Newbie with questions!

Hi guys,

I have decided to start on Atkins - it's the first time that I have tackled the weight problem which has slowly developed over the last five or so years since becoming a 'grown up' and settling down. I have no idea what I weigh (buying scales tomorrow ) so no idea of what I need to lose, just that I am a former size 12 in size 20 clothes :cry:. I am determined not to buy another pair of work trousers in a bigger size when I have so many in every size smaller already!

I have the book and have been trying my hardest to read it - I'm ploughing through why you should choose the diet and how it works but I have decided to do the diet already and think I know, although not quite understand, why it works! I just need to start now!!

Anyhow I have some questions which I am hoping you lovely folk can help with.

Are there any parts of the book I should really concentrate on, I am only skim reading it and not paying as much attention as I should! I only used to read the crib books at school as well

I am thinking about starting on Friday, an easier work day and then I have the weekend to settle in with it, able to pop to the shops if necessary without it just being easier to pop to the canteen and make rash purchases - does this sound like a good idea?

I LOVE cooking, half my problem really, and make almost everything from scratch. I do use tinned tomatos a lot - are they ever going to be part of my diet?

I gave up smoking at the begining of the year but still use approx four nicotine gums a day - they are sugar free but could they have any impact on the diet, is there anything I should look for on the packet?

Lastly (for now!) is there anything else I should be thinking about or make sure I have in preparation?

Thank you so much for reading and in advance for any answers. I really want to get this right and become happy and healthy!!

Hi Sparkles

Welcome to the board.
I would start by reading the stickies at the top of the forum, in particular this one http://www.minimins.com/atkins-diet/82208-so-youre-thinking-staring-atkins.html which is a really good start up guide.

The atkins webiste is also good, lots of recipes, a tracker and other useful tools.

I would say start whenever you feel you have the best chance to get the hang of it, Friday is probably a good day.

I use tin tomatoes in quite a few things, I have them for breakfast most days (about 2 tbspns), you just have to count the carbs in your 20 a day.
I cook everything from scratch too, there are some good recipes on here and a lot of things you used to cook you can probably adapt, or someone on here might have an idea.
There are some good threads to look out for, what are you eating today is a good one as you get a good idea of what everybody else eats on a daily basis.

Personally, I think there is one essential (and I am sure Chunka Malunka will agree with me) and that is the oopsie rolls, you will hear a lot about them. There is a whole thread all about how to make them and what you can do with them.

No idea about the gum sorry.

Good luck, and any more Qs, just ask away, the board will be busier tomorrow when everyone is back at work.

Thanks so much Alibongo - I have read all of the stickies and as many of the threads here as I can - I'm addicted to the 'what are you eating' thread. I know I will need to count a lot as I start, I'm thinking a little notebook of everything I eat and a spreadsheet when I get home - unfortunately I am that kind of person!

To be honest I am looking for the catch. The diet seems to be so suitable I am looking for why it won't work for me!! Can I really eat pork scratchings???

Thanks for the help, here's hoping for Friday!

PS I have already been speaking to my boyfriend about ooppsie rolls - I am not going to try them until I start but I can't wait! I love cooking and baking and look forward to experimenting with them! I am hoping I can turn them into mini pizzas

Hi sparkles,

My main advice is to plan ahead, make sure you're not caught short with nothing legal to eat or snack on. I'd have a look at the snack thread as well.

Hi sparkles, welcome to the boards.

Have you had a good read of the chapter on supplement pills? Personally I don't take anywhere near the amount recommended, but I would highly recommend that you at least get some potassium tablets. Without them I get terrible leg cramps in the night, apparently it is quite a common effect of the diet.

I also have no idea about the gum. Maybe you could ask your doctor or the manufacturer whether it affects insulin production or absorption rates, I think that's the only way it would affect a ketogenic diet.

Good luck with the diet.

Sparkles. said:

. . . I'm thinking a little notebook of everything I eat and a spreadsheet when I get home - unfortunately I am that kind of person!

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Lol, me too, I have a spreadsheet for my weight tracking, carb tracking, working out counts for food and recipes.
It's the techy in me, everything has to be computerised

Sparkles. said:

. . .
To be honest I am looking for the catch. The diet seems to be so suitable I am looking for why it won't work for me!! Can I really eat pork scratchings???

Thanks for the help, here's hoping for Friday!

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Yes, indeed pork scratchings are allowed, and essential!

Sparkles. said:

PS I have already been speaking to my boyfriend about ooppsie rolls - I am not going to try them until I start but I can't wait! I love cooking and baking and look forward to experimenting with them! I am hoping I can turn them into mini pizzas

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You can have them sweet, with fruit (after induction) and cream like a flan, sugar free maple syrup, savoury, like pizzas and pies, but I quite like them toasted with just a bit of butter to get me going in the morning. They are a life saver.


