Hi all! I am currently a calorie counter thinking about switching to low carb.

My husband started Atkins last Feb and has lost 130 lbs. He's been off the diet a few months due to extreme health issues and has barely gained any weight back. During this time I ate the same dinners and snacks as him but still ate high carb (but low fat/calorie) breakfasts and lunches. Once he gets back from his treatment at the Mayo clinic he plans on starting back up on Atkins to finish his weight loss.

When he first started I attempted to start with him but I just felt sick and cranky and...well...irregular Thus my husband told me to go eat some carbs and it wouldn't bother him. Lucky for him it didn't bother him and he still lost weight and I got my carbs in at lunch and breakfast and was fine with low carb dinners.

So why am I switching? Well, I have PCOS with Insulin resistance (which they say low carb is good for) and I really think I am a carb addict. In these few months with my hubby off the diet I have just really gorged on the carbs and constantly crave them and have trouble stopping eating. I also KNOW I can lose weight on calorie counting, I've done it countless times in the past, but that's just it, I've done it countless times in the past, forever on a roller coaster of high and low weights. I really want something I can follow forever easily.

I'm considering South Beach too (i love my dairy too) but I like that Atkins is more structured and that my hubby and I would be following the same rules. I haven't read the new book but from what I've read I like a lot of the updates.

Anyway, I was thinking I could maybe skip induction and go straight to phase 2. I know they say you can do that if you don't have much to lose (even though I have a lot to lose). But I just wondered if anyone else had successfully started at Phase 2 or a modified Phase 1?

Thanks!

My hubby was told he had to skip the first phases of Atkins or South Beach (because he's an insulin dependent diabetic), and I was told that I could skip them if I wanted to.

He's lost fine without induction.

Induction is just to break the carb addiction, so it may be beneficial for you to do so. It makes you stop cravings carbs and sweets. However, I don't think it's completely necessary so you could probably skip it if you wanted to.

Many people, including myself, go on an extended Induction or Induction+nuts to lose weight faster.

This fall I started easing into low carb. I started checking labels to increase my awareness and cutting back on carbs bit by bit. On November 8th I got serious and omitted most carbs - I probably eat as low as 15 grams on some days and occasionally as high as 40 grams on other days. I'm not fanatical about it - I have carrot slices and tomatoes on my salad. I drink 2 cups of coffee in the morning. I sometimes have SF pudding in the evening. Still, I've managed to drop 30 pounds and 2.5 sizes as of this last weekend. (With the assistance of walking an hour on the treadmill every single day).

But Linsy is correct in that many people benefit from a strict induction period and need a clean break from carbs. You are fortunate that your husband follows the eating plan that you are considering. My DH is low carbing too and it sure makes menu planning simpler. Now if we could just convince the kids that cheesy cauliflower is mac & cheese we'd all be on the same page!

Hello and welcome. I am new to the Atkins board. I have been on the Ideal Protein board since the middle of September. Ideal Protein is low calorie (about 750-800 calories), no exercise, and low carb (20 net carbs or less). I was very successful as I lost 58 pounds in 16 weeks. During the 17th week I added intense resistance training with a personal trainer and cardio the other four days of the week. I actually gained a pound that week even though I was following the diet exactly as I had the previous 16 weeks (and lost 3-4 pounds every week before that). I got frustrated and switched to this. The diet was amazing, but I needed more food and was anxious for activity.

I did not do induction because basically I have been on a super duber induction for 4 months. Personally, I recommend you do it...it will help you stop craving carbs...I don't crave them at all. Not having those cravings is awesome.

This is my second week on Atkins. Last week I lost the pound I gained the week before and another 1.8 pounds. I hope the scale keeps going down.

I too am nervous about the calories as mine have been very restricted. I have eased up to 1200 calories and now I am trying for 1400 a day. I am for 25-30 carbs per day with 10-15 net carbs.

Here is my typical day:

eggs, canadian bacon, cheese
almonds
lettuce, cucumbers, avocado, chicken, low-carb dressing
celery with cream cheese or olives and cheese
meat and veggie
green tea with 1/3 Atkins shake for after dinner

Good luck with finishing your journey

Hi there! I was wondering if you could share with us some of the kinds of foods you ate to stay so low cal? The net carbs I can handle; it's just that going below 1,000 cal is kind of scary to me. Is this "ideal protein" the one where you have to buy their products? I've read a lot around here the last few days and I might be mixing that up with something else.

Thanks! Oh, and, welcome!

First off, thank you for the welcome! I look forward to learning alot here.

