Hi all, new to the forums here. My fiance and I are starting the Atkins diet tomorrow with Induction, but we have some questions. We're really excited about this but want to make sure we're doing everything correctly.

1. Ketchup good/bad?
2. Milk, she loves milk, no more of that?
3. Do we have to take any vitamin or mineral supplements to make up for the lack of anything we will be needing especially during induction?
4. I guess I'm just confused/mysitifed on some of the things you can eat. Like right now it's 12:10 in the morning, and I'm eating a plain JTM burger without anything, just it on a plate. I can really eat these pretty much whenever I want? What about the rule no eating past 9 pm because it sets in your stomach creating fat while you sleep?

I think that's all. I am really looking forward to starting this, hopefully it works. Any comments/answers to my questions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I have a question for you...Have you read the book? It is really important.

no to ketchup...too much sugar

no milk...heavy cream is fine...and if you are missing milk, you can always have a protein shake with a bit of cream in it...That is only after your induction.

supplements are recommended...I take a multi B, chomium, potassium(very important), cal/mag, glutamine, and flaxseed. The chomium helps with the cravings, the cal/mag helps with sleeping, the potassium helps with feeling lousy,because our bodies need it. The flaxseed is an omega 3. The glutamine helps with all kinds of different things...a lot of body builders use it for muscle recovery, but it is good for brain function, intestinal function...and a hole lot of other stuff.

You can not eat whatever you want...and the first two weeks are quite restrictive...but after that time, you can add to your daily allowance of carbs. some people find that they stall on some foods...I can not eat much cheese, or artifical sugar...but every one is different.

Good luck...but please read the book.

Well as far as the burger goes, I read in the Acceptable Foods during Induction that beef is acceptable, so where's the issue with the hamburger plain w/o bun? Yes I will read the book, buying it tomorrow.

I think you can pretty much eat anytime you want, no real issues with not eating after a certain time. But, as said, no ketchup on your burger

You can also check out the Atkins website, do a yahoo search and you'll find it. They list more of the "rules" in detail for induction. My personal opinion is the biggest deal is not to cheat, at all, for the first two weeks. It really helps to do it like that. After the first two weeks, you can start adding stuff back, watching what sort of reactions/addictions you might have to certain foods. For example, with me it's anything sweet, artifically sweetened or not, I start eating it and I want more and more and more. Right now I have a bowl of SF jello instant chocolate pudding in the refrigerator, made it with cream. It's absolutely wonderful and I think it was a total of 10 carbs for 1/2 cup. That's pretty high, but I hadn't eaten any carbs for the day, well, minimal carbs, had 2 hard boiled eggs and some hot wings. I ate the pudding, 1/2 a cup and put it away. I knew I had to put it away. 20 minutes later I was rooting around in the freezer for some low carb ice cream I made and ate some of that. Sugar, fake or not, is a trigger food for me and makes me want more and more.

Best of luck to you and your woman. Try to support each other in dieting and not cheating. (Personally, it's much easier to cheat on the diet when there's another one who goes along with the "oh, a little bit won't hurt you ) Hubby and I do very well with the eating part of the diet, but we haven't been able to motivate one another to do much in the way of exercise!

Best of luck to you!

I would highly recommend you read the book before starting on this way of eating.

There are a lot of details you need to know on how and why it works. What you can and can not have so you don't mess up and feel badly later.

For instance....how much cheese is allowed?
artifical sweeteners?
how much water should you drink?
exercise?

The answers to those and many more are in the book Plus in the induction chapter it lists what foods are allowed and why it is very important to eat your veggies! (remember your mom saying that? Well she was right this time )

If a food is not on the induction list there should not be any question on it going into your mouth. The answer is no.

Read the book first, then set a date to start induction. Induction is best started on a Friday believe it or not. Why? The second and third days you normally feel your worse and the weekends allow for downtime from work and such.

I strongly agree with starting Induction on a Friday -- although the new Atkins book (for the first time) warns you that you will feel a little sluggish the first few days, it understates the withdrawal symptoms for some people It's not that bad, but if you're not expecting it you'll be nervous and won't know what's going on! And don't try to exercise during induction...save that until after your body adapts, or you'll be tiiiii-red!

Good luck and have fun with your new way of life!!
-Jinkster