4-5 ounce portions of all meat items; except I will often have up to 8 ounces of fish [before cooking]. I limit my cheese consumption to about 1-2 ounces maximum per day; and I do not eat it every day. I make vegetables the centerpiece of my meals, except breakfast. Additionally, salad dressing is basically the fat of which you are speaking. So a simple, green, leafy salad give you the fats and the bulk of vegetables. If you are like me and find iceberg lettuce near the bottom of the list of desirable foods, try some of the salad mixes. My favorite is Spring Mix. It is just green leaves of various species; bitter and tasty with your favorite dressing. A filling meal can consist of a basic salad, eaten slowly.

In the final analysis, the food that we do not eat is what causes us to lose weight. I cannot personally accept that eating more of anything is helpful. If you are not losing weight, cut back on your food volume and try to be more active. Cut back on the protein if you are eating too much of it. And replace that volume with broccoli, asparagus, green beans, squash, spinach, chard, brussels sprouts, peppers and onions. The occasional eggplant and avocado is nice too. And there are more! You can eat these foods for the rest of your life in abundance and control your weight.

Good Luck!

[kristy]

Thanks for the numbers - this morning I left the egg yolk in my eggs and only ate one instead of eating two with the egg yolk removed. I'm rethinking my approach - I was trying to cut way back on fat, but now I'm going to monitor protein as well. I think I will try to hit the percentages beansprout mentioned.

I never have a problem with quantity on atkins. I always feel full on such small amounts which is great! I actually have to make sure I eat enough on atkins during the daytime to "keep my metabolic furnace burning"!

That's a very interesting statistic about 60% of protein turning to glucose - does that glucose from protein effect Ketosis?

[deity_me]

I'm also thinking that because protien helps you build muscle and since muscle weighs more than fat - it'll be masking the weight you've lost.

I'm in a stall right now because the fat i'm losing is being masked by the muscle i'm gaining. I should have lost around 45pounds since I started dieting/exercising in July but I've gained 15pounds of muscle so the scale isnt moving as fast.

[Teuthis]

In my opinion, "Starvation Mode" is a crock! As long as we eat enough protein and a few carbs, that cannot happen. Even then it could not last long. And if one eats around 8 ounces of protein day, that is more than enough. Besides, if you are eating fewer calories than you burn you have to lose weight. Physics requires it. haha. The only think you want to prevent is the body attacking muscle mass; and you might be surprised just how little protein is required to do that. We all here have a problem of eating too much. It doesn't matter if it is much too much or a little too much. That will still make us gain weight. Eat less and lose. I for one am not starving!

Good Luck!

[Susannaj4]

I must say that over the past three weeks I have been depressed over my weight not going down. And I discovered something.Teuthis is right.

From Wednesday of last week until last night, I ate 3 meals a day with one snack after supper because i can't sleep if my stomach is growling. I kept re filling a bottle of water for drink. I ate more fat and less meat. I got prepackaged frozen servings of veggies and ate those and got my veggies in. I have protein for breakfast--eggs, sometimes with bacon. For lunch I have a frozen low carb dinner, one, pre protioned and much smaller then what I had been eating. For supper I would fix a meat, pork chops in the frying pan with Mrs. dash sprinkled on for flavor or burgers with onion powder and garlic powder for flavor or lemon pepper chicken. I dropped my water weight and got right back down to 143 pounds. That says to me that I had put on two pounds of fat. Last night we were invited to a friends house for ribs. I ate ribs and green beans, but, the ribs had a sugar based sauce. So when I got home I ate a Rocky mountain sugar free chocolate bar and then sugar free oatmeal cookies with milk-- and this morning I weigh 149 again. So I had cravings, even though I wasn't hungry at all and I gave into them and now I'll spend the next two days dropping it. But that's ok. I know what that I can maintain weightloss, And If I eat what I am supposed to I don't crave junk and when I stray I will unconsciously crave it and eat it. I did it without even thinking about it.Now I can look back and say to myself next time this happens that I am not getting fat again. I just need to slow down.

[Maryanne]

I'm sure there is such a thing as a "starvation mode" but i know what Teuthis means, because i can relate to what he is saying.

Technically, what is the least i could get by with? 1000? 900?
I have done 800 before but it only lasted a week. I did loose 5 lbs though and it ( the weight )didnt come back so maybe there isnt a starvation mode for my body at that level of calroic reduction.
Vegetables are so low calorie that its easy to eat a lot of them and then some very lean meat too and still be under 800 calories a day. Things like cheese, salad dressing, steak and bacon are out of the picture but being thin tastes better than bacon to me anyways...
Right now, i am not counting any calories and i am stalled again at 125. I think im going to start counting cals again and keeping them under 1000, the weight comes off quickly... i have an extremely reistant metabolism, its the only way to get my weight off is stringent calorie cutting.
When i go back to eating normal amounts, and my last phase of Atkins, I never gain a pound back of what i have lost.

[serenity]

In my opinion, "Starvation Mode" is a crock!

I thought that Sarvation mode means that you arn't giving your body enough food to live on with that you are burning muscle not fat which isn't what you want.

[Jonathan]

It is important what Bluehex is saying... Seriously she's not saying your wrong T....

But people everyday around this great world develope unhealthy eating disorder's, like anorexia. Often times people that fall pray to that way of eating... believe they need to eat less, to loose weight. Even when they look in the mirror, and there bones are jutting out, and there isn't an ounce of fat left on them aswell as muscle.

This is a weight loss forum... people prone to falling into these very dangerous pattern's are here.. they read these posts... they are listening to us. it's important to say that... You can't go telling everyone they need to eat less to loose weight. granted a anorexic will loose weight.. but It is definately not healthy.... and metabolisms, certainly can be damaged.


however I do think the fatter a person is.. the more easily body fat can be utilized to provide energy... Someone 350 pounds can i think safely and easily eat 1000 calories under there bmr.. but someone that is only trying to loose 10 pounds.. would be pushing it at 500 calories less then bmr.

Currently my bmr is approximately 2600 calories and I'm eating between 2000-2400 calories a day. When I started out my bmr was 3500 calories and I hate about 1700-1800 calories a day.

Peace.

[serenity]

however I do think the fatter a person is.. the more easily body fat can be utilized to provide energy... Someone 350 pounds can i think safely and easily eat 1000 calories under there bmr.. but someone that is only trying to loose 10 pounds.. would be pushing it at 500 calories less then bmr.

I agree with you there Jonathan and that's why the pounds start to come of slower the less you need to lose! (unfortunately)

Teuthis - I really wish I had your willpower to reason what and when you need to eat.

Bluehex - Wow 600 calorie diet - I hope your not still going to that doctor!! - I did try a 1000 calorie diet when I look back I don't know how I could have restricted myself so much.