I'm looking for some good advice ... everyone has been so helpful, I'm so glad I discovered this site!
Anyway, I'm a little nervous ... I started Atkins one week ago, and I have not seen any changes as of yet. I have been following the "rules" very carefully, no major mistakes, etc. Here is my issue -- before starting Atkins, I NEVER ate red meat, etc. No bacon, burgers, or steaks ... and very little cheese. Now I am eating these things more regularly. Burgers for lunch, had bacon a couple times. Cheese as a treat. I'm mostly eating fish, chicken and burgers. Is there anyway that this drastic change (no meat to lots of meat/fat) will cause me to GAIN weight? I used to be a total carb girl, so I'm a little leary.
Any insight would be appreciated!

WELCOME!

Oh, sweetie, you are not alone!

MOST of us here came from a lifetime of eating "low-fat" and "low-calorie." There's no doubt that this woe (way of eating) is a HUGE LEAP OF FAITH, but if you educate yourself about it and you follow it faithfully, you will become a believer, too.

Before I began eating this way, I had done every low-fat plan imaginable (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc.); I had even tried VEGETARIANISM!
So, it took a LOT of faith for me to even consider eating this way.

Two things helped me make peace with my decision:
1) I read Protein Power by Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades. Even though I followed more of an Atkins approach, I read the Eades book because (no offense to Atkins), Eades does a MUCH better job of explaining WHY these foods are ok and WHY you won't gain weight eating them if you stay true to plan. I strongly suggest you get this book and read it. It makes a LOT of sense! And you will become angry at all the lies we have been fed about low-fat/low-calorie eating over the years!

2) My body's response to this woe.
I have lost 50 pounds while eating steak and eggs and bacon and cheese and lots of fresh veggies. I eat more vegetables now than I ever have before!
I have *reversed* my type II diabetes! My endocrinologist was astounded. But then he admitted that he had other patients who have done the same by switching to low-carb.
I have SIGNIFICANTLY lowered my cholesterol and blood pressure! My cholesterol was over 225 (at age 24!!!) when I was doing Jenny Craig. I am now 34 and I have been eating this way for a long time and my cholesterol is 161.
The question I ask of critics is this:
If this way of eating is so *unhealthy* for us, then WHY do our bodies respond in such healthy ways to it???

If you are not showing signs of progress (lost pounds or lost inches), please post a couple days' of your menus for us to look at. Newbies often think they are following the plan *right* but are actually making many mistakes.

I'm sorry; I didn't mean to get so long-winded!
Again, welcome! And I hope you find the answers you are looking for...

Summer


www.herstorygirl.com

I agree with lawbooks. Also, how long it takes you to start losing changes per person. I started inductance (again) last week and it felt like Sunday before I finally lost anything. I purchase a skirt on Saturday and it was tight (like it would have been all week). On sunday I put it on and it fits great (still alittle tight but not like Saturday). So I think some of us take longer to get started. So take a deep breath and keep LC up it works.

travellost-51 yrs Young
1/20/03 195/145 first time
1/5/04 second time
150/147/135
"I am allergic to carbs they make me break out in fat"

thanks lawbooks and travellost!
great advice, i will definitely pick up that book!
anyway, here is an example of what i have been eating:

breakfast: scrambled eggs (made at home), 5 pieces of turkey bacon

snack: couple slices of cheese

lunch: 2 burgers (plain) from mcdonald's

dinner: broiled salmon, lettuce salad w/ full fat dressing and celery sticks

lots of water and some seltzer water. little to no caffeinie.
what do you think?!
thanks again!!

AHA! (Aha! I say!

See???
You *thought* you were eating right, but you are WAY, WAY too low on veggies!
If you make your carbs too low and don't include lots of fresh vegetables, it will definitely slow or stall your weight loss.
Your menu doesn't look too bad, but you definitely need to add more dark green veggies (spinach, broccoli, green beans, etc.)

Also, how much water (exactly) are you drinking?
Many people *think* they are drinking "lots of water" but when they measure it, it is barely the minumum of 64 oz. Read the sticky thread at the top of the Newbies forum, titled, "DRINK YOUR WATER" for reasons why we need more water while eating this way.

I think you are off to a great start. Just check your water and add more veggies and keep posting. You're going to do fine.
HTH,
Summer