Hello all! My name's Teapot, and I'm fairly new to the game of low-carb. I found this site a couple of days ago (about a week into my life-style change) and thought it might be splendid to meet some other crazy's out there like myself (no offense). I have been living Atkins-style for a week and a half now, and have managed to lose 8 pounds and gain 3 back all while in the state of ketosis. I haven't cheated once!!!
I've been wanting to find a weight-loss program I could live with for quite a while, but could never find the motivation to really hang on to one until two weeks ago. I have been in classical voice training for 5 years now, under the instruction of a once-was opera singer. About two weeks ago, another of my professors asked her if I was good enough to have a career in opera, and her answer was "yes, if she'd lose some weight." While I may not have agreed with her tact, (or lack thereof), she had a point. And so here I am with my motivation. (Besides the unstated, ever-present health issue that obesity has become in my life....)
I've been reading other's introductions and it's nice to find so many people with similar struggles... I hope to e-meet some of you soon, and good luck... May the ketones be with you all!
lil' teapot

Hello teapot. Welcome to the board. I have been a professional singer all my working life and now am a teacher of classical voice and opera. Your teacher is right: now the business demands a visual presentation UNLESS the voice and artistry are in the top 1% of talent available. So it is necessary.

You have chosen an excellent way to achieve your goal. Not only do you lose mostly fat instead of muscle tissue and the body will not become too weak for the singing. I do know singers who did WW and developed voice problems. But the ones who do LC (including me) keep the voice intact and in fact, develop more stamina.

You will become a tall, slender coffee pot if you stick with the plan.

All the best.

Hi,
I am new to this too and like you have only been into it for a week...I lost 7Lbs this week though and I am feeling great!!
How do you know when you are in ketosis???
I have had people comment on weight to me, and I always think...Would you like that to be said to you??? Some people just don't think before they speak!!! You have a very healthy response to untactful comments.....I usually end up stuffing my face when I get insulted!!! and feel worse in the long run!!
I hope that we can both do well, if you ever need any support just drop me a line!!
Best of luck to you!!
mommy2nick

Hello to both of you and glad to meet you! Thanks for the encouragement tofi, and i appreciate your kind words, mommy! My first week was wonderful as a low-carbette. I lost 8 pounds, and of course, announced this to my voice instructor on day seven. I've gained three pounds of it back (most likely due to water), but am still going strong. I am giving my senior recital in April, and I want to look gorgeous in my gown down there on stage! (I know I won't lose the whole 100 lbs. I'm going for by April, but even 25 percent of that will make me look and FEEL so much better about myself!) I'm not anywhere close to a diet person, and am so proud of myself for not cheating! (although the temptations are ever present.)
It amazes me how some people (though they don't even realize it) treat obese people like they are weak. I had problems with a professor a few years ago who had a control problem, and I ended up leaving my major and becoming an education major because of him. The voice instructor I have now is a godsend to me. She's more of a friend than a teacher to me (although believe me, in lessons, she's ALL business!). That's why I took what she said to me better than some. That's what friends are for, right? To tell the truth (because they care). I can honestly say that if I hadn't met her, I would probably have never gotten back into music (although I love teaching and will graduate with a pre-k through 3 license this December). And I probably wouldn't be on the internet meeting all kinds of people just like me, either!
I think that at a point in my life, I was actually not only obese, but also believed that obese people were weak. But, I'm finally learning, just because I'm a "big girl" doesn't mean that I'm weak. For the past week and a half, I've proved to myself time and again that FOOD HAS NO CONTROL OVER ME! (as long as I have my sugar free jello to fall back on!)
Thanks so much for the encouragement and, Mommy2nick, the offer is mutual. Feel free to get ahold of me if you need some encouragement! If we all stick together on this, it becomes so much easier to deal with!
-teapot

Mommy,
to answer your question of how I know I'm in ketosis...
Within the first week or two you might notice a kinda funny taste in your mouth -- almost sweet... that's the ketosines coming out in your saliva... IT's SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN! But either you get used to it quick, or it goes away after the initial switch to ketosis, so I use Ketostix to check every other night or so. You can get them in about any pharmacy for 10-15 dollars (100 sticks). I know it's annoying and no one likes to do this, but you stick them in your urine (a sample, or directly in the stream) and count to 15. The more purple they are, the more ketones you're producing! It's easy, and I've found that they are a wonderful visual feedback that I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. Not to mention that seeing that purple makes me feel like I really don't need to check the scales 24-7. Hope that helps!
-teapot

Hi Teapot and welcome,

Sounds like you are doing great. One little thing though. If your stix are really dark, it could mean that you are dehyrated. This plan works much better with much water. Ketosis is ketosis, light pink is no less wonderful than purple, so you may want to look at your intake. It really makes a huge difference...try it!

