I am new here again as I previously fell off the wagon. My mindset was not right the first few times I tried Atkins but now this time my mindset is completely different and I feel different overall. My question is about appetite. I don't have one...

I've been on Atkins again for a month so far and I've been trying to be more aware of my body and how I'm feeling when I eat. Well I noticed that I don't have much of an appetite most times. I do eat breakfast, my biggest meal of the day but it tends to go downhill from there and I don't eat much else. Here's an example of what I've had today so far. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced the same thing. I know that I need to include vegetables-I do from time to time but I'm just having a hard time with eating, period. Fortunately I take a good whole food vitamin.

Bacon
Scrambled eggs w/green onions and diced ham

A few tablespoons of sliced almonds
Sugar free Jell-O cup
Sugar free gum

For dinner I may have an Atkins shake or food if I feel like it but most times I don't. I worked out 3-5 days a week during the month of July as well but noticed that as I ate less, I didn't have the energy to work out as much. I am losing weight though. I don't know how much weight I lost in July b/c I was so depressed...my scale goes up to 330 and when I stepped on the scale I got an error so because of that, I was deep in depression, remembering the days when I thought that I would never let myself reach 300 and certainly not more than 330. The error on the scale assured me that I was more than 330lbs. Now that the scale says 325, I am feeling better and more interested in keeping track of the lbs lost starting in August.

I feel like as long as I'm losing weight and eating when I'm hungry I should be fine. What does everyone else think?

First, it's a good sign that you have little appetite - it means that it's working. Ketones, which you release as a byproduct of burning fat and protein as your primary source of fuel, are actually appetite suppressants.

I do think you need to remember, however, that you need to eat. Just portion your meals so that you have more snacks, whether you're hungry or not. A lot of people (myself included) feel that you can really mess up your metabolism if you don't eat enough, leaving you more prone to regaining weight.

Have you actually read the Atkins book (Doctor Atkins New Diet Revolution)? He has more to say about this issue in there.

If you haven't yet read it, you need to. Not like, "you should read the book," more like, "stop everything in your life and read the book right now before you do anything else." It is extremely important.

Eat at least one salad that has lots of nutrient-rich greens - I don't care that you're taking a good multivitamin - the good multivitamin is supposed to be in addition to the vegetables. Eat more real food - chicken breasts or beef - and less frankenfoods - sugar free (whatever) or meal replacement shakes. Weigh yourself regularly. Get bloodwork done. Exercise at least a bit.

These things are all basic fundamentals of the plan. Make sure you do them, and make sure you know them by reading the book. There's an audiobook version available if that would be easier for you to use - I re-listen to it during my commute somewhat regularly. You can get it from iTunes or audible.com.

So, basically what I'm saying is - you're doing good, just clean it up a bit and you'll be doing great.

Best of luck-

-j.

Eat.

How long has this been going on? All month? You are seriously malnourised, if so. You need a minimum level of nutrients to stay healthy and it sounds like you are eating around 500 calories a day, it's just not enough, as evidenced by the trouble you are having working out.

I'm all for taking advantage of the appetite suppression of ketosis, but you still need to eat enough to stay healthy.

Valerie,

not sure if i asked this question here before. but can you tell me if shakes stalled you, what about the bars? atkins, or lc slimfast

thanks

I agree with J13 and Valerie. You really do need to ensure that you are getting your vitamins and nutrients primarily from real food. I would recommend tracking your foods for a week or 2 at fitday.com. This will really help you see how much or how little you are eating and then you can adjust it accordingly.

Please let us know how you are doing as you make any changes.

You need to eat some food! Get rid of the Jell-O cups, gum, shakes, and whatever else you put in your mouth that isn't real food. You don't have to eat a whole lot if you aren't hungry, but you definitely should eat real food.

There is very little protein in the list of food you posted. If you don't eat enough protein every day, then your body will literally cannibalize your muscles to get the protein it needs. Remember that your heart is made of muscle!

Thanks to all of you for the great information! I have read the Atkins book, however it was a long time ago, the first time I tried low carb. I know that I will have to re-read it. I rarely have the Atkins shakes, I don't do the bars or any type of low carb sweets other than Jell-O which I only have once or twice a week. I learned the first time I tried this WOL that the sweets and the convenience lc foods prevent me from losing weight. The only problem I have is gum. I sit at a desk all day and I cannot live without the gum. I'm working on it though b/c I think that if I don't chew the gum, maybe I can try to eat. The problem thought is that I feel like I CAN'T eat. I know that I should and I do want to but if I don't feel hungry, I don't have a taste for anything and nothing seems like it would be good. I'm thinking that my issue runs deeper than just my appetite though. At 325, I am bigger than I have ever been in my life and thought that I would never allow myself to reach 300. Just over 2 years ago, my step-father passed and he shared with a friend of his that he just wanted me to be happy and to lose weight. At first I tried and then I got to a point where I felt so discouraged that I just stopped trying. When I got on my scale and it said "Err" b/c it only goes up to 330 I got really depressed because over the last 2 years I did just the opposite of what my dad wanted me to do. I pulled myself together and this time around I have given myself no other option than to reach my goal. This is the one thing in my life that no one else can interfere with. If I fail, it is my fault and I'm just not giving myself the option to fail. When I did Atkins before, I was feeling hungry all the time and trying my best not to binge on things that were not allowed. I thought it was great when I found low carb pizzas and desserts at an lc food store in my area. I enjoyed these things but I lost no weight because I wasn't eating real food. This time around, psychologically I feel different which is why I believe that physically I am feeling different as well. I feel a sense of urgency and desperation to lose the weight and though I know logically that I have to eat, I just can't sometimes. I have no problem with breakfast because I have it in mind that it's important to start with a good breakfast and it keeps me from feeling sick as well. I cannot believe that just a matter of a few weeks ago I ate just to be eating, whether I was hungry or not and thought that I absolutely could not live without cake and now I can hardly eat at all.

