an introduction, and a few questions
 

Hi all:

I have been reading these boards for the past month or so, and I wanted to first thank you all for all of the advice by osmosis . . . I'm sure I wouldn't have made it through induction without you all.

I just have to say what a change in my entire life this LC WOE has made in just the past three weeks. For my entire teen and adult life, I have had a horrible, mind-and-body draining struggle with food. I was always in the normal weight range, but if I'm honest with myself, was obsessed with food and dieting. I feel like that's all I thought about in my spare time. For about a decade, I would binge eat one day, then starve myself for the next two days, and repeat. I looked normal on the outside, but clearly this is not normal or healthy behavior. Insane, now that I think back. Well, for the first time IN MY LIFE, I feel like I have a normal attitude toward food! It is a miracle for me, it truly is. I eat when I'm hungry, actually get satisfied, and push back from the table. I no longer starve myself or eat to the point where I can't move. It's amazing, and I know you all can relate to a certain extent. I'm going to eat this way for the rest of my life.

I have two or three questions for you all, however:

1) I have always been an avid exerciser/weight lifter, and would like to get in to it seriously now that I have gotten my eating habits under control. I know how to lift free weights and to give myself rest days and all that, but what about the frequency of cardio? And I read a lot about spacing out your meals into small ones spread throughout the day, is this really neccesary?

2) I just read somewhere (Nat, maybe?) in this forum that upping your carbs slightly might be advisable to enable muscle gain, and I have noticed that my muscles fatigue MUCH more quickly than before. Can you all suggest or point me towards a website?

3) I haven't really weighed myself since starting (the one on my profile is a guess) because, frankly, I'm afraid of psyching myself out. I have a history of getting overly upset at that stupid number. Should I just chuck the scale and get my bodyfat measured from time to time?

4) Cheese. I had one slice of cheese once and it seemed to increase my hunger 100X, so I have been gun-shy about it. Is it possible that I have some weird sensitivity to it? Do you think I'll be able to get past this? I love cheese. . .

5) I drink a couple atkins shakes a day. Is that ok, or is there a hidden carb thing in that too?

And FYI, here's what I typically eat/day:

On rising: Atkins shake (170 c)
Breakfast: 4 eggs, cooked w/ FF pam, sunny side up (280 c)
Lunch: 2 cans tuna w/ 1/2 tablespoon of mayo (350 c) and 1 cup salad (no dressing)
Dinner: two 4 oz turkey burgers (160 each, 310 c.) and 1 cup frozen veggies
Dessert: Atkins Shake (170 c)

[By my calculations, this puts me at 1300 calories a day. Which is incredible because I'm so darn full at the end of the day!!]

Thanks so much again for all the advice posted on this forum. It has been so much of a help to me!

Katie (aka Lawwoman).

Re: an introduction, and a few questions
 

Hi Katie and welcome to the forum. Glad we were all able to help you out :)



I'm going to assume that since you're posting in the BFL forum that is the plan you're looking to start up with. Cardio and lifting should be followed according to the plan - 3 days of each per week, roughly 45 minutes for your resistance work and 3 cardio sessions (using Intervals) for 20 minutes.

Spacing out meals is really neccessary. Any plan you follow will be 30% exercise and 70% nutrition. Intense exercise demands proper and adequate nutrition - not just for the day as a whole, but throughout the day, when it is needed. Eating more frequent, smaller meals will provide the necessary nutrients and protein that your body needs.



That would be in the sticky (the thread stuck at the top of the subforum) at the top of this forum, called "BFL and LC - hints and tips" You'll find a lot of information in there relating to doing this program with LC nutrition.



Yes, definitely. And take measurements - they will provide a more accurate picture of progress than the scale. If you know you can't handle the scale, why drive yourself nuts?



It's possible you have an intolerance - but these things usually present as bloating, pain, stomach distress and even hives. Not hunger. I think this is an underlying symptom of not eating enough. 1300 calories is not enough food for a sedentary 140 lb woman, let alone one who is active. Consistently eating below 1400 calories can permanently lower your metabolism.



No hidden carb problem with shakes. But the Atkins brand, to my recollection, are not the best choice for protein. You want one that will deliver about 30g of protein per serving, with minimal carbs. You'll probably find a better price and a bette product shopping around.



This is the double edge sword of ketosis - it robs you of your appetite. Eating too little is a sure way to slow your loss and lower your metabolism. You need to up those calories - specially if you're going to follow this program. You can use fats to do this; butter, olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds, skin on chicken, mayonnaise. They are all calorie dense and mainly fat. A little goes a long way.

Best of luck!
Nat