I need help and support please! Gained more weight...

[Wikireader]

Ok, for some weird reason I have gained 9 pounds since I started low carb diet, I was 240lbs before and I am 249lbs.
I know it is me not the diet, because in the past i have lost about 60 lbs before on this diet. The question is what I am doing wrong?
Does alcohol consumption play a big role? Because I do drink 3-4 times a week, mostly baccardi+diet coke. I used to eat something junky after I drink, but now I try just to drink water after alcohol.
Also, what should I be eating in the induction? Do I need to count calories at all? I read the book, but I still wonder about calories.
I would like to start from fresh start, and I assume I need to go through carb detoxification first, how to overcome it?
thank you

[crease]

at this point you should probably do a very strict and clean induction. no alcohol - it gets used as fuel before your foods will. there's a sticky at the top of this forum i think, or you can google induction approved foods. i'd link ya, but i'm at work and we just got busy...

calories are not as important right now as they may become as you get closer to goal. right now you need to listen to your body - feed it when it's hungry, don't feed it when it's not. so no mindless snacking or need to clean your plate once you are no longer hungry. eat fat to keep yourself satiated.

good luck :)

[Wikireader]

Thank you,
I started to read induction friendly foods thread on this forum, but the thing it is so big and it seems you can eat almost anything on induction. I think different things work for different people, but is there a clear guidelines on how much to eat, when to stop eating in the evening, and what to eat for breakfast and what to eat for dinner and snacks.
please, advise... thanks in advance

[Quasimodo]

Have you read any of the books, Wikireader? That would be a great place to start.

As far as induction foods--no, you can't eat almost anything, unless your regular diet consists of those foods!

There are clear guidelines as to how much to eat in the induction rules (I'm not sure where they are located on this site, I can't find it). There are no rules of when to stop eating in the evening, and you are probably on your own to figure out from the induction list of foods what to eat for breakfast, dinner and snacks.

However--you can go here:
http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/

There are induction menus there. :)

I hope I don't come off rude or anything, I promise I don't mean to, but you really ought to get a copy of the book so you can learn how this WOE really works and know why you are eating what you are eating and avoiding what you are avoiding.

I definitely think alcohol has alot to do with what is happening...for instance, did you know that your body switches to burning alcohol rather than fat when you drink it?

Also, if you are eating any off-plan foods, you may be causing your body to go in and out of ketosis, or maybe never getting there at all.

A good version of the book is Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution 2002. They sell it on Amazon, and you could probably even get it for cheap there, or borrow it for free at your library. :)

Hope that helps!

[Wikireader]

Quasimodo,
Thank you for the link, I was looking at the menus, and they look delicious.
About the book, I already have it, but it has been a while since I read it, maybe I just need to re-read it (obviously), and just follow it (because it worked magically last time). I think I just need to pick myself up and stick to it.
Do you guys have any other ideas and/or tips on how to get things started?
thanks a bunch!

[Quasimodo]

You are so welcome.

Don't the menus look delicious tho?? I've already tried a few things on that site from the induction menus:

Deep Dish Pizza - KILLER
Spinach Lasagne - OUTSTANDING
Bacon and Swiss Quiche (but I used cheddar) - O.M.G.!
White Castle Hamburger Pie - ok

I have liked pretty much all I have made from there.

One thing I would definitely do is crack open your book and look at the induction foods page and make a shopping list of all the things on that page that you like to eat.

Next, I would look at Linda's induction menus and figure out which of those foods you want to make and make yourself a schedule of what you are gonna eat and when. You could probably follow Linda's if you want to make life easy! Add how many of each of your induction foods you will need to make those recipes.

Then go shopping!

Next, I would start using a food log. I use FitdayPC, but there is a free version online at Fitday.com. If you track your food there, you can see just what you are eating, and how many carbs it is. Just remember to count up your fiber and subtract it for net carbs, or else you will be under eating and that's no good.

