Hello all...

I hope you don't mind me posting here... I just started atkins today.. and I hope it's the right thing for me. I want to lose 20-25lbs.

I've heard about at the beginning you get headaches, and right now I have a dull ache....do you really get headaches this soon or is it something else?

Just wanted to post and share this. I've read through many of your post and you are all great motivators to me!! Such inspiration here!!

Thanks for listening.

Marti

Hi MNJ and welcome and congrats!

I personally didn't really have headaches, I was just a major witch for the first couple of days. But I know people on this forum have experienced the headaches.

Again, welcome! Hope you stick around

Hi MNJ! I'm about 1 1/2 weeks into it and didn't have headaches but I think it totally depends on how dependent your body was on carbs. It could also be caffeine withdrawal if you drank a fair amount of caffeine. My dh drank a diet coke a day and when we started he had a terrible headache for about two days but that went away. Just hang in there and drink tons and tons of water! Flush it away. You'll be fine and it's worth it. Hang in there.

Hi, MNJ!! Welcome!! I had terrible headaches and no energy for the first two to three days. It was miserable. But, I'm so glad I stuck it out! I feel great now and have been losing weight. It's definitely worth the effort and the headache!

Take care,
Jina

Thank you all for welcoming me!!

My "dull" headache didn't get to bad. I'm thinking it was probably the fact that I'm tired.

I tried prepared myself before I started atkins. I tried to slowly cut down on certain foods and eating more protien rich foods. I'm hoping that helped. And I've been drinking 80oz. or more of water for the last couple months.... water is never a problem... unless of coarse I'm in class doing a test and I have to go NOW!

Oh before I go.... any idea's on how to spice up a salad? I don't have any dressing that's "legal" and I was wondering what you all use? I actually used a teaspoon of this hotsauce (tasted like chilli sauce) which wasn't bad, made the salad taste like taco salad! But I'm definately going to need more variety!!

Thank everyone
Marti

Welcome Marti. Glad you're here! There's a great recipe forum here with all kinds of great meals and dressings. One of the many benefits about this diet is variety. I've been on the Atkins' Diet for 3 years, 4 months and have not tired of it, and have no where near tried all the recipes. I lost 65 pounds right off, and have maintained that all this time. However, I've recently gained some back, so I'm ready to go another mile and reach my goal. Barbie

Marti

WELCOME! You will love it here!

I got TONS of headaches at the begining! Some dull others sharp.. they lasted for about 3 days... then my body got used to it!

As for variety, use spices. I experiment all the time with them. Spice Islands has a powdered spice mix that you can add to salads (They say for vinigarette) that has no sugar and is GREAT with olive oil. I even spice up my steak with it too!

Find the Davinci syrups too. those help with coffee and I just was thumbing through my atkins book and Dr. Atkins recommends using them with Sourcream too... I might have to try that!

I also found a really good cajun spice that is no sugar and use it on lots of stuff. Kraft Caesar with Parmasian dressing is wonderfull and only 1 carb per 2 TBSPS! Awesome stuff to marinate your chicken in too!

Anyway... that is all I can think of at the moment.. but hope that helps!

I use Newman's Own family italian - only one gram of carbs and all profit goes to charity

I also like olive oil and red wine vinegar.

I'm a big fan of blue cheese dressing when I'm having a salad at a restaraunt. Since I can't read the label on the stuff they use, I get the dressing on the side, then dip my fork into it before stabbing a hunk o' salad. It gives me plenty of flavor and doesn't use much dressing - just in case.

For a crouton substitute, you can crumble up some herb and garlic Just the Cheese snacks and sprinkle them on the salad - crunchy and yummy!

Hi MNJ and welcome!

I too had a headache for about 2 days...but started on end of first day, morning of 2nd. I was also cutting out caffeine so this was probably part of the reason for the pain.

I decided to wean myself off of the caffeine instead so I did half and half and kept changing proportion so that about 10 days later I was truly "decaffeinated".

The headaches did not last long - and after that I felt great and the cravings also seemed to disappear.

