Some questions please

[imagood1]

Re: Some questions please

I don't add salt to anything I cook and haven't for years - my husband is a heart patient is on a restricted amount of salt daily - I stopped using it years ago because I retained water badly and once I stopped adding salt to everything I ate the problem was much easier to deal with.

Have you read the 2002 Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution book? It will explain so much that you have questioned and will show you how to follow the plan correctly.

Good luck.

[Want to be healthy]

Re: Some questions please

Hi, I can't believe the incredible amount of responses, and honestly I dont know If I can respond to all of them at the moment,

however,

Basically I weighed myself today, and lost about three pounds, and honestly I am of course disappointed because of the AMAZING success stories that I have read since joining this board.
I know I dont work out, but I have been soooo good. Of course I started Tuesday, and its a long road ahead to losing 100 pounds so its silly to stay upset at this point

Just to clarify: People are saying atkins is NOT high protien, but Im eating ALOT of fish red meat and chicken so far. I have a huge appetite, and for now Im eating until I feel full. I guess the lower protien amounts play a part in the later stages?

I did just get the book, and I am reading through it, so that is helping alot.

I know that this diet will push my body into a losing mode again, and that I need to stay strong and stick with it, and eventually more weight will come off.

As for the salt, I looove salt in my food, I used to love olives, and pickles, cashews, other nuts and it really helped me with atkins the first time around. However, I was 23 and it seemed like the weight melted off.

I know Im "only" 27 but these pat few years in school have led to a more sedentary lifestyle so my body seems more resistant to losing than it was before.

Anyways, sorry for my ramblings, I figured with my terrible grammar and spelling Id leave it all in this thread

edit: The urologist was not the one who suggested a low carb diet, I basically begged him to let me go on it, as its the only thing that really worked for me, and quickly. I know when on atkins I did not form stones, and partially because my weight was down! He agreed that losing weight was the most important thing for me, and at this stage of my life with things so busy, a strict salad based diet is too mentally draining.

I happen to have done very well on a salad based diet, but whats very interesting is that i did a quick "fake" induction before starting it, and lost a little weight, but when i went on the salad diet I lost more. I believe that the low carb "push" helped my body get into the mode of losing weight.

The salad thing didnt work so well the second time around. Mentally its very difficult.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Some questions please

>>People are saying atkins is NOT high protien, but Im eating ALOT of fish red meat and chicken so far. I have a huge appetite, and for now Im eating until I feel full. I guess the lower protien amounts play a part in the later stages?>>

Protein should be about 20-30% of your calories from the beginning. You might eat more at the beginning, but it's NOT a high protein way of eating. Make sure you're getting enough FAT, as that helps with feeling satisfied and full, too.

[liv]

Re: Some questions please

Post your menu on FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal and see what your protein percentage it. You should be adding fat to your food which fills you up and load up on protein.

[Want to be healthy]

Re: Some questions please

Maybe Im not understanding what "fat" is? Can someone explain?

[CalicoPrairie]

Re: Some questions please

You can add things like butter or oil to your veggies, that's fat. You will also get fat from your meats, if you are not eating very lean meats. Salad dressings have fat too, just watch your sugars.

[Want to be healthy]

Re: Some questions please

Ok, thats a big help. I think right now Im afraid of carbs, but I see that avoiding them is not the idea. I still feel some cravings even at the end of day 5 but not as much.

I went to a family get together and just sat and ate nothing, so that kind of revved up the cravings. I response I made two chicken breasts a steak and two hamburgers

I should really use fitday

[CalicoPrairie]

Re: Some questions please

Yeah, you know what? It's so helpful to be able to see "at a glance" what your levels of carbs/protein/fats are. Not to mention it will really help you get a handle on how many carbs/net carbs your foods actually have in them because it counts them fractionally on the site, which is super nice.

[Want to be healthy]

Re: Some questions please

Honestly, I feel like Ill never defeat this weight thing. I know a lot of my eating is more emotional which eventually becomes physical dependance. I guess I cant even invision being under 180 pounds. I might have been 11 when that happened.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Some questions please

Don't think so much about the future. Worry about today and tomorrow and getting those "right".

[liv]

Re: Some questions please

You're so hard on yourself. You're doing good.
My start was a total mess. But I improved. It will work just take deep breaths.

[CalicoPrairie]

Re: Some questions please

Ha ha, my start has been rocky too. Stick to your plan and realize that this is forever, and give yourself some time to learn.

[mizski]

Re: Some questions please

Half an avocado is also a great way to get some healthy fats in.

[Kk030]

Re: Some questions please

Just as Atkins gal stated, taking one day at a time is the MOST important. You can't create an anxious feeling inside worrying about next week and then trying to be focused on today. The best bet is to put your ALL into everyday and take baby steps ... Then, one day, you'll be able to look back and see how far you have come. After the first week or so, once the head aches are gone, you realize you no longer even crave those sweets!

Best Wishes!!!

[soon2bslim]

Re: Some questions please

Three pounds in four days sounds GREAT, just keep going!
Here are some ideas to focus on:
1. Plan out your vegetables (salads, cooked, roasted, sauteed, raw and crunchy, any way you like them, the more variety, the better) and stay below 20 carbbs per day for those vegetables.
2. Plan to integrate Fats into your daily intake like Olive OIL, butter, mayo, also a sm amt of Olives and Avacado. This is sometimes mentally and technically difficult for people who have spent efforts on lowfat diets, but it is very important esp since fats will give you a 'full' feeling and stave off hunger, also, contrary to urban knowledge, fats are metabolically neutral.
3. WATER it cannot be overstated especially if you have a history of kidney issues. KEEP YOUR KIDNEYS WELL HYDRATED! Drink a minimum of 64 oz per day, a more effective amount for most would be 1/2 your weight in oz (Someone who weighs 200lbs would do well to have 100 oz of H20 daily). Don't skip this one it is so important to KEEP YOUR KIDNEYS WELL HYDRATED!!!
4. If your body is sensitive to salt, try using fresh ground pepper, parsley, dill, other herbs and spices to season your food. A low salt diet means some salt, not no salt ever, but be wary of the salt content in cheeses, specifically, because you can't remove the salt from cheese and often if you are watching the salt in your diet, the cheeses use up most of the allocation.
5. Excercise- this too is an essential part of weight loss and cannot be overstated. It doesn't have to at the gym, it can be walking and basically moving more than you were previously, even little things like parking your car at the far end of the lot or taking the stairs instead of the elevator has positive impacts.
6. Attitude- you can do this! you can do this well! ask questions, post your thoughts, this is a very supportive group. Of course we each bring our own personalities to the board and our personal way of doing things, but you are an individual too, w/ a certain lifestyle and with few exceptions, most people can make the Atkins way of eating an effective way to stay healthy.

GO FOR IT!!!