WHY CAN’T I LOSE WEIGHT?

Strategies to support weight loss

Jacqueline A. Eberstein, R.N.

Controlled Carbohydrate Nutrition, LLC

Choose a plan that can work for a lifetime

• Improves health & well-being.• Includes whole, minimally processed foods that

are readily available.• Supports your metabolism. Normalizes risk

factors.• Includes a variety of satisfying foods.• Controls hunger and cravings.• Allows you eat between meals if hungry.• Makes it easier to lose or maintain weight.

Are you really on a plateau?

You are only on a plateau if you have not lost weight and/or inches for more than 4 weeks.

Ask yourself these questions:• Are you feeling better?• Are you losing inches?• Do your clothes feel looser?

• Are you still in ketosis?

Don’t allow a plateau to sabotage your best efforts.

Have the facts.

What can interfere with weight loss?

• Frequent deviations.• Carb creep. Overeating allowable foods esp.

nuts and cheese.• Doing your own version of Atkins• Hidden carbohydrates in prepared food products• Low fat products• Improper use of low carb products• “Diet” foods, i.e. ice cream, candy, etc.

• Chronic stress• Yeast overgrowth and/or allergy to yeast and

mold• Allergies-inflammation.• Hormonal changes• Low thyroid function• Past yo-yo dieting• Sedentary lifestyle especially as you age• Prescription medications

Medications that increase metabolic resistance

• Hormones-Depo-provera, BCPs, HRT• NSAID• Psychotrophics-many old and newer• Diuretics and other anti-hypertensives• Steroids• Antibiotics• Insulin and drugs that elicit an insulin response• Antihistamines• Diet pill rebound• Statin drugs

Get back to basics

• Since most people lose weight easily, they tend to start adding extra carbohydrates too rapidly. That slows weight loss. Add too much carbohydrate, and you’ve exceeded your CCLL.

• Keep a food diary so you can more accurately examine what you’re eating.

• Begin regular exercise if you haven’t already.• To break a plateau, resume the Induction Phase

for 3 – 4 days. You should start losing.

Yeast Problems

Common occurrence in the U.S. population with a high refined food / high sugar diet. Especially common in people with diabetes.

It is associated by an imbalance of organisms in the intestinal tract commonly caused by excessive use of antibiotics, hormonal preparations and/or poor diet.

Individuals with yeast conditions commonly crave and overeat yeast related foods.

Most people will have both allergy to and overgrowth of yeast. Both can provoke symptoms.

Symptoms of yeast

• Post nasal drip

• Chronic rhinitis

• Sinus headaches

• Sinusitis

• Gas, bloating and heart burn

• Constipation or diarrhea

• Water retention

• Skin eruptions

• Cravings for breads, pizza, alcohol, rolls

• Spaciness/brain fog

• White tongue

• Vaginal yeast infections and frequent urination

Improvements to expect with a yeast-free version of Atkins

• Improvement in weight loss• Decrease in original symptoms• Decrease in cravings• Increase in energy• Increase in alertness• Decrease in PMS symptoms• Decrease in urinary symptoms• Decrease in vaginal itching and discharge• Less symptoms from other environmental allergies.

Yeast restricted items

• Any foods that contain refined carbohydrates- sugar, fruit, juice, refined grains, alcohol

• Cheese –except cream and mozzarella• Mushrooms• Vinegar• Sour cream• Soy sauce• Fermented and pickled items

Low thyroid function

• Under-diagnosed, especially in women and people with type 2 diabetes.

• Free T3, free T4, TSH• Often normal lab results but many symptoms are

present• Clinical trial: give thyroid & observe the patients

response• Some thyroid prescriptions become ineffective,

especially T4 prescriptions• Often hormonal imbalances can effect thyroid

functioning i.e. estrogen dominance

Thyroid Symptom Survey

For a copy of the Atkins Center thyroid

symptom survey email me at:

jeberstein@controlcarb.com

Carbohydrate gram levels for metabolic resistance for losing

• High metabolic resistance: about 20 grams or less per day.

• Average metabolic resistance: about 20 to 40 grams per day.

• Low metabolic resistance: about 40 to 60 grams per day.

• Regular exerciser: about 60 to 90 grams per day.

Carb gram levels for metabolic resistance for maintaining

• High metabolic resistance: about 25 to 40 grams per day.

• Average metabolic resistance: about 40 to 60 grams per day.

• Low metabolic resistance: about 60 to 90 grams per day.

• Regular exerciser: about 90 or more grams per day.

Tips for success

• Must eat breakfast.

• Eat at least 3 meals a day; skipping meals will impede weight loss.

• Maintain a good intake of natural fats and adequate calories.

• Don’t go more than 6 waking hours without a snack or meal. Must include protein at each meal and snack.

• Eat only until you’re satisfied---not stuffed.

• Eat slowly.

Tips cont’d

• Drink plenty of fluids---at least 64 ounces a day.

• Read labels---look for hidden carbs in prepared foods.

• Avoid excessive intake of caffeine to avoid an unstable blood sugar and cravings.

• Rely on inch loss rather than the scale to measure success.

• Take your supplements regularly.

Tips cont’d

• Weigh yourself first thing in the morning and not just before the period.

• Include exercise as a lifelong activity.

• Use good quality low carb products appropriately or not at all if weight loss is problematic.

• Avoid liquid medications, cough drops or cough syrup with forms of sugar.

• Use sucrolose or stevia as your primary sweetener. Do not overuse.

Be Realistic

• Avoid comparing how rapidly you lost weight in the distant past to the present.

• Men have an easier time losing than women do. Avoid comparing how you lose with your male friends.

• If you are more stressed, find a stress reliever not related to food.

• If certain medications are necessary adjust your goals.• Be realistic about your weight loss goals.

• You are in this for the long run. If you want to enhance

your health keep it up.

Thank You

Jacqueline Eberstein, R.N.

controlcarb.com veronicaatkinsfoundation.org