Atkins :) Rate my induction menu

Triumph

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,031
14
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I hate to do this, creating another Atkins thread. But I want to make sure I'm doing it right, because I'm an awful cook. The hardest part for me is that I don't know how to cook, so my food choices are limited. I'm slowly learning, though.

I started eating less carbs a while ago, but I understand that you need to jump start it by going down to 20 carbs/day. I've got the book and I've read the website pretty extensively, but here is my problem: I'd say I've been doing induction since last Saturday. I weighed myself today, 218 lbs. Two weeks ago, I weighed 215! This worries me because everyone else is saying, "I lost 10 pounds in a week!" and I'm not seeing that. (to all of you naysayers, I'm not looking for a quick fix, I just want to be sure I'm doing this right)

Here's what I've been eating the past week:
Breakfast - 3 eggs, scrambled, with 2 tbsp of milk for fluffiness, cheddar cheese and mushrooms. 3 or 4 sausage links, and water.
Lunch - Salad with cheddar cheese, real bacon, chicken, mushrooms, and ranch dressing, and water
Dinner - Chicken, burger patties with Swiss cheese and mushrooms, green beans, Wendy's Jr. Bacon w/ 1/2 bun (I'm travelling, hard to eat healthy), more salad, keilbasa and sauerkraut, rotissiere turkey, water or low carb beer (not all at the same meal!)
Snacks - Celery and peanut butter is all I've found so far.

Truth be told, I haven't counted carbs to strictly limit myself to 20. I lose track of what I eat and serving sizes and what has what, etc. It seems like there'd be some variation in that number anyway; it can't be 20 carbs for EVERYBODY, male/female/fat/thing/muscular/bony. So I basically assume that I'm limiting myself just enough for induction to start happening. So what do you think of my menu? What did you eat while doing induction?
 

richardycc

Diamond Member
Apr 29, 2001
5,719
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I am not on atkins, and never read the book,but looks like you are eating a LOT of meat. Just because you are on atkins, doesn't mean you can eat the whole farm!? or is it? ;)
 

amnesiac

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
15,781
1
71
- Substitute water for milk in the eggs. Same effect. Also cook over medium, not high, heat.

Snacks:
Hummus + veggies
String Cheese
Hard Boiled Eggs

I'll think of more later. I have access to a ton of recipes on the south beach diet site, maybe I'll copy a few this evening for you.
 

Savarak

Platinum Member
Oct 27, 2001
2,718
1
81
NO BUNS whatsoever!! No regular milk! limit the cheeses! No peanut butter! no beer at all, no keilbasa and sauerkraut! Limit mushrooms and ranch dressings(make sure it is full-fat, and has no sugar or at least less than 2 carbs per tablespoon)
 

scauffiel

Senior member
Aug 11, 2000
455
0
0
Sh!tcan the ranch dressing, 1/2 bun, and definitely the beer. I'd also avoid the peanut butter, but that's just me.

This is what I eat:
Breakfast: 5 egg whites, 2 sausage patties, one string cheese
Mid meal: one bratwurst
Lunch: Chicken thigh and some pepperoni slices
Mid meal: Kielbalsa (sp) slice
Dinner: A steak

That's it. If I'm hungry when I get home, then I knock out some more pepperoni. I'm up at 0430 to workout until 0700, then at work until 1700, then at school till 2200. Repeat. I cook all of my food on Sunday and take it to work with me to throw in the fridge. I've lost almost 30 pounds total and am definitely getting much harder.


Of course, by harder I mean more defined and solid.


Sickos. :p

S.
 

Savarak

Platinum Member
Oct 27, 2001
2,718
1
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if you do have kielbasa, make sure its got no sugar, best to avoid processed meats
 

scauffiel

Senior member
Aug 11, 2000
455
0
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The stuff I've been eating (keilbasa) stuff that's homemade and there's no sugar in it. Not sure if it's been "processed" (don't think so, but...) but hey, it's working for me. Good advice though.

S.
 

Triumph

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,031
14
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Ok, this is good input. This is what I want, to weigh my menu against others' menus that have been successful. I can cut the buns and use water for eggs. But the peanut butter is 5g of carbs - 2g of fiber = 3 g carbs for 2 tbsp, I think. How is that bad?

What are some other good salad dressings? I CANNOT eat salad plain. Hell no. Ranch is only a couple of grams of carbs, blue cheese is even less.

I only had 1/2 of 1 beer, that's not so bad! That was like 3g carbs!

Steak every night would be f'ing expensive. Plus I need something to eat with that steak, some sort of side. I can't just eat straight up meat and meat only, I get sick of it.
 

