Getting Started

[soggycoxswain]

I got the message that I should introduce myself so I thought I would say hello here, tell you about myself, and ask some questions before I begin. I've just finished reading Atkins New Diet Revolution and want to give it a try. My husband does not need to lose weight but I have probably 30 lbs to lose to get down to my best weight and 20 lbs to get down to a healthy weight. He is willing to try to eat around the diet but we've talked about the book's restrictions during the first two weeks and it requires revamping our entire diets.

For example, we have a costco membership and we also go to the grocery store 2-3x/month for smaller trips. We usually buy large bags of rice, potatoes and pasta and incorporate those into our meals each week. In the past if we run low on rice we don't seem to feel full with meat and vegetables. We're a little nervous about "feeling hungry" if we eat our chicken without rice or our sausage without spaghetti. The fruits and vegetables we normally buy that aren't allowed are grapes, apples, plums, pears, carrots, peas and corn. Those are things we would typically use in the meals above. Our usual meal plan looks kind of naked when I take out the high carb stuff.

For example,
breakfast-
cheese and spinach omelette, buttered toast, apple slices, p. butter
or
whole wheat pancakes/waffles, syrup, berries, scrambled eggs
lunch-
tuna fish or deli meat on whole wheat bread with cheese, lettuce, and mayo/horseradish/mustard, cheez its, grapes
or
homemade empanada (some sort of meat and veggies baked into a bread of some sort), carrot sticks with ranch dressing, pistachios
dinner-
stirfry of some sort (rice or potatoes with chicken/beef/pork and corn/carrots/peas) that can be made ahead of time and quickly reheated
or
spaghetti (or other pasta) with sausage, tomatoes (eventually?), garlic, onions, sometimes a vodka sauce or alfredo (a lot less cheese can be used in induction that this usually requires me to use)
snacks-
ice cream, popcorn, soda, caffeinated coffee, crescent rolls, brownies
(yeh, nothing salvageable in there I think)

We're supposed to go shopping this week and have almost finished eating (or sharing with coworkers) all the naughty stuff in the house. We just don't know what to buy on our next trip. I know I can get avocadoes, romaine, and broccoli at Costco and I thought those may make nice substitutions for some of the usual stuff. I just feel like I could easily overdose on cheese trying to flavor my food these first few weeks and that I may get bored eating the same foods over and over. Again, we're also worried about being too hungry without our usual supplements of toast/bread, rice, pasta and potatoes which are very filling.

My thoughts right now are:
bf- eggs, cheese slices, and bacon or cubed steaks
lunch- tuna, mayo, avocado slices (just 1/2), small romaine salad w a 0 carb blue cheese dressing
dinner- broccoli, meat chunks, and spices of some sort or soy sauce? in lieu of our usual sauces (too high carb) for stirfry
snacks- ???

Thanks for any ideas before we go shopping... I'm going to mostly lurk around the boards for ideas and questions in the next month or so as we attempt this. Lunches need to be packed like a toddler will consume them (small things that can be eaten on the run in case we can't sit down and enjoy a full meal break at work which sometimes happens when its busy and we can only go out for 5 minutes at a time and quickly eat).

Jenny

[liv]

So you have read DANDR -
then you know going hungry is against the rules on Atkins. If you are hungry you eat more fat and protein. It is the RULE - so that is one worry that you should not have.

What should you buy
Loads of protein (but at Costco they sometimes inject sugar and salt in their fish and meat so read the labels before you buy anything)
I would buy beef, fish, cheese, pork and chicken, shrimp, liver, bacon and several packages of eggs - these are your primary staples. (I love smoked salmon on induction and home make liver pate - and a bit of blue cheese)
Then I would buy a big variety of vegetables from the allowed list - several versions of greens, peppers, mushrooms, cucumber, turnip, celery, snow peas, jicama, pumpkin, zucchini, radishes, tomatoes, onion, green onion (anything I like but a nice variety) . Maybe I would get some butter, olive oil, peanut oil, lard, coconut oi, avocado, whole cream, full fat cream cheese, sour cream, pickles and olives as well. You can get some artificial sweetener - splenda and liquid stevia maybe. A supplement - mineral, vitamins and some carbonated water. Then I would plan a new menu using recipes like these


Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes - Home

Also check out this thread with induction recipes.
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...n-recipes.html (Never ending induction recipes) (Never ending induction recipes) (Never ending induction recipes)

You are going backwards I think. Start with what is allowed and plan from there. Ok making that shopping list for myself made me remember why I love Atkins so much

[fluffyman]

Welcome to ADBB. Live gave you some great advice.

Definitely go to Linda's site and make the Mushroom Soup for Recipes. I use it as a sauce on chicken and steak - rich, buttery, MONEY!!!!

You can use spaghetti squash or shredded zuchini for pasta, and yes, you can make alfredo sauce with butter, cream, and parmesan cheese (watch the daily limits on the cream).

You can also use riced cauliflower for faux rice (see Linda's site). You can also make faux mashed potatoes using cauliflower.

There are lots of ways to make induction more bearable for you and your husband. Enjoy the rich, fatty, flavorful foods that will help you feel satiated and full much longer. Get plenty of veggies, too.

