general atkins questions

[kerbear1969]

I started this diet 2 weeks ago and have noticed a few things, chronic fatigue more so than usual and restless leg syndrome at night not bad but noticable that also is new, some toe cramps now and then thats new, my muscles feel tiered if that makes sense?
Let me tell you what im eating:
2-3 atkins shakes throughout the day
one meal including high protien steak/chicken with salad and dressing.
snacks olives, deviled eggs, cheese pieces, peproni (not all the time) all snacks are here and there not everyday.
3-4 splendas per day
decaf ice tea, plenty of water
Any advice would be appreciated

[sarahinparis]

Hi,

Well it sounds like you have a bit of what many refer to as the 'Atkins flu' which for me at least means feeling grumpy, tired and blah for several days.

I also get cramps in my legs (toes only once) which is related to ketosis apparently. The cramps can wake me at night and were worse when I first started, but still occur maybe once a week or so -- more often if I'm not exercising.

Personally I dont use any replacement products for meals so I have no idea what those shakes contain, so I cant really advise on the diet side.

I can share that I have lost about 34 pounds on low carb since last Spring -- slow and steady, but with several plateaus along the way. Every time I drop more than 2 pounds I seem to hover at a weight for several weeks before I drop again. If I lose less (which most of the time I do) it can be a pretty consistent path, but a larger loss is almost always followed by a stall. I've come to accept it as normal-for-me.

[Violet73]

yep that darn Atkins flu! but, it does go away and then you will feel wonderful! I think also it may help you to eat protein as your meals instead of the shakes. This will soon pass....just hang in there!

[thistoo]

The thing with the shakes is they have a lot of hidden carbs, and they are not an ideal source of nutrition. So you might end up stalling your progress, and the sweeteners they use could be contributing to your RLS.

I would ditch the shakes and start eating real foods like eggs and cheese and lean protein. The Atkins flu will pass, but it'll probably pass more quickly if you get adequate nutrition. Good luck!

[HealthierLori]

Also it sounds to me like you are not getting enough vegetables. You need to remember to eat your 2-3 cups of salad veggies per day plus one cup of cooked, non-starchy vegetables. That should help put potassium back into your system and stop the restless legs and help the Atkins flu go away sooner.

[JessicaRT]

yes VEGGIES!! When i first did the 2 weeks i didn't eat nearly enough carbs.. I think i was eating less than 10 a day! not good. I was faint and dizzy.. it was horrible. You need carbs... the key is GOOD CARBS! from veggies like broccoli and zucchini and green lettuce .. basically anything that is green

[firefly68]

Originally Posted by kerbear1969

Let me tell you what im eating:
2-3 atkins shakes throughout the day
one meal including high protien steak/chicken with salad and dressing.
snacks olives, deviled eggs, cheese pieces, peproni (not all the time) all snacks are here and there not everyday.
3-4 splendas per day
decaf ice tea, plenty of water
Any advice would be appreciated

Hi there! Your ticker looks good! Did you lose all that weight eating like you describe above? I don't see enough fat! Does that sound weird or what? But it's true -- you should keep your body supplied with liberal amounts of good fats, such as butter, olive oil, and other good ones like that. Salad dressing is okay for some of that fat, but the amount used for one salad is not enough.

Are you also only have a protein meal once a day? You should eat a minimum of three meals a day -- or maybe five smaller meals -- but each of those should have mostly fat, then mostly protein, then some of the acceptable vegetables with it.

You might also consider trying cheese, it's a good source of combined fat and protein!

If you can shuffle your meals into something more in line with these suggestions, you might not have those symptoms. Good luck!! You've lost a lot of weight so far and you are getting healthier.

[JerseyGyrl]

Hi Kerbear,
My advice isn't always the most popular because I am hard core Atkins....that being said, if you are doing Atkins, you want to do it correctly, especially Induction.
I am aware Atkins Nutritionals Inc. advertises the Atkins shakes as "appropriate for Phase 1 (Induction)"....this is unfortunately untrue. The shakes contain milk & soy which are not on the acceptable foods list for Induction. And as has already been mentioned, they contain hidden carbs.
The purpose of Induction is to rid your body of sugar cravings (so-called "bad" carbs). This requires clean eating & avoiding processed foods....not my rules, but Dr. Atkins rules Clean eating on Atkins Induction means meats, salads, veggies on the acceptable foods list, eggs, limited cheese....20 net carbs (total carbs with dietary fiber deducted) per day with 12-15 of those carbs coming from salads & veggies. On Atkins, fat is very important....butter, mayo, full fat salad dressings etc. because you want to replace the "bad" carbs with fat so you body will burn the fat you are eating for fuel. I hope that makes sense.
My advice to you is to get yourself a copy of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002 or prior version) and read it from cover to cover so you understand exactly how & why this plan works when done correctly. I would also hightly recommend reading Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes as well as The Protein Power Lifeplan by Dr's Michael & Mary Dan Eades.
You CAN do this!
All the best to you!!

[kerbear1969]

Thanks to all that have responded. Excellent advice and guidance. Yes I need to update my ticker again as im down another two pounds since starting 2 weeks ago Im sure its mostly water but hey makes me feel good.

[Torister]

I agree with Jerseygyrl...if you are going to follow Atkins...follow it. Honestly, read the book and follow it to a "T" the first two weeks of induction. The replacement meals and bars are kinda crappy....besides...who wants that when you can have a nice ribeye with a pat of butter on it?

The Atkins plan will work for you in the long term....if you work the plan.

Good Luck!

[mizski]

Kerbear, it looks like you are way under on your veggies and it also doesn't look like you are having enough fats. Using a food tracker like FitDay or Fatsecret helps greatly in getting the right amounts.

I would also nix the shakes.

With proper nutrition (i.e., doing Atkins correctly) you should notice big changes in decreased fatigue and muscle cramping. Also, are you taking the supplements outlined in DANDR? They make a huge difference.

[Deena52]

Kerbear,

Are you still experiencing the restless legs and toe cramps? To me, the first culprit would be an electrolyte/mineral imbalance. Are you taking a daily supplement (vitamin) as recommended in the book? Also, many of our minerals, etc. come from all the veggies we eat on Atkins, which is very important. Also, calcium from the careful amount of dairy products we're allowed.

Most, including me, got symptoms like this during the first 2-3 days or so, but I think this is due to serious water loss....and with water loss goes electrolytes along with it. Takes the body a few days to sort itself out. I tend to think that the supplements I take helped with that. If you google electrolyte or mineral imbalances, you'll see that there are all sorts of muscle cramp type symptoms involved.

As long as I do Atkins the right way...which includes plenty of veggies and plenty of fat (and protein)....I feel great...seriously. Better than I've ever felt. I totally avoid the shakes, bars, etc. They kicked-in cravings, etc. for me in the past while on maintenance.

deena

[sarahinparis]

congrats on the 2 pound loss! Sounds like it's working well for you