Atkins Support Group

kittrelle

Hey all- just wanted to tell ya about my splenda experience. I lost 8 pounds in induction and stayed there for a week. Some folks on the Atkins Bulletin Board suspected it could be due to artificial sweetner. I enjoyed: sugarless gum, sugarless Jello, Mio beverage enhancer...I think that's it. Well I cut out the Jello and Mio and the gum to 3 slices a day and in 2 days I've lost 2 pounds!! I was told that even at zero carbs, some bodies treat Splenda and the like as sugar, anyway, that's why you limit it to 3 svgs. Lucky me that my body is so on the job. Boooo! I really like the Mio sweet tea, but I guess plain water is good, too.

SueInAz

Hey all- just wanted to tell ya about my splenda experience. I lost 8 pounds in induction and stayed there for a week. Some folks on the Atkins Bulletin Board suspected it could be due to artificial sweetner. I enjoyed: sugarless gum, sugarless Jello, Mio beverage enhancer...I think that's it. Well I cut out the Jello and Mio and the gum to 3 slices a day and in 2 days I've lost 2 pounds!! I was told that even at zero carbs, some bodies treat Splenda and the like as sugar, anyway, that's why you limit it to 3 svgs. Lucky me that my body is so on the job. Boooo! I really like the Mio sweet tea, but I guess plain water is good, too.

You might try a different artificial sweetener and see if that works better for you. Truvia is supposed to be pretty good and better for you than Splenda. Not sure how many pre-packaged items are out there for sale that use it, but you can buy some packets and add it, plus lemon or lime juice to your water for a low cal drink.

musicgirl99

Hi everyone - I just started doing Atkins again last week - did it 5 years ago and lost about 15 lbs. I'm also currently doing Insanity and am finding it hard to keep my energy up for such an intense workout. Anyone doing Insanity and low carb or can offer any advice on how to keep up energy levels??

LaJauna

I am not really on Atkins, but am following Dukan...On the Attack Phase and Cruise Phase, I try to keep my carbs below 60g. On this, we are allowed non fat dairy though, which accounts for 95% of the carbs on non vegetable days, and about 50% on vegetable days. So far, so good! I am one week in, have loads of energy and am down 5 pounds!!!

I don't know why you would want to eat a low fat diet. The thing about Atkins that makes it sustainable is all the wonderfully high fat foods that are built into the plan. Full fat cheeses, meats with marbled fat, chicken with the skin on, real butter, coconut oils, flax seed meal. I love me some FAT! The average Atkins dieter should be eating 60-70% of their daily calories in fat. 5-10% of their calories in carbs and let protein fall somewhere in the middle.

sunshinebabeee

I just wanted to say that I lost 60 lbs years ago doing atkins. It worked well back then but I had a lot more weight to loose. I kept it off for about 7 years now I have to try and loose 20 lbs after having surgery. I started about a week ago and it doesn't seem to be working this time. I'm not sure what is going on but I just wanted to let you guys know that it does work and once you get used to it it's pretty easy! Good luck!

lockef

Hi everyone - I just started doing Atkins again last week - did it 5 years ago and lost about 15 lbs. I'm also currently doing Insanity and am finding it hard to keep my energy up for such an intense workout. Anyone doing Insanity and low carb or can offer any advice on how to keep up energy levels??

This is normal. I'm doing a low carb diet, and still do intense workouts 5-6 days a week.

On days that you work out, try eating half an apple or banana 1-2 hours before you work out and the other half right after. If you still feel sluggish, add a little more carbs before a workout (maybe a whole apple or banana). Everyones body is different, so you'll need to experiment.

pork_belly

I just wanted to say that I lost 60 lbs years ago doing atkins. It worked well back then but I had a lot more weight to loose. I kept it off for about 7 years now I have to try and loose 20 lbs after having surgery. I started about a week ago and it doesn't seem to be working this time. I'm not sure what is going on but I just wanted to let you guys know that it does work and once you get used to it it's pretty easy! Good luck!

You can also try some type of IF (intermittent fasting) schedule. I hit a plateau on my atkins diet and i boosted my weight loss by using IF. I do the Fast-5 methodology - I only eat during a five hour window. That window is from 5PM to 10PM. At least half of the non-eating hours are my resting/sleeping period.

cobylea

Just wondering if anybody had a problem with gaining weight once they got out of the induction phase and started to add healthy carbs back into their diet? I've only just started the induction phase today but I have such a carb addiction and I only know that carbs are a big part of the reason that I'm at the weight I am now. I get scared even thinking about adding healthy carbs into my diet because of the effects they might have on my weight loss.

beernutz

Hi everyone - I just started doing Atkins again last week - did it 5 years ago and lost about 15 lbs. I'm also currently doing Insanity and am finding it hard to keep my energy up for such an intense workout. Anyone doing Insanity and low carb or can offer any advice on how to keep up energy levels??

