Is it hard to get down to that 2o carbs a day thing? I am having a hard time with this. I can't eat anything, what if I become anorexic from it? how long do I have to do this anyway? Maybe Atkins isn't right for me...:(

I think I saw earlier that you are 14 years old. Atkins is not intended for children and teens. To find more about induction, check out Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. IIn a nutshell, induction is designed to "detox" you and help you manage your craving for carbs, including sweets. It is only supposed to last for two weeks, though many adults have been on induction longer than that.

I am concerned about your question about anorexia. True anoroexia nervosa is a mental disorder that causes you to starve yourself to death. In addition, there are many people who attempt to follow what's called an "ana" or "pro-ana" lifestyle, which involves heavily restricting calorie intake and an enormous amount of exercise. The key to the Atkins plan is to eat. Food is fuel - you have to feed your body. So choose healthy foods, like meat, chicken, fish, tions of veggies, cheese, certain fruits, nuts, etc. and stay away from sugar, refined flour products, etc. Do not fall into the trap of fasting, or restricting - you will fail, fweel guilty, beat yourself up over it, etc. which ultimately will lead to low self esteem and health problems.

LCAndrea asked you what the hypothesis is for your science project, but I never saw an answer - could you post and let us know so that we can help you? If you are looking to the Atkins plan to lose weight personally, again, this is not recommended for children - please consult your mom or a doctor before continuing.

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Jen



179/179/120

Kate,

if you find the thread your friend started (Hanna?) I think you will find some great responses.

What to do at an age like this

at your ages (and yes, we've been there) you two should really focus on being active and making good food choices, not dieting.

**edited to add link to thread**

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My LC web site
LCE Member since 2000

I'm closing this thread, because I feel uncomfortable about the questions you're asking.
As a young teen, you need to be discussing health & diet related questions with your parents, your pediatrician, or your school nurse.