Another Atkins starter - with questions

M

*Michael*

Silver Member
Hi All :)

My name's Michael and I've just started the Atkins diet. I actually started out a week ago on the Dukan Diet but found it tooo restrictive!

I've got a couple of questions that I'd really like your opinions on if you don't mind - I've been an avid reader of this forum over the last week or so!

Because I was doing Dukan for a week (lost 7lb...OK but could do better), do you think I should count this as one week of the two week Atkins induction phase?

Like most people, I think breakfast is where I'll struggle most. Where do you guys get your protein mix from for shakes to make your own? I'd like to have a shake with some bacon or sausages. Do Tescos do a good low carb protein shake mix?

Thanks all and good job on all your successes.
 
Hi Michael and welcome, you'll love doing Atkins.

I haven't been on Dukan (well done on losing 7 lbs!) but I would probably start from scratch and call this week 1 of Induction. Depends how long you want to do Induction for - I have a shedload to lose so will be on Induction for months yet :D

Re protein shakes, I bought this one from Holland and Barrett - Holland and Barrett - 90 % Soya Protein Powder

It seemed about the lowest carb content I could find - 1.4carbs per 100g - but it's horrible! :D Haven't tried it with Splenda yet but it definitely needs something sweet added to it.

Instead I usually have some Debbie and Andrew garden herb sausages in the fridge so I can nibble on them if I'm not hungry or in a rush.

Enjoy - and ask away!

Susie
 
Just what susie said, count this as your first week of Atkins and do the 2 week induction.

Well done on losing 7lbs that's a great result.

You will love Atkins, it's less restrictive I think from what I've read.

Personally I would stay away from shakes for the first 2 weeks, but that's just me.

Good luck for this week.
 
Hi Susie, CoffeeLover,

Thanks for your replies. I agree - fresh start n all that! Also, I have to admit that I still find myself craving all manner of carbs so perhaps some additional discipline will do me good.

I also have to admit that I think the majority of the 7lb I 'lost' was water weight. Still, I think it was useful in getting me used to a different way of eating.

I didn't think about Holland and Barratt - thanks for the tip, though if it's as horrible as you say I might have to reconsider! ;)

Coffee, I can see what you mean. It's just for me that I'm always so hungry in the morning. I can never get going without some decent food in me but I leave for work about 7am so not in the mood for cooking/eating too much early on - protein shake might help fill the gap.

I'm interested - how did your friends/work colleagues react when you started doing Atkins? Perhaps coz I'm a man I'm a bit wary of getting a ribbing if I tell them I'm dieting!

Great work on your losses so far - nearly 10% a piece - good inspiration!
 
I just don't say to anyone anymore. It's so normal in america to do atkins and low carb, but not so much here. I just bring a salad for lunch at work and everyone is used to that. Also knorr make pouches of stock that have almost no carbs, so you could make soup. Look up the MIM thread (muffin in a minute thread on here) although I cook mine for 2 min. I use a tupperware lid and make a savory MIM looks just like a dark bread so you could bring that to work. Beware the MIM's if your not used to eating flax can make you bloated (maybe just me) so just drink lots of water if your eating one.
 
For breakfast, what about making up an omelette and heating it up at work? I never feel hungry first thing in the morning but if I don't eat, I'm ravenous by 10am.

I'm like Coffee, I just say I'm doing low carb and people don't blink an eyelid. Funny that they are happy to believe the Daily Mail type "horror stories" - but we know it works :clap:

There are also a few blokes on here - and Jim is the daddy! Read his Q&A thread, it's amazing - especially for me, in terms of how far I have to go to reach target.

I think the key (for me, at least) is being realistic - I don't always drink my 2 litres of water, I've sometimes had too much alcohol when I shouldn't have and I'm not doing much exercise.:party0036:

I just don't beat myself up about it and the weight is coming off, and a lot faster than I put it on, so I'm happy :D

Susie
 
Hey Lady,

That's a good idea. I might also do a couple of sausages as well for a mid-morning snack. Don't you just hate that feeling when you can't concentrate because you're hungry?

Yeah I think I'll just say I'm watching what I'm eating. I just can't really be bothered with the predictable ribbing I'll get. Yeah I've read Jim's thread - some really good stuff in there, as well as this forum generally.

What do you think about Subway Salad Boxes for worktime lunchtime? It's just like a Subway without the bread (and sweet sauce of course!) Ham, lettuce, green pepper, olives, chillis, onion, cucumber. Easy to make of course..but even easier to buy :)

Also if being realistic means losing 29lb like yourself then I'm all for that!
 
LOL thanks :)

Re the Subway lunchbox - ham can vary wildly in carb content, so you need to watch that, especially on Induction, when you only have 20 carbs a day. Most bought stuff is also usually laden with salt and preservatives...so how about this for some things you can prepare the night before?

- tuna salad - drain a can of tuna, boil a couple of eggs and quarter, add some iceberg lettuce and 6 black olives, drizzle with olive oil and some lemon juice and a squeeze of mayo
- fried bacon, avocado and cherry tomatoes
- roast lamb and feta salad - put chopped up roast lamb in one microwave dish, in another chuck 50g feta, handful of cucumber, 5 cherry tomatoes and douse with oil and/or mayo. Heat up the lamb, add to the salad and Bob's your uncle
- cheesburger pie (quick version) - fry mince, pour three beaten eggs over, add dried herbs and grated cheese and fry like frittata, delish heated up!

