Emotional Roller Coaster - Now Going Down

[PHAT Beth]

My two weeks was yesterday, but I was doing so well, I decided to stay on induction. Well, I know I shouldn't have weighed myself... I just KNEW it, but of course I did. And I am up 3 pounds in one day! To be completely honest, I haven't eaten enough veggies in the last couple of days. I'm just not hungry. Is this the problem? Also, I have been drinking AquaFina Flavor Splash water (sweetened with sucralose). Is this all I will get out of induction? Should I move on over to OWL, or do I need to have a big old salad and (yuck) plain water and keep going?

[PHAT Beth]

Re: Emotional Roller Coaster - Now Going Down

Ah, and here is another question. I got some chicken salad at luch today from a little hometown market. When I tasted it, it was a little sweet. I wasn't sure if there was any sugar added into it somewhere, but I tried it anyway. That was about six hours ago. I am not craving sweets, and my ketosticks are still the same color. Can I assume this is safe to eat? I know those are not die-hard standards, but I would think it would be a pretty good indicator...

[Georgiana]

Re: Emotional Roller Coaster - Now Going Down

And I am up 3 pounds in one day! To be completely honest, I haven't eaten enough veggies in the last couple of days. I'm just not hungry. Is this the problem?

First of all, veggies are not really filling, so eating them is not so much a matter of being hungry or not. They are non-negotiable -- 3 cups on induction, more as you move to OWL.

That being said, I don't think you gained 3 lbs in one day from not eating enough vegetables in the past xx days. Weight fluctuates from day to day and if you are affected by the number on the scale, you should not weigh yourself daily. Those 3 lbs are water weight, because there is no way you can gain 3 lbs of fat in one day! You can read here about water weight and stuff:

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6737-why-scales-can-lie.html

Also, I have been drinking AquaFina Flavor Splash water (sweetened with sucralose).

Just make sure you count that towards your sweetener intake. As a rule of thumb, 8 oz of sweetened drink is 1 serving of sweetener. You are allowed 3 servings per day.

Is this all I will get out of induction? Should I move on over to OWL, or do I need to have a big old salad and (yuck) plain water and keep going?

You should be drinking plain water, not sweetened water. The sweetened one should be nothing else than a treat once in a while and I wouldn't count it as part of my water intake.

Dr. Atkins recommended extended induction for those people who are either metabolically resistant (see the table with the level of metabolic resistance in the book) or have a lot (~75-100 lbs) to lose. If you don't fall in one of these categories, then you probably won't gain any advantage from prolonging induction. More about this here:

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/5780-day-15-should-i-stay-should-i-go-owl.html

Ah, and here is another question. I got some chicken salad at luch today from a little hometown market. When I tasted it, it was a little sweet. I wasn't sure if there was any sugar added into it somewhere, but I tried it anyway. That was about six hours ago. I am not craving sweets, and my ketosticks are still the same color. Can I assume this is safe to eat? I know those are not die-hard standards, but I would think it would be a pretty good indicator...

The ketones in your body don't just go away immediately (6 h is immediately) after you eat something off plan. If you cannot know for sure whether something has sugar or not, then it is your choice whether you want to take the risk to eat it. Some foods can have sugar or other "illegal" ingredients in quantities small enough to leave you in ketosis, but high enough to stall you or slow down your weight loss. You could always bring your own lunch at work.

[ep611]

Re: Emotional Roller Coaster - Now Going Down

About the chicken salad....I'd bet money on there being sugar in there. It's very common for stores to add sugar to their chicken salad, tuna salad, etc. You could always ask the market, but I bet it's in there!

I'm a big chicken salad fan myself. I've taken to making a batch the beginning of the week to have on hand and eat it will a side of veggies or over a salad (even a little as a snack after a run). I just boil, dice and toss the chicken with a little mayo, mustard, dash of salt and black pepper. It's yummy!

[clogger]

Re: Emotional Roller Coaster - Now Going Down

You've done a really good job so far. Please don't let the scale discourage you. I agree that it is water weight. For those who are emotionally ruled by the scale it's probably best to only weigh once a week - same time, same day, same clothes (or lack there of). However, if you are like me and feel a need to weigh every day you need to somehow not let it affect you emotionally. Like I said in another post today - once I hit a new low weight that is the number in my head that I now weigh regardless of what the scale says the next morning. I know weight will fluctuate - mostly because of water retention - so once I work hard and reach a weight that is my new weight until I reach a new low number.

Hang in there. You have progressed so far already. You're well on your way to goal.

[I Heart Cake]

Re: Emotional Roller Coaster - Now Going Down

Like I said in another post today - once I hit a new low weight that is the number in my head that I now weigh regardless of what the scale says the next morning. I know weight will fluctuate - mostly because of water retention - so once I work hard and reach a weight that is my new weight until I reach a new low number.

That's exactly what I do!