First, the Atkins Nutritional Approach really works. I’m losing about 4 pounds a week (also doing an hour of aerobic exercise every other day), and I’m not hungry. If I’m hungry, I just eat. That’s one of the beauties of this diet. I’m also making sure to take the vitamin and mineral supplements that Atkins recommends.
I had a serious carb addiction beforehand. You know, finish off a big bag of Doritos or Peanut M&Ms in one sitting. Now, when I recently walked through the bakery department of a grocery store, I looked at all the goods on display and had about as much craving to eat as I do walking through the paint department at Sears. I’m sure I would enjoy those bakery items if I did eat them, but the important thing was that I didn’t have any compulsion to do so.
Using the recipe files at the Atkins.com website has been a bonus. Some really good dishes there help keep you from making boring meal choices. I recently had a dinner of veal piccata, roasted asparagus, a low-carb roll with butter, and for dessert, mascarpone parfait.
Two caveats: It’s important to eat regularly. Atkins says at least once every six hours; I say at least once every four hours, to keep your energy levels from spiking.
Also, all that ketosis (fat-burning state) has given me chronic bad breath these past few weeks. But not too bad; mouth wash or sugar-free gum usually covers it.
I’m re-inducting, and so far so good. Losing about a pound a week. I was getting lazy and eating too many fake low-carb foods (bars, cookies and so forth) and kicked myself out of ketosis and even started gaining weight. I lost 38 lbs last year and then gained 12 of them back. My goal this year is 20 lbs before our November trip to Costa Rica. My ideal goal is 40 lbs before the trip. Now I check my ketones level every morning. Found that even one bar can move me almost out of ketosis. A bowl of Breyer’s CarbSmart ice cream only moves me a little out, so I can enjoy that about twice a week.
My favorite part of the diet is the lack of carb cravings. No longer do I desire to eat an entire can of Pringles or a box of Wheat Thins or a third of a box of Oreos. I ate a Pringle a few weeks ago, just to see if it tasted as good as I remembered. It didn’t, and I didn’t want any more.
I also love the fact that I never have to go hungry. It’s easier to resist bad foods if you’ve just had a full meal. Speaking of which, I think I’ll have a salad and some eggs for breakfast.
I’ve done the low carb diet in the past and it works, but I was unable to find the sticks on the shelf at any pharmacy.
Knowing if your in ketosis is obviously an important component of the diet and I would like to try it again.
Do the diabetes test strips provide the same indication of ketosis? Do I have to ask the pharmacist for a box (why would they keep them behind the counter)? Or are there other stores that carry them?
The last ones I bought at drugstore.com. I’ve also found them at Wal-Mart in the diet section. I believe that brand was called Ketostix. I don’t know if they’re the same as diabetic test strips, though.
I bought some cheapy keto-sticks at Walgreens, 50 for $10 or so, and then found some at Safeway that seem better, more sensitive, I guess. They were $15 for 100. The brand name is Ketostix, and come in a round tube (in a box) and are behind the pharmacy counter. No big deal to ask for them. They had two types, one for testing just for ketones, and one for testing for ketones and something else - get the one that was just for ketones.
I have hit a stall. I’ve lost 70 pounds over the last year, but suddenly the scale has stopped moving, and it’s getting frustrating.
In the Weight-loss thread, another poster said he hit a stall with sunflower seeds, and I’ve been using them on salads like there’s no tomorrow. I’m going to quit using those, and also stop using half & half in my coffee. I’m going to start drinking tea (I need a little caffeine in the morning), with no cream, and maybe do a little mini-Induction to see if I can get things moving again.
Oh, and I also found that tracking my foods on FitDay.com for a week really helped me. I strongly recommend it for anyone on any type of diet. It can help you find your trouble areas.
My Atkins is going very, very well. I’ve lost 60 pounds since 1/7 (60 / 111 * 7 = about 3.75 lbs / week). I’m never mentally hungry; I always have to remind myself to eat when my stomach starts hurting or by watching the clock. I’ve got 111 pounds to go, so wish me luck.
