The Battle of the Bulge Continues

I know just how Tinkerbell feels. I'm stuck, too - but the battle must continue!


Considering my terrible neglect in sharing any of the deliteful designs of my humble life, I was grateful to return to the blog and find a few followers. Shari and Jen, you inspired me to start bloggin' once more. Thank you - and I'll catch up with you dear ones asap...

Quick Update: All this while, I've been hanging on the periphery of the lowcarb world, alternating as always, and still I lost no more inches or pounds. The old body simply won't budge. I admit I am tired of the battle, but then - I honestly don't want to give up.

Then a few weeks ago I quit smoking (again, for the upteenth time) - and though I refused to look at the scale, I could feel the gain. Water retention got me with a vengeance. And, oh, the headaches! Out came the lemon water to fight the swelling. To add insult to injury, Hormonal Flux recently hit, and the resulting blah-bloat joined the party.

I knew I was losing the battle. I had to know the numbers - because if they were scary enough, I'd get mad and do something about it.

So tonight I gave in. Yes, I got on the scale, which likes to beckon me with its siren song. It dutifully (and perhaps gleefully) gave its report - but I will not repeat how I replied to it (because it really was not polite). The bad news is that 25 lbs. added their nasty selves to my frame in the last few weeks.

Frustrated beyond belief, I finally complained to my husband, who started out well enough by remarking, "Well, you've done really great so far. You can do it again." He should have stopped right there, because that's really all I needed to hear. After all, just a little vote of confidence takes me a long, long way. But no, he thought he'd be very helpful by adding, "But you're right - you can see that you've gained weight."

As any woman in her right mind would understand, I was not pleased with my beloved. However, I decided to bite my tongue because an immediate vision of Jabba the Hut (female version), wearing my clothes, literally waddled thru my mind. (Actually, did Jabba waddle? It was more like a grotesque slithering, wouldn't you say?) At any rate, it wasn't a pretty picture.

And then it happened - that old glow of determination, like the dying embers of a fire, suddenly stoked. You can call it being ticked off, mad, extremely annoyed or whatever - but when that glow hits, I take stock of what needs to be done...and then I do it. The only problem is - I've low-carbed in earnest for over two years, and though I lost so much weight, I cannot lose anymore. (And I really do need to!) I can, however, easily gain. What do I need to do - stop eating any carbs? I have to say I didn't like the Zero Carb approach one bit. (That's just me - it works for others who are quite happy with it. More power to them, too!) Other options I've considered: Try calorie-counting? I do that already with Fitday, along with counting everything else.

So, in other words...Now what?

I know the benefits of the low-carb lifestyle. And I chose not to lose them.

Low carbing and some form of exercise just has to do it. Those pounds really must go! The only thing I can think to do is return to Induction - whether it's Atkins, EFGT, or Protein Power. How to decide which one, I'm not sure, since I've done them all. Maybe I'll just close my eyes and say, "Eenie-meenie-miney-mo" and pick one that way. The point is: I have to believe that determination and perseverance will eventually pay off (in spades, no less!).

In any case: What the good-guy character Rick McConnell in the "The Mummy" once said to the Scorpion King is what I say to those extra pounds..."Go to h-ll ---and take your friends with you!" ;>

Ok, enough with being "naughty." (!!!)

Today, because I felt so ill, I wasn't very hungry. But I was very good to myself with proteins, a bit of fats, and a soothing smoothie. For all I know, I had gained 30 lbs. this past month (would that I could lose that much in the same time frame!), so perhaps I'll start dropping the enemy pounds in another day or two. (Except I found out that the one and only smoothie I drank today had a bit of sugar in it, since my 'baby' son, now 11, wanted to pamper Mom - bless his heart - but he forgot that Hershey's syrup is a no-no for me. I thought that chocolate-flavored whey protein was just a bit too sweet, and I was right.)

Ah, well. As Scarlett once said, with stars in her eyes:

"After all, tomorrow is another day." (May I have her determination, without her faults!)

