New Atkin's starter

[AkumaXAyami]

Hello everyone, just was wondering around the internet and came across this site about atkins. It seems pretty reasonable and I would like to try it.

Umm, i started my weight loss journey because i was unhappy with how i look and about my lack of self confidence. So, began to change my eating habits and started exercising regularly.

I started to take up swimming and stopped all my jonk food habits. It seemed to work but the weight loss was a bit slow. Then i found a new friend in the cardio room of my local gym, the rowing machine :P. Since then, i go everyday to do rowing (about 1hr sessions then rest, burnin about 600 calories an hour) .. so yea .. ive lost about 6 kgs (13lbs) so far.

Pretty happy with the results so im going to continue my weight loss .

Can anyone please give me some tips on how to start the induction phase, and how much I should be eating in vegetables? I'm still confused about how much vegetables i should be eating ...

Thank you for your help.

[blueberrylady]

Re: New Atkin's starter

Welcome to the board!

Check out the Atkins Phases Forum for info on what foods to eat and the amount. You should also have the 2002 edition of the Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution for the an indepth reasoning of how and why the diet works.

Congrats on the changes you have made so far, especially the exercise! Good luck to you and keep us posted on your progress!

[mitzimarie]

Re: New Atkin's starter

Can anyone please give me some tips on how to start the induction phase, and how much I should be eating in vegetables? I'm still confused about how much vegetables i should be eating ...

Welcome to ADBB!

Nice job on the exercise!!

For success in the Atkins Lifestyle (not just a means to lose weight!), it is extremely important for you to get a copy of and read the 2002 version of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. Dr. Atkins outlines a detailed program which must be followed as written, to secure health and success. In the mean time, I have put a little information together to help people get started. Included are links to some of the popular spots on the board, and a link to a website that a lot us use for recipes. Here is the link:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/spotlight-introduce-yourself/60133-if-you-new-read.html

Make sure to visit the Induction forum on this board... there are sure to be posts there that will help you, and you can start a thread there with any questions that you may have.

Here is a list of acceptable foods:


Acceptable Foods

These are the foods you may eat liberally during Induction:
all fish, all fowl, all shellfish, all meat, all eggs

*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs than other shellfish, so limit them to four ounces per day.

**Processed meats, such as ham, bacon, pepperoni, salami, hot dogs and other luncheon meats and some fish may be cured with added sugar and will contribute carbs. Try to avoid meat and fish products cured with nitrates, which are known carcinogens. Also beware of products that are not exclusively meat, fish or fowl, such as imitation fish, meatloaf and breaded foods. Finally, do not consume more than four ounces of organ meats a day.

OTHER FOODS THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE DURING INDUCTION

Cheese
You can consume three to four ounces daily of the following full-fat, firm, soft and semi-soft aged cheeses*, including:

cheddar
cow, sheep and goat cheese
cream cheese
Gouda
mozzarella
Roquefort and other blue cheeses
Swiss
*All cheeses have some carbohydrate content. The quantity you eat should be governed by that knowledge. The rule of thumb is to count 1 ounce of cheese as equivalent to 1 gram of carbohydrate. Note that cottage cheese, farmer's cheese and other fresh cheeses are not permitted during Induction. No "diet" cheese, cheese spreads or whey cheeses are permitted. Individuals with known yeast symptoms, dairy allergy or cheese intolerance must avoid cheese. Imitation cheese products are not allowed, except for soy or rice cheese but check the carbohydrate content.

Vegetables
You can have two to three cups per day of:

alfalfa sprouts
daikon
mushrooms
arugula
endive
parsley
bok choy
escarole
peppers
celery
fennel
radicchio
chicory
jicama
radishes
chives
lettuce
romaine lettuce
cucumber
moche
sorrel
These salad vegetables are high in phytonutrients and provide a good source of fiber.

Other Vegetables
You can have one cup per day of these veggies if salad does not exceed two cups. The following vegetables are slightly higher in carbohydrate content than the salad vegetables:

artichoke
celery root
pumpkin
artichoke hearts
rhubarb
asparagus
chard
sauerkraut
bamboo shoots
collard greens
scallions
dandelion
snow peas
bean sprouts
dandelion greens
spaghetti squash
beet greens
eggplant
spinach
broccoli
hearts of palm
string or wax beans
broccoli rabe
kale
summer squash
brussels
kohlrabi
tomato
bean sprouts
leeks
turnips
cabbage
okra
water chestnuts
cauliflower
onion
zucchini
If a vegetable, such as spinach or tomato, cooks down significantly, it must be measured raw so as not to underestimate its carb count.