I lost 15 lbs in Dec/Jan and have been happily maintaining. I am doing intense aerobic 1 day a week (ultimate frisbee, 2 hours!) + moderate aerobic 2 days/week (horse riding 1 hr & giving lessons 3 hrs).
Oftentimes, whe people hit “stalls” it means they have hit a plateau where they need to reduce calories. As your body becomes smaller, fewer calories are needed to sustain it. Seeds & nuts & are very calorie-dense per carb, so it’s not a bad idea to investigate reducing or cutting that out, and replacing it with something that is less calorie-dense per carb, such as vegetables or berries.
“Calories always count” as the good doctor said… fitday.com can help you get a handle on your input/outflow therein. It’s kind of a pain but even a few weeks of tracking can be very instructive.
I think the best thing about my Atkins experience is that I have learned how to moderate my hunger levels by choosing the foods that keep me full. I was never a compulsive or emotional eater, I only ate when I was hungry. I was just hungry all the time.
Hi there,
Its going great for me- I’m only 4 pounds away from my goal- started at 185 down to 129. It took me alot longer than I initially planned to get there (and relatively cheat-free at that) but it was worth it. I am now trying to plan adding more carbs- I’ve stayed between 25-35 for the last year and 4 months. Weirdly- I’ve been drinking a little too much low carb beer (instead of once every two weeks its been about twice weekly) lately but my weight loss has actually jumped up a little and I am too much in ketosis (makes me feel a little sick/heavy) lately. I am actually at the point where I really don’t want to be in ketosis much or just in very mild ketosis and if it took me 6 months to lose the next 4 lbs, that would be just fine. I’d like to increase my activity level- I’m moderately active with working dogs (which involves lots of walking) but no structured exercise plan- and lose the weight more with activity while reaching a maintainance level diet wise. No plans to binge, however, just ready to add some fruit & whole grains, possible a small quantity of rice & beans, etc. Haven’t started that yet, want to get a clear plan to follow.
I’m doing well. I’ve lost 45 pounds since January and only have 25 to go to hit my goal. I seemed to have hit a plateau last week but I just did a mini-induction to get moving again. Soon I should actually weigh what I did in high school!
I’ve found this to be a good site for recipes. I highly recommend thier stuffed mushrooms!
My biggest problem now is that my pants don’t fit and my girlfriend keeps compainly about my baggy butt!
April 21 was my one year anniversary on Atkins (second time around). First time I lost 78 pounds, but unfortunately put 70 of it back on. This time I am determined to keep it off. I haven’t been on the scale in about a month but at last check I dropped 72 pounds. I’ve learned that being a slave to the scale just makes it harder.
I’m doing great. Went 8 lbs. below my target almost two years ago. Have been 6 - 10 lbs. below target ever since. Almost no cravings at all; sometimes I crave sweets and can be satisfied by an apple or a cup of tea with artificial sweetener.
Only problem: once in a while I feel like I’m missing out on something, e.g. when I walk past a bakery. OTOH, I just have to wait a few seconds till I see a fat person and then I remember what else I’m missing out on.
have a go at a fast fat fast…essentially is is a highly restricted 1000 kcal per day of select foods designed to dump you back into ketosis incredibly fast. Google it. if you note, it is to be done for the 3 day maximum, and no more frequent that 30 day intervals [IIRC] Many people on the old atkins mailing list I was on 4 or 5 years ago recommended it if you got stuck on a plateau. They also recommended that if you were solidly in ketosis and had been for months without a change, do a carb loading day or 2, then a fast fat fast to get back on track.
my stats?
6 years, 150 lbs, with no additional exercise whatsoever due to handicapped issues. However, by blood profile changed for the better so i am off metformin totally, and in general am just barely over 105-125 for my morning stick which was a heck of an improvement preatkins of 230-270 =) and the rest of my blood work is solid as well. i seem to hit a plateau about every 3 months, so i do a FFF and i start losing .25 lb a week or so=) slow and steady is my friend=)
Started Jan 17th of this year at 270. As of last Saturday morning (I only weigh myself one day a week) I was at 234. This works out to just about 2.5lbs per week.
I will be under 190 when I go to Hawaii in December (what I weighed in 1793 when I got married)
Great, no cravings, not hungry, all the time, easy to follow.
