Ive been on the Atkins plan for about two months and it seems that ive been in a stall for 3 weeks. I eat alot of steak and pork, salted butter plus I use a fair amount of salt. From reading some of the posts I see that there is a concenses that salt intake should be eliminated from my diet. I am staying in ketosis with the way im am eating, am I just retaining water from all the salt? Also whats the opinion on Crystal Light, Sugar Free Jello, Sugar Free Kool Aid Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet Coke and Porkeys BBQ Pork Puffs, I somtimes have the Atkins Endulge Peanut Butter Cups. should I eliminate some of these items? Any feed back would be great thanks.

Truefully I do not worry to much about salt. That does not mean that I do not see water gain from it. Just make sure you drink a lot of water every day. This will help. I would cut out the differently higher salty item if you are having a problem with it. Such as the Pork Puffs. But even when I am stalling out on the scale I am happy that I am in ketosis. IT means I am doing it right at least. On day you body will all of a sudden realize it doesn't need all the water it is holding onto, and whoosh....

You might want to go easy on the "frankenfood" for a bit, see if it help. It cant hurt to cut the out for a week or so and see. Everyone is different and handle things differently.

Measure yourself from time to time. You may find that you really are not stalled, but are losing inches instead. Way better if you think about it. I never lose pounds and inches at the same time!

I agree with Mary. I usually don't concern myself with salt intake either. If I have a day where I know I have taken in a bunch of it, I just up my water intake. Seems to work for me.

The water retain from occasionaly eating salty foods temporary. If you step on the scale every day, it can be very frightening. (For example after my favorite smoked salmon plate usually I have 3-5 lbs water gain. ) BUT this water goes away in 24-36 hours.
To eat salty/high sodium meals every day could cause hig blood pressure and other problems, so you should be careful if you have "salty tooth".

I was worried about the salt, but I am going to try to eliminate any added salt from my diet today, thanks. frankenfoods?

Frankenfoods are lo-carb pre packaged food. Ex: bars, shakes, candy, etc

oh okay, i was going to try and eat all whole foods this week, thanks for the feed back, Its nice to get confermation on this. I am trying to get rid of the diet coke and the crystal ight as well, I am going to try just water and treat myself with club soda and a slice of lime. I have also quit smoking; so there is a lot of giving up happening, but the rewards are worth it. thanks again

Three questions that make the difference here:

1) how do you feel?
2) are you losing weight?
3) are you enjoying what you are eating?

Just some perspective...

I quit smoking also...right before I started low carbing. It is so worth it once you get over the first week.

As far as salt...I never worry about it. I actually eat more salt now then I used to and am not retaining water. Make sure that you drink a minimum of 64oz of water a day and do not include any other drinks in that amount. I try to drink about 100oz or more...just depends. I think also cutting out the caffeine helped a whole lot. It took about 3 days to get over.

*as I ramble on*

I wish you the best. We are all in the same boat.

I almost gave in to the temptation of having a smoke yesterday, while i was at work on lunch break a few of us were outside having a coffee and a smoke when one of the ladies offerd me one, I thought about it and said " what the heck I am giving up a lot of things one smoke wont hurt" she agreed and said I have been good I might as well treat myself. I agreed and went in to refill my coffee, as I was doing this I thought about how good I had been on my new w.o.e and how I was not tempted to also grab a doughnut that was right beside the coffee. I then realized that I was not all that strong I was about to go back outside for a smoke, so I decided to go back to work instead; beleive it or not but the sight of a doughnut helped my will power. I guess peer preasure is that strong, I never put much stock in that fact, but I almost caved. I was saved by a box Tim Hortons.

WTG Horty!!!!

The idea that salt is bad for you is a myth -- unless your kidneys don't work right or you're not drinking enough water.

I treat salt like a food group. I eat heavily salted foods and add MORE from the salt shaker. I like the crunchiness of the salt crystals between my teeth and am not really happy eating foods that lack that little crunch. I put salt on everything.

My blood pressure is 100/70 -- this or very close to it is the reading I get every time I go to the doctor.

Just drink plenty of water and you'll be fine.

As for artificially sweetened foods -- there's something to be said for giving up all artificial sweeteners (and not just aspartame, as Dr. Atkins requires). A lot of folks (including me) find that consuming sweet-tasting foods triggers unreasonable appetite and makes it hard to stay within a reasonable calorie range for the day. The last time I ate an Atkins Endulge peanut butter cup I ended up having three whole packages of them! That's just my experience, though -- you may be able to handle the fake sweets better than I can.

I am starting to drink more water, and keeping the crystal light to about 3 16oz glasses per day. the water actualy makes me feel lighter ( its all in my mind i know this, but hey it works for me) as for the atkins bars once i eat one im fine for the night i never was one for sweets, I have been a salt junkie instead. The only reason I even started buying those bars was because I wanted some kind of snack but even though they are good i am not finding myself craving them; The only thing i miss is real coke, chips with dip and of course beer on saturday nights. I thought Pizza would be difficult to give up but it wasn't, I have been craving Taco Bell for a couple days but I think I will survive.

Hey good for you for not having the cig!! that took alot of willpower



I'd say that is still way too much for one day for this way of eating, we need to break that sugar habit, no matter what form it comes in.

Cheers kathy

Thanks for the encouragment, I am not really a sugar junkie but I do like the diet coke and crystal light seeing as they are both sugar free and I am in ketosis do you think that I should still be drinking 64 oz of water a day, I did have 48 oz so far. I did have a great dinner, a 12oz ribeye with a side ceaser salad(no croutons) made with half romain and half spinich with a table spoon of dressing and a teaspoon of parmasian cheese, yum. had a cup of coffee for dessert with sweet and low and soy milk (unsweetend), soy milk is great mixed but tasted like wet card board alone. No cig cravings at all, I have an oppourtunity to go back to school and receive anouther diploma, it will only take me 2 semesters instead of the required 4 semesters because of the credits I have earned from my past 3 diplomas. still thinking about it. I have until the middle of December to make up my mind. Unfortunatly the position I have is not what I was led to beleive. The owner just dropped a bombshell and did some house cleaning and reorganized the entire operation. Being the assistant F&B Manager for the last 2 years at this location I have in my short time there gone thru 2 different owners and three general managers and now my second F&B manager. Im just a little tired of proving myself to different managers every 6 months; besides I was not even approached about the managment position, the G.M hirred a friend instead. Can we say politics? ah well.
Im thinking of hitting the tanning beds tomorrow after the w.o, that usaualy relaxes me. sorry for the ramble just had to get that off my chest.