Hullo, I just want to introduce myself. I started my low carb plan 5 days ago, but I'm afraid I haven't been completely good. Ate some of my hubby's potato chips last night. <blushing> He insists he won't buy any more, so I won't be tempted. Yes, he is a darling. I just hope that I can still lose something this week anyway.

I'm not trying to do Induction. I'm probably doing something like OWL, and am aiming at approx 30 to 50 carbs a day. But I just do not want to get bogged down counting carbs every day. I know I'll go nuts if I try, so I'm pretty sure if I only eat veggies from the Induction list, and avoid frankedfoods of all kinds, I should do okay. I've read other low carb plans that allow more carbs than Atkins, so I don't believe I should need to cut my carbs so drastically.

I guess time will tell. Wish me luck!

Murmelle

Welcome Murmelle!

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Libby

2004 174/142/138

Begin Again 2009

184/162.7/145

Welcome, Murmelle!

I do wish you luck, but I also wish you would chose a plan and read the appropriate book. Just maybe the fact that you ate potato chips means your cravings aren't under control. That's the purpose of induction (or phase one or whatever it's called by the various plans). It would also be helpful, should you need advice, to know how much weight you have to lose and what your average daily menu looks like.
I just know from experience that people who "wing it" tend to falter and then either quit or end up following a set plan anyway, regretting the lost time and effort.
In any event, we're glad you're here, and ask any questions you may have. We are here to help!!

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Trina

Vice-President of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

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Welcome!!

What Cheftrina said. This way of eating doesnt' work unless you get a solid foundation under you and the way to do that is pick a plan, read the book, and work the plan to the letter, especially at first.

"getting bogged down counting carbs" everyday is a very small price to pay for what this WOE can do. Besides, it's really not that big a deal once you get the basics down. I think it is a lot easier than counting calories, fat grams, etc. Plus counting anythign is way better than being fat, in my opinion.

Good luck with whatever plan you pick and welcome to the board!

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Renee
1/19/04
261/220/160
41 lbs off
60 lbs to goal



Race to 199 Challenge
Labor Day Challenge: Focusing on the Journey
Personal Goal: 199 by 12/31/05

Welcome, Murmelle!

You should check out Atkins for Life. It may be a good fit for your needs. Or perhaps you could go to the library and read up on different low carb plans. (I always suggest this as it is how I got started) One thing with counting carbs is that after a time doing low carb you will get to know without charting everything how many carbs you are having in a day. I kept up my carb count with www.fitday.com for a several months then after that found that I knew most every carb count I was eating because I don't have a whole lot of variety in my diet. If I am going to eat something new then I plug it in to fitday to check it out and see how it fits in my day.

Once you've got a solid foundation of a good plan you'll feel better about this way of eating and know the reason why low carb works.

Post and read posts often, they really help. It's nice to know there are others out there working on their weight just as you are.

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

Actually, my history might have been much like yours. I started out with my own "hit or miss" version of low carb eating. It was working, but I wanted (needed) to know more, so I started reading. I followed the Carb Addicts plan for a while, but I found I still had carb cravings. Later, I switched to the Atkins plan, which I found to be easier - fewer food cravings and it was more simple to just track the daily carbs. I'm not sure, with all that switching around in the early days, if I ever did the classic 2-week induction period. But I did get past the carb cravings and "detox" feeling, so I guess it was okay.

I think that if you are choosing foods from the induction menu, not eating "hidden carbs", and drinking sufficient water, you will most likely be just fine.

One of the goals of induction is to break the cycle of carb addiction, so you don't have cravings. If a week or more has gone by and you still crave high carb snacks, then perhaps you are eating above your own personal critical carbl level for losing weight (CCL). At that point, you might consider if following the "classic" induction formula would be more effective for you.

I think that is very nice of your husband to support you by not bringing junk food into the house - what a sweetie!

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~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

WELCOME Murmelle!

What they said! I actually follow Protien Power which is super similar to Atkins but I did do the 2 week induction to break those addictions. One bit of simple advice because I hate "counting" also whether it is fat grams, calories etc...Eat fresh natural foods you have it right to not eat the hot dogs, processed cheeses etc, if you do that and make sure you get sufficient amounts of fiber from the veggies then you are off to a good start! I would at least cut any of the low carb snacks like bars, low-carb bread tortillas etc because at first they can be trigger foods. Truly I think if you spend two weeks just eating natural non-refined foods you are off to a good start!