I play tennis and if I know I'm playing singles for more than an hour I'll carb up with some dextrose or other fast absorbing carbs in the hour before I play. It helps stop fatigue from setting in. I usually only take in about 50-60 grams of carbs this way and I'll also drink a 20oz bottle of gatorade during play which has 34 grams of carbs. I've experimented with more or less and this amount seems to work for me. If I need more while playing I can always take some. I use sweetarts or smarties candy because they're cheap but there are also "carb up" gels or goos you can buy which essentially do the same thing. Of course drinking a ton of water before during and after exercise when doing low carb is especially important.

dittiepe

Just wondering if anybody had a problem with gaining weight once they got out of the induction phase and started to add healthy carbs back into their diet? I've only just started the induction phase today but I have such a carb addiction and I only know that carbs are a big part of the reason that I'm at the weight I am now. I get scared even thinking about adding healthy carbs into my diet because of the effects they might have on my weight loss.

I think the best thing to do is find out which of these carbs are your triggers and then avoid them all together. I know that rice and wheat slow my weight loss and are triggers for me, so I'll stay away from them, for example.

LaJauna

Just wondering if anybody had a problem with gaining weight once they got out of the induction phase and started to add healthy carbs back into their diet? I've only just started the induction phase today but I have such a carb addiction and I only know that carbs are a big part of the reason that I'm at the weight I am now. I get scared even thinking about adding healthy carbs into my diet because of the effects they might have on my weight loss.

I think the best thing to do is find out which of these carbs are your triggers and then avoid them all together. I know that rice and wheat slow my weight loss and are triggers for me, so I'll stay away from them, for example.

Print out the list of acceptable foods and figure out which ones you love and which ones don't excite you. Eat more of the foods you love and stay on course!

kittrelle

Just wondering if anybody had a problem with gaining weight once they got out of the induction phase and started to add healthy carbs back into their diet? I've only just started the induction phase today but I have such a carb addiction and I only know that carbs are a big part of the reason that I'm at the weight I am now. I get scared even thinking about adding healthy carbs into my diet because of the effects they might have on my weight loss.

Just use the OWL rungs as written in the book...add the foods in the order they are given one week at a time...that way IF you do gain, you'll immediately know why! Plus, remember, you are only adding carbs in small increments, so it should be easy to determine trigger/problem/weight gaining foods. I'm not there yet, but I'll give more detail when I am!! I'm hoping next week...

martinah4

I'm a little worried about that, too! I'm hoping that my body will have healed itself, or hit the reset button on how I handle carbs, so when I get to the adding back in phases, I won't balloon back up!

bron_89

Wow... So day 3 of 'induction'... now I know why people do so well on atkins... I used to be so hungry all the time- now that I'm following this I have never felt so full and still under my old calorie goal... I feel like I have so much more energy too! And I am probably eating more veggies now than ever! I'm not craving sugar at all!

dittiepe

Wow... So day 3 of 'induction'... now I know why people do so well on atkins... I used to be so hungry all the time- now that I'm following this I have never felt so full and still under my old calorie goal... I feel like I have so much more energy too! And I am probably eating more veggies now than ever! I'm not craving sugar at all!

Great job!

kittrelle

I'm a little worried about that, too! I'm hoping that my body will have healed itself, or hit the reset button on how I handle carbs, so when I get to the adding back in phases, I won't balloon back up!

I think you only add them in 5 gram increments a week at a time. So week one instead of 20 grams carbs you bump to 25, etc. A week is plenty of time to see if it effects you adversely. If you're still worried, take 2-3 weeks between each rung! It's all about you!! Customize.

dittiepe

^^ agreed! Take it slow

TDSeest

I am somewhat fortunate in that, when I crave carbs, it is usually fruit...I will occasionally want bread, but it is rare. However, I like a good berry mix, and I usually eat it once a week...

cobylea

Ok another silly question....I have always kept up on my water intake which has me going to the bathroom regularily. I'm on day 2 of induction phase but I have noticed that I'm going to the bathroom a lot more frequently. Is this cause from cutting out the carbs or am I just crazy? :ohwell:

