2nd timer with issues

[whitewolfm]

Hello all,

Starting Weight: 177
Starting Waist:38"

Goal Weight:150
Waist: 32"

I did the Atkins diet before, with amazing results (about 2 years ago). This time around, I am in Day 6 Induction ( I started Mon.), and have only lost 2 pounds. I think I dropped that weight in the first two days. I'm pretty sure I'm in ketosis (don't have the strips, but hunger pangs are gone like before).

I smoke 2 cigarettes a day, which I am going to stop since I believe this may be slowing me down. Is this true?

I also made the mistake of having some ketchup on my bacon wrapped hotdogs once.

And just for the record, have had headaches up until yesterday (yeah, I was/am a coffee addict), but haven't had the coffee since Mon. though.

Cheers,

Whitewolfm

[Annie1gi]

Good morning,

I can tell you from my experience that Atkins second time around is harder than the first. You will hear that from lots of ppl! I think that your headaches are from caffiene detox!!! I used to drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day and I can't tell you how many Mt. Dews! When I stopped all of that, wow, didn't take me long to realize it was from withdrawls!!! OUCH! Your body is going through detoxification right now=good thing!! :thup:

As far as cigarettes, I am a smoker (soon to be a non-smoker) I hope, doctors orders!! OUCH!! So I can't answer that question. Ketchup we both know has sugar, so that wasn't good!! My suggestion, stay off the scales for another week, and do good clean induction!!! Be patient, it will work!

Have a good l/c weekend!

[whitewolfm]

Hello Annie,

Thanks for your reply. As a coffee addict, I shudder to think of drinking de-caf with heavy cream...what a waste....lol. But I am thinking of drinking it; is decaf o.k. during Induction, and the later stages?

I am also snacking on processed cheese slices...is this considered low carb enough? First time it was ok...

Anybody know about the smoking? I want to enjoy one or two, but not at the expense of my goals.

Whitewolf

[MissieA]

I actually think that nicotine speeds up your metabolism. I just quit smoking in November and I did some research. Many people think that you gain weight when you quit smoking because you eat more. I found that it's not just that, it's also that the nicotine is like speed and when you quit, your metabolism slows down. So.......although I don't want to tell you to smoke, I don't think that it is hurting you when it comes to weight loss.

[LilaCotton]

Several years ago Reader's Digest printed an article. It started out something along the lines of this (I have to paraphrase):

What if there was a drug that would increase metabolism, decrease appetite; could work as an anti-depressant and as a stimulant; could aid in bowel movements, etc., etc., etc.

Then the article went on to say, there is. That drug is nicotine. (The reason smoking causes cancer is because of the carconigenic fertilizers used on the tobacco plants and the other health problems come from the actual smoking.)

Now, having said that, in my unprofessional opinion, no, two cigarettes a day aren't going to have an adverse affect on your weight loss. I wonder, though, if you can keep yourself from smoking more than two, why not just give them up all together anyway? (And please, don't take this as my picking on you--I'm a smoker, too, and hope that I'll be able to get to a point where they aren't my crutch for every curve ball life throws at me. Most of my family is on anti-depressants and other drugs for mental instabilities. When I get stressed I grab a smoke. LOL

[bkloots]

Quitting caffeine and nicotine all at once is terribly stressful. You might try decreasing your coffee bit by bit--maybe mix in decaf in increasing amounts. Caffeine affects people differently. Some people do all right without giving it up completely.

As for the cheese...ditch the processed types. Try mozzarella sticks instead, or BabyBel. (Costco, by the bagful). And remember to limit cheese to less than 4 oz. a day.

[whitewolfm]

Thank you to all, MissieA, LilaCotton and bkloots.

I think I am going to cut off the cheese, or limit it alot. And since I started not drinking coffee, I'm not gonna get back on. I will buy decaf though, cuz I miss the taste.
As for smoking, I'm probably gonna cut it out too. We'll see. :P

I cheated today with a glass of wine ( I know, I know, bad...was a social occasion), but other than that I am going strict.

[LilaCotton]

I don't blame you one bit for not going back on the coffee! LOL I used to be a die-hard caffeine addict then all of a sudden developed a massive intolerance to caffeine so I quit cold turkey. Boy, was that miserable! I'm just glad I did that before ever starting Atkins. LOL Now the extent of my caffeine is a glass of iced tea in the morning and if I don't get it I don't have withdrawals but I really do miss the taste.

