New to board...hello!

[BlueKarana]

Hello all~~

I've been ramping up with following a low-carb lifestyle over the last month or so after several months of struggling with calorie counting and Weight Watchers. I ended up here for the typical reason, I was starving all the time eating low-cal. Since September I've lost around 7 pounds. Pretty darn slow!

I have just under 30 pounds to lose and I'm a 46 yo woman.

For the last week I've been following Atkins Phase I...kinda. I'm ironing out the kinks and figuring things out day to day. I went over my food journal this past week trying to figure out where I've gone wrong because I still haven't lost any weight at all. Day to day I fluctuate within the same two pounds. I have, I think, found the culprits (e.g., under 20 g net carbs, but 14 of those from wing dings, not vegetables, or, over the net carb limit by 5 or so g, and not enough water).

I don't have the book yet (I think I gave my copy away after trying a few years ago and quiting). I saw that this group follows a certain edition of Atkins but I was thinking of getting the newest book when it comes out this week. I've been using the food lists and the program description pages from the Atkins site and nutrition facts from Livestrong.com. Are you all going to adapt the new book?

My exercise consists mainly of playing competitive tennis. I play 3-5 times per week. In the warmer months I swim and walk too.

I'm thinking of staying on phase I for another 2 weeks since my first week was not perfect. What the general thought on this?

I hear about people losing weight right away. Does it sometimes just take a few weeks to kick in? I remember when I was on a lower carb anti-candida diet it took around 3-4 weeks before my weight dropped so maybe I have my own answer I just don't like it!!!!!

I actually enjoy this way of eating and I'm seeing other benefits (compliments from DH on looking slimmer, absence of alcohol cravings, etc.), so I'm not inclined to quit, but I am very frustrated with the lack of weight loss.

I look forward to meeting you all.

[Peytonn]

Re: New to board...hello!

I'm a redo myself... I still have the orginal 1999 version.. the one they swear by here is the 2002 edition (they're all over ebay for under $5)

I think this place is pretty much devoted to the 2002 edition..

maybe you didn't lose because of the sugar... because as I understand the book.. it's just carb count.. but the KIND of carb ... they have to come from veggies.. only on the approved list.. because of all the glycemic index stuff.. and all that...

i'm not an expert.. I just read.. and when in doubt.. I go read some more...

but.. if you really want to give this a whirl.. hit up ebay.. or amazon. and buy the 2002 edition ..

[chinadoll]

Re: New to board...hello!

Welcome! We do use the 2002 version--the last one actually written by Dr Atkins. Thats important because the new stuff including the Atkins site advocates a lot of stuff the good doctor would not have recommended. If you check the Induction and Extended Induction areas, there are great hints for Induction and lists of acceptable foods for Induction phase (what you are calling Phase one). You are not going to have a huge drop since you have only 30 pounds to lose. If you aren't losing yet it may be due to the fact that you haven't stuck as closely as you need to the plan, could be you need more water (64 ounces of plain water daily), could be time of the month. If you go to the Review my Menu section and post what you have been eating we can trouble shoot for you.

[BlueKarana]

Re: New to board...hello!

Thanks for the encouragement.

I ordered "the book" this morning (I had a credit on paperbackswap)

I'll post my food later ...

Margret

[imagood1]

Re: New to board...hello!

Welcome --

What I found helped me most was that I planned meals for a few days in advance, that way I had everything in the house and pre-cooked a couple of the meals so it was quick to get to the table. Linda's recipe site is very helpful with delicious recipes - it will help keep you from eating the same thing over and over -- http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/menus.html.

You can follow whatever edition you like but the advise you will recieve on this board will be from the 2002 edition for the reasons China listed above.

Make sure you exercise, take a vitamin without iron (check the "silver" vitamins) and drink a minimum 64 ounces of pure water (nothing added), daily - more is better but no less than 64 ounces. Coffee, tea or anything that isn't PURE water doesn't count toward that total...if you have problems there is a water challenge every month that helps people keep on track.

Glad to see you have ordered the 2002 book. If you need anything we try to help each other here as much as possible.

[BlueKarana]

Re: New to board...hello!

Thanks for the recipe link, Carole. I like the looks of some of the recipes. I just said to my DH at lunch, "I love leftovers!" I just had leftover "Greekstyle Chicken" from a low carb cookbook I have.

I've also been experimenting with desserts. I hadn't found a recipe for homemade ice cream with no milk, only heavy whipping cream. I decided to see what would happen. The result was an amazing vanilla ginger ice cream akin to the new Haagen Daz 5 ice cream. Things like this, having a delicious treat when my family is having ice cream at night, make induction much easier.

Water, water, I'm doing much better today.