TDSeest

Ok another silly question....I have always kept up on my water intake which has me going to the bathroom regularily. I'm on day 2 of induction phase but I have noticed that I'm going to the bathroom a lot more frequently. Is this cause from cutting out the carbs or am I just crazy? :ohwell:

You may be crazy, but that issue is not related to this question. When I'm induction, I always have to use the restroom more frequently. This is normal...

kittrelle

Yep, the nature of this way of eating is a diuretic. That's why Dr Atkins advises drinking broth twice a day to replace the sodium your, uh, getting rid of!! Can't lose water weight without this effect, so just don't stray to far from the loo! I'm in my 4th week and I still jump and run at times.

kittrelle

Hello All!

I just have a dilemma. I know many of you are successfully working the Atkins WOE with a family in your corner, but how do you handle dinnertime? I find myself having the 'guilties'. I dug this hole for myself being overweight, but my kids are active and at healthy weights and I'd love them to stay that way. Here are my problems: some of the things I eat on Atkins I would never had said were healthy before, for example, bacon, sausage, eggs, cheese, cream, butter etc. However, I consider myself an example for my kids, and wouldn't want them to eat what I've been eating. I push milk, fruit, veggies, etc on them. Also, when I make a 'family' meal- for example I've been thinking of trying the meatzza- pre Atkins I would NEVER have made something like that for us to eat. I would've called it a heart attack on a plate. I guess I'm worried about MY family who is NOT doing ATkins gaining weight because they are eating what I am when I'm doing Atkins and eating their carbs in addition to that. If anyone has dealt with this or has advice, please help.

Thanks!

martinah4

Hello All!

I just have a dilemma. I know many of you are successfully working the Atkins WOE with a family in your corner, but how do you handle dinnertime? I find myself having the 'guilties'. I dug this hole for myself being overweight, but my kids are active and at healthy weights and I'd love them to stay that way. Here are my problems: some of the things I eat on Atkins I would never had said were healthy before, for example, bacon, sausage, eggs, cheese, cream, butter etc. However, I consider myself an example for my kids, and wouldn't want them to eat what I've been eating. I push milk, fruit, veggies, etc on them. Also, when I make a 'family' meal- for example I've been thinking of trying the meatzza- pre Atkins I would NEVER have made something like that for us to eat. I would've called it a heart attack on a plate. I guess I'm worried about MY family who is NOT doing ATkins gaining weight because they are eating what I am when I'm doing Atkins and eating their carbs in addition to that. If anyone has dealt with this or has advice, please help.

Thanks!

I understand where you're coming from. My husband has always been the cooker and meal planner, and he has always emphasized fresh food and whole food. He makes my dinner the same as theirs, but makes mine low-carb. The kids get the carbs, but it's not the main part of dinner. For instance, we don't have bread at every meal. We rarely have anything that involves noodles or rice. Some meals are just a meat with a salad, and the kids do fine. I strongly believe that the reason my body is messed up, is because I spent years and years over-indulging on refined and processed foods. The children's bodies are perfect little machine's that can handle the carbs right now, but we definately avoid processed foods. I can't remember the last time we ate anything out of a box. We believe that we are teaching children to eat healthy now, and that will follow them for life.

dittiepe

^^ agree.

kittrelle

Hello All!

I just have a dilemma. I know many of you are successfully working the Atkins WOE with a family in your corner, but how do you handle dinnertime? I find myself having the 'guilties'. I dug this hole for myself being overweight, but my kids are active and at healthy weights and I'd love them to stay that way. Here are my problems: some of the things I eat on Atkins I would never had said were healthy before, for example, bacon, sausage, eggs, cheese, cream, butter etc. However, I consider myself an example for my kids, and wouldn't want them to eat what I've been eating. I push milk, fruit, veggies, etc on them. Also, when I make a 'family' meal- for example I've been thinking of trying the meatzza- pre Atkins I would NEVER have made something like that for us to eat. I would've called it a heart attack on a plate. I guess I'm worried about MY family who is NOT doing ATkins gaining weight because they are eating what I am when I'm doing Atkins and eating their carbs in addition to that. If anyone has dealt with this or has advice, please help.

Thanks!

