I'm new...

[Wynterundeadlock]

I am new to the atkins diet, but I have watched a friend of mine lose a lot of weight during induction...This kind of inspired me. I started about a week ago...I have a major soda problem, though. I used to drink like 24 sodas a day...but I have changed to diet caffeine free coke. (My reasoning is that I know I can't have caffeine and I know I can't have sugar...so why not?) Recently, however, I have read that the aspartame is horrible. Now I am upset :/ :P Is that really true? Will it hurt me to have 4-5 cans a day? If so, I will gladly quit because I would love to lose a lot of weight. I think I have gotten over the caffeine headaches to where I can substitute it for water. When I eat meals, though, I really like a soda. If I can't have that, can I have crystal light? I found a few kinds that had no carbs....jw

Also, I have lost my appetite, almost completely...I am guessing that is a symptom of ketosis. I do, though, know I have to eat and sometimes cooking bacon (btw how much can you have of that a day? lol) or chicken really isn't convenient (ft student and work ft) so I grab an atkins bar and eat that. I also have a few pork rinds and some string cheese. I will also add a sugar free jello or two on meal break at work. (Sometimes I substitute that with a few pieces of pre-cooked bacon) For dinner I bake chicken and put some 0 carb bbq seasoning on it.

Is this sounding okay? I really am wanting to do this, I haven't ever been so intrigued before about a diet and I haven't ever really had this much passion about one. I know I will do it, I just need to know my limits.

I, honestly, have gone from eating a bag of chips, hershey's kisses, bread galore, and fast food on a daily basis.

I also have the problem that meat and cheese do not sound so great, any advice for that? Will I get used to this?

Thanks so much!
Heather

[icandothis2010]

Re: I'm new...

are you eating veggies of any sort?

Veggies are so very important in this WOL. I am sure some of the more helpful atkinsneers will be along soon and post links and ask you many questions =)

Also, have you read the Book?

[Georgiana]

Re: I'm new...

Welcome to ADBB, Heather!

I have a major soda problem, though. I used to drink like 24 sodas a day...but I have changed to diet caffeine free coke.

Even without caffeine and sugar, sodas are still junk.

Recently, however, I have read that the aspartame is horrible.

Dr. Atkins told us to avoid aspartame, because he observed some people were stalled by it.

Will it hurt me to have 4-5 cans a day?

Sweeteners are limited to 3 servings per day. A serving of soda counts as one serving of sweetener.

You'd be better off with no sodas at all.

If I can't have that, can I have crystal light? I found a few kinds that had no carbs

Junk again. Just because something doesn't have carbs, it doesn't mean it's good to have.

bacon (btw how much can you have of that a day?

There's no limit on bacon. However, since it's a processed meat and often cured with sugar, it might be best not to eat it on a daily basis.

so I grab an atkins bar and eat that

If you planned better, you didn't have to eat Atkins bars. You could cook in advance, so that you have some snack available when you need one.

I will also add a sugar free jello or two on meal break at work.

This is also low-carb junk. In any case, one serving counts as one serving of sweetener... sweeteners are limited to 3 servings per day.

0 carb bbq seasoning

Did you read the list of ingredients? If the ingredients have carbs, the seasoning has carbs, too. And... I bet it has carbs.

On American labels, numbers are rounded. So if something has less than 0.5 g of carbohydrate, it will be rounded down to 0.

Is this sounding okay?

Without vegetables, you aren't really doing Atkins.

The book the previous poster was talking about is the 2002 edition of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. Have you read it?

[chinadoll]

Re: I'm new...

One of the reasons why water is better is that dumping the sweet drinks helps your retrain your tastebuds. If you never give up sweetened things you never lose that craving for sweets. If you do stop the sweetened things you will be truly amazed in a few months just how sweet things taste to you when you try them again in OWL. Ketchup (even low carb) is disgustingly sweet to me now.

[ziggy]

Re: I'm new...

the diet is more than just meat and cheese

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6781-what-foods-can-eaten-induction.html

thats a list of foods you can eat during induction

[poobears1972]

Re: I'm new...

