Greetings from SoCal

[kappgurl]

Hi everyone,
I, too, am a newbie. Both my husband and I have been low-carbing since mid-September '04. It's our second attempt at the Atkins diet and this is the longest we have lasted and both of us are surprised at how much more energy we have this time versus our previous attempt. Hooray! He's having much better results - has lost 15 pounds - than I have at only 8 (sigh).

I have a question - I have registered lower and lower when testing for ketosis. I've been registering in the moderate range for the majority of the diet. This morning when I tested, I showed only trace levels. However, I'm now testing negative and can't imagine why. My typical diet is an atkins shake for breakfast and I snack on half an atkins bar to hold me over until lunch. Then I'll have a salad with some kind of protein (chicken or gyros meat) for lunch. Dinner consists of a protein and a veggie. I drink lots of water and green tea - but nothing different than what I've been doing. Any ideas???

[sinadial]

Welcome! I'm in So Cal too and doing Induction for the second time as well.

You may want to try laying off on the Atkins bars/shakes. I know the bars contain sugar alcohols which can block some people from losing. I'm sure someone else here will have a more complete answer for you.

Keep at it!

[Kristine]

Hi and welcome! :wave:

Yes, I'd say it's the bars. The shakes don't contain sugar alcohols, but the bars do. Contrary to the label, sugar alcohols are partially absorbed and therefore can't be subtracted from the total carb count. So really, you're absorbing and using some of those sugar alcohols as carbohydrate. Atkins Nutritionals recently announced changes to their labelling to reflect this.

Don't panic, it's not a big deal; but it's probably enough to suspend ketosis. You're still doing well, considering you don't have much to lose. :thup: Guys always lose faster than us. :rolleyes:

HTH. :)

[4beans4me]

Hello and welcome to the forums! :wave:

[black57]

Kappgurl and Sinadial what part of SoCal are you? I am in Orange and used to live in Tustin. I work in Irvine.

[MissScruff]

http://teacher2k.com/hello-tag01.gif

[kappgurl]

Thanks to all for such a warm welcome! Kristine, I appreciate the advice about the bars... (she says as she throws away what's left of the Advantage bar she was eating for breakfast.)

To black57 - I live in San Diego.

[rissa]

Isn't it a kicker that guys lose faster than we do? We go through all the pains of being female AND we have to lose weight slower! Well, its only right that way - they probably couldn't handle what we do all the time anyway :)

[Galadriell]

Greetings from a fellow SoCal resident.

Ditch those bars, and you might consider to ditch those ketosticks too.

Here is a link explaning the problems with those sticks:

Ketosis & Ketone Test Strips (http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips/tips011.html)

How about strating a journal? To record your foods, thoughts, feelings... It can help a lot you - too see back what went wrong, what went well, and an opportunity for other members to visit you, to share experiences. Here, in the introduction section threads are goin up too fast...


Cheers:

Eva

[sinadial]

black57 I'm in Irvine. Love the weather, hate the cost of living lol

[kappgurl]

Thanks, Galadriell, for such incredible information! It was incredibly helpful.

Keep up with the running! I started running 8 years ago and haven't stopped since!

[Galadriell]

WOW! kappgurl - a fellow runner!!! Maybe we "met" on the 2004 SD Rock&Roll Marathon? Hubby is a runner too?

I am looking forward to read your gym log full of wonderful running adventure.
SD is a real running paradise.

Cheers:
Eva

[kappgurl]

Haven't run a marathon yet. Longest run has been 9 miles (July, 2002) and a PB (for a 10K) of 48:45 (but that was 4 years ago). Nowadays I'm running just a few miles in morning with the dog - haven't run a race since May as part of a 10-man team running 126 miles from Borrego to Oceanside. I'm enjoying learning new (to me) ways to exercise - like spin class, rep reebok, etc. However, running will always be my first love.

[black57]

Sinadial, I hear yah! I just left Irvine. I am gonna teach for 2 hours in Tustin then I will return to Irvine to work in a youth orchestra. Then it's back to my warm loving home. I can't wait to go home.

[sinadial]

Ooh youth orchestra! Any concerts coming up? I was a musician in my former life :P Have 2 degrees in music but had to stop playing because of really bad tendonitis. I so miss going to concerts though.

[black57]

I am sorry to hear that. Yes, tendonitits is a common affliction of musicians. The Youth Orchestra will be playing at the South Coast Plaza in December for Xmas. We will be performing by the big tree. I will be playing in Garden Grove with Tustin Music Center's Blues/Rock/Jazz band. If I am lucky, I will be pleaying at IVC in the Student Activies Center lobby in the first week of Nov.