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Nutritionist's Blog
Monounsaturated fats
January
20
Getting Psyched to Do Atkins
Your friends and family may give you a hard time but you may be your own worst enemy. Here's how to handle both challenges during the first week on the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM.
- Remember that human beings are remarkably adaptable and, in as little as a week, your tastes will start to change. Soon you'll find that sugar and refined carbohydrates don't tempt you as much as they used to. Your other great ally will be the appetite suppression that is a natural consequence of this nutritional plan.
- The first few days you may find it a downer watching other folks eating foods that you're fond of but can't touch. Remind yourself that right now weight loss is your destiny. These moments of temptation are fleeting.
- Tell family members that you need a strong show of support and understanding. You certainly don't want them tempting you with illicit food and saying such inappropriate things as, "Don't worry. This tiny piece of cake won't hurt you." It will.
- Tell people in advance that you take Atkins seriously and that you'd appreciate their doing the same. We all know what a tricky, emotion-laden business food is. It's not uncommon for families to have issues surrounding food. It's understandable that the other people in your house may not be entranced with your new eating regimen. In the nicest possible way, tell them it's your lifestyle, not theirs. All they need to do is show respect for the major decision you've made. You're about to lose a lot of weight and gain a lot of health. After you've done Atkins, you won't need to request respect for it; the results will speak for themselves.
- Have you made a firm commitment? Don't start something this important with the shallow notion of, "Oh well, I'll give it a whirl." At the least, you should have decided that you're going to commit two weeks of your life--without deviation or compromise--to doing Atkins.
If you can commit yourself and think beyond momentary temptations, you can expect great things. By the end of two weeks you'll be walking with new energy, getting out of bed in the morning with new zest and joyously anticipating your encounters with the bathroom scale. You'll be so impressed with how you look and feel, continuing with the program for life will be a foregone conclusion!
Tagged:
motivation
(167) Comments Post comment
Thanks
sorry if that was a bit rambling - i was just so grateful to read your comment! :) :) :)
ps - i am currently 183, and want to get to 140-145....so i am close to your starting weight last year :)
tracy
you inspire me, to know theres other people out there that are as addicted to carbs as I am!
I'm on day ONE!!!!!!! :B
Thank you
We monitor each other, it will be fun and rewarding when we look in the mirror two weeks from now!
I started today, with some scramble eggs with peppers in it, and some smoke sausage. It has been two hours and I'm still full!
A high carb diet is the cause of weight gain and high blood sugars which in turn lead to other diseases. Eating a low carb diet only makes sense to me. Low carbs means normal blood sugar, normal cholesterol and normal body weight.
Here's to a great 2009 learning to live and eat the Atkins way.
Janetelaine
take care, and keep reminding yourself that you are doing something good for yourself!
tracy
That's exactly what happened to me, I lost all that weight and became "hot" (according to my hubby) so I got pregnant. Just think of how good and sexy you'll feel again, after having kids I know first hand how hard it was for me to feel attractive again, This is my second day and I already lost 1.5 lbs granted I am a runner,so my weight should be gone by the 14 day, I only want to lose 15 lbs, so that I can gain muscle weight and definition...You go girl! The kids need you!
I'm only on Day One, but it's a great day for me even with the 150 pounds or so that I need to lose. The journey begins with this first step and all the months of not taking that step has only been wasted as far as my life goals are concerned.
Speaking of steps, I'm hoping to incorporate some walking every day. I don't expect that to be easy, since I'm really embarrassed to be seen, but one step, one block, one mile...it all has to start somewhere and I am SO ready.
Thanks for the support here.
Mary
Last summer I heard another report that was shown on ABC that the Atkins diet was proven to be healthy and a good way to maintain a healthy weight. That convinced me, so I bought the latest book and have been reading everything on this website. I have found it extremely easy to stick with the plan. I found that I feel satiated much longer and the food allowed is what I like best anyway. I have also started walking every day and now that it is too dark after work to walk, I go to a local gym.
