Hi I am new to this

[tracylynn1]

I am new to this. Started induction last Monday the 3rd of August. I thought I was doing okay and have followed as instructed . The other night I did a ketosis strip and it was in the moderate stage. Now I take it and it is very light pink. Between neutral and trace. Am I doing something wrong ?? I also noticed no weight loss. Should I weigh in the morning? I mean I thought you are supposed to really drop during the induction. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tracy

[liv]

Re: Hi I am new to this

Hi Tracy.
Do not get too caught up in the strips. They are not all that accurate. And even a small trace means that you are still in Ketosis. Which is all you want.

Are you saying you lost nothing since the 3rd? What are you eating and drinking?

[hrgillespie]

Re: Hi I am new to this

Welcome Tracy ..... Like Liv said don't get too caught up in the color of the strip they are a fantastic tool but the color can vary for lots of reasons especially hydration ..... as long as your seeing pink your ketosing which is what you want! Hang in there!!!!!

I'll wait for a response to the weight loss question before adding anything else.

[Rick]

Re: Hi I am new to this

Also important... what's the weight now, and how much do you need/want to lose? If you fit the norm, you should lose between 5-10 percent during induction. So, if you had 30 lbs to lose, you'd be at the 10 percent mark, which would be excellent.

Please do share diet/exercise info and we'll try to help.

Rick

[tracylynn1]

Re: Hi I am new to this

Thank you for the replies. I started at 175 and I am 5'8. When I weighed this morning scale said 168 with clothes on. My problem is I weigh myself too much I think (throughout the day) maybe obsessing a little . I also think I may not be eating enough. Seems like I am not as hungry. As far as what I am eating well, it varies. Ex. Eggs, bacon, lean turkey with hard cheese, fresh green beans, salad, pork rinds ,tuna,celery etc. of course this is not all in one day just an example of what I have been eating during induction. As far as exercise.. well, I am sure I could improve there. Dr. told me to walk 25 minutes a day and I have. So, my goal is to lose around 25 pounds. I guess we'll see.
Thanks Tracy

[Rick]

Re: Hi I am new to this

Well, it looks like you're doing great then! You've already lost like 7 lbs and only need to lose 25! That's more than 25% gone during induction. That's WAYYYYY above what the book says you should expect. You might even want to think about moving into OWL and trying some variety with those carbs.

Good luck to you, and congrats on those lbs already vanquished!

[Razzle39]

Re: Hi I am new to this

Hey TracyLynn
Awesome progress, you are doing great.
I know what you mean about not feeling hungry. I am going into my 17th day and for the past few days I have no appetite. Isnt it great?

[Razzle39]

Re: Hi I am new to this

Oh Tracy..I almost forgot!
DOnt put too much stock into the scale at this point. I did the same thing when I didnt lose my second week I became very concerned. Its important to measure yourself. I lost nothing in pounds but dropped 2 inches from my hips and 1 inch from my waist that week. Here is a post you may find helpful:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...dbits-tabekats-
The post is so true and funny its a great read

[Sherri]

Re: Hi I am new to this

Before you begin:

1. Read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, 2002 edition.
At the very least, read chapters 10 through 14. These chapters tell you how to do the diet, what to expect, and why the first 14 days are so important.

ADBB uses DANDR 2002 as its reference. Granted there are other publications by Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. but we like to do the diet as it was written by Dr. Robert C. Atkins because in our collective experience Dr. Atkins' diet is more effective than Atkins Nutritionals, Inc's version.

2. See your physician.
Dr. Atkins recommended this himself. See your physician for a complete physical exam, including blood tests before beginning this or any other diet and exercise program.

Also take the Blood Sugar Symptom Test found in the book.

3. Make a commitment.
Commit yourself to giving the 14 day Induction a fair shot. If you can't commit yourself to 14 days of following rules and eating the foods listed in the acceptable foods list, this diet might not be for you.

4. Prepare your kitchen
If it's not on the list, remove it from your home. If you live with people who aren't on a low carb diet, then put your food(s) in areas separate from theirs. Also make sure you have low carb snacks available to you at all times, in case you get hungry.

5. Recruit your family and friends.
You are about to embark on a completely new lifestyle. Getting the support of your family and friends will help you through this. Be frank with them and tell them your intentions and that this is very important to you. If they have any doubts about this diet, ask them to read the book because knowledge is power.

6. Keep the Induction Rules and Foods List handy.
Make two copies of these documents: keep one on your refrigerator at home and keep the other one on your person at all times. This will save you a lot of guesswork and worry when eating out or grocery shopping.

The Rules of Induction can be found here:
What are the Rules of Induction?

The Induction Acceptable Foods List can be found here:
What foods can be eaten on Induction?

7. Read the entire label, including the ingredients.
Some foods have little carbs, but contain things like hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and sugar, which makes them unacceptable for Induction.

8. Keep a food diary
It is of utmost importance to keep track of your daily carbohydrate intake to make sure you are not exceeding 20 net carbohydrates daily.

Some people keep a notebook journal. Others like to track their progress online.

Here are some resources:
An Atkins spreadsheet:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ead.php?t=4570

http://www.fitday.com ---This is a free online service (registration required) that allows you to input your foods, track your exercise, etc.

Carbohydrate Counters:
http://www.atkins.com ---The Atkins site has a downloadable Carb Counter.
http://www.calorieking.com ---This site has nutritional information for most foods and beverages.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ ---This is the United States Department of Agriculture Nutrition Database.

9. Exercise
According to Dr. Atkins "exercise is non-negotiable"! So get moving. Begin according to your level of fitness. Visit the Exercise Forum.

10. Vitamin Supplements
These are also recommended by Dr. Atkins because many of us have poor nutrition and we need extra nutrients. Visit the Vita-Nutrient Forum.

11. Weigh AND Measure Yourself on Day 1

Make sure you weigh and measure yourself before you begin this diet. Contrary to what we are lead to believe, the scale isn't the best tool for measuring weight loss (fat loss). It doesn't tell you how much muscle you gained. It doesn't tell you how much water weight you gained or lost. It doesn't tell you that you will fit into that pair of jeans.

Tips for weighing:
a. Weigh yourself at the same time of day under the same conditions. You can weigh "more" after a meal or after you drink water or you can weigh "less" after you exercise or have a bowel movement. So pick a time and stick to it. Likewise, clothing can also add on "pounds". So if you choose to weigh yourself wearing clothes, make sure you are wearing the same clothing or nearly the same clothing.

b. Use the same scale. Scales differ slightly. So the scale in your doctor's office or at the gym might have you weighing more or less than the scale in your bathroom.

Tips for measuring:
a. You can measure whatever body areas you want: chest, waist, hips, thighs, upper arm, wrists and ankles. To make the measuring easier, you body landmarks like your belly button or a mole or scar, to guide your tape measure placement. For chest measurement, women can either measure under their armpits and/or under their breasts.

b. Don't "pull" on the measuring tape because that will give you a false reading (and stretch the tape). The tape should be snug, but not tight.

c. Don't suck in to make yourself smaller. Again, that will give you a false measurement.

Measuring tapes can be purchased at craft stores (the sewing section) for under $5.00. If you can't find one, you can use a piece of string. Just mark that string with a marker pen to indicate your "start" points". Or if you have an old belt, you can use that too.

Another good "measuring tool" is your clothing. Non-stretchy clothing like a dress shirt, jeans, or dress is the best thing to use. Stretchy fabric (like t-shirts or anything with spandex) will conform to your body as you shrink so you might not see the results. Try on this article of clothing periodically to see how you are losing inches.

Good luck to you on your 14 day Induction journey.