Lowcarbfriend

I am looking forward to making friends and learning more about the low carb diet.

ok so weather you found it on an informercial or just at blockbuster..
I’m looking into expanding my exercise library because its alot cheaper to get a workout dvd (from ebay or just renting it for a week, or from the library) then joining the gym for me right now..
So I wanted to start a list of everyone fav dvd’s, why you like it, and what its good for..

the only ones I have right now are
Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred (its kick ass a good overall workout)
and Callanetics 10 years younger in 10 hours (great exercise, and great for relaxing and releaving stress)

does anyone know if i can change my user name?

if so, how is it done?

thanks

I’ve cut back on my cream cheese intake because I was taking in waay too much, but I still occasionally buy it for recipes. I noticed today that the store brand was $1 while the name brand was just under $3!!! I brought them home and did a taste test. I couldn’t tell the difference. Then I noticed the store brand was 2 carbs/serving, while name brand was only 1 carb/serving.
What’s your take? Save a couple of bucks and have a few extra carbs?
This may be silly…but I am realizing how everything adds up. (I mean both monetarily and carb-wise lol)

Subj: RE:{Atkins#254-055}Slow Weight Loss and Plateaus: Supplements
Date: 3/30/2003 6:01:15 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: stevia. Be sure to count each packet of any of these as one gram of carbs.
10. Avoid coffee, tea and soft drinks that contain caffeine. Excessive caffeine has been shown to cause low blood sugar, which can make you crave sugar.

11. Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day to hydrate your body, avoid constipation, and flush out the by-products of burning fat.

There are a number of dos and don’ts you must adhere to for successful weight loss.

You must:

Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of pure water daily. This can be filtered, mineral or spring water (not seltzer). You may also have unlimited amounts of herbal tea (without sugar), but these do not count toward your total of eight glasses.

Drink only decaffeinated coffee and tea and use only acceptable sweeteners (see below).
Treat aspartame (NutraSweet® or Equal®) with caution. Avoid whenever possible. This includes products sweetened with these ingredients, such as diet sodas and diet Jell-O. Instead use sucralose, (Splenda®) or saccharin (Sweet’n Low™).

Check labels on other products that purport to be low- or controlled carb.

When eating out, be careful you’re not consuming "hidden" carbohydrates in sauces or breaded products. Tell your waiter that you would like your food prepared free of sugar, flour and cornstarch.

At a minimum, take a good daily multivitamin with minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium, but without iron.

Unless you are physically unable to do so, exercise every day, even if it’s just a walk around the block. This is an important part of the program in all phases and will certainly increase the rate at which you lose weight. That’s because exercise not only causes you to burn calories, it also accelerates your metabolism.

You can:

Have a snack of a permissible food an hour or two after a meal if you wish.

You must not:

Overeat. You may have heard that you can eat as much as you desire of the acceptable foods. No so. Stuff yourself with steaks and cheeseburgers, and some of that protein will convert to glucose in your body. Instead, simply eat the amount that allows you to feel satisfied.

Drink alcohol in any form.

Use more than three packets of sucralose (Splenda) daily. (More and more products are being made with Splenda so if you use any, don’t forget to include those grams in your tally.)

Cheat. It takes two to three days for the body to switch from burning carbohydrates (in the form of glucose) to fat burning. One cheat and you’re back to a glucose-burning metabolism, and you can lose the effects of two or three days of fat burning.

You must not eat any of the following:

Sugar (in any form, including corn syrup, honey and maple syrup)

Milk or yogurt (cream is allowed in limited amounts)

Fruit and fruit juice

Flour products (breads, pasta, crackers, etc.)

Grains or cereals

Beans and legumes

Starchy or high-sugar vegetables (potatoes, yams, corn, peas, parsnips, beets, carrots)
Sweet condiments (such as most ketchups, barbeque sauce and balsamic vinegar)
French dressing, Thousand Island dressing (check labels for carb count)

Cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese and other fresh cheeses

Nuts and seeds

Here is a detailed list from Dr. Atkins regarding slow weight loss and plateaus:

First, recognize that there may not be a problem at all. Different people will respond to Atkins differently; some consistently lose weight while others do so in stages. Don’t watch the scale and become overly concerned with short-term results. Also, make sure your expectations of weight loss are realistic. Atkins is designed to lead you to your natural ideal weight. For many people, that may still be more than they wish to weigh. We strongly recommend that you manage your expectations in a real and healthy way.

Second, remember that success on Atkins should always be measured by more than just the scale. Consider the following questions and think about how they apply to your experience on Atkins:

Are you experiencing more energy and vitality throughout the day?

Are your clothes fitting you better?

Are you experiencing less between meal cravings and hunger?

Have your blood tests improved?

Are you still losing weight, but just at a much slower pace?

Have you lost inches in your body measurements?

Continue to stick with it, modifying it as you go along to make it work for you, and you will continue to see suitable health enhancing results.

