In a Dilemma...

[ellesbelles]

Hi All!
I'm hoping someone can give me some really sound advice... Anyone on here had experience of doing both VLCDs and Atkins?

I lost a pretty substantial amount of weight about 4 years ago by doing Cambridge, and managed to maintain happily and quite easily, though I maintain on about 1100 cals a day which is pretty low. In the past year I've put on a stone and a half and am feeling lousy! It seems my body just can't cope with carbs any more - if I eat any bread/pasta/potatoes/rice I just bloat up.

I've tried to get back onto CD again to shift this but my heart and head aren't in it, so I thought I would give Atkins a go. However, I have a couple of problems in that firstly I can't get into ketosis, and secondly my weight loss seems to stall after a couple of pounds.

So at the moment I am stuck in a cycle of not knowing what to do - trying to Sole Source on CD again, then giving that up after a week or so as I just cannot get into ketosis on CD either.

I'm desperately hoping that somebody might have some advice for me - I am running out of time as I'm modelling for a Help for Heroes calendar in 6 weeks and I need to sort out these issues and get the weight off!

Help! Please!

 

[ladyfelsham]

Hi Elles why don't you post your food here and we can take a look?

A few people on here have done VLCD, it gets a bit quiet at the weekend so be patient and I'm sure lots of people will post here in the coming week.

 

[ellesbelles]

Hiya!
When I've been doing Atkins, I do stick rigidly to the Induction stage - with 12-15g carbs from vegetables and staying under 20g in total a day. I am wondering if it might be citric acid (some of my drinks contain citric acid) that has been stopping me from getting into ketosis - any ideas on that?
I'm not really surprised that I can't get into ketosis on CD as the packs have about 14g net carbs each, and I'm thinking that these days, that is just too much for me...

 

[ladyfelsham]

Citric acid does stall people, ditto cream and cheese - maybe try limiting these and see how you get on?

 

[suepass]

I was doing LLL before Atkins. But As you can see I lose (if at all on Atkins) ignore the -411b today. That is dehydration from last night. Vodka!!
Why don't you commit yourself to Atkins for 3 weeks and see how it goes, But don't make my mistake and gorge after a vlcd. I am sure that is why my weight goes so up and up and not much down. !!

 

[ellesbelles]

Ladyfelsham - thanks for that, I didn't know that cream and cheese could affect me too! Have just found out that soya milk is really low carb and low cal too, will try that instead of the cream.

Sue - keep drinking the water and you'll hopefully flush the vodka out lol!

Think I will make a concerted effort and re-start on Atkins but without the cream and cheese - Sole Sourcing is totally doing my head in :S

 

[girlygirl1]

Lots of people here have moved from a VLCD to Atkins. If you have been SS-ing immediately before Atkins, even Atkins Induction,you may regain a bit of water weight to start with. Be patient and don't let the scales rule you!

It can take time to get used to processing a 'normal' amount of solid food, too. But I was so glad I made the switch as a VLCD is torture to me.

Welcome and good luck!

 

[ellesbelles]

Thanks all Have just been shopping and have a fridge full of lettuce, eggs and meat - yippee! Lets just hope that this time I can get into ketosis!

 

[Leanne1]

Can I just suggest that you don't weigh yourself in the first week but wait until the second week? This is because your body will need to adapt to going from one diet regime to another and it may look as though it isn't working in the first week but will pick up in the second.

 

[ladyfelsham]

Good idea, Leanne - Elles, give yourself time to adjust to your new way of eating and then I'm sure you'll be rewarded with a big loss

 

[ellesbelles]

Thanks folks - think I just need to stick to the plan and stop chopping and changing through sheer desperation! And yippeeee - discovered the Minimins app for my phone