a followup to my Diabetes thread, got a monitor

[ronbre]

Elffriend, you are right about the fact that Adkins is not a NO carb diet..I already have gotten information on it and it is 20 carbs on the induction phase for two weeks..i blew it today and had 23.5 carbs..didn't realize it was in the ranch dressing i put on my salad until it was too late and i had already eaten it...i could have skipped it and used something else.

anyway..i only had 8. ? yesterday so i guess maybe they evened out..and i still might have to have a piece of cheese or something before i go to bed..we'll see.

and as for phase two, i did read you add 5 carb grams after the first week, but I must have missed where it said to add 5 grams each week until you reach the point where you are no longer losing weight..what i did read was when you are 10 pounds from your goal you go to phase 3 which adds in 10 grams of carbs IF you don't start gaining weight.

also i did see after the induction phase i can have 1/4 cup of berries..that isn't very many..but hey it is berries..i'll try to use them in salads..also 1/2 apple, which could also be put in salads..and nuts..which also could be put in salads..so i guess i'm going to have to start adding up the carbs faithfully.

i keep track on this really wonderful site that is free at www.fitday.com i have been using this site for a lot of years..faithfully..and it is really helping me keep track..also ..i can print off the food pages to take to the "nutritionist" or dr..or whatever the heck they made that appointment for me with.

and no I won't tell the person i see that I'm doing Adkins..actually i'm not DOING it i'm just using the lists off there as guidlines until i have more information, which they are mailing me.

and as i said..i didn't do a very good job today..

one problem is that i'm having a really really really hard time getting enough calories..or it sure seems like it to me..so far today i've only eaten 609 calories and i had a huge vegetable dish ..cooked..with bacon for lunch, bacon and eggs for breakfast and 1/4 pound of ground sirloin with a huge salad for supper..and some cheese in between..so hey..i've eaten a lot of food..but only 609 calories..as i said, i might have to eat something that has no carbs before i go to bed !!!

[Elffriend]

Here's a link to a quick guide for Atkins beginners:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ns-glance.html

I never followed the carb ladder because it was added to the program in a later edition of the book, sometime in the early 2000s. My copy of the book is from 1999 and does not have the ladder of which order to add back carbs.

And until you have you blood sugar well in hand, have that bedtime snack. It really will help with your fasting test in the morning.

[Terri]

Originally Posted by ronbre

one problem is that i'm having a really really really hard time getting enough calories..or it sure seems like it to me..so far today i've only eaten 609 calories and i had a huge vegetable dish ..cooked..with bacon for lunch, bacon and eggs for breakfast and 1/4 pound of ground sirloin with a huge salad for supper..and some cheese in between..so hey..i've eaten a lot of food..but only 609 calories..as i said, i might have to eat something that has no carbs before i go to bed !!!

I have always found it hard to eat much bacon: It is just so SALTY! I can eat more hamburger than bacon.

[ronbre]

well i went and blew $300 at the grocery store..most of it on meat and vegetables and some great prices on cheese..so my freezer is FULL, and my frig has so many vegetables it is about to pop at the seams.

I also bought a few of the atkins snacks that were 1 carb or less..and some at 2 carbs or less..so i have some of those i can grab if i can't think of anything..

and as i said i wasn't much of a meat eater, well i purchased several herb blends and rubs that were 0 carbs..to add some flavor to my meat (normally i would slather on bbq sauce which is mostly sugar, so i can't have that now)..i got 3 kinds to try so maybe i'll get used to some tastier meat, also got me 6 packages of sirloin steak on 1/2 price sale.
Have pork loin thawed out too, so they will all get some rub (well i froze 4 packages of steak) and will go on the grill at supper time..and i got a huge bunch of salad vegetables..so i'll have steak or pork with a HUGE salad for supper later..had ground sirloin burger patty and a huge batch of greens cooked with bacon, asparagus and mushrooms for lunch.

oh and i'm down a total of 15 pounds now..2 more

[Belfrybat]

Originally Posted by ronbre

I also bought a few of the atkins snacks that were 1 carb or less..and some at 2 carbs or less..so i have some of those i can grab if i can't think of anything..

I hate to burst your bubble, but those Atkins snacks might not be just 1 or 2 carbs. Read the label -- some of them are chock full of sugar alcohols, which contrary to Atkins claim, do raise blood sugar. Instead of a quick peak and then fall like regular sugar they will raise blood sugar slowly for hours. The rule of thumb that I go by is to count 1/2 of the sugar alcohols as carbs. Not saying don't use them, but be sure to test each hour after you've eaten one to see what happens. SAs might not show a bs rise after one hour -- but perhaps 3 hours out you will peak. Just be careful.

Edited to add: A few posts ago you mentioned having difficulty finding low carb specialty items in the stores. I buy mine from www.netrition.com. They have a flat rate shipping of only $4.95, so it's well worth shopping there.

[Elffriend]

And while we're on the topic of sugar alcohols, be careful not to eat too many at once. They can cause digestive difficulties, if you know what I mean.

Personally, I wouldn't eat them until I was well established in low carbing. They can trigger some people to want "real" sweets.

[ronbre]

i have used splenda and aspartame in the past with no difficulties, but I am aware of what you are saying, and i was aware of the sugar alcohol situation. did you know that if you use an antacid with an artificial sweetener that all of the sugar alcohol turns to glucose in your body and becomes "real" sugar.

I have studied this fairly intensely in the past when i was sampling some artificial sweeteners to see if i could use them or not, for other reasons.

I'll check out the site Belfrey, I'm getting to where i'm more able to buy things online with more confidence, and $4.95 is cheaper than a gas cost for a trip to a store around my parts