Induction Babies

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by alonewithyou

Is protein powder allowed on induction?

I'll be joining again 10/1-13 (because it's 2 days before my period and I always get my period when I start LC)! YES. I will do it. I'll do induction with NO SWEETS. I'll try at least... I plan on keeping to it all year long this time (not induction, just LC). It's like one of my new year resolutions.

I WILL DO IT!!!! YEEES!!!

There are a lot of protein powders that are quite low in carbs. You'll need to check the labels, though, because a lot of them are geared toward "growth" and include an equal amount of carbs as protein to encourage an "anabolic" environment. The carbs stimulate the body to release insulin, and insulin is the hormone that feeds protein into the muscle cells.

"Whey protein isolate" is quite popular with bodybuilders when they do ketogenic bodybuilding "cutting" cycles. Some of the powders are bad tasting and some are very grainy when they're mixed. So if you find one that looks like it will fit into the plan, you should probably look for reviews online before you spend money on it. I don't know what they cost in your area but a tub of whey isolate can cost US$40 or US$50, so you should probably make sure you enjoy the taste before you buy.

Welcome back!

[Miche124]

Trillex, I'm so glad you're feeling more forgiving of yourself. I'm sure your family is as proud and excited for you as we are!

After 3 months of turkey, chicken, chicken, and turkey, tonight this ex-veggie cooked beef for the first time in over 30 years. I grilled a rib eye steak and I ate every bite! Such moments are worth more than gold.

[alonewithyou]

Ok. I have one that is 2 carbs per 30grams (scoop). So I can eat that on induction? It's not on the list on the atkins site. But I guess there are many things not on the list! Sf jello I've seen used as well.

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by Miche124

After 3 months of turkey, chicken, chicken, and turkey, tonight this ex-veggie cooked beef for the first time in over 30 years. I grilled a rib eye steak and I ate every bite! Such moments are worth more than gold.

That ribeye sounds like a little slice of heaven! Since it's 20 degrees here, with snow on the ground, I haven't used the outdoor grill since early autumn. I get good meat from an area farm, but it isn't dry-aged and it just doesn't taste that good to me when it's cooked under the broiler. So I haven't had a *real* steak in a while. I've just been stir-frying beef but it isn't as good, in my opinion. Even salmon is better when it's cooked over coals. Burgers are definitely better on the grill, too. And lamb, I prefer lamb over the coals. I'll stop now, before this list gets very long...

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by alonewithyou

Ok. I have one that is 2 carbs per 30grams (scoop). So I can eat that on induction? It's not on the list on the atkins site. But I guess there are many things not on the list! Sf jello I've seen used as well.

I would say that "protein shakes" are on the induction list, because they recommend Atkins brand shakes for induction. Even the version of the diet I'm following, the book from 2002, recommends Atkins shakes during induction. To be honest with you, I have not used any of the shakes because it's just not something that I am personally interested in. But that's just my personal taste.

I think the nutrient balance of protein supplements would be a reason that might make some people choose not to use protein powder while on Atkins induction. For example, many people on Atkins want to keep a high daily fat ratio and a moderate daily protein ratio. Since protein powder is mostly protein -- usually with very little fat -- this would not be an ideal product for the fat-to-protein balance they are working to achieve. When bodybuilders use protein powder while on a ketogenic "cutting" diet, many of them add flax oil to the shake. I've seen my brothers just mix whey powder with flax oil and eat it like a paste -- UGH!

[Miche124]

Originally Posted by Trillex

That ribeye sounds like a little slice of heaven! Since it's 20 degrees here, with snow on the ground, I haven't used the outdoor grill since early autumn. I get good meat from an area farm, but it isn't dry-aged and it just doesn't taste that good to me when it's cooked under the broiler. So I haven't had a *real* steak in a while. I've just been stir-frying beef but it isn't as good, in my opinion. Even salmon is better when it's cooked over coals. Burgers are definitely better on the grill, too. And lamb, I prefer lamb over the coals. I'll stop now, before this list gets very long...

I got rid of the barbecue ages ago, even though I'm in California. When we were vegetarian and the kids were young, we'd only use it for tofu dogs, corn, and vegetable shish kabobs. These days I'm just using a cast iron grill pan. For me the very fact that I'm cooking meat instead of eating cold cuts is new.

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by Miche124

I got rid of the barbecue ages ago, even though I'm in California. When we were vegetarian and the kids were young, we'd only use it for tofu dogs, corn, and vegetable shish kabobs. These days I'm just using a cast iron grill pan. For me the very fact that I'm cooking meat instead of eating cold cuts is new.

