I'm frustrated

[MelissaF_07]

I've been on what I thought was a re-induction for over a week. Turns out I was over-carbing w/ cheese & cream until 2 days ago; eating foods not on the acceptable foods list - ground raw almonds as 'breading' for meat, etc, raw carrots...
I've made change after change and until someone else pointed out that I biffed it today, I was so proud. I didn't think I would be able to cut down on my beloved dairy, but I have. Only 2 ounces of cheese today, and I stayed w/in my 3 ounce max for cream. BUT, I had raw carrots. I went over on total net carbs even though my veggie carbs were too low.
I kept thinking I wouldn't count the carbs in eggs, but I guess 'any eggs' doesn't mean unlimited.
I'm starting to get really frustrated here. I thought this would be easier! I've done low-carb off and on for years and I know it's for me, but strict induction eludes me. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever get through day 1, let alone day 14 of induction!

[not2late]

Re: I'm frustrated

Hi Melissa. The best advice I can offer to you is to get a copy of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution 2002 edition , read it and follow it. The Atkins Diet has been around a number of years and unfortunately, there is A LOT of misinformation about it, including how to do the diet properly. I've been around these boards long enough to have read posts by well-meaning people who have been snookered by their "friends" who follow "Atkins". Some people follow "Atkins" by not eating any type of vegetable at all. Some follow "Atkins" by eating as much cheese and eggs they can stuff into their bodies at one time. Some people follow "Atkins" by eating any food but staying below 20 net carbs daily---I remember one very misguided person posting that she was told by a friend who's been on "Atkins" for years, that she could eat bread and pasta during Induction as long as she doesn't exceed 20 net carbs daily.

So, please get the book, read it and follow it. You're only cheating yourself if you don't.

[Tack Candy]

Re: I'm frustrated

Once you read the book you will understand why this works and it will be easier to work out your game plan. It is alittle confusing at first, but between this board and the book you will find your way. The first couple days are rough, but once through you will feel the difference in so many ways. I have even become a better cook!

Visit here often for support, encouragement AND an education!

[MelissaF_07]

Re: I'm frustrated

I do have that book, and several others - the '72 version, the Lifetime Plan one, the 1992 version, and 2002. I wn them, and I've read them. I'm on a dozen low-carb boards, and I've spent much time on the Atkins website. I even took my printed out acceptable foods list to the store last time I went. As a Diabetic, and based on the glycemic information available, I've always allowed myself *raw* carrots because they are delicious, nutritious, and low-glycemic. Lower, in fact, than pumpkin which *is* on the Induction food list.
I'll figure it out. I'm giving this my all. I want to get this two weeks. If I can't do that, then I will try to find another plan that's not so difficult for me to do right.

[gettinskinny]

Re: I'm frustrated

I have a feeling this is going to come over as sounding mean but i don't want it to...by saying you allow yourself carrots but they aren't on the acceptable foods..is mistake #1...I know because I did the same...follow the plan to a T..I allowed myself things I knew were low carb even though they weren't on the list and I think it slowed down my process.

[not2late]

Re: I'm frustrated

The Glycemic Index....

Pumpkin has a higher GI than carrots, but Dr. Atkins was doing his diet based on total carbs, and later "net" carbs, rather than the GI. There are some problems with the GI, in that the GIs are only tested using the singular food---not combinations like we are most likely to eat. So there isn't a GI list for something like a baked potato with butter and sour cream. I think that's the biggest flaw with the GI---it doesn't take combination foods into consideration.

Also, Dr. Atkins insisted that we eat combinations of proteins, fats and carbs for our snacks and meals for that very purpose----fats and proteins help to slow the digestion of the carbs, which decreases their impact on our blood sugar. So if you eat 1/2 cup of pumpkin or even carrots without any type of fat or protein, it will theoretically have a higher GI than if you ate that food with a fat and protein.

[Evermind]

Re: I'm frustrated

Hey, there! Don't beat yourself up.

Do yourself a favor, and go to www.fitday.com. It's free to join, and you can enter in all the foods you eat each day. It will keep track of all of the food values for you. That way, you won't miss the carbs in eggs, etc. You will also be able to recognize the fiber carbs and subtract them from the general carbs.

Do yourself another favor, and stick to leafy green veggies for the next two weeks. That eliminates all of the problem of extra carbs. Spinach, lettuce of all kinds. If you want to add celery and cucumber, you can, but that's all for now.

When you cook, remember this: No nuts, no seeds, no sweet veggies.

As for the cheese, I don't spazz about it. I tend to each vegeterian, so I often consume more cheese than the average Atkineer. As long as I'm not over 20 grams, I'm fine.

As for cream, here's my trick: dilute it with water. Keep the mixture in a small container in the fridge. Goes a lot further, uses less cream, still does the job.

[MelissaF_07]

Re: I'm frustrated

I have a feeling this is going to come over as sounding mean but i don't want it to...by saying you allow yourself carrots but they aren't on the acceptable foods..is mistake #1...I know because I did the same...follow the plan to a T..I allowed myself things I knew were low carb even though they weren't on the list and I think it slowed down my process.

