Feedback is a good thing

[des]

Hi all, I'm new around here. I've been on Atkins just for a few days now (this time around! lol) and thought it would be helpful to post some of my menu to see if it needs to be tweaked at all. So far I'm losing weight, but I want to be careful to do this right every day. Oh, I haven't added eggs to my diet quite yet because I can't eat them at all when I'm off Atkins. Causes upset stomach. So I'm waiting until maybe next week to start trying eggs again. Because I'm only a few days in, I find I'm still hungry a lot of the time (hence the snacks!), but I know that will lessen over time.

This was my menu yesterday:

breakfast
2 cups (aprox. measure before cooked) cooked bok choy - 2 carbs
2 chicken thighs - 0 carbs

lunch (salad)
lettuce & radish - .5 carbs
1/2 celery - .5 carbs
2 tbsp ranch dressing - 2 carbs
roast beef - 0 carbs

decaf coffee - 1 carb
cream - 1 carb
stevia - 1 carb

snack
3 pc bacon - 1 carb

dinner
3 cups bok choy & zucchini - 3 carbs
3 oz cheddar cheese - 2 carbs
roast beef - 0 carbs

snack
Protein shake - 2 carbs

Total: 16 carbs

[Elizellen]

Your food choices sound fine (and tasty) but for induciton you have exceeded the 3 cups of veggies by at least 2 I guess.

Now we all know no-one ever got fat eating too much bok choy (LOL) , but maybe step it down for induction then move straight to the first rung of OWL and add more veggies 'legally'

Make sure you check the ingredients of the shakes for non-induction additives like soy protein or whey protein, as they really dont get 'allowed' till the relevant rung/level of OWL.

Also using shakes might be giving you too much protein - Atkins is not a high protein woe but a high fat/medium protein/low carb one, so add fat to any protein shakes you choose.

[des]

Originally Posted by Elizellen

Your food choices sound fine (and tasty) but for induciton you have exceeded the 3 cups of veggies by at least 2 I guess.

Now we all know no-one ever got fat eating too much bok choy (LOL) , but maybe step it down for induction then move straight to the first rung of OWL and add more veggies 'legally'

Make sure you check the ingredients of the shakes for non-induction additives like soy protein or whey protein, as they really dont get 'allowed' till the relevant rung/level of OWL.

Also using shakes might be giving you too much protein - Atkins is not a high protein woe but a high fat/medium protein/low carb one, so add fat to any protein shakes you choose.

Thanks for the tips! I've read the book and been over the Atkins website many times, but some of what you've said is brand new to me.

I had no idea that you're supposed to limit your veggies to 3 cups per day. I thought it was more watching the carb count. Interesting. So I guess I should be eating slightly higher carb veggies, but in smaller doses?

Also, the Atkins shake has whey in it, so I'm surprised that whey is a no-no during induction. Other than that, yes the shake I've got is truly low carb and very similar to the Atkins shakes. Not that I plan to have the shakes too often. I consider that kind of thing as more of a "pretend cheat" when I'm having a craving, and later on I might use it as a quick lunch if I don't have time to make something. But that's about it.

As for adding fats/oils to my diet... I've never seemed to have any trouble finding ways to do that!

Thanks again!

[plsmachic]

Originally Posted by Elizellen

Your food choices sound fine (and tasty) but for induciton you have exceeded the 3 cups of veggies by at least 2 I guess.

Now we all know no-one ever got fat eating too much bok choy (LOL) , but maybe step it down for induction then move straight to the first rung of OWL and add more veggies 'legally'

Make sure you check the ingredients of the shakes for non-induction additives like soy protein or whey protein, as they really dont get 'allowed' till the relevant rung/level of OWL.

Also using shakes might be giving you too much protein - Atkins is not a high protein woe but a high fat/medium protein/low carb one, so add fat to any protein shakes you choose.

MY GOODNESS YOU HAVE AWESOME STATS!!!

[des]

Quick question too. I haven't seen any mention of brie cheese as to whether it's allowed during induction or not. I know it's very low carb, but it is also a very soft cheese. Any ideas?

[Elizellen]

Brie is fine as it is an 'aged' cheese.

But personally I had a hard time sticking to the 3-4 ounces limit with brie, as I could easily eat a large wedge of it and overdo the limit!! Make sure you measure it and maybe eat it as a garnish on salads etc instead of settling down to a chunk!!

[Elizellen]

Originally Posted by plsmachic

MY GOODNESS YOU HAVE AWESOME STATS!!!

Wny thank you kindly, Ma'am
You are not doing so bady yourself

[Elizellen]

Originally Posted by des

So I guess I should be eating slightly higher carb veggies, but in smaller doses?

yes, till you move into OWL,. where you can add 5 net carbs more. I stayed on the Vegetable rung/level for several 5 net carb additions, as I love my veggies!

Also, the Atkins shake has whey in it, so I'm surprised that whey is a no-no during induction.

The Atkins company seems to ignore the fact that many of their 'legal for induction' products contain ingredients that are NOT on the induction list of allowed foods which was written by Dr Atkins !! A cynic might say their job is to sell product
It is therefore our 'job' to make sure we stick to the rules as laid down in DANDR

4. Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks. Foods that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as chickpeas, kidney beans and other legumes, are not permitted at this time.
5. Eat nothing that is not on the acceptable foods list. And that means absolutely nothing! Your "just this one taste won't hurt" rationalization is the kiss of failure during this phase of Atkins.

The shakes (and bars) are better left till you reach the rung of OWL where ALL its ingredients are allowed to give your body the best chance of accomplishing your goal.

[des]

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for letting me know! I do want to be very strict on the first 14 days. I plan to do an extended induction, but may modify it a bit to allow an occasional shake or bar down the road. I do believe it's best to try and avoid the Atkins products whenever possible. They'r expensive and can slow down the weightloss process sometimes.

And yes, I sure know what you mean about brie! I decided not to have any during the first two weeks for that same reason. It's so hard to just have a little bit! But again, I may allow myself a bit later on down the road.

Thanks again! Great advice!

[des]

Got another question. I've got a medium artichoke in my fridge. I know that you can have a little bit of artichoke heart during induction, but what about the rest of it? I enjoy dipping the leaves in butter & garlic dip. You don't get much of the "meat" really in volume (I think you really get more butter, actually), but it's sure tasty! I realize I'll have to cut it into quarters and only eat one quarter/day to keep the carb count down. But I am trying to increase my higher carb veggies a bit and cut down on the low carb ones so I'm keeping within my three cup limit. Is artichoke too ambitious for phase one?