Anyone on Atkins?

[hockeygal54]

Have to get on some kind of wagon soon. Logged in @ 190 today. That sucks! I feel so much better with high pro/low carb diet and certainly my blood sugar rejects that too. Just can't get my head in the game. I'm going on NE/Canada cruise in Oct and sure would like to be 30-40# lighter.

 

 

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[Seago2]

Have to get on some kind of wagon soon. Logged in @ 190 today. That sucks! I feel so much better with high pro/low carb diet and certainly my blood sugar rejects that too. Just can't get my head in the game. I'm going on NE/Canada cruise in Oct and sure would like to be 30-40# lighter.

 

 

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I swear- in my experience this way of eating either "sticks" or it doesn't. If I go on Atkins (as I have repeatedly, to good success, as you can see if you go WAYYY back in this thread) I have to stick it out, because if I torpedo it with high carbs I can't make it stick again for a year or more. My body simply does not have the willpower to go through the first three days/week/2 weeks more than once every year or two. I then end up going on and off Atkins every single day for a week, starting out with bacon and eggs and ending up with cupcakes, feeling absolutely terrible about myself. That's why I am so compliant right now- I know if I mess around that's it for me for a year or more. Last time I did it I transitioned from Atkins to Primal/Paleo when I couldn't hack Atkins any more. That's my Plan B right now.

 

Good luck to you. You can do it. That's a very realistic goal.

 

This is probably why some days you only want cheese! I have read on the 'Bulletproof paleo site' & have seen Dave Asprey on tv featuring his version of this coffee - with grass fed butter & MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil or coconut oil & versions of this. I have tried coffee w/ butter & it actually does fill you up & somewhat 'kill' the appetite for a good portion of the day...however, I am a coffee purist most of the time - I love my one cup in the morning black & strong in my french press & one in the mid afternoon or a latte steamed w/ heavy cream:p

 

Might be good to have once or twice a week for me tho...glad it's working for you & congrats on your amazing success!

 

Thank you! Yes I love Asprey but hello: obsessive much? :p If I had to source the kind of coffee he recommends I would go crazy. I tried the butter in my coffee and no way. Maybe because it wasn't grass fed Kerrygold. Honestly, with a lot of these paleo people who recommend grass fed everything, organic everything, no FODMAPS, etc etc etc- if I pay too much attention I end up giving up entirely.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Seago2

[Seago2]

Bear with me as I try to attach two pictures of myself, one on the Glory last July and one yesterday...

 

Nice! Upside down.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Seago2

[Seago2]

This is last July. Glory. If this doesn't work I give up.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Seago2

[Seago2]

Let's see if this is nicely, conveniently upside down. Me yesterday. Honest to god I give up with posting pics on CC.

[yarlenna]

This was the first week - and for me, I lost 4 pounds. Yes, I still miss carbs, but I am not starving. I just hope that this works.

[uniongal]

You are doing great!

[qosmo8]

This is probably why some days you only want cheese! I have read on the 'Bulletproof paleo site' & have seen Dave Asprey on tv featuring his version of this coffee - with grass fed butter & MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil or coconut oil & versions of this. I have tried coffee w/ butter & it actually does fill you up & somewhat 'kill' the appetite for a good portion of the day...however, I am a coffee purist most of the time - I love my one cup in the morning black & strong in my french press & one in the mid afternoon or a latte steamed w/ heavy cream:p

 

Might be good to have once or twice a week for me tho...glad it's working for you & congrats on your amazing success!

