Run Run Away

Question:

About three weeks I started again, this time in earnest.  Not only am

I really avoiding almost all carbs, but I am running about 2-3 miles, 4 times a week.  < Be very careful runing that much with NO CARBS. I hurt myself pretty badly by doing that. We don’t always know what is good for us. Thought I did. Ended up tearing up my calf muscle pretty bad after a 4 mile bike ride after not having any carbs for about 2 or 3 weeks. Was very stupid. — Sheli

Response:

Not blaming "low Carb" …I was close to NO carb. Very unhealthy way to eat.  Our bodies need some carbs which is why the injuries do not happen if you low carb in the correct manner.

I’ve yet to hear any reason why my body needs carbs.  Carbs are simply fuel; they have no other value.  I can burn protein and fat as fuel, so I don’t need carbs.  The only reason I eat any carbs at all is for the other things in the food.  If I had an Anti-Carb Kill-O-Zap gun that would blast the carbs out of food while leaving it exactly the same otherwise, I’d use it on everything I eat. As I understand it, the reason people carb up before an intense workout is because glucose stored in the muscles can be burned more quickly than fat, so it’s better for sustaining long bursts of energy for lifting weights or sprinting.  For a more aerobic workout, I’d rather just burn fat the whole time.   I’d say it also depends on the shape you’re already in.  If you already have a low body-fat percentage, you’d better give your body something else to burn during a workout, or it might burn some muscle.  If you have lots of extra fat to burn, it seems like that wouldn’t be as much of a problem. Bicyclists, runners …most atheletes will tell you they "carb up" before or after a work out. Low carbers just take in less bad carbs.

I started running (jogging, really) about 3 months ago.  I could barely last 60 seconds at a stretch the first day, but I’ve worked up to 4 miles three times a week.  Saturday I ran in my first 5K race. (Hannibal Cannibal, 34:14 was my time.)  No carb-ups, except for a bit of a candy bar binge one time, which was also the only day I got side cramps. — Aaron 285/225/200

Response:

Not blaming "low Carb" …I was close to NO carb. Very unhealthy way to eat. Our bodies need some carbs which is why the injuries do not happen if you low carb in the correct manner. Bicyclists, runners …most atheletes will tell you they "carb up" before or after a work out. Low carbers just take in less bad carbs. — Sheli

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I would not blame low carb for a muscle injury.  Sometimes shit happens. About three weeks I started again, this time in earnest.  Not only am I really avoiding almost all carbs, but I am running about 2-3 miles, 4 times a week.  < Be very careful runing that much with NO CARBS. I hurt myself pretty badly by doing that. We don’t always know what is good for us. Thought I did. Ended up tearing up my calf muscle pretty bad after a 4 mile bike ride after not having any carbs for about 2 or 3 weeks. Was very stupid. — Sheli

Response:

I would not blame low carb for a muscle injury.  Sometimes shit happens.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – About three weeks I started again, this time in earnest.  Not only am I really avoiding almost all carbs, but I am running about 2-3 miles, 4 times a week.  < Be very careful runing that much with NO CARBS. I hurt myself pretty badly by doing that. We don’t always know what is good for us. Thought I did. Ended up tearing up my calf muscle pretty bad after a 4 mile bike ride after not having any carbs for about 2 or 3 weeks. Was very stupid. — Sheli

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I went on LC back in 99, and lost about 25 pounds, and eventually gained it back. Even back then it took about three weeks before weight loss kicked in. I’ve tried half heartedly several times since then, but with no success. About three weeks I started again, this time in earnest.  Not only am I really avoiding almost all carbs, but I am running about 2-3 miles, 4 times a week.  Nevertheless, the scale seems stuck on 208 (My goal weight would be 180-185), Possible explanations: Too much dairy?  I always eat cottage cheese with eggs. Weight lifting?  I have been doing  pretty heavy lifting in addition to the running. Too much caffeine?  Lots of coffee, and lots of diet coke. I eat some nuts (raw almonds) and peanut butter, but really try to keep it under control. I haven’t eaten bread, rice, potatoes or hardly any sugar at all (no deserts at all) in several weeks, and the scale doesn’t budge.  What a curse.  (I should add that the scale doesn’t budge, I do seem to have lost some in the waist–about an inch I would say).

My guess (and that’s all it is based on the info you’ve given) is that you’re consuming more carbs than you think you are. You say you’re "really avoiding almost all carbs" then you go on to list cottage cheese, eggs, peanut butter, nuts, lots of coffee, and ‘hardly’ any sugar all of which have carbs. I would suggest you sign up for Fitday http://www.fitday.com (it’s free) and track everything you eat to see where you really are in terms of calories and carbs. Don’t forget, calories still count. If you eat too many you aren’t going to lose weight no matter how few carbs you eat. — Jeri "Change is inevitable, except from vending machines."

Response:

I went on LC back in 99, and lost about 25 pounds, and eventually gained it back. Even back then it took about three weeks before weight loss kicked in. I’ve tried half heartedly several times since then, but with no success. About three weeks I started again, this time in earnest.  Not only am I really avoiding almost all carbs, but I am running about 2-3 miles, 4 times a week.  Nevertheless, the scale seems stuck on 208 (My goal weight would be 180-185), Possible explanations: Too much dairy?  I always eat cottage cheese with eggs.   Weight lifting?  I have been doing  pretty heavy lifting in addition to the running. Too much caffeine?  Lots of coffee, and lots of diet coke.   I eat some nuts (raw almonds) and peanut butter, but really try to keep it under control. I haven’t eaten bread, rice, potatoes or hardly any sugar at all (no deserts at all) in several weeks, and the scale doesn’t budge.  What a curse.  (I should add that the scale doesn’t budge, I do seem to have lost some in the waist–about an inch I would say).