I'm so glad you enjoyed your steak, Miche! I know that some people do a veggie version of Atkins, but this diet MUST BE easier for people who actually enjoy meat. At least, that's how it seems to me.

A few people have given me tips on pan grilling steak -- and the tips do make the steak taste *better* than it does under the broiler -- but my grass-fed, non-aged beef just never tastes *right* to me unless I cook it over coals. I think that's just the taste I've become accustomed to. In Puerto Rico, people typically have outdoor "pits" and that's where you cook a whole pig or slabs of beef.

My dad is vegan but he never got rid of his Caribbean upbringing of cooking over an open flame -- he is just a grill master MONSTER! Over the years, he has seriously pushed the boundaries of what can be cooked on a grate -- pineapple spears, half mangoes, edamame, and the list goes on and on.

My sister-in-law found a specially perforated aluminum pan for him, that he can put on the grill, so we no longer have to watch him using a grill fork to fish carrot slices out of the fire. Thank God for that, I was sure we would eventually lose him to immolation by the Weber!

I also love veggies cooked on open fire. I have a gas range and I'll just cut a bell pepper in half and put it directly on the iron, stovetop grate for a few minutes on each side. I'll do the same with zucchini slices or a whole tomato. It's messy but I like the taste.

[alonewithyou]

Originally Posted by Trillex

I would say that "protein shakes" are on the induction list, because they recommend Atkins brand shakes for induction. Even the version of the diet I'm following, the book from 2002, recommends Atkins shakes during induction. To be honest with you, I have not used any of the shakes because it's just not something that I am personally interested in. But that's just my personal taste.

I think the nutrient balance of protein supplements would be a reason that might make some people choose not to use protein powder while on Atkins induction. For example, many people on Atkins want to keep a high daily fat ratio and a moderate daily protein ratio. Since protein powder is mostly protein -- usually with very little fat -- this would not be an ideal product for the fat-to-protein balance they are working to achieve. When bodybuilders use protein powder while on a ketogenic "cutting" diet, many of them add flax oil to the shake. I've seen my brothers just mix whey powder with flax oil and eat it like a paste -- UGH!

Yeah I get what you mean about the protein/fat ratio! I was wondering mostly because someone used it in oopsies and some have it as a sweet craving crusher.

I've done good today!
B: Coffee with 2 tbsp HWC and 1 tbsp CO + 8 drops ez-sweet
L: 2 eggs and 3 oz bacon
S: 1 atkins peanut butter cup (1 carb), water, 2 oz cheese

I still have dinner left. It will be porkchops with cauliflower and lots of butter and maybe some cheese.

I'll try and keep away from sweets. At least keep it minimal, like one bite a day! I won't be having diet soda on induction either.

I was thinking about starting a thread in the induction forum. Either for people to request recipes for different things, or just post recipes for different categories. Just to help people more What do ya think?

Hope you all are doing well

[Miche124]

I'm pretty sick with diverticulitis, and will need to be taking 2 very powerful antibiotics. I also need to be on a liquid diet for a couple days, and incorporate some yogurt into that. I'm trying to figure out the best course with the least damage to my keto-adaptation, and so far I think I'll eat chicken broth, sugar-free jello, and greek yogurt with no added sweetening. Unfortunately, the yogurt contains about 8 gm. of carbs per serving, due to naturally occurring lactase, but if I'm not eating any other sources of carbs, 2 servings a day will keep me under 20 gms. carbs. My question is whether the nature of those yogurt carbs will mess up my keto-adaptation. Following the initial 2 days of liquid diet, I think I'll still need to keep the yogurt in my diet until the course of antibiotics is complete and beyond.

To tell you the truth, I haven't lost any weight in the last 6 weeks, out of a total of about 14 weeks, so it's not like this diet is even helping much anyway. I don't feel better on this diet, and I dislike meat generally, so I'm inclined to do what I need to get well, and let the chips fall where they may, and deal with that when the time comes.

[alonewithyou]

Maybe low carb isn't for you then? Hope you feel better soon!