 

MCT has been around for years and better than coconut oil for just straight losing weight imho. Low/slow carbs and moderate exercise should help to shed pounds. Try supplements like gtf chromium, cinnamon, alpha lipoic acid, bitter melon, yerba mate, Rhodiola rosea Root, Fenugreek......just my 2c..google:)

[cerabella]

MCT has been around for years and better than coconut oil for just straight losing weight imho. Low/slow carbs and moderate exercise should help to shed pounds. Try supplements like gtf chromium, cinnamon, alpha lipoic acid, bitter melon, yerba mate, Rhodiola rosea Root, Fenugreek......just my 2c..google:)

 

 

Yes, & thanks for the info! I have been using a splash of NOW brand MCT oil in my smoothie several times a week for some time now - maybe a year or so. I have to be careful w/ the amt because it can cause some digestive disturbance...may just be this brand...

 

Ironically enough, today on the local 6 o'clock news, there was a piece about coffee, grass fed butter & MCT oil...maybe it was on Dr Oz today too? IDK...just thought the timing was just spot on! ;)

[qosmo8]

Yes, & thanks for the info! I have been using a splash of NOW brand MCT oil in my smoothie several times a week for some time now - maybe a year or so. I have to be careful w/ the amt because it can cause some digestive disturbance...may just be this brand...

 

Ironically enough, today on the local 6 o'clock news, there was a piece about coffee, grass fed butter & MCT oil...maybe it was on Dr Oz today too? IDK...just thought the timing was just spot on! ;)

 

Yup i have heard that too much can be lil upsetting but thats with all things lol. I think the diet your referring to is called bulletproof, i've heard of it but never tried it.

[skiiergirl]

Need ideas for low-carb....NON-egg breakfast. Doctor has Mr Ski on South Beach /Atkins type eating plan. He isn't overweight but dr wants to work on his sugar levels. He is a definite sugarholic. He is tired of eggs for breakfast...and sugar free jello for dessert. So first concern is eggless breakfast to give him some variety. Second request is low-carb dessert /treat ideas.

[sherilyn70]

Breakfast can be anything you like. Tuna salad or chicken if that's what you like. What did he eat before going low carb? I love spinach and mushrooms, stuff a portobello mushroom with spinach and cream cheese and broil. Top it off with a little Parmesan cheese.

 

For sweets I always loved cream cheese blended with peanut butter or a little bit of sugar free puding mix. There are some good low carb ice creams out there, top them with berries or sugar free chocolate melted down with a little cream and butter to make it into a sauce.

 

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Edited July 11, 2014 by sherilyn70

[skiiergirl]

Breakfast can be anything you like. Tuna salad or chicken if that's what you like. What did he eat before going low carb? I love spinach and mushrooms, stuff a portobello mushroom with spinach and cream cheese and broil. Top it off with a little Parmesan cheese.

 

For sweets I always loved cream cheese blended with peanut butter or a little bit of sugar free puding mix. There are some good low carb ice creams out there, top them with berries or sugar free chocolate melted down with a little cream and butter to make it into a sauce.

 

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Thanks for the info. Lol...he loved eggs until he "had" to eat them. Wanted eggs every morning until he "had" to eat them. I am game for eating non-breakfast foods for breakfast....but not him. I think it isn't that he is "tired of eggs" like he says but more that he misses the hash browns and toast/biscuits and jelly to go with them. Lol. Will try the peanut butter and cream cheese. Had not thought of that. Unfortunately he can't do ice cream because of lactose. he can eat cheese until the cows come home but can't do milk or ice cream.

[cerabella]

Unfortunately he can't do ice cream because of lactose. he can eat cheese until the cows come home but can't do milk or ice cream.

 

 

Perhaps Mr skiier would enjoy a 'smoothie'? You could make a version w/ protein powder, a scoop of Greek yougurt, full fat cream cheese, coconut milk, a few berries of choice...or any combo...even adding water/ice...sometimes I throw a Tb of nut butter in...YMMV but it could be breakfast & or dessert!

 

Of course, w/ mine I add everything but the kitchen sink...some spinach, kale, &/or shredded cabbage, a chunk of beet, celery, cucumber...several walnuts/almonds...anything low carb :)

[skiiergirl]

Perhaps Mr skiier would enjoy a 'smoothie'? You could make a version w/ protein powder, a scoop of Greek yougurt, full fat cream cheese, coconut milk, a few berries of choice...or any combo...even adding water/ice...sometimes I throw a Tb of nut butter in...YMMV but it could be breakfast & or dessert!