Eventhough I followed Atkins for induction I did not NOT allow myself veggies even if I was over carbs for the day I made sure I cut potatoes, corn, carrots and ALL high carb veggies out of my daily eating plan and focused on the low carb ones but some of the books say that things like lettuce, brocolli etc are "free" and I think that a plate of veggies maybe netting me 10 carbs and it might put me over the 20 for the day is WAY better than a bag of chips, a burger with the bun etc!

So do whats right for you many of us have tailored the plans to fit our lifestyle, for some rigid is good for others it is not, you just need to identify your trigger foods and GET RID OF THEM!!! Good luck to you, and keep us posted on your success!!

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Re-Started Low Carb 6/1/2005
257.5/220.5/160

Welcome, welcome, welcome...not a lot to add to teh great advice already give so just a welcome from me!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

murmelle-

welcome. glad to hear hubby's on board, as that makes it all a lot easier.

i understand completely what you mean about not liking to count carbs. i am not much of a "counter" myself, and eventually, i moved over into my own version of low carb, which is more or less atkins owl/maintenece phases, depending on the time.

however, if i may: doing a straight, 2-week induction will not only rid you of those cravings, it will reduce your appetite, give you an energy surge, and for most poeple, give you some healthy losses to get started out on the right track. if you want a higher carb count and like another plan better, fine. then get the book, read it, and follow it to the letter at first, at least. later on, you can start tweaking.

for me, i had to ask myself: how well was "my way" working for me so far? i think you know where that's headed...i did my first low carb run my way, no book, just generally trying to follow the principles and such. i lost 12 pounds and lasted 2 weeks. nice,...but later on i got the book, read it and followed induction. as time went on, i learned what i could and couldn't eat to maintain or lose, what works for me and what doesn't. i don't have to count carbs anymore, as i have a good sense of what i'm eating. that was november 2003.

it is worth the commitment. of course you have to make your own choices, but i would strongly encourage you to at least give yourself a chance to experience the benefits of low carbing by doing it whole-heartedly to get going on the right foot. best of luck to you!

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Thank you everybody for the replies. I really appreciate the welcomes and the help.

I probably should have mentioned that I did a LOT of research before starting this. I have bought and read Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, Atkins for LIfe, Protein Power and CAD. I am just reluctant to do induction because I just don't want my carbs to be that low. I truly don't think I'm going about this in a hit or miss kind of way. I just got derailed that one night by those darned chips.

The funny thing about the potato chips is that I didn't even have any cravings until they were right under my nose. And that was when I caved.

Funnily enough I thought I would be craving sweet things, but I am just not interested. That alone is like a big victory for me, because I was always a big candy eater.

I will think about counting the carbs, but I have a problem with obsessions, and am afraid that if I write down every thing I eat and look up the carbs counts for it, I will just get too obsessed by it and it will seem like another diet. I have already tried Weight Watchers and lost weight well, but as soon as I stopped going to the meetings, I gained the weight all back. It was really a "diet" to me, which is why I feel that i'll do best if I think about this as a totally new way to eat - for ever.

Anyways, thank you all again very much. You have made me feel welcome, and that is very nice indeed. I will keep you informed of my weight loss!

By the way, I am also exercising and drinking lots(and lots!) of water. (Also spending lots of time in the bathroom!)

Murmelle

Hi Murmelle,

If your afraid to write everthing down then don't . I don't log anything. In almost a year I've lost 85 lbs. My only rule is to eat what is on the Acceptable foods list. Get out and walk almost daily and drink mostly water everyday. It can be as easy as that.