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by Miche124

I'm pretty sick with diverticulitis, and will need to be taking 2 very powerful antibiotics. I also need to be on a liquid diet for a couple days, and incorporate some yogurt into that. I'm trying to figure out the best course with the least damage to my keto-adaptation, and so far I think I'll eat chicken broth, sugar-free jello, and greek yogurt with no added sweetening. Unfortunately, the yogurt contains about 8 gm. of carbs per serving, due to naturally occurring lactase, but if I'm not eating any other sources of carbs, 2 servings a day will keep me under 20 gms. carbs. My question is whether the nature of those yogurt carbs will mess up my keto-adaptation. Following the initial 2 days of liquid diet, I think I'll still need to keep the yogurt in my diet until the course of antibiotics is complete and beyond.

To tell you the truth, I haven't lost any weight in the last 6 weeks, out of a total of about 14 weeks, so it's not like this diet is even helping much anyway. I don't feel better on this diet, and I dislike meat generally, so I'm inclined to do what I need to get well, and let the chips fall where they may, and deal with that when the time comes.

Take care of yourself, Miche! I know that I'm not saying anything that you don't already know... But even if you'd been losing 10 pounds per week, no diet rules are more important than meeting your nutritional needs when you have a serious illness. I've read only enough about diverticulitis to know that it's nothing I ever want to mess around with. The reason I never EVER forget to take my daily psyllium fiber is the absolute terror of impacted material in my colon. So my thoughts and most sincere best wishes are with you right now!

Besides that, there's no evidence which suggests that most people actually need to stay at induction-level carbs to maintain keto-adaptation. Phinney and Volek say that most people will reliably remain in a keto-adaptation-supporting state of ketosis with up to 50g carbs per day. Jenny Ruhl puts the number at about 70g -- and she's talking about diabetics and people with serious insulin resistance. So I wouldn't consider yogurt a deal breaker, even under normal circumstances when you wouldn't be eating it to address a significant health threat.

Also, if you dislike meat and you haven't experienced any health benefits during the several months that you've been following this program, maybe it's time to consider finding a more effective alternative. I ADORE having you as my dieting teammate! So I would hate to lose you, but not every diet plan is best-suited to every dieter.

I know that you've read Gary Taubes and that you found his work to be quite convincing -- and I hate to speak ill of Taubes because what he says is true for a LOT of people -- but his books overstate his case and he mis-represents data to back up some misleadingly over-simplified points about fatloss. Almost every major bodybuilding nutrition coach has gone through Taubes's sources and written about some very inappropriate uses of clinical study data, which is troubling at best and dangerously misleading at worst.

Nutrition coaches are very supportive of low-carb fatloss diets -- the ONLY way bodybuilders can "cut" to 3% bodyfat is by eliminating dietary carbohydrates, and every bodybuilding nutrition coach knows that -- but coaches also have to be responsible enough to the research data and to their practical experience to stay true to the reality of effective real-world fatloss in order to help their clients meet their goals. The reality is that, although many people will burn fat at an accelerated rate and experience tremendous health benefits when eating a high-fat / very low-carb diet (and I am definitely one of those people), not everyone will thrive on this eating plan for a number of complex reasons. When I recently went a bit crazy, you wisely pointed out to me the value of enjoying what I'm eating while on a diet. So the fact that you dislike meat -- which seems to me to be a major component of this dietary approach -- that seems to me like a condition which could prevent you from thriving on low-carb eating. I don't want to stick my nose into your lifestyle choices. And I know that I don't actually *know* you. But I just want to point these things out, in case some of the information might be helpful to you in some way.

I hope you feel better soon, Miche! And I sincerely hope you have the mildest case of diverticulitis in the history of colon health.

[Miche124]

Thanks for the encouragement, Trillex and alonewithyou. I may need to re-evaluate once I'm well (and I, too, would miss you terribly), but for now I'll try to stay as close to the path as I can.

Trillex, diverticulitis is not necessarily a matter of impaction or even of constipation. I normally eat more than 1/4 cup of flaxmeal, a big salad, and soluble fiber supplements daily. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, from time to time the diverticulum becomes inflamed or infected, then I have to go through this whole routine with Flagyl with another a/b. Fortunately, recent common wisdom no longer requires abdominal surgery after 2 or 3 events.

I'll check back with you all in a few days. I'm not going anywhere for the time being.

Oh, and thank you, Trillex, for the link! I will definitely have to look into that!

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by Miche124

Trillex, diverticulitis is not necessarily a matter of impaction or even of constipation. I normally eat more than 1/4 cup of flaxmeal, a big salad, and soluble fiber supplements daily. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, from time to time the diverticulum becomes inflamed or infected, then I have to go through this whole routine with Flagyl with another a/b. Fortunately, recent common wisdom no longer requires abdominal surgery after 2 or 3 events.