 

Of course, w/ mine I add everything but the kitchen sink...some spinach, kale, &/or shredded cabbage, a chunk of beet, celery, cucumber...several walnuts/almonds...anything low carb :)

 

Thanks.

[qosmo8]

For sweets I always loved cream cheese blended with peanut butter or a little bit of sugar free puding mix.

 

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wait, what cream cheese, peanut butter and pudding mix your a wild one aint cha seriously it sounds great and here i was gonna say a shot of chocolate redi whip hits the spot, but yours sounds much better :D

[cerabella]

Here is one more thing - has anyone else seen the yummy sounding recipe for the baked egg in the avocado half? I'll see if I can hunt up the details & post later...

 

I was surfing the internet & saw a recipe for baked eggs in avacado & remembered this post from back in Feb... I never did follow up - soo bad about that - but saw this recipe again today

Baked Eggs in Avocado

Crack egg into pitted avocado half

sprinkle w/ salt, pepper, cooked crumbled bacon (opt)

bake 300*F 15 min

 

This sounds like something DH & I would enjoy for a change. BTW, I do use 1/4 to 1/2 avocado in my smoothies from time to time also!

[cerabella]

Are there any l/c peeps still out there? I have a cruise planned in 30 days & am kinda disappointed I have become so complacent w/ my WOE...I had a few hiccups & it's just hard to reel myself in...but I have been exercising more the past week or so & really watching what I eat... I just don't seem to bounce back like I did when I was a young chick...hmmm...:rolleyes:

 

Well, here's to hoping everyone is having a great healthy fun summer!

[Seago2]

I'm still here! Pretty much transitioned to paleo at this point- eating fruit. Lost 70 pounds since the end of the last cruise last July 31. Hang in there! Don't know how much you can accomplish in 30 days without gaining it back on the cruise- you might want to just do some strength training and walking and plan your strategy for the day after you disembark (and some good strategies so you don't go hog wild on board).

 

Btw everyone, excellent podcast: Paleo Lifestyle and Fitness.

 

Excellent book: The Paleo Coach- OMG read this. It really sets your head straight about doing this for health, not as a "diet" for appearance's sake.

[Rocknsoul]

Are there any l/c peeps still out there? I have a cruise planned in 30 days & am kinda disappointed I have become so complacent w/ my WOE...I had a few hiccups & it's just hard to reel myself in...but I have been exercising more the past week or so & really watching what I eat... I just don't seem to bounce back like I did when I was a young chick...hmmm...:rolleyes:

 

Well, here's to hoping everyone is having a great healthy fun summer!

 

Still here & never left the bandwagon, but still watching my weight creep up. I run, bike, swim, even throw P90X in there...Got my thyroid checked & it's fine. Triglyceride count is about as low as it can be; BP great, cholesterol superior. Blood sugar has gone up--duh.

 

I can't lower my carbs any more than they already are. I've added fat to no avail. Strips showing ketosis, but no weight coming off. In doing research, it looks like the only explanation is the change coming on...I can't tell for sure because of prior surgeries, but the symptoms are all there. I just figured I had a few more years! So, I'm finding that thermogenic supplementation seems to be the only path--or adding another hour of workouts per day! School starts in 1.5 weeks, so I'll have a little extra time during the day & we'll all be waking up at 5:30 again. It's hard to be motivated to wake up at 5 when the rest of the house is sleeping. I work from home so it's all about discipline right now.

 

Our cruise isn't until December, but I have a conference in Singapore the last week of August. I'd really hate to not be able to wear cool clothing with confidence in that hot weather. Although I don't know how much hotter it could be than August in Memphis, right???

