Blood Work.

[SpookCity_USA]

I am 17 and had blood work taken today. I've had it done before, but not since I was overweight. Now that I am at my goal, my ob-gyn is worried because I haven't gotten my period in about 6 months.
Anyways, what was interesting is that she feels I need to see a nutritionalist. She is worried that I don't have enough estrogyn and I'm not getting enough calcium. I eat SO much more healthy now than I use to. I hardly ever ate veggies before starting Atkins. I was truely a carb junkie. Eating cake, cookies, binging day and night and starving myself when I felt I had, "control." It was ups and downs that lasted for years.
Since starting Atkins I've ended all that, and now they are worried? I don't get it, it seems as if everyone is against low-carbing. Everyone who hasn't researched it feels as if it isn't healthy.
When getting the blood work done, it took them 6 times to find my veins. I always thought I had big veins in my arms and now they say they are extremely narrow. I found that strange, it sort of scared me but they said it was nothing to worry about.
After taking the blood, I immediately felt as if I was about to faint. I told the nurse and she gives me apple juice. At the time I felt so woozey, I didn't care and I drank a few sips. Of course the second I felt fine, I also felt guilty for drinking some. This is the first taste of something truely sugary I've had in 5 months or so. The juice box said, "21 grams of Sugar." Ick.
It's ridiculous to think this way, but now I don't know what to do. I planned on eating a nice almound crusted salmon filet for dinner and maybe a caesar salad, but now since I've already had sugar today, am I totally out of Ketosis? I don't know what would be best to eat today. I feel as if I've ruined my entire day. I know it's crazy, but that's just my obsessive personality.
If this happens again, or I ever happen to give into sugar or let myself cheat one day, what is the best way to go about it? Do I just watch my calories that day, or do I bother eating low-carb (as usual) if I'm just going to be eating cake/cookies/cheat foods on top of THAT?

[yemenitegreen]

Rebecca,

I understand you feel yucky about that apple juice drink. But your obgyn is right, a girl your age shouldn't fall out of her period and you really should have enough estrogenes. It is absolutely in her range of duty to worry about your hormonal system and she wouldn't be doing her job properly if she didn't. People you age have special dietary needs. Of course you should try to find a nutrionalist who is pro Atkins or similar low carb plans.

And since you are maintaining, you shouldn't be in ketosis. You should be eating a fairly good amont of carbs by now. What *are* you eating? Post a menu, pls.

yemenitegreen

[slimndown]

Sweetie, you SHOULD be out of ketosis. You are already TOO skinny. A woman's body tells her she's too skinny by stopping the monthly cycles. It does the same thing when she gets WAY too fat! You really need to find your balance on carbs and quick!!!! You are still losing wieght when you should be maintaining. It is possible for the body to go into an anorexic mode if you still keep yourself at 20g carbs/day. Women need 17% body fat to function on a healthy level. It is essential you start adding some carbs back ASAP. Shoot for 40gs or so and get yourself back up to a weight where your body will function. It might be at 120, 125 or 130. Add in healthy carbs/starches like sweet potato or something like that. You don't have to start eating the junk again, but the natural starches and fruits should be just fine for your body to handle at this point. That's all a dietician is going to tell you - outside of having 20 servings of bread and pasta. Even those can be healthy if they are whole grain.

[not2late]

Out of curiosity what's your height and what's your CCLL?

[addyosu]

I know I am slightly older than you, but I have skipped my period for month or so at a time, but never 6 months straight. You really do have an obessive personality if one sip of apple juice makes you feel like you've ruined your entire day... especially with as long as you've been going. You look great by the way! You should have been relieved that it made you feel better and then get on with your day... life is not meant to be be tracked by every crash and burn, but rather each step and success. Keep up the good work and listen to your obgyn.

[SpookCity_USA]

Thanks everyone! I'm glad that you all are very realistic with your responces.
That's what I needed to hear!
Also, I do eat more than 20 carbs a day. I eat vegetables more than anything else, and I'm sure that my daily carb count is usually between 30 to 35 grams.
I'll have to start a daily food journal and make sure I'm getting everything I need each day.
Thanks again!

[addyosu]

How long have you been on induction? I am just curious for myself. I want to know how long I should expect before I reach my goal. Also, what kind of workouts do you partake in?

[ttdriver]

Originally Posted by addyosu

How long have you been on induction? I am just curious for myself. I want to know how long I should expect before I reach my goal. Also, what kind of workouts do you partake in?

I'm 5'3 and my SW was 133. I got to 105 within 11 months. I stayed on induction about a month .. then worked my way through the phases. I've been maintaining easily since 2002 and now weigh 97. I exercise rigorously...running 35 miles a week, and doing resistance training on the exercise ball.

Hope that helps!

Betty

[Elizellen]

Rebecca, I understand how it made you feel to have to have to drink apple juice if you have been on induction with a few extra veggies all the way to goal.

You have done fantastically reaching goal and below.

But as others have suggested, you do need to start climbing the OWL ladder to see how the different foods affect you.

If you had done this on the way to goal you would have learned how your body copes with a few sips of fruit juice and it would not have worried you enough to write these words

If this happens again, or I ever happen to give into sugar or let myself cheat one day, what is the best way to go about it? Do I just watch my calories that day, or do I bother eating low-carb (as usual) if I'm just going to be eating cake/cookies/cheat foods on top of THAT

We all have to learn that there is life (and a higher carb than induction woe) after induction!! And if we inadvertently eat something with sugar in or even decide to 'cheat' with a cookie or other highcarb food then all we do is carry on eating our normal low carb meals planned for whatever phase of Atkins we are on.

Just as an 14-day inductee has to realise that one offplan meal or snack doesnt mean they should give up and 'not bother' nor does it mean starting all over again, so those of us at (or near goal) need to learn how stay on plan regardless!!

[Analog6]

Rebecca, regards the calcium, the dark green veggies and fish such as salmon whichwe eat with the boines are very good sources of calcium. This is detailed in Dr A's Atkins for Life book, and I'm sure in is DANDR somewhere (I'm waiting for a new copy). Your weight seems Ok but we do need to know how tall you are. For periods to stop, your BMI must be very low.

Perhaps you could introduce some nuts and get some sources of fats that way - cashews and macadamias are good.