Atkins/Low Carbers - Are you still out there?

[nikki1978]

Hi all,

I have just started the induction phase of Atkins but couldn't find a thread on here that hadn't tailed off a while ago so thought I would start a new one Unless you have all quit of course which wouldn't give me much hope

I have a party in 9 weeks that I really want to lose the inches/pounds for so fingers crossed the weight will drop off.

Weighed in at 12 stone on Monday and am already down to 11st 9.75lb!

Have been doing it wrong though as I didn't wait to get the book to start and didn't realise that the 20g of carb you have in induction needs to be mainly veg and salad plus a bit of cheese so I have been having gravy on my dinner and cheese sauce that has a bit of flour in

Anyway will start the real deal today. Just about to make my brekky of eggs and bacon.

Any tips and recipes would be great!

Anyone want to join me on a 2 month challenge?

Hi Nikki,

Gosh - you've already lost about five pounds - it's clearly working - cheese sauce or no cheese sauce!

I started yesterday (Friday) and I'm planning on low-carbing for two weeks in preparation for my holiday. I was 10st8 yesterday and just hope to lose a few pounds and flatten my tummy a bit.

I'm not doing super-strict Atkins becsuse I'm useless at sticking to anything very rigid but I've found from experience that low-carbing works dramatically well, even if you don't stick to doing it perfectly. Which is just as well, as I completely forgot last night and had a few Haribo with the kids while watching Eastenders!

Hi,

I've been lo carbing for the best part of two years. Not strict Atkins though. I have learned many tips, tricks and shortcuts along the way becasue I am a very lazy person.

I have lost the best part of 5 stone since ds 3.

I have recently been stalled for the best part of six months but have stopped eating Atkins bars and have miraculously lost 5lb and still losing

Anyhow- hello

Wow, ABitBatty! Five stone! Respect!

I would LOVE to hear all about your tips and tricks - do tell!

There probably isn't anything that I can tell anyone that isn't already obvious, but, for what it's worth, here's what I do.

My plan is to have an eggy breakfast: (naturally). I hard-boil several eggs (say, 4, chop them and mix them with a little mayo and a packet for those really crispy ready-cooked bacon slices (really dry and dark) from the supermarket. I divide this mixture between two little lock'n'lock boxes and leave them there to have for breakfast (just eat it out of the pot with a fork. I got the idea from seeing those ready-made sandwich fillings that you can buy in the supermarket. This is an idea stand-by for days when you haveb't got the time/ inclination to cook eggs. On days when I have, however, I have 2 eggs scrambled with a couple of slices of Parma ham.

Lunch is a cold salad-y thing:
Greek salad with feta and kalamatas
Tuna-mayo-pepper salad
Avocado prawn salad
Punnet of ready-cooked flavoured chicken from the supermarket with salad
Grilled goats cheese with pesto on rocket
Baked Portobellos filled with dolcelatte and sun-dried tomatoes on rocket
(I just put out some nice ciabatta for my husband and kids (teenage daughters) to have with it)

Supper is protein and a nice salad.
Lamb skewers with courgette/pepper/tomato/onion and salad
Marinated chicken and salad
Steak and salad
Fish and salad
etc etc. I'll do some new potatoes/rice/couscous for everyone else.

I have a coffee with splenda after meals to give me a sweet taste and let everyone else have a yoghurt or mini-magnum or whatever.

My staple salad is comprised of varous items from the following:
Rocket/ spinach/ watercress leaves
Spring or red onions
Avocado
Celery
Pepper
Tomatoes
Sundried tomatoes
Pine nuts
Shaved parmesan

Plenty of water, try to get a brisk walk in 3 times a week and that's it.

At I say, though, I am NOT strict - I have milk in tea and coffee, sneak the odd glass of wine or three and do not worry about how many carbs are in the salad I eat, so it's not proper Atkins, just my own low-carb thing. Amazingly, though, it does work.

Good luck, you two - do tell more about what you do.

Love Cyril

PS just to add - snacks are nuts (a mixture of cashews and smoked almonds) or Philly scraped onto celery sticks.