Both coffee and tea do have a little in the line of carbs, about 1 carb per 8-oz. serving according to FitDay. I like using that for counting up my carbs because it even adds in the fractions of carbs in the foods in its database so I don't have carbs sneaking up on me. You can find the online version at www.fitday.com and it's completely free to use. They do have software, too, and I liked it so well I eventually bought that.

One thing I thought about earlier then spaced off is, don't think of Atkins as a diet. Think of it as a lifestyle change (if you don't already). I know during the time when I was on maintenance one of the things that scared me half to death about going back to the way I was eating before was that I knew I'd gain all the weight I'd presently lost back, and I'd have to go through the withdrawals of Induction again. I re-started Induction a week-and-a-half ago to get my weight loss started again and this time it was easy as could be--no withdrawals, no headaches, no nothing. :)

[shortone]

On the Atkins website, brewed regular coffee is less than 1 carb. I do drink one cup at work most of the time, and I lost weight doing that and it did NOT make me crave carbs. I added splenda to it too, about 1/2 pack.

I only drink 1 cup and usually I don't drink it all before it goes cold. I did stop drinking it last week though because I have slumped in my weight (no loss in 3 weeks), but my weight still has not changed.

Besides the slow down of weight and craving carbs, is there any ohter reason for not drinking caffinated coffee?

[whitewolfm]

I don't think it's the carbs in coffee that is the concern. It's the caffeine. From the Atkins book, it says that caffeine affects insulin and your blood sugar, so it basically acts like a sugar or carb. It picks you up, and then you crash, making you want to drink another cup.

I am still getting headaches...and I am into week 2 of induction. 2 aspirins didn't even help. Maybe tylenol will be better.

[MissieA]

I decided when I first started this plan that I was not going to give up my coffee unless I was not losing. So far, I haven't had to. I drink two or three cups a day and I still lose weight. I think that it depends on the person.

http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/3;10722;104;0;0/c/-8.69/t/-47.5/k/221e/weight.png
(http://www.TickerFactory.com/)

[shortone]

Well, I am going to have to chew on this a little. Thanks for the info. I guess it does depend on the person how coffee/caffine effects your individual body.

I am w/o coffee so far this morn....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz



http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/3;10731;0;0;0/c/-13.5/t/-86.5/k/6a58/weight.png
(http://www.TickerFactory.com/)

[bkloots]

I used to drink coffee all day every day. At our office, the vending machines are timed to deliver coffee FOR FREE twice a day. If you figure out the timing, you can get coffee from some machine for free anytime. It's nasty coffee, with nasty white stuff. But I was an addict. Believe me, going cold turkey on that habit was nasty, too.

Fast forward three years. I'm at goal. I'm no longer addicted to coffee. But I do like a morning wake-up. I make a small pot, using fresh, whole beans--something really special. I put in half-n-half, or a little real cream. Now my coffee, like everything else I eat and drink, has become a matter of total awareness. I appreciate it. I control it. I enjoy it.

Atkins isn't about deprivation. It's about learning what makes your body (and your soul) happy and healthy. Take your time. Make good choices. You can change your life if you want to.

[Earthgirl]

When some people quit or cut down on caffeine, they experience withdrawal headaches. Of course, this is not medical opinion, but I've heard it all my life and experienced it a few times. Once it was so bad I had to take aspirin with caffeine in it just to ease the pain a little.

[whitewolfm]

Well, I was good most of the year, and this week I have popped back to 170. By good, I mean I was cheating about once a week, not gaining much at all, and then a vacation and a few binges later, I have come back dangerously close to my starting weight last year.

I'm beginning induction for the 3rd and final time, meaning, I plan to stick to a maintenance lifestyle from now on.

3rd time's a charm.

;)

[pengu1]

Smoking has never stopped my from losing weight, and once I stopped drinking coffee it was easier for me to sleep at night. And that meant that I didn't really need that cup of coffee in the morning. I have a cup once in a while, but I don't drink much since I don't want the headaches again.

Good luck!

[mermaiden9]

I also made the mistake of having some ketchup on my bacon wrapped hotdogs once.




Can I just ask what kind of hotdogs you're eating?
The ones they sell over here are jam-packed full of cereals and fillers.
Thanks

[perfectfit]

Hello all,

Starting Weight: 177
Starting Waist:38"

Goal Weight:150
Waist: 32"

I did the Atkins diet before, with amazing results (about 2 years ago). This time around, I am in Day 6 Induction ( I started Mon.), and have only lost 2 pounds. I think I dropped that weight in the first two days. I'm pretty sure I'm in ketosis (don't have the strips, but hunger pangs are gone like before).