I'm reading up on diverticulitis right now. It's fascinating!

For years, I've done a bentonite cleanse once per week -- 1 teaspoon of bentonite clay, one teaspoon of psyllium husk, 32 ounces of water, and a salad of kale, spinach, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and half an avocado 1 hour after the bentonite treatment -- because I thought a clean pathway was the best approach to colon health. But from what I'm reading, I may benefit by taking a daily probiotic. I will read more because I really do not want to have problems in that area.

[Big Stevie]

We have to do whatever to stay healthy. Not to share too much but I have had diarrhea for a couple of days. I just ate one slice of wheat bread (13 carbs) with some peanut butter and a half of a banana. I waited but I know from past experience it calms my stomach better than anything else. Besides, I am sure I have lost weight due to the diarrhea the last couple of days anyway so I am not to worried about being over carbs today.

As far as yogurt goes, do some searches for yogurt on this website. There is some theory that the yogurt doesn't actually have carbs as the label says. The bacteria in the yogurt eats the lactose and the carbs before you eat it.

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by alonewithyou

I was thinking about starting a thread in the induction forum. Either for people to request recipes for different things, or just post recipes for different categories. Just to help people more What do ya think?

That's a good point! I see a lot of great sounding items in people's daily menus and I wish they came with recipes because I would like to see what's actually in them. Linda's recipe website has a lot of delicious sounding items, but they're so full of heavy cream, which I only eat on Sundays, and soup mix and processed things that I generally try to avoid. I would like to see more interesting ways that people mix their meat and veggies, really.

[Trillex]

Feel better, Big Stevie! I think some sort of stomach flu is going around the country. The students have all come back from break complaining about tummy issues...

[Big Stevie]

Originally Posted by Trillex

Feel better, Big Stevie! I think some sort of stomach flu is going around the country. The students have all come back from break complaining about tummy issues...

The only time I have problems with this woe is when I have a bad stomach. I still haven't found anything to really settle my stomach. The best I have found so far is the one minute muffin with some cream cheese.

[Miche124]

Thanks for the article about yogurt, Big Stevie! It mentions my favorite yogurt as a good example, so I feel less guilty now about the supposed carb count.

Big Stevie, don't forget about your bouillon. Staying hydrated and keeping electrolytes up, as you're doing with your banana, is really important.

Diarrhea can be helped by resting the intestinal tract with a liquid diet for a couple of days (no milk products), then introducing the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Especially helpful is soluble fiber such as oatmeal or oat bran. If it's a virus, then you can't control it as well with food, and it needs to (literally) pass.

Hope you'll feel better soon! And Trillex, treat your students like they're hazardous material!

[Miche124]

I'm very sorry that I will leaving this forum because I need to take a different approach to weight loss. I feel that I've given this a solid effort, but it's just not working well for me. I have learned so much from you here, and I promise I will incorporate that learning into a modified approach as I work with a dietician to find the balance I can sustain.

You have my deepest gratitude for the compassion and care you have shown me, and I know with certainty that you will succeed in your goals.

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by Miche124

I'm very sorry that I will leaving this forum because I need to take a different approach to weight loss. I feel that I've given this a solid effort, but it's just not working well for me. I have learned so much from you here, and I promise I will incorporate that learning into a modified approach as I work with a dietician to find the balance I can sustain.

You have my deepest gratitude for the compassion and care you have shown me, and I know with certainty that you will succeed in your goals.

I will miss you, Miche! But I know you've given your best effort to this, and you have to do what's right for yourself. If there's ever anything I can do to help you, well, you know where to find me!

[alonewithyou]

Today's intake wasn't half bad. I avoided eating a LC bar at work, I was hungry, but mostly craving something sweet..

B: Coffee with hwc and Co, and a few drops ez-sweet. 3 eggs with butter.
L at work: iceberg lettuce with ham, feta cheese and sour cream.
D: 2 herbed chicken thighs and a alcoholic cider, 2,5 carbs per can of 500 ml!
S: the jello that separates with hwc. 1/4 of a box mixed with 1/4 cup cream + water. ~2 carbs. 1 atkins peanut butter cup (1 carb)
19 net carbs
1980 calories (not counting the butter in the eggs)
5% carbs, 70% fat 25% protein

I'm satisfied and glad I didn't give in to the LC bar. Saved me a few carbs there.

