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Weight Loss Forum / Low Carb / February 2006Atkins newbie questions
Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping carbs under 20 g/day is hard. Im currently 265,after starting at 269. Im trying to get down to 210, so i plan on staying Induction for 2-3 months at the least. Recently i had been cheating a little on carbs after buying these low carb frozen fudge bars by Breyers. It said 3 grams net carbs but with sugar alcohols they are 9 gm. I now realize they not suitable for Induction. If you like Wendys Frosties,you should try them out, thats exactly what they taste like-choc and vanilla. Anyways, i had a total meltdown the other night, i ate some sesame wasa crackers,peanut butter,pickles,part of an apple and an orange.So ill be starting over, in a way. Ive researched this group and wanted to clear some things up- Ketostix- are not important, and can be misleading,right? Splenda is OK on Induction,correct? I hope so,because it will be hard without something sweet like diet rite, splenda lemonade or even an occasional sugar free jello with aspartame. A simple dessert i make is with sugar free jello,(any kind- orange,cherry,pineapple reccomended) You set the jello,but with less water- 1 1/2 cups instead of 2 cups. In your serving bowl,pour 2-3 Tbs chilled heavy cream.(2-3 carbs) Add a couple drops of vanilla extract and a heaping teaspoon Splenda to taste. Whip with fork,and if you want,put it in the freezer for 10 minutes,to chill more. Add Jello to the bowl, mix up and enjoy. My advice is to avoid articially sweetened sweets. They just keep the addiction going. You need to just get used to not eating sweet tasting crap. It's easier in the short and long term. I don't miss it at all. And when I do have some, it doesn't have to be that sugary and it is a real treat. TC > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping > carbs under 20 g/day is hard. Im currently 265,after starting at 269. [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > minutes,to chill more. > Add Jello to the bowl, mix up and enjoy. > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping > carbs under 20 g/day is hard. Im currently 265,after starting at 269. > Im trying to get down to 210, so i plan on staying Induction for 2-3 > months at the least. Recently i had been cheating a little on carbs > after buying these low carb frozen fudge bars by Breyers. Best thing to do to keep your mind off of food, get busy doing a project! Sounds like you're eating out of boredom? Youre right about that. Im currently out of work, and kind of in a slump. I need to get back into exercising and other hobbies,like music. Youre right about that. Im currently out of work and im in a slump. I need to get back into exercise,and other hobbies/projects. > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping > carbs under 20 g/day is hard. You can do it for two weeks. Im currently 265,after starting at 269. > Im trying to get down to 210, so i plan on staying Induction for 2-3 > months at the least. Why? You don't need to do that to lose your weight. Add exercise and follow the rules. Recently i had been cheating a little on carbs > after buying these low carb frozen fudge bars by Breyers. It said 3 > grams net carbs but with sugar alcohols they are 9 gm. I now realize [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > crackers,peanut butter,pickles,part of an apple and an orange.So ill be > starting over, in a way. One purpose of induction is to break the carb addition. You should definitely quit eating this stuff now. Once you have lost weight and learned how to control your weight with low carb, you can experiment a bit. But for now, you should part company with this stuff. > Ive researched this group and wanted to clear some things up- > > Ketostix- are not important, and can be misleading,right? Yeah, just quit with those and follow the rules of induction. > Splenda is OK on Induction,correct? I hope so,because it will be hard > without something sweet like diet rite, splenda lemonade or even an > occasional sugar free jello with aspartame. Yeah. If you must, try splenda. However, for two weeks you can do without. But if you can't.... > A simple dessert i make is with sugar free jello,(any kind- > orange,cherry,pineapple reccomended) Yeah. Are you doing any exercise? I havent been doing any exercise other than some walking and stretching. I used to be heavily into weightlifting and exercise, so i just need to get motivated. > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping > carbs under 20 g/day is hard. Doesn't sound as though you are really up for this, but if I've misjudged you, try the following: Eat fish, meat, eggs, cheese and leafy green vegetables. Have as much butter and oil as you like. Drink water, milk, vodka. Nothing else by mouth. No need to weigh or measure anything. Take exercise six days a week. You'll lose weight, feel good, be healthy. > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping > carbs under 20 g/day is hard. Im currently 265,after starting at 269. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > they not suitable for Induction. If you like Wendys Frosties,you should > try them out, thats exactly what they taste like-choc and vanilla. In the Atkins book, I think he talks about staying off of these "scientifically based cheating foods" (my term, not his).... Of course, I didn't believe him and ate the stuff and didn't lose weight. I didn't really lose much weight until I gave up on trying to find an easy way, and just bit the bullet and followed the book You DO have the book, don't you? It is worth re-reading. Especially if it would have kept you from wasting this much of your time. Welcome. Good luck in sticking to it. Rereading the book often is well worth the time, unless your time of starting over is considered just free. > Anyways, i had a total meltdown the other night, i ate some sesame wasa > crackers,peanut butter,pickles,part of an apple and an orange.So ill be > starting over, in a way. Fiber Rye WASA crackers are a lot lower in carb content than are the Sesame ones, or any other ones (Total Carbs 7g, dietary fiber 2g, Net Carbs 5g). Light Rye, for example, isn't exactly light in carbs with about 8 or 8 grams Net Carbs. Read the labels yourself and see. > Ive researched this group and wanted to clear some things up- > > Ketostix- are not important, and can be misleading,right? Yeah, but you may want to have something interesting to do while you pee. And it can help maintain a positive attitude to see that pee turn the stick to a light color. It sometimes appears to be the only dietary accomplishment of the day. > Splenda is OK on Induction,correct? I hope so,because it will be hard > without something sweet like diet rite, splenda lemonade or even an > occasional sugar free jello with aspartame. Sugar free jello is a salvation for many. With or without the heavy whipped cream. If it keeps you going onthe program, it is worth what a few call the risk of maintaining a "sweet dependence". You can work on the "sweet dependence" once you are nice and skinny and happy, if you feel you have got to do it for your health. > A simple dessert i make is with sugar free jello,(any kind- > orange,cherry,pineapple reccomended) [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > minutes,to chill more. > Add Jello to the bowl, mix up and enjoy.  Signature1) Eat Till SATISFIED, Not STUFFED... Atkins repeated 9 times in the book 2) Exercise: It's Non-Negotiable..... Chapter 22 title, Atkins book 3) Don't Diet Without Supplimental Nutrients... Chapter 23 title, Atkins book 4) A sensible eating plan, and follow it. (Atkins, Self Made or Other) Im going to at least cut back alot on splenda and other artificial sweetners, use them only as a treat till im down to my goal weight. Yes, ive got the atkins book, i picked it up recently at the library. ill probably order the keto stix online, ive heard they are cheaper that way. Thanks for the input,everyone. > Im going to at least cut back alot on splenda and other artificial > sweetners, use them only as a treat till im down to my goal weight. > Yes, ive got the atkins book, i picked it up recently at the library. > ill probably order the keto stix online, ive heard they are cheaper > that way. > Thanks for the input,everyone. If you're out of work, don't worry about those sticks...just follow the rules and walk. You have time, so walk, walk, walk....walk to job interviews, too. Good luck. Best of luck, mate. I have lurked on this group for about 12 months while going from 259 to 180. The advice you get may be hard to follow, but it's generally good. Certainly, I have always got the advice I need. I agree with what seems to be the general sentiment in the replies above - change your diet, don't try and find substitutes for the things you have to give up from your previous diet. It's easier in the long run, and the run isn't as long as you think it will be. Once i accepted that, i soon found all those artificial sweetners started tasting awful and too sweet. Now, i don't crave sweet stuff at all. In fact, I actively dislike it. Same with milk in my tea, bread, etc. I look forward to my greens now like like i used to look forward to chips. It gets easier. Much easier. Stick at it. You'll be glad you did. > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping Hi Rick, welcome to the group! > carbs under 20 g/day is hard. Im currently 265,after starting at 269. > Im trying to get down to 210, so i plan on staying Induction for 2-3 > months at the least. Not necessary, and it might even be counterproductive. Atkins set 20 carbs/day for induction because EVERYONE will go into ketosis at that level. The two weeks is more for breaking old eating habits and adjusting to ketosis. Once you are in ketosis, you are burning FAT for fuel. It doesn't matter if you are a "little" into ketosis or a "lot", just that you ARE. By adding back some carbs, you can add more variety to your diet and are less likely to feel deprived. > Ketostix- are not important, and can be misleading,right? They can be a nice reinforcement at first to let you know you ARE in ketosis, but they can also be unreliable. > Splenda is OK on Induction,correct? I hope so,because it will be hard > without something sweet like diet rite, splenda lemonade or even an > occasional sugar free jello with aspartame. Yes, Splenda is okay. Watch out for the carbs in the malodextrin it is mixed with, though. It can add up when you only have 20/day to work with. SignatureSaffire 205/133/125 Atkins since 6/14/03 Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333 *** This post originated in alt.support.diet.low-carb -- its appearance in any other forum is deceptive and unauthorized. *** > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week > ago. Keeping carbs under 20 g/day is hard. Sounds like you're making it harder than it has to be, but we'll get to that. > Im currently 265,after starting at 269. Cool, 4 pounds already! > Im trying to get down to 210, so i plan on staying Induction for 2-3 > months at