Nervous about low carb!

[GigiMa]

Hello everyone, I am a 32 year mother of 3, I just had my third 5 months ago. I had the gastric bypass four years ago and lost 250lbs, yeah I was a whopping 500lbs. During my pregnancy I gained some weight and It is hard to get that off. I decided to try the atkins low carb diet, but after the first week I started slacking off. The reason is because it is too strict. I love healthy foods and snacks like lowfat yogurt, OatMeal, applesauce, fruit, beans (pinto), peanut butter and light popcorn and to give that up all at once was a bit overwhelming. So I decided to eat some of theose dairy products like yogurt and my protein shake and low carb tortillia in the early part of the day and for dinner reduce the carb amount to about 15grams the most. It is hard and doesn't the amount of meat consumed cause high cholesterol? What can I do to lose weight but stil occasionally have my popcorn, OATMEAL, beans and yogurt?

[Starina]

Hi GigiMia, :wave:
I'm glad you found this board, there is a wealth of good info here. First of all, I want to ask; Have you read the book? Meaning the Atkins book, "Dr. Atkin's New Diet Revolution". If not, please buy or get it from the library, it will answer so many basic questions for you, and it is a good read.

You wrote: "I decided to try the atkins low carb diet, but after the first week I started slacking off. The reason is because it is too strict. I love healthy foods and snacks like lowfat yogurt, OatMeal, applesauce, fruit, beans (pinto), peanut butter and light popcorn and to give that up all at once was a bit overwhelming."

I want to point something out to you, these are the exact things that helped you gain weight, and they are not all that healthy for you. There are so many things that you can eat, that it really isn't hard to find replacements for the things you are used to thinking as healthy.

You also asked, "..doesn't the amount of meat consumed cause high cholesterol?". No, it does not. There's a lot of info here on the forum, but the book will help you understand why this isn't true. A diet of whole foods is good for you.

Good luck, keep posting and asking questions, lots of knowledge here.

[lyndahh75]

I was a devout low fatter. I lost 98 pounds doing low fat back in my early twenties. Now I am 33 and also have three kids and after my last, I gained more weight than I anticipated. I yo yo'd from low carb to low fat, coming up with every excuse in the book as to why low carb is bad and low fat is best. Truth is, I loved being able to eat low fat snacks like the 100 cal cookie packs, light pop corn and toast with jam. Yes it satiated the beast and yes it caused me to crave more so I began to avoid buying that stuff and try to stick to fruits and grains. Fruits spiked my sugar and left me shaking or made me hungrier. To grasp the concept that eating higher fats and not counting every calorie was difficult for me. I have been doing the induction of Atkins now three days. I do not feel tired, no head aches, I feel fine. I am rarely hungry and no longer get low blood sugar attacks....(only been three days but this was daily for me). Low fat is healthy, so is low carb when done properly. Some people take it to the extreme (my sister) and eat one meal a day...abusing the diet really...Give it a try, see how it goes....or....try what you spoke of above....but they are right..those foods are what made you overweight to begin with

[lpioch]

So I decided to eat some of theose dairy products like yogurt and my protein shake and low carb tortillia in the early part of the day and for dinner reduce the carb amount to about 15grams the most. It is hard and doesn't the amount of meat consumed cause high cholesterol? What can I do to lose weight but stil occasionally have my popcorn, OATMEAL, beans and yogurt?
I would suggest you read Protein Power Life Plan. There are no restrictions on any particular type of food....only restrictions on total number of carbs per meal. Maybe you would find this approach less restrictive. It also has very thorough explanations of how low carbing (done for life...not just for a little while) actually helps lower the cholesterol ratio and lowers triglicerides - not to mention a whole host of other medical problems solved. It doesn't just make the claim, but explains it very well.

If you can get your hands on it, read it. You may choose not to switch, but a little more info is more power to you.

In the end, you have to do whatever it is you are going to stick with in the long haul. Guaranteed...if you low carb to lose weight and then go back to eating the way you were, you'll be back to the same old high-weight again...and then some.

For me, low carbing is the ONLY way I can imagine myself eating for the rest of my life. (Maintenance level once I've lost all the weight for good.)

[capmikee]

Keep in mind that if you're cutting carbs you're going to need fat instead. It's very hard to get out of the low-fat mindset, but it's really not compatible with low-carb.

If you decide to stick with Atkins, keep your eyes on the prize - after a couple weeks on Induction, you can have some full-fat (or extra-cream!) yogurt and some peanut butter.

Unfortunately, it is strict for a reason - there may be high-carb foods you can never eat again if you want to stay healthy. Fortunately, after the initial sugar-withdrawal, you'll feel much better and you'll start to miss the carbs less and less.

It's definitely hardest at the beginning. After a while it becomes a real pleasure!

[Tobysgirl]

I totally understand your nervousness about LC. I had tried it before and just couldn't accept eating meat three times a day (which I must do in order to feel at all well). Now I am watching myself carefully and if I don't eat enough fat I am far more likely to want carbs or to eat more food period. I am back on LC because it was the only way I could think to lose weight (which I must do for necessary surgery) without extreme exercise, and I have managed 24 pounds so far (4 months).

I, like you, enjoy oatmeal, beans, etc, but I am not physically active enough to justify eating them. I don't know how other people feel, but I think carbs are only tolerated if you're really burning energy. Even cleaning my horse's paddock and shoveling snow is not enough for me to eat these foods at this time. I agree with the writer above that lowfat yogurt and popcorn are not necessarily good foods. It is really hard with the constant message that FAT IS BAD to get over that nonsense and find what works for you. I would say if the diet felt too strict and you were craving the old lowfat foods, you were probably not eating enough fat and protein.

By the way, I eat bacon and eggs for breakfast, and generally eat beef or pork rather than chicken or fish (I only eat dark-meat poultry or fatty fish, and still have to put butter on my salmon in order not to feel hungry 2 hours after eating), and my cholesterol is 162. In addition to reading Atkins, you might be interested in The Metabolic Typing Diet, which helps you to determine what type you are (I'm an extreme protein type) and what foods are good for you. It allows carbs, but only enough for your tolerance level and only with plenty of butter.

Good luck to you! Gastric bypass is serious surgery, and anyone who can lose 250 pounds can find what's right for her to eat to lose weight and feel good!

[LittleZu]

Don't worry about the cholesterol- when done properly low carb can lower your cholesterol.

Pre-Atkins I had a total cholesterol of 210 mg/dl (borderline high risk)- Been doing Atkins for a year and a half and my last blood work (two weeks ago) my total cholesterol is way down to 172 mg/dl (in the "ideal" range) and I eat bacon and lots of fatty foods every day. :)

[blumunz]

good luck and welcome. hope to see ya around

[ladylaughs]

Welcome, there is so much good info and wise people on these boards to help you out with your choice. Good luck and welcome...:wave: