Atkin's Induction

[LindyJane]

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone has a vegetarian menu plan for the induction stage of the Atkin’s diet. I have been LC for a while but would really like to try this plan.

Regards
Lindy

[Kristine]

I haven't done Atkins, but doing it veggie-style would be a little tricky. Tricky, but do-able. It takes some careful label-reading for vegetarian products, because many of them are grain based. Most Yves brand stuff is fairly low since it's soy based, as is TVP. But the carbs do add up.

You might want to ask over on the Atkins forum: this one seems pretty quiet. :)

[vegitarian]

I am re-starting Atkins. I only need to loose 15 lbs. But I am tring to remain a veggie. I am actually thinking about eating meat again I'm so desperate. If you find an answer please let me know.

Thanks :wave:

[LindyJane]

vegitarian,

If you send me a private email (my address is lsaxon~energy.com.au) I can show you the vegetarian diet plan that I have been following.

Regards Lindy

[bread]

Hi LindyJane..

Do you still have your veggie plan? If you do I would really appreciate it! Could I send you my email address? I am DESPERATE!!! Thanks

[Shakti]

I think Atkins' only vegetarian protein options for induction are, cheese, cream, sour cream if you do lacto and eggs if you do ovo. I don't think you have any induction options if you don't do lacto or ovo. Interestingly enough Atkins fat fast to induce ketosis in metabolically resistant persons allows macadamia nuts. Macadamias are so high in fat and so low in carbs that I bet you could use them in induction if you're a vegetarian. I'd talk to someone at the Atkins center before I tried it though.

[etoiles]

hi guys! I have been doing ATkins for about three months now and so I have a variety of meal plans that I could share with you. I am still doing the induction (20g or less) so all of these are ones that you could use right away.

I kept a food journal which was helpful because if I didn't know what to have for dinner I could look back and think 'yeah, that was tasty'. Another source I use is allrecipes.com which has wonderful recipes that have been reviewed by others so you get an idea of if they will taste good or not. It has a lot of high carb ones on there though, so you have to be careful.

Sample days:

Breakfast: piece of quiche and veggie burger pattie: 4 carbs
lunch: string cheese and some almonds 2 carbs
snack: 3 deviled egg halves 1 carb
dinner: half a block of smoked tofu with several stuffed mushrooms : 9
snack: atkins corn muffin: 3 carbs
Total: 19 carbs

same but instead of dinner and later snack: 1 C spaghetti squash with alfredo sauce and a nice salad

Breakfast: piece of quiche and atkins corn muffin: 5 carbs
Lunch: cheese and almonds: 2 carbs
Dinner: Salad with 1/4c. red enchilada sauce, cheese, spoonful salsa, 1/2 avacado, and then under the broiler until the cheese melts: 9 carbs
snack: 1/3 cucumber with ranch dip: 6 carbs
Total: 22 carbs

Breakfast: celery with cream cheese: 3 carbs
Lunch: Broccoli quiche: 4 carbs
Dinner: cheese omelet with mock mashed potatoes 7 carbs
dessert: coconut pudding: 3 carbs
Total: 17 carbs

Breakfast: meringue cookies and coconut pudding: 4 carbs
Lunch: almonds: 2 carbs
Snack: cheese and some turnip fries: 3 carbs
Dinner: Tomato and cheddar soup: 9 carbs
Total: 18 carbs

So I hope that gives you some examples of what you can eat. If you want, let me know and I can put up more examples. You mainly will have to do some research to find recipes that you like that are low carb. My husband thought I was crazy but now that he sees how good I eat he is going to join me the low carb way! The meal that convinced him was when we took some poblano peppers and roasted them, and peeled off their skins. While they were roasting we took 1 C of cream, boiled it, and stirred in 1 1/2 C. shredded mexican melting cheese (chihuahua cheese) and let boil until reduced to 1 C. Then, we scrambled some eggs with fake bacon bits, slid the eggs into the roasted peppers and topped it off with the cream cheese sauce.

yum yum! and I don't even really like eggs!

