Confused!

[pommychic]

Hi!

I am on induction coming to the end of Day 4.

I have previously done the Atkins diet a few years ago. I read the book from cover to cover but now I have come to do the diet again after so many years, I cannot find it! Its not all completely strange to me but I have a few questions.

1. I have been on the Atkins.com website and I dont understand how come the main protein items are limited? When I did the diet years ago, you could eat unlimited amounts of cheese and eggs.

2. Why are some posts on here saying not to follow some of the recipes on that website? Is there a new version? What is the difference?

3. Induction is all about limiting your carb intake to 20 grammes a day. So you are allowed foods that are not on the list for induction as long as you keep your carbs at 20 grammes for the day, arent you?

4. I live in New Zealand so I am not able to get access to certain things. The atkins range of products is not available over here and I have no idea how to get hold of ketostix (without paying a fortune!). How can you tell if you are in ketosis?

5. I was browsing on this (fantastic) message board last night and stumbled across a post from a lady who had a link to a nutrition food list. It was a sheet of foods that had the net carbs on it and also what stage you are allowed it. i.e induction., OWL etc. I have come to work and tried to find it to print it off, and I cant find it!! Can someone please dig it out for me!!

Thanks in advance for reading this post and any comments are most appreciated.

Thanks Andrea

[mizski]

Hi Andrea. ADBB goes by Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution book (DANDR), 2002 edition.

Originally Posted by pommychic

1. I have been on the Atkins.com website and I dont understand how come the main protein items are limited? When I did the diet years ago, you could eat unlimited amounts of cheese and eggs.

2. Why are some posts on here saying not to follow some of the recipes on that website? Is there a new version? What is the difference?

The Atkins dot com site is a commercial site focusing on selling their products rather than promoting healthy eating and WOL like Dr. Atkins did which is why this site goes by Dr. Atkins words.

3. Induction is all about limiting your carb intake to 20 grammes a day. So you are allowed foods that are not on the list for induction as long as you keep your carbs at 20 grammes for the day, arent you?

NO. On Induction, you are only allowed foods that are listed for Induction (What foods can be eaten on Induction?). The book goes into a lot of detail on why it is necessary to do a clean Induction. After 14 days other foods are added back in during OWL.

4. I live in New Zealand so I am not able to get access to certain things. The atkins range of products is not available over here and I have no idea how to get hold of ketostix (without paying a fortune!). How can you tell if you are in ketosis?

The products advertised on the atkins dot com website are not recommended by Dr. Atkins and especially not during Induction. The focus is on healthy, real foods (veggies, meats, fish, poultry, eggs, etc.) which are available internationally. Many people never use the ketostix. Signs of ketosis are diminished appetite and some notice a change in the way their breath and/or urine smells.

5. I was browsing on this (fantastic) message board last night and stumbled across a post from a lady who had a link to a nutrition food list. It was a sheet of foods that had the net carbs on it and also what stage you are allowed it. i.e induction., OWL etc. I have come to work and tried to find it to print it off, and I cant find it!! Can someone please dig it out for me!!

Perhaps it is this Carb Counter? And here is the original thread (Nutritional Spreadsheet).

If you can't find your book, I would suggest you pick up another copy. In the meantime, the Induction FAQs (Atkins Diet Induction FAQs) can get you started. Welcome to ADBB and I wish you success on Atkins.

[chinadoll]

Mizski did a great job of summing things up. Dr. A modified the diet in the 2002 version to be healthier and to account for some things that tend to stall people (like the amount of cheese and sweeteners). The 2002 version is the one used here. Ketostix--you don't need them. You are in ketosis if your urine and breath smell differently than usual and for some the urine has a slightly greener cast to it. Also your cravings drop and often people get an energy surge.

[Sus25]

I am with you! I was on Atkins back in 2000 and I remembered too that you could eat unlimited amounts of those items!!!!

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by Sus25

I am with you! I was on Atkins back in 2000 and I remembered too that you could eat unlimited amounts of those items!!!!

In the 1992 plan, which is the one I believe you were following back in 2000, cheese, meat and eggs were unlimited. In the 2002 plan, there is still no limit on meat and eggs, but Dr. Atkins introduced a limit of 3-4 oz on cheese. My guess is that some people overate cheese and stopped losing or even gained weight. I've seen people eating 4 oz of cheese in a sitting, but 6 boiled eggs... not really; 6 boiled eggs have about the same number of calories as 4 oz of cheese.

Dr. Atkins probably assumed before publishing DANDR 2002 that high fat and high protein foods are self-limiting. Dr. Atkins probably also assumed that we will all show common sense and will realize that stuffing ourselves is not part of a healthy way of eating. Yet, I have seen Atkineers eating a whole tray of deli meat and cheese at parties, for a "snack".

The changes from the 1992 to the 2002 edition came from Dr. Atkins' practical experience with his patients. He realized that some of us have big portion control issues, and common sense or the supposedly self-limiting property of protein and fat will not save everyone from overeating. This is why in DANDR 2002 the issue of calories is discussed in several places and we are told that Atkins is not a license to gorge. We eat when hungry or when 6 hours have passed since our last meal, and we stop eating when satisfied, not stuffed. This not only allows us to lose weight, the healthy way, at our maximum potential, but it also teaches us how to stay in control in the upper rungs of OWL, Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance, when the appetite suppression effect of ketosis will no longer be there.

[Katnz]

Hi Andrea

As a fellow kiwi I can tell you that if you do want to get the ketostix most Chemists sell them. You need to ask though as they are kept behind the pharmacy counter. They cost around $16 so not too expensive.

[JimH]

My local drug store (CVS in Washington DC) sells ketostix (their brand) at 200 stix for $14 (you have to buy the two-pack).