The great part is that I was 149 pounds and now I weight 115 pounds. (I am 5'2") I explained to my husband that I need to do what I feel is best for my health and have stuck to my guns. I didn't mention that I am 64 years old. I knew this was all worth it when my 21-year old granddaughter said "Grandma, you have a hot little body".
BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE... THE FIRST FEW DAYS ARE THE HARDEST BUT WE CAN DO THIS!!!
In preparation I am reading everything I can about Atkins so I am armed with all the info I need to stop me falling at the first hurdle.
I have 49 pounds to lose so will have to be careful until my birthday as I don't want my weight to increse between now and then.
I crave carbs: pasta, potatoes, rice and I think I will find it initally quite hard work.
Wish me luck!
Sally
I have cruised the web site and find it surprising that so many are returning to Atkins. I too am returning. I started in June 2004, lost 55 pounds and took a 70 mile hike with my son. It was definitely a high point in my life. Unfortunately when I returned from the hike I did not return to Atkins and slowly returned to my old habits. The result, I put it all back on plus 20.
So here I am again, just as determined as ever and motivated by another hike with my youngest son in July 2010. This time I am wiser and will not fall into the carbohydrate trap again.
I like the web site now, lots of good information, motivation, and tools. Thus the reason for my post, the on-line tools feature a suggested meal planner. It allows you to select the phase of Atkins you are on but the carb calculations don’t appear to jive with the corresponding phase. As an example I will start with Induction, or Phase 1. The first week’s menu looks great! But the carb count is 10.2 carbs higher than allowed. There is a disclaimer to adjust with vegetables if the carbs are not correct.
Has anyone experienced this? Used this tool? I wish there was a grocery list planner also.
Anyway, thanks for your replies.
I'm back!!!!! lol!
Hey ya'll I just wanted to say that I just tried this awesome diet and I am on my second week! I bet you will never guess how many pounds I lost!!!
No not 10, not 15, not 20........
I lost..... 155 lbs!!!!!! I can't believe it, i was wearing a size 45 now i'm a 32!!!!!!!!
I hope your stories will be as good as mine!!! Good Luck. I am going to go run a 109 mile marathon now! Later ya'll
Joey
P.S. Looks like Joey "10ccash" might be a punk, eh? Please, 155 lbs in a week and a 109 mile marathon. Lots of us are serious here...
The scale is the least reliable reflection of fat loss.Look at other markers. Are you feeling better? Do your clothes feel looser? If you're losing inches but not pounds, your fat cells are still shrinking. Remember, You're only on a plateau if there's no change at all for more than four weeks, so stay in Induction for that time.
Hitting at least one plateau is normal and to be expected. It's most likely to happen, and most difficult to break through, if you've come to Atkins after years of yo-yo dieting.We often find that a person will plateau at the same points he or she always used to reach on previous diets.These are the weights at which you naturally start to resist weight loss.
For many people, even those resistant to weight loss, breaking through a plateau is often a matter of making simple dietary changes. You may need to modify your lifestyle. Here are some items to consider:
1. Look for Hidden Carbs
2. Don't Skip Supplements
4. Move Your Bod …..Exercise
sparkleplenty
Try not to go below 20 net carbs daily. You will just feel better and avoid side effects that often comes with the first two weeks of Induction.
Hi Celry,
Good for you!The more prepared you are the better your chances for success. Keep us posted.
The carbs in celery, avacados, tomatoes, and lettuce are good carbs, but you still need to count the carbs. In Induction you will be consuming 20 net carbs, which is total carbs minus fiber grams.
As far as Canadian recall is concerned ;
As a result of the expanded recall, Atkins has determined to voluntarily recall four Atkins products out of an abundance of caution because they contain granulated peanuts. The only Atkins products affected by this voluntary recall are: Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter; Advantage Peanut Fudge Granola, Day Break Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp, and Endulge Peanut Caramel Cluster.
We are confident all our products are safe. Atkins requires extensive laboratory testing of all ingredients used in every Atkins product, and our finished products are also rigorously tested. As a result of Atkins’ food safety protocols, and the extensive laboratory testing on all Atkins products, no Salmonella contamination has been found in any of the Atkins products subject to this recall, but the Company is taking this step to assure our consumers that food safety is our highest priority.
