MaineDonna's Journal, 30 October 2012

Looking back through your Diet Calendar, it looks like all your counts are good, but you might try consistently adding more fat to your diet. Also, make sure you're drinking lots of water. That has been the biggest thing that has helped me lose :) 26-27 pounds since August 12 is awesome, though :) Great job! 

I agree that 26.7 pounds in the last 12-14 weeks is great progress....don't lose sight of that! Think hard and look back to see what may have changed (added a food? added more/less exercise? changed a medication? added stresses?) around the 15th of the month, when you seemed to stop losing. Ultimately, this "stall" may be just your body readjusting, but it's worthwhile to consider that there may be something else going on. Go back to weighing and measuring everything you're eating...even though you believe you can eyeball servings. For things like "beef stew," enter the ingredients with the brands YOU use and the amounts YOU use and the number of servings YOU get out of it. It takes longer but is much more accurate, as there can be a vast amount of difference between a generic entry in the food database and what you're actually eating. Watch out for the Russell Stover candies! They seem innocent enough on the net carbs, but pack a powerful hit on total carbs and the sugar alcohols which can interfere with weight loss - big time. And, finally, go back and review some of the typical OWL menus either in the book or on the Atkins site for ideas on how to best balance proper protein and adequate fat, as well as the carbs. Your body needs properly balanced fuel to work....even in losing weight! Good luck.  

Thanks angie and sandy water isn't one of my strong points but I'm working on it. I do weigh and measure everything that I make . The beef stew was eaten at a friends house and I tried to estimate best I could. Felt a little rude but did push the potatoes aside. As for the candies my husband finished the bag and he paid BIG time for that. LOL I did add cottage cheese which I love, almonds and raspberries,I will try slacking off bit.Thanks again and wish me luck. 

I looked at your calorie counts and see that you are well below 1000 calories most days. That low a calorie count could be pushing your body into starvation mode and causing your metabolism to slow down. Also, I've learned through my WLS program that we should have at least 60 gms of protein per day. It looks like you fall below this quite a bit. I would increase your protein instead of your fat content and make sure you get at least 1000 calories in per day. See if that works.  

It's all just trial and error, MaineDonna. What works for one person might not work for another. There are many articles about the risks of eating too much protein along with low-carb, and also articles about the benefits of eating high-fat with low-carb. Google both and decide for yourself :) Personally, I've found that increasing my fat intake helps me lose weight. I do agree about raising your caloric intake, though, and entering the exact food YOU ate and not relying on the foods others have added. Good for you for pushing those potatoes to the side! Hang in there! You'll get it figured out! And much luck to you :)