I have some questions!?!!? please help! Thanks!

[prplkty]

Hello,
My name is Nadia and I started Atkins on January 21st, I did the induction for 2 weeks and then I fell off the wagon for a week and a half or so, so I started Induction again on February 12 and have been staying focused for my first week. I am very determined to get this weight off. I just had a baby 6 months ago and I have a 2yr old daughter, I would go to bed at 8 with my kids and not be able to get up in the morning I never wanted to do anything. I could barely keep up with my kids. I was having headaches all the time. So one day I went into my SECOND job (yes I have 2 jobs and 2 kids) where I do makeup and the manager there was talking about how she's going to Hawaii and she's doing Atkins and told me about it and said she feels great, has tons of energy, no headaches and doesn't feel sluggish, so I decided to get the book and I started the next day. I told my friend about it and we do it together. So far all together I have lost 14 lbs since i started the first time. So that is a little bit of my story.

My first question: I have been consistantly loosing weight since I started I have 50 more lbs to go and I dont know if i should stay on induction for longer then the 2 weeks or just move on to the next phase. I'm scared to move on to the next phase because I feel like if I eat anymore carbs then i'm going to stop losing weight. I want to lose about 50 lbs by June. If phase 2 slows your weight loss is that even possible? I would like to know how long it would take the average person to lose 50lbs or does it just very from person to person? Like everything else in the world LOL

My second question: I have been struggleing with severe mood swings in the evening. At night I get home from work and I'm just nasty to my boyfriend and short with my daughter... I have a terrible headache and I feel like I'm going to blow and I just want to go to bed. This has only happend 2 or 3 nights. But, I was curious if this was just part of the "induction flu" as you call it?

My third question: My girlfriend that is doing this with me and we are both very constipated haven't had a BM for about 4 or 5 days!!! YA IMAGINE THAT! lol Is this normal? What do we do?? we drink about 80-90 ounces of water a day so I know it's not that...

Okay, so I think that's about it for now lol

[LadyT]

Originally Posted by prplkty

My third question: My girlfriend that is doing this with me and we are both very constipated haven't had a BM for about 4 or 5 days!!! YA IMAGINE THAT! lol Is this normal? What do we do?? we drink about 80-90 ounces of water a day so I know it's not that...

Okay, so I think that's about it for now lol

Good on you for getting back on track. I don't really have answers to your first two questions but regarding constipation you could try taking some flax or psyllium husks to get things moving. Make sure that you get your 3 cups of vegetables a day and that at least two of those cups are salad vegetables. Eating a wide veriety of vegetables along with daily exercise should also help as well.

[prplkty]

Thanks for your reply! i have no idea what psylllium husks are though???? but i will try the flax...
thanks again!

[LadyT]

Originally Posted by prplkty

Thanks for your reply! i have no idea what psylllium husks are though???? but i will try the flax...
thanks again!

Maybe in the US they're called something else. Basically they have no calories and are used in certain recipes as a bulking agent. You can add a teaspoon or two to a glass of water or sprinkled on top of foods. You could proberly pick it up from the health food store or the health food section of the grocerie store.

[Sunny_0ne]

Nadia, welcome!

It's up to you how long you stay on induction. You will lose faster staying on induction, according to Dr. Atkins, but some people don't do well on that low a carb level. If you need more food selections or extra energy, go ahead and move up to the first rung of OWL. Some people report losing weight faster once they add in more veggies.

Those mood swings could definitely be caused by severe blood sugar drops due to eating too many carbs. Atkins can help that. It will even out your blood sugar levels so you don't have the peaks and valleys. My moods are a lot more stable since I'm on Atkins, and I don't get edgy and grumpy before dinnertime.

Definitely add psyllium husks. It's hard to find the powdered kind without sugar or aspartame, but you can get the capsules at Walmart. Or you can make the flax seed cracker or cookie (see recipe section) which will also help. I do both, psyllium and flax seed.