The reason we are saying you need to eat is that part of your depression and anxiety are coming from the fact that your body is getting no nourishment.... and although you may lose some from not eating, that will slow down and/or stop and you will be frustrated by that as well.

If you eat properly you will lose weight but you will also feel better. Don't worry about whether you're hungry or not, just pace out smaller meals if that helps. Proper nutrition will help your mental state...and as you lose weight regularly you will feel better as well.

I would suggest also starting a journal and recording what you feel there---you will also start to make friends and draw support from this site....

You are thinking about a lot right now in your life, and it is wonderful you are wanting to do something for yourself--good luck!

Reaching out is the most wonderful thing you can and did for yourself. Be proud. I care, and know how that 'nothing' bug can really get to you. It is a classic sign of depression, and the reality is a lot of us have very real and valid reasons for depression. Bad and sad things happen. I had someone point out that it seemed like i was trying to punish myself when i got into that mode. I realized I was reacting to some past thing instead of deciding about how I wanted my today and future to go. For whatever reason I did the things I did before but that doesn't mean I can't have a fresh start today, right now. Just for today.

Yes, re-read the book, and do it right now. Like I said, the audiobook's available from iTunes or audible.com if that helps you to get to it more quickly. It's a good sign that your last post indicates that your attitude towards what it means to actually do low-carb has improved since your last attempt.

Your real issues, however, are clearly way deeper than the diet. That was the case for me, and many others will tell you that they feel the same way. It's the underlying issues that got me where I was, and that I still have to deal with every day.

I really think that you need to do a lot of soul-searching, reading, and maybe even therapy to help you with that. Starting a journal and writing about it in there would help as well. You can be spurred by desparation and fear - it was what started me on this. But you really can't sustain on it. You need to work on those things that are causing the mental anguish and re-learn how to cope with the world and your emotions in order for you to really succeed in the long term. The way I see it, where you were once binging on food, you're now binging on dieting. It's not a healthy relationship either way, and it really feels from your last post like you're doing it to help fill the same void that food once filled.

There is a lot to all of this, especially for those of us that have seen that goddamned -E- on their scales.

So what I would do if I was you is re-read DANDR (Doctor Atkins New Diet Revolution), get the mechanics of the diet cleaned up, then really start to face what it is that's causing you all of this anxiety and depression. That ain't going to be easy - in fact, it's most certainly going to be really hard. But living life with those things under the surface is way, way harder.

Good luck-

-j.

eat but they said that already.

Welcome to TDC though!

Glad you found us.

I actually felt a burden lifted when I sent my last post...and your replies made me feel even better. That was just an overview of some of my issues but I realize that I do need to pull myself together, clean up my diet and I did actually start a journal this time around but I have not been writing as often as I had planned. That will change. The good thing is that I baked chicken and had it with a salad for dinner and I feel good. I did drink some Crystal Light but that's not an every day occurrence. This is a start.

I know that I need to sort out my issues as well, so journaling will help me with that. I feel a sense of urgency simply because I feel like my weight is my biggest burden and is holding me back from accomplishing other things. I felt like if I can get the weight off, I'll have more confidence to take charge of my life and take care of everything else that I need to do.

j13 when you said "The way I see it, where you were once binging on food, you're now binging on dieting" it really resonated with me because you are absolutely correct. Even though my mindset is different/better this time around, I realize that I cannot continue with binging on dieting, so I will try to get it together. I will have small meals if I am not hungry, but I will try to start eating better overall as well.

Thank you all so much!

Haven't read or posted anything for a week or two, this thread really caught my eye. First, welcome to the site hopefully you'll dig-in, sit-back and come here as often as you need to. We all want the fat to go away 'now' - it won't, BUT it will go away IF you reallly want it to. I thought I'd have it all off by now (hee hee), it now appears that it may very well take (gulp) a year or two more. It's not just the weight loss, it's attitude, mind-set and desire to reach an attainable goal. I re-read the Atkins book to stay with the program and come here to share the experience and learn. It's amazing how much we all have in common. You do have to eat, chicken and eggs work best for me. Wishing you success! p.s. I (personally) have found all that lc bars, crystal lite stuff just makes me crave carbs - however they'll have to pry the sugar-free gum out of my hand!