Hi

I am sorry to bring this up again but...

I have looked at this diet before and I know there are many good and bad things to be said about it. One of the things being that you lose weight qickly and that is not supposed to be good BUT

I have had a terrible year. My mom had a very bad stroke in February, at that time I was doing well with Slimming World and quite enjoying it. I had lost 1/2 stone and was well on couse for losing a decent amount of weight for my holiday end of May.

However, that turned my world on end and what with fitting in hospial vititing and all, the diet went out of the window. I just got myself back on course, starting to live with the situation and she passed away. Of course, out the window again went the diet.

Now I am really struggling to get some weight shifted before my holidays or I won't fit into my clothes.

For this period of time, I would like to try Atkins or something similar. I don't totally understand what I have to do. I read the book (sort of) it didn't seem to get to the bits which tell you what to eat and what not. It seemed to spend more time telling my how and why.

I know I can have protein, eggs, fish, meat, cheese cooked any way, but what can I have to go with them. I am sorry but I really do need someone to spell it out for me and give me some ideas what to eat for a few days.

Is there anyone out there who could take the time to help me out...?? I know am asking a lot, but I MUST do something now.

Is it true that I need to stick to 20grams of carbo a day??? That being the case, can I eat anything as long as I stay within that range????? Confused...

Jan

Hi Jan,

If I can remember correctly when you first start atkins you have to be very strict. You can eat all the protein you want as long as there are no carbs, for example you can have ribs but no bbq sauce on it. I remember when I was on it you had to watch the amounts of veggies you ate because certain ones had carbs in it. You need to read things carefully. Almost everything you look at has carbs so be careful. I know you do need some fiber or you won't be able to poop, I think some folks take supplements. I stoped doing atkins because it just wasn't for me. I believe you can eat things like:

Meats
Dairy (no carbs, like in yogurt and watch whats in some cheeses)
Fats such as butter & oil

I wouldn't suggest starting a diet trying to get quick results, that might be setting yourself up. What if you don't lose as quick as you want, you'll only get down on yourself. Have you thought about WW low carb or CAD or the other low carb diet that some of the ladies here are one ???? You've been thru a rough year so far so don't set yourself up. Go slow, investigate and research. What about talking to your Dr ? I've learned that quick losses mean gaining it back twice as quick and then some.

Good Luck,
Leens

Hello Jan,
I have been on the Atkins program since April 20th of this year. I have lost 19 lbs. so far, but I too found it frustrating that none of the books had a meal plan in them. I did find something very helpful on the Atkins website. Go to www.atkinscenter.com and look up acceptable foods list. You'll want to pull up the list for acceptable foods for the induction portion of the plan. It will give you all the foods you can eat during the first 2 weeks of the plan. You are limited to 20 grams of carbs, usually in the form of 2 cups of salad and 1 cup of another type of approved veggie a day. The website is far more comprehensive than the book. If you go into the "induction" site, it will spell out what is allowed for the first two weeks (or longer depending on how much weight you want to lose and how quickly you want to lose it). I hope this tidbit of information helps. If you would like a diet buddy while you are on the program, let me know. Good Luck.
Yours in future thindom,
MAB

good luck to you, jano. after the year you've had, you certainly need some time for yourself!!!

i don't really have any advice for you, but i did just want to welcome you and i hope that you hang out here with us. these ladies have a tremendous amount of information, and we're all very supportive of each other.

I do want to add that when you go back to eating the regular foods that you must start and intoduce the carbs slowly. the problem with any weight loss plan is that you /anybody when the weight is lost or they go off plan the go back to eating the way they did in the begining exactally what had gotten them fat in the first place. so you do need to watch if you do that atkins till your holidays then you will need to be careful while on hoklidays i do not mean that you can not enjoy your self but just be more aware of whatyou are eating



not to get to the plan, in a nutshell it is eating limited carbs in the first few weeks. that does not mean to cut out the veggies EAT THEM it is very important. you may need to take some potassium while in the first few weeks. as the body is riding itself of the excess water many people tent to lose potassium as well. the most important thing is to understand the way of eating WOE so get a bok and read, but this should give you a help with that. document your foods on www.fitday.com that heelps keep tract ofyour foods. you will see terms like ecc which mean effective carb count that is where you take such as spinache which has 3 carbs per serving and then 2 grams of fiber you can subtract the fiber from the carbs and that meant that spinache is only 1 carb per serving so that way you can eat lts of vegies and still keep a low carb count! any other questions??? or if you are confused let me know.

