Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program 2006

[cristylp]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

The first time I started Atkins, I didn't even have the book! You can only imagine how silly I was. My good friend Kate said "It's easy, you can eat meat and salad and eggs, but you can only eat 20 carbs a day!"

I was like, oh, that's easy! So I ate nothing by meat, salad, and eggs, and then I'd eat half a snickers bar for my 20 carbs a day!!! The craziest thing is I still lost weight doing that!

Exactly the same for me. I kept hearing about this great diet, eating nothing but protein. I ate almost nothing but hot dogs and cottage cheese and lost weight!

[jimmie 48]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

what a bunch of silly peeps! you guys make me giggle!

before we stray too very far from the messages of the current chapters.....

has anyone tried the special vitamins that are discussed in chapter 23? (basic forumula # 3)
how about the L-glutamine for sugar cravings?

[ladyinred]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

No, I haven't tried any of those. I might have, but I don't think you can get them up here. I've looked everywhere for L-glutamine. I take chromium instead.

[jimmie 48]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

auslyn has had a problem with these cravings and i recommended, just this morning, that she look into the L-glutamine. i don't know if i was that determined or what, but i just didn't have to deal with that problem.

[not2late]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

When I first started Atkins I used Basic 3. But it was a basic pain to take those vitamins 3 times a day. So I compared the ingredients and found that Centrum Silver was the closest thing to it. IIRC, someone in real life told me that there was a prescription multivitamin that resembled Basic 3. But why waste a prescription when you can get Centrum off the shelf?

[kjspea]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

L-glutamine did not really work for me but I am sort of a 'special' case.

I am wondering if anyone has experience with these he discussed:
~L Carnitine
~N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
~Taurine

I am also wondering where flax seeds are discussed in the book. Here on the board it's widely accepted as a fiber supplement but it's not in this specific section addressing constipation. I think flax actually knocked me out of ketosis after being in a very "light" stage for weeks. Is this possible with all other things in check?

About exercise HR, I really want to read more about this. My resting HR is way up there (I guess I don't qualify as an elite athlete???! ) so the zone workout would not really apply to me either. 2Big's explanations make sense regarding duration, if that is what the issue is. Although on one summary point Dr. A recommends "no more" than 5 days of exercise, I took that as somewhat significant fatiguing excersise, not merely walking, etc. He cites a study to suppport his case for exercise where subjects were healthier b/c of "daily" exercise.

[not2late]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

Flax is mentioned in Chapter 8 or 9, in the fiber section. Dr. Atkins said use 1 tablespoon of flaxseed, psyllium husk or wheat bran as a daily fiber supplement. It's mentioned again later in the book as a constipation remedy.

Alot of people here use flax as more than a fiber supplement. Frankly, I found that the additional veggies I eat on OWL is more than enough fiber to prevent...ummm....problems.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

if you look it says it takes up to 4 days for those special craving control vits to work and I know as a carboholic I could never last 4 days so I just grabbed an ounce of cream cheese and played with it in my mouth stimulating the fat receptors in the roof of the mouth that arer wired to the pleasure center of the brain and flooded my body with those. while they wwerre working the extra fat deepened the ketosis and poof I was safe from me.

I did what Megs did checking the basic stuff.

I know Dr Atkinsd says about the no iron but many femals do not absorb iron well in the intestines and I'm one of them so for me it was the regular Centrum and then the store brand as the formulas matched exactly.

[jimmie 48]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

tomorrow we begin reading part four, disease prevention.
we are coming to our end of the read soon. i hope everyone has enjoyed it and has learned something new.

we will be reading about diabetes, which i will let you know now, i will get completely lost on this subject. we will hit the yeast subject, food intolerences and having a healthy heart.

i look forward to watching the conversation and comments!

for those that are not officially signed in for this reading, please feel free to ask what questions you might have with this part. these things are important to deal with. any questions you have will only help us all to understand things better.

happy reading!

[qbu]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

As far as exercise...when I started Atkins, I was able to walk on the treadmill for about 6 minutes going about 1.5MPH before I was so winded that I had to stop. I can now walk on it for over an hour and usually average 5MPH. I've also added some exercise DVDs such as Slim in 6 and Turbo Jam. I'm amazed at how they've become easier as time goes on.

The supplements...I started taking a multi-vitamin, calcium, and an Omega 3-6-9 supplement from day one. Haven't missed a day with them.

I'm looking into the other supplements he spoke about such as CoQ10 since it is good for the heart and heart disease runs in my family.

I can't believe we're already at Part 4!

[dotsamantha]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

Diabetes has always been in the back of my mind. I've had good levels my whole life but it runs in my family (types 1 and 2) and I try to stay informed.

[Yurmomonastick]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

My dad was a type 2 diabetic, (he passed in '97 of heart disease), so I worry about getting both diseases. Doing Atkins, I feel like I am finally doing something to prevent them.

At my last check up, (before Atkins) my blood work showed my glucose levels at 125. My doctor said not to worry about it but Dr Atkins said that it's impaired glucose. I am due for another check up next month so will get my new results. Has anyone else had that happen?

Terry Lynn

[jimmie 48]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

not me, terry. nobody in my immediate family has diabetes. my brother just recently was told to get himself under control because he was pre-diabetic.

adding my questions:
(remember, the only stupid is question is the one not asked)
do you have to be overweight to be diabetic? once you are, can you ever not be diabetic?

off to do some reading now. i have had some conversations with coop about being diabetic but there is much i do not understand.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

Jimmie... you can be thin as a rake and still be diabetic. And I think that once you are truly diabetic, your that way forever. It can be improved though, as Dr A says. Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone....

Yurmomonastick... I haven't had blood sugar issues ever, but like you I have diabetes in my family. A lot of it (also my father was diabetic and died of heart issues among other things)... so... like you, I feel I'm going about it the right way to try to prevent it ever happening to me.

Yay for Dr A!

[jimmie 48]

Re: Dandr ~ Our Summer Reading Program

sal, that is pretty much how i took the read. once you have it, it can be controlled but it is not going to be cured. the cure for it is to never get it.

my heart ached when i read about the lady who got cellulitis. my buddy ernest gets this and the same thing was told to her. get control of her blood sugars or she was going to lose her leg.

i am so inept at this subject that i don't even know what to ask.