On the supplement thing, my DH suffered badly with cramps, as well as supplements, you can get potassium from lo salt and I also made him a veggie soup with all the high potassium veggies.
I haven't had the problem myself though, neither did my sister.
I have a batch of recipes to get on the recipe thread, I will put the soup on too, just in case anyone needs it.

thank you all so much for the answers, I'm looking forward to starting in a mad sort of way. This forum has been so helpful to me so far.

Boyfriend is out buying the scales at the moment and then I'll know what I am facing - very scared about what my BMI is going to be but just because I don't know what it is now doesn't make it any lower!!

Next stop drawing up a shopping list - I think I'll try and get some ketostix from ebay today should get delivered by the weekend. I guess I should test around Tuesday??

Hopefully I'll get a much better idea over the weekend of how much and what I want in the way of snacks (not sure I am going to be prepared to eat the pork scratchings in the office ) so I can make sure I take a good stock in. I have always fancied getting one of the bento lunchboxes - I might make that a treat after completing my first week.

Good luck!

good luck Sparkles, love your enthusiasm!

*AnnaMaria* said:

good luck Sparkles, love your enthusiasm!

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Thanks, the enthusiasm can now be put to good use as I have weighed in at 16st 3 (on the bright side this gave me a BMI of 39 so only obese and not morbidly so!!). At 5ft 6 I am going to set an overall target of 10st but I think I need to focus on some closer targets first! The good thing I can focus on a fairly achievable first target of getting into the 15s.

Once again thanks for everyone's help and support so far - I am sure I will need plenty more!

we'll be watching you.

It won't be long either. You will be thinner before the sun really comes out

Hello Sparkles! Wishing you all the best, let us know how you get on xx

Sparkles, I think smaller targets are the way to go for motivation. My overall goal is to get down to about 10 stone but taking it in nice little bite sized chunks is certainly better for motivation

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Spot on Laura, I didn't start saying I want to lose half my body weight, I took it a stone at a time, I never gave up even when I had the odd bad week and didn't lose. 2lbs a week slow and steady was my aim,sometimes it was only a lb some weeks I had a whooshie and lost 3 or 5 lbs.

right well my boiled eggs are cooling as we speak and I am ready to hit day one tomorrow. Firstly I think me and the boyfriend (someone who is thin regardless of what he eats) were both pleasantly surprised with how healthy the trolly looked today at the supermarket, lots of meat, some cream and a couple of bags of pork scratchings but loads and loads of green veg!!

For tomorrow I am planning; egg, ham and cheese for breakfast - although I never eat breakfast so not sure if I will eat all of this but I will take it in a box to work just in case, egg, cold meats, salad and a SF jelly for lunch, salmon brocolli and cabbage for dinner with pork scratchings for a snack.

I have no idea how I am going to feel and have made sure I have plenty of eggs, cheese, meats and cream just in case which is why I am pleased I am going to have the weekend to settle in and get a better idea of what I will be eating while I can pop to the shop and have my kitchen at my disposal.

I haven't set a profile or ticker up yet but at 5ft 6, 16st 3, size 20 and BMI of 39 my first stage goals are:

• complete week one (treat - purchase bento box)
• get into the 15sts
• be able to manage diet on day to day basis.

I am hoping to achieve all of these in the next 2-3 weeks and then I will look for more longer term goals.

I hope that I am approaching the diet correctly; checking all foods and ensuring that I eat no more than 20g carbs per day but eating freely outside of this. I will not be eating food not bought/prepared by me personally for the induction period to avoid eating any carbs unnecessarily - I was shocked by the carb values of some products in the s/market today

Still no ketostix, but I do have my vitamins - they do have iron in though, does this mean I shouldn't use them???

As ever feedback will be really, really welcome!!

Just wanted to wish you both the best of luck for your journey! It sounds like you've got it all sorted, very impressive! Hope you're first day goes ok tomorrow.. x

Looks good to me sparkles, breakfast is important, it starts the fat burning fires going.

Sparkles. said:

the boyfriend (someone who is thin regardless of what he eats)

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I have one of these too - don't they drive you barmy?!?

Sounds like you are well on course there, Sparkles. Don't let my temporary derangement spoil your PMA. I have already lost a stone with this WOE and still highly recommend it.

thanks for the support, day one has gone surprisingly well. I am not at all hungry and have managed not to touch a sip of coffee which I was worried I would miss.

Another question from me I'm afraid as I am worried that I am not doing the diet right - I am weighing everything out to measure the carb content but it seems too much - more than the three cups referred to in the sticky thread. Am I eating too much veg??

Thanks!