Please help, need suggestions

[maribelle]

Hello everyone. I've been doing Atkins for the last 2 and a half years. The first year went really well and I lost 85 pounds. Then things got really hard, and I've basically spent a year and a half gaining and losing the same 20 pounds. However, just doing Atkins as poorly as I was restored my fertility, and I am now pregnant. Here is the problem...I never did the rungs all the way. The furthest I ever got was dairy, and it threw me off everytime. Now I HAVE to do maintenance and I have to do it right, without ever having found out my CCL. I've wasted my first trimester eating stupid, and have gained about 10-15 pounds. Please could any of you give me suggestions? I'm finding that with upping my carbs, my calories come flying down, and I don't know how many I should be eating. While losing weight, I knew my percentages should be 60% fat, 5% carbs, 35% protein... now I don't know what my percentages should be. What do you all eat to keep the cravings at bay while still adding carbs? My doc doesn't want me eating less than 100 carbs a day.

Sorry about my rambling style, but please let me know what you all have done that has worked. Thank you.

[Lulubell]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

maribelle-

i've been meaning to congratulate you on your pregnancy. i too, have PCOS and am currently on fertility drugs, trying to conceive, etc. i am hopeful that this WOE will help me lose some weight and reverse the symptoms of the disease. your story is inspiring.

if the doc insists that you eat 100 carbs per day, make them good ones: veggies, fruits, whole grains. i have no other suggestions, except keep on avoiding the white flour foods and certainly avoid the sugar. may you have a wonderful pregnancy and healthy baby!

renee

[julirama723]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

I believe that for maintenace the percentages are 50% fat, 20% carbs, 30% protein. However, if you are pregnant, I'm not sure if that throws things off. Basically, I would say to eat veggies, fruits, whole grains, healthy meats (free of nitrates). Don't waste your carbs eating bad stuff like sugar and refined flour.

If dairy throws you off, perhaps you have a candida yeast overgrowth? Often foods that are aged, fermented, or prone to mold aggravate this condition--so foods like cheeses (which are aged), pickles and olives (fermented/pickled) and nuts (prone to mold) are trigger foods.

[not2late]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

Hello everyone. I've been doing Atkins for the last 2 and a half years. The first year went really well and I lost 85 pounds. Then things got really hard, and I've basically spent a year and a half gaining and losing the same 20 pounds. However, just doing Atkins as poorly as I was restored my fertility, and I am now pregnant. Here is the problem...I never did the rungs all the way. The furthest I ever got was dairy, and it threw me off everytime. Now I HAVE to do maintenance and I have to do it right, without ever having found out my CCL. I've wasted my first trimester eating stupid, and have gained about 10-15 pounds. Please could any of you give me suggestions? I'm finding that with upping my carbs, my calories come flying down, and I don't know how many I should be eating. While losing weight, I knew my percentages should be 60% fat, 5% carbs, 35% protein... now I don't know what my percentages should be. What do you all eat to keep the cravings at bay while still adding carbs? My doc doesn't want me eating less than 100 carbs a day.

Sorry about my rambling style, but please let me know what you all have done that has worked. Thank you.

Since you are pregnant, the weight loss phases of Atkins are inappropriate for you. So you shouldn't be following Induction or OWL or even Pre-Maintenance.

The percentages only apply to Induction. OWL, Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance phase the fat decreases slightly and the carbs increase. Protein remains the same.

You might want to discuss this with your doctor. Typically they don't want pregnant women to lose weight during the pregnancy. And you might also want to ask him for a referral to a dietician---especially if he wants you to eat a certain amount of carbs daily. A dietician will be able to help you find foods and food combinations.

I wouldn't advise you to eat highly processed foods or junk foods---what you eat is what your baby is eating and I don't think you want to feed your baby junk.

[maribelle]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

Thank you for your answers. I will give them a try. Fruit is not something I was thinking of for some reason, but it sure sounds good. Also I was going to try again to make wild rice. I followed the directions and no matter how much water I kept adding, it never cooked??? I am eating some wheat bread, and veggies, and some beans.

[maribelle]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

I've put your suggestions to work, and they are working! I've had no trouble getting my carbs and calories up. Thank you!

[tfreel]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

Good Luck!

[sallyseachange]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

So glad things are going well for you. I'm sure you're eating tremendously healthily for your baby, by doing Atkins. Do keep us posted on how your pregnancy goes.

[Elizellen]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

I am glad to hear things are going well for you Maribelle!

And just in case any other ADBB members are in the same or a similar situation I am posting a link to our 'pregnancy/nursing on Atkins forum' http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...aysprune=&f=66

[maribelle]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

Thanks everyone, they are going really well. Unfortunately the Preg and Nursing forum is really empty, but with the tips here and from elsewhere, I'm keeping to 100 carbs a day, and feeling great! Gotta love this WOE!

[Purple Sage]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

Hi Marion,

First of all, congratulations. Second of all, when I was pregnant the second time I started out morbidly obese and while I was not eating healthy at all, my doctor told me that I did not need to gain any weight to make a healthy baby.

Another friend of mine, who was doing atkins during her pregnancy worked closely with her doctor, who she convinced to read the book and he told her to eat just the # of carbs necessary to stay out of ketosis. She was to check her ketosticks every 3rd day and if she was in ketosis immediately eat fruit. She basically did barely above ketosis, and after starting at 135 (have lost to there from 200 with atkins) she gained 12.5 pounds...gave birth to a healthy 8 pound baby and in 2 weeks was back to 135. She felt wonderful and the doctor told her that the most important things were
1. Stay out of ketosis.
2. eat lots of fat and protein for baby brain development
3. eat lots of fiber to stay "regular"

She did those three things and never got near 100 carbs, but her CCL is about 45.

Hope this helps. I cannot wait to have a healthy, atkins pregnancy next time!!! Both of mine were spent in a miserable, carb induced coma of fat!

[maribelle]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

Thank you. Thats is great information. Actually, at 100 carbs, I have gone into ketosis, so I bounce between 100 and 120. The baby is healthy as far as can be told, and my blood pressure this round has been great.

[Purple Sage]

Re: Please help, need suggestions

Wow...your CCL must be pretty high if you could go into induction that high...well the important thing is to make sure the carbs come from good healthy, high fiber sources not the junk our bodies WANT!

Congratulations....

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