Diary of a reluctant fat eater

[locket]

So, I've decided to start my diary hoping to keep my ratios right. I started Atkins 3 months ago but eating such vast amounts of fat was very strange. I then cut the fat out. I was basically on a low-fat, low-carb diet. I picked up 12lbs. Seriously!!!!!! That was with NO cheating. No wine, no sneaky sugars, no sneaky nothing. So here I am, 3 months later and I'm as determined as ever to lose this weight that has crept up.
So, today I've had:
Breakfast: Nothing. Naughty, I know but seriously had NOTHING in the house I could eat since my hubby had a late snack last night and finished my eggs.
Lunch: tuna mayo with full-fat mayo and 3 skinny spring onions.
Snack: cheese
For dinner: turkey meatballs with mayo on the side.
To drink: Pepsi Max and tea with Alpro light.
Please feel free to comment on where improvements can be made.
Thanks from a very nervous Atkinser.

 

[Dietkitty]

Hi and welcome to the diary section. Everyone is lovely and really helpful - apart from me, I'm just an old bag who sticks around lol. Are you on induction or OWL? Watch the Pepsi Max as that can be a staller for some - others get away with it so trial and error really. And boo to the hubby for eating your eggs!! Paint them pink, everything that's mine is pink in my house. I think it will stop the men but it doesn't haha!

 

[moonlights]

Sometimes I feel like I should get a job doing marketing for them but have you tried my fitness pal? You can adjust the calorie targets and fat/protein/carb targets on there, then add all your food over the day and it will tell you if you're hitting them.

Your gain must be so frustrating - having read your post on the main forum my first thought was that you weren't eating enough in general (as you're obviously not overeating) but while that can cause stalls eventually if you're eating at a deficit you physically have to lose.

Do agree with what Katie said on the protein - you have to eat a lot of it but too much protein or protein untempered by fat can be turned into sugar in the same way carbs are - if you weren't giving your body enough fat it would have gone over to that emergency system. Essentially you need to eat enough protein to maintain your lean body mass (in other words your muscles etc) but your main calorie intake should be fat.

The recommended Atkins ratios are:

65 percent of your daily calories from fat
30 percent from protein
5 percent from carbs.

And I'd say you should make sure you're eating at least 1200 calories per day. You're tall so really 1500 calories would be the ideal but at least 1200.

Also, you're already at a low BMI for your height, and you've had a baby. While you may have had a lower pre-baby weight there are a lot of women - I should think the majority - who naturally settle at a slightly higher point after having had children. It's possible you've just reached the point at which your body would be most comfortable - which I know is frustrating if it's not where your mind wants to be. But do remember that you're not fat and any kind of weight loss at your BMI will likely be slow. Atkins actually recommends anyone less than a stone above a healthy weight to start in owl rather than induction.

 

[ladyfelsham]

Hi and welcome

I'm like Lisa - keep falling off the Atkins wagon but keep turning up here

Can I suggest more leafy greens in your meals, like cabbage, bok choi, spinach and so on? They're good for you, you're supposed to get most of your carb allowance from leafy greens anyway, and they always - always - help me lose weight

 

[locket]

Thank you everyone for all the advice. The whole Atkins thing is so daunting to begin with, especially with the whole ratio thing. It's frazzled my brain a bit today, but thanks to the advice and some inspiration from the diaries I have managed just fine.
The Pepsi Max was my last can so that's it for me now, I'll stick to just tea (I REALLY REALLY dislike water).
I've downloaded Myfitnesspal and its a darn handy tool, I love it.
I know my weight isn't earth-shatteringly heavy but as a trained ballet dancer I've always been v slim (not skinny, just slim). I don't expect to get to my pre-baby weight but I don't want to be 2 stone heavier either. I think a happy medium is 58kgs, that's nearly a stone heavier than my weight 4 years ago. It's also where I'm comfortable. I feel v self conscious and uncomfortable at the mo.

