Hello. Well, I was here months ago. And loved the site and all the support, and now I'm back once again.

Let's see, where to start? I guess the story/start would be best. Well, I've always been over weight, well since about 13 years old, before that I was a toothpick. I'm 5'7", and have been moving back and forth from 165 to 190 for a long time, then I got up to 210 half way through law school at 23. Which scared me, and I started exercise and low cal/ low fat diet, lost down to about 185, then stalled.
I then heard about the atkins diet, and thought that would be great. I love meat, and eggs, and stuff like that, and it made sense. Also, I have low blood sugar, and I know that protein makes me feel better. So I did induction, went through it well, lost about 9 pounds, but then exams hit and I actually couldn't take the cravings for just an apple and fell off the atkins diet. I then went back to low cal/ low fat and exercise. Which was really hard but did work, (actually I think it was that I made myself walk 3 miles a day with a 40 lb bookbag to/ from class each day) And I actually got down to 139 and was really happy by the time I graduated. (even though by then I didn't want to be a lawyer anymore *sigh*) Then I moved across country to CA (from MI/IL) with a friend, no job, just went. Took me from May till Sept to find work. And during that time of looking for a job, no exercise, living with someone who did not diet, and adjusting to everything new, I started to gain weight. And now, with a job (something I'm really not used too either) I have put the weight back on, and I'm back to 185.
I'm thinking of going back on Atkins, but I'm afraid of cravings for so called 'healthy carbs' like apples. That's what I craved last time. Not chocolate, or cookies even, I just went nuts over wanting an apple. I even looked into the diet where you use the Glycemic Index to figure out what you should and should not eat, or what to eat with other things. Because of my low blood sugar, it made sense. Because when I eat a lot of carbs, especially processed carbs, I feel ill, and shake, and then soon after I feel hungry again, and eat more and more. A horrible cycle. I know I need to maintain my blood sugar levels but I'm not sure I can control it. I'm usually 'good' all day, because I don't have much time in the morning I usually have egg beaters and mushrooms or ham made into an scrambled eggs. Lunch is usually a tuna/spinach salad, cucumbers, or a high protein/low carb shake, but then when I get home I go nuts. I feel like I'm starving even though I'm not.
Okay, long enough story, sorry about all that. But I wanted to get all that out there. Re-introduce myself. And maybe it can help you answer some of my questions if you can.

1. I've heard that the second or third time you try induction it does not work as well as the first. Is this true? Is there a way to make it still work?

2. I know you need to drink a ton of water. How do you accomplish this at work? I think I would be in the bathroom all the time. Or do you drink most of it once you get home?

3. How do you get around fruit cravings? I'm seriously worried about falling off the wagon just for a stupid apple.

4. Besides Pork Rines what else are good low carb/no carb late night snacks?

5. I've also heard a lot about flax seed, what do you use it for exactly, and is it allowed on induction or just later?

6. Last but not least. Seriously, do you think I could do well on Atkins? Or maybe another Low Carb / high Protein diet/lifestyle? Because besides the weekends, I'm really to tired when I get home to really do any exercise. But that could also be because I'm not as 'fit' as I was before.

I'm sure I'm going to have a ton of other questions, but I can't think of them right now. Thanks already just for letting me get this all out there. It feels good just getting this off my chest, and asking for help. Kinda not doing it on my own. Thanks again!

Welcome to the board.

Why does it have to be Atkins? Have you looked into other low carb plans that allow for fruit? There is The Zone, The Schwarzbein Principle, Carb Addicts, Sugarbusters, South Beach.
There are many low carb plans out there that allow for healthy carbs.
Find Laura Richard's book, "The Secret to Low Carb Success". She reviews most of the low carb plans, what they allow, when, and why.
Then do some more reading. Go to the library and check out Carb Addicts, The Schwarzbein Principle (by Diana Scharzbein), The Zone, etc. Do some research and find out which low carb plan you can live with, then stick to it!

Good luck!

Teri

Or even make up your own LC plan..NoOne says you have to follow the strictness of these plans...If you need an apple...eat 1/2 of an apple....I know thats what I have to do....for the most part I stick to the Atkins form...but slip and fall here and there...but No bumps or bruises...Oh well I wish you luck and hope you find your nitch in the LC WOL

Hugs, Lisa

LC WOL since 8-8-03
298/259.5
want to be 175/165
"Where every you go There you are"

There's no reason you can't be successful with LC. I endorse the suggestion of investigating alternatives to Atkins, to accommodate your personal desires over the long haul.

To address some other questions:
--Drink the water. All day. Your body will become more accustomed to it over time, and you won't have to make quite so many bathroom trips. Just keep a bottle of water at hand and sip away! It's important.

--Fruit cravings? After induction, add some fruit! Half an apple. 1/4 cup mixed frozen berries (my favorite!). Strawberries. Melon? Check the list of 5-carb fruits.

--Late night snacks? How about olives? Whipped cream cheese on celery? Nuts? (I like pistachios!)
--Flaxseed
I didn't use this until after induction, but it's mostly fiber and oil. Sprinkle it on salads, for one thing. See the recipes on this site for several variations on this breakfast alternative. I like to keep it simple:

--1/4 cup each ground flaxseed and wheat bran
--one or two packets Spenda
--Scant cup water (more or less to taste)
--Microwave two minutes
--Stir in flavorings of choice: butter, DaVinci syrup, sugar-free maple syrup

Many people make this with protein powder, ground nuts, and other ingredients. You can buy a commercial version, but it's pricey.