It really doesn't sound like you are doing Atkins. Sounds like you are trying to snack your way through with some of the worse foods you can eat on this plan. Remember it's not about zero carbs, you have to eat the proper foods and things like pork rinds should be an occassional treat, not your main food. If you want to see the good results you'll have to commit to doing this right. Once you get it down it's not hard to stick to.

If you read the stalled posts on the board you'll see most have tried to include the Atkins shakes and bars in their plans. These are horrible for stalling people. In the book Dr. A says it's ok to have them now and then when there's no time. But then they were not the ones that are sold now. The ones now are not ok, no matter what they say on the package. The Atkins site does not follow Dr. A's real plan anymore.

[Farley]

Re: I'm new...

It sounds like the posts are all telling you that you are doing it wrong, blah blah... We are really just trying to help you to reach your full potential with this way of eating, and to do it safely (the way DANDR tells us). Bell peppers and tomatoes are about the sweetest things you should be having during induction. Sugar free stuff is full of junk, and it would be best for you to cut out sugary tasting foods altogether while on induction. Induction is about breaking us of our carbohydrate dependecies, more than it is about loosing weight in dozens of pounds. I agree with the suggestion to not drink sodas at all (during induction at least). Mentally and emotionally you will start to be okay with the elimination of processed sugars and "bad" carbs in your diet when you see the results that come with doing induction the right way.

You know you can do it, you know you want to do it. Grab the book, read, and buckle down.

Welcome to ADBB.

[Georgiana]

Re: I'm new...

In the book Dr. A says it's ok to have them now and then when there's no time. But then they were not the ones that are sold now. The ones now are not ok

I'm not sure the ones "then" were better just because Dr. Atkins himself "approved" them for emergencies.

[poobears1972]

Re: I'm new...

I'm not sure the ones "then" were better just because Dr. Atkins himself "approved" them for emergencies.

I think they were. I mean we follow the book and he said they were ok as was anything that carried his name but they are for emergencies not snacks. I remember what atkins bars were like years ago and they were horrible but I'm sure full of a lot less crap than the new bars, also I know many people that ate them and the shakes without stalling.

The new bars and shakes are delicious for a reason, they are full of things that weren't in the others and now they seem to stall almost everyone out. I'm betting he would not put his seal of approval on these new ones.

[Georgiana]

Re: I'm new...

I think they were. I mean we follow the book and he said they were ok as was anything that carried his name

Still, that's not a good argument. Just because it says so in DANDR and we follow DANDR here, it doesn't make it true.

they are for emergencies not snacks

That I agree with. And the limit on Atkins products used to be one per day, as per their website a few years ago, not two per day.

I remember what atkins bars were like years ago and they were horrible but I'm sure full of a lot less crap than the new bars

Let's compare the ingredients and the nutritional values.

The Atkins Advantage Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter that was sold in 2002 had the following ingredients:

Protein blend (Soy protein isolate, hydrolyzed collagen, whey protein isolate, calcium /sodium caseinate), glycerine, polydextrose (fiber), cocoa butter, peanut flour, water, peanuts, natural coconut oil (non-hydrogenated), cellulose, cocoa powder, natural and artificial flavor, olive oil, lecithin, maltodextrin, guar gum, citric acid (flavor enhancer), salt, sucralose (Splenda® brand non-nutritive sweetener). Nutrition Blend: Calcium (tricalcium phosphate and calcium carbonate), magnesium (magnesium oxide), vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D-3, vitamin B-1 (thiamin), vitamin B-2 (riboflavin), vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin), natural vitamin E (acetate), niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, zinc, folic acid, chromium (chromium chelate), vitamin K, selenium.



The nutritional values were:


Calories: 240
Calories from fat: 110



Fat: 12 g
Saturated fat: 6 g
Cholesterol: 2 mg
Sodium: 125 mg
Potassium: 260 mg
Total carbohydrate: 21 g
Dietary fiber: 10 g
Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 19 g


Biotin: 25%
Calcium: 30%

Chromium: 15%
Folic acid: 25%
Iron: 15%
Magnesium: 20%
Niacin: 25%
Pantothenic acid: 25%
Phosphorus: 25%
Selenium: 25%
Vitamin A: 25%
Vitamin B-1: 25%
Vitamin B2: 25%
Vitamin B12: 25%
Vitamin B6: 25%
Vitamin C: 25%
Vitamin D-3: 25%
Vitamin E: 25%
Vitamin K: 25%
Zinc: 25%

And this is the label on the Chocolate Peanut Butter bars ANI sells now:

they are full of things that weren't in the others

Such as?

