I'm stalling - critique my diet!

[GertrudeBell]

I've just finished week 3 of fairly strict low carbing. Week 1 was a breeze and I lost 6 pounds. Then 2 more pounds pretty rapidly in week 2, then ... zilch, nada for the last 10 days.

I'm trying pretty hard and it's dispiriting. Where am I going wrong?

Here's an example of my diet for the last 3 days:

Today

B: 100g Total full fat yoghurt
L: Ham hock and boiled egg salad with mustard mayo dressing
D: sea bass with cauliflower cheese, buttered baby sweet corn and green beans

1,000 calories, 28g carbs, 71g fat, 67g protein

Yesterday

B: 2 scrambled eggs with butter and creme fraiche
L: Sautéed aubergine, courgette and mushrooms (cooked in butter) with grilled cheese
D: Chicken wrapped in bacon, with buttered asparagus, baby sweetcorn and mayonnaise
S: 1 x babybel

1,500 calories, 25g carbs, 117g fat, 100g protein

Thursday

B: 3x babybel
L: Pret Italian salad
D: Garlic prawns with aubergine/courgette/mushroom combo with butter and cheese

1,200 calories, 15g carbs, 79g fat, 93g protein

There's no problem with snacking on butter, by the way!

And you will need more than two pints of water - a minimum of 2 litres per day ...

Oh good. Is cream in coffee OK too? I luuurve it. Can see why cheese made from whole milk would be more carby.

MoJangled - there aren't carbs in hard cheese! (Soft cheese like cream cheese or cottage cheese has some, but it's still relatively low). Cream does have a few carbs, but the fattier the cream the the lower the carb count. So double cream is better than single. However, it's not just the carbs - some people find that dairy does impede weight loss for other reasons (not sure what they are!)

Oh, OK, best to leave dairy well alone then until I shift some poundage...

Not everyone has trouble with dairy. It seems to be one of those weird things that just affects some people. I have problems with Greek yoghurt but can manage cream and cheese in sensible quantities. I love my home made Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and cream but had cut back when I stalled. I started just having it for a treat on Saturday or Sunday but I've noticed that my fasting BG is through the roof the day after I have it. You just have to juggle about with it to find what suits you.

I'm low carbing 6 weeks now, lost 3 kg (6.6 lb) in week one and two then nothing since, started excersising 2 weeks ago an my kgs are back! But I'm some kind slimmer in my trouble area. I am top heavy with nearly no fat on legs and hips but big belly and big big boobs. My waist went down from 120 cm to 113 (3 inches i believe) and that is the only one successfull result-can fit in pre preg jeans although still with muffin top. Other messurments remained the same), boobs as well but still breastfeeding 3 times daily .
Does it mean fat lost? I hope so.
I am so annoyed with these kgs/pounds though but after reading all comments I hope it will start going down as well. I am 6ft tall and 235 lb (you see i am trying to convert myself to pounds/stones etc . 3 stones to lose.

1. My water intake is good but may not be perfect for woman of my size. 6 pints of water plus one huge green tea in the morning and one black coffee. Calories between 1800-2000, maximum 30 g carbs on average, no more than 50 in the worst days. 60-70% of calories from fat. In ketosis since ages-checking urine with paper test sticks...I know, I am mental...

All looking so good I should be a model by now

1. The question is is it dairy causing problems as mentioned by BIWI? I would have 1-2 slices of gouda cheese with 0 carbs as claimed by producent and 1-2 spoons on clotted cream on most of days (0.5 g carb on the one i buy).

www.medscape.com/viewarticle/809188_3 explaines why milk proteins with no carb can increase insulin In lame terms aminoacids in some combinations and concentrations (bricks building protein) can cause insulin spike same like sugars. As I started as paleo I shoud cut it out but couldn't so it was more primal. After reading bootcamp threads I think i will try to avoid cheese to see what will happen.

1. Another problem for me could be blackberries which I eat sometimes after workout. 100g usualy (checked with kitchen scales) 10g carbs. That is my main source of daily carbs.

4.Not enough green veggies?

1. Not enough calories and starving mode??? I don't think so but may be wrong on that. I feel very hungry sometimes since started workouting.

If you're hungry then this would suggest that you're not eating enough, or not eating enough fat.

It's hard to be more specific without knowing what you're eating - can you list out the last few days' worth of meals?

Don't worry about the calories. No need to count these.

But it worries me that your main source of carbs is fruit. Fruit is sugar! You should be getting the majority of your carbs from vegetables and salad - ditch the fruit. After a workout you would be far better eating protein anyway.

Yes, my son is into weights and got me interested. He has always told me to eat protein within 20mins of my workout. You can chug down an awful lot of sugar in fruit and its supposed to be the worst source as its fructose which goes directly to you liver for storage.