Also, determine that you are going to drink at least 64 oz of water every day. Try to stay away from diet sodas and Atkins shakes and bars for now (forever if you can handle it!), they aren't good for you at this point, if ever.
Remember that you are seeking to control your cravings and diet sodas and the shakes and bars won't help you with that.

Also you will be wanting to get half of your net carbs from veggies. Try to choose high fiber veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and any other high fiber veggies--at least one cup each day. The rest of your veggies will be from salad veggies, 2 cups per day.

And read your book! It will psych you up to get this thing started!

HTH!

[chermac]

Time to Deep 6 the booze! Your body has sent you a clear message, you just need to listen. By all means, go to the pub with your buddies but just drink the diet coke. A clean couple of days and you'll be right back on track and losing weight.
Love your profile pic, by the way.

[PinguChick]

Just a thought, but you might try a diet pop that does not have citric acid in it. I was just reading an article that says that citric acid causes stalls in 40-50% of people. Diet Dr. Pepper does not have citric acid, but diet coke and pepsi do.

Yes, I agree, definitely cut out the alcohol, at least for a clean induction 2 week period. After you go on Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL), and climb up to the alcohol rung you can add it back.

Here is a really great low carb site: http://www.sugarfreesheila.com/

I really like this induction shopping list. Just print it out and take it to the store with you (cross off the stuff you don't like or need). http://www.sugarfreesheila.com/GroceryList.html

And the recipes page is great too: http://www.sugarfreesheila.com/RecipesPage.html
I like them because they are generally quick, easy meal ideas with not too many ingredients.

It will probably be harder to lose the second time on Atkins. You may have to cut out stuff that you were able to eat last time around. I highly recommend that you cut out any processed meats (eg: pepperoni, sausages, lunch meats) as those can stall you. Try to focus on fresh meat, lots of veggies, and healthy fats, and water. That will help give you a clean start and kill cravings.
Watch out for salad dressings that contain sugar. Also a lot of ham and bacon have added sugar.

Definitely re-read the book -- I did Atkins years ago, but when I re-read it I can't believe how much I had forgotten.

Also use the forum as a great resource and access to support.

Congrats on your journey!

[big_loser]

personally im ok with alcohol. ive been quite good recently but last year i was drinking the same amount of times a week as you and easily 5-10 doubles of vodka a night. but everyones bodies different. i dont really eat much - i eat once a day and days i drink i dont tend to eat at all as i dont eat till late in the evening but drinking starts mid evening!

i read that one shot of spirit takes an hour to burn off. so its an hour your not burning stored fat. so if i had 5 double vodkas. thats 10 hours of not burning stored fat. im ok with that! im even ok with 20 hours for 10 doubles. the good thing about low carb is it takes less alcohol to get you drunk! especially when you havent eaten that day!

[CMCM]

If you really want to lose weight this way, READ THE BOOK! In the process, you will learn that for the time being, all booze is OUT. I can personally attest that I've tried to do a "fairly strict but not exactly precise induction that included a small bit of wine several times a week." Didn't work. I didn't lose weight. You either want to lose the weight by following the plan, or you don't.

How this works: You currently have a carbohydrate based metabolism. By following Atkins and cutting out most of the carbs, you cause your body to switch over to a fat burning metabolism, and thus, your body can then access and burn off all that stored blubber. If you keep sneaking in carbs (especially in the form of booze), this switchover doesn't happen. You will be spinning your wheels like I did.

Sorry to sound harsh, but I've spent 10 frigging years fudging the diet, and I've gotten nowhere. It wasn't until a couple of months ago that I buckled down, gave up the stuff I needed to give up, and approached this diet carefully, seriously, and according to what is written in Dr. Atkins' book. Go read it.

[madeyna]

Copy the page of induction foods and take it shopping with you. Once you know the carbs in the foods you like it becomes easier to shop. You just bypass everything else for the induction period. If you do strickly meat and eggs for a couple of days it will throw you into kytosis the fastest then add the three cups of salad per day . Then add the other induction freindly veggies. But be forwarned that going into kytosis that fast could also bring on induction flu.