Be sure you are drinking PLENTY of water. If you are desperate for relief, an enema can hold you over until the psyllium starts working.

About how fast you will lose, it's different for everyone. I'm a very slow loser, but some people's weight loss is just astounding.

Good luck!

[Sunny_0ne]

Oops, I forgot your induction flu question. YES, induction flu will do that! It will pass soon!

[prplkty]

thank you so much sunny one! you helped a lot!! i really appreciate it... im sure i will have tons more questions and you seem very informative so i'm sure you'll be hearing from me again!

[prplkty]

Thanks! i'll take a look!

[SunnySmile501]

If 50 pounds is all you have left to lose, wanting it all to come off in four months is a little unreasonable. The first will come off fast, but when you get within 15 to 20 pounds of goal, it will really slow down. I don't want to see you set yourself up for failure when you get into an inevitable stall or plateau. You didn't gain it in four months, and you won't lose it in that short of time.

Staying on induction for too long can be counter-productive. I know that from personal experience. I broke my first stall by getting mad and eating a bunch of veggies! I love my veggies, so I decided to eat them anyway, and low and behold I dropped four pounds that week.

There are several things to do about constipation. The first is to drink WAY more water. Atkins is a diuretic and when the body needs fluid for bodily processes, it takes it from the bowel.

Also, make sure you are eating enough fat--that really helps keep things moving.

The second thing you can do is take 1,000 mg of magnesium (oxide) at bedtime. It will help you sleep and will loosen your stool. I have been doing this almost from the beginning, but if I run out and don't take it for a few days, I get an unfriendly reminder from my digestive system. Most of the population is magnesium deficient. It is the most important mineral for muscle building and stabilizing blood sugar. Magnesium deficiency is a common reason that people crave chocolate.

You can also take a big dose of vitamin C all at one time (3 to 4 grams) and drink a lot of water, and that will work pretty quickly.

You can also take a stool softener, but not a laxative.

If you do take flax or psylium husks, be sure to drink extra water or it can cause an obstruction.

Sunny!

[prplkty]

Originally Posted by SunnySmile501

If 50 pounds is all you have left to lose, wanting it all to come off in four months is a little unreasonable. The first will come off fast, but when you get within 15 to 20 pounds of goal, it will really slow down. I don't want to see you set yourself up for failure when you get into an inevitable stall or plateau. You didn't gain it in four months, and you won't lose it in that short of time.

Staying on induction for too long can be counter-productive. I know that from personal experience. I broke my first stall by getting mad and eating a bunch of veggies! I love my veggies, so I decided to eat them anyway, and low and behold I dropped four pounds that week.

There are several things to do about constipation. The first is to drink WAY more water. Atkins is a diuretic and when the body needs fluid for bodily processes, it takes it from the bowel.

Also, make sure you are eating enough fat--that really helps keep things moving.

The second thing you can do is take 1,000 mg of magnesium (oxide) at bedtime. It will help you sleep and will loosen your stool. I have been doing this almost from the beginning, but if I run out and don't take it for a few days, I get an unfriendly reminder from my digestive system. Most of the population is magnesium deficient. It is the most important mineral for muscle building and stabilizing blood sugar. Magnesium deficiency is a common reason that people crave chocolate.

You can also take a big dose of vitamin C all at one time (3 to 4 grams) and drink a lot of water, and that will work pretty quickly.

You can also take a stool softener, but not a laxative.

If you do take flax or psylium husks, be sure to drink extra water or it can cause an obstruction.

Sunny!

Thank you So much! this information is very helpful! i will get the magnesium.. there's not much more i can take of this! i'm drinking about 132 ounces or more a day! is this to much? I know i'm trying not to set myself up but i'm the type of person that seems to have blinders on when i want something and i'm very impatient... but i understand that it will take some time. I guess i just wanted someone to say ya you can do that in 2 months! LOL wishful thinking haha