Breakfast can be a challenge if you limit your imagination. Scrambled eggs and bacon can get boring. How about a nice steak? Hash browns (cauliflower again) are awesome. There's mock danish (search this site). I mix crumbled breakfast sausage, eggs, and cream to make breakfast "muffins."

Stick with it for at least two weeks. If you follow induction carefully, you will be in ketosis and your appetite will decrease and the cravings will disappear. Then you can add back some addtional carbs and more variety as you progress through the OWL rungs. You can do this - you are worth it.

Breakfast does not necessarily have to be traditional breakfast foods either.

[imagood1]

Induction is only 2 weeks, and after the first few days you'll most likely loose the "want" to eat as much as you've been eating. Make sure you eat all your vegetables - make a copy of this list and put it on your fridge and another copy in your purse while shopping. My biggest problem is stopping the veggies when I get to my limit...I love vegetables more than I ever liked carby starches.

My husband and mother (who lives with us) aren't following Atkins but I cook our meals - I start with the same type of meat, I fry chicken, pork chops (no flour coating on either) so we all have the same meat. They like a few of the vegetable dishes I make so once in awhile I make enough for all of us but mostly I'm the only one that eats them, we all have a salad - so they don't eat much differently than I do - I just forgo the bread, potatoes, carrots, etc. and really don't miss them. I sit between them so I pass the dishes back and forth - that doesn't bother me either.

Make sure you drink a minimum of 64 ounces of pure water - nothing added, that along with exercise and taking a vitamin (no iron added) is mandatory, which you know since you've read the book. Many people drink half their weight in water -- but make sure you drink AT LEAST 64 ounces.

There are several challenges that have just started - it's a great way to start out being accountable for exercising and also a good way to meet other people.

Check the acceptable food list (What foods can be eaten on Induction?)(What foods can be eaten on Induction?)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6781-what-foods-can-eaten-induction.html) - 2 cups from the first list and 1 cup from the 2nd list daily.

Also, make sure you read and learn the Rules of Induction: (What are the Rules of Induction?)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...induction.html (What are the Rules of Induction?)

The recipe sites will help keep you from eating the same thing over and over -- check them out! Make sure you are eating induction meals while you are on induction - on Linda's site she has a * next to those recipes.

Recipe Sites

http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/menus.html (Linda’s)
(Never ending induction recipes)(Never ending induction recipes)(Never ending induction recipes)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/58513-never-ending-induction-recipes.html (induction recipes)
(Never ending induction recipes)(Never ending induction recipes)(Never ending induction recipes)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/58513-never-ending-induction-recipes.html# (additional induction recipes)

If you need anything we’re here to help you!! Good luck.

[Jenileigh]

[soggycoxswain]

I am about to start week 2 and I am 4 lbs lighter. I survived cookies at work, sundae and Indian restaurant cravings when I got a promotion this week, and lots of steaks. DH was very good about not tempting me with foods off the list and packing lots of lunch foods like tuna, celery, deli meats n cheese bites, and Caesar salad with steak slices. I do feel like I still eat a lot daily- that lunch plus 5-6oz steaks, 2-3 eggs, 2-3 cheddar cheese oz, and BBQ chicken with 0 carbs served with 1 cup broccoli n butter. I have 16 oz coffee that's caffeinated but I'm just not willing to give that one up yet. I am losing with it for now though so that's a good sign.

This week I picked up pork chops, hummus, eggs, sausage links, bacon, cauliflower, spinach and cucumbers. I think I can survive another week!!!

I'm going to start posting in induction now
SoggyCox

[soggycoxswain]

I am about to start week 2 and I am 4 lbs lighter. I survived cookies at work, sundae and Indian restaurant cravings when I got a promotion this week, and lots of steaks. DH was very good about not tempting me with foods off the list and packing lots of lunch foods like tuna, celery, deli meats n cheese bites, and Caesar salad with steak slices. I do feel like I still eat a lot daily- that lunch plus 5-6oz steaks, 2-3 eggs, 2-3 cheddar cheese oz, and BBQ chicken with 0 carbs served with 1 cup broccoli n butter. I have 16 oz coffee that's caffeinated but I'm just not willing to give that one up yet. I am losing with it for now though so that's a good sign.

This week I picked up pork chops, hummus, eggs, sausage links, bacon, cauliflower, spinach and cucumbers. I think I can survive another week!!!

I'm going to start posting in induction now
SoggyCox

[liv]

Thanks for the update. Promotion. That is great.
Sounds like you are eating good stuff
(That hummus has to wait till rung 6 though )

[imagood1]

Like Liv said, hummus isn't allowed until Rung 6 -- the ingredients aren't on the Acceptable Food List list (What foods can be eaten on Induction?)(What foods can be eaten on Induction?)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6781-what-foods-can-eaten-induction.html).

Make a copy of the list and keep a copy with you on the fridge and another in your purse (or if you don't do the shopping make sure your husband has a copy). When I first started I made out my meal plans for 2 or 3 days at a time, that way there were no excuses for eating something because I wasn't prepared.

Good luck to you -- make sure you are getting enough fats in your daily menu and eating enough vegetables. Also, make sure you are getting a MINIMUM of 64 ounces of pure water daily....more is better!