Patty or Trish is fine. I answer to both. When your name is Patricia, you answer to many different nicknames. It is true we need a certain amount of salt. Atkins recommends it when low carbing because low carb is a naural diuretic. However, they also recommend drinking plenty of water as well to keep electrolytes at a healthy level and to avoid dehydration. One nice thing about this is that I won't have to take any diuretics any more. I take them at my request not as a recommendation from my doc. He is really good at working with me.

Ah about the name, i won't worry anymore. lol. You have so many choices.

Where is everyone?

I stayed up too late last night. Its thrown our my meals somewhat. Though i expect they will fall back into place soon enough. I"m having breakfast now at 12.12pm.

Pattience- I read that article you posted the other day- very interesting! However, she's from a different country than ours, and I am not so sure if her country adds the crap to their meat that ours does. In the chicken breasts over here, they add up to 15% broth- why?!?!?! As if people on low sodium diets needed more added to what should be a natural food?

They add red dyes, hormones, and antibiotics, and the animals are mostly grain fed. Let us not forget, that the grains they eat probably have pesticides in it, too. Also, did you know that meat over here, the grain fed kind, is not only NOT gluten free, but it's also not CARB free, either, because of the grains they eat. Unless you buy the very expensive organic meat straight from the farm, I have news for some folks- it is not gluten free nor carb free. Sad, isn't it?

I live in the country, thank goodness, and can get fresh eggs all year long- what a difference in the yolk- the color, thickness, and taste! The store brands, which we try to avoid using, isn't as dark in color, nor does it even taste close to what a farm raised egg tastes like. Huge difference!

When I visited Canada several times with my family, the first few times, I refused to buy any steak or red meat products- it looked nasty to me. Well, I told my husband this the last time we were there, and he said to me "it's because they don't add any red dye to it, that's why it is brown in color". So, I gave in, bought a roast as well as some stewing beef, and cooked it- it was FABULOUS! So tender, moist, and guess what? We didn't eat half as much as what we usually do here! Is it because it was filling with real meat and not the fat that we get here, along with the red dyes and God knows what else?

I visited my friend's daughter on the last night we were there- she had made pork chops, boneless, on the grill. More like medallions than chops, they were so thin. I kept thinking to myself- I'll probably eat about ten of these, they're so small. Guess what? I ate only two, and was FULL.

Her mother (my friend), made us a delicious roasted chicken dinner. When we got to her house, we were outside, and our stomachs were literally grumbling, because it smelled ssssssssssssooooooooooo delicious! I can remember as a kid, being able to smell meat cooking from our house or the neighbors from INSIDE their homes while playing outside- I can't remember when the last it was I actually smelled anyone's chicken dinner or roast beef cooking until I went to my friend's house that night. Her husband works on a farm, and they got the chicken from that farm- it was so tender, moist, and what a flavor it had! It was absolutely delicious! Since we came back here, only one other time did we smell that smell again, it was when an organic roasting chicken went on sale, and I bought it, from a farm not too farm from us. what a difference in flavor and smell!

Also- while we were out in Ontario, we visited a park that was gorgeous, with lots to do for fun and exercise. Just beautiful. Yet, while I was swimming, I was embarrassed to get out of the water. Why? Because I was the only heavy person there! They have winters like we do, so I can't even blame the cold weather for not getting more outdoor exercising. Yet, these people were thin and trim, and very active. I am active, but so bloated looking. I truly think some of the food we eat is extremely toxic over here. It shows when you walk down the street and most of the people have a weight problem. How did we get so big over here?

One other place had trim and healthy looking people- California. People can say what they want about that state- but they are much much more healthier than we are on the East Coast. My best friend and I had to go to Santa Barbara four years ago when her sister passed away. We were both obese- talk about feeling like a fish out of water- it was embarrassing! Yet, the people were so nice and friendly. Funny thing, her and I rode bikes, walked, and hiked alot- neither one of us are lazy, she's lost a lot of weight the last couple of years and look fabulous, while I sit here waiting for this weight to come off, lol. I think I need to stop eating health food- she ate an unhealthy diet but watched her calories, my sister and other thin friends all eat junk food and crap and hardly exercise, meanwhile, I eat healthy food and exercise two to three hours per day six days per week, and look..........bloated, lol! Just kidding, though- no way, do I want to eat like that.

