Can anyone help with a few food choices I haven't thought of? On 1st week if 2 week induction - struggling for variety. Only allowed 20g carb per day - currently using it on spinach, cauliflower, cheese, salad, salad dressing and mushrooms - plus too many eggs! Help!

Being a vegetarian on induction is a problem! That's one of the reasons I didn't go with Atkins. I just couldn't see how I could manage it.

I believe he limits tofu (disallows?) on induction but is there any way to stick that one in? High protein and high fiber (vs carbs, that is), although you'll be getting about 3 or 4 g. of carbs per 6 oz piece (I think, last time I checked...). I buy Soy Deli Nigari Firm tofu, the only kind I like because I don't like my tofu jiggly! Before you tell me you don't like tofu , have you tried marinating it? Try adding sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, some green onion, and, if you like, dried porcini/shitake mushrooms (allowed on induction???) softened in boiling water. The nice thing about that is you mix all the stuff and soak the pieces of tofu in it and just pop a few into the broiler whenever you want. Tofu soaks up the flavors well. Also, rinse the tofu in cold water, set on plate, cover with dishrag, place something heavy (telephone book? I use Pyrex casserole dish filled with water) and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Then dry with paper towels before marinating. I know it sounds like a pain but it greatly improves the taste, and you can set the tofu while you prepare the marinade and that should be enough.

I'm afraid I can't think of anything else you could have as a vegetarian on Induction. Atkins is very geared to meat-eaters. Some vegetarians eat fish and get through it that way. What about the meat substitute products? I don't recall if Atkins allows these things or not (read the book a few months back before discovering Schwarzbein). Some of them are low in carbs and high in protein, i.e., Boca burgers, some of the Morning Star products, some of the Yves products.

Sorry I couldn't help you more. I know how difficult Induction is, let alone doing it as a vegetarian! You might try posting to the Atkins forum. Perhaps some of the people there will have better ideas.

Tal

Hi Tal!

Thank you so much for sending such a comprehensive reply - have bought tofu and will certainly try what you suggest. I can eat mushrooms and tofu on induction - having slight problem with inconsistancies between food values on packaging and those contained in the Atkins book - I think Dr. A loads some of the things he wants to restrict your amounts of!

Have lost 6lbs in 1st week so will persevere - don't really see how I can stay on long term, though. Tel me about your programme - I haven't hear of it!

Bye for now, Houlihan

Hi Tal,

Looked at your stats - wow! Well done!

Regards

I think what works in the long term for low-carbers - vegetarians or meat eaters - is taking the principles of low-carbing and applying them to your particular situation.

For vegetarians, choosing lower glycemic beans and grains and incorporating them into your diet is definitely an option. I don't know what you ate in your past life, but cleaning up the way you eat will certainly improve your overall health. See how your body reacts to different foods. Do certain things make you feel tired or sluggish? Do other things give you energy?

At the right of the page in quick links is: Which low-carb plan is right for me? There is a synopsis of The Schwarzbein Principle there. Her "thing" is metabolic healing first. She also acknowledges that vegetarians do exist!

With changing the way you eat for life, there is no such thing as too much information.

Karen

Hello Houlihan!

CONGRATS ON YOUR WEIGHT LOSS!!!

Glad you found something useful in my ramblings. I do tend to ramble...

About my plan: I posted a rather long-winded reply to annaL just a thread or two ago on this forum. She was asking about various plans and I outlined some of the basic principals of the Schwarzbein plan. You're also welcome to read my journal where I've posted a small sampling of my daily menus. I plan to keep up with this regularly. You can get more info about the Schwarzbein plan at www.schwarzbeinprincipal.com, as well as the link Karen suggested, as well as the forum for Schwarzbeinians! I guess you can tell I'm very sympathetic to us vegetarian low-carbers (one of the reasons I named my journal Vegetarian LCer, hoping that would give other vegetarians some inspiration! )

Schwarzbein is more lenient on the carb count. You don't count carbs in veggies and cream and cheese and stuff like that. Her theory is that you don't have to count carbs in the things that won't send your insulin shooting up if you were to eat them alone, i.e., high protein, high fat stuff. Tofu is one of the things that isn't restricted, although I try not to have more than a 6 oz piece at mealtimes (which is still a whopper of a portion, I admit, but what her recipes call for). She's against anything artificial/unnatural, though, like artifical sweetners and anything you can't theoretically pick, gather, milk, or shoot down (ahem! Not pertinent to us vegetarians... ) However, you should be aware that you don't lose weight as quickly as you do with Atkins. One-half pound to a pound a week is really doing well!

About my stats ::: blushing ::: OK, I have to fess up, I lost my weight doing a low-fat/starvation/emotional blackmail diet. I now realize what I was doing to my body was horribly unhealthy. I haven't lost any pounds with LCing (started beginning of February), but I know I've lost inches and I believe LCing is worth it for the health benefits. I know the lack of pound loss is because of muscle mass. I walk 1 + 15 min (turns out like that!) 5 days a week before work, as I have for years, only now I've got protein to feed those bones and muscles!

After all this longwindedness , I guess I'm only repeating what Karen said, and that is that you will have to make the plan your own. Induction is OK for a start, but it's also OK to add more carbs the un-Atkins way (i.e., not gradually, etc.) and be losing much more slowly. Particularly if you're a vegetarian.

Tal

Hi Tal

Someimes it's hard to remember that the most important thing in all this is to be fit and well - we chubbies easily lose sight of this!
You're a human being - you're allowed to have a stomach!

Getting a bit better in finding things I can eat, and combinations - the tofu certainly has possibilities which I will investigate. Rome wasn't built in a day!

Low carbing isn't v. popular in London - any of the low carb crispbreads and cereals mentioned by others do not seem to be available here - had endless trouble finding soya flour! Still, onwards and upwards!

Have a good weekend,
Houlihan

Hi Houlihan,

I eat a lot of soy/wheat gluten products other than tofu. I'd be surprised if they weren't available there in the UK - I'm in Canada. Yves, Litelife and SoSoya are some of the brand names available here. Some of them are higher in carbs - up to 6 g per serving - but others are nice and low. You just have to read the labels. They taste fantastic and they're already fully cooked.

I've noticed new "prepared" tofu, too. I can't remember the brands, but they're "pre-flavoured" - one is Italian, one is Spicey Thai - and the prices are as cheap as regular tofu. (I think the only negative would be the carbs in the sauces.)

Wishing you much continued success!