My Renewed Focus on Fitness

As of the first Monday of February 2009, my goal is not only healthy, low-carb menus but a renewed focus on exercise. The last few months of my life didn't allow for any kind of regular exercise. It really didn't, because there were various, legitimate setbacks. That's the way I look at them - just setbacks.

Focusing on EFGT (Eat Fat, Get Thin) had good results - to a degree. That is, I lost 14.6 lbs. total - three times in just a little two weeks. The scale simply wouldn't go lower. In fact, it bounced. Every Saturday, I hit the same number. On Sunday, the scale number bounces right up. No change in the woe, no cheating. And it takes days to get that 3 lb. overnight bounce off. I don't blame EFGT for that problem. No, something else is going on, and it's been going on for well over a year!

Since the end of November 2007, the 'stall-gain' has been my "Never-Ending Story." Well, it's time for that story to end! Not only am I tired of it, I'm sure those who read this blog are tired of hearing about it. Either way, that doesn't seem fair - and you know, it really isn't.

Obviously, the low-carb lifestyle offers all kinds of great health benefits. Slower weight loss, as one approaches goal, is expected. However, no weight or no inches lost or, even worse, stall-gains for welll over a year is plain insulting and downright demoralizing! Some time ago, I concluded this finickety body must have reached a point where it needs increased exercise, even as I alternate it.

Though I reached that conclusion awhile back, I did not want to act on it. That is because I tried the alternate route before (alternating exercises from toning to cardio, etc.) - and it didn't work for me. I hurt myself when switching to toning/cardio exercises, even though I followed instructions at a local workout place. The 'hurt' was not due to incorrectly performing the exercises. Nope - it seems fibromyalgia was the real cause.

Even though I previously worked out faithfully for 5 months, building myself up for the next phase of exercise, it seems I can't handle machines, even set at the lowest weights. Fibro muscles can manage them for awhile but not for long (in my case, within one short week of M-W-F workouts, I was experiencing severe breast tissue pain. Doc says the tissues were inflamed from the toning exercises. It took a month to recover!).

Seeking an alternative, I discovered Callenetics. They don't hurt me. Yep, I feel the muscles stretching, but the next day there is only very mild soreness. That, I can handle. Callenetics are challenging, providing a total body workout that stretches muscles first. There are no pulsing movements but graceful and steady 'holds' of position. Once I finish a set, I find myself totally relaxed and ready for sleep.

That said, I'm not an afecionado of workout DVD's. Maybe it has to do with doing exercises in the house. I prefer to go out and 'do something.' Still, preferences about where to exercise don't matter if I can't get any exercise accomplished!

So one thing at a time. First, I'm going to start anew with my favorite exercise, and alternate it with something different. My ultimate goal is to exercise each day. For now, it might be every other day, to let my muscles rest and repair between workouts. I'm not going to worry too much about time, but my goal is at least 1/2 hour of daily, focused exercise - steady walking, Callentics, or water exercises. I'm also seriously looking into Zumba, because that's my idea of plain, old-fashioned fun!

I admit I don't like the idea of lots of exercise, and I'll say why:

First, I'm a regular Jane, who must take something from her day to get that exercise done. (Believe me, if I could live in a sunny, low-humidity state and swim and exercise in the pool all day, while my personal chef made our family's healthy, low-carb meals, and my nanny watched the kids, and a tutor taught them at home, that would be my equivalent of earthly paradise.)

Second, I do ponder the future and wonder if I will have to not only exercise daily but will eventually have to increase it. That's a scary thought. How will I get the time to do it?

Housework, unfortunately, isn't enough exercise. Walking up the steps a few times a day doesn't quite get it, nor does standing at the sink washing or drying dishes, and that sort of thing. On the other hand, low-carbing and my self-designed Water Workouts now allow me to stand at that sink without pain. Ditto with the steps (even though I still creak at the knees!). And I can walk now, standing straight up - without a cane. No cane, very little pain. I couldn't do that before low-carbing and thrice-weekly Water Workouts. The point is that I refuse to lose all the good I've "gained."