Sam

Thanks for the input Sam. I usually try to drink a lot of water, but the past few days I may very well not have. I get sick of water so fast, and I've found that some watered down crystal light usually does the trick for giving me something a little different. (I put double the water in it)... I'll keep up on the water intake, though. Thanks!!
tp

Start yourself a journal TP....and record what you eat etc. each day. It's a great way to vent and keep track, and if you have issues, others will drop by and help you out. It's a lot of fun!

When I started mine, and had a little stall...multitudes came and offered suggestions and support.

Check out other journals too...they are full of great ideas, menus, recipes and a great way to meet new people that share your goals!

Hope to see you around, drop by mine any time!

Sam

Hello again teapot!!

I am having a bad day!! I tried my third attempt at bread and it failed miserably......I am feeling very vulnerable today....my husband who is on the diet with me (I thought) came into the livingroom with a handful of hersheys nuggets!!!! He said "if I cheat you can too!!!"
I DIDN"T.....but it was very hard to say no.....
My husband works at hershey's so for him it is really hard!! he is around temptation all day long!!!
I am really in need of a good bread substitute!! They say that you shouldn't rely on substitutes and shoud just make do without if you are really going to live the true LC lifestyle.....but I REALLY miss it.....is that so wrong????
I want to thank you for your advice on the ketosis issue...and it is funny because I had just said to my husband the day before that I had a metallic taste in my mouth, I thought it was from the vitamin supplements.
You seem to have a great enthusiasm for this! I do too most days....if I could only find some bread!!
O.K, O.K, I've already gone there!!!
Those LC chocolate bars I ordered off ebay better get here soon!!

Best of luck!!!
Talk to you soon!!
mommy2nick

First and foremost - ATKINS BAKE MIX!!! It's not suggested for Induction, but it's the only bread you're going to get for the next few weeks... DONT CHEAT! The few moments of what feels like bliss will make you SO miserable!
I can't imagine working at HERSHEYS of all places and trying to do this... Chocolate used to be a daily up in my life. I haven't had any since I started 13 days ago, obviously, but the first two days on this "rest of my life" was spent kicking chocolate cravings! It was really hard seeing as there's a candy jar full of peanut m&m's in my parents living room (did i mention i still live with my parents -- above their garage) and my dad always has some sort of chocolate waiting around to call my name... But I honestly haven't even craved it since those first few days... One of my secrets? I keep Sugar Free Jello made up at all times. (it craves the sweets) and another of my secrets -- I keep Bacon (the kind in strips, not the "canadian bacon") fried up and in a plastic baggie for munchie moments. No sweet craving stands a chance when given that salty fatty protein! ( I LOVE bacon! I have to admit I felt SO guilty eating it the first couple times because it's so fatty, but I kept assuring myself that ATKINS SAID I CAN! lol... I even said that to my mother when she said "Are you sure this is healthy?!" Thank God I have a supportive mother, or she might have nagged me right out of it...
It's very hard living with people who don't do the diet with you... My mother has a disease and any sugar makes her sick, so she's been really understanding... my dad however literally has a snickers bar and a pepsi for lunch EVERY DAY! (i'm not kidding..)
It might be hard, but it's still doable. Kudos to your husband for trying!
Be careful with the low-carb chocolate. It has a lot of stuff in there that disguises itself. Some say the sugars in it have been altered so your body doesn't digest it, but everybody's different and who's to say you won't digest it and be back to square one... They aren't suggested for induction because there are something like 20 carbs per bar (this is considered low compared to other chocolate bars). Which means if you ate nothing else all day, you could probably have the better part of one bar...
They're okay to break up. (half, or quarter bar)... My suggestions (as i failed due to atkins bars the first time around 3 years ago)...
1. Don't eat them before your last meal of the day... the quarter of a bar you've given yourself will taste so good, you'll convince yourself if you cut back on dinner you can have more...
2. DONT use them as a reward... I have this problem... When I've had a really good low carb day (usually below 10) I tend to want to look in the fridge and want to eat more carbs. to reach a quota of 15... I've found that I can eat one of my favorites which is fairly good for me... Cucumbers with Ranch dressing!!! If you have to reward yourself with food, make it healthy... Otherwise you'll carry that pattern all the way into maintanance, and you'll fall back into the sugar addiction... No fun having to cut an addiction twice, right?
SO == off the advice, how's your weight and inches coming??? When you notice a difference, those candy bars wont hold any power over you! It feels so good to get on the scale and see those pounds melting away! I've seen 11 of them go (the scale only shows 8 because I gained a little due to water, and then dropped them again) -- That's an average of about a pound a day... I had an urge to go out for a jog two days ago, but with the weather being several below 0, I thought better of it... I think it's time to pull the weights and the treadmill out from the storage room, and get myself down to the gym...
I have noticed that the majority of the inches I'm losing are in my chest... I'm definitely going to have to invest in a few new bras soon! But my smaller chest will look great on my smaller body, so I'm not concerned
Keep plugging away, and keep reading! This forum has been so informative to me. Feel free to email me if you'd like (it's in my profile, i believe) or if you have aol-im, that too...
DONT CHEAT>>> and don't let your husband influence you too... Maybe he'll be so enthused with your success, he'll jump back on the wagon...
Keep your chin up, and I'll talk to you again soon....
teapot

