ATKINS ADVICE FOR NEW YEAR'S NEWBIES

[MarinWallace]

OK... Someone asked me to write a post about Atkins targeted towards the new folks who might show up after the first.

BEFORE YOU START
1. Buy the Book.
2. Read the Book. Yes, the whole book. Don't start until you do.
3. Print out a copy of the acceptable foods list. Write it out if you don't have a printer. Carry it with you all the time. Don't come to the board and ask "is this OK?" unless it's on the list- we cannot change the rules and most of us will not even try to assuage your guilt. If it's not on the list, don't eat it. There is ONE misprint on the list in some versions- Spinach should be on the same part of the list as lettuce- not with onions.
4. Decide that you will NOT cheat, come **** or high water, until you've been on for sixty days. Don't give yourself the option. Giving myself the option to cheat has been a major problem. Stop saying, "I can't live without coffee" or "I could never stay on this eating plan for three weeks!" because you could do either. What if you crashed onto a desert island and the only food was cows and leaves and the only drink was water? That's kind of what's happened- and you could happily live on that and you can delightedly live on the acceptable foods list.
5. Before you start, decide what exercise you'll be doing and it should be at least 20 minutes, 3 times a week. You must exercise. If you think you're too heavy for exercise, you're wrong. Try a Walk Away the Pounds video- or just walking in general-- or just waving your arms around. Get your heart rate up- it feels good, it increases your metabolism, and it will accelerate your success.
6. It's the night before The Big Day- the day you've decided to start- so what do you do? you do two things- you clean out all the food you are choosing not to have on Atkins (everything that's not on The List) AND you're going to make sure that you ahve enough food to eat (all things that are ON The List) for at least four days. This way you don't have to surf the temptations at the grocery stores like candy at the checkout! If you cannot toss out all of the food you aren't eating anymore, at least segregate it from your food- put it a certain cabinet or on a certain shelf that way you can more easily get to just the stuff you want.
7. Make sure you have a good multivitamin (Dr. A tells you what he thinks should be in it)
8. Figure out how you're going to get in about 100 oz. of water a day.
9. If you don't pack your lunch (and I find it's easier to do so) have a concrete plan for what you're eating tomorrow. It's easier to eat what you've packed than face the gauntlet at the SuperSize Shack.
10. Because sometimes you will lose inches, not pounds, measure yourself. I find that FitDay is the best place to do this b/c they keep the list digitally AND they give you instructions about exactly where to measure.

[MarinWallace]

1. Cravings. Mad cravings. I craved things I'd not had for decades. The good news is you can get through them.

2. The urge to weigh yourself. OK- people have had these amazing results and you're ready to see yours--- off to the scale every ten minutes to see the wonder, right? NO. Only weigh yourself once a week- wearing the same thing, on the same scale.

3. You might also think that the amazing losses you had in Induction will continue. This might be true for some but I, sadly, was not one of them. It will most likely slow dramatically. That's OK- your body prefers to lose slower and it gives you more time to adjust.

4. You might wake up and pee a lot. This is a good thing- for me, that's when I lose my water weight. It's just a pain.

[MarinWallace]

If you have a lot to lose, at first you probably won't "see" how much you've lost. Think about taking a cup of water from a glass vs. taking a cup of water from a bucket- it takes more loss to make more profound changes.

Buy a new outfit every 15 pounds. Your old clothes don't fit right and don't flatter you- they still make you look fatter than you now are. So if you're like me, you can't afford an instant new wardrobe every few months, but one good outfit reminds you of how far you've come and how good you are starting to look.

Seriously: measure yourself once a week. Only weigh yourself once a week. If you weigh yourself more you WILL get frustrated. Your body changes more than you think- I found that even an epsom salts bath impacts my weight (I think I retain water from all the salt absorbed).

If you're like me, you'll find this way of eating more managable than others you've tried, but I have yet to find a day when I'd not love to grab some M and Ms and wash 'em down with a YooHoo. I'm a junkie. An addict. But looking at my loss and looking at myself in new skinnier clothes help me walk by the Qwik E Mart and go fill my water glass. Some people lose their cravings and I envy them. But know this, willpower is like any other "muscle"- the more you use it the stronger you get. Choose yourself and your success.

If you fall off the wagon, get RIGHT BACK ON. Don't wait for Monday. Don't wait for tomorrow. Do NOT wait for New Year's day. When you realize what you've done, even if while you're chewing, fix it and move on in an Atkins happy way. Spit it out. Step away from the table. Don't drive past Donut Palace when you're about to have your time of the month.

If you need a crutch, the low carb frankenfoods can be useful. They don't mess with everyone's body chemistry and cause them to quit losing. I use the ice cream bars for a chocolate taste or to negotiate a deal with myself to go to the gym. But I quit eating them every day and use them as a treat. They help me keep on track.

