Newbie to Atkins

[Lanshark]

I'm new to this board but knew from other DIS boards that the collective information known by everyone here is staggering.

DH and I will be starting Atkins in a few weeks. For those of you who have been doing this awhile could you tell me the secrets you've stumbled upon that help you. Also, what things do you always keep in stock.

As with any diet I have found the trick is stocking your pantry with things you can make easily or grab quickly to satisfy a craving. I've got two thin kids so there will still be some junk in the house.

Thanks for the information

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I've been keeping the cubes of Monterey Pepper Jack, cut veggies, and romaine lettuce in the fridge. I also keep the canned chicken - lower fat/carb variety in the pantry, mozzerella and steakums go great together too. Sugar free jello and RediWip are great if you need any kind of sweet fix. I usually hard boil eggs in the morning. I always make 2 and usually eat one. Then if I get in the need during the day I have another or I just use it the next morning. Jimmy Dean sausage is good in a hurry as well. It's already cooked you just have to warm them.

You are definitely right about keeping things at the ready. It makes it all easier. Good luck to you!

 

[Lanshark]

Great tips!

 

[DixieDreamer]

Preparation is everything! I cook meats on the weekend, prepare salads, and boil eggs too... while I have more time. Makes the hectic work week so much easier AND encourages me to eat whole natural foods ... rather than bars/shakes etc. Absolutely found that I lose BEST when eating real meal, veggies, and fats.

Congratulations on your decision. I have lost 43 pounds on Atkins, and am a lifer. I cannot imagine eating any other way now.

 

[audflash]

One of the first things I did was go to Costco and buy a bunch of meat! Yipee! I love this so-called diet!

I think it is so important to cook real food. I have always felt this way so the transition to Atkins wasn't that hard for us. If you are very dependent on pre-made or processed food you will have to work on that. We bar-b-que about five nights a week: chicken, steak, hamburgers, pork chops - you name it. Atkins.com has lots of recipes - even some "replacement" recipes for food you love but can't really have on Atkins. Also, check out the low-carb recipe thread on this board. There are some very creative people here!

One thing I did right off was buy two five pound blocks of cheese and cut them into 2oz serving sizes. I put those cut up pieces into small ziploc bags and froze them. I always have one bag defrosted in the fridge and when I am really hungry I can grab one of those.

Another thing I would stress is breakfast. I keep eggs and sausage or bacon in the fridge all the time. If you get bored with eggs try adding different stuff to them each day. I throw in whatever veggies were left over from the night before and CHEESE! I have been trying to substitute my cookie addiction with cheese

If you have a real sweet tooth - as I do - get yourself some sugarfree candy to keep around. I find that just one piece of something sweet is a real treat.

Good luck and don't get discouraged if dh loses faster than you do - mine sure did!

 

[nativetxn]

I cook about two pounds of bacon, not very crisply, and store it in a ziploc bag. Then when I want some of it, all I have to do is microwave it for about 30 seconds to a minute.

I like BLT's. I take a leaf of romaine, spread with mayo and top with a couple of thin slices of tomato and bacon.

My husband likes tuna made with mayo, dill relish and about an ounce of minced onion. Put the tuna salad on a leaf of romaine lettuce, top with a piece of swiss cheese and a couple of slices of bacon.

I keep string cheese handy. I also make ham roll ups and store them in a ziploc bag so that there is always one available when I'm in a hurry. Take a slice of deli ham, spread with mayo and I like to spread about a teaspoon of dill relish on it, too. I love these

Try to get rid of all refined carbohydrates, if you can't do that then just keep the ones you don't like. Change your meals around. Eat breakfast for supper, supper for breakfast.

Eat when you are hungry. Don't go more than 4 hours without eating. <b>Always</b> eat some sort of fat with your protein. Mayo with ham, butter with shrimp or crab. If you don't eat enough fat you will not lose as much weight because excess protein will turn to glucose if there is no added fat.

You may experience withdrawal from refined carbohydrates, my husband did. You may be headachy, queasy and grumpy (my dh was ) It should go away by the end of day 4 but everyone has a different response time so it could last longer.

If you can tolerate the withdrawal you will likely develope ketosis around day 5 or 6. When this happens your appetite goes away (at least it did for me) and things get much, much easier

The other thing that has been very, very helpful to me is my wonderful WISH support group. I'll bet it would help you too. Will you be taking the challenge? Please say yes, I would just love to have you join us here. We are pretty nice, you know

Katholyn

 

[Luvinit]

They took all my tips, lol....so I just want to WELCOME you to WISH!!! Good luck to you and your DH. I know you are gonna do GREAT!!!

 

[PrincessMo]

good luck to you on your atkins diet...........after this weekend I will have been on it 3 weeks........I was sick most of last year and bed ridden for most of it.......i finally found the right doctor who treats me without medicine but now that I have started the atkins diet my energy has literally skyrocketed. all my symptoms from being sick have disappeared. it's so great. it's also alot easier to do then most people think.

as far as tips, i personally like to weigh myself everyday (a.m. is best for me) to monitor my loss and my weight flucuations and if I gain or don't lose any weight I can see what I ate and drank the day before and maybe change something.

i like the poly-o string cheese snacks.....there are no carbs so you can have them all day and not waste precious carbs on them. I also started to get diet/caffeine free soda to break up all the water i drink, it makes for a nice treat. sometimes I add RediWhip for an extra special treat! I like chicken caesar salad and I bag 2.5 cups of romaine lettuce into ziplock bags over the weekend and then they are ready.......the bags i get are 2.5 cups of lettuce equal 2 carbs. then the chicken is 0 and the 2 tbsp. of dressing is 1 gram so I can have a nice salad for lunch for 3 carbs with a diet/caffeine free soda. With all the meats and diet drinks out there and the poly-o I don't actually use that many carbs. Most days I don't make it to the 20 gram limit.

i also buy some frozen hamburger patties and make bacon cheese burgers. they are very filling and the cheese is the only part that has carbs to count. i weigh them and 4 slices of american cheese usually comes to 2.5-3 grams.

if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask me. I am in full support now of someone trying out atkins.