Oh, and out in California in Santa Barbara, I had the best tasting oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, and avocados- the citrus fruits were right off their trees in their back yards- so juicy and sweet- the orange juice was literally dribbling off of our chins! We loved the fresh squeezed lemonade we made from the lemons. By the time we get any citrus fruit out here, it is so dried up compared to theirs out there. We took a suitcase home full of all of those fruits, and I was broken hearted when we ate the last of them. So delicious- those people have them falling of their trees in their backyards, I am so jealous! We can't grow any citrus fruits here, or I would have several trees now in my backyard.

So I did enjoy that article very much, and it made a lot of sense, not thinking about food all the time. Still, if we had food like we did back in the 60's and 70's, minus all the preservatives, MSG, broth, red dyes, hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides, I am just willing to bet that most of us would maybe be slightly heavier due to all the processed foods and fast food places, but we wouldn't be nearly these sizes we are now, thanks to all the added crap in our food. Makes a big difference, if you ask me. Thanks for the good read, though- I enjoyed it!


Forgot to add- the same thing happened in Mexico as it did in Canada. I have news for everyone- they made the first version of NutriBullet, lol. Seriously, we went there over ten years ago, and stayed at an all inclusive resort. Every morning, you could have any fruit juice you wanted- all fresh and natural, and as much as you wanted. While I didn't notice the color of their meats as they cooked it (hey, I was taking a break from cooking for a week, lol!), it was tender and tasty, and again, filling! We all lost a few pounds coming back from that vacation, too- how can that be, eating all of the food that we did all day and night? We exercised like all families do on vacation- swimming, hiking, walking, etc, but it's no different than from over here when we do those things. Still, both the vacations to Canada and Mexico left us feeling wonderful and we all lost weight. Go figure?

Steel which article are you referring to. I can't remember any apart from the things on nutrition wonderland and i haven't found it either. Do you mean the one about the novel by Lionel Shriver. She's American but now lives in Britain i think.

All meat is carb free and therefore its gluten free, unless its had flour added to it. Meat is pure protein except for the marbling which is fat.

Anyway now that i've finished your post, i can see what you have to do. Its a wonder you didn't say it. You have to move! And i don't mean exercise lol. I mean to California or Ontario or wherever the food is more nutritious.

Yes, indeed, I definitely eat a high protein/high fiber diet. Keeps me full and satisfied, eating this way. While the weight isn't falling off of me in leaps and bounds, it is coming off. I have so much more energy and my stamina is just amazing. I work out anywhere between two to three hours a day, six days a week now, and I feel fabulous! What a difference this change in my eating has made for me!

I am so happy about your sugars coming down- way to go!!!!! You must have been on cloud nine! Funny, I knew there was something I wanted to tell you before about resistant starches, but I couldn't remember what it was until I saw diamondgeog's thread in the Low Carb board about the guy eating carbs on a low carb diet. Here is the thread, it might help you out when you start eating carbs again, especially juices, to balance out the sugars: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/carb...nt-starch.html

I used to use Bob's Red Mill Natural Potato Starch, Unmodified, in my sauces and juices mixtures and anything sweet. My sugars were beautiful back then, and honestly, I only added it because I heard it helped cut down on hunger- I was not aware at the time that it may be beneficial for diabetics or people with low blood sugar. It is tasteless, so no worries about it altering the taste of any food you mix it with. I started using it when my daughter had to start eating gluten free, and we did notice that foods made with it made us feel fuller longer, a stunning find we didn't expect- it took us awhile to figure out why we got fuller on sauces and such that we used to eat much more of before. :rofl:

I looked it up just for the heck of it, and there were some articles about resistant starches and the benefits it has on lowering appetite and allegedly, blood sugar. Read the article in that thread- might be something you may want to try when you decide to go a bit higher in carbs. I think I am going to pick up another bag of it and use it again. I stopped using it because I found a cornstarch that my daughter could eat that was gluten free and it made the sauces thicker for me than the potato starch, hence why I stopped using it. I also had a lot going on back then when I stopped using it (mother-in-law died a slow death from gall bladder/liver cancer, I had to have emergency gall bladder surgery or I would have died in two days- both my mother-in-law and I had suffered the exact same symptoms- scary!!!!! Also, my youngest daughter's cancer problems/surgery, my oldest daughter's sinus surgery- all within an 8 month time frame, with several other things besides that going on, like my son getting in a bad accident the day before my youngest daughter's surgery! I have no clue as to how I survived all that, as a mother!)

