My Atkins adventures
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tickerrose
New Member
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
Setting: Upstate New York
Fri Feb 01, 2008 7: 12 pm    Post subject: My Atkins adventures
Hello everyone!
My name is Erika and at 30 years of age I found myself ( yet again ) at 255 lbs. last weekend. I have been on Atkins before and was very successful until I moved to another state and behind a bagel shop.
I stuck my head in the ecru for a long while, avoiding the gradual tightening of my pants and contraction of my shirts for a long time, but finally got the courage to step on the scale last week and frontage reality. On Sunday I started Atkins for the second time and am now on day six. I made mistakes this week and ate foods I guess I was remembering from OWL last time ( i. e. four strawberries and nuts ) yesterday. I re - read the book last night and am fearing I have to start the whole two weeks over from [ / icon_scratch. gif].
When I weighed myself this morning I was down 4 lbs from last Sunday. ( 251 )
I have been struggling with the menu this time. On day 1 and 2 and part of 3 of the diet I was feeling great, full of energy and excited. By Wednesday I started feeling pretty weak and headachy, so I went for some nuts to try and take it away. This feeling stretching yesterday and I ended up eating four strawberries.
Other then that it has been mainly eggs, butter, lettuce, steak, chicken, cheese, cucumbers, bacon and some ham.
Do I need to re - set the two week clock because of the nuts and Strawberries?
Please help in any way. I always do better with a support system in place and I could use any feedback anyone is kind enough to give.
maro
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Posts: 236
Locus: pakistan
Fri Feb 01, 2008 7: 16 pm    Post subject:
hi erika welcome!
if you are in ketosis then you dont need to go back and do the whole 2 weeks again
artinformation
Noted Member
Joined: 28 Jan 2008
Posts: 123
Fri Feb 01, 2008 7: 23 pm    Post subject:
Welcome Erika
I am so glad that you decided to give Atkins a 2nd go. This forum is wonderful. Everyone is so supportive and helpful. Just stop the nuts and strawberries and go next the allowed foods and you should be fine. Lots of good luck and keep us all posted
bluehex
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 2663
Footing: Warsaw, Poland
Fri Feb 01, 2008 7: 37 pm    Post subject:
Hello, Erika
It ' s as Maro said, if you are in ketosis you don ' t need to apprehension. Good luck!
tickerrose
New Member
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
Station: Upstate New York
Fri Feb 01, 2008 7: 42 pm    Post subject:
Thank you all so much for the sunny welcome. I do not know if I am in Ketosis because I live in the sticks and have not been able to drive the 45 almanac to the GNC which I know carries the little Ketosticks. I assume that because I was loosing weight ( even at 255, 4 lbs in 5 - 6 days is pretty good, right? ) that I am in Ketosis.
What would have led to the sleepy ( almost drugged ) feeling and headache that was plaguing me in days 3 and 4? I was eating enough to be full and eating the right foods.... I just couldn ' t get rid of that feeling. i was also getting very shakey and was having a hard time holding the spatula while making my eggs. I don ' t remember this from before.
bluehex
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 2663
Stage: Warsaw, Poland
Fri Feb 01, 2008 7: 45 pm    Post subject:
It ' s called Atkins Flu. Carbs withdrawal symptoms. A very normal thing.
tickerrose
New Member
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
Direction: Upstate New York
Mon Feb 04, 2008 6: 05 pm    Post subject:
I think I got past the worst of the Atkins flu ( thanks for telling me about that one! ) but now I am frustrated because on day eight, I have not lost but two to three lbs overall. I am still plugging away, tryong to figure out what I am doing wrong and what I can do better. I am trying very hard to cut out diet soda completely. This is very hard for me. Harder than all other aspects of the diet.
Also, what is the word on Atkins Advantage products during induction? Are they allowed at all? Or should I just keep them locked in the BAD cupboard ( the one my hubby gets to use ) until my two week induction is up next week?
bluehex
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 2663
Setting: Warsaw, Poland
Mon Feb 04, 2008 7: 45 pm    Post subject:
Honestly?
There are very mixed opinions on these. My own, private opinion is, it ' s best to keep them locked in the BAD cupboard until the expiry date, after which you can throw them away and not feel to blame about it.
But that ' s me, some people are not affected by them. Search the forum for " Atkins bars ", you will find a gazillion topics on them....