Warnings: stay away from sugar alcohols or sugar free bars/shakes as they are not safe for induction, and generally can cause stalls.

Salad dressing: if you have nothing around yet, do you have any mayo in the house? I think you could use that as a base and add spices to it...or even mix the hot sauce into it! There are many "legal" dressings at the supermarket, just be sure to read the labels!

Don't forget to get a free account at www.fitday.com to track your eating.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Froufy

Such warm welcomes!! Thanks for the idea's for the salads.

About the headaches... It never got bad and today is good.

About a year or two I cut down on my coffee intake majorly. I had HBP and had to take medication for it.... and so I decided to cut the caffeine, limit the salt intake, and started excercising more. I managed to lose weight and bring my BP down and my doctor like my results and after monitoring for about 6mos. let me get off medications! I was thrilled!

I have maintained this weight for the most part since losing, I gained only 10lbs. back... I just don't want to see my self where I was before! Which is another reason why I chose Atkins, I've heard a lot about BP going down amongst other things. Anyone notice a change in their health after doing this?

Here is another question. During the induction period I know you have to be careful with the foods you eat. Are we only allowed whats on the list? I have pork rinds that I ate for a snack then I thought "it's not on the list, maybe I shouldn't eat them" I feel a little ignorant asking, but I'd rather know than not know! I really want this to work. Here is what I ate yesterday: Please tell me if I need to cut something out.
Breakfast:
2pcs. bacon
2 eggs scrambled w/cheese & tomato
Snack:
1 boiled egg
Lunch:
2C. Salad w/cheese, olives, boiled egg w/chilli hot sauce
Snack:
porkrinds (10)
olives (10)
Dinner:
porksteak (4oz.)
1C cauliflour
Water intake for the day=70oz.

I noticed this morning that I was NOT hungry. What do you do? Shouldn't you still eat breakfast or just eat a little more for lunch?

Ok.. this got long... sorry about that. I just want to keep this up an make it work! I appreciate all your welcomes and advice!! I usually post w/the Jaded Ladies.. but I will try to keep posting here too.
Take Care
Marti

Marti - that menu looks really good.

When you are not hungry, you still need to eat a little. eat a small meal like a boiled egg crummbled on a small salad. When you do get hungry eat something a little more substantial. I go through cycles. Whn TOM is here, no matter how much protien and fat I eat I am still starving and tend to eat lots of small meals, other days I tend to eat 3 bigger meals with a small snack in the afternoon. so eventually you will see a pattern and make up the difference!

Come joinus on the dalily thread too.. lots of information shared there as well!

Hi Marty, I think the length of your post is fine. I'm not 100% sure of this, but I don't think tomatoes, cauliflour, and olives are allowed on the induction stage. I could be wrong, but I don't see them on my list and perhaps that's why I didn't eat them. I ate a lot of pork rinds. But I'll keep looking here in my 3 Atkins' Books and see if I can find more to help out.

I was on BP meds for 20 years since I was about 19 years old. I'm now off all medication and as long as I follow the diet strictly, it doen't go up. I home monitor still daily along with regular check ups. It's nice when extra good things come out of losing weight. I have a lot more energy too, and don't ever get tired like I do when I eat carbs. ~Barbie~

Hi Barbie

All of those veggies are allowed.. PG 126 under other vegitables and Olives are listed as special Category foods on page 129 of new diet revolution...

Thanks Karen for the invite to the daily chat. I will try to make it over there later!!
Barbie--It feels good to be off meds. isn't it!! I'm glad to hear you no longer have to take them.
Ok--I'm off to eat something.... having a hard time feeling hungry... how normal is that?

Marti

Hi Karen, Thanks for the info. I just bought the new edition of that book and have the older yellow cover one from 3 years ago. I knew I could be off on that, but now know why I wouldn't eat them:

It says, "But be aware that these foods occasionally slow down weight loss in some people, and may need to be avoided in the first two weeks. If you seem to be losing slowly, moderate your intake of these foods." So I just put them right out of my mind.

~Barbie~