[Sandhya]

Hi there,
Thks for the vegetarian plans. :) .These sure wud help.I've been on Atkins for 6 days and on the 7th i cheated with a mouthful of brownie, :o 1/2 a cookie, huge portions of *allowed* vegetables :( Basically i was so fed up of eating fish, eggs and chicken day after day..as i'm not much of a non-vegetarian.All the raw looking meats and bacon bites,pork rinds gross me out.Thumbs down :thdown: So plz post more options and the brand names too if u can :yum: ........Thanx a ton.......!! :help:

[Sandhya]

And hey....if anyone can suggest-is paneer (what we call cottage cheese in India ) simialr to Ricotta i believe ,allowed?........and what portions?....

[Sandhya]

Hi there,
Thks for the vegetarian plans..These sure wud help.I've been on Atkins for 6 days and on the 7th i cheated with a mouthful of brownie, 1/2 a cookie, huge portions of *allowed* vegetables :( Basically i was so fed up of eating fish, eggs and chicken day after day..as i'm not much of a non-vegetarian.All the raw looking meats and bacon bites,pork rinds gross me out. So plz post more options and the brand names too if u can........Thanx a ton.......!!

[Dragon61]

Soft fresh cheeses such as cottage cheese are higher in carbs (because the lactose hasn't had time to break down) than older hard cheeses.

Where cheddar cheese has less than 1g carb per 30g/1 oz cheese, soft cheeses can have up to 4g carbs per 30g.

If you can get cream cheese (eg Kraft Philidelphia) this is a better option (1g carb per 30g).

[Gaelen]

And hey....if anyone can suggest-is paneer (what we call cottage cheese in India ) simialr to Ricotta i believe ,allowed?........and what portions?....

Paneer, or pressed ricotta, farmer's dry curd cottage cheese, pressed queso fresco, etc., is completely 'allowed.' 1/4c ricotta has 7g protein and 2g carbs; farmer's dry curd cottage cheese is about the same. You just have to watch your portion sizes.

There's no need to eat meat on low carb, but Atkins Induction's 20g carb limit can be very tricky as a vegetarian, especially if you aren't ovo-lacto. Try to find a high quality protein powder, either whey based or soy based, which you can use to make shakes, and in baking to oomph up recipes that use nut flours like almond meal.

I find low carb as a Protein Power vegetarian MUCH easier than as an Atkins vegetarian, but YMMV. The menu plans posted are okay as far as they go, but they are light on protein, which you really need to effectively reshape your body. Protein Power, written by Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades, allows up to 40g ECC in Phase I. IMO that makes staying vegetarian a LOT easier. However, Protein Power *does* emphasize getting a minimum protein daily requirement based on your lean body mass...and even at five feet tall, my protein minimum per day is 80g.

A typical menu for me would look more like this:
Breakfast: cinnamon hazelnut Kefir protein shake (37g protein, 12g ECC)

snack: an oz. of mixed nuts or an almond meal-cranberry scone (16g protein, 6g ECC)

Lunch: green salad with browned tempeh cubes, pumkin seeds and shredded cheese (30g protein, 7g ECC)

snack: ricotta and berries (7g protein, 5g ECC)

Dinner: egg-drop broth with shredded vegetables; maybe a Joseph's reduced carb oat bran pita with shredded cheese or a pappadum with shredded cheese (20g protein, 10g ECC)

That would be as much as 100g protein, and 40g ECC. I usually go over my protein minimum recommendations (which is okay) but try to never go under them.

Gaelen

[chunklet]

so are you guys pretty liberal about the induction guidelines, as long as you stay under 20g net carbs a day? Because I don't think soy products or nuts are really on the acceptable foods list. I've been doing induction for three days and have eaten basically nothing but eggs and cheese (under 4 oz/day), plus my three cups of salad. I don't know if I can make it through two weeks of this, so maybe I should be less dogmatic about induction rules?