the least. That's how I did it when I was the most successful, but it may not be necessary. I lived alone at the time, and I happen to like all the very low-carb natural foods, so it wasn't a hardship for me to keep my carbs that low. However, if you find yourself getting bored after a couple weeks and craving other foods (mentally, not chemically), you may be better off increasing your carbs to allow more variety. Better to lose weight slowly than to start cheating and not lose at all. For now, concentrate on doing Induction right; then you can worry about what comes next. Once you've been solid on Induction for two weeks, you may find that your tastes have changed considerably. > Recently i had been cheating a little on carbs after buying these > low carb frozen fudge bars by Breyers. It said 3 grams net carbs but > with sugar alcohols they are 9 gm. I now realize they not suitable > for Induction. Many people have to learn that lesson. Don't touch that fake stuff, at least while on Induction. (I'd say "don't ever," but that's a personal preference.) Even if their low-carb claims are correct, and if your body doesn't have any insulin reaction to them (two pretty big IFs), you're limiting how many good foods you can squeeze under your 20g limit. You'll get more calories and a fuller stomach for your carb grams (and your money) by spending them on meat and vegetables. > Anyways, i had a total meltdown the other night, i ate some sesame > wasa crackers,peanut butter,pickles,part of an apple and an > orange.So ill be starting over, in a way. We've all been there. If the worst you ever cheat is a one-day pig-out, you're doing better that most. Staying away from sweet-tasting foods -- no matter what's making them sweet -- helps many people to avoid the cravings. > Ive researched this group and wanted to clear some things up- > > Ketostix- are not important, and can be misleading,right? Right. Again, spend that money on quality foods. If you eat right and stay away from the questionable stuff, you won't need to test whether you're in ketosis -- you simply will be. Personally, I can feel the difference, but I'm not sure everyone can. > Splenda is OK on Induction,correct? I hope so,because it will be > hard without something sweet like diet rite, splenda lemonade or > even an occasional sugar free jello with aspartame. Just stay away from it; it's only two weeks. It might be okay, but it might not, and there you'll be two weeks from now wondering what went wrong and starting over again. It's hard? Not as hard as being fat the rest of your (shortened) life. Just suck it up; tell yourself you're not going to taste anything sweeter than cabbage for the next two weeks; and do it. You can handle it. Do you live alone? (You mentioned being out of work, but didn't mention a family.) If you do, I'd recommend having a "clean out the carbs" day. Go through your cabinets and fridge, and clean out everything that doesn't fit into Induction. Take the stuff that's still packaged to your local food pantry, and give or throw away the rest. Otherwise, when the cravings hit you in a couple days, that box of ice cream bars in the freezer could be in jeopardy; and even at 3 supposed grams each, scarfing them all down at once wouldn't be good. (And yes, the cravings can be that bad, or worse. The first time I tried low-carb, not knowing much about what to expect, I found myself eating raw macaroni by the handsful.) Now that you've got all that empty space, fill it with low-carb snacks like beef jerky, boiled eggs, and nuts. The idea is to make sure that when the cravings hit, you can grab something quick that's on-plan, so you aren't tempted to call for a pizza. SignatureAaron -- aaron_baugher@yahoo.com -- 285/245/200 http://360.yahoo.com/aaron_baugher > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping > carbs under 20 g/day is hard. Following the rules is hard at first, but once you're through that it gets easier with time. Think of it like a 2-week boot camp to get through. Folks who have completed the two weeks think it's easy, so easy they want to stay at 20. Hard to believe by you now, but that's what happens when you follow the process. > Im currently 265,after starting at 269. A large fraction of newbies have strong emotional reactions to the normal water rentention bounces that become visible from stepping on the scale more than weekly. If you are not emotional about it that's a good start. > Im trying to get down to 210, so i plan on staying Induction for 2-3 > months at the least. Why would you want to do that? Have you considered that the name of the next phase is "Ongoing Weight Loss"? Isn't ongoing weight loss what you will want? Why stay in a phase that is NOT named that rather than move on to a phas ethat IS named that? Because you came in believing that less is better perhaps? Why would the second phase be called that if less actually were better? If less were actually better wouldn't every single low carb plan out there drive you towards less? Yet none do. It is so obvious that less is better, but obvious does not equal true. Step out in faith and follow the process on schedule. > Recently i had been cheating a little on carbs > after buying these low carb frozen fudge bars by Breyers. It said 3 [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > crackers,peanut butter,pickles,part of an apple and an orange.So ill be > starting over, in a way. If you treat Induction as a sort of boot-camp initiation, there is a good deal of sense in resetting the clock each time you break the rules. How strict