Newbie Needs Atkins Advice

[KeithF40]

Im a 21 year old male who is 6'1" and 225. I want to get down to about 180 and then bulk up with weights. Im planning on starting atkins in about a month or so and just want to gather information and learn about it so that when I start I can do it as efficiently as possible. My favorite foods are meat, cheese, green vegetables, and water so I dont find this diet to be any problem for me. Bread is alright but I hate sugar. It says to excercise on atkins but I hate to do cardio excercises but I definently want to add on some muscle and then eventually tone it after I lose weight and actually put on the muscle. Is it alright to lift weights for around an hour or so a day five days a week while on atkins. If so what stages of atkins are fine for me to actually lift weights on. I dont want to be a body builder but I am pretty serious in adding on some major muscle. In addition how are cooked carrots, tomato sauce, and breaded chicken cullets in relation to the atkins diet. If they are not alright to eat in induction when can I start eating them. Also according to my weight loss goals about how long would it take me to lose the 45 pounds of fat I want to get rid of with weight lifting or without weight lifting if I shouldnt lift weight for part or all of the atkins diet. Also what is a realistic weight loss goal for me if I stick to atkins 100 perecent but dont do the cardio that might be recommended.

[Moochiecat]

Re: Newbie Needs Atkins Advice

In addition how are cooked carrots, tomato sauce, and breaded chicken cullets in relation to the atkins diet. If they are not alright to eat in induction when can I start eating them.

Welcome! :wave

(I'm just going to address this part of your message as I'm limited for time right now.)
By asking this question, I think it's safe to assume that you haven't read Dr. Atkin's New Diet Revolution, version 2002 (DANDR for short)

It's very important that you read this book so that you understand the 'why' behind the diet. Dr. Atkins lays it all out in a straightforward manner, with the Rules of Induction and Acceptable Food Lists that we eat from during Induction.
For Induction, the only thing you'd be able to eat would be the tomato sauce if it had no added sugar, and you'd only be allowed a very small portion of it because of the high carb count(due to the fact that it takes a lot of tomatos to make a portion of sauce, and we are told to measure our vegetables before we cook them).

You would be able to add in the carrots in OWL (Ongoing Weightloss) when you got to the proper rung. The same for the breaded chicken, you'd have to wait till you were at the grains rung to have the coating, but of course, you can eat naked chicken (or try it coated in parmesan! yum)

So get yourself a copy of DANDR and have a read before your start date. It'll give you time to get familiar with the Acceptable Foods list and the Rules, and you can do some meal planning so that you are prepared when the day comes.

[KeithF40]

Thanks for the info so far. Where can I pick up a copy of this book. Ive already read most of the atkins website so I do have a very good idea about what this is all about but didnt really find much info on the questions that I asked. Im looking forward from hearing more from this message board.

[Effie]

IMO, the Atkins website is a completely different program than the one that is layed out in DANDR. For one, they push more of the Atkins products, which are a definite no no during Induction. The website is ok for a supplement, and I'm sure it has some good information, but it's like writing a term paper on a novel when you've only read the cliff notes.

To respond to your original question re: exercise. Any amount of activity that you can do is great. If you think of exercise as "cardio" (as you referred to it), you might get discouraged. You don't need to sweat on a machine in a stuffy gym to get a workout. The weights will work, and so will walking, or biking, or playing tennis. If you're already somewhat active, just add a little bit more to what you're already doing. My opinion about exercise is that we, as a society, have totally missed the point. We've taken so much activity out of our everyday lives that we are forced to add it back in by joining gyms. Gyms are great for when you're ready to start building muscle, or if you have a specific goal that you need to condition your body for (running a marathon, etc.), but I strongly believe in avoiding gyms for everyday use. We just were not put on this earth to drive everywhere, and then compensate by walking on a machine.

[Moochiecat]

You can find it at any bookstore, or online, or even Ebay...just make sure you get the one that I mentioned.
The Atkins website is a little different from the book in that they want to peddle their low carb foods, which makes them contradict the Acceptable Foods list left and right. I encourage you to follow what the book says rather than the website. :yes

Hopefully the guys will chime in here about the muscle building, etc.

I'm confident that you'll lose your weight quickly, given that you are young and male but since only your body knows for sure, I can't really give you a definition of 'quickly'.

And one note about the cardio....as much as you are able...walk! Park far away from where you need to be and walk..take stairs instead of the elevator..do as much walking as you can. If you can find a really interesting route, take it.

I struggled a LOT with exercise and the best advice I ever got was from my niece when she told me to "go outside, walk briskly 15 minutes, in whatever direction you want, then turn around and walk home" Voila, a 30 minute workout.
The walking led to running, and now I will walk/run a 5 k route every other day.
Just my 2 cents, anyway.