So...alternate the exercise it is! I know, too, that exercise has to get one to the point of a windedness. (Not gasping for air, but just enough so that one can only speak a few words as one exercises. Then you know you're pushing yourself to the right limit.)

Anyway, regular exercise (along with low-carbing) is the goal for this month. I figure 14.6 lbs. in a few weeks is very good, but seeing that scale jump right up 2 more lbs. on February 1st got me plain mad. Mad as in very determined.

As the old saying goes: When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

The Magic Shot: True or Not?

Well, today's news is a thrilling experience for me. It makes me wonder about something called "The Magic Shot."

"The Magic Shot" is the name of a theory regarding weight loss results between first time low-carbers and 'returning' low carbers. That theory states first-time low carbers do wonderfully well as they start out ("The Magic Shot"), but that "returns" - that is, individuals who started lowcarbing, lost some weight, left the lifestyle and then eventually returned to it - don't experience the same success the second time around. In other words, the theory says "returns" will lose the fat but not at the same rate as they did the first time. Hence, first time low-carbers are warned not to blow "The Magic Shot."

I don't know if my 19 day "hiatus" from low-carbing (after living the lc-ing lifestyle since May 2007) applies to that Magic Shot "rule." Perhaps those 19 days was just long enough (but not too long) to convince my metabolism that I was up to no good - for good. If so, I'm glad it's been tricked!

Since re-starting just 2 days ago with EFGT (Eat Fat, Get Thin), I have already lost 7 lbs.! Now that's the sort of loss 'newbie' low-carbers usually experience. However, I can't say that happened to me. Way back when, I did lose an average of a pound a day. In fact, I dropped about 28 lbs. back in May 2007, a loss which I still regard as incredible. Then I hit the infamous 3 (or 4) week "stall."

I've also read that lowcarbers will find that returning to 'regular' or 'normal' eating (while calorie counting) - for a very short time, perhaps a week or two - can reverse "stall gains" or kill plateaus. Maybe that's what did it. Nineteen days of 'normal' eating, and then sliding easily into a 'lower carb" lifestyle of 65 grams might have kicked the metabolism where it needed to be kicked.

Hmmm. All these "if's, and's or but's" can get confusing. But that is also why I'm not afraid to tweak or try something 'new' when it comes to low-carbing, like rotating carbs and fats. Those of us who discovered we need to low-carb for health and fitness have that one thing in common. Still, just because we know low-carbing is our answer does not mean we are metabolic equals. What works for me may work for you, or it may not.

I maintain that low-carbing is not the same for everybody. Some can use one lc plan and stick with it and get to goal, with nary a problem. Some can stick with, for example, South Beach and experience wonderful progress and success. Others could never tolerate the carbs allowed on SB and so follow Atkins or Protein Power. Some of us - like me - have to experiment with various low-carb plans by rotating them, because we get stuck in one place for too long a time. There is the difference between men and women. Everybody knows that men will lose fat quicker than women. Not fair but it's a scientific fact. The differences between two low-carbing women can be just as great as between a man and a woman. We have to find out if we must be tweakers or not. I already know I have to tweak, and it can drive me crazy. I'd much rather stick with one plan. But that is now how my metabolic dice rolled...

So after 19 months of low-carbing (with 12 of those months one mean stall, along with its evil fraternal twin brother - the intermittent stall-gain), I went "off plan" because I was heart-sick, tired, and fed up. I can't say I was calorie-counting during that time, because I was not keeping a food log. I had walked away from all that, taking a total break from my usual low-carb routine, which usually includes weighing myself right away plus faithfully recording activity and menus in FitdayPC.

I can say I did not go overboard with 'normal' eating. However, as mentioned in a previous post, I did eat things I usually avoid like the plague.

Restarting with EFGT seems to be a good choice for me. Of course, it is too soon to tell but I am elated anyway! Perhaps this woe will help me figure what in the world has been going on the past year. Perhaps I need even more fats that I thought I did. Or perhaps it is because I took in most of my proteins, fats and carbs first thing in the morning, lessening the amounts with the remaining two meals of the day. That is because I followed the EFGT recommendation, which goes like this:

In the morning, eat like a king. At lunch (or dinner, as it is also called), eat like a prince. For supper, eat like a pauper.

