Happy on Atkins!

[Lunita]

Hello everybody!

I'm new to Atkins. I already read the book and started induction on July 28th (it's been over a week now). So far, there are only two things that I miss quite a lot: Diet Pepsi and pineapple. I've always been a little bit constipated and eating pineapple every day helped me keep things moving. Now, I'm taking 4 to 6 capsules of Metamucil a day.

Besides shedding some pounds, I hope to improve my lipid profile. I had blood work done the day before I went on Atkins. I plan to go through all four phases of Atkins and have my blood tests repeated once I get close to my goal weight (I'll post the "before" and "after" results when that time comes).

Right now, I just have one question about induction. The book says that I can have two to three cups of salad vegetables per day, but I also found a list of acceptable foods for induction (in what looks like the official Atkins diet website):

Atkins

which mentions that "You should be eating approximately 12 to 15 net carbs a day from vegetables, which is equivalent to several cups depending on the Net Carb count of vegetable used."

Which one is correct?

Thanks!!!

[Lyssie]

The book is the one we follow around here.

Umm.. to help out, if you eat a veggie high in fiber (like jicama), you may not need to keep taking the metamucil. Your veggies should be helping out in that department... If that doesn't help, there are a lot of things you can make with flax (I don't remember if it's induction legal or not?).

[Chicklady]

Hi Broccoli is my "helper" If you eat more than just lettuce, you'll have no trouble getting 12-15 gm of veggies.

[Rick]

To answer your question about which reference to use in getting in your carbs from veggies, well both DANDR 2002 and that site say that you should be getting around 12-15 of your carbs per day from veggies, and that they should be spread throughout the day. In DANDR, pg 89, it also mentions that you should spread your carbs throughout the day, and that's important. Not saying that you would, but if you do, you could still get a carb spike which would effect your blood sugars.

In my case, I use a carby veggie (dehydrated zucchini) as one of my snacks of choice. It helps when you sometimes have problems getting all of your carbs in, and it's also a nice break from cheeses and eggs that a lot of people use for snacks. Just an idea, and everyone here does something a little different I expect.

Best of luck to you on your Atkins journey. And GOOD FOR YOU!!! You read the book!!!

Rick

[Lunita]

Thank you guys! I really appreciate your responses and any pointers you can give me on how to be successful on this diet

[Trisha001]

I know I am about 7 inches taller than you, but if I weigh 125 I would be frickin happy!!!!!
Just my thoughts..
Good luck to you though!
T~

[Lunita]

Trisha, if I were 7 inches taller I would also be happy with my starting weight of 125 lb, but I have a very small frame even for someone my height. However, losing weight is not the main reason why I decided to go on the Atkins diet. My main concern is actually to improve my lipid profile. My grandparents and my 40-year old uncle (on my dad's side of the family) all died of cardiovascular disease, and my dad underwent quadruple bypass surgery last year (at the age of 52!!!). I really hope Atkins will help me on this matter, so that I won't need to take cholesterol-lowering medication just yet (or ever!).

[Sherri]

Before you begin:

1. Read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, 2002 edition.
At the very least, read chapters 10 through 14. These chapters tell you how to do the diet, what to expect, and why the first 14 days are so important.

ADBB uses DANDR 2002 as its reference. Granted there are other publications by Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. but we like to do the diet as it was written by Dr. Robert C. Atkins because in our collective experience Dr. Atkins' diet is more effective than Atkins Nutritionals, Inc's version.

2. See your physician.
Dr. Atkins recommended this himself. See your physician for a complete physical exam, including blood tests before beginning this or any other diet and exercise program.

Also take the Blood Sugar Symptom Test found in the book.

3. Make a commitment.
Commit yourself to giving the 14 day Induction a fair shot. If you can't commit yourself to 14 days of following rules and eating the foods listed in the acceptable foods list, this diet might not be for you.

4. Prepare your kitchen
If it's not on the list, remove it from your home. If you live with people who aren't on a low carb diet, then put your food(s) in areas separate from theirs. Also make sure you have low carb snacks available to you at all times, in case you get hungry.

5. Recruit your family and friends.
You are about to embark on a completely new lifestyle. Getting the support of your family and friends will help you through this. Be frank with them and tell them your intentions and that this is very important to you. If they have any doubts about this diet, ask them to read the book because knowledge is power.

6. Keep the Induction Rules and Foods List handy.
Make two copies of these documents: keep one on your refrigerator at home and keep the other one on your person at all times. This will save you a lot of guesswork and worry when eating out or grocery shopping.

The Rules of Induction can be found here:
What are the Rules of Induction?

The Induction Acceptable Foods List can be found here:
What foods can be eaten on Induction?

7. Read the entire label, including the ingredients.
Some foods have little carbs, but contain things like hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and sugar, which makes them unacceptable for Induction.

8. Keep a food diary
It is of utmost importance to keep track of your daily carbohydrate intake to make sure you are not exceeding 20 net carbohydrates daily.

Some people keep a notebook journal. Others like to track their progress online.

Here are some resources:
An Atkins spreadsheet:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ead.php?t=4570

http://www.fitday.com ---This is a free online service (registration required) that allows you to input your foods, track your exercise, etc.

Carbohydrate Counters:
http://www.atkins.com ---The Atkins site has a downloadable Carb Counter.
http://www.calorieking.com ---This site has nutritional information for most foods and beverages.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ ---This is the United States Department of Agriculture Nutrition Database.

9. Exercise
According to Dr. Atkins "exercise is non-negotiable"! So get moving. Begin according to your level of fitness. Visit the Exercise Forum.

10. Vitamin Supplements
These are also recommended by Dr. Atkins because many of us have poor nutrition and we need extra nutrients. Visit the Vita-Nutrient Forum.

11. Weigh AND Measure Yourself on Day 1

Make sure you weigh and measure yourself before you begin this diet. Contrary to what we are lead to believe, the scale isn't the best tool for measuring weight loss (fat loss). It doesn't tell you how much muscle you gained. It doesn't tell you how much water weight you gained or lost. It doesn't tell you that you will fit into that pair of jeans.

Tips for weighing:
a. Weigh yourself at the same time of day under the same conditions. You can weigh "more" after a meal or after you drink water or you can weigh "less" after you exercise or have a bowel movement. So pick a time and stick to it. Likewise, clothing can also add on "pounds". So if you choose to weigh yourself wearing clothes, make sure you are wearing the same clothing or nearly the same clothing.

b. Use the same scale. Scales differ slightly. So the scale in your doctor's office or at the gym might have you weighing more or less than the scale in your bathroom.

Tips for measuring:
a. You can measure whatever body areas you want: chest, waist, hips, thighs, upper arm, wrists and ankles. To make the measuring easier, you body landmarks like your belly button or a mole or scar, to guide your tape measure placement. For chest measurement, women can either measure under their armpits and/or under their breasts.

b. Don't "pull" on the measuring tape because that will give you a false reading (and stretch the tape). The tape should be snug, but not tight.

c. Don't suck in to make yourself smaller. Again, that will give you a false measurement.

Measuring tapes can be purchased at craft stores (the sewing section) for under $5.00. If you can't find one, you can use a piece of string. Just mark that string with a marker pen to indicate your "start" points". Or if you have an old belt, you can use that too.

Another good "measuring tool" is your clothing. Non-stretchy clothing like a dress shirt, jeans, or dress is the best thing to use. Stretchy fabric (like t-shirts or anything with spandex) will conform to your body as you shrink so you might not see the results. Try on this article of clothing periodically to see how you are losing inches.

Good luck to you on your 14 day Induction journey.