[KeithF40]

I walk quite a bit mostly like around campus and stuff but I really really really hate walking. With weight lifting at least its like Im working towards a goal that I can get to quickly like 8 reps or something and I dont have to walk around. I like playing basketball but besides that I dont really like much other physical activities that are cardio based and Ill be sure to pick up a copy of that book but another thing is that I demand fast results so Im willing to go to the maximum with the diet as in eating as little carbs as possible to lose the most amount of weight in the quickest time possible so is there a way I can tweak this diet in order to do that but still of course stay safe. Ive heard that a low carb diet wont give you the energy you need to excercise or lift weights.

[Uniquely_Ambi]

I get the impression that you're looking to Atkins as a "quick fix" rather than a lifestyle. I'm just letting you know ahead of time that if you think you can starve your body of carbs (and the game isn't to eat the lowest amt. of carbs possible, the point is to eat 15/20 the first two weeks and then either continue with that or slowly start adding veggies and such as the book says), lost weight, and then eat the foods that got you to your current weight, I promise you you'll gain it all back (and maybe with some extra).

[Moochiecat]

I demand fast results so Im willing to go to the maximum with the diet as in eating as little carbs as possible to lose the most amount of weight in the quickest time possible so is there a way I can tweak this diet in order to do that but still of course stay safe.

Ok, Keith, you really need to read the book.
Once you do, you'll understand how it works.
Eating as little carbs as possible will NOT help you lose the weight any faster. This is not a diet of deprivation, rather it's a diet of eating till you are satisfied, but eating the correct foods. As I said, following the Rules of Induction and eating the proper amounts from the Acceptable Foods list is what Dr. Atkins tells us to do.
If you decide to mess with his recommendations, there's no knowing what results you will have. He wrote a plan that works, if you follow it, no doubt it'll work for you.
Dr. Atkins did the tweaking for us, all we have to do is follow his Plan. It's been proven to work, don't mess with it..the guy knew his stuff. Just relax, follow it, and trust that it works.

As mentioned this is not a 'quick fix', but it's a way to learn how to eat for the rest of your life, so that you maintain the weight loss.
Remember, in time you'll be able to add foods back in (the book explains all of this).

I've had to change my attitude about a few things in my life and one of them was exercise. I can't say I love doing it either, but when you start seeing the benefits that it gives you, you'll want to do it.
I used to hate walking too...I found it boring...but now it's like putting another piece of the puzzle in place, and I know it's all adding up to something.
Atkins can be a very enlightening journey!

[Kent]

What is HIIT. I eat worse than anyone I think you can possibly imagine right now so I personally feel that Atkins can work wonders on me. Eating fried lard all day would probably lose weight for me also. The thing with cardio is that I get tired within about 30 seconds and I get chest pains as well although there is nothing wrong with my heart so I dont know if its just the weight thats slowing me down although Im not really that big or what.

I think it is just familiarity of your body to doing that work. My body typically rebels the first 5 minutes of any cardio, but it is just a matter of pushing through the chains that want to hold you back or make you stop. When I first started doing cardio, the strength to keep going was just that much difficult. Keep going, it'll get better. (I am with you on the walking thing -- way too boring)

The Induction List in the very explicit in the allowable foods. I am not a big cook either, but the ease of some recipes, like Mock Danish or French Toast pancakes, is astounding. You can do it -- just browse the recipes here or on Linda's Low Carb Recipes. Sometimes, the simple things like steak with sauteed veggies with butter, salt, and pepper are the best.

As for weight lifting, you can certainly do it while in all phases of low carbing and Atkins. The body will adapt to pulling energy out of fat molecules and provide everything you need for exercise. You may feel a bit wiped the first 2 weeks due to Induction flu, but that will pass. I do cardio 6 days a week, and lift 4 days a week (arms & chest one day, legs & dead lifts the next) just make sure you separate the two activities by 8 hours or so. That way both activities are maximized and not affected by each other.

[Jake]

Hi Keith,

Everyones given you great advice so far. For the weight training i'd suggest that you form your own little routine. You might find success with 3 days of weight training, 3 of cardio, and one day completely off to rest. Use weights heavy enough to be able to do a maximum of 6-8 reps, do this for 2-3 sets. You'll want to take a 1 minute break in between sets. To gain some size and mass usually you'd use heavy weights and lower reps. For just toning you can do lower weights with more reps. At first you'll notice some muscle gain very quickly and it'll slow down, thats normal so just use a routine for a month or two and than re-work it using different exercises for each part you are working to keep your body guessing.

