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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

If you have done Atkins, please could you take a look at my first day food diary?

34 replies

cupofteaplease · 04/10/2010 18:01

Hi all,

I decided to start Atkins. I have read up on it and I think I understand how it works...

Anyway, today I have eaten:
Breakfast- 2 boiled eggs.
Lunch- green salad eaves with bacon and brie.
Dinner- shepherds pie made with mashed caulifower instead of potato and no gravy/sauce.
Drinks- loads of water, 200ml of coke zero and 2 cups decaff tea with red milk.

Is that ok or have I made any major faux pas? I would like something sweet to eat but guess I just can't. I'm hoping coke zero is ok as it has no carbs? If s, this will help curb my sweet cravings!!

Thanks

OP posts:
MaudOHara · 04/10/2010 20:49

Looks pretty good to me - good luck.

Just be careful with the coke zero - there was some research that suggested that artificial sweeteners can stall weight loss.

maktaitai · 04/10/2010 20:54

Looks good, provided you have weighed the salad leaves! I found that if I drank diet Coke on Atkins, I didn't lose much - but maybe I was cheating on other things by that time.

My only cautions are that you are going to need some snacks - what have you got that you can eat? Also when I did Atkins, after a few weeks I could barely look an egg in the face. The second time, I had avocado and mozzarella for breakfast sometimes instead, which was easier to take at that time in the morning.

I thought you weren't allowed any milk at all in the early stages? Maybe it's changed. I used to have cream in the first two weeks.

Original poster
cupofteaplease · 04/10/2010 20:58

Thank you!

This is all new to me so I didn't realise about the milk- I'll have to cut that out tomorrow, and the coke zero- bugger!

When you say weigh the salad leaves, how much is an acceptible portion? Afrid I may have over done it now!

OP posts:
Original poster
cupofteaplease · 04/10/2010 21:00

Oh yes, and snacks- can I have cheese and cucumber sticks? Picked eggs? Salami? Hot smoked salmon? Think I will miss fruit actually...

OP posts:
maktaitai · 04/10/2010 22:02

Well, as I said, you can have cream in your coffee. And I should think the cucumber will be OK, certainly the cream will be fine. Pickled eggs sound fine, salami is great, salmon fine. But IIRC (have a look in the book) you are only allowed something like 20g of vegetables per day in the first two weeks Confused, and no fruit at all, which is what drove me mad - strawberries were the first thing I added in after the initial two weeks. However, as I said before, it may have changed. You're doing well with the water, keep it up...

MaudOHara · 05/10/2010 12:29

cupoftea - how are you getting on? I restarted yesterday having lost a considerable amount of weight a few years back but gradually have been eating my way back up.

Already not eating bread has made my jeans a bit looser round the tummy Smile

BudaisintheZONE · 05/10/2010 12:33

Looks ok to me. I did it and lost weight but never weighed veg and didn't limit it tbh.

Would agree that the Coke Zero is not a great idea.

For breakfast I used to have eggs every second day - boiled/scrambled/omlette. Other days I would have smoked salmon or sliced ham spread with cream cheese and rolled up.

I had milk in my tea first thing as I cannot start day without it. But I only have a splash of milk.

Original poster
cupofteaplease · 05/10/2010 17:49

Hi, thanks for asking.

Well, today has been ok but I can't face the thought of any more food ever as my mouth feels so incredibly dry despite all the water I have drunk!! Is that normal?

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with cream and a little smoked salmon.
Snack: a sausage.
Lunch: 20g green leaves with prawn mayo
Tea: omlette made with an egg, a sausage and some grated parmesan.
Drinks: decaff tea no milk and lots of water.

I'm dying for a glass of sugar-free squash, it's like a craving for me!! Am also missing fruit...

OP posts:
MaudOHara · 05/10/2010 19:52

I'm pretty weak willed and do indulge in sugar free sweets / squash / ice pops / jelly when I need a sweet fix. I have also bought diabetic chocolate when I really wanted something nice as it is fairly low carb.

Not sure if it ever has stalled my weight loss but if I over do it on the sugar free stuff it gives me dreadful wind which keeps me on the straight and narrow Grin

BudaisintheZONE · 05/10/2010 21:20

Try not to give in and have something sweet. First three days are hardest but then the cravings subside. So you have just got to get through tomorrow. Maybe try ice in your water and suck on a few ice cubes?

mmmwine · 05/10/2010 21:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maktaitai · 06/10/2010 00:15

How low is v.low carbs mmmwine?