My daily protein intake is about the same (90 grams, since I decided to try the higher end of the EFGT guidelines. On EFGT, my lowest daily protein gram intake should be about 70). With Protein Power, the recommended protein gram amt. was 120 grams but I have long cycled between 90-120 grams. The highest amount of EFGT carb grams (65) are more than my usual low-carb intake (20-30). Fat grams were 75 and 85, respectively, over the last two days - technically, I should have had much more on EFGT. I think that, when I lower the daily carb grams, I'll up the fats.

Actually, I'm quite surprised at the good results so far. That surprise is not due to the woe, but to the way my metabolism has been misbehaving the last few months. I honestly didn't expect such quick results!

Naturally, I'll stick with it as long as it works (let's hope it lasts for at least a few weeks!). I still have the same goal to lose 8-10 lbs. a month. I would bet money that scale losses will significantly slow down after that (please, Lord, not before). I'll be fine with that if the inches start to defrag themselves and keep defragging. :)

During this quiet time in January, I think I'll again re-read all my low-carb books, too. Every time I go through them, I find gems that didn't apply to me before but may be what I need now.

Know what I mean, sugar-free jellybean?

Why You Plateau: It Could be Your Hormones (Intro)

It seems a good number of the longer-term low-carbers [Say that three times, fast!] of my online acquaintance share another thing besides the low-carb lifestyle: Plateaus of a serious length of time before reaching maintenance level.

We’re all seeking the answer to overcome that dilemma. Some have 15-20 lbs. more to go; some have quite a bit more yet to drop. Despite our all-out efforts with low-carbing and cycling the low-carb woes and/or the exercise routine, there’s not much change on the scale and hardly any [if any a’tall] reduction in inches.

As the months go by, I consider that a plateau with serious intent!

Discussing the same issue with my doctor just weeks ago, he agreed the cause could be hormonal – especially when I described the inexplicable stall-gains each and every month. After taking various blood tests, I received a phone call three days later.

Results: Everything was “great” and “within normal range” [quote/unquote].

That wasn't true a year ago.

But now, I received uplifting reports for fasting glucose, cholesterol, and a beautiful HDL number of 58. According to the Protein Power books - for women, an HDL of 50 or over is fantastic! Hormones, too, were in 'normal range.'

The fun part came when the nurse stage-whispered over the phone, “Honey, whatever you’re doing, keep doing it!” As it turns out, she, too, is a low-carber! But my low carb lifestyle is not a secret with my doc. This time, he sat up and took notice of my great results, including all the weight loss. He actually asked what I did - forgetting we had discussed my plan over a year ago.

But I digress. I took the conversation with the friendly nurse a step further, asking for my exact test result numbers, as well as a break down for each hormone [and the numbers for ‘normal range’]. Despite being WITHIN normal range, there’s no doubt that some of my hormones are in the very LOW normal zone. [See, it all depends on how you define “normal range.” What was NOT clarified until I asked is that hormonal results ARE normal but LOW normal.) I won’t wait for them to bottom out (especially when those low numbers are already doing a number on me!).

There are two points to all this:

First, low-carbing greatly improves health, not just the number on the scale. So don't let the scale rule you because, as I have long said, "The scale doesn't tell the whole tale!"

Second, we arrive at my theory that a stall could be the result of one thing or a combination of things. A serious low-carb lifestyle can get the insulin response under control, but we can't forget that other hormones also play their part. If other hormones are either declining or out of balance, doesn't it make sense that they may be the cause of a long-term plateau ?