[Gaelen]

so are you guys pretty liberal about the induction guidelines, as long as you stay under 20g net carbs a day? Because I don't think soy products or nuts are really on the acceptable foods list. I've been doing induction for three days and have eaten basically nothing but eggs and cheese (under 4 oz/day), plus my three cups of salad. I don't know if I can make it through two weeks of this, so maybe I should be less dogmatic about induction rules?

Well, Chunklet...I'm very 'liberal' about the induction rules since I do Protein Power, rather than Atkins. As I mentioned in my earlier post, being able to eat up to 40g ECC (effective carbs) per day is much more do-able for me...I can have nuts, vegetables, fruits, more kinds of cheese, muffins and pancakes made from nut flours and bean flours, etc. There's no room for that on Atkins induction...and for me, I needed to adopt an eating plan that wasn't going to demoralize me in the first two weeks. :) The thing about Protein Power is that anything is 'allowed' as long as you get your minimum daily protein requirement and you keep your daily carb intake under 7-10g ECC per meal and 40g ECC per day. And it emphasizes fresh, natural and minimally processed foods...which is one of the aspects of eating meatless that I prefer anyway. You might want to check that out.

Gaelen

[SaphhireX]

I don't use a strict vegetarian plan for induction on Atkins, but I do use a lot of the Loma Linda and Worthington Brand vegetarian meats. They come in a can so they don't spoil. I happen to like Worthington Choplets. VERY low carb/High protein. They're good "breaded" with parmesean cheese and fried in olive oil or butter. I was raised with these types of meats so I like to just open a can and eat them cold. (REALLY grosses out some of my friends. LOL) They have a great variety of different kinds of meat. You can find more information at www.morningstar.com or check your local health food store. If you can't find them that way, see if you have a local Seventh Day Adventist Church in the area and ask them where they purchase them. Adventists are vegetarian and use these product and similar products all the time. :) Hope this helps. I lost 40 lbs in 3 months on Induction when I did it the first time and I was an ovo-veggie and ate a TON of the veggie meat!

[lady66]

The website above is wrong, it's http://www.kelloggs.com/brand/msfarms/index.shtml

I love morningstar farms!!

[lady66]

SaphhireX

Where do you shop to buy Loma Linda and Worthington Brand vegetarian meats? I have checked Walmart and I don’t remember seeing those brands.

[Paleoanth]

Try here:

http://www.kelloggs.com/brand/worthington/

You can order them from amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search.html/104-0747479-2985555?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=3760931&brand=Worthington

[SaphhireX]

Sorry about the wrong website. :( I've only found a FEW Wal-mart supercenters that carry them. But You might check the other websites others provided or search online for Loma Linda or Worthington Meats, as well as asking the local Seventh Day Adventist church. Hope this helps... :)

[lady66]

Thanks! I will check some other wal marts out

[parenthere]

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone has a vegetarian menu plan for the induction stage of the Atkin’s diet. I have been LC for a while but would really like to try this plan.

Regards
Lindy

Veganism is just too restrictive for Atkins. You would be eating way too much carb from the vegetable and soy-based diet.
Here are my meal plans for following a lacto-ovo vegetarian Induction.

You'll want to choose carfully from the below options, which will generally keep you in the 20-grams of carbs per day limit required of Atkins Induction. (PS-I trust calorie-count.com for all my nutritional info.)