I am feeling alot better today! It is amazing what a good night's sleep will do for you!! I also have had the SF jello in the fridge since day 1 (great stuff isn't it??) I even tried the gummie worms recipe using sf jello, sf kool-aid mix and knox gelatin....have you heard of it??? They were O.K!!
I like your idea about the bacon, and I had the thought to fry some up last night, but was too cranky and tired to do it!!
I have lost 8 LBS in 10 days....I seem to be stalling a bit now in the 2nd week....I don't really know why.....the treats haven't arrived yet!! but I will stick with it!!
I have a really strong mettalic taste in my mouth today, so I think I must be in ketosis....I will try to be extra good today, and see what happens!!
anyway, I have to run...the baby is sitting quietly in his highchair watching me....waiting patiently for his breakfast!!
Thanks again!!
mommy2nick

I too am stalling a bit this week. I suppose it's expected since most the weight you lose in the first week is water. My weight is fluctuating a bit lately... I was 250, went up to 253, down to 249, and up to 251....
I'm sure it's water, and the fact that I haven't gotten myself into a good excercise regime yet... BUT... I put on my jeans today and they're feeling a bit loose... in fact, I had to put a belt on to keep them on my rear, so... One of these days I'll realize that what the scale says has nothing to do (well -- little to do with) this lifestyle... I'm just so pumped about getting it down finally, you know?
A friend from school told me yesterday she was feeling guilty for eating cake at lunch when I couldn't have it... and i didn't even eat lunch with her!!! It's nice to have some people at school to be accountable to... It just takes one person to ask me how it's going when I realize it's really going well
Feed that baby take care, and share that gummy worm recipe! I haven't spent much time looking at recipes... I'll have to start...
Hope you have a great day!
teapot

The "Pant-o-meter" will always tell more truth than Mr. Scale!!!

Sam

Hello again teapot!!
I am chewing on my pre-cooked bacon as I write.....Thanks again for that tip!!
I haven't measured myself yet but you are right, that would probably make me feel better if I saw the inches going down....
I don't know if I am allowed to post recipes here or not I may get in trouble so I will send you the recipe privately......look for it....
Thanks again for your support!!
Keep up the good work!!
mommy2nick

Hi,
it wouldn't let me post a private message, so I will chance it and put the recipe here....sorry to all of you out there, if I am doing something wrong....

Gummie anything

2 small packages(4servings) SF jello
1 envelope complementary flavoured, unsweetened Kool-aid powder
# envelopes unflavoured gelatin (knox)
1 cup boiling hot Water
Mix all ingredients into the hot water, until dissolved. Pour mixture onto a dinner plate, refrigerate to set 20 min or more.
When cooled, and gelled..peel off the plate, roll up jelly roll style and slice into snakes.
If you don't want them to be sour worms, omit the kool-aid
enjoy!!

I feel that I need to give credit to the author since this isn't my recipe...so:
Taken from the following website:http://www.camacdonald.com/lc/LowCa...ipes.htm#Sweets

Hopefully This is O.k???
They aren't as good as the real thing, but they are a good substitute!!
Best wishes,
mommy2nick