Don't forget op is breastfeeding 3 x daily - are some berries really so bad? Do add protein after workout though as that would help prevent muscle loss.

Well done 7 cms from your waist is a good start.

Yes berries are so bad, if she isn't getting carbs from any other source - it is just sugar that she's getting!

Yes that's true def can't be eating enough veg if majority of carbs are from the berries? A smaller portion of berries with some protein would be ok though? This is quite interesting chriskresser.com/is-a-low-carb-diet-ruining-your-health

Thank you, yumyum. Excellent article. I have posted sooo many times about going too low carb can be and is a real issue for some people. Raising fat is not the only answer to stalling or hunger on a low carb diet: there are times where both protein and/or carbs changes might be the solution.

Yes, I was reading that article just the other day - interesting, isn't it?

On Bootcamp, apart from the not eating enough fat/drinking enough water issue, I seem to spend an awful lot of time telling people

a) it's a low not no carb diet
b) they must eat more veg/salad to make sure they're getting their carbs from these!

How weird - that post cut off my last point!

Which was

c) they're not eating enough

I find the thyroid references interesting. In the past I've done well on LC but usually within the 30-50gr range. I lost well to start with and found my FMS symptoms improved no end so when I stalled I was happy to drop carbs lower to stay in ketosis. I have been losing and gaining the same 3lbs now for over a year despite only eating 10-20gr carbs and with macros of 5%carb, 20-25% protein and 70-75% fat. I have lost around 50lbs with a further 35lbs to go so I can't blame being near goal and its only the fact that this WOE makes me feel better that has kept me on track.

I saw my GP 3mths ago and mentioned my problem and she suggested a thyroid check. I will be having that in the next few weeks as I asked to stop my statins and I am due bloods to check that along with my annual revue so they will check my thyroid then. They keep bringing up possible thyroid problems as a lot of the symptoms of hypothyroidism overlap with FMS but its always within normal range.

My current plan is to be more moderate with dairy, making sure that the best part of my fluid intake is water or redbush (with a splash of lemon) and increasing my carbs a little with more veg. Fingers crossed!

Thank you kind folks for all responses. It is all very interesting. I have to say my previous low carbing/bodyweight exercise combo crushed when i fall pregnant. I was in tears being so weak I couldn't go through basic excersises. We had a massive diet related argument with DH but then we discovered it is DS in progress so to say. I craved carbs whole pregnancy but don't get me wrong it wasn't cakes and chocolates. Ryvita, oats and apples most of the time. And I mean cravings, animal like ha ha. Could kill for oats.
Talking about unfortunate blackberries I called them main source of carbs as they have 10g in 100g. I have some chicken or other meat with them after workout most of the time. i eat usualy about 50g carbs a day from other sources but I have to say looking at all posts possibly still not enough veggies daily.

B and L: eggs (4) scrambled, fried or boiled or cottage cheese (low carb) with tinned or smoked mackrel, salmon, tuna or leftovers from D, bacon
small tomato or cucumber or gerkhin (low carb pickles or in brine), spinach, green salad

D: pork, chicken, beef, turkey, some vegetables with them, tomato, cauliflower, pepper, green salad, sauerkraut, courgette

snacks: slice or two salami, kabanossi, slice of cheese, controlled amounts of almonds or other nuts

It is possible I went too low calories with low carbs recently. I need to improve meal planning for sure. Everyone tells me not to worry about calories here but I struggle with that despite of evidence

I can relate to the calorie thing. I am making a concerted effort just now not to count and simply follow the BC rules with just a nod to my carb intake. I felt I was getting a bit obsessive. On days where I had gone over my supposed allowance (as calculated by MFP!) I was full of guilt about being a pig. On days where it was under I started wittering about whether I was eating enough! Decided I don't want to be counting everything I eat forever so now I'm just eating off the allowed list. If you read the Diet Doctor page he says he looks on calorie counting as an eating disorder!

rybka - I'd also say it could be that you're not eating enough fat

It is so fashionable to have some sort of eating disorder these days i wouldn't do calorie counting if losing weight. But it is same for I think 4 weeks now so i went little carried away. BTW i started checking my weight daily (geez...another disorder) and it goes from 107.6 kg through 106 to 105.6 within 3 days then back to 107+. I hoped there will be some dropping tendency and one day I will see let say 104.9 then 107 but no

I do weigh daily but I plot it on an app with a trend line and that tends to take the panic out of the big swings you can see when you LC. Got new scales with a body composition monitor. I know they aren't spot on accurate but I'm hoping to see my fat level drop and my muscle level rise if my exercise regime is paying off. Obviously I don't check the full lot every day! Even I'm not that crazy!