Despirate -- I really want to do this right

[samalex]

Hi everyone,

I've done the Atkins diet before, but it was several years back before there was so much hype or support for it. I did loose, but since then it plus more has come back.

I'm 27 years old, and almost 300 pounds. I used to kid myself and say it was in the genes since most of my family is large.. but as I've gotten older, I've realized I really need to start getting this weight off.

So, I started on Monday this week (now Wednesday), and thus far I'm going good. I hit the grocery store yesterday and bought some food to see how it tastes... like the Atkins shakes (which aren't that bad), a couple of the atkins bars, and tons of meats (pork and beef steaks, bacon, salmon, and some pre-baked fish). Everything I bought has either no carbs or like 1-2 per serving. Oh, I also bought some Atkins BBQ sauce, and it's not bad. I live in Texas and BBQ Sauce is almost a MUST on every meal, so glad I found this.

Anyway, outside of eating, I'm planning on doing the treadmill at least one mile 4-5 times a week. I haven't done any exercise this week yet, but this afternoon I hope to get a mile in. I also have some freeweights I plan on start using.

Does this sound like a good start? Monday I made two hamburger steaks, and I visited Wendy's and ate a triple-meat burger without bun. I also had some fried spam (might sound grose, but I grew-up on this stuff). Tuesday I had a pork steak, an Atkins bar (2 Net carbs), bacon and eggs, and a sausage with the Atkins BBQ sause. Today (Wednesday) I've only had an Atkins shake (2 net carbs).

I'm still trying to find a happy median between eating only meets and other foods... but I'll hopefully learn this as the process goes.

And my goals... I'd like to set a short-term goal of 10-15 pounds by end of January. I think this is obtainable, if not more. I have lots of weight to loose since I'd like to drop about 90 pounds.

Any advice at this point? I'm generally not the kinda person that needs instant gradification, but if I don't see changes in at least a week to 10 days (even if it's two or three pounds), that'll be very discouraging.

Thanks for any suggestions or ideas thus far. Take care,

Sam

[TweetyFan]

You are off to a good start because you have the right attitude it sounds like. I started this plan on Monday as well and am feeling great. I have not been hungry at all. I tested my ketones this morning and I am already in moderate ketotis - so I must be doing something correctly!
Here is a sample day for me so far -
Breakfast - 2 Sausage Links, 1/4 Egg Beaters Scrambled w/ 1 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese (2 Carbs)
Lunch - Hambuger Pattie, Small salad (lettuce, green onions, mushrooms, grape tomatoes & vinegar/oil dressing), 2 oz block cheddar cheese (6 carbs)
Dinner - Tarragon Chicken (Recipe on Atkins website), Small salad as described above (6 carbs)
Snacks during the day - Celery w/cream cheese, sauteed mushroom & onions

You and I are hoping to loose about the same amount it looks like - hope to visit with you again....and hope this helps!

[Lisa N]

Does this sound like a good start? Monday I made two hamburger steaks, and I visited Wendy's and ate a triple-meat burger without bun. I also had some fried spam (might sound grose, but I grew-up on this stuff). Tuesday I had a pork steak, an Atkins bar (2 Net carbs), bacon and eggs, and a sausage with the Atkins BBQ sause. Today (Wednesday) I've only had an Atkins shake (2 net carbs).

Sam....where's the veggies???? You're getting plenty of protein, but it seems that your carbs are super low instead of close to 20 grams a day which is what induction should be. Keeping your carbs well below 20 grams a day won't help you lose any faster and is depriving your body of much needed vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber (not to mention variety).
Try to add 3 cups of veggies from the allowed list for induction to your menus each day. Trust me...your body will thank you for it. :)
I'd also like to encourage you to try doing induction without the shakes and bars..just foods from the allowed list for induction to get yourself off to the best possible start. The artificial sweeteners in the bars and shakes are well-known for stalling people and the sweet taste can also provoke cravings for real sugar in some people. C'mon...it's only for 2 weeks! You can add in the bars and shakes after induction if you find that you still want them.

[samalex]

Hi...

I picked-up two bags of romaine lettuce yesterday, and I'm adding this into the diet today. I also bought some Ranch with 2 grams per 2 tablespoons, which will work great! What veggies are suggested? Each time I look at veggies on the carbs charts, they're all really high.

In addition to all else, I've dropped all diet sodas, Crystal Light, and anything else with aspertaime and caffeine. I'm now at only water and hot tea (decaf).

Thanks for the advice... take care,

Sam

[Lisa N]

Hi Sam!

If you have your copy of Dr. Atkins' book handy, you can eat any of the vegetables from the allowed list for induction. If you've misplaced your book or have loaned it out, here's a link to the list of acceptable foods (including veggies) for induction from the Atkins website: http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-464579.html
As you can see, there are quite a few veggies to choose from above and beyond lettuce. :)
Some of my favorites are: cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, spaghetti squash, mushrooms, asparagus and turnips.
Yes, all of the above contain some carbs, but the ones listed for induction are generally pretty low on the carb count and glycemic index as well as packing a big nutritional punch for the few carbs they contain. Don't forget to subtract the fiber from the carb counts as well to get your actual count. In fact, the majority of your 20 carbs for the day should be coming from vegetables on those lists.
If you're not sure what to do with all those veggies, have a look through the recipe forum for some great ideas to make those veggies extra tasty and interesting. :)