renewedhope

We should just now be going into ketosis with Atkins. It may still even take a day or 2. I expect within the next couple of days we will start to see the pounds melt off!!!! I can't wait!!

Losing, I just noticed what your starting weight was. You should be so proud of yourself. It is people like you that inspire the rest of us to keep moving forward. Well, all is well so far today. The baby seems better. The 3 year old is still running fever, but is taking a nap right now. MY scales ARE DOWN 4 POUNDS since the 19th!! WOOO HOOO!!! Looking forward to a great day!! Amy

Georgia Girl, Don't be so hard on yourself. Do whatever works for you, and it sounds like what you were doing was working!! Keep up the good work.

Ok, Let me whine just a little. Today was completely crazy. My 3 month old foster son has a stomach virus and has bloody diarhea. My 3 year old foster sone woke up with 102.1 temp. We went to the doctor. He has the flu. Brilliant me, I didn't get a flu shot, so I am now taking tamiflu. My 6 year old foster daughter had a really bad day. She pitched a huge fit, kicked, pinched and hit me. We had a visit from the social worker, so I had to clean house! YUCK! YUCK! YUCK!.. At about 3:30 I realized that I had not put a bite of food in my mouth all day. On a good note... I talked to my doctor when I took the kids in, and he started me back on glucophage. I am starting at 500mg a day and working up to 1500. So far so good. I have had 1 dose and no stomach upset. I know this is pitiful, but here is what I ate today. 1cup sweet and spicy tuna creations with 2 TBSP mayonaisse 7 pork rinds Not near enough Water All of the kids are in bed, so I am headed that way too. Planning for a great tommorow, Amy

I used to eat pork rinds when I had done the Atkins diet in the past. I hadn't even thought of getting them now. I will have to go get some today. I tried to eat a little green pepper before going to bed, but it didn't agree with my pouch. Tonight I will definately have some pork rinds on hand.

Here's my day B-1/2 chocolate Slimfast shake L- 1 Rack of Ribs no sauce S- 1/2c ground venison, 1/2c green Beans Snack - Atkins vanilla Shake I am such a night eater. I am struggling, wanting something to munch on. I think I'll go to bed!! Looking forward to tommorow. Amy

If I work really hard I can reach my goal by my birthday, Sept 26.

I like them alot too. I had never had them before yesterday.

I am not going to worry about calories and just see how it goes. If my weight loss is slow then I will start counting calories. I am not a very good calorie counter anyway. I am with you Pamela. I still have 11 pounds to go on the Valentine challenge, and I REALLY want to make that goal. I am normally a plan as you go girl too. I will probably not have a menu planned each day. The only reason I do for tommorow is because I bought the ribs to help me get going. Good luck everyone!!!! Amy

You go girl. Here's my menu B- Atkins vanilla shake L- 1/2 rack ribs from Chili's (no sauce) went and got them tonight Green Beans S - Atkins Vanilla Shake or Slimfast low carb choc shake D - Probably another 1/2 rack of ribs and a green salad

I love my band. I too struggled in the beginning. I wasn't prepared mentally for the patience it takes between surgery and restriction. I am down 34 pounds and have started exercising, so I expect the weight loss to pick up. I have had have had 4 fills and am at 7cc in my 10cc ap small band. I have pretty good restriction. I am hoping that my fill in early Feb will find my sweet spot. After over a month of no weight loss I have lost 10+ pounds in the last 3 weeks. My band and I are finally working together. Butterball, you are so right. A lot of it had to do with just putting on my big girl panties and getting with it.

I started a new thread for the Atkins induction so that yall can still use this thread for the 2 day challenge. This challenge really helped me to get going again. I will start Atkins induction tommorow. here is the link to the new thread!! You know, it really doesn't matter what method we use as long as we continue to move forward toward our goals to have slimmer more healthy bodies. So, if you want to do Atkins here is the link. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f9/starting-atkins-induction-diet-anyone-want-join-me-50036/ MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!!!!!

Care Credit is reputable. I have used them in the past. When I used them they had a no interest for a year option, so that was pretty cool. I was very pleased with them.