I counted strictly only for the two weeks of induction then after a few more weeks, like Edoggie, I quit and only chose foods off the approved list in the quantities on the list...like a cup of strawberries and 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables and 1C lettuce...though I eat about 3 cups of salad greens in any given salad...knowing they were on the OK list I tried to make sure I was eating 5 a day of veggies ( as in 5 full servings) and 1-2 of fruit. AFter that it was 3 protein...one with each meal and the rest was fillers...though usually if I got all that in...I was way too full for anything else...I did measure nuts and seeds for snacks or had prepackaged items for snacks...string cheese sticks and the like...if I chose an off plan snack I bought only one of whatever it was ate it and was done with it...usually didn't even want/finish the end of the off plan item...still am that way to an extent...I only buy one of whatever off plan item it is...I am compulsive...the package has to be empty...so if it is a pound of sometihng I eat all of it...a box...it has to be gone..so one item is all I buy...I finish it and it is over. You can eat anywhere and choose healthy keeping the same mindset...I have 5 veggies 1-2 fruits and 3 protein...My snacks, etc all have to fit that model. I don't count carbs perse but I know from the first few weeks what is in things and I know how my body reacts to different things now and can say...have 6C of lettuce greens along with all the toppings and the 2 servings of protein and no cooked veggies and be fine for the day...can't have 1/2 c servings of blueberries in one day...too much natural sugar or something...but I can have two different berries without triggering cravings...I can eat a whole pear or citrus fruit about every other day if I don't have any other sweet in those days...meaning no other fruit items...I can have about half a potato in any given day without consequence but more than that and I am asking for cravings for the next 2-3 days. I know that I can eat about anything now and then as long as I keep up with my exercise but if I stop I put on 5-8 lbs and pretty much stay there or I have to cut way back on the off plan items...it is a trade off...I have maintained my loss of 50lbs for a year now of 75lbs for 6 months and counting...I have stopped trying diligently to lose since about January and stopped really working hard at it since about October...though I managed to lose about 5 since last October I have not been really intersted in losing since I hit 70 lbs and my current size. anyway, this has worked for me...you do need to spend a bit of time at some point looking at lists of foods and learning what things you can and shouldn't eat...I don't say "CAN"T" because you CAN eat whatever you want...but for not so good choices there are negative consequences...and for the good/better ones there are positive results/consequences. It isn't about what you give up it is all about choices and once you find that point...LCing becomes a lifestyle and not a diet and that is where things like Weight Watchers fall off...at some point you stop going to the meetings and paying for it and you go back to what you were doing before...and you go back to weighing what you weighed before. I seem to be rambling a bit here...anyway...my $.02!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Hullo again,

I thought you might like to know that despite what some of you think about the way I chose to start my WOE, it is working! I lost 6 pounds in my first week!

I have just reread your posts, and I think some of you may want to rethink the way you attack newbies. I did resent a little bit the "read a book" rants. I think asking whether or not I had read done any reading would have been less irritating. Besides, I mentioned reading other plans in my first posts. And as I have read 4 books, plus spent a lot of time on the internet researching, it was irritating to me to read some of your comments.
And I am in no way "winging it!"

Okay, now that I've got that off my chest, I want you all to know I feel fabulous. I think by starting the way I did - not counting anything, but sticking to fresh meat, fish, eggs, nuts, a little cream, cheese, fruit and vegetables - I avoided the "Atkins flu" that others complain about, and I am feeling full of energy. And losing 6 pounds already has encouraged me to think that I can really do this!

I know the loss will slow down after this, but as long as I lose a pound or so every week, I'll be happy.

M

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190/184/130

murmelle- i'm sorry if anything i said personally left you feeling "attacked." wasn't my intention.

i wish everyone here the most success possible--which is exactly why i take the time and effort to respond to posts like yours, and add whatever info i think may be helpful to them. of course, i may not always guess "right" about what info may be helpful, but i do my best. the spirit is ALWAYS in the hopes of offering ideas, suggestions, options and information that may be of use.

best of luck to you whatever choices you make.

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Murmelle- Were all just getting to know you and the more you read the posts here the more you will get to know us too. Asking if you read a book on a diet plan is a rather standard question here and at other fourm boards. It's by no means an attack or rant. It's just another question to get to know you that's all. It's a question that helps the person who would like to give some advice. On the other hand your last post will give the impression to some that you don't want any of their advice. And that's fine too, It would be so much more helpful to others if you just let them know that in advance. Lets say you start out your thread saying, "I just need to rant about the junk I ate today, and I don't wish to hear your advice, Thank you. This is a good thread, you may get some sympathy (because we've all been there). But you won't get any advice.

Now I might sound like a wise guy (it's just my nature) but I do mean well.
Your doing good with your weight loss. Keep doing what ever is working for you. (that's what my Dr. told me) Speaking of Doctors you said your having a problem with obsessions. Your Dr. can help you with that. Ask him about Wellbutrin. It's a serotonin reuptake inhibitor and has been known to help people loose weight by reducing obsessions to food and other things.

Anyway, we're on your side here and we want you to succeed in your weight loss goals.

Ed