A newbie to Atkins

[Princess Lucy]

Hi everybody!

My eating/life history: I am an emotional eater. I tend to eat a lot of sweets when I am stressed out. Since I am entering a profession where I will be exposed to a lot of stress, I think it's time for me to get my eating habits under control. Honestly, I want to do Atkins to get rid of my carb addiction, losing weight would be an added bonus I am also planning my wedding for next summer and I hope by that time I will be a much healthier, more controlled individual.

So I started on Atkins today. I ordered my book a while ago on the internet but it has not arrived yet so I will need your help making sure that I got the basics right.

Here is my plan for the induction phase ( i am also cutting out soda because i usually eat unhealthy when I drink it):
1. Tea (without splenda and no sugar) - that's how i like it
2. eggs
3. fish - tuna, salmon, anything - i love it
4. cheese - cheddar, cream cheese, gouda, swiss - limit to 3-4 ounces
5. 2 cups of lettuce a day
6. 1 cup of tomatoes or 1 cup of cucumbers a day
7. Salad dressing that has less than 2 carbs per tbsp
8. Multivitamin
9. Water, water, and then some more water.

Please let me know if I am on the right track. I would love to hear your thoughts.

[Richt]

In a nutshell - get rid of the tea and you will be almost perfect. Caffeine has a detrimental effect, and can cause awful blood sugar spikes.

Can I ask what profession you are entering?

[Scooterjam]

Hello Lucy!! I agree with everything on your menu except the Tea. Unless you are doing an herbal tea caffiene free maybe. Great job for coming to this site. You'll find lots of helpful folks willing to assist! I wish you much luck and best wishes, congratulations on the upcoming wedding next summer too! We'll get ya into shape! Thanks for posting! Good Luck, keep us posted on your success!

[Princess Lucy]

Is it okay if I can keep the tea but make it decaffenaited? I graduating from a nursing program in August.

[Richt]

Decaf tea is good. Remember though that your water intake must not include the tea. You still need a minumum of 64oz of water a day.

Good luck with your nursing

[Princess Lucy]

For me personally, drinking adequate amounts of water will be one of the hardest adjustments. I don't like drinking water unless it is really hot or I am exercising. So I am making a point of keeping a check list of how many ounces I drink each day until it becomes a permanent good habit.

[not2late]

Originally Posted by Princess Lucy

Hi everybody!

My eating/life history: I am an emotional eater. I tend to eat a lot of sweets when I am stressed out. Since I am entering a profession where I will be exposed to a lot of stress, I think it's time for me to get my eating habits under control. Honestly, I want to do Atkins to get rid of my carb addiction, losing weight would be an added bonus I am also planning my wedding for next summer and I hope by that time I will be a much healthier, more controlled individual.

So I started on Atkins today. I ordered my book a while ago on the internet but it has not arrived yet so I will need your help making sure that I got the basics right.

Here is my plan for the induction phase ( i am also cutting out soda because i usually eat unhealthy when I drink it):
1. Tea (without splenda and no sugar) - that's how i like it
2. eggs
3. fish - tuna, salmon, anything - i love it
4. cheese - cheddar, cream cheese, gouda, swiss - limit to 3-4 ounces
5. 2 cups of lettuce a day
6. 1 cup of tomatoes or 1 cup of cucumbers a day
7. Salad dressing that has less than 2 carbs per tbsp
8. Multivitamin
9. Water, water, and then some more water.

Please let me know if I am on the right track. I would love to hear your thoughts.

If you can't wait to get your copy of the book. Go to the FAQ section of this board and copy/read the threads about "What to eat during Induction" and "What are the Rules of Induction".

There are 21 vegetables on the "salad" list. And 33 vegetables on the "other list". If you limit yourself to 2 cups of lettuce because you think that's the only "salad" veggie you are allowed to have, you are cheating yourself of valuable nutrients, fiber and food variety.

[Princess Lucy]

Hi Megs,

Thanks for your advice. I did check out those links and will be adding a variety of veggies