[sandyfanny]

I don't really understand the second list of vegetables in Atkin's New Diet Revolution...do we count the carbs in spinach or is spinach free like lettuce or celery? What's the deal with the second list?

And, thanks, you ladies are real inspirations and help me know I can do it. I just agreed to do a favor for an acquaintance who's taking her exam to be a certified personal trainer...and she's offered to train me free. Maybe that's not a coincidence!

[JerseyGyrl]

Originally Posted by sandyfanny

do we count the carbs in spinach or is spinach free like lettuce or celery?

You need to be counting the carbs in everything. Veggies & salad have carbs & it is important you count them. A half cup of raw spinach contains 0.2 net carbs. One stalk of celery contains 0.8 net carbs...a half cup of iceburg lettuce has 0.1 net carb...a half cup of romaine lettuce has 0.2 net carbs.

On Atkins Induction, you should be getting 12-15 of your 20 carbs for the day from veggies & salad on the acceptable foods list.
http://www.atkins.com/Program/FourPh...FoodsList.aspx

[Timlin]

sf the second list is just allowable foods which have a slightly higher carb count. You can chose from each list but look for the list that gives you the carb count on all foods........it's on the Atkins.com site if not here.

[sandyfanny]

Thanks, Jersey Gyrl and Timlin for your patience with my questions. And for the recipes - I made the French Vanilla Ice Cream on the Bella***(I forgot the name!) site in my Cuisinart ice cream maker. It's delicious - 3 carbs per serving of yummy. I realize I have to break my addiction to sweets - particularly things chocolate and lemoon - and to carbs and that I must learn to focus on using my carbs in healthy ways - veggies in induction, for example. I like everything, but I'm addicted to sweet and starch...duh? I guess most of us who have concerns about our weights are. Anyway, I appreciate your patience and help.

If I have to count EVERYTHING, I have to write down everything I eat. Will start a log. Have a good one.

[Timlin]

sf the point of induction is to break our dependance on carbs (ie: sugars and chocolate and the like) so by eating ice cream during induction your really defeating the point.

I know the first week is hard but if you can just get through that first week you will stop craving the sweets.....at least I sure did. I can't think that Atkins will work for you if you don't stay on the program. (and please know I realize it's hard.......we're all here struggling with the same thing.)

[snapless]

I'll second what Timlin said.

If you can motivate yourself to not touch sweets at all for at least 2 weeks, by the end of the first week your cravings should be under control.

During those first two weeks you are basically reprogramming your body.

If you ever do 'slip' up after those first 2 weeks of induction, you'll actually find yourself thinking...or saying...This is TOO SWEET!

I have had a single (Japanese style) donut since Induction was over...and even though it was Japanese and therefore less than half as sweet as the American version, I couldn't finish it...it tasted awful. Was so sweet and 'heavy' it made me feel sick.

As Timlin also pointed out, we all know it is hard. We've all either been there or are still going through it.