Hi, This WAS my 3rd 'proper' day doing Atkins...only at the very end I got tempted by a packet of sweets in the cupboard..ended up gobbling up about 5 of em', then eating a packet of Special K crisps and then a bowl of Special K!! A carbo-binge to be exact. Has this ever happened to anyone else on induction?! If so, can the induction phase still work, after just one binge during the week? (can u still have lost weight by the end of the week)? Also, is it unusual NOT to have lost weight after one week? Sorry for all the questions but I'm so new to this.

Not sure what the repercussions will be. However, one thing Dr. Atkin's mentioned in his book was that before you begin the diet, you should clean house. That is, pitch or give away anything that would tempt you. For me, I gave away, regular soda, rice, pasta, jams/jellies, chocolate, regular ketchup, the whole nine yards.

It took well over 8 months for me to cheat. It was a planned cheat too (wedding anniversary). For me, and I am sure a lot like me who have a lot to lose, once the weight started coming off, and inches melted away, it became easier to resist any temptations. I see people eat pies, cookies, donuts, cakes, etc all day long (I work for a city club with excellent food and such). Even the employee cafeteria is loaded with it but I don't eat it because although it tastes great, it doesn't taste as good as losing a pound or two or 50 feels.

So, regain your focus and keep trying. One thing i do know is that if you cheat a little, it won't kill you. Drink a lot of water and start over.

Good luck!

Hey, thanks! Will now drink about 50 million gallons of water! Seriously tho, will stock up on low-carb sweets and snacks tomorrow so that if I ever want something sweet it'll be there for me! Hopefully as a result I won't binge again!

I wouldn't even stock up on the low carb snacks and sweets right away either.....I hate to burst your bubble.

I did that and wasn't losing any weight...for the first two weeks we are breaking our addictions and old habits. There are other options such as splenda sweetened cream cheese or other induction friendly sweet tooth craving killers...but don't go all out with the LC snacks that you buy at the store. Atkins also says if we are craving sweets are insulin is too low and to eat some protein....I know doesn't sound good when you want chocolate, huh? I hope this helps you...just pick yourself up after the carbo-binge and move on...don't beat yourself up over it.

Please don't do this to yourself!!! I'm not saying to NEVER buy a low carb treat, but definitly DO NOT in the beginning! You will never break your old habits and you will end up not losing weight... Don't believe what the commercials tell you, you will not lose weight using a ton of low carb products! (Except in your wallet!) Please, grab DANDR and read it well and START OVER. Pretend you never started Induction before and just start anew, no hard feelings. As mentioned, toss all your carby junk and stock up and good low carb alternatives: Snack meats (salami, deli meat, bacon, pre-cooked chicken, etc.), snack vegi's (bell peppers, avacados, cucumbers, radishes, etc. and ranch dressing to dip them in), salad fixings (romaine or other DARK leafy green lettuce, try and avoid iceburg). Also, buy at least one low carb cookbook to start off of and make your own meals, NOT LOW CARB PASTA or other junk that is out there! Grill yourself some salmon or steak, steam some broccoli and make a hollandaise for it... And always eat lots of salad... I know it's hard at first, believe me... I was there. But I've lost 46 pounds and I think it's safe to say I know what I'm talking about (or I hope I do ). I've gotten stuck and I've had to work to find a way out. This board and other groups are great to have on hand when you have a question or a problem. We will always be here to help you through. Just don't give up! GOOD LUCK!

P.S. I don't know about 50 million gallons of water, but 8-10 glasses will do nicely.

Some good ideas for fixing a sweet tooth while in Induction:

1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter (2g)
1-2 Tablespoons cream cheese (full fat), maybe smeared on some celerty or cucumber? Or just with a spoon!!
A diet cola (if caffeine makes you stall, get caffeine free) with a few squirts of sugar free sweetener/syrup, such as Da Vinci or Torani brands
Sugar free jello (check labels cos some still do have a few carbs, depending on flavor) topped with a scoop of whipped cream sweetened w/ Splenda and vanilla extract
Heck, just eat a scoop of whipped cream!

Just get creative, I'm sure you'll find a way to get through!

Congratulations on starting Atkins! This can be such a wonderful way to eat!

I'd like to encourage you to get rid of ALL the non-low carb foods in your home so you can have a clean induction. Give your self the full 2 weeks cheat free to see if this program will work for you (I'm sure it will). You will be thrilled with the results and will be so proud of yourself for sticking to it!

Read the induciton sections again and start from there. Be careful about the low carb treats, they are better left for further on in the program. The point of induction is to put your body into ketosis which will kill the cravings you are experiencing. That may seem impossible, but it really happens If you are having cravings during induction, try some more protein or induction legal foods. Once those cravings are gone (usually by day 3 or 4) you will feel so great!

Good luck to you in your weight loss journey! This is a great place for support and advice! I'm glad you posted your question here and I'm sure you'll get lots of excellent information!

Cheers!

Thanks, you guys are great. I usually hang around the Irish forum but there's never anyone there! Will stay here, methinks.

Get rid of the high carb junk, and don't buy the low carb junk. Try to get a clean 2 week induction, at least, before trying any of the lc junk food, if you absolutely cant resist. It's not good for you, it gives you the runs, and it might stall your weight loss.

When you cheat, you might have to deal with the induction flu all over again! Stick with it, drink water, and go and sin no more!

One of the best things you can do prior to starting the Atkins diet is to read and understand the book. I found the first book, Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution, to be much more helpful (than Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution) regarding the induction phase of this diet.

There are so many common misconceptions about what is and is not allowed during induction. Frankly, it is probably best to learn from the source, Dr. Atkins.

Good Luck!

thought I'd point out that peanut butter, natural or not, is NOT allowed on Induction.

If you possible can, stay away from anything not on the Induction foods list for the first 2 weeks. As others have said, it's a way to kick bad habits and cravings. Sometimes it's not a craving at all but just a habit (ie snacking while watching TV).

I tried this treat and it was really good :

cream cheese (2 oz), 1-2 tbsp cream (depends on how 'liquid' you want), 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp splenda (or to taste). Tastes just like cream cheese frosting. I just dipped in my spoon and licked off the icing and repeated, as necessary

Nicole