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  #1   ^
Old Thu, Jan-12-17, 11:02
Jefferi Jefferi is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Attempting Atkins
Stats: 157/157/128 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default First attempt.

I am hoping to start the induction phase of the Atkins plan. I am a little overwhelmed by all the recipes and products. I would need to make bulk meals on the weekends for the following week as I work A LOT. I believe the simpler the better and substitutions, etc will fall into place as I go. Right now, I just need a plan of action.
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  #2   ^
Old Thu, Jan-12-17, 19:16
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25,585
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Default

Hi and welcome.

I would recommend against Atkins convenience products until you're in maintenance... if at all. Stick to the basic meal plan of a hunk of meat or eggs + a veggie or two. I would avoid complicated recipes, too, unless you really enjoy that big Sunday cook-up, and/or you have to bring your food with you to work and it has to be ready to go.

I work until 7:00 pm right now, plus Saturdays, so I hear you on not wanting to cook during the week... but I don't do all that much cooking/prep on my off days (Friday and Sunday.) I DO have a solid repertoire of quick foods that I can heat up quickly. Dinner in 5-10 minutes, minimal mess.
- Do you have a George Foreman / clamshell grill? I love mine. I keep meats in the fridge/freezer that I can do on the grill quickly: burger patties, sausage patties, wieners, smoked sausage, single portions of fish and pork in vacuum packs already seasoned/marinated.
- Bags of cole slaw or other salad mix. The bagged cole slaw can be cooked, too - I like it with bacon and a little bit of onion, or cooked with ground beef. Asian-style Crack Slaw is a popular version.
- Mixed frozen veggies. I nuke them in a casserole dish, add butter, and voila. They make a quick stir fry, too.
- The crock pot is great for a nice dinner when you get home, but even on your weekend cookup, you can do some really simple roasts and then have broth to boot. I often pick at a crock pot beef roast or whole chicken all week.

Best of luck.
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  #3   ^
Old Thu, Jan-12-17, 20:46
wbahn's Avatar
wbahn wbahn is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 8,651
 
Plan: Atkins-ish, post-WLS
Stats: 408.0/288.0/168.0 Male 72 inches
BF:
Progress: 50%
Location: Southern Colorado, USA
Default

When I was first starting out I would get up a half hour earlier than I used to and cook breakfast, usually an omelette and some bacon, and at the same time I would cook a steak to take with me for lunch and while they were cooking I would make a salad and put it in a plastic container (with the dressing in a separate container -- the disposable 2-oz containers are great for this) plus my snacks of cheese sticks and celery and often some pepperoni slices. That doesn't take much time at all -- less time than it takes to cook the steak. Then while I was eating my breakfast I let the steak cool in the pan and when I was finished I would wash the dishes (took less than five minutes when you only have a couple of things) and then put the steak in a baggie and I was ready for work. When I got home I usually cooked another steak, usually with some onions, peppers, and asparagus, and sat down to a nice, relaxed meal. While the steak was cooking I might work on some paperwork, so the time usually wasn't wasted.

The extra time really was minimal and I just seemed to feel that my day was so much -- better, somehow. I was in control instead of racing around trying to cram fast-food eating into a schedule that I seemed to have little say in. It was a quite unexpected benefit. Plus, having that lunch and snacks at hand at work meant I didn't have to go out somewhere for lunch, and that saved me far more time than what it took to prepare it.
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  #4   ^
Old Fri, Jan-13-17, 08:31
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
Default

Welcome, Jefferi. You'll do just fine! Don't be confused, especially by "products."
One key to success is Real Food. I don't cook much.

My staples:
--meat, in the freezer. Especially chicken pieces (we like thigh meat), ground beef, and pork tenderloin slices. And bacon! I use pre cooked bacon. It's relatively expensive but a cinch to fix for any meal.
--fresh spinach. This keeps awhile in the fridge. For salads, omelette, or just sautéed in butter.
--eggs. A million ways to use them. Current favorite? Scramble an egg and whisk it into a mug of hot chicken broth (bouillon is fine). Instant egg drop soup--very filling if you also drop in a handful of pork rinds. They get noodle-y.
--cheese. I keep bags of shredded cheese on hand. There's a little carb to keep the shreds from gumming up, but I think it's negligible.

I rarely cook ahead. But if I make an egg/cheese casserole, for example, it's always more than one meal.

You'll figure it out fast.

Best wishes.
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  #5   ^
Old Sun, Jan-15-17, 08:43
Jefferi Jefferi is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Attempting Atkins
Stats: 157/157/128 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default Jimmy Dean

I was planning on using Jimmy dean sausage as part of my menu, but have discovered that it has 1 gram per serving (cooked) I think it's still okay. It leads me to another question - is it to be 4oz "cooked" protein?
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  #6   ^
Old Sun, Jan-15-17, 08:55
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
Default

Quote:
is it to be 4oz "cooked" protein
Interesting question. The actual protein content of, say, 4 oz of raw chicken isn't 4 oz. Nevertheless, keep it simple. Just weigh a cooked portion at 4 oz. and enjoy. Or use the number you find in a carb counter reference. Atkins allows ANY AMOUNT of meat, with the fat it contains. Meat doesn't contain carbohydrates.

