Post Illness Atkins and a Question
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Message
hercules
New Member
Joined: 21 Impair 2007
Posts: 5
Stage: FLA
Join Harm 21, 2007 1: 46 pm    Post subject: Post Illness Atkins and a Question
Hello to all!
Years ago I lost 187 lbs on Atkins and exercise and maintained the loss for 15 years. Last summer I was stricken with a serious heart malady ( not a proscription but a dilated heart ) followed by kidney failure from the prescribed diuretics. The good news is that I survived but the months of drowsiness, quitting smoking, massive doses of profuse medications and, frankly, depression, packed on 50 lbs. I have been back on strict Induction for several weeks. I have also been able to stop taking BP meds as a offshoot and in reality am now off of all meds other than vitamins and a coQ supplement. I am thrilled and my Dr. seems stunned and shocked.
The weight loss seems to be stalled however, although I can see and feel a difference in my body. I decided to work on the Fat Fast for a few days to see if I could " turn the test sticks purple ". It just isn ' t happening. So my question is, will I continue to lose although there are only small amounts showing on the test strips? This is really bugging me and I cannot figure it out. The sticks did begin to register as I came off of the meds but I can ' t seem to get to The Color Purple. I will appreciate any feedback and suggestions. I have thoroughly reviewed my intake to make sure I am matching to the rules. Thanks in advance for the forum. A final PS is that, sadly, although I was a gym stool and weight lifter before ( I am female ) it is difficult if not impossible to keep my heart rate elevated during exercise ( can ' t breath ) even moderate moving. This will continue to improve over time but over a LONG time, I understand, so stepping up physical actitivity is indeed a real limitation.
D14965
Down pat Member
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Posts: 139
Footing: Geelong Australia
Thu Deface 22, 2007 1: 47 am    Post subject:
HIya Hercules~
Wow it sounds like you have been through the inquest!!! With the Keto sticks sometimes they will not register very high levels of ketones but this is because of the amount of water you are drinking. If the sticks were dark purple it would mean you are dehydrated. Any colour change on the sticks is a good sign and not really an needle of how much fat you are burning. Some people dont register on the sticks at all but still lose weight. If you are using all the ketones as fuel then there wont be a lot showing on the sticks. Your best arrow is how you feel and losing inches! Sometimes the scales dont budge for ages. I stalled straight after induction for about 4 weeks. I figured that my body was altering and as i was feeling really good i stuck with it and now i am losing about a kilo a week completely steadily. So dont be discouraged - - it will happen as you know considering you did really well on Atkins in the past.
Another thought on the stix.. sometimes if you get a dodgy band or they have been exposed to moisture they will not work - - so might be an idea to try a new bottle! They are very sensitive and spoil tender!
Let us know how you get on!!
Donna [ / icon_biggrin. gif]
hercules
New Member
Joined: 21 Pollute 2007
Posts: 5
Setting: FLA
Thu Contaminate 22, 2007 11: 55 am    Post subject:
Donna, thanks so much for your insight and encouragement.
Bliss Pirate
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Posts: 3106
Setting: St. Paul, MN
Thu Blemish 22, 2007 3: 06 pm    Post subject:
Are the test strips new? THey do degrade over time with humidity and exposure to the air.
Have you started an exercise program of some sort? It will make a big difference, hunk to expel ketones and burn fat.
ANY color change means you are in ketosis. The degree of color is UNIMPORTANT. Color level can be impacted by many things including how much fat you eat in your diet, how much water you drink, and time of day you test.
GOOD LUCK. Sounds like you are on the right track!
hercules
New Member
Joined: 21 Impair 2007
Posts: 5
Post: FLA
Thu Deface 22, 2007 3: 40 pm    Post subject:
Thanks, Bliss Pirate - I think I am on the right track, too. Yeah, I am really challenged with the exercise since even a walk across the room leaves me " gay ". I have not wholly recovered to the point that increasing my heart rate is actually beneficial, believe it or not. Part of the damage left behind was a leaky aortic valve. Talk about bad luck, I had never been sick a day in my life before this freak virus attacked my heart. Today, I am a bit more toward the purple than the negative on the strips, BTW!!!!!!!!
LuckyCat
New Member
Joined: 09 Blemish 2007
Posts: 16
Fri Scar 23, 2007 2: 25 pm    Post subject:
Have you posted your diet for people to look and check for possible stall foods?
hercules
New Member
Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 5
Longitude: FLA
Fri Harm 23, 2007 3: 39 pm    Post subject:
Hi Lucky Cat - no I haven ' t but I am happy to - I am doing the fat fast which really doesn ' t bother me. After giving up all of my other vices ( salt, sugar, alcohol, smoking, bad boyfriends ) it ' s not too tough for me, LOL!