Well today I had 2 eggs and 4 rashers streaky bacon for breakfast. For lunch I had quails eggs with smoked salmon crescents (filled with cream cheese) - sounds very posh but was the only low carb thing that interested me in Waitrose!

Dinner is 10oz steak with brocolli and mushrooms.

Is this ok?

Atkins seems to say I need to eat lots of salad too and I HATE salad. I really can't eat veg in raw form. What do I do?

Well done abitbatty for your weight loss! I have 2.5 to 3 stone to lose (well I did, minus 5lb off that )

BIL just gave me a MASSIVE courgette from his veg patch so I am thinking of doing it stuffed with mince and cheese for dinner tomorrow. Am going to make a list of recipes I think. Dinner is easy it is lunch I struggle with due to the hatred of salad and I have eggs for brekkie so don't want them at lunch too.

Oh and I am doing British Military Fitness 3 times a week now (have been for 2 weeks) so that is pretty good exercise!

I love those smoked salmon crescent canape things from Waitrose, Nikki1978.

It's day three for me:

I had one of my "2 boiled egg and crispy bacon with a little mayo" pots at about eleven and was still hungry. I waited a bit and then caved in and had the other one. I think I'll call this "brunch"!

At about five, we went to Pizza Express for an early supper. I had a few sun-blush tomatoes, a few nuts and then shared a tomato-mozzarella salad with my daughter. I had the baked aubergine as my main course. I then hurried everyone out in case they all started thinking about puddings.

I also had a couple of beers... As I said, I'm not very strict...

I'm just making myself a coffee and I'm done for the day.

Hope you two have got on well today.

Ooh I think we were seperated at birth cyrilsneer. I had the same breakfast and then went to pizza express and had the aubergine thing!

I am calling that my lunch though as I didn't have a starter.

Having a poussin for dinner with a little bit of veg.

I need to start eating salad don't I? Can I smother it in cheese and mayo so I can't taste the grass like texture of the leaves?

Hi can I join you. I have been low carbing for 5 weeks and have lost 10lbs so far. I'm being strict at the moment and having no booze as I have a wedding coming up 2 weeks so want to be a stone down by then.

Today I had
B: streaky bacon, avocado, scattering of grated cheese and a little mayo
L: salad with left over chicken curry
D salad with pork chop with cider and cream sauce
Snack: a packet of pork stratchings

I am loving this WOE and finding it really thrilling to be in control of what I am eating. I am eating gorgeous huge meals but losing weight. I don't do any formal exercise except for running after my 2 and 1 year old and walking everywhere with my heavy buggy. I'm hoping that's enough for now as I don't know how to fit more in.

I am loving pork chops at the moment febes! Wish I could have a little apple sauce and gravy with them though....

Good job on the 10lbs! As long as I can lose at least a stone and a bit in the next 8-9 weeks I will be happy. A stone and a half would be better but not sure if that is pushing it.

Going camping next weekend so god knows how I will manage there!

hey gals! I'm starting this low carb/atkins thing tomorrow..... Looking forward to loosing the weight!!

Good luck fatheadsgirl! I have to say I am really enjoying the diet 5 days in. Not missing the carbs at all!

Hi all

I was doing a version of Idiot Proof Diet/Atkins but off wagon recently and now back from holiday and back on wagon from tomorrow am. Have had carb fest this weekend in prep.

But back tomorrow proper: have lost 2 stone but put about 5 back on on holiday. And still got lots more to go... Going to try a bit of the Dukan protein days also but not giving up fat as AFAIK the fat intake worked well for me last time...

God Nikki - how weird is that?! I love that aubergine thing... Re salad: would you not like rocket and Parmesan and sun- dried tomatoes? Or baby spinach with avocado and pine nuts? Do you make your own dressing? I make my own in a jam jar with white wine vinegar ( although I'm not sure if you're allowed it if you're doing Atkins properly?..), extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard and a teaspoon of Splenda ( should be mustard but I substitute Splenda when low carbing).

I'm also happy that I'm doing this low- carb WOE - it's just great not to feel hungry and not to have horrible wobbly low blood sugar pangs. Low carbing seems to keep all that stable.