Hi

Thanks for all your replies

I will certainly look at the sites suggested. I have looked in the past (over 12months ago) ad didn't find the info I wanted, maybe it's changed. A friend gave me some photocopies of the Atkins book which quite clearly tells you what to eat and what not, I don't remember them being in my version which is an old one.

I am certainly going to lean towards Lower Carb eating, I preseume that even if I am not as trict as they advise I will still lose some weight, is that so??

Oh well, off to look at all that info I have got.

Again thanks for the welcome and help .. I will keep you posted.

Jan

I have been on a "kinda adkins" for about 11 days now, minus a trip to Seattle where I ate every thing in site for two days. SO, with 9 days "on plan" I have lost 8 pounds as of this morning.
I am losing a pound a day the last 4 days.
I wonder if this is too fast to lose? I am exercising also about every other day...weights and exercise bike.

I will tell you what I am eating.
For Breakfast I have been having a 2-3 egg omellete with Sausage and Chedder cheese mixed in to it. OR Bacon and two fried eggs. OR scrambled eggs with cream cheese melted in and sausage links.

For Lunch I have a couple of cheese hotdogs (no bun) OR two hamburger patties with melted cheese and pickeles piled on top. OR lunch meat and sliced cheese sticks. String cheese is a good snack or Sugar Free Jello.

For dinner I have steak, salad (lettuce, cheese, onion, dressing), or if I am out and about, I order a burger and just take off the bun.
I havent had a slice of bread in a week or potatoes or anything high carb. I drink A LOT of water and I have discovered that CRYSTAL LIGHT is my new best friend. NO carbs and only 5 calories and it actually tastes good!

I went to a mexican restaraunt the other night and ordered the Taco Salad....you know, it comes in that big deep friend tortilla bowl.....and I ate the inside only. Meat, lettuce, cheese, salsa, onion, sour cream, guacamole. All very low carb or maybe no carb. It was yummy and I didn't even miss the shell..well, not much anyway!

I have been eating the same basic things which gets old and I am going to try to vary it a bit...but I am losing so steadily, I am afraid to change it!
Twice this week I ate something carbs. One day I ate a burger with the bun and yesterday I ate a small bowl of cereal. I feel that if I don't allow myself these things, I will not be able to continue. However, after 4 days it became MUCH easier. SO, make it through the first four days and maybe your body adjusts.

I dont know what else to say except GOOD LUCK!
I have the fear that it will all come back on but I think I will tackle that hurdle after I lose the weight. I think I will have to maintain this basic idea of NOT eating all sugar foods like I did before and only eat enough to maintain my weight.

I just started the Atkins diet this morning after ready the Atkins website for the last couple days. I'm cautious, though, after eating a breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese melted in, and sausage links...and drinking heavy cream in my coffee.

I'd love to hear success stories of Atkins...how much lost in what time period. You can email me directly at [email protected] if you prefer.

I'm 36 yrs., 202.5 pounds, and my goal is 130ish. I've been overwieght in one form or another since I was a child, but never as much as since I started taking estrogen after a hysterectomy.

If anyone has had experience going FROM premarin to another form of estrogen, I'd like to know that too! My doctor just changed me to Estrace, hoping it would help my weight problem.

Thanks.
Lisa

Hi again

Well I started yesterday and today have such a headache (which is what I was told to expect) but I am going to give this my best shot.

I am not sure how I can work out preciseley what I am eating but no bread, no pasta, no rice but I am eating veggies and salads.
I do hope that this works for me... any help I can have from anyone would be appreciated.

My main probem is going be be what to have for a packed lunch at work... any ideas??

Jan

I'd like to be buddies with you Jan. Lisa and Ducky Ive been reading the Atkins diet book, the CAD Lifestyle book and anything else I can get my hands on for the last three weeks. On April 19th my DH had weight loss surgery and he will have to be on a high protein/low carb diet for the rest of his life. I've always been very skeptical of this particular type of diet, thinking it unhealthy. Well, since my DH's doc thinks it's a good plan I've decided to give it a shot. I'm going to start tomorrow and would like to use you as support and to support you as well. I think I;ll need lots of support because I love COOKIES. That's going to be my hardest thing to overcome.

