In the intro I said I was goign to start next friday. I really really really want to start tomorow because I know how good I feel on Atkins. It is ultimately what works best for my body to function at it's best. I am a fast oxidizer, and carbs cause me too much bloating and gas.

Anyway, I am going to a teaching conference next week where they are in control of the food. I have no way of knowing until that day what the menu is ~ it is catered. That is the ONLY reason I thought of waiting. Should I just go ahead, and then get through those 3 crazy days, and start again, or just wait. I don't want to freak my body out too bad!

What would you do? (( Ps. I couldn't take my own "perishable" food because there is no way to keep it at a safe temp))

Start now. Don't wait, I wouldn't....

Explain when you get there that you have "food allergies" and they will likely accomodate you. Even if it's sandwiches, take off the bread. If pasta, eat the sauce. You can do this!!!

Good luck, Julie

IMO - start now. When they feed you - eat the salads and meats; skip the rest. Easier said than done, but remember how you feel on LC and use that to help you skip the HC crap.

As for not being able to take perishables, I don't know the set up. Are you staying in a hotel? Commuting from home? Is there a grocery store nearby? There are lunchboxes designed to keep food cool (usually softsides). If you're staying in a hotel - maybe there's a room fridge? Take pre-cooked chicken. Or, at the end of the day, swing by a grocery store and grab a pre-cooked chicken. Chicken can be eaten at room temp (think picnic). So can bacon, lunch meats (although probably not idea, lunch meats are ok on LC). Think back to grade school - lunches we took to school weren't kept cool and we took ham-n-cheese with mayo and mustard, tuna, etc in our lunch boxes (at least I did). Just do roll-ups instead of sandwiches. Pickles, olives - all fine at room temp.

Just my opinion...

I have heard on this forum that if you tell the hotel you have certain medical issues, they will issue you a small fridge. Haven't tried it, but have heard it is there for the asking.

The only real negative to starting now is the possibility of getting a nasty case of induction flu just when you are at the conference. This doesn't happen to everyone by any stretch, but there is no real way to tell if it will happen to you. Even if you've done Atkins before without Induction Flu it's no guarantee it won't happen this time (or if it did happen once before you might find clear sailing now!)

If you have no worries about that then go for it now.

*Sheila* I would start ASAP. You will feel so much better!

Unfortunately, no matter when you start you are always going to find something that you're going to have to work around. I just went to a teaching conference in June and some of their meals left me no options to even pull anything apart or dig anything out of! I think it would be a great idea to take along things just in case this happens. I like a lot of Gypsybyrd's ideas.

BTW, my mom is headed down to Texas soon for a First Grade Teaching Conference! I'm totally jealous, my school doesn't ever have funding to send us out of town! Have lots of fun and I hope you get a lot of great ideas!

Stay full. Take lc portables, pork rinds, cans o meat and fish, viennas, etc.
Denise

Unlike everyone else, I think you should wait until you get back home to start. That will enable you to do a good "clean" Induction, and get off to the best possible start. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I would recommend that a person start immediately, but since you know what lies ahead of you, I think you would be better off just to wait. I do encourage you to eat as low carb as you possibly can while you're at the conference, however.

The potential for a severe case of Induction Flu does exist, and I can only imagine how awful that would have been for me at some of the conferences and seminars I have attended.

If you do decide to start Induction anyway, you might want to take some Excedrin Migraine tablets with you, just in case you suddenly find yourself with a terrible headache that nothing else will touch. I also suggest that you be prepared with some potassium and magnesium tablets, in the event you develop muscle cramps. JMO.

Good points Kisal!

I thought that she may be leaving at least 5 days away and my induction flu is gone by then. If she's leaving immediately I would definitely go with your suggestions! Great idea of eating as low carb as possible and then doing a clean induction - that truly is of great importance!

You could moderate, stay away from sugar and limit wheat products to ease in....don't use the 3-day conference as a possible binging episode before you start....as I would have done in the past.

But only you know how you would feel. Did you have induction flu in the past? If not...go for it.


denise

I would say start now but use this as a chance to wean down slowly and don't count it as a true part of your 2 week induction - more of a head start to lowering your carb intake. It will most likely make your induction 'flu' much less severe.

Thanks for all the suggestions, comments and encouragment.

The conference doesn't start until next Tuesday ~ so I will have plenty of time to get over the induction flu ~ but I usually don't get it. By day 3 I am bouncing off the walls!

I think I will probably just end up taking my own stuff for those three days. It is not at a hotel but a large church ~ so there isn't any access to that many people for fridges etc.. that is why they cater. I will be commuting from home, so it will only be lunch that I have to "worry" about.

I am starting today!! I just couldn't over think it, as I normally do.

Congratulations on your start Sheila! Good idea about taking your lunch from home to your conference. I'm glad you figured everything out!

Start weening off now and start induction when you can do it 100%.

GUESS what!! Today is the last day and I have just sailed on through this event! Both days the lunches had something I could work around ~ and even today there is a side salad so I am just taking something to go along with it! Woohoo!!

This is a major victory for me! This was a failing point for me last year, and now that has been dealt with and conquored! I I started on last wed ~ and when I weighed in this morning I have lost 7 pounds!! WOOHOO! Induction is so much easier this time around, and I am just feeling so good about everything. I am usually NOT a nice person this close to AF ( tomorrow).... so maybe my eating was a big part of my depression and moodswings.

Thanks for all your encouragment. You guys at least helped me to get the courage to try!! Looks like I will be closer to that first goal I have listed in my siggy sooner then I thought!