Down 7 pounds!! I have finally started losing again, too. Feels great!! name.............starting#......current#......goal#.....togo# Anitak33...........245............218..........199.......19 Anna2766____.......232............232..........220.......12 Cagstorm(txarcher).360............357..........345.......12 Candle.............218............213.5........207.......6.5 Cerrin.............350............350..........325.......25 chickatee..........188............186..........175.......11 Cookielover........202............202..........192.......10 cQQlgirl...........220............220..........210.......10 Faithmd............306............301.2........296.......5.2 georgiagirl........275............272..........260.......12 Hollyberries.......298............298..........285.......13 Hoppingto..........350............314..........294.......20 Irishmae11.........233.8..........234..........219.......15 Jennie1976.........290............251..........235.......16 jfran..............187............181..........177.......4 Jillrn.............176............176..........166.......10 Jsrico.............255............178..........165.......13 juliegeraci........220............220..........210.......8 KarenG.............207............197..........189.......8 keekahari..........220............217..........205.......12 kjl315.............237.5..........232..........220.......12 legster............223.5..........216..........199.......17 LessnLess..........172............172..........164.......8 liz_hager..........202............198..........190.......8 Manatee............188............182..........175.......7 Mandyjo............191............187..........180.......11 metawnny...........252............252..........240.......12 MJRouse84..........274............233..........218.......15 nip50..............250............246..........238.......8 Rainer.............264............255..........248.......7 Redtulips3.........248............234.5........226......8.5 RenewedHope........228............221..........210.......11 rharriet...........367............256..........248.......8 Sades..............229............199.7........189.......10.7 Skinny_Jill........195............195..........180.......15 Stacy73............230............225..........222.......3 SueMagoo...........230............224..........220.......4 Sunny112...........145............145..........140.......5 Susan4794..........240............240..........225.......15 Suzzzie............303............299.3........290.......9.3 SWEETY.............180............174..........170.......4 Trystelle..........219............219..........205.......14 Twilight...........206............197..........185.......21 uxbus5.............240............240..........230.......10 want2lose..........236............236..........225.......11 wombat712..........154.8..........152.2........140.......12.2

I measured tonight and since my durgery date I am down 33.25 inches!! WOWEEE!!

