Greetings everyone!

I've only just started today with the low-carb thing after a friend at school was raving about it. She had lost 25 lbs in the last month or so and it got me interested. I've done a lot of reading on the internet today about low-carb and all of the great advice in this forum. It seems really strange to start a diet that is so opposite of every other diet I've ever been on (mostly low fat diets).

Went to the grocery store and bought a ton of meat, eggs and cheese (what fun!) and a supplement (Low-Carb Solutions). Have made my resolution to cut out the Diet Dr. Pepper and am happily slurping down water.

I'm currently at 181 lbs and want to get down to the 120's. I looked really good when I was 125 and I'd love to be able to wear those clothes again. I realize I probably won't lose as much as my friend did as quickly as she did, since she is a bit more overweight.

So anyways, glad to be here.

Raven

P.S. One question....what about spices? Can I put steak seasoning on my steak and use salt?

hello raven, welcome aboard!
seasonings are fine, as long as there is no sugar in it e.g. ketchup, bbq sauce etc...read the label.

Congrats on your new WOL and good luck in being a loser

Don't forget to take your measurements, you're going to find that some weeks the scale may say you havent lost, but the measuring tape will tell a different story.

Cheers,
Nat

Sounds like you are getting off to a great start. Keep posting so we can follow your progress and cheer you on.

Thank you for the nice welcome.

I could use a bit of encouragement today. Woke up with a killer headache. I figure it's from the carb withdrawal, as I've read similar posts from other newbies. I was going to take some advil, then realized they were sugar coated (sigh). Trying the water approach. (how many carbs are in two sugar-coated Advil I wonder - label doesn't say)

Also read that caffeine is bad, so I had a *lot* less caffeine yesterday than I'm used to. (I'm accustomed to 4 cups of coffee and around 10 diet dr. peppers a day). So perhaps this is from caffeine withdrawal as well. I decided today I'd better taper myself off the caffeine instead of dropping it altogether, so as to minimize symptoms.

I'm glad I started this on a Friday so I don't have to try to write on the steno machine with a bad headache (doesn't work too well).

Well, I'm going to stick with it no matter what, but I sure do hate headaches!

Raven and her headache

P.S. perhaps someone could enlighten me on how to add my picture to appear under my name on the left? I think I tried it and it wanted me to enter some kind of java command or something like that. Is there an easy way?

well obviously I figured out the whole avatar thing. One more question did occur to me however. I'm going to the bathroom now about every 20 minutes (gah!!). Could it be that I'm drinking *too* much water? Is that possible? I've been up and around for a couple of hours and drank about 4 big glasses already.


Now I'm going back to bed and try to get rid of this headache.


Raven

Some words of encouragement...I am on day 7 and was a pretty heavy caffeine user myself. I did quit cold turkey last Sunday and experienced headaches as well. They lasted about 3 days for me, but I toughed it out and took some Excedrin. Not sure of their carb content, but I stayed in ketosis from day 2 on.

I did read somwhere in here where other card diets don't restrict caffeine as severely as Atkin's does. They talked about a study being done and they thought it was actually the citric acid in diet colas that spiked the insulin and not the caffeine. I read that after 4 days of withdrawal however and have decided to stay caffeine free now that the headaches have abated.

I lost 10 lbs this past week...I am sure a large percentage was water weight as I got my cycle on Friday.

I too used the bathroom constantly...but the diet is a natural diuretic and then when you add all that water...UGH!...The good thing you are literally flushing your body and that is a very very good thing.

As an RN, we are teased about having 12 hour bladders because it is rare we can even get to the BR. So for me to go about every 30 minutes was a bit of a nuisance...but I figured my body needed the relief so I just listened to it.

Read all of the categories in here you can...there is some fabulous advice and a myriad of symptoms and solutions others have experienced and worked through.

I have found it a wonderful and unique experience this past week to pay such close attention to my own body and all it's sublte changes. I chalked the headaches up to a transition phase.

The good has outweighed the bad for sure...and I am anxiously entering week two of induction.

I haven't yet figured out the picture thing....let me know how you did that.....!! ** **

hang in there....125...125 ....125...you will be looking good girl!!!

Thanks for the reply.

I suppose that quitting carbs and caffeine all at once was just a headache waiting to happen. If I can survive back surgery, I'm sure I can survive a week of my head hurting (if it lasts that long).

To put an avatar up, click on profile, then edit options, then look at the bottom of the page and there will be a choice for avatar. Click on "custom avatar" then "browse" so you can find the picture you want to put it. Then submit.

One more question (I sure have a lot eh). How important is fiber? I bought my supplements yesterday but fiber didn't even occur to me. Should I get some fibercon pills or something similar? Do people take them every day or just when they're having bowel irregularities?

Thanks!!

Raven

welcome, Raven! I'm new here myself and approaching my first month of low carbing--in fact my anniversary is tomorrow I think! I can identify with this eating plan being so different from low fat which I did for 5 years and saw a slow loss and a great rebound in weight once I slipped off the wagon. It's getting easier to eat these formerly "bad foods" and avoid the carbs as the days pass. My advice for beginners is expect a "detox" of sugar. I would find myself getting almost manic wanting sugar the first week, as I had previously allowed myself sugar or foods with sugar--counting only the fat grams. Find Splenda--even if it's a bit spendy it's worth it and tastes much better than Equal. There's a wonderful drink by Talking Rain called Diet Ice Botanicals which has nothing in it (0-0-0-0) but is fruity and made with Splenda. The cranberry-raspberry is super. Also sugar free jello (if you miss your sugar) is excellent. I love this list and have learned so much. This is one place where I feel at home and supported! Welcome! ~~~bella

Well, I decided to actually measure my water today to see how much I was drinking. Come to find out that yesterday I probably drank around 200 ounces! No wonder I was in the bathroom every 20 minutes. Reading this forum got me all paranoid about getting enough water, I suppose.


I can't do a lot of exercise due to back and knee problems, but I did manage to walk one of my dogs around the block today. (Had to leave the yorkie at home - he's got arthritis, 15 years old, and is very very slow).

I'm checking my keto sticks - yesterday they measured small and today it's moderate. I *know* it can't be from dehydration, so that must mean I'm in ketosis (yea!) (it registered negative when I did it for a baseline on day one)

I really think I can stick to this.....I like the not feeling hungry thing and I haven't had any cravings (yet). The headache only lasted for most of the day yesterday and today I woke up without one. So perhaps the worst is past.

I do appreciate all the support and knowledge that people share here. You guys are great!

Raven

HI Raven, sounds like you're off to a great start...you've done your research and know what you're doing. Our bodies seem to adjust to the water intake and the bathroom trips slow down!! (Thank goodness).

Keep us posted, somehow, I have a feeling you're going to have great success.