WELL - I've decided to try Atkins.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
WELL - I've decided to try Atkins.
46
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 8:43pm
After spending 6 weeks concentrating on health and sensible eating without following any particular plan, I have lost NOTHING. I've been averaging around 1500 calories a day - WELL within my supposed range for weight loss, and doing about 1 hour of exercise a night, alternating between cardio and strength. Honestly, you'd think I would have lost SOMETHING, but there is no change in weight, inches or clothing size. My doctor is just as mystified, but I strongly suspect that he thinks I cheating and underestimating my calories (if anything, I've been deliberately rounding "up" to be on the safe side) and his only advice is to "stick with it". Well, I sincerely don't see any point in sticking with something that is NOT working. He is not an Atkins fan, that's for sure, but he grudgingly admitted that there wasn't any "harm in trying", and he did all my blood work already 6 weeks ago. SO... I bet that's a whole lot more than you need to know, eh?? LOL I'm starting Atkins tomorrow, and giving myself the 2 week induction period to see how I feel and if it seems to be making any difference in any way. I'll probably check out the Atkins board, but this is "home" for my limited posting time, and I know there are a few "Atkids" here. That's all. Wish me luck ;-)
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-14-2004
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 11:47am
Hi mom2morgan! Another fellow low carber here. Don't forget to get your veggies--a majority of your carbs are supposed to come from them. I've been adding frozen spinach to my omelets and a little bit of onion to help get them in.

You asked about the side effects of induction--I don't know if I would describe the side effects as "terrible". The first three days for me I was feeling tired, run down and cranky, like I was coming down with something, but it was just the carb withdrawal. By day four, I was feeling great and have been feeling that way since.

I'm on day nine, so I can't describe anything beyond that, lol!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2004
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 11:48am
Good luck to you! I'm sorry you didn't see results from what you were doing before. I hope your luck changes with Atkins. And good luck to Sabrina, too! I think it's great that you will be starting this together. You can be there for each other during induction and any other challenges that you might face. That's awesome!

~~Linda

~~Linda

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 11:55am
Thanks! Heck, I'm tired, run down, and cranky already, so I doubt it'll be noticeable ;-) Right about the veggies - that's what I'm headed to the store for! Since we can only have 3 cups in the induction stage anyway, I've got lots of time yet today; it's only 10:00 am here.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 11:57am
Yep, I've read the book -but out of curiosity, what are the most common mistakes that you have seen people make? Wondering what the pitfalls are so I can avoid them ;-)
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2003
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 12:03pm
*teehee* I think she's going to be doing it with Dawn...I've been doing this for 9 months now, so I'm more of a veteran...I like to offer advice from my own experiences, so again, any questions, I might be able to answer.

About the "terrible side effects"... I think that's just an exaggeration. There are no terrible side effects that I know of, as long as you are following the plan as written. On induction, expect that for the first few days you MAY not feel so hot...but that depends what your current diet is like. If you are used to eating a lot of simple and complex carbs, then you may have more severe symptoms of carb withdrawal, like headache, lethargy, and just plain old grouchiness!! Sort of like bad PMS, I guess haha! But just be assured that WILL go away if you just keep doing it, and you'll realize after that just why people love Atkins so much! You'll experience decreased appetite and cravings, and the best part is that you'll really enjoy your food. Another minor side effects include a bit of a difference in your urine...maybe it'll smell a little different, or have a different consistency...but that's just because the ketones, the by-product of fat metabolism, are being excreted in your urine. I've also experienced oily skin when I'm in ketosis.


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 12:03pm
Thanks, Shawna - you are right, and I've been clinging to that. I know I'm making healthy changes - but I also know that it isn't possible to be *really* healthy at this weight, so it's intensely frustrating! I've been off plan for about 2 weeks now eating pretty much whatever I feel like because of this. At least I haven't GAINED anything -my body seems firmly committed to this current weight!
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2003
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 12:04pm
I felt very tired and sluggish. The headaches I thought were due to lack of caffeine, but I'm not getting rid of my coffee this time. Agter about a week, tho, I was fine. I just reallllllyyyyyy need to be strong. I love chocolate (who doesn't) and that is a really hard thing for me to give up. But, I've got to try. But, veggies do help. The website has some great recipes that are appopriate for induction, if you need ideas! Keep in touch and let me know how you're doing. I'll do the same

Dawn

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2003
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 12:13pm
Mistakes...well, I think one biggie is getting enough veggies in. And it's SO easy to go overboard with the veggies, too...I was shocked to see how small my serving of 100 g of brussel sprouts is, and they are pretty high in carbs. Another mistake is eating too much processed foods that contain hidden sugar. ALWAYS check the ingredients to make sure there are no traces of white flour or sugar. As a general rule, I only buy what has a nutrition label on it, and listed ingredients. Then I'm sure about what is going in my body! Oh, and WATER!! MAKE SURE YOU DRINK A LOT! The reason for this is that you are burning fat, and therefore excreting ketones. You can cause damage to your kidneys if you don't flush them out properly. It might be hard for you to give up sodas, juices, and milk, but I hardly miss them now. And you can drink diet soda.

Also, be careful during induction. Realize that it's only for 2 weeks, unless you decide to stay on it. But lots of people eat too many processed stuff and Atkins products, and things that are not on the acceptable food list during induction, and then they wonder why they are not losing much. But just be as good as you can for those 2 weeks, and you'll be able to add more foods in later phases of the diet. ~Sabrina
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-20-2004
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 1:07pm
I'm not a fan of Atkins either, in fact I'm not a fan of using someone else's *plan* to tell me what to eat (or anything else). But of course, you should use whatever you want to for your own life. If I can offer some suggestions though?

You say that you're not *cheating*...but are you measuring, or weighing food on a kitchen scale so you can be very very sure of how much you're eating? That's what I'd do. And you say you're doing *formal* exercise, like strength training? Well, that's good. But you should also remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so while you are doing the right thing by building muscle tissue you may be losing fat (by eating properly) but it's not showing up just now on your scale because you're building muscle.

I'm not in your kitchen, so I don't know whether you're *underestimating* calories, or eating processed food, or any of the rest. And I'm not in your life, so I don't know whether that formal one hour of exercise is all the serious movement you get all day long (do you have a sedentary lifestyle). And I don't know what your weight is, to know whether 1,500 calories per day in itself is way less than it takes to maintain BMR in your case. But one thing is for sure, for every single living animal on earth (and we're one). If you take in fewer calories than your body needs for fuel each day, then you WILL lose weight. No ifs ands or buts. That's how it works. So I'm kinda with your doctor on this one....if I were you I'd do moderate exercise and follow his instructions regarding how many calories to eat, and I wouldn't use Atkins if significantly overweight (I personally think it's kinda dangerous). But it's your life, and life is full of choices. If this choice doesn't work for you, choose again. Best, Kinja

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2004
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 1:35pm
Oops! *Blush* Sorry about that! I'm terrible with names :-/ I'll just say good luck to all who are on Atkins or any weight loss plan! There, I think that about covers it lol!

~~Linda


Edited 4/22/2004 1:41 pm ET ET by linda112491

~~Linda