question about foods in the induction phase

[tracee43]

I've thought I've been on the Atkins diet for about a week but was informed your not on atkins unless you follow it strictly...so basically I'm starting the diet today...staying strictly below 20 grams....my questions are...do you have to eat the food only mentioned in the induction phase..because I had been eating a small amount of cottage cheese and a small amount of nuts, which are not allowed but still staying low in carbs, some days below the 20 some days in between 20-30 but never going over 30. Can I stay below 20 with any foods and be successful? My next questions is, I see nothing in the induction sweet, is there anything I can eat to fufill my sweet tooth, and how do I get rid of my sweet tooth? One other question...if we are not putting carbs in out body and our body is having to use our fat, wouldn't eating low fat& low carb be the best? that way if we don't put much fat in our body if has to pull all from the stored fat? If we're eating high fat then our body will use the fat we're putting in and the stored won't get used as fast? I do plan on getting the book at my local library, I just thought someone could help me with these questions, and give me a little advice until then.

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by tracee43

basically I'm starting the diet today...

Starting now won't be the same as if you had started correctly last week. Not in terms of weight loss results. Plus, you might be in ketosis already.

staying strictly below 20 grams....

Eat as close to 20 as you can, without going over. Make sure most of your net carbs (more than 11 g) are coming from veggies.

do you have to eat the food only mentioned in the induction phase..

Yes.

I had been eating a small amount of cottage cheese

You can add it back in OWL Rung 2.

and a small amount of nuts

Add back in OWL Rung 3.

Can I stay below 20 with any foods and be successful?

I don't know how successful you will be (Induction is not only about weight loss!) if you just eat whatever you want. But Atkins Induction is 20 net carbs, with most of them coming from vegetables, and only foods that are on the Acceptable Foods List. Anything different is... something else.

My next questions is, I see nothing in the induction sweet, is there anything I can eat to fufill my sweet tooth,

Why would you keep the little jerk alive?

and how do I get rid of my sweet tooth?

Not by eating sweets!

if we are not putting carbs in out body and our body is having to use our fat, wouldn't eating low fat& low carb be the best? that way if we don't put much fat in our body if has to pull all from the stored fat? If we're eating high fat then our body will use the fat we're putting in and the stored won't get used as fast?

It wouldn't be Atkins, nor would it be better.

First, you need fat to get into ketosis. Ketone bodies are produced when the amount of acetyl-CoA resulting from the beta-oxidation of fatty acids is higher than the amount that is able to enter the Krebs cycle. It is the ratio of dietary fat to carbohydrates that plays the major role in switching to ketosis and staying there. This is why Induction is around 65% fat (of the total calories).

Second, no matter what your body fat percentage is, it is impossible to get the minimum healthy amount of fatty acids from fat cells alone. Furthermore, some fatty acids can only be made from dietary fat. They are all needed in prostaglandins production (for regulation of hormones, cell growth, blood pressure, fertility, immune system, nervous system, etc.), so you need dietary fat to stay healthy.

[tracee43]

thanks for the information, but one question, why won't starting now cause me to lose weight? Should I eat normal for awhile and then start? and about ketosis...I bought the strips and some days it registers that I am in ketosis and some days it does not...so if I am in ketosis what would you suggest at this point is the best way to go about getting started on the Atkins plan???

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by tracee43

why won't starting now cause me to lose weight?

That is not what I wrote. In the first week of Induction, one is losing a lot of water weight, part of which is water that was stored with glycogen. As the body is switching from glucosis to lipolysis/ketosis, it burns through its glycogen stores and water is released in the process. You probably lost this water weight already. So your "real" Induction weight loss will likely be smaller than it would have been if you had started Induction correctly a week ago.

Should I eat normal for awhile and then start?

Only if you want to gain weight.

Atkins is eating "normally"! Unless you consider it a diet, which Atkins isn't --- it's a WoE (Way of Eating) for life.

I bought the strips and some days it registers that I am in ketosis and some days it does not...

Ugh... you would have better used the money for something else, imo. The strips don't tell you if you are doing Atkins correctly. Nor do they tell you if are losing weight. Plus, you might be in ketosis and don't change the color. Peeing on them can be entertaining, but it is not reliable.

so if I am in ketosis what would you suggest at this point is the best way to go about getting started on the Atkins plan???

Drop the nuts and cottage cheese. Add veggies in their place. Eat your veggies, stick to the Acceptable Foods List, drink enough water, take your supplements.

Also, don't think of Atkins as a diet.

And read the book! You want "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution" (2002).

[Elsie150]

Good advice already given above.

Buy the book. The advice you recieve here will be based upon that book. Not the previous Atkins book. In the 2002 edition he tested and improved the methods for us to lose weight even more successfully than the just stay below 20 carb method. So it is important to eat only the foods on the induction list as it gives your body a chance to detox...and will help you curb the sweet tooth thing...and adjust to healthy eating.

If you are not following the 2002 edition..yes it may work for you but then it becomes the tracee43 diet not Atkins diet and then this board will not be able to help you because like I said before the advice given here is from the 2002 edition. Buy the book.

Don't bother with the sticks.