DJJayito
Admitted Member
Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 106
Position: Florida
Mon Feb 04, 2008 10: 32 pm    Post subject:
BAGELS! YUM! Especially if you live on Long Island. lol
DJJayito
Avowed Member
Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 106
Where: Florida
Mon Feb 04, 2008 10: 35 pm    Post subject:
In terms of the Atkins Bars which are said to be acceptable in all phases of the diet... I ate them religiously my first time around on Atkins and successfully lost weight, so I will say, they didn ' t bother my weight loss, but many people will read the label and say " 20 grams of carbs... That can ' t be good for induction. " If you ' re looking to try them, then do just that... Try them and see what happens.
tickerrose
New Member
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
Footing: Upstate New York
Tue Feb 05, 2008 4: 22 pm    Post subject:
So today I am on day 10 of induction and have not experienced any expressing weight loss. I do however feel different and my body is changing. I remember from doing the diet before ( and loosing successfully ) that the scale is not always your friend and the numbers you see there do not always body how much fat you have lost. I found some good information about that in the Q and A section.
I am having trouble drinking enough water. I beef to get down a liter of water a day and hope it becomes easier as I get more and more in the habit. I have cut out the diet / caff. free soda because I think it may have been a awkward block for me.
I don ' t think I am giving up on the Atkins bars for good, as I remember using them the last time I did the diet and still found success. I will keep them locked away until the end of my induction period however, just to be safe.
I finally had to order some Ketostix off e - bay and they should be arriving in the next 1 to 2 days. It is very frustrating doing the diet and not having that check that you are indeed in Ketosis.
I had to start taking FiberCon today to help with a little constipation. I don ' t think i have gone, for real, in about four or five days and I think that is having some effect on my weightloss as well.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Ginny_O
Accepted Member
Joined: 26 Dec 2007
Posts: 141
Direction: Maryland
Tue Feb 05, 2008 5: 07 pm    Post subject:
Water is probably your biggest issue right now. One liter just isn ' t enough. I like water, so it isn ' t a big problem for me. I keep a full bottle next to me at all times and drink all during the day. I ' ll also drink a glass of water every time I go to the bathroom and another every time I eat something. It adds up.
tickerrose
New Member
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
Direction: Upstate New York
Tue Feb 12, 2008 6: 31 pm    Post subject:
It has been a little over two weeks now ( I am on day 16 ) and I have finally started to drop pounds as well as inches. I am still struggling to drink enough water and have to work at that every day.
I am worried at this point that I am not getting enough calories. I have experienced such a drop in my appetite, that I hardly ever feel like eating. If I wait to eat until I actually get hungry, I could go five or six hours between meals. It ' s almost 2 in the afternoon now and I am still working on my 2 eggs with cheese and fried ham I brought with me for breakfast. I take a few bites, keep working and before I know it half the day is gone. I don ' t know what to do about this. Should I just force myself to eat when I am not hungry? Has anyone else experienced this?
Also I have not been sleeping nearly as well as I used to. I sleep very lightly and end up waking up 5 - 6 times a night to go to the bathroom ( a result of all the extra water I have been drinking perhaps ).
I still haven ' t received the ketostix I ordered off e - bay and I told the people I needed them soon. [ / icon_evil. gif]
I just need that extra proof that what I am doing is working....
Another benefit of my new way of eating is that I started my period today and was completely surprised by it. Usually my PMS symptoms are so bad I am in hell for 2 - 3 days beforehand and am well prepared for it when she arrives. This time, not so much as a twinge of cramps, which is a complete miracle for me!
tickerrose
New Member
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
Location: Upstate New York
Thu Feb 21, 2008 4: 05 pm    Post subject:
Okay, I have decided that I don ' t care if anyone writes me back.... I am just going to keep journaling my experiences here and posing my questions even if nobody cares to post back.
Just so you know, I have already read the the FAQ and did not find my answeres there. I would also like to point out that this forum, from what I understand, is for people who are starting on the Atkins diet and need some positive support and guidance. When someone asks a questions and are told, in a not so friendly way, to just check the FAQ, they could be shamed to the point where they don ' t come back and get the support they really need. I hope people realize this, that just because they have been here for a while and know the FAQ and the book backwards and forwards, this is a thread for induction phase and you are bound to get silly, asked a million times questions here and there. If you don ' t want to answer them, fine. Just please don ' t make the poster feel alienated.
As for my possible silly questions: I have been reading the book, but as I live in a very rural area and have a difficult time getting out and about, I picked up an older copy of Dr. Atkins book at a second hand store. It is not The New Diet Revolution, but was published before that I believe. I was wondering if anyone knew any major differences in his first book and the New Diet Revolution. I am following the book to the letter right now and although I have been showing moderate to large on all my ketostix in the last two weeks, I have lost very, very little, if at all. I was wondering what could cause this? I am working my butt off here and would really like to see some results. I have increased my activity and kept up with my water intake. Any thoughts?