Insulin is, after all, a hormone. So low-carbing whips that little baby into line. However, for some, 'Zero Carbing' [ZC] is the only way to keep it totally under control. Yes, I said ZERO carbs. (Boggles the mind, doesn't it? It may take some time to wrap the mind around that axle, but let's at least give serious consideration to the idea.) Simply stated - Zero Carb means eating fattier cuts of meat - that is, fats and proteins - and that's it. [Zero Carb is not Stillman's, by the way, because Stillman's is low or no fat.] For some, ZC means no eggs, either, since eggs do contain a scant amount of carbs.

The reason for ZCing is a super-sensitive case of hyperinsulinemia, in which even small amounts of carbs still induce an insulin response. ZC's aim is to completely eradicate any insulin response, thus forcing the body to give up any fat hanging out in the cells and use that fat for energy. In other words, the 'metabolic bank' is trying to force us to put 'something' in the savings account, rather than allowing us to make a fat withdrawal. :> The only way to counter that is to refuse to put any carbs into the metabolic bank, thus forcing the bank to give us both the cash and the interest - that is, making it give up the fat it's trying so hard to hang onto!

Then there's leptin - another hormone. If it is not doing its job properly, it dictates the wrong message to the thyroid. The bigger fat cells have given up the ghost - that is, they gave up their fat, swelled with water for a while in retaliation, and may now be empty. But then again, maybe not, if leptin is the issue. And the smaller fat cells don't give up the fat so easily.

For women in [or approaching] the peri-menopausal years, it could be a leptin issue plus estrogen dominance. Estrogen likes to hang out in fat, and we ladies have an extra layer of fat that men don’t have (lucky things!). And what about cortisol - the 'stress hormone'?

Then, too, we ladies also have to deal with rising and declining hormone levels every single month. Sure, both men and women have hormones, and whacked out hormones could be an issue for both. But it is also clear that we of the fairer sex have 'extra' hormonal factors to consider, especially when we hit a true stall.

But don't freak out over all this, will ya? It can all be remedied by nutrition and, in some cases (like mine), with natural supplements to help the body do what it must. I realize some won't agree that supplementation is necessary, and that's fine...but I think otherwise.

One thing I've decided to do is start using a cream that contains prenelone and DHEA, which is sometimes called 'the youth hormone.' Prenelone is the 'precursor' hormone or the 'grandpa' hormone to progesterone - because if there there is not enough progesterone, estrogen dominance can be the result.

The other thing I'm seriously attempting, in order to overcome stubborn hyperinsulinemia, is to aim for "Zero Carb" - a serious step that many, understandably, wish to avoid. To repeat myself [because the topic bears repeating] Zero Carb has to do with completely controlling the insulin hormone. I'm also of the opinion that we should try, if at all possible, to eat meat and poultry that have not had hormones or chemicals added to them via shots or their food, because then we're assimilating that junk and very likely upsetting our own hormonal balance! I realize truly organic eating is an expensive lifestyle, especiallly in these days, but we can start with baby steps...so there will be more on Zero Carb and hormonal topics later!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I've been training via a combo of ‘nutritional’ or ‘naturopathic' classes while simultaneously researching and experimenting with "Zero Carbing."

As I've been studying 'outside the box' nutrition studies and theories for quite some time now, I try what I think applies to my circumstances. That willingness to try something 'unconventional' has held me in good stead, or else I would not have been low-carbing, or cycling, and I would never have gotten this far.

Since I find I'm not alone in the Land of the Grand Plateau, you're more than welcome to join me as I look for the passage OUT! :)

Another Way to Cycle (with Stillman Plans)

Here's the scoop. During a five-month bout of stall-gains (a term a fellow low-carber shared with me, which means we not only stall but the scale tends to easily bounce up), I knew I had to be patient and stick with my low-carb lifestyle, no matter what.

As far as I could ascertain, my lengthy battle was due to the winter season. I'm quite serious, since there is no other explanation. To add insult to injury, my chronic inflammatory conditions seemed to be the real culprits. The result: Water retention, with a vengeance. I won't go into all the details, but I researched, tried every trick in the low-carb books, and even had to resort to Lasix, a loop diuretic. Since I didn't want to continue on any form of medication, due to side effects and drops in my potassium levels, I looked for additional natural methods to combat water retention and found the lemon water miracle.