you want to be about that is up to you, but completing a clean Induction eliminates so many cravings in so many people it's a good goal. > Ive researched this group and wanted to clear some things up- Make very sure you read the book. Consider getting a used copy. > Ketostix- are not important, and can be misleading,right? Incorrect. Ketosis is the basic tool of the two losing phases so you need to know if you are in or out of ketosis to know if you are eating at the correct level for the process to be customized to your own body. The sticks are the best way at first to tell if you're in ketosis. After a couple of weeks practice some can tell without the sticks and some can't tell without the sticks. So the sticks are either temporary for a couple of weeks or will be with you until you've learned your CCLL and gotten good at counting to it. > Splenda is OK on Induction,correct? The book has a limit on AS packets. I've always wondered if that limit is because the packets are a gram of sugar each, or because sweets in general should be limited ... > I hope so,because it will be hard > without something sweet like diet rite, splenda lemonade And the more conservative option would be to include the soda as a packet. Up to you if you want to do that. > or even an > occasional sugar free jello with aspartame. Aspartame is technically not for Induction. Since you have seen new lws already, may as well drop that rule. > A simple dessert i make is with sugar free jello,(any kind- > orange,cherry,pineapple reccomended) [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > minutes,to chill more. > Add Jello to the bowl, mix up and enjoy. > > Hi, i just started on the Atkins diet a little over a week ago. Keeping > > carbs under 20 g/day is hard. [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > less is better, but obvious does not equal true. Step out in > faith and follow the process on schedule. It's entirely up to Rick if he wants to stay in induction longer than 2 weeks. Atkins made that very clear. And I'd have to say that from Atkins books, it sure looks like he believed staying in induction resulted in faster weight loss, because he specifically talked about doing induction longer if you have a lot of weight to lose. I don't think he would have said that if it resulted in slower weight loss. In fact, the entire plan is predicated on weight loss gradually slowing as the level of carbs is increased. I think there are benefits to increasing carbs, the addition of more varieties of foods being an important one. However, Atkins made it clear that says you can stay at induction for longer if it's working and you are doing OK. I've done induction level or close to induction level of carbs for months with no problems. In fact, many of us find that we need to stay near that level to be able to continue to lose weight. As far as artificial sweetners, the only one Atkins warned about was Aspartame possibly inhibiting weight loss in some people. I've used it with no problems. > > Recently i had been cheating a little on carbs > > after buying these low carb frozen fudge bars by Breyers. It said 3 [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > crackers,peanut butter,pickles,part of an apple and an orange.So ill be > > starting over, in a way. It's entirely possible that the melt down was caused by eating these products if you over do it. That can lead to carb cravings. I think products containing sugar alcohols can be fine in moderation, but you should get throught the two weeks of induction first. If you want a substitute for a frosty, a better alternative would be one of the shake mixes that does not contain sugar alcohols and is very low in carbs of any kind, like the Atkins shakes. > If you treat Induction as a sort of boot-camp initiation, there > is a good deal of sense in resetting the clock each time you [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > a couple of weeks or will be with you until you've learned your > CCLL and gotten good at counting to it. If some can tell without the sticks (which I don't believe is possible), and some can't tell with the sticks, then why does he need the sticks at all? They can be nice as a form of reinforcement, but certainly not essential by any means. Plus, we see people coming in here discouraged because they used the sticks and they didn't turn color, even at low levels of carb. Again, whether he uses sticks is entirely up to him. And as Rodger pointed out, it's a place one can save some money. > > Splenda is OK on Induction,correct? > > The book has a limit on AS packets. I've always wondered > if that limit is because the packets are a gram of sugar > each, or because sweets in general should be limited ... Atkins made it very clear that his issue was with Aspartame itself, regardless of the form. Plus, don't all the packets use pretty much the same bulking agents to fill them out? > > I hope so,because it will be hard > > without something sweet like diet rite, splenda lemonade > > And the more conservative option would be to include the > soda as a packet. Up to you if you want to do that. Why should he start counting carbs that don't exist? One of the big rants in here is that the commercial pure versions of these artificial sweetners don't have the 1g per packet carbs that the bulking agents adds. > > or even an > > occasional sugar free jello with aspartame. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > minutes,to chill more. > > Add Jello to the bowl, mix up and enjoy. |
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