Hope that helps ya.............Have A Disney Day!!!!!!!!

 

[disboo]

Everyone here has really given some great tips. My tip is actually a caution - for me, the weight comes off in "clumps." I can stay a ta given weight for 2 -3 weeks, then all of a sudden I lose 5 punds in two days. Just remember that if you stick to the plan, the weight WILL come off - even if not in a day-by-day stready curve. I have lost 60 pounds in 6 1/2 months. This last month has been tough because of a new health problem for me, but I stuck to the plan, and just dropped 5 more pounds after being at a plateau for almost a month.

Good for you, and good luck! You will really enjoy the new "you" in a few months!!!

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

One thing that helped me... you said that you are staring in a few weeks? Maybe start cutting back on your carbs now. Then when you go through induction you may not have severe withdrawls.


Good luck!!!

Debbie

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Decaffeinate yourself over the next couple of weeks. That way you won't have caffeine withdrawal headaches on top of your carbohydrate withdrawal.

I spend a lot of time at Sam'sb now. They sell packages of precooked bacon that is very good. I also nuke it to warm it up and sometimes to crisp it up.

Sam's also sells the Babybel cheese. It is small individually wrapped wheels of cheese. Each one is 3/4 of an ounce and coated in wax to keep it fresh. It is a semi-soft cheese. It is great to keep around for a quick bite.

Sunflower seeds have been a great snack for me. A package (bought at Sam's also) has only two carbs and it takes me almost 1 hour and 30 minutes to eat. It really solves the salt cravings.

Sugar free jello does wonders for the sweet cravings. Some people mix up heavy cream and splenda for whipped cream. That was never anything I ater before so I haven't done it, but some have.

I eat a lot of caesar salads. I add bleu cheese sometimes to give it a boost of flavor. Also for salads, sometimes I have a tossed salad with ranch dressing (also very low in carbs). It seems like such a treat because I haven't eaten ranch dressing in years (too much fat).

Be sure to take your vitamins.

Check in with any more questions, we'll do our best.

 

[dizneegirl]

Originally posted by PrincessMo
i like the poly-o string cheese snacks.....there are no carbs so you can have them all day and not waste precious carbs on them.

Just a note... NO cheese is carb-free. Even if the package says 0, count a serving as 1... and check the serving size.

Legally, they're allowed to call it 0 if it's .5 or less, and >1 if it's .9 or less. But it DOES have carbs. The only carb-free food you're going to find is meat.

And for the newbies - Redi-Whip is not a good choice for a snack/treat/whatever... it's made with SUGAR. And has a ridiculously small serving size. Much better to buy yourself some heavy cream, and make your own sweetened whip cream.

 

[nativetxn]

I agree about the whipped cream, Dizneegirl. The serving size of RediWhip is only two tablespoons. The sugar in it can trigger cravings, so while you are on induction you should avoid it. I wish I had never brought it into the house. My dh eats way too much and then he pouts because he is gaining instead of losing and his sugar is a little higher

Most cheeses have about 1 gram per ounce, including string cheese. Include any string cheese in your total daily allowance of 3-4 ounces, if you don't you are likely to slow your losing or even stall.

 

[PrincessMo]

well i'm no expert..........sorry for confusing everyone just thought i would try to help with what little I know. i guess i'm doing something right since i lost 20lbs in 3 weeks..........sorry for the confusion

 

[Ven]

one word : sugarfreejello

 

[nativetxn]

<b>PrincessMo</b> That's the great thing about WISH, getting to help others and learning something new in the process. You are definitely doing something right, sweetie, you are a wonderful WISH success.

<b>Ven</b>, it's great to see you here! Are you going to be taking the challenge and joining us here on WISH? I sure hope so. You can never have too large of a support group and my WISH support group is just wonderful.

Please join us, we really have a lot of fun helping each other reach goal. You don't have to be trying to lose weight to become a WISHer, all you need is a desire to stay healthy. How about it? Will you join us here? Please say yes.

Katholyn

 

[Lanshark]

Wow! I just looked at the thread for the first time today. What great tips.

I am going to Sams tomorrow to stock up.

 

[Lanshark]

Katholyn

I wanna join!!! I need all the help I can get.

Thanks a bunch

 

[nativetxn]

Excellent, <b>Lanshark</b>! I'm so glad to hear it. Would you do me a favor and post to the WISH challenge thread too? Posting there makes you an official WISHer. You will find the Challenge thread right <b>HERE</b>

You're going to like it here, I'm sure of it. WISH has been a wonderful help to me and I know you will find it helpful, too.

Katholyn

 

[Jomrog]

Welcome, Lanshark!

Okay, like said above, while leading up to the start of this plan, cut back on caffeine & carbs so you don't shock your system. It may keep withdrawal symptoms away. Start to drink lots of water now & continue it while on the diet.

For my sweet craving, I like to use heavy whipping cream mixed with some sugar free DaVinci syrup (vanilla) added to Diet Rite Tangerine soda. Yum, tastes like an orange creamsicle. You can find the syrup at Super Wal-mart, TJ Max, world market stores & some supermarkets in the coffee section.

Good luck on your weight loss journed & if you have any questions, we are happy to help.