No other Atkins products are affected by this recall so until we can get these back on shlf you can try our other flavors.
Hey its Laura I'm starting Atkins on the 10th and have a couple of questions...1st-can you drink Crystal Light?...I also found cheese with 0 carbs 3oz ok?...Can you eat the Atkins bars daily, if so how many? Thanks
me..
Question;
"Is coffee with half & half allowed? Are we supposed to limit our caffeine intake??
Answer;
Yes, coffee with half and half is allowed but you should limit to two cups daily.
Question;
1st-can you drink Crystal Light?
Yes
I also found cheese with 0 carbs 3oz ok?
Yes, max 4 ounces daily
Can you eat the Atkins bars daily, if so how many?
Yes but limit to one max two daily
Do I need to go on my OWL phase, or I have to continue my induction until 2wks? I think I can't handle this anymore of waiting for another week of induction, since I don't have time cooking your recommended recipe
Answer;
You can move to OWL now if that helps you.
I do very little cooking due to my work and travel schedule. I rely heavily on cooking on the weekend and using leftovers all week.When I run out of food, I use canned tuna, salmon, and sardines. I cut my veggies on the weekend and keep in cold water in the refrigerator and grab my daily allowance each day.
I always have my bar and shake with me in case a meal is delayed.
and count total carbs minus fiber toward your veggies. However, there isn't much fiber in tomato juice, so make sure the other 6 net carbs come in the form of a salad.
I've never join a support group of this sorts. I ususally see my support "buddies" face-to-face, lol. This will take a little getting use to.
Reading...I'm already encouarged. I appreciate those that respond to specific posts. It makes it feel like support. I'm getting excited!!
Thank you.
I'm new to the low carb diet, but I'm on day 3. I'm so surprised at myself, that I haven't gone crazy not having my sweets and pasta.
I will be looking to all you to help me make my weight loss of 60#'s a reality.
I'm not sure if I should have had this in the Induction phase, but last night I had a chocolate mousse. I made it using:
about 1/2 cup of whipping cream
1 tsp. of unsweetened cocoa (dark)
1 tsp. splenda
I made this in my mini cuisinart.
OMG sooo...good!
Good luck to all!
I'm on week 3 and have lost 5lbs - i was 172 to begin and am now 167 - this is going to be slow & steady for me. To be honest, I'm not actually counting the carbs in what I eat as much as I should, but i know that a lot of people do it to the letter and I envy them - I'm trying to stick to the induction phase for as long as I can - more than the first two weeks because of the amount of weight I need to lose. I know what foods to stear clear of. I eat plenty of salad greens ( my packed lunch consists of (insert random meat/fish)& salad) and I really like the Atkins bars - they are my only sweet treat. I actually didn;t lose anything for a week,(but I suffer badly from 'time of the month' problems) so the 5lbs was 3 in the first week, and 2 since saturday.. Good luck to everyone and keep thinking positive thoughts and imangine yourself as your slim self, that's my motivation.
M
Moved to Texas w/ daughter don't know anyone, unable to drive and stuck at home.Just retired last year, so bored out of my mind. Crocheting and reading myself crazy.
I wish you all good luck and hope to join ya all.
My hardest part is breakfast. I can't eat eggs every day! I like to have something quick & simple before I leave for work. Any ideas? Are the bars a no no on Induction?
I'd like to know how long you need to stay on phase 1 or does it depend on how much weight you need to lose? I have stuck to it so far and am willing to stay with it as long as it takes.
This is my 2nd go round on Atkins. In Oct. 2000 started this plan and went from 189 to 154 by April of 2001. I was doing great, then got engaged and between all the running around planning our wedding, quik meals, etc. I started eating carbs again and went back to my old lifestyle. I was 164 by my wedding day that September. So now I am 8yrs older, still married and gained back all the weight I lost plus some.
