I’ve tried to do Atkins several times now. I have the book, I’ve read countless ideas for what to eat during induction etc, but I can’t do it! I feel like such a failure. 
Every time I try to do Atkins, my blood sugar drops horribly, and I feel like I’m going to pass out or puke, and I can’t function properly on a normal day like that. The only thing that brings me back to feeling normal are the dreaded carbs. I hold out for as long as I can, but eventually the sick feeling is so severe, that I have to give in. I have never made it past a few days of induction. Can someone please offer some suggestions as to how to do this? I know people do it all the time, so I know it can be done, but the sickness overtakes me, and I have to surrender.
Humble Opinion: This is not a natural way to eat. If you are feeling that rotten, your body is trying to tell you something and it’s not “withdrawal from carbohydrate addiction.” I think that there is some merit to cutting way down on simple carbs, specifically in controlling hunger, and increasing the amount of highly nutritious food that you eat, but you don’t need to put yourself in ketosis to gain the benefits.
You might take a look at the South Beach Diet. It has an induction phase, too, but it is a lot gentler than Atkins. You are allowed unlimited quantities of most vegetables, as well as beans and nuts. It also emphasizes reducing saturated fats, while maintaining levels of goods fats like olive, nut, and fish oils. If you want to, you can also skip the induction phase, which is included largely to get people out of their old bad habits, rather than for any real physiological reason.
My suggestion would be to go to the nearest drugstore, and get a package of glucose tabs for diabetics. This is the situation they’re marketed for…
The amount of sugar you take in when you use one isn’t going to make that much of a difference to ketosis, but will bring your blood sugar up so you’re not crashing.
If you’re afraid you cheat by taking the entire package at once, find a flavor you consider vile. For me, it’s artificial grape.
Yet another humble opinion: I think this is the way I am supposed to eat.
I’ve been doing Atkins since last Spring and have lost about 50 pounds. I’ve stalled a bit recently, but I have been “pigging out” on bread and (of course) Thanksgiving food like stuffing and pie. OTOH, I haven’t gained any weight, which I find surprising, considering how much I’ve been eating lately. I’ve put myself back on the Induction just the other day to kickstart the ketosis process, since I still want to lose more weight.
The first week was incredibly hard, but I was determined to do it. I got past the cravings, and it got better. It is hard, since you actually have to cook (no pre-packaged meals) , and really have to have the willpower not to cheat. It’s harder if you live with someone who’s not doing it. I have a husband who like bread and potatoes with dinner. My kids love Mac & Cheese. They also have cereal for breakfast, and keep snacky stuff like chips and candy and ice cream around. I kept thinking how much easier it would be to live alone and just not have that stuff around.
I was incredibly carb-addicted. I ate tons of pasta and potatoes and bread, and hardly any veggies. I was falling asleep every day at 3:00. I had no energy at all. I had severe migraines, so bad I was seeing a neurologist. He was the one who suggested I try it.
Since starting Atkins, I’ve completely lost my taste for pasta and potatoes. I can look at a plate of spaghetti and think, “Eh, who cares? I’d rather have salad.” (I still love bread, though!)
I didn’t eat six fried eggs and a pound of bacon for breakfast every morning. I didn’t eat steaks for lunch and dinner every day. People hear “Atkins” and think that’s all you eat.
I ate lots of grilled chicken and fresh seafood, and lots of salads, and lots of vegetables. Most days for lunch I’d have a big spinach salad. I also drank tons of water. No soda, not even diet.
I feel like this is the way I’m supposed to eat.
I feel better, I have tons of energy, I never get that mid-afternoon falling-asleep slump, my migraines are under control (with the help of medication, too, I should add), and my health overall has improved. Well, losing fifty pounds helped that!
When I have cheated, and eaten something full of sugar, I can tell it was a bad thing right away. I get a headache and feel sick. I regret it immediately.
Everyone is different, though, and I think I am just not supposed to eat lots of carbs.
Bibliocat, I think some people manage it better than others. But for me and, I’m assuming, for Alias, the severe carb reduction required by Atkins-type induction just doesn’t work. I didn’t crave carbs when I tried this–I didn’t want to eat anything. I felt exhausted, crabby, and nauseated constantly. I stopped doing my exercise program, because I couldn’t work up the energy. I’m not sure why it wouldn’t work for me. Possibly because I wasn’t eating a huge amount of simple carbs in the first place and only had about 15 pound to lose altogther.
I do agree, however, that doing this type of diet often does improve the way you eat overall, especially in increasing the amount of vegetables eaten. I just don’t completely buy the “detox/addiction” notion regarding carbs. I also think that someone who is experiencing low blood sugars when eating this way should probably not be doing it, or at least not so severely. By all means ditch the donuts and white bread–but have a piece of fruit or some oatmeal if it makes you feel right.
During the first two to five days of induction, you WILL feel like crap. That’s just how it is, because you’re switching from burning carbs to burning fat. For me, it was about two days, and I found it helpful to start on the weekend so that I was mostly normal when Monday rolled around.
If you’ve held out longer than a week or so and still felt that way, you may be resistant, in which case I think you would have a hard time losing weight regardless of the plan you tried. If that’s the case, you should probably take the recommended supplements, which are a good multivitamin, essential oils and chromium (for everyone), and L-carnitine and COQ10 (if you have a hard time losing weight).
Also, eating the right carbs will help immensely. During induction, that’s two cups of salad greens and one cup of non-starchy veggies a day. That’s more veggies than it sounds like. Don’t try to cut carbs out completely; for most people, that’s very dangerous.
Oh: don’t try to do a low-fat version of Atkins. It won’t work.
You didn’t really state whether you’d started to lose weight or not, but the book says that if you are losing weight too rapidly (more than a pound a day) or are feeling faint, especially when climbing stairs, you need to add a few carbs back in. (Add another cup or two of vegetables rather than something else.) Everyone is different, and if you have little resistance to losing weight, you could be changing your body too fast for your own good.
These are the only things I can think of off the top of my head, but I have to point out that what Cher3 said about the Atkins diet not being a “natural” (by which I assume she means healthy) way to eat is opinion that is not borne out by scientific studies. What is not natural is refined carbohydrates and trans-fats that contribute to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, among other things. That being said, her suggestion to look into the South Beach diet might be a good one for you. It is similar to the Atkins diet but may fit your lifestyle better.
Oops! Simulpost. 
Just out of curiosity, Cher3, how long did you try Atkins? Like I said, I felt really crappy for two or three days, but after that–wow.
skeptic_ev, I didn’t do Atkins. I did two weeks of the induction phase of South Beach, and felt like hell the whole time. The main difference between the two, I believe, is that on South Beach you are allowed unlimited veggies and most types of beans, even in induction, but you are supposed to eat lean meats and fish. You can also eat nuts and lowfat cheese, but in limited amounts. Olive, canola, and nut oils are permitted in generous amounts for cooking and salad dressings, but no cream or butter. You are also not supposed to go into ketosis, but I think I probably did at times. I also developed cravings for carbs that I’d never really had before, rather than losing the cravings.
I definitely feel better and have fewer cravings when I limit white flour and sugary stuff, but I seem to need more carbs than induction allows to function normally.
I felt crappy the first week or so of Atkins induction, but it did go away. By the second week I was feeling better than I ever have in my adult life, the claims of added energy are no lie. It is carb withdrawal that causes these feelings (although I had quit caffeine at the same time, so I was going through caffeine withdrawal too).
I also feel this is a totally natural way to eat. 300 carbs a day coming from starches and sugars is not natural, our ancestors didn’t eat that way. Meat, cheese, eggs, fats and veggies - what’s not natural about it?
Drink a lot of water, it really helps with both hunger pains and flushing toxins out of your body. And remember, the feelings of passing out or puking (I didn’t ever get the puking feeling though) will GO AWAY. I exercised during induction, and believe it or not I think that had a lot to do with making me feel better about it. Sometimes I had to drag myself out on the bike, but I always felt better when I finished my ride. Don’t overdo it, but even if you feel like dying try and get out for a little bit - even a quick walk around the block can make you feel better.
I also want to clarify what I meant by “natural.” I was referring to the radical carb reduction of the first phase of these diets. I don’t think it’s surprising that people eating diets really heavy in refined carbs would feel better and have more stable appetites when they switch to Atkins. But substituting saturated fat for transfat is probably not the best strategy either. I also agree with critics this type of diet who say that lumping nutritious foods like bananas, carrots, and whole grains into the same category as donuts is a mistake.
I’ve just seen too many discussions where people who don’t respond well to Atkins are told that either they aren’t doing it right or that feeling tired and ill is a result of purging all those nasty carbs from their bodies. It just may be that some of us need have two eggs and a piece of whole-wheat toast, rather than three eggs and no toast.
Well, it isn’t easy, at first, I was the carb queen. But after the first week it did get a lot easier - cravings went away, and my appetite was under control.
Carrots are not forbidden, I eat them. Bananas are allowed in later phases, they are a high-glycemic fruit and can cause blood sugar spikes (which can cause cravings). I also eat two slices of low-carb bread every day with breakfast.
Induction is tough. But it only lasts two weeks, and giving up anything for two weeks is possible. I really feel induction is necessary to break addictions. Some people may be able to do this without a strict induction plan, but for those of us who give up easily and throw in the towel, it is a good plan to follow.
It seems to be harder for some people, and I don’t know why that is. You do need to be truly committed to this plan, and resolve yourself not to cheat for the first two weeks. Cheating is the “kiss of death” in the induction phase of the plan. I chose to stick it out, stick to plan, and be tough. I am very happy I did, and the bonus is I am nearly 50 pounds lighter than I was when I started. I feel great, I will eat like this for the rest of my life.