Given all of the above, there are a number of key factors that may inhibit a person’s ability to have success on a controlled carb program like Atkins. Listed below are the difficulties people experience most frequently:

Consuming Too Many Carbohydrates

It’s amazing how frequently this is the source of most people’s problems. Some people can get away with higher carb consumption and still experience success on Atkins, but many (especially those who are overweight to begin with), need to be more vigilant in keeping carbs controlled.

Check to make sure you are completely aware of all the sources of carbohydrates you may be eating. For example, lemon juice, excess vegetables, and low fat substitute products can contain those few carbs that could disrupt your success. Keep a complete food diary for a few days to see exactly what you are consuming. You may be surprised, Also, even if you think you’ve caught every carbohydrate, check the ingredients on any processed food you are eating (if a serving size contains less than 1 gram of carbs, it can be listed as 0 carbs. If you are consuming a lot of this product, the hidden carbs can add up fast.)

If you’ve done a full investigation and believe you’ve caught all the carbs, try a week at a lower carb level (e.g. If you’re on an Ongoing Weight Loss Level, go back to Induction) to see if that might restart your success.

Overeating

While it is true that calorie counting is not necessary on Atkins, this is not a license to gorge yourself at every meal. The Atkins Nutritional Approach is most effective when you eat until you are satisfied, not until you can’t eat another bite or you’ll explode. Also, try eating slower to allow your body to signal when it is full before you overeat. Think about this over the next week and see if it helps you to start/restart your weight loss.

Undereating

Just as overeating can cause your body to resist weight loss, so can undereating. If you’re hungry, eat; if you’re starving, you should have eaten 30 minutes ago.

Trying To Do A "Low-Fat" Version of the Atkins Nutritional Approach

Some people with very fast metabolisms can get away with this and experience success on Atkins. However, for most, it will inhibit your weight loss and keep you hungrier throughout the day and thus more susceptible to sugar/carb cravings.

Nutritional Deficiencies Caused By Previous Diets

Many people who have been on a diet high in sugar and other refined carbohydrates, as well as low in fat (which is almost everybody) prior to beginning Atkins, will have nutritional deficiencies that may not be fully addressed by the Atkins Nutritional Approach. Readers of Dr. Atkins’ books know that he is a firm believer in nutritional supplementation. His key recommendations for everyone include a broad-based multi-vitamin program (preferably not a "one-a-day", but one consumed through the day for optimal absorption) and an essential fatty acid formula (which can boost your metabolism and enhance fat burning). For additional supplementation, refer to Dr. Atkins’ books including his latest Vita-Nutrients Solution to develop a program that meets your specific needs.

Medications

Virtually all medications will inhibit weight loss to some degree, with prescription medications being the most problematic. For more information on this subject, please review the questions concerning medications.

Yeast Overgrowth/Candida Condition

Re-read the yeast chapter in New Diet Revolution, and go on a yeast/fermentation-free version of Atkins (e.g. no cheese, vinegar, mushrooms, etc.) for two weeks to see if that precipitates weight loss.

Food Intolerances

Re-read the chapter on food intolerances in New Diet Revolution.

Lack of Exercise

While Atkins doesn’t require you to kill yourself on the treadmill or in an aerobic class everyday to see results, the importance of regular exercise can’t be overlooked. Make sure you are engaged in some form of exercise at least three times a week, or as directed by your doctor. If you can increase that to four or five times a week, all the better. You will definitely see the results on Atkins if you increase your exercise routine.

Lack of Proper Water Consumption

If you’re not drinking enough water, your body is operating inefficiently. An inefficient body will not respond as well to weight loss efforts. Basically, by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Do yourself and your body a favor and drink at least 8 glasses of water a day (preferably filtered), and more if possible. You may go to the bathroom more, but your body will love you for it. Note: This means water, not decaf coffee, tea, diet soda or anything else that may include water but is not water.

Low body Temperature

This would indicate a possible sluggish thyroid. Refer to New Diet Revolution for how this can impact weight loss and how you can test for this condition in your own home.

Consumption of Artificial Sweeteners

For many people, products such as aspartame and saccharin are not a problem, especially when consumed at low to moderate levels (remember that all sweetener packets contain a gram of carbs). However, some people can experience a weight loss impasse from these products. For many Atkins followers, these products have been a "necessary evil", since they are better than giving into sugar cravings. Our advice: If you are having trouble losing weight on Atkins, refrain from these artificial sweeteners for a week to see if it helps.

Consider trying Stevia, a natural product that people use as a sweetener. Sucralose, recently approved by the FDA and used safely for years in countries throughout the world (many of which ban the use of aspartame), may solve the problem for all Atkins followers. We do not believe it will cause weight loss impasses for any Atkins followers, and are now using it as the sweetener in all Advantage Bars, cheesecakes and other Atkins food products.

