Fear of fat... AND... what the heck?

[Papa Deuce]

I only started on January 2nd, but I can tell you what will be the hardest part for me, and it won't be the actual carbs, per se. It will be my fear of fat intake. Almost everything I am eating except for veggies is causing me fear.

With 4 days done, I just don't feel good mentally when I eat beef, pork, eggs, cheese...... but I have had a heart attack from clogged arteries, so maybe you can understand my fears.... BTW, I just stocked up on fish today... catfish, tilapia.... And I bought a 10 pound bag of boneless, skinless chicken breasts at Costco, as well.

But here is something that has REALLY got me concerned.... I have been faithful to the plan AND have not eaten over 2500 calories in any of those 4 days - and usually almost 2000 - and I have GAINED 4 pounds!!!!!

What the heck is that about? My clothes do feel looser, though.

[tangotori]

Papa Deuce - don't be afraid of good-for-you-fats!
Eat your fish and cheese, use butter or olive oil to fry things, put a little butter on your vegies if you'd like, enjoy majo and cream cheese and don't fear non-low-fat dressings on your salads! I'm having an alfredo sauce over my chicken at dinner tonight... totally not allowed on a low-fat diet! Yummy!!

As for gaining over the last few days... why not share with us what you're eating? Tell us what a normal day looks like for you.

And - while calorie intake can be important if you're going overboard - don't worry too much about them right now! Your goal while on induction is simply to keep your carb intake below 20 grams. It that means that you eat "too many" calories, so be it. Chances are you won't, but don't worry if you do.

[Papa Deuce]

OK, I haven't started logging yet, but I will... I have Fitday on my PC.

OK, yesterday I had:

2 eggs for bereakast

pepper steak for lunch.... there was probably 8 ounces of steak and a quarter of a red pepper in it... I probably would not have chosen this on induction, but my wife made it for me, and she was trying to be a big help.

I had a 20 ounce iced coffee with splenda and cream

I accidentally forgot my dinner last night, so I called a Chinese restaurant and had them make me a BIG order - maybe 3 cups - of steamed broccoli. And I ordered egg drop soup, which I poured over the broccoli.

Later on, at 1AM, when I got home from work, I had 1/2 cup of tuna salad.

[SunnySmile501]

Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist for his entire career. He knew the low fat/no fat diet was wrong for heart patients. He knew that cholesterol is necessary and not a bad thing. He knew that trans fats were the bad fats and they are found in margarine and Crisco. He knew that triglycerides are what is bad for your heart, and carbohydrates are the only thing that raises triglycerides.

I had the same fears, but I am now healthier than I have been since I was in my 20's. My cholesterol is great, my good HDL off the charts. My triglycerides are at 57--super good. I also found out grain intolerance was responsible for my life-long asthma and all my abdominal problems (leaky-gut, diverticulitis). My resting heart rate is 50 and my blood so healthily thin, that at UVA they call me a gusher. I had an ultrasound on my carotid arteries and they are wide open.

I have been on Atkins since September 15, 2005, so if fat and eggs are bad for you, I would be showing signs of it by now. I'm as healthy as a horse.

Sunny!

[tangotori]

I'm sure others will pipe in...

I think this sounds okay.

Can you eat more for breaky? Two eggs for a man just doesn't sound like enough. Why not add some ham, bacon or sausage (check labels) to those eggs?

What's wrong with pepper steak for lunch? Sounds pretty good... unless there are some hidden carbs you're aware of? As your day turned out, you had a lot of your veggies at dinner... but if you can plan it, I would really recommend ensuring you have some veggies at lunch, too.

As long as you're counting the cream and splenda carbs, your iced coffee should be fine.

I read your post yesterday about your dinner predicament - I think that, given your Chinese food limitation, you did pretty well. Of course unless you know the exact ingredients, you'll never know how many carbs were in the Egg Drop Soup - could be okay, or it could have put you over the top. If at all possible (I know - it can be tough!) try and plan around work committments a little better. Do you have a lunch room? Put together a dinner you can keep in the freezer for an emergency

1am is a little late to be eating - but if you're hungry you gotta do it. Good safe choice with lots of good-for-you fats!

Keep sharing your menu if you have concerns... and stay on plan 'cause it's working!!

[Papa Deuce]

Originally Posted by tangotori

I'm sure others will pipe in...

I think this sounds okay.

Can you eat more for breaky? Two eggs for a man just doesn't sound like enough. Why not add some ham, bacon or sausage (check labels) to those eggs?

What's wrong with pepper steak for lunch? Sounds pretty good... unless there are some hidden carbs you're aware of? As your day turned out, you had a lot of your veggies at dinner... but if you can plan it, I would really recommend ensuring you have some veggies at lunch, too.

As long as you're counting the cream and splenda carbs, your iced coffee should be fine.

I read your post yesterday about your dinner predicament - I think that, given your Chinese food limitation, you did pretty well. Of course unless you know the exact ingredients, you'll never know how many carbs were in the Egg Drop Soup - could be okay, or it could have put you over the top. If at all possible (I know - it can be tough!) try and plan around work committments a little better. Do you have a lunch room? Put together a dinner you can keep in the freezer for an emergency

1am is a little late to be eating - but if you're hungry you gotta do it. Good safe choice with lots of good-for-you fats!

