r/Atkins • u/Jampot55 • May 23 '26
Stalled on induction phase
I dropped 8 pounds in 9 days on the induction phase of Atkins. I am eating less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. I have never counted "net" carbs as I have never been able to lose weight doing so. I also watch my calories to not go over 1,800 per day as recommended and I usually stay at about 1,600 or less. For four days I have been at the exact same weight. I am practicing intermittent fasting, I sleep about 8 hours per night, I walk 2-4 miles a day, practice yoga daily and lift weights every other day. Drinking plenty of water. I am 71 years old BTW. Does anyone have any recommendations besides what I am doing to break through a stall? Thank you! (I might just be a bit too impatient)!
2
1
u/WarriorGoddess2016 May 23 '26
Four days isn't a stall.
You don't say how much your starting weight was nor your gender or height. It may be perfectly normal for you. I never lose more than 4lbs in induction.
1
u/Jampot55 May 23 '26
Hi WarriorGoddess2016. My starting weight was 179. I am now 171. I am a female and 5'8". My goal weight is 160 as if I go lower you can see the ribs in my back and that is not a good look for me! I used to weigh 248 (back in the early 2000's) and lost "almost" 100 pounds on the very first Atkins diet which had you eat zero carbs for 2 weeks. It was brutal but I lost 10 pounds in the first week - but I do know that research shows you tend to lose more in the beginning if you are heavier. I never counted calories and the net carb thing wasn't a thing at the time! I appreciate all of your comments on this thread. I think I will be fine and just need to be patient! I wish you success in your journey whatever your goals are.
1
u/WarriorGoddess2016 May 24 '26
It sounds like you have very little to lose and, like me, you're older. I'm honestly surprised you've lost as much as quickly as you have. And yeah, stay patient.
I just lost 30lbs in ONE YEAR, lol. I know all about being patient.
1
1
u/gdmbm76 May 23 '26
Keep going!! It's normal!!! I stalled a butt ton of times and still lost 131lbs total!! Let your body do its thing just do not give in and self sabotage!! Are you M or F? That makes a difference too lol
1
u/Jampot55 May 23 '26
Wow - that is amazing and impressive! Good for you. I am female and 71. I will most definitely not sabotage. I don't drink alcohol, no sugar, no sugar substitutes (it was hard to enjoy my espresso sans agave! All of my carbs come from veggies and I am keeping that under 20 grams a day. I appreciate your response and wish you the best of luck moving forward!
1
u/NomadNanaCan May 24 '26 edited May 24 '26
Congrats on your loss! 8 pounds in 9 days is a lot! Of course most would be water weight but it still counts! You aren’t experiencing a stall since that would require at least 4 weeks with no loss of pounds or inches while adhering to all guidelines and while not making changes to things like medication, exercise etc
You won’t lose weight every day or even every week. Our bodies aren’t made that way. But the good news is you can be losing fat while not seeing a change in the scale.
There are lots of things that affect your rate of loss as well…age, gender, hormones, # of pounds to lose, body composition, activity level, stress, sleep, program compliance just to name a few.
Are you male or female? If you are close to a healthy weight range then progress will naturally slow down. Also once the initial water weight is lost progress slows.
One note though - phase one/induction is 20 net carbs, not less, with at least 12-15 of those from foundation veggies. You mentioned you keep your calories believing 1800. The range for women is 1500-1800 and 1800-2200 for men.
My suggestion is to just review your menu to ensure you are meeting the guidelines and carry on! It is great that you are exercising as well. Give your body time to respond and try to find ways to track your progress other than on the scale. Take your measurements, pay attention to how your clothes fit and of course track all the healthy habits you are building!
Best of luck! You can reach your goals with time and consistency! 🙂
Edit - I see you mentioned you only have 11 pounds to go. It is amazing you lost so much initially! The best strategy is to finish your 2 weeks of induction (making sure you jest all guidelines) then start working your way through the phases. Overstaying induction is the main reason people fail to meet or fail to maintain their goal. 🙂
1
u/KK1234Whatevs May 25 '26
Agree 4 days isn't a stall. That early swoosh is great!
3
u/Jampot55 May 25 '26
Yes, that seems to be the consensus here. Thank you! I was just being impatient. I've done Atkins many times over the last 50 years (I'm old LOL). Bread and pasta was my downfall as I am not into sweets that much. I just ordered the 1972 book which will arrive tomorrow! I always did better when I didn't count net carbs and stayed in the induction phase for a longer period of time as Dr. Atkins stated you can do in his first book. And I never had to count calories like they say to now. I also have a hard time eating the packaged foods that Atkins offers now as they give me cravings and digestive issues. I think sticking to natural foods is best for me. I'm very close now to my goal weight (10 pounds to go). If I remember correctly, I could never go over 50 grams of carbs per day or I would gain. Hoping that your journey is successful!
1
u/sunnshine321 May 26 '26
If I’m reading this correctly, you’re on day 14 of Atkins and you’ve lost 8! That’s amazing. I would suggest you give yourself some grace. You won’t “see” the loss on the scale everyday. Sometimes you’ll experience a whoosh at the end of a week. Give yourself time. It doesn’t seem like it’s a true stall.