Salad Garnishes

crumbled crisp bacon
grated cheese
minced hard-boiled egg
sauted mushrooms
sour cream

Spices
All spices to taste, but make sure none contain added sugar.

Herbs
basil
garlic
rosemary
cayenne pepper
ginger
sage
cilantro
oregano
tarragon
dill
pepper
thyme
For salad dressing, use oil and vinegar (but not balsamic vinegar, which contains sugar) or lemon juice and herbs and spices. Prepared salad dressings without added sugar and no more than two carbs per tablespoon serving are also fine.

Acceptable Fats and Oils
Many fats, especially certain oils, are essential to good nutrition. Olive oil is particularly valuable. All other vegetable oils are allowed, the best being canola, walnut, soybean, grapeseed, sesame, sunflower and safflower oils, especially if they are labeled "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed." Do not cook polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, soybean and sunflower oil, at high temperatures or allow to brown or smoke.

Butter is allowed. Margarine should be avoided, not because of its carbohydrate content, but because it is usually made of trans fats (hydrogenated oils), which are a serious health hazard. (Some nonhydrogenated margarines are available in health-food stores.)

You don't have to remove the skin and fat from meat or fowl. Salmon and other cold-water fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Remember that trying to do a low-fat version of the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM will interfere with fat burning and derail your weight loss.

Artificial Sweeteners
You must determine which artificial sweeteners agree with you, but the following are allowed: sucralose (marketed as Splenda), saccharin, cyclamate and acesulfame-K. Natural sweeteners ending in the suffix "-ose," such as maltose, fructose, etc., should be avoided. However, certain sugar alcohols, such as maltitol, do not affect blood sugar and are acceptable.

Saccharin has been extensively studied, and harmful effects were produced in the lab when fed to rats only in extremely high doses. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed saccharin from its list of carcinogens, basing its decision upon a thorough review of the medical literature and the National Institute of Science's statement that there is "no clear association between saccharin and human cancer." It can be safely consumed in moderation, meaning no more than three packets a day. Saccharin is marketed as Sweet'n Low.

We discourage the use of aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet and Equal) because of clinical observations that it slows weight loss in certain individuals. The FDA has approved the herb stevia for use only as a supplement, not as a sweetener.

The Atkins preference, however, is sucralose (Splenda), the only sweetener made from sugar. Sucralose is safe, noncaloric and does not raise blood sugar. It has been used in Canada for years, and the FDA recently approved it after reviewing more than 100 studies conducted over the past 20 years. Note that each packet of sugar substitute contains about 1 gram of carbohydrate, so don't forget to include the amount in your daily totals.

Acceptable Beverages
Be sure to drink a minimum of eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day, including:

Filtered water
Mineral water
Spring water
Tap water
Additionally, you can have the following:

Clear broth/bouillon (not all brands; read the label)
Club soda
Cream, heavy or light (limit to two to three tablespoons a day; note carbohydrate content)
Decaffeinated coffee or tea*
Diet soda made with sucralose (Splenda); be sure to count the carbs
Essence-flavored seltzer (must say "no calories" and should not contain aspartame)
Herb tea (without barley or any fruit sugar added)
Lemon juice or lime juice (note that each contains 2.8 grams carbohydrate per ounce); limit to two to three tablespoons
*Excessive caffeine may cause unstable blood sugar and should be avoided by those who suspect they are caffeine dependent. Everyone should try to avoid caffeine. Grain beverages (coffee substitutes) are not allowed. Alcoholic beverages are also not permitted during Induction; those low in carbohydrates are an option, in moderation, in later phases.

Special Category Foods
To add variety, each day you can also eat 10 to 20 olives, half a small avocado, an ounce of sour cream or three ounces of unsweetened heavy cream, as well as two to three tablespoons of lemon juice or lime juice. But be aware that these foods occasionally slow down weight loss in some people, and may need to be avoided in the first two weeks. If you seem to be losing slowly, moderate your intake of these foods.

Best of luck to you!

[Chicklady]

Re: New Atkin's starter

Hi Welcome aboard. Be sure to check out all this forum has to offer!

[imagood1]

Re: New Atkin's starter

welcome -- good luck on your weight loss journey. Make sure you get plenty of water everyday - at least 64oz. A lot of us use www.FitDay.com to keep track of how many carbs we've eaten each day. It's free and a great tool to use.

[AkumaXAyami]

Re: New Atkin's starter

thanks everybody for the advice, i recently purchased my copy of the atkins diet revolution 2002, gotta start my induction tomorrow. That fitday program is very good, now i have peace of mind about the carb issue .