What the heck?!?!?

Ok, today was my weigh-in day. I went to my dr's office (where I weigh) feeling great, sure the numbers would reflect how good I've been. I've resisted temptations all week, stayed on my plan, and exercised 5 days this week. Surely I would have lost, right?? WRONG! Not only did I not lose any, I GAINED 3.2 pounds!! WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON??? Was it the low-carb wine cooler I had at the party Sat? (no alcohol durning atkins induction) Or was it the couple tablespoons of peanut butter I've had with my celery? (no nuts allowed either) I've been trying to eat more veggies this week, and I've been at or under my 20 allowed carbs each day! I just don't get it. I'm so frustrated I'm crying. I FEEL like I've lost weight. I FEEL smaller. I don't have a measuring tape, so I havn't been measuring inches, so I don't know if I've lost inches this week or not. I hate the scale. I havn't had two weeks in a row that I've gained (while on plan) since I started Atkins last November. I almost feel like giving up. Whats the point if I work and work and the scale keeps going up and up? 

Sorry to hear that you had a let-down instead of a triumph!

A bunch of my business associates have bought Tanita scales so they can track fat loss vs simple weight loss, etc. It might not be a bad investment so you can see, perhaps, "Oh, I lost 4 pounds of fat and gained 3 pounds of lean tissue".

You don't gain 3.2 pounds from one wine cooler or some peanut butter! I don't know much if anything about the Atkins diet (other than how I felt after one week on it a few years ago), so maybe I'm wrong there?

You probably should have the backup of the measuring tape so you can confirm you are losing even if it's not pounds on the scale.

Ruth

Heather,
I'll offer some advice and you can tell me to go jump in a lake if you like.  My diet credentials, like everyone here are good and long.  I went on my first diet at 18 months old - and I'm over 50 now, so I'll pass on what I've learned along the way.

First of all, these lo-carb/no-carb Atkins diets (to include all the variations) never worked for me.  However they want to paint this stuff, it all comes down to calories consumed and calories burned.  You can count carbs till you're blue in the face, but if you are taking in more calories than you are burning, you will gain weight.  It's a simple law of physics.  Last week you posted that you ate four hotdogs for lunch.  Even if they were the lean all beef variety, that's a whopping 752 calories (188 each).  That's about 2/3rds of the amount of calories I consume in a day and I'm offsetting those calories with a ton of exercise.  Do you know that you have to walk 52 minutes to burn off 188 calories?  And that there are 650 mg of sodium in one beef hotdog?  That's 27% of your daily sodium allowance (and I'll get to sodium in a minute).   You gotta count calories - that's what's gonna work.  And counting calories is where a lot of people make mistakes.  Like the previous poster said, you gotta measure and weigh the food - you can't estimate.  I weigh 139 and I still measure my food portions every day.  It took me a lifetime, major illnesses, and a major operation to realize that I must diet every day of my ife in order to maintain a normal weight.  On special events, I will go off the diet for a meal or a desert but it's perhaps once or twice a month.  The rest of the time, I work at my wieght. 

About salt, I doubt that you consumed enough calories last week to actually "gain" 3.5 pounds.  You are probably bloated from all that sodium you are taking in with this diet.  All cured meats are loaded with sodium; as are all canned foods, prepared foods etc.  Just read the labels.  Sodium wll cause you to retain water.  And in order to get rid of that fluid retention, you have to DRINK WATER.  Some of us, and I suspect you may be one, are very sensitive to sodium. 

Finally, I weigh myself every day.  Many say, not to do this because of daily weight fluctuations but after a lifetime of dieting, that's the only way I stay focused.  If I get on the scale in the morning and my weight has moved up, I make sure that I stay on plan and perhaps do a little more exercise that day.  This is what works for me.   

So Heather, if you limit your sodium, cut back on your calories, continue your exercise and drink your water (60 oz a day) I'm sure the scale will be kind next week.  

I've been there and I feel your pain.  Good luck, I'm sure you can turn it around.  Donna

Thanks for your input, I try not to turn any away, even if I don't agree with it. WIth the sodium, I am already aware that I have been eating too much, and yes I have swelling issues and I am supposed to stay away from high salt foods. I am trying to avoid processed foods, but I am never going to be able to eliminate them from my diet. I'm too busy, I'm too poor, and they are both convienient and cheap. I am trying to consume more veggies and unprocessed foods, but that is a slow process, I'm just not used to eating a lot of veggies and there are alot I dont' like. As for the low carb diet, I dont' know how it works, I havn't read the book (Mary's gonna kick my butt when she reads that!) but I know it does work. I'm a carb addict. It could be very low calorie, but high carbs and I even think about eating it and it adds lbs to my thighs. I know the science between calories in, calories out, but I dont agree that that's the only factor in weight loss. Peoples body's process foods diferently.   I also weigh myself every day on my scale at home (now that I can weigh on it), often several times a day. I know that weight fluctuates up and down during the day. I also like to see that I'm staying on track. My scale at home shows that I've lost, but my 'official' weigh-in at the doctor's doesnt' agree. I do drink alot of water, all day at each meal, and in between meals.

