Well I am now on day 9 of Induction. I don't know about anyone else, but I am kinda nervous about introducing sugar again AT ALL!

I would like to have a Reward day on the 15th day so was thinking about having a cinnamon donut or something like that. Maybe some pancakes. Are there any shock effects I should know about . I am afraid I might have a sugar overload , haha.

I feel like I am about to be let loose from re-hab and I am alllll on my own in a candy store or something weird like that .

On the same hand, I am strangley afraid that I won't ever feel the desire to eat foods like Bread or Chocolate ever again fearing I will "put on a lb". Is this the beginning of an eating disorder?? HEEEELLPPPP

Kristy

Sometimes, I think it is better to try a little of something to get the obsession of it out of your head.

For example...

Went to a home show this weekend, and there were strawberry funnel cakes - boy, did they smell incredible. The more I passed by them, the more obsessed I became. I broke down and bought one, feeling like crap that I did. But, when I took that first bite, it TASTED TERRIBLE! It was so sweet & greasy, it made my teeth hurt, and I threw it away after 2 bites. It was better for me in the long run to get it out of my system, and now I don't have to worry about it anymore. This, of course, will not work for all foods, but handle it the best you can.

Good luck!

--Kirkwood

No, Kristy, I would call this an awakening. Why would you want to eat bread or sugar again knowing how it effects you and makes you feel?

I am not sure why you would be reintroducing sugar after induction. You have just 'detoxed' yourself of sugar and gone through 2 weeks ridding it from your system. For LC to work for you it must become a WOL. Using it as a diet to lose a few lbs then returning to your old ways will only ensure you gain back the weight you lost and further mess up your metabolism. Why not treat yourself to something non food related instead? How about a manicure, a new piece of clothing? Anything but food.

Nat

Nat, I understand about the WOL thing and that if I went back to eating the way I did that I will put the weight on again. But I will eventually up the amount of carbs that I intake to a maintenance level and I think some of that will contain breads etc. I don't think it's completley safe to not have any carbs at all forever is it? I don't want to end up looking like Calista Flockhart after all.

That was the sugar introduction I was talking about.

I agree with you, I think that after induction, to do like Atkins say's, slowing introduce carbs back into your diet, like 5 grams at a time until you hit your critical carb level, that won't cause you to gain. I don't think Atkins meant for a person to stay induction for the rest of one's life. You need Berries and some bread without sugar, whole wheat, and other healthly foods. My opinion. I have lost a lot of weight on Atkins a long time ago, and I do think you need to follow the woe's guidelines to not gain back your weight. Shirl

Kristy, read the maintenance chapter in Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution so you will know what maintenance is like. The reason why sugar and carbs are avoided is because they're addictive - yes ADDICTIVE!

Because it's "food" - and I really don't think it should be classified as such. Other addictive substances are not classified as food - it's not taken as seriously as addiction to alcohol or other drugs. Any food with a "carb bang" is processed by your body as sugar. The more refined it is, the bigger the bang.

It's in everything and almost everybody does it. This however, does not make it right. Just just as seriously, it will set off a cycle of craving, and if not held in check, you'll be right back at square one again.

It's not the fear of putting on weight that should be frightening, it's starting the whole addictive cycle again.

If you can't see this as a WOL, THe Carbohydrate Addicts Diet may be a better choice as a life plan for you.

Karen

Yes, adding more carbs is a good idea. And you should be eating carbs now in limited quantitiy. Adding a few more will help deal with the monotony of eating the same foods day in and day out. Which carbs you choose is up to you, but making informed choices is always desirable. I have found, from personal experience, that any amout sugar (in the form of sucrose) is not good (it made me quite ill); fructose I have been ok with in small quantities. I would be very leary of bread, however. Refined grains are the hardest on our bodies in terms of digestion and the Eades point out in Protein Power Lifeplan that the introduction of grain in our diet has been linked to all kinds of diseases and health problems. My boyfriend recently lost 23 lbs with this WOE and had to up his carbs to stop weight loss, he can handle fruit and very startchy veggies, peanuts and beer, but one slice of bread makes him very ill.

It's just my personal opinion, but I think eating less carbs and not eating grains or sugar is the safest and healthiest way to live. I know how much better it makes me feel.

Nat

Nat, Some people are allergic to whole wheat, since you feel better without it, I wonder if you are allergic to it? Shirl

The comment was about my boyfriend, Shirl, not me. He is not allergic to it, he has crohn's, an auto immune disease that has been associated with the introduction of grain into our diet. For many years he thought vegetables and fiber were what set off a flare up. Turns out it's grains. There is a diet designed specifically for people with IBS and Crohn's and it is discussed in our "Low Carb Plans" section (It's a Carbohydrate Specific Diet, and it specifically targets, you guessed it, grains).

I feel, after the research that I have done, that grains are something I do not need in my diet, I ate the odd piece of whole wheat toast after "induction" with no ill effects, but to be honest, I do not miss bread, pasta or sugar. I'm healthier, happier and better off without them.

Nat