With low carb, you don’t lose weight every day or every week even, the body goes through periodic adjustments. I lost 10# overnight after a plateau, I assumed weight loss was over, so I increased calories & carbs 5g & poof, I woke up 10# lighter. I didn’t know that was humanly possible, but it’s common experience among low carbers. My weight loss continued thereafter. I think the body just needs to be reassured there is no famine.
But the first plateau doesn’t start til the 6th week. I’m betting you are using the bars or shakes.
Are you eating enough calories? If you are exercising your caloric need is much greater. Has your dietary fat been at least 65% of total calories? Have you been eating the Atkins bars or shakes, they will stop weight loss cold. Citric acid found in many drinks can disrupt ketosis. Some people have a hard time losing with dairy & artificial sweeteners. I would suggest eliminating all these for at least a week & increase your fat ratio to greater than 80% of total calories. The greater the fat ratio the easier the fat loss.
Measure everywhere & use that to gauge progress rather than the scale. Low carb creates lean tissue even without exercise, when you exercise you gain even more. So you may gain 10# of lean tissues & lose 11# of fat & it will only show a net loss of 1 pound but you’ve drastically altered your body.
There is no reason to ever go off a low carb way of eating, you slowly re introduce carbs to your way of eating & as long as you don’t exceed 9grams of carbs an hour (144 carbs a day) you won’t trigger insulin (the fat storage hormone) no matter the calories. Most of us do low carb most of the time & if we cheat & slip back into low carb the next day. I still cheat with sugar occasionally. It’s just not a regular part of my life (as it was preAtkins, 6 years ago, when I felt it controlled me & I had no control)
The rungs to reintroduction of carbs in 5 gram units - all available to very active people in as little as 11 weeks. Make sure you do them in order & you can skip a rung if you do not intend to include it in your permanent way of eating, such as the alcohol rung.:
* (minimum week 3 - maximum 25grams day) Acceptable vegetables, larger quantities
* (minimum week 4 - maximum 30grams day) Add 5grams Fresh cheese
* (minimum week 5 - maximum 35grams day) Add 5grams Nuts and seeds
* (minimum week 6 - maximum 40grams day) Add 5grams Berries
* (minimum week 7 - maximum 45grams day) Alcohol can be added if desired
* (minimum week 8 - maximum 50grams day) Add 5grams Legumes
* (minimum week 9 - maximum 55grams day) Add 5grams Other fruits
* (minimum week10 - maximum 60grams day) Add 5grams Starchy vegetables
* (minimum week11 - maximum 65grams day) Add 5grams Whole grains
If you are continuing to lose or maintain (whichever is goal) in week 12 & beyond, you continue to add 5grams a day per week til you reach your personal carb level.
Many people gain weight on high carb, then switch to low carb to lose weight & then are shocked when they return to high carb that they gain weight. Many people can return to moderate carb levels but very few can really eat all they want of sugar and maintain weight or health.
You will lose more body fat eating protein and fat (don’t eat protein alone) than not eating AT ALL. To lose weight fast eat all you want but nothing but meat, eggs, healthy oils, mayo, butter and half an avocado a day (you’ll need added potassium). Keep the calories high and the fat percentage high, at least 65% of calories. Adding in green vegetables & some cheese will continue weight loss but at a slower pace.
Your body won’t release fat stores if you lower calories below what it needs. It will slow your metabolism to compensate and store every spare ounce as fat. If you continue lowering your calories, it will continue lowering that set point, til you can survive off nothing and store fat on anything. The body will only release it’s fat stores if it knows there is plenty of food.
The core of the Atkins program is converting your body from glycolysis (burning glucose as fuel) to ketosis (burning fat as fuel). You need to keep your fat levels at >65% of your calories, if you don’t your body will still remain in glycolysis by converting 58% of excess protein into glucose (via gluconeogenesis).
Ground flax seed (4 Tbsp) 1/4 cup water, artificial sweetener, mix in a raw egg - let sit 10 min. to absorb liquid, put some cream cheese in the middle & nuke 2 min for daily fiber needs.
