Starting off on Atkins...

milosmom1979
milosmom1979 Posts: 33 Member
Hello All!!


I just started on Atkins about 2.5 hours ago! (I set a Day and today is that day) so far, so good... I work nights in a hospital and my brain is telling me to go to the vending machine for the cheetos that i crave so badly, but my stomach is holding me back. I dont feel hungry, per se, i feel like, because this is usually my "snacking" hour, i feel like im bored and missing something.. however, i have a Maid of honor dress that I have to fit into by october and Im gonna do this!!! Im determined!!! Any tips from anyone thats been on atkins for the long haul? i would LOVE to hear any advice or tips!!!! Thanks so much!!

Kelly
«1

Replies

  • linbert57
    linbert57 Posts: 154 Member
    I started Atkins in the beginning of April and it's been great!! I started with 2 weeks of induction (20 gr net carbs). I had already stopped eating wheat products etc in December so that transition wasn't too hard but I was eating too much sugar (handfuls of mini marshmallows, chocolate). I even cut the stevia out of my coffee. Probably the hardest thing to get used to was full fat products, such as salad dressing, cheese, cream, etc. because of how low fat products were ingrained in the standard american diet. I embrace fat now---coconut oil, olive oil, avocado. I don't eat red meat, my protein mainly comes from chicken, tuna, eggs and fish. My satiating saving items in the beginning - eggs and string cheese. I've added some more carbs now---nuts and berries. I'm averaging around 30 gr/day and I logged a 1.6# loss today! Good luck on your journey and you could friend me if you would like to look at my diary.
  • CoCoMa
    CoCoMa Posts: 906 Member
    Hi Kelly, welcome to this WOE (way of eating)! For snacking, I eat nitrite/nitrate free jerky, boiled eggs, pepperoni slices, cucumber and radishes with ranch dip, mac nuts/almonds/pecans (if you’re not on induction), and ham/cream cheese/pickle roll-ups. There are plenty snack options to choose from. I know the feeling when a behavior kicks in, but being prepared and planning ahead is your best defense!
  • Bailey532
    Bailey532 Posts: 65 Member
    Hard boiled eggs, cheese, the Atkins bars (although they slow some people's loss) and lunch meat rolled up with some cheese are some of my "go to" snacks. I'll add you and you can peek at my diary :smile:
  • livinglc
    livinglc Posts: 30 Member
    Hi millennium,
    Welcome to our low carb life. I think we all have the same go to snack floods that we rely on. One thing I noticed is that many of us are eating mostly healthy fats. I always have nuts in my lunch bag. I measure out a quarter cup and make up enough for a week of snacking. you will have to wait for after induction for nuts. I Can't eat the Atkins bars, they give me the same reaction that sugar does. I do use the Atkins shakes for breakfast or when I come out of the gym. The drinks work well for me.
    I also slice up radish, peppers, cukes for a veggie snack with an ounce if cheese.
    With eating low carb, and especially leaving sugar completely alone, you won't have cravings, cravings except emotional ones and habit ones (like your time you always go to snack machine). Vending machines often have beef jerky and that's a great snack.
  • kivaharper
    kivaharper Posts: 11
    Hello everyone,

    I re-started the Atkins today and so far so good except my morning latte with fat free milk three me completely off! I was not prepared for the amount of carbs or sugar. Not sure why I thought that was OK. I just kept it moving and will finish this day despite the accidental sugar. This reminds me of the need to plan ahead.

    I will start drinking tea tomorrow. I am in the induction stage again so the sugar withdrawals are here. UGH. Please feel free to add me as well. Thanks for the ham, cream cheese and pickle roll-up suggestions. Sounds yummy. Wish I could use my fav, sweet pickles. :)
  • codapea
    codapea Posts: 182 Member
    Hello everyone,

    I re-started the Atkins today and so far so good except my morning latte with fat free milk three me completely off! I was not prepared for the amount of carbs or sugar. Not sure why I thought that was OK. I just kept it moving and will finish this day despite the accidental sugar. This reminds me of the need to plan ahead.

    I will start drinking tea tomorrow. I am in the induction stage again so the sugar withdrawals are here. UGH. Please feel free to add me as well. Thanks for the ham, cream cheese and pickle roll-up suggestions. Sounds yummy. Wish I could use my fav, sweet pickles. :)

    You don't have to give up your morning latte! If you are making it at home, try it with unsweetened almond milk. It you are ordering at a coffee shop, get an americano and add a little heavy cream of if they don't have that use half and half.