Linsy - My husband stayed on Phase 1 the entire time too (with one cheat meal a week) so I know it can definitely be benefitial for some (he was over 400lbs). But I just couldn't go to the bathroom in phase 1 which was my main issue and I ate broccoli and other high fiber veggies to try and compensate but I just felt sick. Blah. I do want to read the new book though I think they address this issue in it.

firkindness- Cauliflower is awesome! Cauliflower mash was a weekly staple in our house. Its just so versital! Who knew? Maybe you could start adding cauliflower to their mac and cheese and slowly change its ratio? lol

darbs- Ideal Protien sounds like it is NOT for me. I don't even like to get down to 1200 calories. I've actually been losing with a 2000 calorie daily max and I average 1700 per day. But wow to 58 lbs in 16 weeks! You have iron will. Your eating plan looks good though not sure I could do that everyday.

Thanks again!

It was Ideal Protein and yes I did have to buy their foods. I quit for several reasons, but the two main were the cost and I was so very strict (not a single cheat in 16 weeks) and I needed a break. Here was my daily calories on IP:

breakfast: omelet packet (mix with water, shake, cook like eggs): 100 cal

lunch: lettuce, cucumbers, celery with evoo and vinegar and a drink packet around 150 calories

dinner: 6 ounces of lean meat and 2 cups of low-carb veggies with evoo (between 300-400 calories)

snack: IP bar: around 160 calories

Weird....I was NEVER hungry....ever! But I was getting bored

Glad to be doing Atkins, hope I can lose still



It really wasn't bad....but I am glad to be onto something different. I have restricting my calories to 1200 a day, but I am going to try to work up to 1500 or so.

check out my progress photos from IP below....it worked great from a size 18 in first photo, 14 in second photo, to a 10 in the most recent photo.

Wow Darbs! You look fabulous! I hope Atkins will be able to continue your loss! It probably won't be as fast though. That ideal protien seems really strict.

I actually have Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution open in another window on my computer--I can copy and paste some quotes for you if it's allowed (let me know if it isn't).

"6. Induction is designed to do all of the following for you:
• Efficiently switch your body from a carbohydrate-burning metabolism to a primarily fat-burning (your fat!) metabolism.
• Stabilize your blood sugar and abruptly halt a myriad of symptoms indicative of unstable blood sugar, such as fatigue, mood swings, brain fog and an inability to function at your best.
• Curb your cravings by stabilizing your blood sugar.
• Break addictions to foods such as sugar, wheat or corn derivatives, alcohol, caffeine, grain or any other food. For people addicted to sugary, high-carb or high-glycemic foods just as for alcoholics-moderation simply does not work.
• Let you experience firsthand the metabolic advantage discussed in Chapter 7.
• Knock your socks off by demonstrating how much body fat you can burn, while eating liberally, even luxuriously, off the fat of the land."

On constipation, he says:
"12. If you are constipated, mix a tablespoon or more of psyllium husks in a cup or more of water and drink daily. Or mix ground flaxseed into a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a salad or vegetables."
"A certain amount of constipation is common during the first week, but it can be resolved quickly and easily. As you progress to later phases where you increase your carb consumption and thus your fiber intake, constipation should not be a problem. Meanwhile, follow the instructions in the previous chapter (See "Rules of Induction," #12). If the problem isn't solved, you may try a tablespoon of wheat bran sprinkled on your salad or other vegetables. If you are sensitive to grain products, add ground flaxseed to a shake or psyllium husks to a glass of water instead. (None of these fibers contain the kind of carbohydrates that impact on your blood-sugar levels.) Most important: Be absolutely sure to consume a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day."

He recommends doing Induction for 2 weeks because it's the period when your body learns to burn fat instead of carbs. I don't think staying on extended Induction is necessary no matter what your weight is, but he says you have to be prepared to lose more slowly on OWL than you did on Induction.

Thank you Linsy! I really just need to download it myself. There is a waiting list for it at the library and I got a Nook for Christmas and I just love the ease of downloading books. It's a little too easy...lol

My stomach is just so sensitive. I can't eat spicy stuff either. Blah. I really need to find a diet that can fix my digestive system. My husband calls my current diet the 'bland diet' lol

Anyway thanks again! Great info!

I couldn't stick to induction at first, so I dropped my carb intake downward (from about 100 g / day, to 80 for a few days, then 60, the 40, and now hover between 20-30, so am virtually in induction most days)
I am still quite sensitive to carbs of all types, but especially grains, (get blood sugar spikes) and when I do have a treat (often sweets) will have cravings for a while, but not the atkins "flu" or low sugar surliness that some people get.
If you can't go straight to induction you might find that "backing into induction" will work better for you.

fatmad-that sounds like a good idea. That is kind of what I am doing now. I am 'easing' back into low carb. I had a low carb breakfast and dinner yesterday but 'high carb' lunch and snacks. Since I didn't buy any more high carb stuff at the store I am going to be forced into eating low carb here pretty soon. lol

Haha, ElizabethG you beat me too it! I was coming here to post the same thing! Starting out slowly reducing the carbs I have found to be the key to success each time I've tried any kind of low-carb. I have too much going on to have to suffer through Atkins Flu...

GL on your journey!