I am beginning the induction phase of the atkins diet on Monday. Does anyone want to join me in this???? I really need to focus on adding Protein and cutting carbs. Here are the rules for the induction phase.. Search Site recipes <LI class=plain id=portaltab-atkins-university>eggs and red meat, as well as pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils (preferably expeller-pressed or cold-pressed). 2. Eat no more than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, at least 12 – 15 grams of which must come in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. (see Acceptable Foods). 3. Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, Pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks. Foods that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as chickpeas, kidney Beans and other legumes, are not permitted at this time. If you feel you must eat bread or some other grain product, only high Fiber low-carb products with 3 net carbs or less per serving are allowed, and you can eat only one serving a day. Be aware that even that amount may slow or stall your progress, and if that happens, drop the product immediately. 4. Eat nothing that isn't on the Acceptable Foods list. And that means absolutely nothing. Your "just this one taste won't hurt" rationalization is the kiss of failure during this phase of Atkins. 5. Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases. When you're hungry, eat the amount that makes you feel satisfied, but not stuffed. When you're not hungry, eat a small controlled carbohydrate snack to accompany your nutritional supplements. 6. Don't assume any food is low in carbohydrate—instead, read labels. Check the carb count (it's on every package) or use a carbohydrate gram counter. Be aware that the law allows manufacturers to round off if a product has fewer than 0.5 grams of any carbohydrate, so that will show up as zero. The only way to detect some fractional carbs is to look for them in the ingredients list, where they must be listed if they’re added to a product, regardless of the amount. 7. Eat out as often as you wish but be on guard for hidden carbs in gravies, sauces and dressings. Gravy is often made with flour or cornstarch, and sugar is sometimes an ingredient in salad dressing. 8. Use sucralose or saccharin as a sweetener. Be sure to count each packet of any of these as 1 gram of carbs, because of the fillers and bulking agents which are added. 9. Avoid too much coffee, tea and soft drinks that contain caffeine. Excessive caffeine has been shown to cause low blood sugar, which can make you crave sugar. 10. Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of Water each day in addition to anything else you may drink, to hydrate your body, avoid constipation and flush out the by-products of burning fat. 11. If you are constipated, mix a tablespoon or more of psyllium husks in a cup or more of water and drink daily. Or mix ground flaxseed into a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a salad or vegetables. 12. At a minimum, take a good daily Multivitamin with minerals, including potassium, magnesium and Calcium, but without Iron. Acceptable Foods These are the foods you may eat liberally during Induction: All fish, including ... All fowl, including ... All shellfish, including ... All meat, including ... All eggs, including ...tuna chicken oysters* beef scrambled salmon turkey mussels* pork friedsole duck duck lamb poachedtrout goose clams bacon**soft-boiledflounder Cornish hensquid veal hard-boiledsardines quail shrimp ham** deviledherring pheasant crabmeat venison omelets *Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs than other shellfish, so limit them to four ounces per day. **Processed meats, such as ham, bacon, pepperoni, salami, hot dogs and other luncheon meats—and some fish—may be cured with added sugar and will contribute carbs. Try to avoid meat and fish products cured with nitrates, which are known carcinogens. Also beware of products that are not exclusively meat, fish or fowl, such as imitation fish, meatloaf and breaded foods. Finally, do not consume more than four ounces of organ meats a day. OTHER FOODS THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE DURING INDUCTION Cheese You can consume three to four ounces daily of the following full-fat, firm, soft and semisoft aged cheeses*, including: cheddar cow, sheep and goat cheese cream cheese Gouda mozzarella Roquefort and other blue cheeses Swiss *All cheeses have some carbohydrate content. The quantity you eat should be governed by that knowledge. The rule of thumb is to count 1 ounce of cheese as equivalent to 1 gram of carbohydrate. Note that cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese and other fresh cheeses are not permitted during Induction. No "diet" cheese, cheese spreads or whey cheeses are permitted. Individuals with known yeast symptoms, dairy allergy or cheese intolerance must avoid cheese. Imitation cheese products are not allowed, except for soy or rice cheese—but check the carbohydrate content. Vegetables You should eat 12-15 net carbs a day of vegetables. These salad vegetables are high in phytonutrients and provide a good source of fiber: alfalfa sprouts daikon mushrooms arugula endive parsley bok choy escarole peppers celery fennel radicchio chicory jicama radishes chives lettuce romaine lettuce cucumber mâche sorrel Other Vegetables Within the 12-15 net carb daily vegetable requirement, these vegetables are slightly higher in carbohydrate content than the salad vegetables listed above, but they also provide important nutrients and add variety to your daily food intake: artichoke celery root pumpkin artichoke hearts rhubarb asparagus chard sauerkraut bamboo shoots