The author of the South Beach Diet encourages people to skip induction if they choose to, but he does think it helps to get your eating habits back on the right track. The second phase of the diet allows you to eat whole grains, fruits, and other unrefined carbs on a limited basis. Basically you are free to eat them as long as you are maintaining a satisfactory rate of weight loss (1/2 to 2 pounds per week), but they are supposed to be the first things you cut back on if you stall.
People who are particularly encouraged to skip induction are 1) those who don’t have much weight to lose in the first place, 2) those who don’t have a lot of weight concentrated in their bellies, and 3) those who are already eating a relatively healthy diet.
I also felt like crap for the first couple of days, then came out of it. It’s certainly tough. I love good bread, and thought that would stop me from doing this, but it really hasn’t. Instead it’s the easiest diet I’ve had to follow. I’ve lost 60+ pounds since the end of July without any significant exercise. My wife, on the other hand, couldn’t deal with the lack of fruit. and went off after a couple of weeks. The main problem I have with the diet is constipation, even though I take two fiber tablets a day. Regularity at this point for me means once every five days.
Here’s what I have, and although I eat mainly the same things day after day, I’ve not really gotten bored with it. Note: I will NOT eat an egg.
Breakfast:
3-4 slices of turkey breast and cheddar cheese (heated up)
or
one Atkins breakfast bar
Lunch:
2 Tyson mesquite chicken breasts
or
Grilled chicken caesar salad, no croutons
Snack:
2 sticks of string cheese
Dinner:
2 Tyson chicken breasts
or
Large greek/caesar salad with sliced grilled chicken
or
2-3 cheeseburgers with Atkins’ “ketchup”
Snack:
1 EAS bar (Chocolate Chip Brownie, Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Cream Pie).
2 sticks of string cheese (sometimes)
LOTS of water!!!
Dentyne Ice Sugarless Gum
BTW…I’m not shilling for any of those foods 
My sister had trouble with the Atkins diet, though I lost weight on it no problem. (I also developed kidney stones, but that’s another thread.) She has done very well doing a radical low-fat diet (Dean Ornish). My brother has lost over 100 lbs on Atkins with no adverse health effects.
Not everyone will react the same on a diet. Atkins is a radical plan that won’t work for everyone. And this can be said about most diets. If this one doestn’t work for you, keep looking. I have a friend that had her blood sugar drop while doing the Sugar Busters diet, but is having good results with Weight Watchers.
Good Luck!
Have you tried eating more frequent, smaller meals (or having a snack between major meals?) Giving yourself permission to eat more veggies from the approved lists?
I was feeling really crappy yesterday, but with the above changes I feel fine now. For snacks I’ll have some cut up raw veggies, or a hunk of cheese, or if I’m feeling racy, a sugar-free Jell-o (technically you’re supposed to avoid aspartame) or a cup of Splenda-sweetened soy milk (1 gram net carbs!).
Okay, you have the book and I’ll presume that you’ve read it and understand that program.
But I also believe that this diet isn’t for everyone.
Take a look at the South Beach diet or the Mayo Clinic diet and maybe one of those will work better for you. And get a physical if you’ve not had one recently… bloodwork and all!
I also felt cruddy during the first few days of Atkins diet; but I chalked it up to not being able to have the sweet-tea and desserts which I love so much.
But the Atkins diet doesn’t do that at all, Cher3. Depending on your individual carb tolerance and level of exercise, you may be able to eventually add almost any carb back in, though of course amounts will be limited. The only things that are a permanent no-no, IIRC, are refined carbs.
And as far as saturated fats go, studies that have linked saturated fats to heart disease have studied the consumption of those fats within the framework of high-carb diets. Those study results can’t be universally applied to low-carb diets. It’s apples and oranges.
I htought I had posted about something similar to this, the board must have eaten my post.
The Atkins book says to eat something at least every 6 waking hours, for me, I have found I need to eat something every 4-5 hours. Otherwise I crash. “Something” can be celery sticks with blue cheese dressing (no sugar), a piece of cheese, or a hard boiled egg. Take beef jerky with you if you’re going to be away from home for longer. The low carb bars are also good to keep in the car or something, but some people stall on the bars. In an emergency they are a better choice than high carb junk. Smaller, more frequent meals may indeed help you out.
The “Drink lots of water” thing is absolutely essential. I drink almost 200 ounces a day (not all at once, of course, spread it out) but get that water in! I crave water now.
I forgot to mention, though, that as several people here have pointed out, diet is a case where one size doesn’t fit all. Maybe you should talk with a nutritionist. I bet he or she could help you design something that would work for you.
Thank you for the responses everyone. I think I might try the glucose tabs because my blood sugar would drop in horrible ways that made me unable to function (trust me, I’m not just a whiner!)
Also, induction was tough for me because after awhile, meat or eggs didn’t seem to satisfy my hunger. I would be dizzy, sweaty, shaky, and nauseated, but eating all the beef jerky in the world wouldn’t help that. So, I’m going to pick up some glucose tabs tomorrow, and see if they make a difference. If I have trouble after that, and just can’t do it, perhaps this isn’t the diet for me. I’ll keep you posted.