    To OP, the best advise is when you are first starting out, don't deprive yourself of a snack, just make it low carb and one of the many good suggestions above. Pretty soon your appetite will be greatly diminished, so if you have to go over your calories for the first week- do what you have to do just stick to your carbs! The more fat you eat, the sooner your appetite will be under control. Fat is your friend!
  • stephcollins91
    stephcollins91 Posts: 14 Member
    Have a look at cheese crisps (chips if you're from the US). If you type cheese crisps/chips into google there's loads of recipes, you just grate cheese and arrange them like cookies on parchment paper (add any spices you'd like) and bake in the oven. Once cooled they are like crisp texture. I haven't tried them yet but I plan on baking a batch tonight for crisps and sour cream and chive dip, (chips and a dip) :)
  • CoCoMa
    CoCoMa Posts: 906 Member
    Have a look at cheese crisps (chips if you're from the US). If you type cheese crisps/chips into google there's loads of recipes, you just grate cheese and arrange them like cookies on parchment paper (add any spices you'd like) and bake in the oven. Once cooled they are like crisp texture. I haven't tried them yet but I plan on baking a batch tonight for crisps and sour cream and chive dip, (chips and a dip) :)

    I've made cheese chips and it didn't go so well. I put in a non-stick skillet and one side came out great, the flip side, not so great. Let us know how they come out in the oven.

    Here's instruction from wellnessmama.com that I think I'll give a go this weekend (sounds simple enough):

    cheese.jpg
    "Ingredients
    •Cheese of choice

    Instructions
    1.Very lightly oil a cookie sheet with olive oil (very lightly!) or use a silicon baking mat.
    2.Put small piles or folded slices of cheese onto the cookie sheet. I recommend cheddar, real grated parmesan, asiago or other firm cheese. I haven’t tried mozzarella, jack, colby, etc.
    3.Turn the oven on Broil and put the cheese in.
    4.Watch carefully for cheese to bubble and start to turn brown.
    5.Just as they brown around the edges, remove them and use thin spatula to remove from cookie sheet.
    6.When cooled, use just as you would chips for snacking or dipping into homemade sauces."
  • focus1232
    focus1232 Posts: 8 Member
    I started induction 22 days ago. I've lost 15lbs. The scale has stopped moving the last 4 days. I think the Atkins bars are slowing me. I had a half of one this morning before I realized what I was doing. I'm going to not eat any for the next 4 days and see if that helps! My clothes are looser I'm down 22bls from my Highest Weight. Love the snack Ideas...Keep em coming. My fav snack so far is string cheese!!!!
  • martinah4
    martinah4 Posts: 583 Member
    I discovered that I can still go to Starbucks every so often. I order an iced coffee with sugar-free syrup, a little half-n-half (about 1 carb), and some whipped cream topping (2 carbs). The sugar-free syrup says no carbs, but I count it as 1.
  • martinah4
    martinah4 Posts: 583 Member
    Have a look at cheese crisps (chips if you're from the US). If you type cheese crisps/chips into google there's loads of recipes, you just grate cheese and arrange them like cookies on parchment paper (add any spices you'd like) and bake in the oven. Once cooled they are like crisp texture. I haven't tried them yet but I plan on baking a batch tonight for crisps and sour cream and chive dip, (chips and a dip) :)

    Yes, these are good! Also, Google "parmesan cheese crisp". I've actually folded them up when they are still warm from the oven, and ate them like mini-taco shells.

    Another really easy snack are pork rinds. You can dip them in most dips that are 1-2 carbs for 2 tbsp. I dip in salsa, Gordo's cheese dip, sour cream & onion dip, etc. The pork rinds help give me the "crunchy" that I miss from potato chips.
  • martinah4
    martinah4 Posts: 583 Member
    I started induction 22 days ago. I've lost 15lbs. The scale has stopped moving the last 4 days. I think the Atkins bars are slowing me. I had a half of one this morning before I realized what I was doing. I'm going to not eat any for the next 4 days and see if that helps! My clothes are looser I'm down 22bls from my Highest Weight. Love the snack Ideas...Keep em coming. My fav snack so far is string cheese!!!!

    Congrats on your weight loss! That's an impressive loss!
    So, my suggestion would be to try to avoid the bars, or anything with sugar alcohols for a week, and see if that's your trigger that's making you stall. Up your water intake, exercise and try to snack on other things. If you're still stalling, try eliminating a different food like nuts, peanut butter or cheese. Sometimes, too much of those can cause a stall. I've had to play around and experiment to find what my stalls are: too much artificial sweetener, too much peanut butter, too many almonds :(
  • CoCoMa
    CoCoMa Posts: 906 Member
    If you're still stalling, try eliminating a different food like nuts, peanut butter or cheese. Sometimes, too much of those can cause a stall. I've had to play around and experiment to find what my stalls are: too much artificial sweetener, too much peanut butter, too many almonds :(