I had my counciling appointment this morning, and just in time! With her help, I've decided that I need to continue on the plan and not give in. If I keep at it, the scale will budge. I'm going to try and increase my water (if possible, I drink all day as it is) and try and cut down on my sodium intake, which will be hard because I'm usually really busy and have to grab something quick and microwavable. I have discovered that the Diet lipton green tea drinks I've been downing all week have 60 mg of sodium per 16.9 oz bottle, and I've been drinking 3-6 of them a day for the past 3 days....hmmm that could have something to do with it, huh? that and the sodium in the hot dogs. those two things are the only things I'm really doing different from before Christmas when I was doing so well and losing alot. I'm also going to start measuring, starting today. That way, If I gain next week, but lose in inches, I won't be so distraught about the gain, I'll know my body is just adding lean muscle. (I'm still hoping for a good loss next week though!!)

Haven't read the book! Mary surely IS going to kick your butt ;-)
You might look for the book in a used bookstore, maybe even a thrift store. The paperback was available where I bought mine for only 5-6 dollars.
Are you still doing Induction? It looks to me like that is what the first 2 weeks are about then you move on.
On the website for induction it states "Focus on lean cuts of beef and lamb. Some processed meat, bacon, and ham is cured with sugar, which will add to the carb count. Also steer clear of cold cuts and other meats with added nitrates." In the book I'm pretty sure the sugar in the hot dog and peanut butter would keep the off of the first 2 weeks OK list.
I have to say that doing Atkins on a low income seems pretty hard to me - I've been dirt poor and I remember the days well when a hot dog was a splurge and all my son and I had for dinner was a box of cheap mac 'n cheese between us.
Hang in there, Heather - it has working for you and I think you are doing great.
Jan

I have the book, I just don't have time to read it. I'm a full time college student, and I'm always so busy reading all my text books and doing homework (when I'm not busy with other things) that I don't have time to read that book. 

I've been eating chicken, beef in taco salads, bacon and hot dogs, I don't really like other meats, so I'm limited. I know the peanut butter isn't allowed on induction, no nuts till after the first 2 weeks, but I'm trying to get my veggies in, and the only way I like celery is with peanut butter. The kind i have has 4 net carbs for 2 tbsps, and I've only been eating one tablespoon at a time. The hot dogs and bacon are processed crap full of nitrates and sodium, I know. The bacon is allowed, but the hot dogs probably arn't wise. I have them/eat them because they're quick to fix (pop 'em in the microwave) and I have them when I don't have time to fix something else, but want more that an Atkins shake or bar. I'm gonna cook up a bunch of taco meat tomorrow and freeze it, so I can just take it out and thaw/heat it up and have a taco salad, and I should do the same with some chicken, so its easier/quicker to fix. Until I get more organized I'm going to try and stay within my carb limits and eat what I have time for.

Induction is supposed to be just for 2 weeks, then you slowly increase your carbs by 5 (I think) a week. I was off my plan for over two weeks(and hadn't been on it again very long before I went off) thats why I'm doing induction again, to get back in the swing of things. I think I'm going to do one more week of induction (because I havn't lost anything) and then start gradually increasing my carbs.

Thanks so much for the encouragement Jan!! 

It sounds like you pretty much know what you are doing. Maybe Mary will be knid?
I think the Taco seasoning probably has sugar and sodium in it too. Processed stuff sure makes it easier when you are as busy as you are. But the ingredients can be sneaky for us trying to get the sugar, sodium and junk out of our lives.
Jan

Heather,  You need to decide what is important to you.  It sounds like you have made your college education the top priority and whatever else you are doing more important than your health and weight loss.  Continuing your education and working on your health are not mutually exclusive pursuits  Being poor and having the ability to successfully lose weight are not mutually exclusive states.  You can make the time to shop smart and cheaply, you can make the time to plan meals and you can make the time to read up on this diet you are pursuing.  And you can successfully complete college.  And you can successfully lose weight all at the same time.     You need to want to succeed as much as everyone here wants you to succeed. 

My college education IS ONE of my top prioritie. Number two is my DAUGHTER. My health comes in Third. The only reason my education is number one, is because in order to have a better life for me and my daughter I HAVE to comeplete my education. Otherwise I will be unable to work. Perhaps I'm being too sensitive, but your comment feels more vicious than helpful. Whatever else I change in my life, for the next several years, College is going to take up a lot of time, and my daughter is going to take up most of what I have left. As a single parent, I am used to not having much time for myself, and I am going to make my eating plan work for me. Thank you.