 

[locket]

Anyway, I've managed a 65/29/6 ratio today. It was darn tasty too. Fat is delicious!!!!!
Went to watch my little girl's 3rd martial art class this evening. I am so the proud mom, she just turned 3 a week ago. It's honestly fantastic. We managed to get her to stop a tantrum, mid tantrum, by telling her to show us "super-kid", an attitude they're shown in class. It's like magic. It's definitely a tool that's gonna be (over)used in the next year.
So a great day. Am gonna get her an ice cream and settle down to read everyone's diaries.
x

 

[moonlights]

Aww 'super kid'! I love it!

And I totally understand where you're coming from - everyone has a different point at which they feel comfortable and being 2 stone up on that would understandably bother you. It's just a reason that losing the weight may not be the easiest/fastest - definitely doesn't mean it's not possible!

Do you still dance? My grandmother was a professional ballet dancer, to this day she's the tiniest person I know. I did not get the ballet genes

 

[locket]

No. I no longer dance at all.
I was diagnosed with a dysplastic hip a few years ago (just before DD was born). The doctors cannot understand how I managed to dance for so long. I've always been in pain with my hip but dancers always have injuries as they age. I just assumed it was a niggling injury.
The long and short of it is that I need a hip replacement, the less stress I put on my hip the longer I can put the op off for.
The pain is also extreme at the mo so just the thought of dancing is painful.

 

[moonlights]

Ooof poor you - I have various bone problems and have had hip issues before - awful, especially when you're used to being so active.

 

[ladyfelsham]

Wow that's a very serious issue for you, hun. I work for Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (a merger between Trinity College of Music and the Laban Dance Centre).

We have a big health area for dancers, to try to avoid stress injuries - would you consider a visit? I'd be delighted to show you around.

But I know sometimes nothing can be done, and it's just genetics or bad luck - I danced for seven years but when I was 12, had a bunion op which scuppered all that

Lucky I've made a living out of talking

 

[locket]

Thanks for the invitation. I live up north at the moment. I'd live to have a look around. I think dancing is in your blood.
Hopefully, we'll be moving down south soonish. I'll definitely be taking you up on your offer. It's very kind of you.

 

[ladyfelsham]

It would be a pleasure.

 

[stubbsey]

hi
good luck with the re-start!!

 

[locket]

Day 2 and I'm 500g down!!!! I know it's just the initial weight loss that everyone gets when starting but I'll take what I can get.
Today's menu: 4 eggs fried in butter
Lunch: tuna mayo with spring onions
Dinner: tinned red salmon with mayo.
Snack: cheese.
Not earth shattering but I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible till I get my head round everything. Plus, I'm super-duper busy today ferrying my little girl to all her activities (I swear her social life is better than mine).
Have a lovely day, I'll catch up again later.
x

 

[ladyfelsham]

Well done on the loss so far

 

[Kat1e]

Hi locket, found your diary. Bummer on no longer dancing must be very sad. I love dancing but not actually any good at it!
Xxx

 

[locket]

To be honest, I don't really miss it. I think about it, I love watching it but I don't have the option to dance. So, I have been able to throw all my energies and focus into raising my little girl and I love it. I don't feel torn between doing 2 things I love. I feel lucky that the decision to not dance was taken out of my hands and now I can just concentrate on what I feel is the best and most rewarding thing I have ever done.
I think I would have liked to be a stay at home mom anyway but I would have felt guilty not working. Now I don't. This is my new chapter.

 

[Kat1e]

Great attitude and indeed life is what you choose to make of it xxx

 

[locket]

Thanks Katie. I do love my life. I don't like where I live but we're changing that, hopefully, soon. Other than that I'd say my life is perfect.
Oh yes, plus I'd like to be a stone lighter and about a million pounds richer.

 

[locket]

Just calculated my ratios for today: 60/35/5
I like this diet sooo much.
Wednesdays (as well as Thursdays, Fridays and Mondays) are ridiculously busy taking my little girl from one activity to the next. I always make sure she's got enough food, snacks, drinks and neglect myself only to find myself ravenous mud afternoon. Today I knew I had to be organised so I actually packed a lunch for myself, it was nice not to be hungry for hours on end.