By April 14, I had been busy with a writing project, which kept me in front of the computer (and on my duff) over 12 hours a day for two weeks. Although I stayed on plan, the weight was catching up with me - again. So on April 15, I took what I perceive as a drastic measure. I decided to try the Stillman's 14 Day Shape Up Program.

Within 9 days, I had dropped 15 lbs.!

I've been asked how I exactly did it. First, although I didn't plan it this way, I ended up experimenting by kicking off with the basic Stillman's plan, which means unlimited lean proteins, no added fats, and no veggies - nada, zilch, zip.

The reason I did that was to find out if it was true that 'practically zero' carbs plus no added fats means faster weight loss.

Yep, it's true.

The first day, I dropped a lb. The next day, I dropped 5.4 lbs. overnight. Talk about a Whooshie!

Now here's an interesting tidbit: The minute I noticed the loss slowed down on any given morning, that's the day I switched to Stillman's 14 Day Shape Up program. For me, that meant adding one small, plain salad to lunch and dinner. Doing that resulted in a better scale loss the next day, upon which I immediately resumed the basic Stillman's woe.

When the weight loss slowed again, I did exactly the same thing: One day of the 14 Day Shape Up program, then returning to basic Stillman's the very next day.

A few Divine Tips to follow a similar cycle with great success:
-Pull back on caffeine. Although I had completely broken the habit last spring, once winter hit full force, I started drinking hot black tea again. So it was back to weaning myself off caffeine, limiting myself to one 12 oz. cup in the morning.

-Take at least the basic vitamins and supplements, as outlined in my blog entry, "Do You Know What Your Supplements Are?"

-Use very small amounts of virgin olive oil in a spritzer for home-made "Pam" spray; it's a much healther course to use minimal amounts of real fats than no fats.

-Drink up! Drink green tea, hot or cold, or green tea with fresh lemon (good for the liver and kidneys) and, if desired, use stevia as a sweetener. I recently found Arizona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng (which uses Splenda and not aspartame), so I drank that occasionally but mainly focused on plain, cold water. (That is because I completely avoid aspartame, and try my best to also avoid Splenda. Why? It's chlorinated sugar, which means bleached sugar - done to remove carbs - but what is it adding to our bodies? Avoid diet sodas like the plague!) Keeping the body absolutely permeated with clear liquids is an absolute must while on an all-protein cycle.

-Keep the meals basic and simple. Whenever possible, eat small but frequent meals. By small, I mean a few eggs in the morning, 4-6 oz. of some favorite lean protein a few hours later, another lean protein snack 2-3 hours after that, etc. Doing so helps the metabolism adjust, keeps hunger at bay, keeps glucose levels steady, and keeps the mind focused on your goal --- and that's where the real battle of the bulge takes place!

-If feeling a bit shaky or light-headed, immediately eat a small green salad with an unlimited amount of lean protein and your favorite dressing (preferably low carb, high fat). If that is not possible, eat a few slices of real cheese (not processed cheese food) and plenty of water.

-Alternate every other day between whole (preferably organic) brown eggs and Eggbeaters (or egg whites from the organic brown eggs).

-On the days you incorporate a 1 cup green salad, consider using 1 tbsp. of a full-fat salad dressing, not a low-fat version (since low-fat dressings include higher carbs). If you prefer the low-fat version, keep it to "just enough" - don't drizzle the salad!

-Enjoy a 4 oz. sugar-free gelatin cup either between meals or right after them. (Limit: 3 per day)

-Take it easy with the exercise. Stillman's recommended only two 15 minute light exercise routines, morning and evening...like a casual stroll, stretching, that sort of thing. This is not the time to jog, walk miles at high speed, etc. It is a good time to enjoy an easy bicycle ride, do 15 minutes of Callanetics, or other slow, easier exercises.

My plan is to finish the 14 days of alternating between the two Stillman programs, then cycling to the Protein Power Life Plan for two weeks, then back to the two Stillman woe's for another two weeks.