I'll check in tomorrow night ahd let you know how I made the day.

Hi Jan,

I'm not on the Atkins plan so I'm not sure exactly the requirements, but i am on high protein/low carb...so here is what i do...

I take a cooler with ice packs for my lunch--I pack it with lunchmeat and a condiment--and roll the meat and dip. I may take one slice of bread or 5 crackers for a few carbs...or I'll take veggies or a small salad--Kraft FF zesty Italian only has 1 carb per tablespoon.

When I marinate meat (chicken, pork, or steak) I'll save the leftovers and cut it into bite-size pieces and take in my lunch--I like it cold even...but if you have access to a microwave you can nuke it. Good marinades are liquid smoke or FF italian dressing/worchester (sp???) sauce.

tuna or chicken or egg salad is another option.

once you get used to what you can have--packing a lunch won't be as difficult.

good luck!

ateyah

Hi all

Thanks for your replies, I couldn't resist weighing myself this am. In 2 days I have lost 2lbs. I know that this is water loss but so it is on the first weeks of any diet. I am so pleased.

Hmm, the foods you mention do not mean much to me as I am from the UK, but the Sauce is Worcester (pronounced Woocster) I don't live too far away from there. in fact it is where DH works, 23miles approx.

I will come back here for help and maybe give it. Iam reaally excited by all of this!

Jan

Hi Jan,
First let me say congrats on the 2 lb. weight loss. I agree with you. Even losing water weight is a good thing. Any weight I don't have to carry around is good weight loss to me.
I have been on the Atkins plan since April 20th. I've lost 22 lbs. as of this am. When I have to plan for meals away from home, I always have cold storage available. That usually translates to a six pack size cooler that I put a blue ice pack into.
(I don't know what it would be called in England, but blue ice is a hard plastic square filled with a liquid that, when kept in the freezer, stays cold longer than regular ice. If you have a store that sells outdoor camping supplies, you may be able to find something similiar there). I've never been to England, so I don't know what a typical lunch would be there, but to stick to the Atkins plan you must eat protein. I love egg salad. I will typically take 2 hard boiled eggs, 1 tablespoon mayonaise, 1/2 teaspoon of chopped dill, salt and pepper to taste. Smash it all together with a fork and you have egg salad. For added protein, you may chop up some turkey or chicken and add it to your egg salad. You can eat it right out of the bowl, spoon it on a small green salad or roll it up in a large lettuce leaf and eat it like a sandwich. Sliced turkey, roast beef or other deli luncheon meat with cream cheese rolled inside or your favorite type of mustard (condiment) is a good choice. You can have 10 olives a day. You may have dill pickles, but watch the sodium and read the jar for carb content. Any meat left overs will work. If you cook a whole chicken for dinner, save the drumsticks for lunch the next day. I hope this translates ok.
Good luck with your diet. I may have already typed this in before, but there are acceptable food lists available on the Atkins web site. www.atkinscenter.com. They also allow you to order Atkins products from on-line, like protein bars, recipe books etc. I don't know what the availability of these types of things are in England. I'd love to be a diet buddy if you are looking for a fellow Atkin's dieter. PM me any time.
MB

Hi Thanks for your replies

The packs you are referring to are called Ice Packs here, yes they are blue in colour. I don't have to worry about those at the monent as it is far too cold for any lunch to spoil before mid-day, maybe in a few weeks I will need them ;-)

Today I took some tinned fish with some celery and cream cheese, I couldn't manage the celery until 3.00pm as after I had egg,bacon and mushrooms at breakfast, I was still quite full at lunch time.

I am also looking for some ideas on sauces to have with my meats and fish, to keep my interest.

I do feel better, like everyone said I would. Manged my 3 lites of water also.

If any of you are not on Atkins, what do you do and what are the rules.

I suppose I'm not really doing Atkins, just along those lines but I am trying to lose the maximum before my hols on 31st May

Jan

I'm new to the forum -- well actually delurking... And just started Atkins last Friday...

I'm feeling pretty good now... (I have PCOS so I'm trying to get healthier) And overall am LOVING this diet.

Nai