Response:

I went on LC back in 99, and lost about 25 pounds, and eventually gained it back. Even back then it took about three weeks before weight loss kicked in. I’ve tried half heartedly several times since then, but with no success. About three weeks I started again, this time in earnest.  Not only am I really avoiding almost all carbs, but I am running about 2-3 miles, 4 times a week.  Nevertheless, the scale seems stuck on 208 (My goal weight would be 180-185),

Some people will say if you don’t lose anything the first two weeks, then you aren’t low-carbing properly. <shrug Possible explanations: Too much dairy?  I always eat cottage cheese with eggs.  

How much do you eat? The general rule is to eat just enough to satisfy hunger. If you eat until you feel full, you’re eating too much. Weight lifting?  I have been doing  pretty heavy lifting in addition to the running. Too much caffeine?  Lots of coffee, and lots of diet coke.  

Some people report an inability to lose when using aspartame (diet coke). YMMV. Diet Rite offers several flavors and uses Splenda (sucralose). I won’t comment on the caffeine – I still drink my coffee.  Are you drinking plenty of water? I eat some nuts (raw almonds) and peanut butter, but really try to keep it under control.

Walnuts, pecans, and macadamias are great, too. I haven’t eaten bread, rice, potatoes or hardly any sugar at all (no deserts at all) in several weeks, and the scale doesn’t budge.  What a curse.  (I should add that the scale doesn’t budge, I do seem to have lost some in the waist–about an inch I would say).

If you’ve lost inches, it will soon show on the scale. What plan are you following? I don’t see any mention of green vegetables above, and all plans include those from the outset. Are you a vegetarian? (I didn’t see any mention of meats, poultry, fish or seafood, either.) Keep at it. You may not see a loss every week. As close as you are to goal weight, it will probably come off slowly, but that’s said to be best, as you’re more likely to keep it off that way. Welcome to ASDLC and good luck! Sh0rtcircuit (Deb)

Response:

says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I went on LC back in 99, and lost about 25 pounds, and eventually gained it back. Even back then it took about three weeks before weight loss kicked in. I’ve tried half heartedly several times since then, but with no success. About three weeks I started again, this time in earnest.  Not only am I really avoiding almost all carbs, but I am running about 2-3 miles, 4 times a week.  Nevertheless, the scale seems stuck on 208 (My goal weight would be 180-185), Possible explanations: Too much dairy?  I always eat cottage cheese with eggs.   Weight lifting?  I have been doing  pretty heavy lifting in addition to the running. Too much caffeine?  Lots of coffee, and lots of diet coke.   I eat some nuts (raw almonds) and peanut butter, but really try to keep it under control. I haven’t eaten bread, rice, potatoes or hardly any sugar at all (no deserts at all) in several weeks, and the scale doesn’t budge.  What a curse.  (I should add that the scale doesn’t budge, I do seem to have lost some in the waist–about an inch I would say).

Hi Pablo, welcome to the group! Without knowing specific amounts, it’s hard to say why you aren’t losing weight.   What is your overall calorie intake?  Do you keep track of what you eat?   Fitday.com is a good way to do this — you might be surprised at what you take in in carbs, protein, fiber, etc.  It might be too much or it might be too LITTLE.   By KNOWING what you are taking in, you can make the appropriate adjustments, if necessary.  Personally, I keep track of what I eat with my own Excel spreadsheet so that I can do it the way *I* want to, but I still get info from Fitday.com.  I also downloaded the database and program from the USDA nutritional website to look things up.  I weigh most meat and produce and use measuring spoons for the H&H in my coffee.  It helps me to keep on track and to be AWARE of what I’m eating.  It might be too much for some people to do, but it’s a good idea, at least until you get an idea of your perceptions vs. reality when it comes to various foods and their nutritional values. You might try switching from Diet Coke to Diet Rite Cola — Diet Coke is sweetened with Aspartame, which can cause stalls in some people (not to mention cravings), whereas Diet Rite is sweetened with Splenda (aka sucralose), which does not appear to have the same affect on most people.  You might want to cut out the nuts for the time being until you have a better idea of how they might affect your weight loss.   Some people more knowledgeable than me about diabetes will probably be along any time now to suggest that you are insulin resistant, which is certainly a possibility.  Also, do you snore?  If so, sleep deprivation and/or constant interruption of oxygen may have some affect (a regular poster here stalled for 4 years until she was diagnosed and treated for sleep apnea, and only THEN did she start losing).  Still, you should be losing SOMETHING.   I definitely understand your frustration because my weight loss is quite slow compared to many others.  I’ve learned to stay the course, though, because it DOES pay off eventually.  I often notice that my body is smaller in places, but the scale stays the same, which seems to be the case with you, too (see my recent post entitled "Saffire’s Halfway Houses For Wayward Fat" .  The scale catches up eventually.  Also, the less weight you have to lose, the slower it tends to come off.  You are not significantly overweight as far as that goes.   Are you feeling better, healthwise than you did before you started your recent low-carbing?  For ME, that’s even MORE of an incentive to stay the course than losing weight, although I’m certainly delighted with my progress and feeling like I look "normal" again   BTW, JC der Koenig will ALSO be along any second (if not sooner) to insult and belittle you and try to get you to give up — ignore him. — Saffire 205/152/125  -  5′1.5" Atkins since 6/14/03 Progress photo:  http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

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