Clean out that refrigerator; Clean out those cabinets!
Don't wake up one morning and just decide you're going to do low carb. You want to read the book first, and then make sure the right foods are in your house and the wrong foods are gone.

You probably know what the wrong foods are ... you read about them in your book, right? Well, aside from the obvious white sugar, white flour, potatoes, rice, and pasta, here's a quick list of high starch, high sugar foods not appropriate for low carbing, as well as a few things known to kick off cravings or raise cholesterol:

I've been through my share of plateaus... some that lasted nearly one year... Since I'd never once cheated and kept trying various things to kick-start my body to resume the weight loss with no success at all, frustration was becoming my middle name.

First, let's recognize what a plateau really is. Many people write me when they've lost 7 pounds the first week of the diet and then have failed to lose any more for the next week or two. That's not a plateau. For some, weight loss comes in spurts, for others it follows a semi-regular pattern. But small periods with little or no weight loss don't always mean a plateau. Generally, a plateau (or "stall") means no weight loss for a period of 3 weeks to several months, when there's been no predictable change in eating or activity to cause it.

Now, once you've established you really are on a plateau, there are quite a lot of things you can do about it. First we'll go over the basics. Then I'll give you my own observations and the experiences of many of our visitors.

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 Newsletter 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/HRT? 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.) Read more about the importance of water here.

The above thirteen points are general concern points where stalls occur. However, my long search for my own release from a long plateau revealed a few new wrinkles that I want to share: