HELPFUL HINTS 4 ANYONE NEW 2 INDUCTION:

[hummingbird11]

1 – PLEASE NOTE: Atkins is a low-carbohydrate WOE – NOT a high-protein WOE!!

2 – Be sure to actually read or re-read Atkins DANDR (the red one) – THIS VERSION:

Amazon.com: Used and New: Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, New and Revised Edition

3 – Become very familiar with the Information & Recipes contained in these HELPFUL LINKS:

Atkins - Acceptable Foods

Atkins - Carb Counter

Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes - Induction Menus

Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes - Home

SugarFreeSheila.com / SFS.com - Your ULTIMATE Resource For Atkins / Low Carb Help & Information!

The Lighter Side of Low-Carb

4 – Please be careful with SF Jello; SF Diet Soda; Crystal Light; etc - Aspartame is NOT good for you + it can actually cause some people to stall or slow down in their weight loss which is like shooting yourselves in the foot here. Watch your Maltitol intake too. Also processed/packaged foods are not a great idea. No pork rinds or crap like that. Atkins Bars & Shakes are NOT allowed during Induction - but do whatever you need to do to keep yourself legal - but don’t eat more than one per day - and if you stop losing weight; stop eating them!

Reminder: No nuts, seeds or fruit allowed during Induction. Fresh, mixed berries (high fiber/low sugar) should be the first fruits you incorporate back into your diet. Eat fresh & healthy & organic (shop the perimeter of the grocery store only) always aiming to get the majority of your Carbs from Healthy Veggies. Eat plenty of Eggs and don't be afraid of Good Fats & Proteins. REMEMBER: Atkins is supposed to be a healthy WOE!

5 – Do a search on Coconut Oil to discover the benefits & buy only Organic, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.

6 – For much-needed Fiber, learn to incorporate Flax Seed into your baking & casseroles, etc.

7 – For sweet treats try Coconut Bark or Cream Cheese Clouds
(do a "search" for these recipes or ask me if you can’t locate them)

8 – If you have a hard time drinking enough water - I suggest trying Kool-Aid and adding NATURAL sweeteners such as XyloSweet or Stevia or Whey Low:

Xylosweet Sugar Substitute

NuNaturals

Sugar Made Healthy! Whey Low Natural Sweetener

SF Torani or SF DaVinci syrups are fabulous in Pellegrino and lots of other things too so stock up on those! Of course, they are made w/ Splenda which is not perfect either, but seems to be better than Aspartame.

9 – Here are some other interesting links for you to check out:

*Slim & Sexy by Memorial Day* *Egg Cream Challenge*

CALLANETICS CHALLENGE APRIL 2008

10 – NEVER put anything into your mouth before you know the carb count, ingredients and if it's "legal" or not for your phase of Atkins. You will save a lot of headaches and heartache this way!

Here’s to HEALTHY and LASTING weight loss for ALL of us!
If I can do this, anyone can! I have failed on every “diet” I’ve ever attempted; but I’ve already lost 12 lbs (rather effortlessly) since beginning Atkins Induction on 03/24/08.

XO,
Hummingbird

(Texan living in California since 1990; moving to Hawaii in 2012)

[DolphinsOnMyMind777]

Thanks!

[2big4mysize]

I'd add never put anything in your mouth before you know the carb count ingredients and is it legal for your phase of Atkins.


I got to disagree with that number 4 reminder as more induction veggies, fresh dairy, and nuts and seeds, come on the OWL Carbohydrate ladder before berries for a reason.

[hummingbird11]

Aloha Jamie! I remember you! From the "dead thread" last month!

How are you? You my not believe this, but I was JUST thinking about you TODAY! I very clearly remember that Avatar you had before of a girl puckering up in a sexy kiss - was that you? That photo was in my head today and now a msg from you! Awesome! And cute doggy!

Good for you for getting BACK ON TRACK - YOU CAN DO THIS!!

XO,
HB

[hummingbird11]

Hey 2Big! Thanks for the pointers - I have corrected as suggested!
Hey is that a photo of Hawaii at the top of your blog?? Looks very familiar!!

XO,
HB

[2big4mysize]

I have no idea where it is from it was the only stock water pic they had on WP.

[Jean@125]

What's wrong with pork rinds. Dr. A suggests them at meals in Atkins 72. They make a great crispy coating on chicken and a great crouton substitute.

[hummingbird11]

Originally Posted by Jean@125

What's wrong with pork rinds. Dr. A suggests them at meals in Atkins 72. They make a great crispy coating on chicken and a great crouton substitute.

Along with other cured meat items, Pork Rinds contain nitrites & nitrates, which are known carcinogens. Just because something is "carb-free" does not mean that it is "healthy"!

