Hey everyone,

I'm a new user and this is my first post. I started Atkins induction three weeks ago today and have been on it since. I haven't read the book, but I've been going off of research that I've done on the internet (websites, this forum, etc.) and I have a couple of questions.

First of all, I wanted to do induction for three weeks, and I've been pretty strict with it (occasionally I had maybe one or two carbs over 20), but today I slipped up and ate 37 net carbs instead of 25. With a normal diet I'd just keep going tomorrow but now I don't know how to proceed. Will the 37 grams take me out of ketosis, and more importantly, will I gain back all the water weight that I lost the first couple of weeks immediately? (This is what I read somewhere). I'm not sure if I should start over with induction for a couple more weeks or if I should ignore today and go on with OWL.

Another question...what is the deal with sugar alcohols? I've read some conflicting information. I know they don't affect blood sugar but shouldn't they still count since they are digestible?

Sorry this is so long, if anyone has any insights I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks,
Katie

& to Atkins Katie!

I don't mean to lecture you but...you really do need to read the book Its quite important to understand exactly how & why this plan works and reading the book & not relying on websites etc. for that information is essential. That being said...if you do view websites for how to do Atkins, this is the one you should be going by: http://www.veronicaatkinsfoundation.org/lifestyle.htm

Proceed with Induction despite your little "slip up". If you are out of ketosis, it will take you a day or 2 to get back but...just dust yourself off and continue for a few extra days rather than start all over again. Be sure you are drinking plenty of water.

As for sugar alcohols, this can explain it much better than I can and should answer any questions you may have:
http://www.phlaunt.com/lowcarb/19059967.php

You CAN do this!!!

All the best to you!!

Hi Katie,

Everyone's body is different, so your 37 carbs may or may not throw you out of ketosis. What I do when I slip out of ketosis is go immediately back to induction for 2 or 3 days and I generally get back in ketosis pretty quickly. The way i can tell I'm in ketosis (other than the ketostix) is I have an increased thirst and I have a metallic taste in my mouth.
I would really encourage you to get the Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, it's a great read, and you'll have it to refer to when you're not near a computer. I see it at my Goodwill all the time for a buck or so!
As far as sugar alcohols, at the top of this page is a sticky thread called Frequently Asked Questions. A poster named Leenie has a really good post about what they are and how they work. She explains it much better than I could.

Congrats on 3 weeks on Atkins! Hope it's proving to be successful for you!

Thanks for your advice! I decided to do induction for a few more weeks. I don't find it all that difficult to keep my carb count low, so I figured I'd kickstart my weight loss a little more. Today I tried on my bathing suit that I haven't worn since the end of August, around when I started the program, and my formerly tight board shorts are baggy now! I think I'm going to weigh myself tomorrow (the scale scares me).

Anyhoo, I was also having an Atkins chocolate bar a few times a week since they said they were induction safe, but I cut those out when I heard the scary truth about them! I still have a bunch for emergencies, but funnily enough, when I stopped eating them I stopped craving them!

My new goal is to start drinking more water, which I have a problem with. But I feel really motivated--I love this lifestyle!