I have recently restarted the atkins diet after becoming reckless and regaining 16 of the thirty lbs. I had previously lost. My question is the last time I was seriously doing atkins I craved peanut butter. I feel the cravings are coming back. How bad is peanut butter.. I am taking about 1 large tablespoon a day. Will this cause stalls?

Colleen,
According to Fitday, generic peanut butter has 3 carbs per tablespoon. I will preface the next comment by saying that I am not a totally strict constructionist regarding the program. So, with that in mind, if you can afford 3 carbs, get after it. I wouldn't do it during induction, but later on there are lots worse things that you can eat.

Judy

180/138.5/138...almost there!
"How long does getting thin take?"
Winnie the Pooh,Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne

Colleen

By saying one large tablespoon per day I think you mean the kind you eat soup with. So you really mean about 2 tablespoons, maybe 3. My peanut butter has 2.5 net carbs per tbs. It's all natural, just peanuts and salt are the ingredients. If you can fit in 5 grams net carbs as a snack go for it. Of course not on induction. Just be aware that 2 tbs has 190 calories if calories have any meaning to you.
If you decide to go for it why not have one measuring tbs (or 2) on a low carb cracker or celery.



Rob
310/237.5/180
Me, a skeptic? I trust you have proof

One tequila, two tequila,
three tequila, floor

Colleen,

It did stall me when I had it. ONLY because I could not stop at 1 tablespoon! I had to have more! Then, I would have horrible cravings for more peanut butter and other "illegal" foods.

I beleive that if you are sticking to one tablespoon that it will not stick to you, or stall you. It may also be one of those your milage may vary things.

Being a "peanut-butteraholic", I have found it is best to keep it hidden in the back of the pantry and leave it there! Once again, it is only because of my lack of self control with it.

If you can stop at one tablespoon, I envy you! You should do just fine.

Crystal
158/141/139
Atkins since June '03

I'm one of those people with a peanut-butter craving trigger. Once I start, I find that I want some every day. I measure it. I spread it on celery, which makes it a bigger snack.

Sometimes I spread my measured amount on pork rinds. This is rather difficult to eat, and keeps my mouth busy for a long time.

Barb L.
Started Atkins January 2003
162/137/130

And remember to avoid peanut butters with "hydrogenated" anywhere on the label, as that means they contain the dreaded trans fats.

Sky
Atkins since 8/02
186/144/under 150

Be sure to get the stuff with no added sugar, which you may have to search for. Read the labels - most manufacturers add sugar. Atkin's first book, back in '72 or '73, allowed 2 tablespoons of peanut butter a day as a snack (but the only veggies you ate were/was lettuce, as I recall.) Back then I managed to get a lot of peanut butter on my tablespoons, a mountain of the stuff, but still lost what I wanted to lose.

Colleen, the question sounds more like, is peanut butter a trigger food for you?

If you have trouble eating peanut butter in moderation and without getting cravings, just SKIP IT completely. Put it off limits. Find something else to fill your appetite. Get a new habit.

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

Ditto what the Dr. said.

... This coming from a recovering peautnutbutteraholic!

Crystal
158/142/139
Atkins since 5/31/03

I can't trust myself with peanut butter.

I've been know to just go for "one tablespoon" and wound up sitting in front of the TV with the whole dang jar and a large soup spoon. Before I realized it, I had eaten half the jar of peanut butter.

Take a look at an actual tablespoon...the kind you use to measure with when you're cooking. There's no way I could limit myself to that tiny bit of peanut butter. I'm sure the label is not referring to the kind of spoon one uses with which to eat soup. As Rob says, that's approximately 3 tablespoons...and if you use a HEAPING one of those...well...peanut butter is very sticky and I could realistically dig into a jar of peanut butter and fit a fourth of the jar onto one of those spoons.

As stated earlier...I cannot trust myself with peanut butter, so I don't go there. Besides, the kind I have in the house has sugar listed in the ingredients. Sugar, in whatever form, sets me off on a binge.

Just my two cents.

April
352 / 212.5 / 180
5'10", large frame, size 13 shoe
www.geocities.com/aprilreinhardt2

Me too, jeez. I thought I was a lone peanutbutterhead. So whatcha reckon it IS about peanut butter that makes us nuts

"No matter where you go, there you are."

Has anyone tried other nut butters? Almond butter is REALLY good!!!! Soy nut butter is quite tastey too.

Barb - 30 lbs gone FOREVER!
Atkins-3/14/03
174/144.8/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

I love, adore, and positively lust after raw almond butter, and do treat myself to some occasionally since Trader Joe's sells it reasonably. Don't know what it is about those nut butters--but a think the combination of the taste, the smooooooooooth mouth feel, and the satisfying fat may be responsible.



BC
172/108/108
Zone since 4/98

Ah yes almond butter is my most favoritest of all, I like the kinda sweet crunch!!

Jackie