collard greens scallions dandelion snow peas bean sprouts dandelion greens spaghetti squash beet greens eggplant spinach broccoli hearts of palm string or wax beans broccoli rabe kale summer squash Brussels sprouts kohlrabi tomato bean sprouts leeks turnips cabbage okra water chestnuts cauliflower onion zucchini If a vegetable, such as spinach or tomato, cooks down significantly, it must be measured raw so as not to underestimate its carb count. Salad Garnishes crumbled crisp bacon grated cheese minced hard-boiled egg sautéed mushrooms sour cream Spices All spices to taste, but make sure none contain added sugar. Herbs basil garlic rosemary cayenne pepper ginger sage cilantro oregano tarragon dill pepper thyme For salad dressing, use oil and vinegar or lemon juice and herbs and spices. Prepared salad dressings without added sugar and no more than two carbs per tablespoon serving are also fine. Acceptable Fats and Oils Many fats, especially certain oils, are essential to good nutrition. Olive oil is particularly valuable. All other vegetable oils are allowed, the best being canola, walnut, soybean, grapeseed, sesame, sunflower and safflower oils, especially if they are labeled "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed." Do not cook polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, soybean and sunflower oil, at high temperatures or allow to brown or smoke. Butter is allowed. Margarine should be avoided, not because of its carbohydrate content, but because it is usually made of trans fats (hydrogenated oils), which are a health hazard. (Some nonhydrogenated margarines are now available.) You don't have to remove the skin and fat from meat or fowl. Salmon and other cold-water fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Remember that trying to do a low-fat version of the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM may interfere with fat burning and derail your weight loss. Artificial Sweeteners You must determine which artificial sweeteners agree with you, but the following are allowed: sucralose (marketed as Splenda™), saccharin, cyclamate and acesulfame-K. Natural sweeteners ending in the suffix "-ose," such as maltose, etc., should be avoided. However, most sugar alcohols have a minimal effect on blood sugar and are acceptable. Saccharin has been extensively studied, and harmful effects were produced in the lab when fed to rats only in extremely high doses. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed saccharin from its list of carcinogens, basing its decision upon a thorough review of the medical literature and the National Institute of Science’s statement that there is "no clear association between saccharin and human cancer." It can be safely consumed in moderation, meaning no more than three packets a day. Saccharin is marketed as Sweet'n Low™. The Atkins preference, however, is sucralose (Splenda™), the only sweetener made from sugar. Sucralose is safe, noncaloric and does not raise blood sugar. It has been used in Canada for years, and the FDA approved it after reviewing more than 100 studies conducted over the past 20 years. Note that each packet of sugar substitute contains about 1 gram of carbohydrate, so don’t forget to include the amount in your daily totals. Acceptable beverages Be sure to drink a minimum of eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day, including: Filtered water Mineral water Spring water Tap water Additionally, you can have the following: Clear broth/bouillon (not all brands; read the label) Club soda Cream, heavy or light (limit to two to three tablespoons a day; note carbohydrate content) Decaffeinated or regular coffee or tea* Diet soda made with sucralose (Splenda™); be sure to count the carbs Essence-flavored seltzer (must say "no calories") Herb tea (without barley or any fruit sugar added) Lemon juice or lime juice (note that each contains 2.8 grams carbohydrate per ounce); limit to two to three tablespoons * Caffeine can cause cravings or blood sugar spikes with some people. If you’re one of them, you should drink only decaffeinated beverages. If you don’t have a problem with caffeine, you may drink one or two caffeinated beverages a day, because evolving research indicates there may actually be health benefits to a limited amount of caffeine. However, if you have a true caffeine addiction, it will be best to break it during Induction, because any food addiction can cause problems if it isn’t taken care of. Once you’ve broken the addiction and moved on to OWL, you can carefully try adding caffeinated beverages back into your food intake, as long as it doesn’t trigger the addiction again. Special Category Foods To add variety, each day you can also eat 10 to 20 olives, half a small avocado, an ounce of sour cream or three ounces of unsweetened heavy cream, as well as two to three tablespoons of lemon juice or lime juice. But be aware that these foods occasionally slow down weight loss in some people, and may need to be avoided in the first two weeks. If you seem to be losing slowly, moderate your intake of these foods. Convenience Foods Although it is important that you eat primarily unprocessed foods, some controlled carb food products can come in handy when you are unable to find appropriate food, can’t take time for a meal or need a quick snack. More and more companies are creating healthy food products that can be eaten during the Induction phase of Atkins. Just remember two things: 1. Not all convenience food products are the same, so check labels and carbohydrate content. (See the Online Store for Atkins brand products.) 2. While any of these foods can make doing Atkins easier, don’t overdo it. Remember, you must always follow The Rules of Induction.