[Miche124]

Interesting episode of Science Friday from NPR entitled The Fallacies of Fat, by Robert Lustig. Good info about fiber, which we were discussing, sugar, and more. Have a listen if you're interested.

[Big Stevie]

Best of luck on your journey Miche. You will be missed. The key to this or any diet is finding the one that works for You. We are not all created equal. I hope you find something that works well for you. Don't loose hope.

[alonewithyou]

Did well yesterday, and been good so far today. It's only 6.43 pm, so.

I was supposed to stay away from sweets all together, but I can't. I think it will be easier when I'm done with induction and can eat berries instead of atkins bars...

I think I'll have something with cream cheese a bit later. Either with cocoa or just plain with sweetener.

[Big Stevie]

Feeling better. Went on a big shopping trip. It is nice to have the cupboards full of the right foods to eat. I was getting really low on many thing and my diet was becoming very limited over the past week.

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by Big Stevie

Feeling better. Went on a big shopping trip. It is nice to have the cupboards full of the right foods to eat. I was getting really low on many thing and my diet was becoming very limited over the past week.

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better! I was worried for a minute there, I don't think I can do this without you.

Just kidding! I know you're here for the long haul...

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by alonewithyou

Did well yesterday, and been good so far today. It's only 6.43 pm, so.

I was supposed to stay away from sweets all together, but I can't. I think it will be easier when I'm done with induction and can eat berries instead of atkins bars...

I think I'll have something with cream cheese a bit later. Either with cocoa or just plain with sweetener.

Do sweets make you have cravings? Or are you just trying to avoid them for health reasons? I'm just curious!

[GingerD]

Originally Posted by southernbellexx

Hi, y'all! My name is Kelli. I have been lurking for a few days, and I must say...you guys are SO inspiring! I have read this entire thread...all 25 pages of it! LOL! I am on day 3 of induction, and much like you guys, I tend to stay at induction levels for a while. I would like to lose 50 lbs. So far, I'm 5 lbs down from where I started. Whooo! I know it's mostly water, but any loss is good as far as I'm concerned! I wish you guys the best in your journey...and I'm so sad that most of the original posters are gone

I'm just like you Kelli! And we live so close! I've been lurking for a while too. I'm completely new to Atkins. A couple of years ago I tried Low Carb with no research and I lost about 35 pounds. I wish I knew of this plan - I was mixing low carb and low fat together and it took a while. I'm at a point now that I've gained everything back. I knew low carb worked but need a plan. I really really like the Atkins plan - from what I researched. I realize I was doing everything wrong. This site has been amazing and I really do need a support group and this one seems perfect. I started induction this weekend. I don't know how much I've lost because I was scared to weigh myself until yesterday (when I felt like I lost a little). Just from yesterday I'm 3lbs down. Now I'm really curious what I was before. Anyway.. my husband is loving this! He's loving the food I'm making. Went shopping today and got all kinds of induction friendly. I even spoke to my deli at work to make my "sandwiches" with no bread. I'm really excited!!! Thank you all for the posts - they really are so incredibly inspiring!!! I'll keep updating on my success!! Thank you all for being here!!!

[GingerD]

Anybody want to be my weight loss partner? I would love that! I think it might be a necessity in the long run

[Trillex]

Originally Posted by GingerD

I'm completely new to Atkins. A couple of years ago I tried Low Carb with no research and I lost about 35 pounds. I wish I knew of this plan - I was mixing low carb and low fat together and it took a while. I'm at a point now that I've gained everything back. I knew low carb worked but need a plan. I really really like the Atkins plan - from what I researched.

Welcome to the family, Ginger!

I was new to Atkins, too, when I started in May 2012. I'd heard of it, of course. But I wasn't really familiar with the program. I'm kind of glad that I didn't know anything about it, though, because that made me read the book very carefully and to be very careful about closely following the instructions.

I've been super happy with Atkins because it's so simple -- the basic idea is that I just don't eat certain foods. I find that easier than some of the other diets I've heard about.

We're pretty close in weight -- now that I've lost 50 pounds -- and our goal weights are also quite close. I'm not a *fast* loser, though, so you'll surely get to the finish line before me!

Just stick with it -- you're already doing MUCH better than I did when I started. I'm not sure why, but it seems like a lot of people quit after they've lost pounds quite well. But in my experience, the diet actually gets easier after a few months of just sticking with it.

If there's anything we can do to help you out, just holla! Cheers!