I was so happy with the way I looked that April and I sabotaged the whole thing w/my binge carb eating and not being able to say "no" when sweets are offered me. Now I don't like the way I look, I am in Plus size clothes for the first time ever and my BP is high again.
This time I need it to be a life style change but will it be harder with a husband. I wasnt married the first time I lost all the weight. He is supportive.
There are a few people who experience fatigue or light-headedness during their first week following the Atkins Nutritional Approach. Most often this means that the process is going too fast for their particular metabolism, they're losing weight, water and certain minerals too fast, and their bodies can't keep pace with these quick changes. One sign is ascent weakness: You feel weak when walking up stairs. These reactions can be aggravated by hot weather, when you are already losing minerals through sweat or by taking a diuretic. Obviously, drinking lots of water is essential.
If you experience these problems, simply slow down your weight loss by adding another helping of vegetables to your evening meal or one or two ounces of salted nuts nuts or seeds. Although your body would almost certainly adjust during the second or third week, there isn't any good reason for feeling washed out and sickly for even one day. After the symptoms abate, go back to the lower level of carb intake.
Another occasional problem is leg cramps at night due to a rapid excretion of calcium, magnesium or potassium. Be sure you are getting enough of these minerals in your multivitamin or take a separate multimineral supplement. If you are still getting leg cramps, you may need to add more.
Another mechanism that can cause adverse reactions is withdrawal symptoms. Quite a few people have addictions to foods they consume every day without being aware of them. When you suddenly stop eating a food or ingredient you are used to, as you do when you start Atkins, you may experience withdrawal. Common offenders are caffeine, sugar, wheat and other foods capable of quickly changing blood-sugar levels. Withdrawal symptoms vary widely, ranging from fatigue, faintness and palpitations to headache and cold sweats.
Bad as they seem, experiencing withdrawal symptoms is really good news. The withdrawal process is usually completed within one week, and afterward you should feel better than ever—unless, of course, you re-addict yourself. If you cannot stay the course and progress through withdrawal, do it gradually by consuming progressively smaller amounts of an addictive food until you get to zero. The more severe your withdrawal symptoms, the more you stand to gain from abandoning the food that is causing them. A food that demands to be eaten daily is often a key to a disordered metabolism.
Finally, unless you are extremely metabolically resistant, you will start losing considerable weight during Induction. The amount and rate at which you lose can vary dramatically depending upon your age, level of activity, whether you are taking hormones or other drugs, your degree of metabolic resistance and other factors. The median weight loss from two weeks doing Induction is 10 pounds for overweight males and six pounds for overweight females. But do understand this: On any weight-loss program, the first weight lost is water weight. Atkins is a particularly effective diuretic, so the water weight tends to come off fast. But be assured that after four to five days, the pounds that come off are primarily fat.
Congratulations! You are really doing Atkins now. Induction will be only the first step of a natural progression to your permanent way of healthy eating.
Your many above responses are so informative and helpful.
My question is: I have 10 lbs to go (YES!!)- And I am wondering, is it just as effective/more effective/less effective if I go the "Induction" route to try and lose it a little faster (instead of the recommended Phase 3)? Perhaps keep myself at 20-30 carbs week after week until the weight is gone. ? I understand this tweeking may not be advised, but I wanted to know your opinion.
THANK YOU in advance. !
plus ten more. I want to lose fifty pounds this time, I am getting too old for "diets". The hard part is cooking for someone else that doesn't have a weight problem, and limiting my carbs is the hardest. Oh well, have to get it thru my head this is the best way to lose and hopefully stay on track.
There is no danger in reaching your goal weight in Induction except you won't be able to find your carb tolerance. Knowing your CCLL and CCLM is helpful in allowing you to know how many carbs you can take in before you begin to gain weight.
We need to work on moving you up the ladder and finding your carb tolerence.It may be 30 or 50 or 60 grams daily, but we need to find it.
You will have a much better chance at keeping the weight off if your gradually and slowly add healthy carbs back in . It will slow down weight loss somewhat, but totally worth the end game.