It's healthiest to always strive to consume uncured, nitrite/nitrate-free meats, whenever possible.

Grated Parmesan Cheese makes a great crispy coating + Parmeson Croutons are delicious on salad!
(let me know if you'd like to know how to make them)

AND from Wikipedia:

Though generally considered junk food and among the unhealthiest of foods, there is some interest in pork rinds as an alternative snack food due to the Atkins diet, since pork rinds contain no carbohydrates (unless flavored). They are, however, high in fat and sodium. The fat content of pork rinds is similar to that of potato chips, but the amount of sodium in a serving of pork rinds is nearly five times that of a serving of potato chips.

For example, a 14 gram serving of Utz Regular Pork Rinds contains 5 g of fat and 230 mg of sodium, whereas the same serving of Utz Regular Potato Chips contains 4.5 g of fat and 47 mg of sodium. Pork rinds generally contain 8 g of protein in a 14 g serving, more than most foods except dried meats such as jerky. The fat content of jerky, however, is much lower. Microwaveable pork rinds are lower in fat than the deep-fried variety, with only 2 g of fat per 14 g serving and no saturated fat, although the sodium level may be as high as 350 mg per serving. According to the logic of the Atkin's diet, the high protein content of pork rinds makes them more nutritious than some low-fat snack foods, such as fat-free pretzels.

Pork rind - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I hope this explanation was helpful. Healthy choices lead to healthy bodies!

[Jean@125]

I can't believe Dr. A would suggest we eat something that was unhealthy. He did say to avoid lunchmeats, hot dogs and other foods that contain nitrates but specifically recommended pork rinds as part of his plan. I don't have them often but they are good sometimes when I need a crunchy compliment to a meal.

[hummingbird11]

Well, all I can say is that perhaps way back in 1972, they were not considered unhealthy??

Regardless, it's no secret that high sodium is unhealthy and, among other things, can cause high blood pressure and water weight retention - so eat at your own risk!!

[2big4mysize]

actually nitrites are a needed for life chemical in the human body which assist us in low oxygen times like when muscles are working hard and during heart attacks and strokes.
In the old days it was thought they were inhert chemicals in the body but now scientists know better and are actually trying to figure out ways to get them in us quickly should we have a low oxygen situation.

I'd love to see what Dr Atkins had to say about them now knowing they are healthy for us.

[hummingbird11]

Hi 2Big,

Thanks but I think you're confusing the body's naturally produced nitrites with the chemical process of meat curing.

Nitrates (also called Nitrites) is a preservative and used to set color in food. Nitrates and Nitrites form Nitrosamines in the body. Nitrosamines are carcinogenic.

On top of that, the very high heat used to cook many processed meats like sausage and bacon, assist in the formation of Nitrosamines.

Studies indicate that people who eat a lot of processed meats with nitrates (including hot dogs, bacon, cold cuts, sausages and pork rinds) are at a much higher risk for pancreatic cancer.

So again, eat at your own risk, but please be armed with the facts. Meanwhile, there are so many healthy meat options available to us now.

Nitrite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sodium nitrite is used for the curing of meat because it prevents bacterial growth and, in a reaction with the meat's myoglobin, gives the product a desirable dark red color. Because of the toxicity of nitrite (the lethal dose of nitrite for humans is about 22 mg per kg body weight), the maximum allowed nitrite concentration in meat products is 200 ppm. Under certain conditions, especially during cooking, nitrites in meat can react with degradation products of amino acids, forming nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens.

[2big4mysize]

actually no doctors are now studying use the chemicals in hotdogs (which are also naturally occurring in those leafy greens we are eating in induction) as life saving for low oxygen events since it was discovered that the nitrites in muscles went down during vigorous exercise. There are studies underway already testing an inhaled gas version for treating medical conditions and to see if dietary sources effect blood flow and/or pressure. Seems hemogolbin reacts in low oxygen to make NO gas from nitrites. Facinating stuff being discovered every day.

Notice nobody is objecting to eating the naturally occurring ones in the leafy greens as a cancer causer either.

[hummingbird11]

Originally Posted by 2big4mysize

actually no doctors are now studying use the chemicals in hotdogs (which are also naturally occurring in those leafy greens we are eating in induction) as life saving for low oxygen events since it was discovered that the nitrites in muscles went down during vigorous exercise. There are studies underway already testing an inhaled gas version for treating medical conditions and to see if dietary sources effect blood flow and/or pressure. Seems hemogolbin reacts in low oxygen to make NO gas from nitrites. Facinating stuff being discovered every day.

Notice nobody is objecting to eating the naturally occurring ones in the leafy greens as a cancer causer either.