I understand where you're coming from. My husband has always been the cooker and meal planner, and he has always emphasized fresh food and whole food. He makes my dinner the same as theirs, but makes mine low-carb. The kids get the carbs, but it's not the main part of dinner. For instance, we don't have bread at every meal. We rarely have anything that involves noodles or rice. Some meals are just a meat with a salad, and the kids do fine. I strongly believe that the reason my body is messed up, is because I spent years and years over-indulging on refined and processed foods. The children's bodies are perfect little machine's that can handle the carbs right now, but we definately avoid processed foods. I can't remember the last time we ate anything out of a box. We believe that we are teaching children to eat healthy now, and that will follow them for life.

Thanks, that's good advice to model!

Alyx128

I am almost a week into induction. I am pretty sure that I am in ketosis as I am exhibiting nearly all of the symptoms that I have read about (but I don't have the strips). My appetite is pretty under control, but I feel fatigued. Very fatigued. I got eight hours of sleep last night, but I still feel like I need to take a nap right now. Any advice.

LaJauna

Hello All!

I just have a dilemma. I know many of you are successfully working the Atkins WOE with a family in your corner, but how do you handle dinnertime? I find myself having the 'guilties'. I dug this hole for myself being overweight, but my kids are active and at healthy weights and I'd love them to stay that way. Here are my problems: some of the things I eat on Atkins I would never had said were healthy before, for example, bacon, sausage, eggs, cheese, cream, butter etc. However, I consider myself an example for my kids, and wouldn't want them to eat what I've been eating. I push milk, fruit, veggies, etc on them. Also, when I make a 'family' meal- for example I've been thinking of trying the meatzza- pre Atkins I would NEVER have made something like that for us to eat. I would've called it a heart attack on a plate. I guess I'm worried about MY family who is NOT doing ATkins gaining weight because they are eating what I am when I'm doing Atkins and eating their carbs in addition to that. If anyone has dealt with this or has advice, please help.

Thanks!

You need to put your whole family on Atkins maintenance. Look at the amazing foods your whole family can eat with the focus that some day when you have lost all of your excess baggage that you will be eating this way as well. No one needs carbage. NO ONE needs milk. We can get all the calcium we need from other vegetable sources. Milk is just liquid sugar (lactose). As for fruits and veggies....that is what you will be eating when you are skinny! Think- animals and all their by-products, plants of all sorts and water. What is not to like? Simplicity. You can do this for you and your family. Sit down with them if they are old enough, make a chart of all the yummy foods they will now be eating and let them pick the ones they are most excited about!

LaJauna

I am almost a week into induction. I am pretty sure that I am in ketosis as I am exhibiting nearly all of the symptoms that I have read about (but I don't have the strips). My appetite is pretty under control, but I feel fatigued. Very fatigued. I got eight hours of sleep last night, but I still feel like I need to take a nap right now. Any suggestions

It might mean you need to salt your food! Sodium depletion is a side effect of induction because your body is using ketosis as a diuretic! As your excess water weight is released so is your chemistry altered. I use lite salt because is has sodium with potasium. You will feel better if you mix a tsp into some warm water and glug it down! Or you can just make some bullion cube broth and drink that.

penash

I'm really glad I've found this thread. I just stared the Induction Phase this past Monday. I've lost 3 pounds in the last 3 days. I had the "Atkins flu" one day, but it was only a mild headache and fatigue. I've felt great every other day. About 10 years ago I lost about 40 pounds doing Atkins, then I switched over to a low fat diet. Needless to say, most of the weight came back. I'm hoping to lose 50 pounds this time around. My appetite is much more in control and I've had far fewer carb cravings than I normally do when they are a regular part of my diet. I am a little worried about meeting up with my friend for brunch tomorrow (french toast w will be calling my name), but I think I can get though it.

kittrelle

I am almost a week into induction. I am pretty sure that I am in ketosis as I am exhibiting nearly all of the symptoms that I have read about (but I don't have the strips). My appetite is pretty under control, but I feel fatigued. Very fatigued. I got eight hours of sleep last night, but I still feel like I need to take a nap right now. Any suggestions

It might mean you need to salt your food! Sodium depletion is a side effect of induction because your body is using ketosis as a diuretic! As your excess water weight is released so is your chemistry altered. I use lite salt because is has sodium with potasium. You will feel better if you mix a tsp into some warm water and glug it down! Or you can just make some bullion cube broth and drink that.

I didn't know lite salt had potassium in it!! I should get some... I've been really worried about my potassium levels- I'm not even getting half of what I should be according to MFP and I have a history of arryhthmias that I don't want to aggravate. I was thinking of a supplement, but salt with it already in there sounds good as well.