So, perhaps tomorrow, I shall pick up a bag and add it to my orange/banana/pineapple juice in the morning. Maybe mix it up with the PB2 that I love to eat on my English muffins with the Polaner fruit preserves. I do notice that when I eat the Polaner, I seem to get hungry sooner than if I don't, as well as the fruit juices make me hungry as well sooner. Not too bad, but enough that I have to have a good amount of protein with the juice or fruit preserves, or I will be snacking within a few hours, lol.

I finally found the PB2 at the GNC at the mall that my sister and I went to the other day- I was thrilled! I absolutely love it- less calories and it really tastes awesome! I wonder if the potato starch would help out with the Polaner- I love the preserves, but again, I find myself a bit hungry sooner than I want to be, after eating it. I don't want to give it up- it gives me my "sweet treat" for the day, and is much healthier than a candy bar or other baked goods, which I rarely eat anyway.

Anyhow, I am thrilled that Atkins is working for you already- keep it up! You can always get back to high fiber later, when your sugars are balanced out and you climb up the post induction ladder. I wish I could do low carb, even for a few months, but my doctor forbids me from it. I've seen it do wonders for some folks, while others struggled with it. It seems to either work great for some, or not at all for others. As I say, one size doesn't fit all, and we need to adjust our diets according to our bodies needs, and not anyone else's. It sounds like this is helping you already with your sugar levels- I hope it continues to do so for you! :hug::hug:

Yes, that was the article. :)

Not true- this information came from three reliable sources that the meet HERE is not all gluten free or carb free. Two of them are scientists that study the foods we eat and know first hand what shows up in their labs. The other is a holistic doctor who is a friend of a teacher that is gluten free herself- she told my daughter not to eat any meat that wasn't organic, and to make sure that the meat was grass fed, not grain. Again, what they allow here in this country in our food and what they allow elsewhere is extremely different. It's very very sad what they are allowed to put in our foods here!

LOL, don't think I haven't considered it myself! Seriously, it really makes you think such thoughts, when it comes to health issues. I have never seen so many people sick with all the things people are sick with, at such young ages, in my life. When I compare my parents generation to ours- what a difference between what they ate, and what we eat now. To know that the Pres passed a bill that would allow dairy farmers to add aspartame to milk without putting it on the nutrition labels so folks can choose not to buy it, is just downright scary. I can't eat anything with aspartme- it is toxic to my system and has in the past, caused neurological problems. Just what I need, to have it added to my milk without my knowledge!

Welcome to the high fiber thread! :wave: Please feel free to chime in anytime and post with us. We're a fun and friendly group, and everyone here is so helpful and encouraging to one another. No judgments here- we all want one another to succeed. :)

I know what you mean about the constipation on Atkins. I am very very regular myself, always have been. I always ate lots of veggies and some fruit on a daily basis, so when I tried this diet (lasted a total of four days each time, 3 different attempts), I was stunned at the agony I was in by the third day each time. I must have drank enough water to fill a pool on those days. The Psyllium husks did absolutely nothing to relieve it. It just isn't meant for me or my body type, and it's just not worth it for me to even attempt it again (my doctor forbids me from doing it).

I also think it had a hand in my gall bladder being infected. I almost died from it. My gallbladder problem was hereditary, and both my Mom and I cannot eat high amounts of fats (only good fats, like olive oil and peanuts). On Atkins, your encouraged to eat the fat on the meats- well, honestly, it just didn't settle with my system very well, let's just say. :rofl: By the fourth day, each time I did it, I was so nauseous, backed up, and in pain, that at first I thought I had the stomach flu, as just looking at anything with protein made me sick to my stomach. My body was trying to tell me something, and it took three times and a trip to the doctor to tell me why it wasn't working for me, lol.


