T'was the month after Christmas, and all through the house,
nothing would fit me, not even a blouse;
The cookies I'd nibbled, the wine that I'd tasted,
The holiday parties; The time I had wasted...

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber),
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared,
The potatoes, the gravies, I just hadn't cared...

The sugar and rum balls; the bread with the cheese,
and the way that I'd never said, "No thank you, please."
As I dressed myself up in my husband's old shirt,
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt,
I said to myself, as only I can, "You can't spend this
    winter disguised as a man!"

So, away with the last of the fruit sorbet dip.
Get rid of the fruitcake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of carbs in the house must be banished,
'til all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie -- not even a lick.
I'll want only success when I pee on that stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or cornbread, or pie,
The weight that they've left me with leads me to cry.

I'm back on the diet, no sugar... no more,
But isn't that what January is for?
Guests and parties are gone; there's no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

      

This year...      RESOLVE to Eat Chocolate!

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1. Don't give up! Given a bit of time and patience, you're sure to hit on the cause and/or the "cure". And in the meantime, remember that staying still is much preferable to the weight creeping back up. And of course giving up means just that alternative.



2. Check faithfully the labels of the foods you are eating. Many people check only carb counts. These can be in error or can be for a portion much smaller than you are consuming. I have written an article about this and I strongly recommend you read it. In the article we highlight a perfect example of label error.



3. Take a hard look at what you're allowing yourself and ask if you're rationalizing. Are you cheating, but discounting it?



4. Are you trying to keep your calories or food portions too low? Or trying to do low-fat as well as low-carb? See our November 29, 2000 issue for our response to the problems that can arise from restricting too much. You can view the back issue here.



5. Are you eating often enough? A frequent eating schedule will provide a constant source of energy without the insulin rebound. Six small feedings a day are better than 3 large meals to break the energy/weight loss barrier.



6. Activity level: Are you too sedentary? Do you need to get moving? Many of us with "desk jobs" need to make a special effort to keep our metabolism up by structuring an activity plan that fits our schedule. You may also be going too far in the other direction. If you are over-stressing your body with an over-kill of exercise, you may kick off a plateau as your body struggles to hang on to resources. Be active, but be sensible.



7. Do you smoke? Smokers have a much more difficult time losing weight while low-carbing. Some people will simply not respond to the diet unless smoking is stopped. Smoking uses up vitamin C and stimulates the adrenal gland. Also the tobacco industry actually adds sugar to the tobacco to enhance its "allure".



8. How much do you drink? The drinking of alcohol is of some debate among low-carbers and the doctors themselves. It seems clear that some of us can handle a moderate amount of alcohol and some cannot. You'll have to determine this for yourself. Remember, the time your body is burning alcohol, it is not burning ketones. Also, alcohol stimulates insulin. If you are drinking, make sure it's a non-sugar based liquor like gin or whiskey, rather than rum or brandy. Or have a dry wine or small amount of light beer. If you do drink and have hit a stall, try cutting it out entirely and this just might do the trick.



9. Hormones. Are you on ERT? Hormone therapy can slow down weight loss and stimulate the production of insulin. You'll want to weigh your benefits and discuss it with your doctor.



10. Contrary to entry #4 above, you may need to do a little caloric restriction if you are near your goal weight or have lost a great deal of weight and then stopped. Too many people misinterpret the instructions regarding the diet as "Eat unrestrictedly." When they do this they will still lose weight in the beginning, which will reinforce their assurance that no heed whatever need be paid to quantities. In most cases, this practice will lead to a stalemate partway to the desired goal.



11. Are you taking medications that interfere with weight loss? Many drugs -- even aspirin -- can cause hypoglycemia. Watch out for hormones, amphetamines, diuretics, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, anticoagulants, anti-diabetics, antibiotics, tranquilizers, clofibrate, Acetaminophen, and propanolol. This does not mean taking any of these will cause stall, simply that it should be considered as a possibility. Obviously, don't alter prescribed medications without discussing it with your doctor.



12. Do you take in a lot of caffeine? Dr. Atkins tells folks to cut out caffeinated beverages (coffee, soda, tea) because they stimulate the release of insulin with a temporary lift in energy followed by hunger, fatigue & slower weight loss. However we've found this is not the case with most people. Some (including me) can handle caffeine with no ill effects. But it's something to look at if you take in a lot.



13. Water, water, water. I know you've heard it all before, but are you really drinking enough water. You should be having 9 8-oz. glasses plus one extra for every 25 lbs overweight you are each and every day. If you're finding yourself stuck on a plateau, look at your water intake. If you haven't been drinking enough, this could be your problem. Beginning the proper water intake can yield amazing results.
    (One note: You need even more water if it's hot or if you're exercising vigorously.)
The above thirteen points are general concern points where stalls occur. However, in my long search for my own release from a long plateau revealed a few new wrinkles that I want to share:
1. Are you taking in trans-fats? Trans-fats prevent your body chemistry and fat burning mechanisms from working properly and kick off a stall that's stubborn to break. If you're one of those people that just look at the carb counts on labels and not the ingredients, you may be taking in a LOT of trans-fats. Any label that includes the words "partially hydrogenated" should be avoided completely. This includes regular shortening (Smart Balance has a terrific new non-hydrogenated shortening), regular margarines, and many baked, pre-made products. Read the ingredients.



2. Treats mean treats. We have a lot of recipes at the site for "goodies", treats and desserts. And there are now many low-carb commercial treats, candies, bars, etc. These are helpful in a sensible low-carb diet because they keep us from feeling deprived and offer us something when the sweet-tooth calls or when we plan a party, or an elegant gathering. But the mainstay of our diet should continue to consist of good meats and low-starch veggies. Don't think that because a dessert item is low-carb, you can have it three times a day.



3. Take a good look at the supplements you are taking. (You are taking supplements, right?) While everyone has differing needs and you might want to do a little research to determine what's right for you, I can tell you that at a minimum, everyone should be taking a good multi-vitamin (without iron), CoEnzyme Q-10, Acetyl L Carnitine and a good balance of Essential Fatty Acids. I began taking Acetyl L Carnitine (I was already taking the others and more) just before breaking the plateau. We will be publishing an article on the benefits of Acetyl L Carnitine soon, but one of its shining attributes is its ability to mobilize fat burning.



4. If you want to take a "kick-start" step, I recommend the "Meat Fast". It's easier to do than Atkins' "Fat Fast" and seems to work just as well. For 3-5 days, eat nothing but Meat! You can have any red meat, fish or fowl with no breading or sauces and minimal seasonings. Fry in olive oil or clarified butter, or roast or bake them. No dairy, no cheese, no veggies. You can have up to 2 eggs per day and drink lots and lots and lots of water. But no soda, no tea, no coffee, no low-carb specialty products. You can have mayonnaise and mustard.
   
   You can make this more palatable this way: Before starting the diet, make up a variety of meats to have on hand as you need them:
   
   
   • Roast a turkey breast and have it sliced and ready in the fridge.
   
   
   
   • Ditto for a pork roast, and/or a beef roast.
   
   
   
   • Make a batch of deviled eggs
     (Remember you can have up to 2 per day.)
   
   
   
   • Have chicken and tuna salad ready. Maybe crab salad.
   
   
   
   • Fry some bacon slices to snack on.
   
   
   
   • Make up some fried chicken wings to grab from the fridge.
     (These can be breaded in crushed pork rinds, lightly seasoned,
     and fried in olive oil.)
   If you keep a variety of meats ready to go, you won't feel like you're eating just one thing day after day and the 3 days or so go by rather quickly. I have almost always seen a stall break by doing this.