 

Seago2: 70 pounds, wow!!! How awesome is that! You should submit your story to the Atkins website.

 

I have to keep reminding myself that I'm thin where it counts...on the inside. :o I feel like all the work I'm doing is just keeping me from becoming obese. I sure would love to be my best weight, but most of my clothes fit. My knees would appreciate 10 or 20 pounds lighter, and my speed would increase too. The most frustrating part is that my elderly parents have been losing a bunch on weight watchers & they're pretty sedentary. So happy for them, but grrrr. I have to sit every Sunday morning & watch them eat doughnuts with my kids while they show off how loose their clothes are getting.:(

[sherilyn70]

Still here & never left the bandwagon, but still watching my weight creep up. I run, bike, swim, even throw P90X in there...Got my thyroid checked & it's fine. Triglyceride count is about as low as it can be; BP great, cholesterol superior. Blood sugar has gone up--duh.

 

I can't lower my carbs any more than they already are. I've added fat to no avail. Strips showing ketosis, but no weight coming off.

How many calories are you consuming? How many carbs? have you list any inches while gaining weight? Are you eating lots of veggies like you should be? The contents and make up of what you eat can have a massive impact on how you lose or don't lose. I found years ago I had to eat 40 carbs and 1800 calories a day (with no exercise) or I would slow down on the loss drastically. Under eating is every bit as bad as over eating.

 

 

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[Seago2]

Rocknsoul- I've been reading a lot about chronic cardio and how it can make you hold on to fat. I've taken my exercise to walking (a lot) and ten minutes on the rower three times a week- period. I was stuck in the mid 180's for six weeks. I mean stuuuuuuuck. I finally gave up the fight, stopped trying to get my carbs into super low levels (I was in ketosis the whole time) and added in sweet potatoes and fruits. Ten pounds flew off in a week. Seriously, try getting the Paleo Coach on Amazon. I've changed my whole way of thinking.

[cerabella]

Still here & never left the bandwagon, but still watching my weight creep up.

 

I have to keep reminding myself that I'm thin where it counts...on the inside. :o I feel like all the work I'm doing is just keeping me from becoming obese. I sure would love to be my best weight, but most of my clothes fit. My knees would appreciate 10 or 20 pounds lighter, and my speed would increase too. The most frustrating part is that my elderly parents have been losing a bunch on weight watchers & they're pretty sedentary. So happy for them, but grrrr. I have to sit every Sunday morning & watch them eat doughnuts with my kids while they show off how loose their clothes are getting.:(

 

You mirror my sentiments exactly...perhaps it is because I am in my early 50's...I can look around @ most of my relatives & see they struggle w/ weight...unlike your parents on weight watchers (though it would take much more than loose clothes to get me to eat a doughnut - yuck!!):p

 

I had a trip to an oral surgeon recently & he mentioned how great my blood pressure was & I seemed to be fit & whatever I was doing, keep it up...but one question on the form was -' have you gained or lost 10 lbs in the last year' & for the first time in a long time...I had to check yes...(as in gained...) Booo!:(

 

Seago - As with most of us here, this really is a lifestyle & I can't imagine returning to the 'Standard American Diet'...& I agree 100% Paleo is very similar/interchangeable w/ Atkins...at least it makes sense to me, unlike so many other plans!

 

I rarely gain more than 2 or 3 lbs on cruises because we're active & I don't deviate much from plan bar a treat here & there. & really, it's not about losing for the cruise, other than to feel my best...(maybe a 30 day shred!!!) Ha!

 

 

[Rocknsoul]

Thanks for the responses. I've tried many things, believe me. Part of what made the weight come on initially was taking steroids for my asthma. I expected it to come off when I stopped taking them, which led me to the other tests when it didn't. I'm a voracious researcher & will read anything I can get my hands on about what to do. I won't give up, even though sometimes I get frustrated enough to want to.

