Hi Again
I am beginning my second dy of induction and am trying to write down everything I eat in a journal. I know I am a snacker and things will slip by unnoticed if I don't write them down. By the way, is snacking( like throughout the day) on protein like ham with 0 carbs and no sugar a no-no ?Also I'm just not sure how to calculate the carbs. Is there a website that has free online carb calculations? Any help will be appreciated. I noticed many of you count your calories too--is this necessary? I am trying to make this process as easy as possible so I'll stick with the program because I know if it gets too complicated and I have to think too much about it--I'll quit.
Joyful1

fitday.com is a popular tracking web site. You set up an account and can track everything you eat and get the nutrition information. Its great, but I sometimes have trouble finding stuff. And if you want to add custom foods (you can get nutitiion info for a lot of restaurant stuff at www.dietfacts.com and add it)

grazing on no carb/very low carb protein isn't bad. I know several who do. I keep a package of cut up turkey breast for snacking.
Ham may not be the best choice, usually has higher salt and higher salt = fluid retention.
Even better , have veggies on hand for snacking (broc, caul, cucumbers, etc) - grazing on those will give you more benefits.

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Mary Kay 1/1/04 - 232
5/19/08 (5/23/08) - sw226/(cw222)/mg210/fg160

Welcome, joyful1.

Good advice above. As to the calorie issue, many of us were attracted to this way of eating, in part, by the simplicity of it. I'm one who got where I wound up without ever looking at calories.

Some folks who have impaired satiety feedback mechanisms (can't tell satisfied from stuffed) do benefit from counting calories. For those who get good "feedback", however, there should be little need to worry about counting anything other than carbs - especially in induction.

Hope you'll make yourself at home here.

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Thanks Mary Kay and Maggie for your prompt replies. I have already visited the fitday site and done a little exploring. I have already had two liters of water and keeping my fingers crossed to stay motivated. If I'm doing Atkins correctly should I be in ketosis by day three?
joyful1

It generally takes about 72 hours (more or less) to use up your stores of glycogen if you've been eating on a "normal" carbohydrate diet. During that three to four days, your body is switching from a glucose burning metabolism to a fat burning metabolism. It is around the end of that period that most folks find that they start to register on keto-stix, and, LOL! hate the way their mouths taste.

Hint: use the strips. They're much lower in carbs than any sugar free chewing gum.

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I purchased "The Doctor's Pocket Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter" when I first started this back in January. Very helpful. Small enough to pop into your purse.