[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

hi all,

i've been doing induction for 4 weeks now... i'm not finding it too hard,
however, since week 2, i've lost no more than 1lb.

i know i could start adding berries and seeds into my diet, but i don't see the point... i may as well keep how i am going now.

Also, do you think there's a point at which your body reaches it's natural weight (i'm 5ft 8 and 143lb) and low carb just stops working?

What would anyone reccommend i do?

Thanks!!!

[juliannamed]

At 5'8" and 143 you're really at a healthy weight. If you're still "overfat" then exercise would be your best route at this point. You'll need to increase muscle while decreasing fat... and exercise is the only way to add lean tissue. A combination of weight resistance workouts and aerobic exercise would build muscle AND burn fat.

There IS a point where your reach an equilibrium and no matter how low carb you go, you won't lose weight. You'd have to also reduce your caloric intake. Although we don't count calories, calorie do count.

In order to make this "diet" a lifelong eating pattern you're going to need to add in foods from the carb ladder. That includes berries and nuts plus more veggies, more cheeses and eventually, whole grains. As you add these foods back in you will be increasing your nutrients, increasing variety and building a foundation for maintaining your weight the rest of your life. You don't need to fear carbs... just respect them. LOL It's like alcohol... a little is okay, a lot is not. As you add more GOOD carbs just reduce the fat/protein to compensate for it. If you normally eat 2 eggs and sausage for b'fast... try having 2 eggs and 1/4 cup of blueberries. It seems to me that it's time you started finding out how you're going to eat the rest of your life... Induction wasn't meant to be a permanent diet.

Tril
ps... here's one suggested chart for your height/weight. This chart says for women wearing 1" heels and 3# of clothing. So here are the numbers for a woman, 5'9":

5'9"
129-142 small frame
139-153 medium frame
149-170 large frame

Take the 1" off and 3# off and that puts you in lower end of the range for a medium frame.

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

ok... so... berries here i come - yum!
i only really like rasperries... what else is there ( i seem to remember strawberries aren't counted)
cut fat = read as ' less meat/cheese/cream'
so lots and lots of veg, a tiny bit of cheese and some berries....
i hope i don't start gaining!

exercise is SO boring, does anyone have any suggestions for how to make it fun

tril- thanks for your ongoing, all-encompassing support!

[juliannamed]

will... I find exercise boring as well. The key for me was to find something that I do because I like it, NOT because I "should". For me, that's walking my dogs. Many days I REALLY don't want to go... but I know they need it and they love it. So I go for them. I also find that weight lifting isn't boring at all... you can move through a routine fairly quickly and you can easily mix it up each time you go. It's not like the same class/vid-eo day after day, at the same time of day, etc. It's also fun to see your strength increase.

Read up on OWL before you start. The first week you add more veggies, not berries.

Also... besides eating less meat you can choose more lean meats like fish, chicken and pork instead of sausages, bacon and ribs. Instead of using cheese as a protein in a meal, use it as a garnish. Instead of using cups of cream in a sauce or dessert, have a little in your coffee. You don't have to stop enjoying these foods... just tweak your choices and your serving sizes. As you add in more veggies you'll probably find that you're fuller faster... and you don't need as much protein/fat in your meal.

Tril

[SmuffNuSMaxqh]

lean meat, more veg, less cheese and cream (i wasn't really consuming much anyway)....
and some kind of exercise that i might enjoy.... hmmm....
how long would i have to walk, briskly, for it to be counted as enough exercise daily?
Thanks, as ever Tril!

[juliannamed]

"how long would i have to walk, briskly, for it to be counted as enough exercise daily? "

See... if I gave you a number of minutes, wouldn't that turn your walk into "exercise"? Just go for a walk. Enjoy it. Go for as long as you have the time, the energy, the desire. Then each day, as you get stronger and discover the joy of moving, add time or distance to your walks. I started out with about 30 minutes. Now I walk no less than one hour, sometimes I'll go 1.5 hours... and some days, I'll go twice. It's weird, now that I don't "have to", I "want to". Try it!

Tril