If all else fails, find the nearest cafe and have a big plate of bacon and eggs :D

Susie
 
Good point on the carbs in ham.

All your salad ideas sound delish, chef! Haven't got much in the way of salad in at the mo so tomorrow's lunch might be quite meat heavy.

What do you think to bacon, maybe a low carb sausage as well, rocket, celery, olives, radishes and some cream cheese? Not the perfect mix I know!

Where I work there's a canteen that does bacon, sausages and eggs but I'm not sure of the carb contents in them. I'm betting they're not low...
 
Sossies can be v high in carbs (full of husks and yucky stuff, even the posh ones) but bacon and eggs are good. Some people get concerned about the nitrates in bacon but I've found it impossible to source nitrate free bacon that doesn't cost the earth - and anyway, to me the health benefits of losing weight outweigh any risks.

For low carb sossies, look at the Low Carb Contest thread - it lists our favourite low carb food. Also check out the What are we eating today? thread - you'll see we've abandoned the traditional ways of eating, especially for breakfast - eg meat and salad! I personally like bacon and eggs for breakfast most days so I can use the green leafy allowance for lunch and dinner.

As to your suggestion for lunch tomorrow - if the mixture tastes good, then it's all good :)

Susie
 
hi michael, well done on choosing this eating plan, it really works, is satisfying, is real food, and tasty food, that can sometimes feel very naughty!
i think my philosophies must be the same as lady f's.....i don't always manage the water, i drink wine, exercise is only by gardening etc, but the weight is coming off, snail pace but off.
i also leave for work early, too early to eat a full breakfast, but its too long to wait for break time at work. so i have some ff yoghurt with ground almonds mixed in, then take either a couple of cooked sausages of half a mim for breaktime. salad for lunch, and for tea (12.5 hr shifts)i take some frozen veg in a tupperware box, microwave it, add a knob of butter and have it with some corned beef or whatever was for dinner the day before, i d eliberately cook extras for this purpose, pop them in the freezer. if i am still needing to pick when i get home i have a slice of cheese or a small packet of pork crackles. (with a wee glass of wine if inclined).

hth! :)
 
Hi Lady, Taz,

I actually bought the sausages after reading through some of the threads here - got some Black Farm ones from Tescos - says only 1g of carb per roughly 2 sausages. Think I can live with that! I spent ages on Friday looking at the carb counts on all the packages. I love how much info food now carries - so helpful (never thought that before).

I think tomorrow's breakfast will be 2 egg omelette with cheese and some bacon that I'm going to make this evening then just reheat as you guys suggestded.

Taz, can I eat yoghurt? I was looking round and they all seemed so high in carbs I skipped it and got some fromage frais and single cream instead (to go with some raspberries as a little treat :)) but i LOVE yoghurt! Any low carb yoghurt you can recommend?? I never thought of corned beef either - that'd be another excellent food to have on hand.

Oooh I'd love a glass of wine, delicious tasty wine. I've promised myself only a couple of vodkas if if I start seeing some loss. Yummy yummy wine... I think I'd definitely need one after a 12.5h shift!!

Cheers guys!
 
I'd love a glass of wine right now - but none in the house so will have a glass of water instead :(

Try Total 0% - 4 carbs per 100g. Taz and Bren, any other suggestions?
 
Haha thanks - never heard of that - at Supermarkets?

Can you not learn to love Vodka?! That's what I'm going to try and do...
 
hi michael, the yoghurt, i'm not entirely sure, but i buy the full fat (ff) greek stuff in a large tub, and just have a couple of dessert spoonfulls the days i am working, and it doesn't seem to be doing any harm.
the cream, tesco's extra thick dble in big tubs is £1 atm, and better than the single, a tub lasts ages, and there are 2 people in this house doing atkins.
the corned beef, tesco again fresh cabinet, 0 carbs, £1.07 for the pack, also good for snacks, spread it with ff cream cheese, like a sarnie. yum!

and no i cant learn to love vodka.....gin i like though!
 
Oh I like the corned beef sarnie idea Taz - I'm buying loads of corned beef atm.
 
Yeah I didn't think about corned beef either. Would be a really handy snack!

Yeah I saw the double cream! I like cream but I don't like really creamy if that makes sense - I'm more of a semi-skimmed kinda guy...

How important do you think it is to be under 20g per day? I'm going to try and stay under 20 but just wondering how flexible the 20g thing is in induction. Does a couple grams over really hurt? like max 25g?

Thanks :)
 
Hi Michael just wanted to welcome you onboard you're getting some great advice and support from the others so not much I can add. I moved from Dukan too and thank goodness I am losing faster and eating better and tastier food I'm sure you'll love it.
Re the 20g in your last question my advice would be to stick to 20g as close as you can at least for your induction.
Enjoy!
 
Hey Flutter, thanks for the welcome! I love how supportive everyone is here.

How come you jumped ship from Dukan as well? So glad to hear you're getting better results from Atkins than Dukan! I hope to join you. It just still feels so wrong eating fried food to lose weight!
 
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