Also, I never ever ever had an issue with my cholesterol until I tried low carb diets. My doctor approved of me trying Jorge Cruise's Belly Fat Cure Diet, so long as I never went under 80 carbs a day. While I slowly, and I do mean slowly, lost some weight (26 pounds in six months- so much for the "lose 4-7 pounds a week on this diet!" promise), my cholesterol went sky high- it's taken me three years to get this back under control. I am hoping to be off of Crestor soon- I don't want to be on it anymore. I also did the Carbohydrate Addict's diet for a year- great diet, but again, way way way too high in fat/protein for my body. I found myself dreading the Complimentary Meals because all that protein made my stomach turn. I did get in around 100 or so carbs a day on that diet, but it was just too much protein for my body. So, now I balance my food every day- high protein (low fat, of course!) and high fiber. It's working for me, and I feel invigorated and not exhausted all the time. I enjoy what I eat and don't dread certain meals anymore. It's a great balance for me, and it works. ;)

Glad you posted today, and I hope you continue to do so. Feel free to add any hints or suggestions, or ask for any help, if you need it. It's nice to have another Fiber counter on board! We're all doing it differently, but each one of us has found a way to lose that is healthy for our body types.

This is a flyby, but I just couldn't wait to share with y'all my results of just 2 days on Atkins Induction. I have a new low weight of 225.4 and a new low fbs of 113 mg. I am so very excited about how this is working. :carrot:

I know some of this is probably water weight, but I didn't do this good with fluid pills. And I don't have to take them because low carb is a natural diuretic. One of the reasons that I never stayed with Atkins for too long before is that it has never worked this good for me in the past. I will continue what I am doing the rest of the week and I just might do the second to see how good I do in the two weeks Induction Phase. This has become an exciting challenge for me which is just the motivation that I needed. They say you can (not will) lose 15 lbs in the 2 week Induction. I don't really care whether I lose the 15 lb, I'm just curious as to how good this will work if I do it "by the book". :) And another plus is that my tummy is almot back to normal. I think the Induction will give a really good jump start that I probably need. And of course, when the 2 weeks is up, I will start adding back some good low carb veggies, fruits and eventually the grains that I want to add into the plan.

Thanks Trish!

I wish you'd visit us on the IE thread. We miss you!

That's wonderful, Trish!!!!! :congrat: :bravo: Keep it up! So happy that your sugars have remained lower and steady the last two days. This is working for you beautifully- keep doing it for as long as you can- it is getting results.

I'm glad your stomach is feeling better, too. :carrot:

I thought i posted before in response to steel. Sorry its gone off somewhere.

Patty i like the sound of your plan. I hope it works for you.

I haven't got anything else to add right now. Haven't cooked anything since my vegetable bake the other day because that's all i've been eating really since then with all that's been going on. NO dramas just busyish.

Pattience I posted my totals for today and they aren't here either. Not sure what is going on. I got 15 g fiber in today. A good day.

Nice work! I hope you had a great bfs reading this morning- sounds like you found the right combination for your body. Keep up the great work! :carrot:

Thanks Steelslady I did. I also had an Atkins bar last night because it was late when I ate because we went to Walmart after church. I checked my bs later before going to bed after I ate one and my bs reading was 106 so I can include them in my way of eating. However, I also found that I would have been more satisfied with just a few bites instead of the whole bar and they aren't that big of bars. This morning my fbs was 113 again and the scale was the same. I checked my bs 2 hrs after breakfast and it was 119. So this way has definitely brought my bs under control. I feel great. My hubby is eating similar to me but more carbs and even his fbs has come way down.

My last words to my doctor as we left our last appt was "We will be in even better shape and have better #s next time you see us". So he is going to be really excited and pleased with the two of us.

As I am reading the New Atkins book again, I'm learning that the plan is actually a high protein/high fiber way of eating. Atkins is a way of balancing the protein/fat/carb-fiber. I had a problem for a few days this week getting the carbs and fiber count to balance because I really didn't understand that this is the goal of Atkins way of eating. So I will be adding fiber into my way of eating now to get my net carbs around 20 grams and get my fiber grams as high as possible within that amount of carb grams.

Good news is that my weight has been the same for 3 days and my fasting blood sugar was normal this morning at 93 mg. This is great progress and feels great to know that it is working.

Have a nice weekend everyone.