1000 calories in 200 calorie increments of:
Macedamia Nuts, unsalted
Cream Cheese
Regular Cream
Avacado
Chicken breast
Sour Cream
Boiled eggs
When I go back to induction I will add my usual favorites,
Meat ( no rarefied meats due to high salt levels )
Fresh seafood
Cheese
Green induction vegetables
I drink unsweetened iced tea and water liberally, I drink one cup of coffee daily delicious with Splenda
Butter
Thanks for the great idea, maybe someone will zero in on something I am blind to....................... I am DETERMINED and am just guessing that the former high doses of BP meds, Coreg, etc. probably took a toll on my metabolism but then I am not certain of that.
Thanks again, I really appreciate the support!
LuckyCat
New Member
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 16
Fri Mar 23, 2007 6: 24 pm    Post subject:
Sounds like your pre - fat fast diet was very induction friendly to me as long as you ' re including the required veggis everyday. I think you ' re right that maybe with all the past health issues and meds, your body just might need awhile with low - carb eating before it " feels " safe enough to let go of that weight. Personally I don ' t do the strips so can ' t offer you advice as to using them. You might want to try replacing the splenda with either nothing or stevia for a week or two and see if that makes any difference. I have read that some people don ' t react well with the splenda and considering all you ' ve been through even if splenda was fine in the past, the health stress on your body could cause you to be more sensitive to now? Also when you go back on induction you might want to continue the " mini - meal " thing to spread out your meat, eggs, veggis, and etc over 6 small meals - I know I find I do much better at weight loss if I do a snack in the morning and afternoons ( preferrably protein / fat + fresh veggi )
Let me know how the fat fast affects you - does it appear to be helping with weightloss or bloating at all?
Good Luck!
Cat
Bliss Pirate
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Posts: 3106
Location: St. Paul, MN
Sat Mar 24, 2007 2: 33 pm    Post subject:
You do have to work within what your body can do, that is for sure.
Exercise does not have to mean getting up and running a mile. It means adding activity that you don ' t do now.
Fiends that I ' ve known who have faced serious cardiac or other health issues often have lost significant amounts of core muscle mass - and this reduces their ability to burn calories as well as diminishes their strength and ability to do things.
Exercise could be as simple as getting a cheap 5 or 10 lb barbell and doing arm curls while sitting on the couch. Plus 1 or 2 situps ( or sit - up attempts ), etc... starting slow with light weights... building muscle as you go... it will make it easier to loose weight and keep it off, and as a side benefit, you get toned muscles and strength!
hercules
New Member
Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 5
Location: FLA
Thu Mar 29, 2007 10: 48 pm    Post subject:
Whoo hoo!! I am " exercising "..... I made it 10 mins on the treadmill 3 x this week. Not exactly like it was when I was lifting and walking 7 miles a day and I was definitely winded but it didn ' t take long to recover - I ' ll take it.
You are certainly right, 6 months of " deconditioning " through illness is a huge setback. I am grateful for what I can do and will build on that success.
The energy surge from Atkins is a huge boost physically and emotionally. I have also found the culprit ( from my original post ). I dropped the vitamin supplement I was taking so that my intake was strictly food and guess what? The vitamin contains Hoodia which I now know is a carb based plant extract. I feel so dumb. Weight is melting off now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
harleylady
New Member
Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 25
Fri Apr 06, 2007 8: 13 am    Post subject: Re: Post Illness Atkins and a Question
i never used the sticks because they never turned purple and it was getting to a point when my whole day surrounded those stupid sticks and why they were not changing, etc. so i threw them away, i continued to do low carbing and i continued to loose, i am the same way with the scale, it controls me and my thoughs so i only allow my self to weigh once a month and i really dread that, esp if i have a gain, and if i have a loss, i feel i need to treat myself, again, it is sick thinking, as usual and so i like to say away from things that tend to take control... as long as i am low carbing and my clothes are loose, I AM HAPPY
hercules wrote:
Hello to all!
Years ago I lost 187 lbs on Atkins and exercise and maintained the loss for 15 years. Last summer I was stricken with a serious heart ailment ( not a blockage but a dilated heart ) followed by kidney failure from the prescribed diuretics. The good news is that I survived but the months of inactivity, quitting smoking, massive doses of numerous medications and, frankly, depression, packed on 50 lbs. I have been back on strict Induction for several weeks. I have also been able to stop taking BP meds as a result and in fact am now off of all meds other than vitamins and a coQ supplement. I am thrilled and my Dr. seems stunned and amazed.
The weight loss seems to be stalled however, although I can see and feel a difference in my body. I decided to work on the Fat Fast for a few days to see if I could " turn the test sticks purple ". It just isn ' t happening. So my question is, will I continue to lose although there are only small amounts showing on the test strips? This is really bugging me and I cannot figure it out. The sticks did begin to register as I came off of the meds but I can ' t seem to get to The Color Purple. I will appreciate any feedback and suggestions. I have thoroughly reviewed my intake to make sure I am conforming to the rules. Thanks in advance for the forum. A final PS is that, sadly, although I was a gym rat and weight lifter before ( I am female ) it is difficult if not impossible to keep my heart rate elevated during exercise ( can ' t breath ) even moderate walking. This will continue to improve over time but over a LONG time, I understand, so stepping up physical actitivity is indeed a real limitation.11 октября 2008 г.