I would like to thank everyone who takes the time to answer questions in a kind and supportive manner. It helps more than you know to know there are people out there who understand what you are going through and are willing to share their knowledge and experience with others.
maro
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Posts: 236
Location: pakistan
Thu Feb 21, 2008 7: 30 pm    Post subject:
tickerrose... i have one question... have you lost any in inches?
i have seen a pattern of weight loss
after 2 weeks of induction weight doesnot show on scale in 3rd and 4th week ( shows in the measurement ) and again starts to show loss on scale in 5th week and so on
as long as u r lossing in inches... it is working
bluehex
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 2663
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Thu Feb 21, 2008 7: 38 pm    Post subject:
tickerrose wrote:
When someone asks a questions and are told, in a not so friendly way, to just check the FAQ, they could be shamed to the point where they don ' t come back and get the support they really need. I hope people realize this, that just because they have been here for a while and know the FAQ and the book backwards and forwards, this is a thread for induction phase and you are bound to get silly, asked a million times questions here and there. If you don ' t want to answer them, fine. Just please don ' t make the poster feel alienated.
I am very sorry you feel so badly about this forum. It is, by all means, intended to be friendly and supportive. However, sometimes a poster ( no, it ' s not a quip at you personally, I am talking about a general, purely hypothetical newcomer ) should also make at least a minimum polite effort and read a few threads before they post a question.
FAQs are called " frequently " asked questions for a reason. If you are very new to something of course, you are new and - as you have written - you have this question which has been already asked a million times. But exactly because it has already been asked a million times, it is put in the FAQs. So that people don ' t have to answer it for the million first time. And then the million second. And a week later, a million third. And three days later, a million fourth. Don ' t you think, that exactly because you are very new, it would make sense to check whether your question has not been answered already? Answering such recurring questions is the very function of FAQs. They are not there for the people who have been at it for a very long time, they are specifically for those who are new.
Sometimes a question is left unanswered, because a major discussion is going on in another thread on the very same topic. We assume, that people who come here for support are interested in how other people are doing as well, and read threads other than just their own. So people might not respond in your thread, because they assume you ' ve already read the answer in another thread. This, I guess, would be the case of your previous post - very recently there was another poster who asked about getting enough calories and there was quite a discussion. My guess is, everybody thought you read it too.
Also, there is one thing I don ' t quite get. You wrote you are bound to get silly, asked a million times questions here and there. If you don ' t want to answer them, fine. Just please don ' t make the poster feel alienated. and from your post I understand a poster feels alienated if pointed towards the FAQs. Should I understand that no answer is better than a helpful hint showing where the answer can be easily found? Or do you require that the answer from FAQs be re - typed for you?
Going back to the actual question you posted:
the New Diet Revolution had a number of editions, and the older ones are actually ( in the opinion of many people ) better than the newest ones. But if it ' s an entirely different book, what is the title? And what ' s in it?
If you are moderate to large on ketostix, my guess is you are still not getting enough water. And if you drink less than you should at least 2 liters ), it is almost certainly the reason for your problems. Water is the key to losing weight on Atkins, as it is necessary for fat burning.
Also, maybe you are doing better on inches than on scales? Did you try?
Are you eating enough? You mentioned you had a problem with it. If you are not eating enough for your BMR, your metabolism may be slowing down.
Second time you do Atkins, it usually goes much harder than the first. Nobody knows why. There is this article, " One golden shot ", but it ' s just a theory.
Are you regular in the bathroom? Constipation prevents weightloss. Are you eating Atkins or other low - carb products? They stall many people.
Please post some more specific info, it is really difficult to give any sort of meaningful answer without knowing what it is you actually do..
redboots
Established Member
Joined: 11 Feb 2008
Posts: 142
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Fri Feb 22, 2008 9: 52 am    Post subject:
tickerrose wrote:
I am worried at this point that I am not getting enough calories. I have experienced such a drop in my appetite, that I hardly ever feel like eating. If I wait to eat until I actually get hungry, I could go five or six hours between meals. It ' s almost 2 in the afternoon now and I am still working on my 2 eggs with cheese and fried ham I brought with me for breakfast. I take a few bites, keep working and before I know it half the day is gone. I don ' t know what to do about this. Should I just force myself to eat when I am not hungry? Has anyone else experienced this?
I ' m exactly the same I don ' t feel hungry anymore. I am trying not to miss meald because it slows weightloss but its hard to eat when your not hungry, but if I don ' t I get really bad headaches, so I think its best it you force yourself to eat something even if its only a small amount.