If you have reviewed all of the above and are still having problems, consider coming to The Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine as a patient or schedule a Telephone Nutritional Consultation (TNC), For information please call 1-888-ATKINS-8 and ask for the New Patients Department.

We hope this information will be helpful to you. If you still need further assistance, please feel free to e-mail us again, or contact our Customer Support Department by phone at 1-800-6-ATKINS, Monday – Thursday 8 am to 7pm EST and Friday 8am to 6 pm EST. If you are calling from outside the U.S. and Canada, please reach us at 631.738.7370.

Customer Support
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.
1-800-2-ATKINS
The instructions and advice presented in this email are in no way intended as medical advice or as a substitute for medical counseling. The information should be used in conjunction with the guidance and care of your physician. Consult your physician before beginning this program as you would any weight-loss or weight-maintenance program. Your physician should be aware of all medical conditions that you may have, as well as any medication and supplements you are taking. Those of you on diuretics or diabetes medication should proceed only under a doctor’s supervision. As with any plan, the weight-loss phases of this nutritional plan should not be used by patients on dialysis or by pregnant or nursing women.

Visit Atkins <http://www.atkinscenter.com> Online to learn more about the Atkins Nutritional Approach, find delicious controlled carb recipes, participate in live chats, read testimonials about success with Atkins, and browse our Online Store!

—–Original Message—–
From: Sugarcookieladie@aol.com (Sugarcookieladie@aol.com)
Date: Thursday, March 27, 2003 10:53 AM
To: support@atkinssupport.com (support@atkinssupport.com)
Subject: Slow Weight Loss and Plateaus: Supplements

Hello,
I just completed my 4th week of the induction phase. This in not my first attempt at the Atkins plan. I have lost about and inch all over and only 9 pounds. I am excersing.
I just today started taking the Atkins Accel supplement to help get the ball rolling. I am also taking the basic #3, the essential oils, and the dieters advantage.

My question is this: Do I still continue with the dieters advantage, and do I take that with the accel? Both are said to be taken on an empty stomach 1 hour before a meal. I couldnt find any info on taking both of them together.

Thank you
Sarah

I’ve spent about 2 months on this wonderful site just absorbing information and reading all the boards. It’s helped me tremendously and so I decided that maybe I should be less voyeuristic and contribute something for a change.

Like many others, my struggle with obesity began many years ago in childhood. I grew up in a very, very strict European home where food was plentiful and bread was a main staple of our daily diet. It wasn’t uncommon for me to be given a banana and a big crusty roll with butter as a "snack" between meals.

By the time I was in the 9th grade I weighed 160 lbs on my 5′4" frame. High school is not the easiest place to be overweight and I tried diet after diet with limited success. I began a destructive cycle of secret bingeing coupled with near starvation. Food became my comfort and my enemy.

Two months after my 17th birthday I got married. I weighed 185 lbs and cried when I looked at my wedding pictures. The newfound freedom I had now to go where I wanted and eat everything that struck my fancy led to a weight gain of 100+ pounds over the next 11 years. I dreaded stepping on the scale at my doctor’s office for fear of the lecture I was sure to receive.

My weight yo-yo’d higher with each failed diet attempt. I tried the brick&mortar programs, low-fat diets, shakes, pills, starvation and all-juice diets. Nothing worked for long and it left me with nothing but a feeling of profound failure.

It took a toll on my marriage as well. My husband decided that he liked younger, thinner girls and took whatever opportunities he could to indulge himself in that respect.

We finally split late in 1997 and I convinced myself that I would never again be with someone who didn’t accept "all of me". Of course, depression and a sedentary lifestyle helped pack on another 25 lbs on my already overtaxed frame.

Last September I met a wonderful man who has become my lover, best friend and strength. He told me from the beginning that I was a beautiful person no matter what my weight. He’s never once made me feel like a lesser person because I don’t look like a magazine model.

When I told him in May of this year that I wanted to try and lose weight (again), he said "Sweetheart. Please don’t do it for me. If you want to lose weight, do it for yourself and your health. You know I love you no matter what, and I’ll always be here to support whatever decision you make."

Somehow, knowing that I have the love of this supportive, non-judgemental person is all the motivation I need to hang on when life seems hell-bent on breaking my willpower. His spirit keeps me going on days when I think that I can’t possibly carry on.

I began my low-carb WOL on May 15, 2004. To date I have lost a total of 51 pounds. It hasn’t been an easy journey. The first few days of "de-toxing" from my carb addiction were hell on both of us. Thankfully, my SO doesn’t ever complain about the lack of rice, potatoes or pasta on the dinner plates.

I don’t think that my story is all that inspiring, nor is it very unusual at all. But maybe someone out there might benefit from what I’ve learned about myself….

You can try to change how you feel about yourself on the outside all you like, but the real challenge lies with trying to change how you feel about yourself on the inside. Success lies with finally BELIEVING that YOU are WORTH the EFFORT.