Hello, Irish Low-carbers!

[nickie3]

Hello! I'm Nicola and hailing from the beautiful (!) North west, sligo to be specific! I've been Atkinsing for one week and already am in Love with this way of eating! 5lbs off already and I cheated with alcohol on Sunday!

Would love to get together with fellow Paddy Lo-carbers!

[davidm20]

Hi Nicola.
Been doing it for 2 mths myself and still cannot believe how easy it still is.
I tried WW before and it worked for a while but then I got bored as the results started to slow. On Atkins I've lost 2 stone in 9 weeks and I can't put in words how great it is. I have it prity easy as my GF is following a low carb diet also so we only have low carb products in the partment. I saw in another of your posts that you have kids This can't make it easy as there must be temptations around the house. But keep to it

You mentioned booze i've discovered my new love too "Jack Daniels and Diet 7up". Its a dam tasty beverage.
Anyway Goods Luck
Dave

[R0B]

Hi nicola, david....

I went on atkins last year. Basically eating sausages, eggs, burgers (no buns!), plain chicken etc. I found it hard and lasted two weeks - I lost a stone in those two weeks, and felt great.

Now, I'm trying to do it again, but I can't get over a serious carb addiction. I usually buy a lot of meat/ chicken / eggs etc and plan to start the next day. I usally manage to last one day but then the cravings kick in and I start eating lots of chocolate, cereal, and so on. I usally stay on the junk food until the following friday (or monday) saying to myself "i'll start again next week". But then the vicious cycle continues! I'm wasting a fortune on meat / chicken!
I know low carb works for me, but I just can't stay on it. From reading ye're posts ye seem to find it easy enough - can you give me any advice?

thanx,
rob

[glastocat]

ROB - I've been on Atkins since January and have lost 43lbs, so I'm pretty pleased.
What you're talking about is typical carb withdrawal. You really need to commit to doing two weeks of strict Atkins - just eating the foods on the list - NOTHING else. This is hard, most people get a headache on day 3, but anyone can do two weeks right? If you do this strictly - eating nothing that isn't on the list, I promise you, you will lose your cravings, and probably lose a load of weight - I lost 13lbs in the first two weeks. If you like to cook, buy Dana Carpenders '500 Low carb recipes' for after the two week induction. if you can, get rid of all bread, pasta, refined food - so you aren't tempted. Also, your diet sounds very boring - aren't you eating any veg or fish? And just say to yourself you CAN do it - dieting is 90% a mental game I find.
Anyway, I hope this helps a bit - good luck!

[nickie3]

Rob, I agree, you need to be prepared to feel like shit on day three. Headache, shaky, jittery is how I felt. I stuck with it, ate my meat and eggs and by the next day it was gone. And so were my cravings for carbs. I can't begin to tell you how good I feel now. It's not completely a walk in the park either. Yesterday was especially difficult, I was in a meeting all day, and I never imagined the amount of crap we normally eat. Biscuits, chocolates, caramel squares, all there. I wanted something sweet, but I didn't NEED them, KWIM?

My two weeks are up on Thursday! I'll decide then whether or not to stay on induction!

Hey David, congratulations on the two stone, that's great. YEah there's lots of carbs at home, but I'll be faced with them anyway so it doesn't bother me. I wish I could get my husband on track with me. Anyway how's Dublin these days?

[davidm20]

Rob,
I agree 100% with the two girls above you may need to vary your diet a bit more. I work in an office and we have a fridge in the canteen. So what I do is on a monday hit the local superquinn and buy salad stuff that does me to Thursday. By salad I mean Lettuce, Tomato, Meat, Tinned Tuna, Cheese. I also boil some eggs at home and bring them In. I don't get coleslaw but I used Cardini's Original Cesar Salad which was recommended as low carb on another forum. Another thing I find good for lunch Are microwavable rashers with Scrambled Egg or I think the company is called 1st Choice but they do chicken wings you can microwave.

In the evenings its normally something basic. Maybe a mixed grill/an ommlette/a chicken breast or two (with some sort of flavouring Schwartz Cajun flavouring of something similar) + a side salad.
Anyway hope that helps.

Nicki I think Dublin is overrated myself. I know i'd rather somewhere like sligo. My brother was in college there and raves about the place.