I have a hard time following written diets. i started about 3 weeks ago and have not taken in hardly any carbs for the first 17 days. Now all my carb intake counts to about 6 grams from veggies with my dinner. I feel great, but don't think i have lost much weight. After reading some posts, i have decided that this may be from lack of water intake. My biggest concern is the fact that i don't follow any plan. My diet still consists of mainly meats and cheeses and a few other foods that contain no or very little carbs(none from sugar). Is this a good way to be going, or do i need to know something?

thanks
David

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Is this a good way to be going, or do i need to know something?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
What you need to know is that you're ingesting next to no carbohydrates because you're not eating any vegetables. You need to have carbohydrates and they will come mainly from vegetables.

The low carb way of life is not a "meat and cheese" diet. It is a healthy way of eating, based on eating vegetables and proteins. You need to eat AT LEAST 3 cups of vegetables a day. If you want to know how to get started CORRECTLY, read this article, taken from these message boards:
Getting Started Right

Also, read "Possible Help for Newbies" in the Newbies section.

Post often. Read a lot. We're all rootin' for ya'.

April
352/210/180
Down 142 pounds
30 to go...
http://www.geocities.com/aprilwyatt/beforeandafter

You probably need to know several things. For one thing, eating that few carbs probably won't be very healthy, and it can make you even more sensitive to carbs if you increase them. If you don't follow a plan it's likely you won't be successful losing weight or be healthy.

thank you both. i will incorperate the tips.

David,

First of all welcome! We are so glad you are here.

I would like to suggest that you buy a book (weither it be Atkins or some otehr low carb book). It is very important to understand how a low carb diet works, not only so you do it correctly, but so you stick with it. Knowledge is power!!!
Having that said:

yes, you do need to drink more water. You should divide your weight by two and drink that many ounces a day. This is because your kidneys are working harder now that you are changing how you eat. Not to mention allthe other benefits of water (nice skin, feeling full ect..).
Also, Your carb count should probably be a little higher. The goal is not to eat zero carbs. Most of us have this misconception because we are used to low calorie diets, where lower is always better. However in a low carb induction phase you should be closer to your goal of 20 carbs. Your right most of your carbs should come from veggies.

Keep up the great work! You are on your way! let us know if you need anything and drink your water!!!

Good luck all!!
Seesko


starting date 1/5/04

242/234/135

"What my mind can envision; my body can master!"

Hi Rhino and welcome to LCE

It's too bad you haven't read a book about LCing. You could gain so MUCH knowledge. The books aren't about being written diets. It's about educating how your body works. It is essential that you know what this is doing to your body. Here's a link to the beginner's guide: Beginner's Guide

Read up at least on all the links you have been given. Try to find a copy of Dr. Atkin's New Diet Revolution OR Protein Power written by the Eades. Both books explain how this affects your body. It's really important, I can't stress that enough.

We are here to help, but we can't do the work for you.

Barb - 30 lbs gone FOREVER!
www.iwsgroupinc.com - website design and development


Atkins-3/14/03
174/144/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

One other thing, most LC diets (including Atkins) recomend AT LEAST a daily multivitamin. I take a multivitamin, B complex, C, and fish oils (for omega 3s). Follow this in addition to what was mentioned above, and you should do fine.

Started Atkins on 9/20/03
235--&gt;190; 150 goal

Hi David... if you are not into reading much and are resistant to buying the book... at least consider reading these short, very concise pieces on the Atkins website:

Induction: http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-238691.html
Vegetables: http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/26-666870.html
Acceptable Foods (this may be particularly helpful to you).. http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-464579.html
On-going Weight loss: http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-693999.html

These are great brief articles that focus on exactly what you need.

Also... you might find that you would actually enjoy tracking your foods if you were able to do that easily as well... many people use www.fitday.com - a free online software program to track food intake (and activity, and weight loss, and other things)... it can actually be quite fun to see what you are actually putting into your body!

Hugs,
Rachel
165/144/128
Haec trutina errat. (Latin for,"There is something wrong with this scale".)

Why is Equal bad? Can I sprinkle a wee bit once in a while? I'm on my 9th day of induction.

Equal = aspartame. Some people stall on aspartame. If you find you are stalling and using aspartame, back off on it awhile and see if that makes a difference. Other people get headaches, even migraines from it. I use mostly Stevia. It's all natural.

Barb - 30 lbs gone FOREVER!
www.iwsgroupinc.com - website design and development


Atkins-3/14/03
174/144/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

I [heart] Equal!

Equal rocks. Yay Equal!

Ummm... YMMV. I love it. With as much as I've consumed over the past many years, I'm like the crash test dummy for Equal. Other people don't like it or suspect it causes problems. See what you think for yourself.

The one to watch out for is MALTITOL. Now that's evil stuff.

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