Hi Everyone. I'm new to this forum... just looking for a good support system as I try the low carb thing the second time around.

I lost about 30 pounds 3 to 4 years ago. I didn't follow the Atkins rules exactly. I still ate vegetables and never ever cut out fruit or anything that contained natural sugar. I cut out the rice and bread and pasta. Subsequently, I lost 30 pounds very quickly, with the help of exercise of course. However, I did also suffer some malnutrition since I started losing some hair. No worries it grew back.

Anyway, I was in college then and was more active on a daily basis. I was more disciplined. I've been working at an office for the last 2 years and seemed to have lost some of that. I don't watch what I eat sometimes simply because I've reached the point of starvation and will then eat anything at all. I'm so tired after work, that the gym seems like this agonizing chore. As a result, I have not been in awhile. I've gained about 20 pounds back since I started this job. I'd like to take it off again. Any suggestions on how I can jump start this darn thing... this time without getting horribly malnourished? Thanks!

I can't see how you were malnourished eating protein and veggies. Those (and good fats) are the healthiest things you can it. That just doesn't make any sense. Can you post a sample of a daily menu for us to look at? Perhaps we can spot something you missed.

Also, whoever told you that Atkins means no veggies is wrong. Atkins is NOT a no veggie plan. Atkins limits veggies during the induction period but after that, you begin steadily increasing your veggies in order to slowly increase your carb level.

You should cut out most fruit during the first two weeks. If you really want some, stick to strawberries. They are the lowest. You can add other low glycemic fruits later such as cherries, melons, pears, and grapefruit but stay clear of bananas and tropical fruit such as mango until you hit maintenance.

Make sure you are drinking enough water (100 oz. a day MINIMUM and a gallon a day is best) and taking a good mutli vitamin. Many people also take calcium and magnesium.

Member since 2001

HAPPY NEW YEAR
http://www.ilovelowcarb.com

Welcome, Jenny.

You've found a wonderful community with much information and support.

Most people who follow the Atkins nutritional program find themselves eating more veggies than they ever did. If you use veggies and low carb fruits as the first items for increasing your carb levels in OWL, I think you'll find you're getting quite a good amount of both.

For a more detailed explanation, check this out: 5 a Day by Andrea

Make yourself at home!

Maggie
5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160+)
Maintaining nicely (110 +/-)
~~ Redhead until further notice!

If you want to add more fruit to your diet, try olives, summer squash, eggplant and tomatoes. They're not sweet, but they're all real fruits and rich in vitamin C.

**************
"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."

Welcome aboard Jenny!!! It's great to have you with us. Stay with us and we'll help you through this time around. Here you have all the buddies you can imagine. Have you read "Atkins NEW Diet Revolution" book? (DANDR) If not, you should. Or go to www.atkins.com and get some updated info. You should NOT be starving on this WOL (way of living) And by all means, NEVER go more than 3-4 hours without eating. Eat legal snacks too, as mentioned above. I liked raw veggies and dip while on induction. And ONLY do induction for the 2 week period and then move onto OWL.

Drink water, eat what's on plan, and exercise. It's a sure fire way to succeed. AND READ the book. While you are at it, read Protein Power too, by the Eades.

Welcome aboard, we'll help you through this.

Barb
Atkins-3/14/03
174/146/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

Thanks for all the great tips guys!

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Originally posted by MarcieLynn
I can't see how you were malnourished eating protein and veggies. Those (and good fats) are the healthiest things you can it. That just doesn't make any sense. Can you post a sample of a daily menu for us to look at? Perhaps we can spot something you missed.
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I don't know if I was technically malnourished. Perhaps my body was not adjusting well to having dropped 30 pounds in such a short period of time. I never really did the first two weeks. Yes, I did cut out the obvious carbs- rice, bread, pasta, sugar- but I still ate veggies and fruit during the first two weeks. During the entire time, I ate basically every two to three hours- eggs and sausage for breakfast, an atkins bar for mid morning snack, a salad with chicken for lunch, a fruit in the afternoon or maybe some cut veggies and then veggies and meat for dinner. I never ate past 6PM. I excercised about an hour a day, three days a week. I am 5'2" and at that point weighed 112 lbs. My family made me eat carbs again cause I was losing hair.

Meanwhile, I'm currently about 139 1bs. Would love to jump start this "way of life," but the darn holidays! Eek!

It might have been a malnutrition problem if you weren't getting enough vegetables. Try to make sure you get plenty this time around. If it's green and leafy, scarf it down and don't even bother calculating the carbs.

As far as the vitamins in fruits go, I mentioned above that there are non-sweet fruits. Another one I forgot to name was avocados.

I think it's more likely that you just lost too much weight too quickly. I had the same experience, many years ago. I lost a lot of weight, very quickly, with low-carbing combined with episoding calorie-counting and fasting episodes, as well as any other goofiness I read about. I was 22 at the time. That summer, I lost quite a bit of hair. It didn't all grow back.

Now, this is the weird part, though. I'm dieting again. I'm 47 years old. For the first time in my life, I'm growing NEW hair where my old hair used to be. May God strike me dead if I'm lying about this. It's most noticeable in the center top of my forehead, where a nice little widow's peak has grown where I used to have a moon-shaped forehead.

This is very strange. Nobody has any theories about why it' happening, since this isn't a commonly reported side effect of low-carbing. One explanation is that I'm just eating better than I did before. I eat LOTS of food. I don't try to eat less. I never go hungry. I eat lots of vegetables and other things that I would never have bothered with back when my daily routine was hamburgers, french fries and a coke. Another possible (less optimistic) explanation is that something hormonal is happening. I just don't know.

Whatever, the point is, you don't have to lose hair while you're dieting. Don't try to rush things, take your time, relax, and cruise your way down to a lower weight.

**************
"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."