Crazymofo

Platinum Member
May 14, 2003
2,339
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Broccoli and cheese is my fav veggie... when you go to Wendy?s just get a triple with cheese NO BUN, no tomato and no ketchup. They put it in a baked potato container and you eat it with a fork and knife. And the ceaser side salad is good as a side.
 

amnesiac

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
15,781
1
71
Originally posted by: Savarak
NO BUNS whatsoever!! No regular milk! limit the cheeses! No peanut butter! no beer at all, no keilbasa and sauerkraut! Limit mushrooms and ranch dressings(make sure it is full-fat, and has no sugar or at least less than 2 carbs per tablespoon)

See, this is why I like the SBD diet so much better. It doesn't feel like Hitler is your nutritionist.
 

Barrak

Guest
Jan 8, 2001
710
0
81
You are WAY over the 20 carbs a day. The half a bun is almost 10. Green beans and mushrooms have some as well. Check the lable on the salad dressing, most of them have some sugar in. Also check the lable on the sausage, many types have sugar in. Not sure about the kielabasa or kraut. Even the cheese has a few carbs in.
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
34,824
2,002
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I ate a similar breakfast.

10 hours later and 9 pounds of fluid lighter, I decided it wasn't for me.
 

Riprorin

Banned
Apr 25, 2000
9,634
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I'm guessing that you may be overeating.

Keep portion sizes in mind:

1 medium fruit or 3/4 cup cut-up fruit = a tennis ball
1 cup green salad = a fist
1/2 cup cooked vegetables = a scoop of ice cream

2 tablespoons peanut butter = two tea bags
3 oz beef, chicken, or pork = a small pack of tissues
1 oz of cheese = a pair of dice
1 oz of nuts = two ping pong balls or a small child's handful

1 one-ounce slice of bread = an index card
1 two-ounce piece of Italian bread = a bar of soap
1 three-ounce bagel = 1 can of tuna
1/2 cup of rice, cereal or pasta = 1/2 baseball
1 two-ounce muffin - a cupcake wrapper

Also, are you excercising? That's important.
 

Triumph

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,031
14
81
Jesus. If I eat a fist of salad and a tissue pack of beef for dinner, I'll definitely lose weight... BECAUSE I'LL BE EATING LIKE AN ETHIOPIAN.

This diet is all about not going hungry, so what gives?
 

Turkish

Lifer
May 26, 2003
15,547
1
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On atkins, why do people say eat full fat products? Wouldn't it be better if you eat high protein - low fat - low carb (or no carb) stuff? I seriously don't understand how full fat can be better than low fat? I know atkins book explains it but i dont have the book.

Also, cheese is not bad .... most cheese has 0 carbs, and lotsa protein.

Triumph, get rid of milk and Bun. Sausage might have sugar. Also, green beans have some carbs too, I hope you don't overeat it.

Chicken Burger patties... hmmm, does usually have lotsa carbs because they are covered with all these junk crusts... might wanna limit that as well...

My suggestion is, eat chicken breast. It's a lot cheaper than steak, and a lot healthier. Also 1/2 low carb beer won't hurt you much.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Just shoot for this (US Heart Association recommended diet):

1800-2000 calories a day (varies by metabolic need, but 1800 is a easily done by me and I'm 6' & 180 pounds)

55% from carbs
30% from fats
15% from protein

Throw in 30+ minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week and some weight lifting 3 days a week.

You will loose weight and be in better overall shape than the atkins diet and will also keep off the weight longer.

(EDIT) Also, when you eat breads, go for whole grain. Avoid white bread. Don't drink non-diet sodas. Cut out candy and junk like that.
 

Joker81

Golden Member
Aug 9, 2000
1,281
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0
If you don't eat fat your body will start to eat the protein(lean body weight ie muscle tissue) quicker i think in you body.
 

Turkish

Lifer
May 26, 2003
15,547
1
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Oh, so fat comes before proteins for body to get energy from?

I know body burns carbohydrates first, and that's the reason for cutting carbs. So when the body dont have carbs, it will burn fat right? But if we eat fat, how will our body use the fat stored on our body? We need a nutritionist :p
 

tontod

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
3,244
0
71
Yes, its basically Italian dressing. Make sure you read the carb levels on any dressing you buy, make sure you keep track of how much you are putting in your salad. Take out the half bun. Definitely no beer (even if it is low carb). Have half&half instead of milk. You can have an atkins bar, but just have 1 2g bar. Have lots of water. Green beans can have some carbs, substitute it with dark leaf lettuce (or spinach). Making those changes should definitely make a difference.
 

Turkish

Lifer
May 26, 2003
15,547
1
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Ok people, then analyze mine :)

Breakfast: 3 slices of Turkey Breast - 1 slice of pepperjack cheese - Can of diet coke
Lunch: Salad with some cheddar cheese & italian salad dressing
Snack: Protein shake w/ water (32g protein - 3g carb)
Dinner: Salad with some cheddar cheese & italian salad dressing and a 8 oz. steak or chicken breast
Before bed: Protein shake w/water (32g protein - 3g carb)

2 gallons of water for the day.

I just began yesterday, so I guess I should make the changes you suggest before I get used to this plan.