Monday - Weight Training - Upper Body
Tuesday - Cardio
Wednesday - Weight Training - Legs
Thursday - Cardio
Friday - Weight Training - Upper Body
Saturday - Cardio
Sunday - Rest Day

[FightingTheFight]

Take into consideration what the moderators have already told you. Bottom line.

Now heres my advice on weight lifting.....purley my opinon..remember that.

There is no such thing as toning, you are either increasing power and strength or you are increasing size and endurance. The key is to mix them up for overall performance. Bodybuilder like to build their muscles and pump them for biggest size possible. Thats why they stick to isolating exercises. My advice is to stay away from that mentallity because alot of it isn't real world strength.

My training plan involve combo list and such. I due a small amount but high intensity and heavy lifts.

I do military press, Dips, bicep curls, a list of crunches, squats and dead lifts and grip and forearm work. That is all you will need. I promise you. You will do them with 3 sets of 3-5 reps...thats right....3-5reps. Doing this low you will being doing high weight,but remember don't sacrifice with sloppy form just to lift more weight. Take a minute break between sets. After a few weeks of this training you will see amazing results in definition and strength!

After a cycle of strength training you will throw in endurance training which include alot of body weight exercies. Suchs as pushups,pull ups, body sqats,ect.

You will cycle this with 3 days of lifting and 2-3 days of cardio. Cardio is a must and I suggest HIIT two days out of the 3 days of cardio. So your schedule will look something like this

Mon,Wed,Fri-Lifting.....Tues and thursday HIIT and/or carido. After a while you will add hill training!

Remember cardio doesn't have to be running, although for maximum results I would suggest it. But a Punching bag is also an extreme form. try to go rounds on one. It will wear you out and wear your muscles out therefore its a darn good plan.

If you follow this Atkins properly by the book and this workout plan the fat will practically melt off of your body. This is just the beginners plan too...remembmer that lol :nod

[KeithF40]

What is HIIT. I eat worse than anyone I think you can possibly imagine right now so I personally feel that Atkins can work wonders on me. Eating fried lard all day would probably lose weight for me also. The thing with cardio is that I get tired within about 30 seconds and I get chest pains as well although there is nothing wrong with my heart so I dont know if its just the weight thats slowing me down although Im not really that big or what.

[tabekat]

howdy

hi keith - welcome - - i'm so glad you are going to start atkins.

it sounds like you have some ambitious plans for yourself when it comes to lifting weights. i like weight lifting but i personally believe in doing it in moderation - maybe 3 times a week rather than every day. i find if i try to do it every day i start to dislike it and not want to go.

the other 4 days i do indoor or outdoor walking, and it is all very pleasureable to me. the walking tapes by lesley sansone are really good for someone who doesn't like cardio.

[KeithF40]

Well I just bought the book off of amazon for .01 but unfortunately the crappiest shipping costs like 3.50 or something. Will the book get very specific in what foods I can eat because alot of the foods that I want to eat are very similair to the foods on atkins but have a little bit different ingredients in them some of them which I may not know. I dont know how to and dont like to cook so that might pose a little bit of a problem for me. I can make meat in a frying pan and vegetables but thats about the extent of my cooking knowledge.

[Moochiecat]

Yes, the book will be very specific on what you are allowed to eat during Induction and beyond.
If you can cook meat in a frying pan, and chop up some vegetables to make a salad, then you're set. For the first month or so, that's pretty much what I did. Either bake or saute meat and serve it with or on a salad. I kept it simple, but I can get bored with foods, so I started cooking some veggies up and branching out into different foods.

Take some time to look through the food forums here, Keith, especially the snacks and main dishes. Lots of easy to make things in there.

One main thing to remember is always be prepared. Keep boiled eggs on hand, always cook extra meat so you have leftovers for your lunches or snacks. Never have an empty fridge so that you feel tempted to run out and grab something illegal. Boredom with food should be avoided..there's just no reason to get bored if you the time to plan. Planning ahead is key...as they say 'failure to plan is planning to fail'

I'd like you to think about softening up your outlook on certain things. Atkins (and any weightloss program really) involves a lot of changes in a person's life. Embracing the changes, even the changes we aren't so excited about, isn't always easy, but try and think about each thing as one step towards your goal.
You might hate walking...but think of how great it's going to make your legs and butt look!
You might dislike cooking...but isn't it better to take a few minutes in the kitchen, and be guaranteed of a tasty, healthy dinner, rather than eat the same one meal every day or go out and eat something processed or full of illegal things?
It's all about taking mature, responsible control of your life.
When all is said and done, I don't think anyone will regret broadening their horizons.