I can wear my wedding ring again!! It's a little tight, but I couldn't get it on before

I don't know what's up with the orange print. Hope you can make some sense of the article.

Here are the rules for the induction phase. Depending on how much weight you need to lose, the induction phase lasts for a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of one year. You can generally expect to lose 10% of your excess weight during the first 14 days of induction. Atkins enthusiasts recommend that you follow Induction until you have lost half of the weight you need to lose, and then go on to complete the Ongoing Weight Loss portion of the diet. The rules of induction are simple, and must be followed exactly. With induction, even "just ONE little bite" of something not on the induction list will doom you to failure. With all of the fabulous, no-carb goodies available, there’s no need to cheat! The Rules of Atkins Induction : • Have three meals a day or up to six mini-meals, depending on how you feel. Do not skip meals or go more than six waking hours without eating. • Eat liberally of combinations of fat and Protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and red meat, as well as pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils (preferably expeller-pressed or cold-pressed). • Eat no more than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, most of which must come in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. You can eat approximately three loosely packed cups of salad, or two cups of salad plus one cup of other vegetables (see Acceptable Foods). • Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, Pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks. Foods that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as chickpeas, kidney Beans and other legumes, are not permitted at this time. • Eat nothing that isn't on the Acceptable Foods list. And that means absolutely nothing. Your "just this one taste won't hurt" rationalization is the kiss of failure during this phase of Atkins. • Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases. When you're hungry, eat the amount that makes you feel satisfied, but not stuffed. When you're not hungry, eat a small controlled carbohydrate snack to accompany your nutritional supplements. • Don't assume any food is low in carbohydrate—instead, read labels. Check the carb count (it's on every package) or use a carbohydrate gram counter. • Eat out as often as you wish but be on guard for hidden carbs in gravies, sauces and dressings. Gravy is often made with flour or cornstarch, and sugar is sometimes an ingredient in salad dressing. Xanthin gum, from your health food store, thickens gravy perfectly without carbs. • Avoid foods or drinks sweetened with aspartame. Instead, use sucralose (Splenda) or saccharin. Be sure to count each packet of any of these as 1 gram of carbs. • 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. • 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. • If you are constipated, mix a tablespoon or more of psyllium husks in a cup or more of water and drink daily. Or mix ground flaxseed into a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a salad or vegetables. • At a minimum, take a good daily Multivitamin with minerals, including potassium, magnesium and Calcium, but without Iron. What to Expect In Atkins Induction Phase For the first few days of induction, you will be withdrawing from sugar and caffeine. It will take 3 to 7 days for these substances to leave your system. During this time, you may find that withdrawal from these substances causes you to have headaches, diarrhoea, nausea, "brain fog" (be careful driving), and muscle cramps. This is commonly referred to as "induction flu." If you suffer from these symptoms take heart- they are very temporary. Soon, you will wake up with more energy than you’ve had in years, your moods will stabilize, and your hunger will disappear! Let me know what you think. Amy

I am going to start the induction phase of the Atkins diet tommorow. I plan to do this for 2 weeks, at least. Anyone want to start it with me. :pray2:

Here is another really good PCOS thread... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/those-who-have-pcos-44999/ We definately have some very unique challenges, but I have been very pleased so far, and yes, my cycles have returned as well.

OK, I'm in again. I am going to modify mine a bit this time, though. I am going to have Protein shakes for Breakfast and lunch, and then a high protein, low carb supper. I am going to do this all week, and see where I am on Friday. Good luck to everyone! Amy

well, we went to Chikfila and Sonic today. Great huh!! The kids loved it and I ate 2 chicken tenders at chick fil a and a hamburger patty at sonic. Not too bad for the choices I had. Anyway, we also bought a Ford expidition to carry them all around, so no more eating out for me for the rest of my life. We had a great day with the kids. You are right Pamela, I too am learning how much I take for granted. They have already started calling us mom and dad!!! Wow!! Amy

I am going to take a couple of days to see how I do, but on Monday I will either begin atkins induction or go back on shakes. It just depends on how my carb cravings are over the weekend. I am not sure 3 days was enough for me either, but my new kiddos have never eaten in a resteraunt, so we are going to do a few fun things with them this weekend.

Well, it is finally Wednesday morning, and I must say, I am very ready for a low carb, low fat breakfast!! Yall are so kind about the foster kids. We are truly the ones who are blessed. They are such prescious children. To see the smiles on their faces over getting a new pair of shoes and a toothbrush. It really makes me thankful for all I have and all I have taken for granted.