Breakfast
Option 1: 1/2 of an avacado with 1 tbsp chopped tomato and combined with a pinch of citric acid (available in most health food store spice isles) mixed with 2 tsps of water and served on a thin slice of tofu that has been well drained on paper towel and then sauteed lightly in veg oil or butter.
Option 2: Soy protein isolate shake with vanilla or coconut flavoring and a 2:1 ratio of cream and water (sweetened with 1/2 packet of splenda). It's actually very good.
Option 3: 2 fried eggs and 2 rashers of Fakin Bacon (tempeh strips), half serving of Atkins Zucchini bread, de-caff coffee or tea with cream
Snack 1/2 celery stick with almond nut butter
Lunch
Option 1: Homemade asian-style seitan stir-fry in a hot/sweet) marinade, and sprinkled lightly with soy nuts for crunch. Serve over 3/4 cup sauted mixture of sauteed bok choy cabbage (must be bok choy) and shaved celery strips.
Option 2: Morningstar Farms grillers, sliced thin and dipped in homemade spicy red-pepper salsa. 2 small cubes of soy cheese (about half a serving), 2 asparagus spears, 1/2 cup zucchini, or green beans.
Snack
Option 1: 1/3 cup red pepper strips, 1/3 cup cubanelle pepper, 1/3 cup cucumber, mixed with homemade white vinegar, Splenda and citric acid vinegarette.
Option 2: The above, but decrease to 2/3 cup, and dip in 2 tbsps of low-carb ranch dressing.
Dinner:
Option 1: Typically, just a big vegetable salad (about 2 cups), mixed with boiled egg, seitan, tofu, or other low-carb/fiber full meat alternatives, a cube of soy cheese if using an oil and vinegar dressing, otherwise I use a no-carb bleu cheese dressing. In the morning, I will sometimes cook up extra Fakin Bakin and crumble that on top with a few slivered almonds. Easy.
Option 2: 3 soups that are low-carb
1-1 cup of homemade thick and hearty spicy "blackbean" soup (made with 1/2 cup canned soy beans, mixed with 2 tsps onion, 1 tbsp celery, 1 tbsps chopped cubanelle pepper, white vinegar, chili spice and black pepper for flavorings, and vegetable stock as the base. Fills up and has a lot of fiber.
2- cups Mushroom soup made with 2 cups raw mushrooms sauteed in butter, 2 tsps diced onion, 1 cup cream and 2 cups vegetable stock or 2 cups water mixed with 1/3 cup vinegar (sounds gross, but works as a stock in a pinch). Thicken with soy protein isolate or with a very small amount of xantham gum.
3-Asian miso soup with tofu (any homeade or canned vegetarian-style will do, as it's typically very low in carbs. But be sure to check the label on any pre-prepared foods for hidden carbs).
4-Vegetarian egg drop soup using Asian-spice Vegetable stock, egg, and vegetables
5-The onion soup on Atkins' website, made with vegetable broth and gruyere cheese (for lacto diets)
Option 3:
Soy bean, seitan, or mexican-spice seasoned tofu "burrito", using a low-carb wrap and 1/2 cup fibrous vegetables, lightly sauteed, and topped with soy cheese. Use any of the Atkins-friendly seasonings you want.
Option 4: Chicken Tikka Masala
Top 1 cup grilled, seasoned chicken breast "grillers" (Morningstar Farm) with 1/2 cup crushed, stewed tomatoes, juice from 1 wedge of lemon, 3 Tbsps water or vegetable stock, 2 tbsps full-fat cream, spice mixture (to taste) of cumin, coriander, cilantro, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Serve over a 1/2 cup of "riced" bok-choy that has been sauteed in butter and tossed with toasted almond slices (buy pre-made or make yourself).