If this works, I'll be at my dream goal before I know it!

The Weather and Your Weight

Plateaus...
Halts....
Stalls...

Or “stall-gains” (as one smart lady on a low-carb board once phrased it). Stall-gains can do a real number on your mindset, as I can personally attest. A stall-gain means that, despite your best efforts at low-carbing and exercise, there is no progress on the scale except an upward trend and little or no progress with inches lost, either.

Whatever one calls it, it’s the bane of low-carbing. For that matter, it's the bane of any healthy eating style in which one aims to improve that health and get a little bit (or a lot of bit!) trimmer. But it is never an excuse to give up!

The definition of a bona fide stall or plateau means no loss in both weight and inches for at least 4 consecutive weeks or longer. (We can “halt” or even increase on the scale, while building up LBM – Lean Body Mass - while at the same time we’re losing inches! That doesn't qualify as a plateau or stall; it would qualify for what I call an "exercise gain," but that's a good thing.)

A halt is just what it seems to be: a temporary "halt" of progress on the scale, usually just a matter of days. Those are nothing to worry about!

When nothing else works to break the true and dreaded plateau, there are other matters to research (but that’s a topic for a future article). If it's not the diet or medication or supplements or exercise, the "trouble" could be something I've not yet found seriously addressed in any of the popular low carb resources: the weather.

Based on my personal experience, as well as observing what is happening to most low-carbers during the winter months, I offer the humble opinion that we either slow down or completely halt if we live where ever there is true winter (snow, ice, freezing rain). The halts and the true plateaus inevitably hit everyone at least once when the inclement weather starts. The “stall-gains” seem to be a matter of adding insult to injury.

In reality, however, there’s no insult and no injury done – as long as we’re sticking to the plan. All of the other benefits we’ve already experienced are still ours...so consider it a rest-stop on the low-carb journey. (You may have no choice on how long that rest lasts; your only choice is to stay on plan and wait!)

Btw: On this topic, I am not taking "cheats" into consideration. Cheats, by their very name and nature, explain gains and stalls. However, as a member of various low-carb boards, I’ve observed that there is more inclination to veer off the low-carb plan during the winter.

But why?

It's not only due to boredom, though that's often the case. Suddenly, there are more questions about “falling out of ketosis” or concerns about suddenly increased appetite. We may find ourselves actually wanting more protein, or more fat, or (egads!) more carbs – with the latter being the worst culprit to immediate wt. gain.

It very well may be an instinctual thing to suddenly want to eat more once the winter weather hits. Even though resisting that desire, as I do, the plateaus or bounces (“stall-gains”) may continue.

After literally trying every trick in the low-carb book(s), my conclusion is that the metabolism puts the winter survival mechanism into high gear. That means the metabolism adjusts to keep the fat on the ole bod, in order to help us survive the winter.

Again, that's only a theory (mine) and it’s one I cannot prove, since I don't have low-carb volunteers or a lab at my disposal. Yet it's as good a theory as any.

So what to do?

Stick with it anyway! Using an old maxim but giving it a low-carb spin: We have everything to gain and nothing to lose if we abandon the low carb lifestyle. When we go off plan, we'll very easily gain weight within a day or two (and we’ll keep gaining if we continue veering off the low carb path). We’ll also gain the high blood pressure, the lack of energy, the headaches, the bloated, upset tummies, the GERDS, the over-all “blahs,” etc., etc., etc.!

In other words: When we go off plan, we'll lose every benefit for which we worked all the months before!

Conclusion: It's simply not worth it!

The winter must end eventually...and I choose to greet spring at the same constant wt. (or very close to it) rather than with a substantial regain, not to mention lack of self-esteem, energy that goes with it!

It might be darned hard to wait all these months to break a plateau or see any losses that stick, but I'll be darned if I'm going to give up the race now when I've made 2/3 of the journey!

Not only that, I figure the Whoosh Fairy will have a lot of lost time for which she must make amends. After all, she has not kept to her part of the bargain! (And I fully intend to see she does!) :>