    Martina, thanks for the suggestions. Too much of pretty much anything can cause a stall, so I've spent years of experimenting. For example, I've found that I stall on too many almonds and pecans, but do extremely well with mac nuts. I avoid the nut butters altogether because I cannot control myself:ohwell:
  • betsyschro
    betsyschro Posts: 6 Member
    OP - Having low-carb snacks on hand is crucial for the first phase of atkins-- so you have no excuse to get the Cheetos! But I swear, after pushing through 2 or 3 days on high protein, low carb, you won't crave them at all any more.
  • Calif_Girl67
    Calif_Girl67 Posts: 526 Member
    Hey there,
    I have been wanting to try doing Low Carb and need some friends doing the same, It seems that low carbing is the only thing that makes the scale move for me and someone recommended that maybe I try it. I do enjoy low carb bars from Atkins and there meals but now I want to try to do it as much as possible to see if I can drop my weight.

    Losing is a struggle and I have alot of health issues so any help would be appreciated, I can't seem to do really low carb so Im trying to keep them under 100.

    Thanks
  • martinah4
    martinah4 Posts: 583 Member
    Hey there,
    I have been wanting to try doing Low Carb and need some friends doing the same, It seems that low carbing is the only thing that makes the scale move for me and someone recommended that maybe I try it. I do enjoy low carb bars from Atkins and there meals but now I want to try to do it as much as possible to see if I can drop my weight.

    Losing is a struggle and I have alot of health issues so any help would be appreciated, I can't seem to do really low carb so Im trying to keep them under 100.

    Thanks

    The first thing you should do is buy a book, do some research. There are several different low-carb diets, and each have different plans, but the commonality is that they all steer you away from processed foods, wheat and flour products, sugars and foods high in starch.
  • Calif_Girl67
    Calif_Girl67 Posts: 526 Member
    Hey there,
    I have been wanting to try doing Low Carb and need some friends doing the same, It seems that low carbing is the only thing that makes the scale move for me and someone recommended that maybe I try it. I do enjoy low carb bars from Atkins and there meals but now I want to try to do it as much as possible to see if I can drop my weight.

    Losing is a struggle and I have alot of health issues so any help would be appreciated, I can't seem to do really low carb so Im trying to keep them under 100.

    Thanks

    The first thing you should do is buy a book, do some research. There are several different low-carb diets, and each have different plans, but the commonality is that they all steer you away from processed foods, wheat and flour products, sugars and foods high in starch.

    I have a southbeach book but not an Atkins but I do belong to there website and want to start doing low carb in a better way, the last week or so i have not really been watching anything due to some new health issues etc. For me staying below 100 carbs is the only way i can do this, I just can't keep it at 25 as that is too hard for me to start with. I can get the Atkins book at the library though.
  • milosmom1979
    milosmom1979 Posts: 33 Member
    OP here!!!

    Okay, well now im on day 6 of atkins and Ive lost 13lbs already!!! I feel great and I really dont feel deprived or anything... however have some issues!! I bought the atkins bars that i have been using in place of meals if i dont have time to cook or anything, but ive had ALOT of GI upset from them, so im going to eat the remainder of what i have then im done with those. overall i feel like this is a diet i could do long term, as long as i stick with it!!!! Thanks for all the advice re: snacks!!! im definitely going to be making some of the suggestions!!!! have a great day, loves and feel free to add me!!!
  • CoCoMa
    CoCoMa Posts: 906 Member
    OP here!!!

    Okay, well now im on day 6 of atkins and Ive lost 13lbs already!!! I feel great and I really dont feel deprived or anything... however have some issues!! I bought the atkins bars that i have been using in place of meals if i dont have time to cook or anything, but ive had ALOT of GI upset from them, so im going to eat the remainder of what i have then im done with those. overall i feel like this is a diet i could do long term, as long as i stick with it!!!! Thanks for all the advice re: snacks!!! im definitely going to be making some of the suggestions!!!! have a great day, loves and feel free to add me!!!

    WTG on your weight loss!! The bars don't seem to hinder your loss, but the tummy issues are not fun. It's probably because of the maltitol syrup, which is a sugar alcohol, some bars have it and some don't. I steer clear of the ones with maltitol because as a type 2 diabetic, the maltitol causes a blood-sugar spike. I reach for the non-processed snacks, nitrate/nitrite free, which happen to be very filling. Happy LCing!
  • trottsky
    trottsky Posts: 1
    I make these often. They are soooo yummy! I put parchment paper down on a cookie sheet and use no oil. Believe me, so much oil comes out of the cheese it won't stick! Have to use a new sheet of parchment paper for each batch. You can season with a little cayenne pepper, or cajun seasoning, or garlic salt or powder. Delish!