How long have you been doing it?

The diet drinks/weight loss stalling thing is purely anecdotal as far as I know but there's a lot of people who believe it.

mmmwine · 06/10/2010 07:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tortington · 06/10/2010 08:02

you should think of low carb as also ZERO sugar.

the science behing low carb will not work if you eat sugar

fruit is stuffed with natural sugar.

that is why it isn't working.

Tortington · 06/10/2010 08:04

i have some info on my Mn blog just click on my name

MaudOHara · 06/10/2010 09:56

Agree with custy - if you're not in ketosis then the low carb / high fat approach won't work.

Original poster
cupofteaplease · 06/10/2010 17:42

Custardo- I've just read your blog, very informative.

Unfortunately, I think I have now cheated without meaning to!! I was made 2 cups of tea today by different people who added milk, so that's error number 1. Secondly, I had a teaspoon of no added sugar peanut butter when I got home from work. I thought PB would be ok as carbs are low, but your blog says no nuts at all??

Have I blown it today? I sincerely hope not, as I ignored the chocs, biscuits and truffles in the staff room today!

OP posts:
bigbadmum · 06/10/2010 18:28

From what I can remember of doing atkins it is really strict with regards to artificial sweeteners as well so even though coke zero has no carbs in it, it does contain aspartame which is a big no-no.

Peanut is actually quite a high carbs count if you are in the early stages of atkins, as are tomatoes or tomato based foods so they are ones to avoid in the early stages as well.

maktaitai · 06/10/2010 22:35

It does get easier after the first two weeks... are you using the urine sticks to keep an eye on your ketosis??

ABitBatty · 06/10/2010 22:53

It's 20g of carbs, not 20g of veg.

Different carbage for different veg - some extremely low, some high.

maktaitai · 06/10/2010 22:59

oops sorry Blush

TheNextMrsDepp · 06/10/2010 23:04

I'm not doing Atkins exactly, can't face the restrictions, but have cut out all "stodge" (for want of a better word) - no spuds, rice, pasta, bread, cake etc. I'm also running three times a week.

BUT I'm eating fruit, unlimited veg and loads of nuts/seeds.

I don't imagine I have achieved ketosis, so it's a mystery why it is working, but it is! I have lost over a stone, am now a size 10 and lighter than I have been for 20 years. Can anyone explain??

ABitBatty · 06/10/2010 23:06

Wink It's okay.

I've been on a low carb diet/in ketosis for 18 month with one small break last Xmas. It does get easier, depends on what you are willing to 'put up with' like being over zealous at label checking and counting carbs, eating out is a terrible minefield if you don't know what is what. You have to be much more strict than counting calories because once you are in ketosis you really have to stay there becasue dipping in and out isn't good becasue of the way a LC generally works. Higher fat food for less carbs and if you are out of ketosis but still eating higher fat foods you will store fat.

Double cream in coffee instead of milk, unless you only use a splash (not several splashes throughout the day)

maktaitai · 06/10/2010 23:18

TheNextMrsDepp, I'd imagine yours is working because you are doing a straightforward reduction in calories, plus increase in exercise. That's always going to work - sounds like you're doing amazingly. Atkins is IMO the same thing really, because the things you are allowed to eat are very hard to eat a lot of (though God knows I found myself DRINKING cream at one point about 6 months in...) However, the fact that you can have lots and lots of traditionally non-diet foods on Atkins is kind of liberating and fun, especially if you are a carnivorous kind of person, or someone who eats out a lot. I soon find on Atkins though that it's less fun being able to have lovely butter if you can't have lovely bread with it.

TheNextMrsDepp · 06/10/2010 23:25

Maktaitai - maybe you're right. The weird thing is I'm not holding back on the fat at all so I don't feel deprived (mmm...cheese!). But just giving up the stodge takes away all that "bloat" you get after a big meal. My tummy literally shrank overnight.

The trouble is, as Abitbatty said, the moment I slacken off and have a piece of bread I'm suddenly on a relatively high fat diet again!

I read somewhere that "apple" shapes (i.e. where the fat is around your midriff, like me) do best from low-carbing, but if your fat is elsewhere (bum, legs etc.) a traditional low-fat diet is better. No idea if that is true.....