I was wondering if anyone knew of a good place to shope for LC items?

Most health food stores will carry some protein shake mixes (read labels carefully, since some of the body-builder formulas are HIGH carbs) .. also flax oil and pre-ground flax meal. You should be able to find stevia there as well (an herbal zero-carb sweetener). Bulk Barn and Superstore carry low-carb baking supplies, such as soy flour, vital wheat gluten and flax seeds. Some gourmet coffee shops sell flavoured sugar-free syrups which you can put in coffee, or use in desserts/recipes .. or add to club soda with heavy cream.

In general, prepared low-carb foods -- pasta, bread, baking mixes, etc ... aren't available in stores (yet) and folks are having to order online. Click on the blue shopping cart at the top right corner of the page.

We also have a shopping database, where folks from any region internationally can submit the name and location of local stores carrying low-carb foods. There might be something for your area ... click on Low Carb Tools on the orange menu bar at the top, and near the bottom you'll see International Low-Carb Yellow Pages

Oh, and feel free to submit your own finds too!

Doreen

As Doreen mentioned in her post, most health food stores carry lc items. They tend to be marketed as sugar free. Vitality (to name one) usually carries a wide range of protein bars as well as the health food store in West Edmonton Mall (they have two locations in the mall, sorry the name escapes me.) They also carry Ross bars.
Shoppers Drug Marts also carry Ross bars and other diabetic candies, for when you have a sweet craving.
7-Eleven now carries Pure Pro Shakes, for when you are on the run.
Amalgamated Coffee Sales at Yellowhead and 67th carries Oscar Sugar Free Syrups (similar to DaVinci but MUCH cheaper).
GNC is also starting to cater to the lc crowd more these days.
It depends where you live in Alberta. I'm up in Cold Lake so I've only checked out Edmonton (well, and Lloydminster too but I found very little there.)
HTH!
Michelle
Cold Lake, AB
191/154/130
Atkins since 11/11/99

Thanks for the info! Im in Calgary and I really havent searched around too much. I did pick up some soy flour. Have U used it much? I do need to start making some new recipes cause I dont intend on going back to eating a lot of carbs.

Actually I usually use almond flour in most recipes, although I do have some soy flour in the fridge.
As for recipes, have you tried www.camacdonald.com/lc/LowCarbohydrateCooking-Recipes.htm ? It's a great FREE recipe book!
HTH!
Michelle
191/154/130
Atkins since 11/11/99

I found some wonderful junk food at my local drugstore (Cambrian Drug Mart in N.W. Calgary). They carry Ross chocolate bars ($1.49 each), some lo-carb hard candies and Ketostix. They also have sugar-free jams, but they're not lo-carb enough to justify the cost (think they're around $7 each). Hope this helps!

Nice to meet U and thanks for the info. I have since found out an awesome place is called [ now excuse the spelling..lol]Armaranths. By the way have U posted in the "introduction" if not please do so and let everyone know all about ya.

Awesome! I happen to know just where that is, but haven't been in there yet. What kind of lo carb stuff do they have?

p.s. - I'm going to the introduction column now - thanks for the heads-up - I've never participated in a forum before...

I see that those of you posting here are in Alberta. Are any of you in Edmonton, or nearby? I'd love to find a "buddy" who is trying to live LC and such. I actually live in Devon, but I have a good vehicle and work in Edmonton.

The place you spoke of that has Oscar Syrups, is that open to the general public? I thought it wasnt.

Kawanda

Im in Calgary so maybe a bit far to meet for coffee, however I am always willing to give advice and be an email buddy.

email buddies you can never have enough of

And at least you being in Calgary I have more of a sense of where you are.

So are you male or female? What brought you to LC? Is it working for you?

I found out about LC as a treatment option for those with PCOS, and started this WOE on March 1st this year. I lost quite a bit the first few weeks, and then for about a month it was a steady 2 or 3 pounds a week, now I'm kind of hanging in at the same weight for the last couple of weeks. I'm not giving up, nor am I completely discouraged, as I do feel a whole lot healthier in general regardless of weight loss.

I dont usually watch daytime television, but a friend called this morning to tell me that I should watch this mornings episode of Viki Gabereau so I did, and she had Dr. Earl Mindell on as her guest and he was talking about his new book, which he explained is based on cutting the carbs from your diet, etc. I'm glad I got to see it, it was very informative. Did you see it?