Welcome back!

Barb L.
Started Atkins January 2003
162/141/130

Why not just go low-carb but eat apples? Just go staight to a maintenance style of eatign, with the "healthy" carbs that you need, and try it for a while.

That's kind of what I did when I started back up with the plan last December. I wanted fruit too, so I ate fruit. The funny thing is, after a few weeks, I didn't care about those apples so much anymore. I went back to doing a stricter low-carb plan -- my own slightly modified version of atkins. I still have apples once in a while, but rarely now. I just don't feel like I need them.

Be sure to eat lots of salads, whatever you do. That might satisfy your cravings as well.

**************
"Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door."

Thank you all so much.

I think I am going to try a modified low carb plan. But after I do the 2 weeks of Atkins induction. I remember how hard those 2 weeks were, espeically the first 3 days. But I also remember my cravings for carbs and sugars (at least the processed ones) went away. And I also remember how after those first few days, how wonderful I felt and how much engery I had.

Then after the two weeks I think I'm going to continue at lower carbs, with the glucose revolution. It's basically a diet that uses the glycemic index (I guess a lot like the south beach diet) where every food has a number, the lower the number the better for your blood sugar levels. But you can have the higher stuff, you just have to eat it with something that is on the lower end. It's supposed to maintain your blood sugar levels. My mother is actually following it, and has lost over 20 lbs and she says that she feels a lot healthier and her blood sugar levels have evened out. Which is wonderful because she has diabetes, and this is controling it naturally.

So I think I'm going to follow most of the atkins rules. (Completely during the first two weeks) But then up the carb level slightly to allow for some healthy, unprocessed carbs. I'll learn to drink all that water at work, my boss will just have to look at me funny for awhile while I keep running to the bathroom. LOL Oh, and thanks for the flax recipes and snack ideas. I LOVE olives and celery and cream cheese! I went to store today and got high fiber / low carb veggies. Like spinach, celery, cucumbers, mushrooms, zuchinni, green beans and broccoli. I already had a lot of chicken, turkey bacon, egg beaters, lean pork, and lean hamburger and steak. I then got some provalone cheese (said 0 carbs, but I usually count about 1 per serving), pork rines, keffer cheese (1 carb), and gucamole (1 carb). I have my splenda packets and davinci flavored syrup. If last time is an indicator I can still have my pre-flavored ground coffee in the morning.

I'm thinking as a general menu would be
B: Egg beaters (I like them, and I find it easer to keep than eggs) w/ 1/2 serving cheese and ham or mushrooms or bacon.
L: Large spinach and tuna/or chicken w/ 0 carb ceasar dressing
D: Meat choice with 2 cups of high fiber veggies w/ 1/2 serving cheese on veggies or meat.
Snacks: pork rines with gucamole, celery w/ keffer cheese, olives
And a gallon of water all day.

Now hopefully I can do this. I'm going to start tomorrow! Wooo... go me. LOL

Oh, another question. What do you guys do when you go out with friends? Like go to other people's houses for parties, or to dinner at a resturant. Especially italian, mexican, or chinese?

Well, it's day two. At least I think so. I'm not sure on the number of carbs I've had. Because I'm not sure exactly how 1 thing was made. I was over at a friends house, and everyone wanted to get chinese. So I looked through the menu and decided to go for the egg drop soup and the beef with brocolli without the rice. I had no idea what else to do. Before that, I had only had about 8 carbs for the day total. What does everyone else do in situtaions like that? I did get in almost a whole gallon of water though.

Then I was out again this morning for brunch. I had an omlete with mozz. cheese and ham, I passed on the potatoes, and bread. (a first for me) and gave the cottage cheese to my friend. Which was really interesting, in that the omlete was actually the perfect ammount of food. But, normally I would have ate the potatoes and bread too, just because it came with the meal, and then felt stuffed afterwards. So I guess no matter what, I am doing better for myself.

Tomorrow and the rest of the work week I'll be able to know my exact carb counts, because I'll be making everything myself. So far so good on sweets too. While I want them, I haven't ate any yet, so hopefully it's working. thanks for everything so far.

5'7" - 25 - F - 186/186/125 - started 12/6/03
Was: 210, LowCal/Fat to 139, fell off lowcal wagon, and back to 186.

Hi HM... lots of good advice you've received here... my only suggestion would be to consider reading the South Beach diet information. I personally haven't focused on it since I am quite happy with the Atkins plans - but I know a few folks who have found that SB is a little more balanced in terms of fruits.

Second... TRACK!! This is such a cool way to really see what's going into your system and to learn about the foods you are eating and the relationship between the foods you eat and what happens to your weight... I have used www.fitday.com for 17 months now and I really, really love it (it's a free online tracking software).

The only other comment I would make is that you might find that low-carbing returns energy to you. I found that eating proteins and fats, especially mid-day, gave me WAY more energy in the afternoon. With a healthy LC breakfast you won't ever have that grinding gnawing in the belly at 10:30-11am, with a healthy LC lunch you won't have the headbobs in the 2:30-3 meetings, and an LC dinner won't lead you to picking at the junk in front of the TV at night. It was a huge revelation for me that I have so much more energy and was not tired all day like I used to be. Very cool 'side effect'!

Good Luck and know we're here with you!!!

Hugs,
Rachel
165/138/128
Haec trutina errat. (Latin for,"There is something wrong with this scale".)