Keep sharing your menu if you have concerns... and stay on plan 'cause it's working!!

She had added some onions..... realistically, I bet I had about 2 TBS of onions.

I get home at 1 AM, but don't go to bed until 3:30 - 4 AM....... so I need something as I am diabetic.

[tangotori]

Originally Posted by Papa Deuce

She had added some onions..... realitically, I bet I had about 2 TBS of onions.

Af far as I'm concerned, onions are okay if limited. I use them in my cooking from time to time. In fact, there'll be a few slices in my alfredo sauce this evening. Don't eat them every day - on occasion I think you're just fine.

As for being diabetic - you're the person most familiar with your body. You gotta eat when you gotta eat

Do you find your schedule presents challenges for staying on plan?

[Papa Deuce]

Originally Posted by tangotori

Af far as I'm concerned, onions are okay if limited. I use them in my cooking from time to time. In fact, there'll be a few slices in my alfredo sauce this evening. Don't eat them every day - on occasion I think you're just fine.

As for being diabetic - you're the person most familiar with your body. You gotta eat when you gotta eat

Do you find your schedule presents challenges for staying on plan?

Vickie, ( if I may )..... my schedule, unfortunately is that I have no schedule. My life is an absolute mess that way.

Today I had protien shake for breakfast with 1TBS of peanut butter and half a splenda.

Lunch was a big burger with blue cheese.

Dinner tonight will be a big salad with tuna on top.

I am drinking a big coffee with cream and splenda now.

I don't know what it will be, but I will have a snack at midnight, when I get home.

[not2late]

I understand your fear. Almost everyone in my family died of stroke, heart attack or complications from diabetes.

I also understand your fear of eating fat and natural foods---I was a low fat vegetarian for many years and never lost a pound, but managed to gain 40-50 pounds on that "healthy diet."

You should never be afraid of unrefined, minimally processed, whole foods like meat, natural fats and oils, and other whole foods. You should be more afraid of the artificial "foods", like the artificial sweeteners, the synthetic fats, and even protein powders which are typically highly processed.

On Atkins, you only eat the amount of food you need to eat. If 8 ounces of beef satisfies your hunger, then that's what you eat. If 1 hard-boiled egg satisfies your hugner, than that's what you eat.

Dr. Atkins wrote that counting calories was not important on his diet. That's because ketosis/lypolysis is a natural appetite suppressant and he wanted us to use that to relearn our natural hunger cues. Did you know that newborn babies will only drink the amount of formula or milk they need for their energy requirements? Some of us lose that ability to only eat what we need to eat because the well-meaning adults in our lives taught us to eat more than what we need.

I NEVER counted calories during my Atkins. I thought counting carbs was a hassle and counting carbs AND calories would have put me off this diet. Instead, I followed my hunger and relearned those natural cues. I found that somedays I ate more than others (particularly if I was more active.)

So give these 2 weeks your best effort. Don't cheat on the diet, because you are only cheating yourself.


PS: peanut butter isn't allowed during Induction.

[Chef Kevin]

I am also a diabetic, I often times go more than 6 hours without eating. I have my sugar pegged at 110 all the time now. Almost no fluctuations at all.

Some days I eat next to nothing. I just don't get hungry. And other days, I am a total pig. But I am losing all the time and my sugar is stable. My blood tests are all really good now. I eat a ton of fat. Skinnless chicken? not often. Steaks? I like ribeyes for extra fat. I live for bacon and eggs. I also eat broccoli like a fiend. Supposedly it is good for us diabetics.

As for the heart issue. You realize that very little of your body's cholesterol comes from food? Most of it is from the liver. So, you need to train your brain to think of it that way. 75-80% is made right inside you. Re-read the section in the book where he talked about the history of heart disease. It doesn't exist outside of westernized countries that eat refined carbs and sugars. Remeber, they fatten cattle by feeding them carbs, not fat.

Plus, when you have little insulin bouncing around in your blood, your body doesn't process the dietary fat. It is never touched by your body. In the book, Dr. Atkins talks about how in ketosis your body is utilizing it's own fat stores. You would have to over eat protein by a bunch to have it converted into glucose and cause an insulin spike. So, I guess what I am saying is, don't freak out. It'll all be ok.

Diabetics like us usually have major issues with getting started on this WOE. Once we get started, our bodies tend to start working more like regular folk's. The cool thing about it is many times we require less and less medications. Now that is a party! I still take metforin 2x a day, 1000mg each, but hopefully that will come down in a week or two when I go back in.

But if you ate a protein shake, that is low fat, tuna will be low fat, check out the peanut butter for sugar. Looks to me like you need more fat all around. I avoid shakes and fake food bars totally. I also avoid sugar alcohols because they mess me up. Many people have reported on here that protein shakes stall their loss. It is usually a large amount of protein and it could affect your insulin by being converted into glucose.

Just my 2 cents worth.
Best wishes!
Kev