[poobears1972]

Re: I'm new...

Still, that's not a good argument. Just because it says so in DANDR and we follow DANDR here, it doesn't make it true.


Then we shouldn't believe what we read in the book like everyone pushes here? The book is open to interpretation? If you go by that rule then everything Dr A said was NOT allowed on induction or any part of the plan is just a suggestion and not necessarily the truth.

To me that makes no sense. But it doesn't matter. I will follow the book with out putting my interpretation on it and I will also stay away from the junky bars. I don't need fake food.

[Georgiana]

Re: I'm new...

Still, that's not a good argument. Just because it says so in DANDR and we follow DANDR here, it doesn't make it true.

Then we shouldn't believe what we read in the book like everyone pushes here? The book is open to interpretation? If you go by that rule then everything Dr A said was NOT allowed on induction or any part of the plan is just a suggestion and not necessarily the truth.

My comment was referring to what you wrote about bars... that the ones that were sold when Dr. Atkins was around were better than the ones that are sold now.

From the ingredients, they weren't.

So if Dr. Atkins was trusting the stuff used to make the bars in 2002, then there's no reason not to trust the ingredients used today.

And Dr. Atkins realized that the products sold back in 2002 can stall some people. This appeared on his website.

That the bars sold today also stall some people, I definitely agree. I do not recommend having products, especially during Induction.

[Wynterundeadlock]

Re: I'm new...

Okay, Thank you guys so much for your help! I got mixed up about the bars and shakes because on the website, it says during induction I am aloud 2 of them a day. I had only taken that advice because it seemed legit, considering it was from the official website. Would it be horrible if I had one of those shakes once a week or so?

About the jello, I have heard from several others that it was okay. I will quit that because I didn't really like it and it didn't fill me up at all.

With the diet caffeine free coke, can I have one a day with dinner? (I will drink water with no crystal light all day other than dinner if that is fine)

I will also add a few of the suggested veggies throughout the day as well. (The entire recommended amount, that is)

I am also going to quit the bacon...I had, for some reason, assumed that was alright. (And the convenience of pre-cooked bacon was great for my meal break :P)

I am going to start planning better, I believe that is my biggest problem. I will start baking a few chicken breasts and adding some veggies (the suggested amount and kind) and putting it in a baggy to eat when I have a break.

Does this sound alright?

Thanks again for all of your support. (:

Heather

[Georgiana]

Re: I'm new...

Would it be horrible if I had one of those shakes once a week or so?

Why not make your own shakes instead? Just blend together one or two raw eggs, some cream (as a beverage, it's limited to 3 tbsp per day) and vanilla extract, and you have a shake. It's also cheaper than Atkins shakes!

With the diet caffeine free coke, can I have one a day with dinner?

Many people drink coke and still lose.

In the long term though, I'm of the opinion that keeping your addiction to coke alive will not help.

If you choose to have coke, count each serving as a serving of sweetener and don't count it towards your water intake.

I am also going to quit the bacon...I had, for some reason, assumed that was alright.

You don't need to quit bacon. Bacon is acceptable on Induction.

Read the ingredients, though.

I am going to start planning better, I believe that is my biggest problem. I will start baking a few chicken breasts and adding some veggies (the suggested amount and kind) and putting it in a baggy to eat when I have a break.

Good for you!

Just have some fat with that meal. Chicken breast is pretty lean.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: I'm new...

>> With the diet caffeine free coke, can I have one a day with dinner?>>

Of course you "can". You don't need our permission. The question(s) you should be asking yourself is ... will this "diet caffeine free coke" help you achieve your goals? Is this diet soda keeping any cravings for sweet alive?

And you should still have water with dinner, but that's me.