gina3462's Journal, 09 March 2011

Looked at your food and exercise diaries for yesterday. You do a lot of exercise and only ate 57% of the food you need. Muscle does weigh more than fat - perhaps that is it. There is a world of great Atkins friendly food out there. Eat more, add more fats. The plan is to learn how to eat and enjoy what you eat for life. I see you are a busy girl. Good luck to you. 

Gina, you've lost an impressive 25+ pounds just since the beginning of the year! Congratulations. Sweetie Girl is right on track...you need more calories. Less is not more on Atkins. You're exercising up a storm, but with so little intake, your body is hanging on to whatever it can, even considering the 25-pound loss. I can't really tell where you are in OWL, as far as net carbs and what rung of the Carb Ladder you're on. I'd go back to the book and look up some of the daily menus for whatever carb level you are at right now and try to mimic those menus, at least for awhile until you get comfortable with the amounts and types of food. Yes, I am familiar with the 17-day diet, as I know one person who did it. It didn't seem anything like Atkins, so perhaps it was something different than what you are talking about. This person lost a good amount of weight while on it, but was hungry and began to gain weight as soon as she came off the diet. She's still searching for "the answer"... Good luck. 

Thank You to the both of you for replying to my post. I am at approx. 25-30 net carbs in the OWL phase--usually closer to 25. I do agree it doesn't look as if I eat enough calories, and its not that I don't want to eat more, but I watch my carbs and if they are getting to my limit that is all I will eat even if my calorie count is not up there. I know there has been a few times when I have barely ate 700+ calories for the whole day, but my carb count was right up there where it was suppose to be. I will stick with Atkins, because it has worked, and I am really amazed and proud that I have lost 25+ lbs since the first of the year. I keep hoping to get past 218 because that is as far as I have ever made it on a diet, and I am so anxious to reach 217. I know it will happen, and I just need to be patient and take care of myself.I have noticed about myself that I am the type of person that needs structure in planning my foods, and I had forgotten about the menus in the book, so I will return to the book and see if I can implement those menus into my daily routine and see if that helps--Thanks for the reminder.  

Hey Gina - with the amount of exercise you are doing, you can't just look at CARBS! You have to find the right balance of 20-30g's of carbs WITH at least a 1500 calorie intake! If you are eating 25g's of carbs and it's only coming out to 700-800 calories... Then you are not eating correctly for your body and it's needs! I haven't looked at your food logs... but I do know there are plenty of induction foods, and early OWL foods, that can get you to the 1500 calorie mark, and still keep you in the lower carb range! YOU CAN DO THIS...might take a little effort to revamp your selections...but still...you CAN do this! Good luck!!!