Again, it's not the actual nitrites - it's the chemical process during cooking/curing that causes Nitrosamines which are carcinogenic.

[2big4mysize]

actually Nitrosamines can be and are formed in the human stomach from the nitrates and nitrites found naturally in foods like fresh veggies at a rate much higher then what is found in cured meats. Nitrite in Meat

with the exception of welldone, overcooked, or burnt bacon very little Nitrosamines is found in cured meats any more and the amount in that method of cooked bacon has been greatly reduced by the inclusion of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or erythorbic acid to bacon cure.

something not mentioned in the Wiki article sited above is the high temp above 350F needed for cooking that bacon to create them. Microwaving bacon doesn't cause that effect. Nitrite in Meat .

Seems the food industry around the world had done a remarkable job lowering the amount of Nitrosamines in the food we consume from cured meats to beer once they became aware of the issues something the sites hollering about cancer causing fail to mention

[hummingbird11]

Wow - this is all actually very interesting to me and I definitely want to learn more about it. Where did you learn all of this? Everything I've ever read, including Atkins & Schwarzbein, warn to stay away from nitrites/nitrates.

Regardless, I will never be convinced that Pork Rinds are a healthy choice! Besides being a cured meat, they are chock full of sodium and fat; not the good fat either! Nothing more than carb-free potato chips. Just because something is carb-free does not make it a healthy choice.

[2big4mysize]

my pork rinds are nothing more then pork skin and salt no nitrates they are actually better then potato chips because they are protein and some fat.

I gave you a link about the food sources and here is another discussing the changes over the yrs Nitrosamines and Cancer

the nitrites for health was written up yrs ago in several medical journals and was on the news. here is NYTIMES link as i can't find the one I wasn't to give you. it was talking with one of the docs doing the study on folk with heart conditons and he was joking about turning the patients into walking hotdogs.

[DolphinsOnMyMind777]

Originally Posted by hummingbird11

Aloha Jamie! I remember you! From the "dead thread" last month!

How are you? You my not believe this, but I was JUST thinking about you TODAY! I very clearly remember that Avatar you had before of a girl puckering up in a sexy kiss - was that you? That photo was in my head today and now a msg from you! Awesome! And cute doggy!

Good for you for getting BACK ON TRACK - YOU CAN DO THIS!!

XO,
HB

Yep, that's me!!!

[hummingbird11]

YAY!! YOU PUT YOUR PICTURE BACK!!

[hummingbird11]

I think we could ALL use some help in this area from time to time. I also think emotional eating is connected to this lack of self love in some deep way (for me). Here are some interesting links on the topic of self love:

How to Love Yourself

Self-Love - Tips For How to Love Yourself

How to Love Yourself - wikiHow

How to Love Yourself on Yahoo! Health

How to Love Yourself

XO,
HB

[DarleenMB]

Originally Posted by hummingbird11

Along with other cured meat items, Pork Rinds contain nitrites & nitrates, which are known carcinogens. Just because something is "carb-free" does not mean that it is "healthy"!
)

I beg to disagree with you but MY pork rinds packages ALL say "Ingredients: pork SKIN, salt." period.

Nitrates are used to CURE meats. Pork rinds are the skin of the hogs which is is deep fried.

Also MY packages of pork rinds state there is only 5G of fat per serving. I don't think that's HIGH fat as I can only eat about one serving before I'm full.

[DarleenMB]

Originally Posted by hummingbird11

Well, all I can say is that perhaps way back in 1972, they were not considered unhealthy??

Regardless, it's no secret that high sodium is unhealthy and, among other things, can cause high blood pressure and water weight retention - so eat at your own risk!!

Ah another Vampire MYTH. Salt does not cause high blood pressure. Yes you may retain water if you eat too much salt for your body but that's because your body strives to maintain the status quo and when you ingest additonal salt your body simply hangs onto water to keep the salt content of your blood where it's supposed to be. It'll come off when you go back to normal levels of salt intake.

Read Gary Taubes's GOOD CALORIES BAD CALORIES. It's VERY educational.

[hummingbird11]

OK, I stand corrected re: nitrites/nitrates in pork rinds. Apparently there aren’t any, as they are deep fried, not cured. Thanks for the info, good to know! I'm not sure if "salt as a contributing factor to high blood pressure" is a vampire myth or not, but that book sure sounds interesting and I will add it to my ever-growing reading list - thanks!

But, with all of that said, I am still not convinced that the consumption of the Deep Fried Skin of a Pig (with the only other two ingredients being high sodium & relatively high fat) is healthy or even nutritious in the slightest way.

To each his/her own but those pork rinds are definitely NOT for me!