You're very close to the weight you want, so the extra carb in the Jimmy Dean might not be a problem. However, it probably is SUGAR in some form. Many people are extra-sensitive to the insulin effects of any amount of sugar. So if your hunger isn't diminishing, or if your weight isn't dropping (albeit slowly), you might want to limit the amount of this sausage you eat.
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, Jan-15-17, 10:49
Jefferi Jefferi is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Attempting Atkins
Stats: 157/157/128 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default Bacon

So, if I use bacon, is it 3 pieces (as I have noted on some posts) or 4oz. (That's a lot of bacon)
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  #8   ^
Old Sun, Jan-15-17, 13:29
Liz53's Avatar
Liz53 Liz53 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 6,140
 
Plan: Mostly Fung/IDM
Stats: 165/138.4/135 Female 63
BF:???/better/???
Progress: 89%
Location: Washington state
Default

Most people eat bacon with EGGS. Eggs are also high in protein. I shoot for 4 oz total protein at a meal (one egg has roughly the same amount of protein as 1 ounce of meat).
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  #9   ^
Old Sun, Jan-15-17, 13:37
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25,585
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Default

Don't get hung up on the quantities. Eat to satiety. If I cook a 1-lb package of bacon, I generally consider it 2-4 servings, depending on what else I'm eating it with. My SO and I have split an entire package before - it's just not that much meat once it's cooked. A LOT of water cooks out of bacon, as well as the grease.
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  #10   ^
Old Sun, Jan-15-17, 18:57
wbahn's Avatar
wbahn wbahn is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 8,651
 
Plan: Atkins-ish, post-WLS
Stats: 408.0/288.0/168.0 Male 72 inches
BF:
Progress: 50%
Location: Southern Colorado, USA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jefferi
So, if I use bacon, is it 3 pieces (as I have noted on some posts) or 4oz. (That's a lot of bacon)


You are falling into the same trap that many (most) new LCers fall into (myself included). You are obsessing about the minute details and losing sight of the big picture. But don't worry -- I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. This is all new to you and you haven't developed the experience to judge what is and what is not important -- and you've probably failed at enough other diets that you are scared that you have to get this exactly right or you will fail at it, too. By being a bit obsessive now you will gain a feel for the kind of numbers that are involved so that, later, you will be able to draw upon them as rough mental benchmarks once you are operating at the big picture level.

At the beginning it is very useful to closely track what you are eating, but don't worry too much about tightly controlling what you are eating. Eat to satisfy your hunger -- let THAT control how much you eat. Track to see if you are in the ballpark of what is recommended, particularly as far as carbs and sugars go. As long as you are in the ballpark, go with it. If you are way off the grid, then take steps to correct your path.
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  #11   ^
Old Mon, Jan-16-17, 09:34
Jefferi Jefferi is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Attempting Atkins
Stats: 157/157/128 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default Thanks

I had some limited success with weight watchers in the past. I had a HUGE thyroid tumor removed about 9 years ago and thus began my dieting foray. I appreciate your help here. Can't seem to get past the "fat" content issue just yet!
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  #12   ^
Old Mon, Jan-16-17, 11:48
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
Default

Quote:
Can't seem to get past the "fat" content issue just yet!
Not an unusual problem for lifelong dieters. And Weight Watchers alumni especially.

Once you get used to the carb-counting thing, it becomes second nature. I make it real easy for myself: No sugar. No starch.

I don't worry too much about protein. Eggs, bacon, other types of meat (chicken, pork, fish). It's kind of hard to overeat meat, even if it's ribeye

Fat sort of "comes with." I like heavy cream, a certain amount of cheese, salad dressings, butter (of course!), mayo, avocado, coconut oil for various purposes. The main thing is, you don't have to watch out for it--you get to embrace it!

Some people successfully use the "eat only when hungry" model--followed by "eat until satisfied." Doesn't work so well for me as I'm seldom that hungry. But I have learned what "until satisfied" feels like, and I never snack between meals. I'm watchful for that "hungry feeling" that isn't really hungry, just my brain "wanting something"--usually a sign of boredom. What do I do then? Cue up this forum and talk to people! Or visit some other favorite Low-Carb discussion.

Best wishes.
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  #13   ^
Old Tue, Jan-17-17, 12:53
Jefferi Jefferi is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Attempting Atkins
Stats: 157/157/128 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default Too much

What if I can't finish the lunch I have? Can we say smaller salad?
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  #14   ^
Old Tue, Jan-17-17, 13:58
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Hi,

Can you tell us where you found your Atkins advice? You haven't read a book..is it the Atkins website itself? (that site functions to sell products) You may be trying to stuff in all those 15 net carbs of "foundaion vegetables", and there is nothing wrong with doing that but totally not necessary either. The original Atkins plans were only 3 cups of vegetables a day....and....

We have a summary of a good Atkins plan right here:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=236482

Another generic LC plan that explains how LC works is: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
This plan is good "on the big picture" view of LC, agree with wbahn that you are focusing on the minutia, while there are so many good foods in general that fit into LC eating without having to worry overly much about amounts.

Since you work a lot, what do you do now for food prep? what that you cook now can work for LC? Chicken sausages? Buy Rotisserie chickens? Even Fast food can work, buy Burgers any place you like and they can wrap it in lettuce, no bun.

Last edited by JEY100 : Tue, Jan-17-17 at 15:28.
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  #15   ^
Old Tue, Jan-17-17, 16:15
Jefferi Jefferi is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Attempting Atkins
Stats: 157/157/128 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default No book

You are right, I did not read a book.(Maybe on vacation) I googled Atkins made easy. It gave a brief summary and a list of foods allowable in the induction phase. I also read through he 10 "don'ts".I cooked chicken and a ton of bacon on Monday (holiday) and plan on trying to do that over each weekend.
As far as the vegetables - I have mushrooms and onions in the morning deconstructed omelet, salad at lunch and broccoli with dinner.
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