 

How many calories are you consuming? How many carbs? have you list any inches while gaining weight? Are you eating lots of veggies like you should be? The contents and make up of what you eat can have a massive impact on how you lose or don't lose. I found years ago I had to eat 40 carbs and 1800 calories a day (with no exercise) or I would slow down on the loss drastically. Under eating is every bit as bad as over eating.

 

In order: the same as I always have, between 1800-2200, which admittedly may not be enough on some days--but I'm definitely satiated & wonder how I could add food without busting a gut; between 20-50 per day, depending on what I eat; no; yes.

 

I researched undereating about a year ago. I still have the odd day that I get too busy & forget to eat & suddenly I'm shaky and irritable. I'm really trying to not do that.

 

So did any of your weight loss occur during perimenopause? Did you find that you had to do anything differently?

 

Rocknsoul- I've been reading a lot about chronic cardio and how it can make you hold on to fat. I've taken my exercise to walking (a lot) and ten minutes on the rower three times a week- period. I was stuck in the mid 180's for six weeks. I mean stuuuuuuuck. I finally gave up the fight, stopped trying to get my carbs into super low levels (I was in ketosis the whole time) and added in sweet potatoes and fruits. Ten pounds flew off in a week. Seriously, try getting the Paleo Coach on Amazon. I've changed my whole way of thinking.

 

I do eat sweet potatoes & berries, though not everyday. I hear you about the cardio, I've read the same thing--but there's no other way to train for races than to train for them.:p That's why I'm thinking I need to add more weight lifting. I don't want to stop racing, I really enjoy it.

 

As far as the Paleo Coach, about a year & a half ago I read a book by a highly successful coach who follows Paleo, but for distance athletes he recommended carb-loading for races. That was a disaster for me & even before I began taking steroids, I had already gained weight following his advice. I'm finding that racing in ketosis is the best way for me to keep up my stamina. Coming out of ketosis for a race makes me bonk. I'll look into the book you suggested, see if I can find it at a library & see if it says something different. The Art and Science of Low-Carb Living and Performance books have really helped me as far as my races go. They consider 50 grams low enough for an athlete.

[Rocknsoul]

You mirror my sentiments exactly...perhaps it is because I am in my early 50's...I can look around @ most of my relatives & see they struggle w/ weight...unlike your parents on weight watchers (though it would take much more than loose clothes to get me to eat a doughnut - yuck!!):p

 

I had a trip to an oral surgeon recently & he mentioned how great my blood pressure was & I seemed to be fit & whatever I was doing, keep it up...but one question on the form was -' have you gained or lost 10 lbs in the last year' & for the first time in a long time...I had to check yes...(as in gained...) Booo!:(

 

LOL on the doughnut--yeah, the only one that really tempts me is the lemon-filled. That and a bavarian cream. But thinking about eating a whole one (or both) makes me queasy.

 

I will say that there are days I really wish I could eat as many potatoes, pasta, rice, cake...as I wanted. Oh well. I figure when I'm 80 I'll go there. Maybe 85. :p

 

It's good to know I'm not alone! Honestly, many of my friends think I'm a little nuts--they admire my commitment to fitness but have no idea the work it takes for me to stay in shape. Almost my entire family on my Dad's side struggles mightily with obesity. Type 1 Diabetes is rampant on that side. I know that if it weren't for discovering Atkins, I would, without exaggeration, weigh 300 pounds without blinking. So in the midst of my whining about everything happening right now, I do realize it could be a lot worse. I'm just a hair over a normal BMI & although my body fat % is high for me, I know a lot of women would be happy to trade mine for theirs in a second.

 

Just being an athlete my whole life, I'm not ready to give it up yet. I want to be the best I can be & avoid injury in the meantime. I also refuse to take hormones, I have a major family history of breast cancer & I'm already having to have biopsies done myself.

 

I appreciate all the thoughts, guys. I'll keep you posted on any adjustments & anything that might work.

Edited July 24, 2014 by Rocknsoul