I didn't mean to 'allow' myself carrots on induction per se. I just didn't think about it really. I have allowed myself carrots on low-carb, as a diabetic, etc, and just didn't think to double check on the acceptable foods list. My bad. I do want to make this legal, so the carrots are out for at least 2 weeks. Start out fresh again today.. Day 1 again.

[MelissaF_07]

Re: I'm frustrated

The Glycemic Index....

Pumpkin has a higher GI than carrots, but Dr. Atkins was doing his diet based on total carbs, and later "net" carbs, rather than the GI. There are some problems with the GI, in that the GIs are only tested using the singular food---not combinations like we are most likely to eat. So there isn't a GI list for something like a baked potato with butter and sour cream. I think that's the biggest flaw with the GI---it doesn't take combination foods into consideration.

Also, Dr. Atkins insisted that we eat combinations of proteins, fats and carbs for our snacks and meals for that very purpose----fats and proteins help to slow the digestion of the carbs, which decreases their impact on our blood sugar. So if you eat 1/2 cup of pumpkin or even carrots without any type of fat or protein, it will theoretically have a higher GI than if you ate that food with a fat and protein.

I only check glycemic load these days. I always eat some form of fat and protein with every meal/snack. My blood sugar appreciates it.

[MelissaF_07]

Re: I'm frustrated

Hey, there! Don't beat yourself up.

Do yourself a favor, and go to www.fitday.com. It's free to join, and you can enter in all the foods you eat each day. It will keep track of all of the food values for you. That way, you won't miss the carbs in eggs, etc. You will also be able to recognize the fiber carbs and subtract them from the general carbs.

Do yourself another favor, and stick to leafy green veggies for the next two weeks. That eliminates all of the problem of extra carbs. Spinach, lettuce of all kinds. If you want to add celery and cucumber, you can, but that's all for now.

When you cook, remember this: No nuts, no seeds, no sweet veggies.

As for the cheese, I don't spazz about it. I tend to each vegeterian, so I often consume more cheese than the average Atkineer. As long as I'm not over 20 grams, I'm fine.

As for cream, here's my trick: dilute it with water. Keep the mixture in a small container in the fridge. Goes a lot further, uses less cream, still does the job.

I do go to fitday - that's how I know I've been off w/ my #'s.
As for cheese, I've found I *can* survive on less than my weight in cheese per day. The cream - I wasn't doing badly on that. I reverse-engineered my cup - measuring out 1.5 fl oz of cream and then adding coffee to where it was what I liked. I got my normal full mug of coffee. I'm glad I didn't blow it on that at least.
I have more veggies than just green in the house and I won't waste them. I won't eat what's not on the acceptable foods list. Promise.

[MelissaF_07]

Re: I'm frustrated

Planned out today's menu, adding, subtracting, juggling, shifting, etc.
I think I've got it.

Menu, not in any particular to-be-eaten order:

I can have two cups of coffee today, 5 ounces each w/ 1.5 ounces of
cream for a total of 2 carbs. 1 for breakfast, 1 for dessert later.
My vitamins, water, fiber supplement are in here too and accounted for.
4 ounces of bacon
1/2 cup broccoli & 1/2 cup cauliflower, w/ 1 tbsp butter
4 medium stalks celery (I'll probably split that up into two snacks, or
cut some up into my salad)
2 chicken breasts. (I'm thinking one heated up in a little olive oil &
paprika and one in a salad)
1 roma tomato
1/2 green cabbage & 1/2 red cabbage (w/o the carrots this time)
1 cup roast beef diced (might also go well in the salad or w/ some mayo
& horseradish I put in fitday as well)
4 cups of romaine

Gives me 2317 calores, 35 grams of total carbs minus 16 grams fiber for
19 net. Veg, if I counted right is 25.82 total minus 13.17 fiber giving
me 12.65 net veggie carbs.

To get the #'s to work out, I had to give up my tea, cheese, some of my
coffee, and add more meat and veg and fat. That also helped get my
calories up. This is only one day, but I think I got it right. Can
anyone see something I missed? Does this sound ok?

[Evermind]

Re: I'm frustrated

Um........I don't think that tomatoes are on the acceptable foods list.

[MelissaF_07]

Re: I'm frustrated

Actually, tomato is on the list.

Other Vegetables
Within the 12-15 net carb daily vegetable requirement, these vegetables are slightly higher in carbohydrate content than the salad vegetables listed above, but they also provide important nutrients and add variety to your daily food intake:

[Elizellen]

Re: I'm frustrated

Planned out today's menu, adding, subtracting, juggling, shifting, etc.
. . . . but I think I got it right. Can anyone see something I missed? Does this sound ok?

It looks to be a good choice of foods although quite a bit over the 3 cups of veggies as per DANDR 2002.
It looks more like a perfect OWL rung 1 menu, where we can add 5 net carbs of induction veggies to our induction level. But as several members have said in the past - whoever got fat on eating extra lettuce?!?

[MelissaF_07]

Re: I'm frustrated

It looks to be a good choice of foods although quite a bit over the 3 cups of veggies as per DANDR 2002.
It looks more like a perfect OWL rung 1 menu, where we can add 5 net carbs of induction veggies to our induction level. But as several members have said in the past - whoever got fat on eating extra lettuce?!?

I thought the guidelines were no more than 20 grams net carbs, and 12-15 of those should be low-carb veggies. Are you telling me I'm *still* not doing this right?