Don't be surprised if you feel kind of weird. I feel great having lost a good amount of weight (getting close to 50 gone) but when you have more energy, less stress, and feel better about you, the way you engage the world changes- and the way they engage back also changes. It's surreal how people treat you better when you're thinner- especially the opposite sex. It's fun, but also kind of scary.

Since my former hobby of eating is not what it used to be, I've had to find other hobbies. Be prepared to find ways to use your "extra" time you used to spend snacking and going on donut runs.

Learn to say thanks when people compliment you on how much better you're looking.

Take a picture of yourself at least every 25 pounds- if you have the body image perception problem I do, you'll never believe that you used to look that way.

Exercise. Get on cardio equipment for at least 20 minutes 3 times a week (and go at a low to moderate intensity). Do at least one upper body and one lower body strength training workout a week that is HARD- if you're not doing 60 percent of the maximum you can lift, you're not helping yourself much. Just do it, y'all- exercise accelerates all the wonderful Atkins stuff like weight loss and lowering blood sugar.

Don't use food as a reward. Ever.

Weird thing: your feet might shrink.

Go to your doc before you start and tell 'em that you're going to start Atkins and exercise and you'd like a physical before you start- make sure you are OK to exercise. If your doctor does not like Atkins- find a new doctor.

Be prepared for people resisting you being on Atkins- they think it's extreme or unreasonable- this from the same folks who didn't even encourage you to slow down on the Krispy Kreme diet. Tell them that you believe it will help you and why. Tell them you appreciate their concern but you've now spoken to your doctor and gotten the go ahead. Once you start losign and feelign better, they will get onboard!

Use "I choose not to eat that" instead of "I can't eat that" when talking about food. It's much more powerful language- and true. You can eat whatever you wish at any time. The grocery is open 24/7 and we have yummy all-night restaurants. I choose to eat better for myself and my health. It's my CHOICE- not some unfortate circumstance I find myself in.

Enjoy your success. Be excited- share your joy with those who love you. I have my total loss posted on my computer.

Don't be surprised if you obsess a bit about your weight loss- it's a lot of what I like to talk about now. This board is a good outlet- I feel like I'm boring the rest of the world pretty quickly

Tell people you are on Atkins. I like the positive peer pressure it creates. Then, when I am reaching for the thing I should not have, I realize I'll have to eat it in front of people who know I'm cheating.

Read the book. READ the book. READ the BOOK. READ THE BOOK.

[mwr1ght2002]

:yes Thank You Marin, your post is GREAT!!!!!

I had my first episode of friends being resistant to my new WOE/WOL, today. I went to lunch with my friend and the rest of her bridal party. I am the only one Lo Carbing. They criticized EVERYTHING about what I was ordering, even my Water!! I firmly told them. "This is my WOE/WOL I am happy with it. If you are interested in the facts I will buy each of you the BOOK." I tried to explain the concept of why Atkins has worked for me. Only one of my friends were truely interested enough to listen. BUT they stopped insulted my food choices.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

[IrishIrish]

Great post !!!!


Oh, and did we mention ... read the book!!! DANDR, 2002!!!!

[Desertthorn]

Thanks Marin, great aricle.

[MarinWallace]

Originally Posted by Lynne

Thanks Marin, great aricle.

You're so very welcome

[Purple Hugs]

:wave Marin, Thank you!! :hug

I am off to the fridge and cupboards to see if I really need to wait till the 2nd...
Only thing is can't grocery shop till my money arrives in a couple of days.. but you never know... might have enough in there just now..

I love your inspirational advice.
Thanks again!

[mama]

Originally Posted by MarinWallace

Weird thing: your feet might shrink.

Great advice, and I really hope my feet do shrink, They go up in size, they went up 1/2 size with each of my last two pregnancies, and with my recent weight gain, hardly any of my shoes fit and I am at an almost additional 1/2 size.

:joy

[Roxiebarr]

You are wonderful!

I too use the phraseology of "I chose to eat like this" and "I chose not to eat this"......it's much more empowering that "I can't"!

I had done extremely well eating "According to Atkins"....and am pleased that I've chosen to return.

Frankly, what's the sense in losing a lot of weight (I'd lost approximately 100 pounds around 3 years ago) to gain it back?

I know I'm an emotional eater - I may begin hollering into pillows instead of eating for whatever the reasons are that I do it. In my entire life, I've always gained weight during stressful times - fact is, life is not a bowl of cherries and I have to learn behavior that helps me avoid those pitfalls!

Thanks again for what you wrote! It really is so helpful to read all of the wonderful posts and know I have a place to turn for guidance and support!

Rachel :joy