Hello everyone,

I started Atkins on 1/13 the first week I did great, felt great, appetite decreased, I was changing my way of thinking about food. On the 8th day I started having acute induction flu symptoms. The worst of it was fatigue and more so nauseous. Couldn't eat at all one day then the second day I ate a little however in the days to follow I've had this horrid hunger CONSTANTLY, and I'm craving sugar. I've never had a real big sweet tooth.... or so I thought. I have these vivid dreams about stuffing my face with a big mac......

I have been sticking to no more than 20 Net carbs a day however I am so busy with work and my child that I have been having the Atkins frozen meals for breakfest and dinner. I did eat salads the first week but I got sick eating salad the day I started having nausea and even now salad is the LAST thing on my mind. I broke down and ate a slim jim yesterday ugg, I felt SICK, nasty and all around icky feeling. I feel like I'm eating way too much sodium thorough out the day...

What can I do to get my mind and body back on track here. I started at 218 and in the morning when I weigh myself I'm anywhere from 212 to 213.

TRYING VERY hard to keep the REAL water down. I've eliminated the bars and shakes.

Any help would be appreciated

Thank you.

Is it possible you're not eating enough? I had that happen. Especially when your body really starts to burn fat--sounds odd, but you have to make sure you have enough food in your system to keep it going. What other types of veggies do you like besides salad? Don't forget the protein. That usually helps with hunger

Could it be some die-off symptoms, perhaps?
http://www.thecandidadiet.com/candida-die-off.htm

Thanks for the reply, I think it may be that I'm just not eating enough of the right stuff. I've been having these weird symptoms of dizziness and numbness in my finger tips and around my mouth. At first I thought too much iron or too much sodium but I'm not really sure so now I second guess everything I eat. Not to sure what to do at this point.

I eat canned spinach, green beans, string cheese, Atkins breakfast items that all included eggs and meat. I've also been eating the Atkins "snack" bars for the sole purpose of the high fiber content.

I'm going to increase my water intake and if the symptoms persist through the week or get worse I'm going to go see my doctor and have some labs done.

Thanks guys and gals!

First, the Atkins bars are not induction friendly. Second, after your major induction loss you will experience P.I.S.S (post induction stall syndrome) for up to a week or two where your weight loss stalls while your body compensates for massive water losses. My suggestion is drink plenty of water, this will help balance your sodium naturally. Second, find a good multivitamin. Make sure that you are eating high fat, moderate/adequate protein for your lean body mass and low carb. This is not a high protein diet, its a high fat diet. Do you know what macro-nutrient ratios you are eating right now?
My last bit of advice is don't skimp on the veggies, sure, they have carbs in them but most of the carbs in veg is insoluble fiber so you don't actually digest it. And a lot of people who are on atkins and having issues with induction flu seem to benefit from a daily cup of chicken broth, or bone broth and a good magnesium supplement.

If you are really really hungry you are not eating high enough fat, fat is very satiating. If your worried about eating too much fat and your calorie intake, which a lot of women do still have to consider on Atkins style diets, just weigh and measure your food so you know you are still creating a calorie deficit.

Are you on phentermine or topamax by any chance?

No I'm not, just Zofran ODT

Not to sound super lazy..... but this diet has become extremely labor intensive lol.

To be completely honest with you I try to mix up my choices as much as I can but it's becoming really hard to create a well balanced Atkins meal unless of course I am sticking an Atkins dinner meal in the microwave. I did get a multivitamin however it does have iron in it (couldn't find one without) and I'm wondering if I'm getting too much of one thing making me feel worse then I need to feel.

I'm a single parent and I work 10 hr shifts sometimes with no break sometimes with nothing but time on my hands to sit and do nothing. (Medic) I'm not allowed to take perishable items on board or anything that could cause an allergic reaction in the patients (anything could do it) SOOOO "planning" my meals out is unbearably difficult BUT I know enough to know that Atkins is the only way I am going to loose weight and I understand it takes time to get adjusted to this new way of eating and an all around life style change.


Like I mentioned before I second guess every meal choice I make, am I eating enough of this, am I getting enough fat and protein.... Am I going about this the wrong way in general?

Today I feel decent, no hunger cravings, I do take Milk thistle everyday, my lower back has been hurting a lot lately but nothing 500mg of Tylenol won't cure, I was getting a little worried about the numbness around my mouth and fingers it was like mild symptoms of a panic attack but it wasn't anxiety related so today I didn't take the multivitamin and I have yet to experience any of those symptoms.

I haven't lost any weight in 3 days in fact I've gained however I am having trouble with constipation so when I take care of that I'm thinking ill get a more accurate weight.

I'm just going though the motions in general, I keep feeling like I'm making progress then falling back.....

Not to nag, but if your looking for an easy diet I don't know if this is going to work for you. A lot of the foods consumed on a low carb diet are things you are going to have to prepare yourself, whole foods. The Atkins nutritionals bother me to no end and at this point they are just a money making corporation not concerned with the original spirit of what Dr. Atkins espoused in his books and his practice.

I am also a single mother, working 14+ hours a day in a medical setting. I work around it. On my one day off a week (in general, not always sometimes I get several days off in a row if I put in for leave) I spend almost the whole day cooking and cleaning to get ready for my next grueling week. Sometimes I end up cooking and freezing 10 different recipes. But I like low-carb/keto and it works for me. I feel great most of the time so there are not too many downsides for me. But, there was a time in my life I never could have lived like this and at that time I lost a significant amount of weight meticulously counting calories. Not every diet works for every one. If you hate it, and your not happy and you don't think you can make it work the way its supposed to work maybe its time to look at other options. I hear medifast and nutrisystem work really well and people are able to find lower carb options by following the diabetic menus. Just a though if pre-packaged foods are what works for you.

Keto has worked the best for me because I don't need to eat all day, I don't get hungry. I eat one huge meal at night and I have coffee and water all day without feeling hungry. I have a high energy job and I still manage. However, it took me a few months to adapt to the lifestyle and for my metabolism to get to the point where I didn't constantly need snacks.

Single mom here too and I'm in my 3rd week of induction... Haven't lost any weight in the last 4 days and have gotten pretty frustrated since it is such and expensive, restrictive and yes time consuming diet.
I too am trying to mix it up all the time but I'd rather be spending time with my toddler than spending my few hours after work cooking him dinner and then cooking for myself some crazy low-carb dish.
It sucks.. but the truth is dieting isn't easy.. and at least with this diet I'm never starving like I was when I calorie counted... I rarely have time to exercise so that's not really an option for me either.
I like what ghost said about the PISS thing... eases my mind that I'm not doing this wrong, its just a stall that's happening way fast. Then again losing 9lbs in 2 weeks was really fast too.

I'm with you tho! Gotta stick it out and continue finding new avenues to work this into our lifestyles.

Forever, go read my blog, I've struggled on this plan too but I've done a ton of research for you that is easily consumed on the blog. Plus, I'm a view count whooooore, lol!

That is an awesome blog! Love it love it LOVE IT!!!!

Something clicked as I was reading your entries.


THANK YOU!

i'd just like to add to the advise you've already gotten. I noticed you mentioned atkins food more than once. If i were you i'd skip them til your past induction not only are the bars not atkins friendly but neither are the frozen breakfasts or lunches. and as you've already heard make sure your getting plenty of veggies and don't skimp on the fat.