Low Carb & Atkins Diet

scattercat · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:05 am Post subject: scattercat

Not sure how to do this so will test this first Question

scattercat · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2003 9:21 am Post subject: scattercat

Is there any other Australians in the forum?

2nd day into induction

Starting Weight: 106 kg
Goal 70 kg
Height 5'7"
Large Frame.
Hips: 126cm
Waist: 115cm
inside leg 72cm

Had the blood stuff done - everything is ok - different measurements from what I see - only thing was something to do with the liver - normal is ?-45 and mine was 49 - Dr. said something was leaking into the bloodstream but nothing to worry about. But always had low blood sugar and pressure so with the pot belly am probably on my way to diabetes.

Not on any medication but use homeopathics for basic healthcare.

Grew up on a dairy farm (15 yrs drought) so always ate meat and basic cooking - moderate cakes & biscuits. Always very strong and ran / walked many miles to school, get cattle etc.

Very sick at College even though I was still doing the cross country etc. and lost weight.

Moved to the City - put on weight - found Pritikin - grew my own vegies etc. but hated having to eat so much - lots of energy and exercise but falling asleep at work - amazing how the Atkins book mention things that have baffled me for years - tears while I am talking that has nothing to do with the situation etc.

Extremely sick after I had my child - lucky if I got out of bed 2-3 days per week - had Chronic Fatigue - Glandular Fever, Ross River and Cyco ? whatever and high DDT, 245T and round up levels. Major life changes and detoxed.

As I got better I piled on the weight - once I had sugar etc. I could never stop.

Now it is the foggy mind - it takes all day to do nothing, I write out a list and still don't get anything done. Very tired - have been having 5 av. size meals a day and happy with that but needing a sugar fix at those meals.

I am feeling ok - my teenager is struggling more. We don't have access to the Atkins supplements - have read some of his other books and tried to get the basics. We eat simply because we can't afford not to anyway but I think the hardest thing is going to be planning in advance for all the meals.

I am finding it difficult to understand some of the names eg. Heavy cream - is that just full cream? I looked at our mayonnaise and it had sugar in it so made my own. It was great to read through the other posts. Laughing

northernlady · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2003 12:26 pm Post subject:

Welcome Scattercat - that is quite a story of your life. Let's hope the very next chapter is healthier for you and your teenager.

You asked many questions, I can only attempt to answer some.

Heavy cream is full cream - nothing added. Just cream, no milk, no carragean, or binders. The closest you get to full cream, the better.

Simple is best. No processed foods (in my opinion, even Atkins processed foods should be kept at a minimum.)

I found that a good multivitamin, calcium (since I severely cut back on eating cheese,) and 1 potassium suppliment (during hot humid days when I exercise) are all I have needed. I have been eating this way since Jan 6, 2003.

I did add nuts and fruit within 6 weeks of beginning this way of eating, because I found I was missing certain elements in my diet. A portion of fruit and nuts satisfied me and provided whatever I was missing (I judged this by how I was feeling, sleeping and exercising.) This small addition to my eating stopped the bread, pasta and sweet cravings I was having.

I know there were others from Australia on this site a while ago, but I haven't seen them posting lately. Hope they pop back in!

If you are determined to find other Aussies, I know another website that has many who post there. PM me and I will direct you to them.

Happy low carbing and continued success!

scattercat · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2003 8:26 am Post subject: scattercat

day 3 - decided to get a jug and use water from it to keep track of consumption instead of glasses. Starting to feel lighter today. Also decided to have cooked meat for afternoon snacks to satisfy the teenage hunger instead of wanting to eat salad items. Razz

northernlady · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2003 12:35 pm Post subject:

Good idea scattercat - you will be surprised at how much you need the water - also it helps when you get cravings. Some people are actually thirsty and mistake it for hunger - usually a glass of ice cold water satisfies quickly! Good to hear from you.

P.S. I emailed you this morning.

scattercat · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2003 7:10 am Post subject: scattercat

Yes thank you Northernlady. Got a suprise this morning - don't need the extender so must have lost a couple of cm anyway - we don't have scales and were just going to measure at the end of the week and go back to the doctors at the end of the month. Also put on jeans and didn't get asphixiated when I got in the car to drive. So nice skipping so many isles when I shopped today. Another benefit is that my daughter is talking about the cravings and bad dreams she has had so that is bringing us closer together. I am also having like daydreams - of my teeth breaking off and falling out - I am saying to myself my teeth are strong and white but it's scary. My teeth actually are looking and feeling better. Thought I would be smart and have cell salts (for the calcium) but then read they have glucose in it so will have to wait to buy calcium - the daughter started off being prepared to swallow vitamins but isn't now so don't know how that will affect things - hates most salad & veg - I am hoping she goes back to eating everything like she did as a baby-preschool. Yes I am suprised how much more I am drinking by having the jug than just the cup - stops having to turn the knob to the filter too. I was also suprised that even though I smelled the take away food, I wasn't interested and actually looking at others trolleys, I realised just how brain washed we are. However my brain fog hasn't improved - added up the bills with a calculator and still got it wrong - I am so looking forward to that improving.