What plan are you following? or are you doing sort of a "hybred"? I started off with Atkins Induction, but now I'm doing sort of a "hybred" of Atkins, Paleo, and Fat Flush.

Looking forward to getting to know you,

No I didnt see that show. sounds like an excellent one. Do U know the name of the book? I have quite a collection of LC books already and want to add to it. In fact in the future I want to make a career out of alternative nutrition and fitness. Oh ya by the way Im F 37..lol I started on Atkins April 2nd 2001. My reason for low-carbing was I have fibromyalgia and was very achy, sore and fatigued. I suffered withdrawl sysmptoms bad from day 2-6 BUT after that started to feel so much better. Low-carbing has put me in remmission and Im off my meds! This fall I want to become a certified fitness instructor. Recently I took on a new venture and quit smoking. Im on day 27 of the patch and doing well. Course I am nervous about weight gain but so far maybe up only 2 pounds. TOM will be here any day so after that I will weigh in and see where I am at. Once U have posted enough I will private message U and leave U my email addy. Get thats it for now. Have a great day!

The book is called The Diet Bible by Dr. Earl Mindell (not sure on the spelling of his last name thought). I actually was at the WEM Chapters last night and they didnt have it. Like you, I have been doing a lot of reading on LC and have bought quite a few books. We should compare libraries sometime.

I admire your goal of becoming an alternative nutrition and fitness expert. I have some "similar" goals, in that I would like to open a salon with a focus on beauty from the inside out - paying attention to what you eat and how it affects skin, hair, etc. as well as incorporating exercise and yoga and such as part of the salon - an alternative salon and day spa.

I have a close friend who suffers from fibromyalgia. I know it can be quite terrible. But it sounds like you've found the solution for you, thats great. So, having been LC for a year now, did you lose a lot? or did you have a lot to lose or little? Have you had problems with plateaus?

Quitting smoking can be a bugger. I quit smoking December 23rd 2000. So, its only been a year and a few months for me. I didnt use the patch, but I did use Zyban for the first three months. I wish you much luck with this.

So, you're going to try for certified fitness instructor, does it entail a lot of schooling? Do you do any work in this field now? Do you work out at a gym? Spalady by any chance?

Sorry, lots of questions, I probably seem nosy. I'm not, just interested.

Kawanda

I had to laugh when U wrote at the bottom "I may seem nosy" I dont mind a bit. I really enjoy getting to know people, especially ones with a similar interest/goal. Ok lets see.... I have read the carbohydrate addicts diet, I own and live by the Atkins NDR, I am presently working with the BFL book which I own. I recently bought the book "potatoes not prozac' and altho its not really low-carb it is anti-sugar. I have read many nutritional books from the library, my favorite being "Far Wars" by Brad king. In fact his latest book is just being released and I have hubby going to get it for me right now..lol Thats all I can remember off hand. Do U take flax seed oil? If not I highly reccomend it. Has the omega-3 fats that are vital for proper nutrition and weight loss actually. Weird how if U eat more fat it can cause U to lose weight. I thought of this because U said about opening a salon...working from the inside out...flax seed oil does that. Your internal organs /need it, your skin and hair/ love it. At my heaviest I was about 245 that was 10 yrs ago. Some of the weight was cause of meds I was on for my FM. When I switched meds I lost some and then was able to exercise more. MY stats on the left side here say I was 180 B 4 i started low-carbing... Im sure i was likely over 190, looking back at pictures now of just B 4 I started. It took me about 5 months to get down to my goal weight then I lost a bit more after that. I was a very quick loser from what I understand. I didnt have any stalls and I do know most people stall occassionally for a couple weeks at a time. I had been staying 132-134 for a few months then I stopped smoking...geeeeeezzeeeee! So far tho I am doing ok. I weighed last week and was 135 and I swear I am retaining water. I will weigh in after TOM. ...Becoming a fitness instructor doesnt require alot of education. Im sure I can be certified in a matter of 30 hrs? Now the nutritional side will require about 2 yrs of schooling. I have a gym membership and have been taking tae bo and step classes but I am now putting more of my energy into weight lifting. whew!! think thats it for now...have a great weekend and will catch up with u next week.

I've found that a health-food store called "Healing Alternatives"
on McCleod Trail and Heritage Drive carries some atkins products, ie. Advantage bars (2.5grams of carbs yipee) the suglarless syrup and Atkins shakes. I think they can also bring in the baking mixes that atkins makes.

Hope This Helps!