I smoke 2 cigarettes a day, which I am going to stop since I believe this may be slowing me down. Is this true?

I also made the mistake of having some ketchup on my bacon wrapped hotdogs once.

And just for the record, have had headaches up until yesterday (yeah, I was/am a coffee addict), but haven't had the coffee since Mon. though.

Cheers,

Whitewolfm

Just for your information, the President's Choice Blue Menu line of products has a 1 carb Ketchup. 1 carb per tablespoon so you don't need to give up ketchup.

You can probably find it in any Loblaws or No Frills in the Toronto area (I used to shop in the Loblaws at Islington Avenue and Dixon Road when I lived in TO)


http://www.presidentschoice.ca/FoodAndRecipes/GreatFood/ProductDetails.aspx/id/17036/name/PCBlueMenuKetchupTypeSauce/catid/178

I don't know if smoking can slow down weightloss but it cannot hurt to quit.
In fact it will benefit you. It did for me. :D

[perfectfit]

I am also snacking on processed cheese slices...is this considered low carb enough? First time it was ok...


Cheese slices can be up to 4 carbs per slice so if you are going to eat them you have to make sure you check the carb counts on the nutritional label on the back of the package.
I think Velveeta has the lowest carb counts of processed cheese slices but there might be a lower one available to you so check first.
Your best bet would be to get sliced cheese from the deli area of the store
unless you shop in a Food Basics store so then you will have to check the nutrition info on the different cheeses.

I live in Hamilton (was born in TO) so I can give you shopping info if you need it.

Also check out Laughing Cow brand cheese. It is really good and 1 carb per wedge if I remember correctly. Don't get the light version...get the regular one. One wedge is really good melted on a burger.

[perfectfit]

Can I just ask what kind of hotdogs you're eating?
The ones they sell over here are jam-packed full of cereals and fillers.
Thanks

Here is another tip for Whitewolf. This one is in regards to hotdogs.

Maple Leaf brand Top Dogs are the lowest carb hot dogs that I have found so far but you can look through the packages to see if you find a brand that might be lower.
Since you live in Toronto and I am in Hamilton the differences should not be much.

[kevsmama]

From what I have been told by my Dr. caffeine makes some if not most people crave carbs-I use to drink gallons of coffee a day, now I drink decaf and really don't like regular anymore. I have also cut down on the amount I drink just cause I don't crave it. Also I only drink decaf diet soda when I break down and have soda. Don't know if this is your case or not but it is something to think about.

Also if you totally quit smoking and are not using the patch or the nicorette gum the nicotine should be out of your system with in 7-10 days as will the cravings, except for the mental cravings. Maybe you can try sunflower seeds in the shell-the carbs aren't too bad and will give your mouth and tongue something to do. Good Luck

[Solitaire]

I haven't given up my coffee either. Pre-Atkins, I drank two cups in the morning and was able to go without for the rest of the day. Currently, I drink two cups in the morning and am able to go without for the rest of the day. So it hasn't caused any unusual insulin spikes or cravings for me (though I do get afternoon headaches if I don't have at least a cup), and I'm losing at the same rate that I was the first time I did Atkins, when I did give up caffeine.

I have found that half and half isn't nearly as satisfying as heavy cream, which I would have NEVER used pre-Atkins. So it's a nice little morning treat!

[whitewolfm]

Thanks for all your responses. I guess I should clarify a few things about my original posts.

I've never smoked regularly, but at the beginning of losing carbs I wanted to fill the need with something else. Anyway, I haven't been smoking at all.

I don't really eat hotdogs anymore either. They tend to be a low quality food, so I prefer homemade burgers (one of the atkins recipes) and italian sausage or polish kielbasa with my eggs instead.

I DO still eat processed cheese though, and might add it as an extra with tuna, or just by itself with a small glass of heavy cream. small amounts of heavy cream often tide me over for many hours.

Thanks for the mention of Laughing Cow. I do eat it occasionally; my favourite cream cheese is Western Creamery. It comes flavoured or plain, and it really up there with fat content 32-36% I think, and it is just delicious.

I started with some decaf this morning, but trying to study around noon I realized I needed a boost (feeling sleepy) so I had one cup of sweet caffeine.

Thanks again for the good wishes.