Snack/dessert:
Option 1- Atkins carb advantage protein bread that I will use for dipping into any of the soups above.
Option 2- A cheese course (if the food choices for the whole day permit it), served with de-caff coffee with cream
Option 3- The chocolate cream pots recipe in Atkins Essentials.
Option 4- An Atkins Advantage low-carb soynut bar. Some books say that the Advantage "dessert" bars are no-no during induction, I think it's okay, as long as you stay below your 20 grams of net carbs a day. Most of the dessert bars have just 2 net carbs.
Option 5- Cream cheese cinnamon tofu "cheese cake." I use this when I'm craving a quick sweet and my carb count for the day permits it. Note: this is for cinnamon lovers, but you can substitute your favorite baking spice, as long as it's Atkins approved.
Slice a 1/2" portion of tofu from the block. Drain and press between towels to strain all liquid from tofu. Butter both sides, and sprinkle very lightly with 1/4 tsp. of Splenda and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place on a pan in the toaster oven and toast on lightest setting, turning over to toast both sides. In the meantime, mix together 1 tbsp. of cream cheese with an additonal sprinkling (1/4 tsp) of ground cinnamon. Pulse grind 2 tbsps of soy nuts in coffee grinder until it resembles cornmeal. Place ground nuts in a pan over very low heat with 2 tsps of butter and 1 tsp. flaked, toasted wheat germ. Sautee gently over lowest heat until butter is incorporated and nuts and wheat germ are lightly browned. Remove from heat and sprinkle in a pinch of Splenda, mixing well. Spread cream cheese onto toasted tofu and top with the nutty mix, pressing it into the cream cheese. I usually enjoy this with a cup of black de-caff coffee while on induction. It has gotten me over some difficult periods when I was really craving something sweet and was ready to quit Induction altogether.

[diana55]

Hi guys,

I just started looking around this area of the forum .. and it seems this is more where I belong.

I started Atkins induction and lost 10 pounds, but couldn't keep up the 'meat' either. I also couldn't do so many eggs ... I was feeling very sick to my stomach most of the time, and knew there had to be another way.

I'm not totally vegan, I still eat dairy products, butter, cheese, etc. I'm also not opposed to fish here and there and a 'bit' of meat ... but I'd rather try and do less meat and more vegetarian choices.

I also was raised with the Worthington and Loma Linda products, so I do like them .. I just always thought they contained too many carbs. Now I see there are some choices that have low carbs, so I'll start buying them again. I live near the church conferance office, where they sell them. :-)

My biggest problems is that I have health issues that cause me to be very tired and have very little energy to cook. I dont' have allot of energy to prepare, slice, chop, dice, etc ... so need ideas for how I can eat ... preparing foods quickly and easily. Any ideas?

I suffer from depression too, so as you can see, I need something to be easy and quick, and that I can stay with, without getting discouraged and giving up again. I gained back the 10 pounds I lost from Atkins ... and want to start again, maybe not Atkins per say, but lower carbs, more vegan ideas, and be able to include some 'good' carbs, as in 'good' bread and fruit.

Thanks a bunch!
Diana

[tuscany]

I would recommend against too many morningstar type products & soy in general. With morningstar, the occasional use was fine, but once I started eating lot of it when I started LC, it started giving me stomach problems after a while. I gave those up, but still continued with soy. However, I was recently diagnosed with graves disease (thyriod disease). Could be absolute coincidence, but I have to wonder if the preponderance of soy in my diet caused problems. I still use tofu & tempeh, just not the quantities I used to and no manufactured products at all.

Regarding depression, I suffer from it too a little, but I have noticed that since increasing the fat & lowering the carbs, I have way less of it, so I definitely recommend LC.

If you can do a mix of eggs, fish, meat, tofu/tempeh & vegetables, you should be good. I hear that frozen vegetables can be microwave cooked in a hurry - no chopping/prepping required!

[Gaelen]

Hi, Diana55...Atkins isn't the only way to do low carb, so if going as low as the 20g/day of Atkins induction was too hard to maintain, be aware that you can also do Protein Power at 40g ECC per day. PP is very vegetarian friendly, so whether you're vegetarian every day every meal, or just once in awhile, it's pretty easy to get the protein and fats you need and turn your diet to the things you prefer eating (as long as those things aren't Hostess Twinkies, that is :) )

If you're up for dairy products, things like cottage cheese or ricotta and a 1/4 cup or so of unsweetened berries are a great meal anytime of day. Adding chunks of tofu (either plain or preseasoned) to a cup or so of frozen veggies is a quick and easy microwave or stir-fry meal. Bagged salad plus chopped protein (preseasoned tofu chunks, chopped hard cooked eggs, a package of tuna) is no cooking at all.

You can do this.