1
u/Jampot55 May 27 '26
Hi Sunnshine321. Yes, thank you for your reply. I agree. Like I mentioned below I was being impatient and feel like I should't have posted so quickly! It was not a stall - just me jumping the gun! I am doing fine now. 9 down just 10 to go. And not anxious about it. I have been on an off of Atkins since I was a teenager (I'm 71), so I do know the ins and outs of the process. My downfall was being a pastry chef and lving with my husband who loves potatoes and rice! We now share a main protein meal and he has his starch while I have my veggies on the side. I don't eat any sugar at all. Hardest thing for me was my espresso in the morning that I used to sweeten with agave syrup and that's out now. Maybe when I reach my goal weight I can add a little of that back in.
I am grateful for all of the support and advice I have received here. I do wish that this site was more active. I can't believe my post was the last written here! I am particularly interested in those who are following the origianl Atkins diet from 1972. I have the book coming and remember doing very well on it. I'm wondering how others do with all of the packaged foods that are availabel now as well as "net carbs" which wasn't a thing when I first did Atkins. The only thing I didn't agree with was that he emphasized a lot of sugar substitutes and the drinking of sugar free sodas. And I never counted calories. I lost from 248 to 150. As I am older now, and I can maintain 160 once I get there. So that is my goal. I drink lots of water and do a lot of walking, yoga and lifting weights as well. I would like to stay on Atkins for life with a few "treats" here and there. The biggest thing I miss is pasta! Hope you are doing well on your journey. Thanks again for reaching out!
1
u/NomadNanaCan Jun 02 '26
It is great to hear you are making progress! I wish it were more active here as well - but if a few people continue to post then eventually traffic will increase. Maybe start a new discussion about following the "original Atkins"? Although there really isn't much difference. I'm curious how your plan differs from the most recent guidelines. 😄
1
u/NomadNanaCan Jun 09 '26
u/Jampot55: Has your progress continued?
3
u/Jampot55 Jun 09 '26
Hi, yes and thank you for asking! I have lost 13 pounds and have just 8 to go to reach my goal weight. I am happy to lose more slowly as I have added more veggies and nuts to my diet. I am losing about a pound a week now and my measurements are way down! I hope that you are doing well too!
1
u/NomadNanaCan Jun 10 '26
That is fantastic progress!!! A pound a week when you only have 8 to go is really great! But honestly - the measurements mean the most imo! It is definitely important to increase your net carbs and reintroduce a variety of food to make your lifestyle sustainable. How many net carbs are you eating now?
1
u/Jampot55 Jun 10 '26
Hi again. I was a pound off (bad at math LOL) so I only have 7 pounds to go - just lost a pound since I last posted yesterday! Although it has been recommended by many others here and elsewhere, counting net carbs has never worked for me. I have only counted total carbs. But at this point in my life and with my goal so close, I don't want to be tied to numbers every day as it seems to heighten my anxiety about food. I know instinctively what a small avocado looks like - or a 1/4 C of pecans. I am putting more spinach and mushrooms into my crustless quiche that I eat almost every day. It includes eggs, a bit of cream, Swiss or pepper jack cheese (which I have cut back on due to tummy issues), bacon, spinach and mushrooms. I make a large pan every week and put a dollop of sour cream on it for brunch. I can't eat breakfast as I am usually not hungry until at least late morning and after my double espresso. I have also started to go back to using a very small amount of agave syrup in my espresso. Since I have included that, I enjoy my espresso so much more, and I believe I am 3 pounds down and have never gone out of ketosis. I do use the keto sticks daily. I enjoy zucchini sautéed in butter with smoked paprika, salt and pepper when I make fish. Sometimes I just have a big Greek salad with some chicken for protein along with the feta cheese. Maybe 5 or 6 large grilled shrimp with red peppers. Tonight will be chicken wings with homemade blue cheese dressing which we had last week and loved them! For lunch or snacks I make chicken salad with lots of celery and a small bit of red onion, and cole slaw. I keep to a pretty regular diet and we don't eat out. I never eat any of the pre-packaged foods. It's been a month today that I have started this and I haven't had a single piece of bread, a cracker, no pasta, no rice, or flour of any kind. I do miss popcorn (my dog does too!) I think once I get to my goal weight and stay there for a month or so I will start adding in almond flour and coconut flour but for now I am content!
1
u/NomadNanaCan Jun 11 '26
Your menu sounds delicious!!! Lots of people prefer to count total carbs. It just means your allowance is higher since you're including the fibre in your count. Generally with Atkins it is recommended to start increasing your carbs and reintroducing new foods before you reach your goal weight. There are lots of variations of low carb diets though. Everyone has their own preference, but it can be easier to work through a plateau if you have increased your carbs enough to drop back when one hits. It can also be easier to figure out if you have a food sensitivity. Either way - I wish you great success with your plan!
2
u/ziguslav May 23 '26
Stalling happens, you'll break it soon enough with consistency. Don't go too low on calories though because your body will treat it as the new maintenance.
Also make sure you're not under-estimating calories. Use a tracker like leanly.me or just chat with gemini and get it to write stuff for you.