Desperately seeking mentor during phase 1...

[Stargirl]

Hi folks!

It is me - again. I screwed it up today. I will not go to much into the details. Actually there was no pizza, ice cream or something like this, "just" a huge vegetarian dish with brown rice and vegetables. Homemade bananacake and some more stuff like this. In one way quite healthy (that is was everybody is telling us, isn't it?!), but definatly not Atkins, especially in the introduction phase... I was very frustratet about this, but in the evening I trained martial arts and it helped me getting out all my agressions and finally coming over it. I decided to start over, I am really determind to give it one more try.

I have bought an american measuring cup (yes!) and with all the information I got of some of you yesterday I will make it! I have bought new vitamins, as the other one was liquid and I have no information about what the liquid is or if it contains sugar.

It is just... I find it extremly hard to be in the first phase. Not for the cravings after junk food, as I had none, but for the not digesting, the headache, the weakness and of course all eggs and meats. If you want to know more read my first tread...

But after all it is just 14 days and if you make it, I can. Anyhow I would be very greatful if someone out there, someone of you guys with experience, could take me by the hand and help me. As we do have a different timezone it could work like this: In the evening I will write down the food I am planing to have the next day. When I go to sleep you still have daytime and you will be able to give some comments. When I wake up, I will start my day by reading them and I am sure it will give me a lot of support.

Is there anybody who wants to help me getting through this, please?!

This is what I am planning for tomorrow:

- Omlett with two eggs and 1/2 cup of shrimps plus some fresh herbs. Of course fried in butter... 1 tsp flaxseed.
- 2 cups of Ruccola with one chicken breast fried in butter. 1 tsp olivoil on the Ruccola and 1/2 avocado with it.
- 1 pc of red meat with 1 cup of Broccoli, some butter on the veg. May I have some onions (a small one, about 1 tbsp) to the meat?
- 3 l water

May I have chewing gum with Xylit (Wrigleys)?

Thank you so far. It is great to be on this board!
Stargirl

[sillygirl]

Blue rules! Everything you said in blue, just do it! Seriously, please come to the board if you feel yourself starting to falter. There will be many people there to support you through it. And you know what, you can do this!

[sillygirl]

And PS: You might want to start yourself a journal in the Journal Chats. That's a terrific place for daily support!

[ValidRouge]

Hi Stargirl, welcome to ADBB. I think your menu for tomorrow looks really good. It appears that you've got a pretty good grasp of the rules of induction and how to plan a menu.

Yes, the induction phase can be kind of restrictive. But it is only for the first two weeks. You can do anything for two weeks, right? I'll bet if I swore to you that you could lose a good amount of weight doing the cabbage soup diet for two weeks, you could do it, couldn't you? It's a good thing that on Atkins we have WAYYYYY more variety that is allowed LOL

Get creative. Focuse on what you CAN have as opposed to what you CANNOT have. Check out Linda's Low carb site for induction friendly menus and recipes. Make your foods tastey through the use of REAL butter, cream, cheeses and herbs and spices. If all of your senses are satisfied, taste and smell and the dishes are pleasing to the eye as well, then you'll be far more successful. Also, it is pretty hard to feel sorry for yourself when you are eating a big juicy steak and a nice veggie with real butter, or maybe lobster or shrimp with real butter and lemon and blue cheese on a salad. Yummy....and compare that to the rest of your family eating their Chef Boy R Dee out of a can...can we say eeeewwwwww??

So, put things into perspective. Get creative in the kitchen...put on your GOURMET chef hat and eat decadently. It's just impossible to feel deprived when you're eating like a Queen, ya know?

Then, after the first two weeks, go ahead and move into the Ongoing WEIGHT LOSS phase. Notice...WEIGHT LOSS. LOSS. Ongoing. Weight. Loss. This is so important and why people just can't see that we CONTINUE to LOSE WEIGHT on the OWL phases while adding foods back in. The Atkins diet is not induction. It is the four phase weight loss and maintenance program. Induction is just the first two weeks. We then get to make a custom Atkins plan for ourselves by adding foods back to our diets one at a time and watching for intolerance or food allergy. This way we continue to lose weight, we learn what foods we can and cannot eat. It's a big adventure. Get excited about it.

Okay, I've rambled a bit. Let me go find the link to Linda's site with the sample induction recipes/menus.

[ValidRouge]

Here's the site

http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/index.html

Here's a direct link into the induction friendly menus
http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/inducti...ion_menus.html

[Stargirl]

Originally Posted by ValidRouge

Here's the site

http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/index.html

Here's a direct link into the induction friendly menus
http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/inducti...ion_menus.html

Thank you so much Joy! Lovely name by the way.

I've already printed out some of Linda's menus - how wonderful to be able to have this tasty food on a DIET... Wasn't aware about it.

How is it though with my chewing gum? It is Sorbitol, Xylit and Aspartame in it. Yes or no, what would you suggest?


Stargirl

[Stargirl]

Originally Posted by sillygirl

And PS: You might want to start yourself a journal in the Journal Chats. That's a terrific place for daily support!

Where do I find them?

[Alexa]

Hi Stargirl,

Glad to see you have some menus and a US cup measure People will be more than happy to look over your menus - there is a thread for this: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...splay.php?f=50

The place to start a chats journal is here: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...splay.php?f=31 This is where you can post what you like and other people can come in and help you out/socialise. And/or you can have a stats journal - where only you post and it tend to be more number focused. That link is here: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...splay.php?f=94

As for the chewing gum, strictly it is not on the induction list, therefore not allowed. Some people, myself included, did continue to use it (but sparingly). I ensure it is sugar free, which most are.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

[sallyseachange]

Don't fret over your fall from the wagon... just look to the future and get back on track... which it seems you are doing already. That's great! Remember how cheating made you feel afterwards and the memory will probably help you avoid similar slips in the future. Good for you for getting prepared with an american measuring cup and supplements!

Not sure about the chewing gum... never seen that kind here and not sure what xylit is... but I'd tend to be suspicious. Oh, and aspartame should be avoided. The rule of thumb is to look at the ingredients... if they are not legal for whatever part of the diet you're on, then back away.
I won't say anymore as everyone's given you terrific advice already, except: Hang in there... you can do this, and we're behind you all the way!

[Stargirl]

Originally Posted by Baarb

Hi Stargirl,

Glad to see you have some menus and a US cup measure People will be more than happy to look over your menus - there is a thread for this: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...splay.php?f=50

The place to start a chats journal is here: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...splay.php?f=31 This is where you can post what you like and other people can come in and help you out/socialise. And/or you can have a stats journal - where only you post and it tend to be more number focused. That link is here: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...splay.php?f=94

As for the chewing gum, strictly it is not on the induction list, therefore not allowed. Some people, myself included, did continue to use it (but sparingly). I ensure it is sugar free, which most are.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Thank you for all the links - I will definitely start using them tonight, as I am working now...

I can't find the right words for describing how good it feels to have all of you on my side, dealing with the same topic and knowing what you are talking about.

Atkins usually gets so much negative press, but I refuse believing it as I know the media is trying to influence us no matter if it is true or not. I have always been a free-minded woman and I want to test it myself to see if it will work for me. But hey, how much fun is it to struggle on your own?

Stargirl