We recommend that lab tests be repeated no fewer than 6 months after starting to control carbs. In some people there is a temporary increase in total cholesterol as the body breaks down stored fat for energy. Look at your HDL (known as "good" cholesterol) level. A rise in total cholesterol levels could be a good thing, if it's attributed to an increase in HDL cholesterol.
You also need to look at a third component of your blood tests: triglycerides. Cholesterol rises in some people when triglycerides drop significantly. If that drop is greater than the LDL increase, your lipid profile may be improved.
If you've been following Atkins for some time and your cholesterol levels have not come down, something else is going on and will require further investigation by the doctor.
High cholesterol that has a genetic component usually responds to changes in diet, but may be difficult to address with diet alone. There are a variety of supplements to consider that can help. These include: Pantethine, Essential Oils garlic, non flushh niacin, and fiber.
Exercise is also an important component to the management of high blood lipid values. Elevated blood values will require follow-up with the doctor until acceptable levels are attained.
The kinds of fat you should avoid are chemically altered, processed hydrogenated oils, such as margarine and shortening. Look for cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oils, and store them in a dark, cool place to keep them from going rancid or oxidizing. High heat changes the molecular structure of the cell and will transform even a good fat into a trans fat so be sure not to burn oil or allow it to smoke while cooking.
Cut down on the sausage and cheese for now
First, assuming that you are doing Atkins properly, recognize that there may not be a problem at all. Different people will respond to Atkins differently; some consistently lose weight while others do so in stages. Don't compare yourself to others and become overly concerned with short-term results. Certain medications, activity level, hormonal status and age can cause differences in weight loss. Also, make sure your expectations of weight loss are realistic.
Anyone who is doing this for the second time and seeing results...if you don't mind sharing your experience I would be most grateful!!
I am at least 100 pounds overweight - I am taking bp medicine i want to start atkins i am a bit worried because my bp might go too low. i would like to start on 16/03/09 as we get paid monthly.
How often should i get my bp checked after i start? Wish me luck i'm very excited!!!!!
It's amazing how many of us know the Atkins program works, have done the program before successfully and then gained the weight back because we left the life style behind. I can count myself as one of those that know the diet works, but I can also count myself as one of those who never did the program correctly.
A few years ago, I lost 35 on Atkins. But I stayed in Induction the entire time, scared that if I moved on to OWL I would stop losing weight. And that fear is a big part of why I failed. I couldn't stick to Induction forever -- the food choices are too limited and it gets old and boring after a while. I think the only way to be successful in this program is to do it the right way (great big Duh moment here).
So, having come to this revelation, I'm starting tomorrow, again, and am making a promise to myself that I will do Induction for no more than 3 weeks before moving on to OWL. I will exercise in some form on a daily basis, alternating weight training and some type of cardio, and I will drink at least 84 ounces of water/crystal light per day. After three weeks, I will let go of my comfort zone of Induction and step out into the "real" world, where I will learn the proper way to continue weight loss on the Atkins program.
Lastly, I will use this forum and the support of tthose who are struggling right along with me to keep me on track and focused.
And I'll do all of these things because I'm worth iit :o)
I started Atkins on Feb 23rd. I was 203 pounds - the same weight I was when I was nine months pregnant 4 years ago!!!! I'm now 197 pounds! - in only 6 days!!! I am just so disgusted with my weight that I have to do something. On top of everything else, I have high blood pressure! 20 years in the military and after I retire I get high blood pressure?!! I know it's because I've become alot more sedentary than I was then.
I've tried every other diet in the world and I haven't been able to stick with anything. Just like most of you, I've done Atkins before and I KNOW that it works. I just allowed myself to get bored with it because I wasn't using all of the foods available to me. I thought I could only eat meat! DUH!!!
I am so much more motivated this time! I'm so tired of wearing the same outfits all the time and not taking off my coat because I'm embarrassed by my weight. I went to Cancun a few months ago and I couldn't enjoy myself because of my weight!! I refuse to go through that feeling again! I've already picked out the clothes that I will wear this summer. I will reach my goal weight and I will maintain it. I will not allow myself to be that other person again! Best of luck to us all!!!