Where's Ms Batty with her tips and tricks and shortcuts? I'm really interested to learn from her experience.

I'm going to do a big Sainsbury's shop tomorrow morning and plan meals for the next few days.

Hi Ladies, I am marking my place as I really need to sort my weight out.
I lost some weight at the beginning of the year following Anna Richardson's 'drop a dress size' but have regained some and feel really blobby.
I think I'm about 12 stone at the moment (only 5"4) and would really like to get to ten and a half.
Starts tomorrow.... (shame I'm going out for a girlie lunch - just need to steer clear of the carbs!!)

Will check in properly tomorrow if that's okay.

PS hello to febes, fatheadsgirl and WilfShelf.

And littledawley!

Hi just started Atkins 2 days ago. Did anyone else have a bad headache at the start or am I just unlucky. Going out for lunch tomorrow I should be ok if I just stick to steak and green salad. Just hope no one goes for desert though....

Sue Normal to get a headache at first as your body detox's the sugar and caffeen. You may feel a bit rubbish for up to a week but then you will feel great!!! Remember to combine fat with your steak and salad so olive oil dressing and/or creamy sauce on the steak.

Hi, just marking my place, I'm doing my own (not super strict) version of Atkins/Idiot Proof. Dropping all major carbs; bread, pasta, rice etc but not sweating the small stuff.

Also trying to kick my 6 can a day diet coke habit and swap for water. This is a 20 year habit so not easy as you might imagine!

Want to drop 1.5 stone.

Right - new day! I weighed in at 12 stone exactly this morning. I've never done Atkins before but was planning on doing my own version. I also have a copy of the Dukan diet which a friend of mine lost loads of weight on - has anyone tried it?
Breakfast is my problem - not sure I can be bothered making eggs every morning - can anyone give me some good breakfast ideas?

I'm here!

I've been at a party over the weekend and bbq (ideal low carb !) and had to travel to drop off/pick kids up etc.

At the party I drank ready mixed Gin & Slimline tonic from a can. Most spirits are carb free, you just have to be careful with the mixers.

At the BBQ I had some chicken, salad and a couple of sausages and no buns or ketchup.

I get a bit 'funny' about my diet and don't tell people what I do becasue I can't be arsed with all the misconceptions and ideas that people have, so I keep quiet about it.

My ost recent 'find' is Scan Bran crispbreads from H&B which are only 2.6g of carbs each which I have started having for my lunch with those tuna or chicken sandwich fillers from the chiller section in the supermarket near the coleslaw.Or with cream cheese or sliced cheese and ham.

I do get fed up from time to time but then I 'find' something, like the crispbreads ^ that keep me going. I ready every single label on ever type of cracker in the supermarket to find the lowest carb ones.

Another 'find' is still being able to go to Mc Donalds, having a double cheeseburger and throwing away the bun! This is especially good for travelling or if you are out and about somewhere and stuck for ideas or don't know what to have since McD's are everywhere. Depending or not whether you like McD's or not!

Hello - can I join you all?

I've been low carbing since January. Have lost 50lbs but have been a bit lax
complete crap over the past couple of months, and have managed to put on 5lbs on holiday.

Really want to get back on the wagon as have another 30lbs to lose to get to ideal wight And I found the thread I was on really helpful in keeping me on the straight and narrow and motivated.

I'm starting again properly today - lunch is chicken breast with leeks and spinach and olive oil. Dinner is salmon with zero carb noodles. Breaking out the Davina vid tonight. Could be 5lbs lighter by this time next week - bring it on!

Hope everyone else is doing well

Pray do tell, what are these zero carb noodles you speak of?!

Here you go:
Low carb noodles

Or if you have any Japanese/Chinese supermarkets near you - they are stored in the chiller cabinets. I think they work best with Asian type dishes - they're disgusting if you try and subsitute them in pasta style dishes, in my opinion anyway. Although you can find a ton of recipes for them to be used that way.

They were featured on that C4 diet show, I prawn noodle soup
I really like them, gives one a bit of a change. I can post some recipes if you're interested