I have been on the induction for 10 days and have lost 11lb so far and am thrilled. I try to vary my foods a little each day and have even ventured into the realms of one or two recipes found in the journals.

What does concern and confuse me is the supplements I know I need to be taking. At the moment I take one multivitamin a day and 10mg of Amitriplytine ( which is a very mild antidepressant to help with my disrupted sleeping pattern ). Can anyone tell me what I should be taking? Because I really want to do this WOE correctly and safely. I have quite a bit to lose (70lb) and need to sort this out.

I have read and re-read the Atkins book - but he suggest so many supplements that I would be taking them all day.

Has anyone any idea's please

Welcome to the Forum Tigra,

Congratulations on the weight loss so far.

I know what you mean. In the UK supplements are not so popular as across the pond - in fact I have even listened to some reports on how taking too many can be harmful. It can be confusing. So much to take in, especially at the start of your new WOL.

However you have to decide what is best for you.

I found supplements definitely help a lot. I usually get my supplements from Holland & Barratt but there are some good ones in most supermarkets nowadays.

To start with I just bought a bottle, and compared the list with my Atkins book. Whatever element was missing, the next time I would make a point of finding one which had that.

I take a Multi-vitamin (I check to see it has chromium in it - not all of them do) daily. Then I have a whole selection of others Evening Primrose, Cod Liver, Vitamin C (if I feel the first whiff of a cold), Calcium, B-Complex. I do not take these everyday but do take one with each meal.

Read up about them and listen to your body. I find it quite incredible the number of times I suddenly go for Evening Primrose/B-complex. TOM will arrive unexpectedly around the same time. I understand, after the event, why I went for that bottle on that day. Tt took a few months of reading about vitamins to get to that stage.

Take care.

May I add my congratulations on your weight loss so far.

I know what you mean about confusion with supplements. I was interested in what Fiona saying about them being more popular over in the US.

For a long time before I started this way of life I have been taking 1g of vitamin C a day. I believe it helps on the cold front. However, since starting this way of life I have had a multi mineral and vitamin tablet everyday.

On top of that I also take cod liver oil capsules. I tried taking evening primrose, but found they gave me headaches.

I took additional chromium at first, but did not notice much difference. There is some chromium in my multimineral, as well.

As time went on I felt a bit light headed at the gym and based on people's experiences on this site added cheleted potassium - I've had no problems since.

Very recently I got quite bad cramp in the back of my leg and took additional calcium and magnesium and this stoped the spasams very quickly.

So its up to you how many you want to take, but I would certainly recommend a good multivitamin and mineral as a basis.

Every success with your wight loss.

Thank you for the advice it is appreciated - as I already take a mulitvitamin a day I think I will add some potassium, has I have had tired achy legs for two days - I dont think it will do me any harm in the long run.

I love these forums and just felt I had to say a big thankyou to everyone out there. I come on here every day now and its made it so much easier for me. I enjoy looking at other peoples journals and have found a few recipes to try - the best so far being the Shape up Shake. It remains to be seen tomorrow (scales day) whether I'll be having anymore.

I have posted a message in your forum little Anne cos it seems we work for the same people - hope you did'nt mind !!!

Thanks again to you both

Hi Tigra

I also take a complete multi-vit and mineral supplement but always did even before LC.

I've also been taking chromium and have just added Vits E & C(anti-oxidants) and Borage Oil (as this is one of the EFAs Atkins recommends in his book).

I very rarely get a cold but I think this is down to LC in general, just one more great benefit - and really well done on your weight loss!

Cheers

Chrissy
www.sugarlite.co.uk

Ok, well, I just have to jump in here..... I think if you analyze your diet you'd find that you're short on calcium and magnesium, too. I take all sorts of supplements (I'm from the US!), but I recommend that at a minimum one should take:
a good multivitamin
calcium-magnesium
potassium
liquid flax oil (1-2 TBSP in salads, etc.)
green tea (or extract)

The flax oil (or other EFAs) and green tea are not VITAL, however they have both been scientifically proven to provide so many health benefits that one would be neglecting a simple opportunity to improve one's health a great deal. The more research I read about these, the more I'm convinced these are VITAL to me!! There's lots of info on the board about these or you can do a general search on the web if you want detailed info. (I'm not a walking encyclopedia like Nat is!! )

Glad you jumped in TeriDoodle . I agree with you about the Green Tea. I was focussing on supplements.

All the water I'm drinking is really very weak Green Tea. I add a few "grains" everytime I refill the pot.

Chrissy, I used to get a cold every month whatever the weather. This was pre-LC. That's when I got into the habit of taking 1000mg of Vit C at the first sign of one coming on. Now I find stepping up the garlic and Vit C helps shoo the cold away before it can take a hold. I keep it up for a few days longer just to be absolutely sure.

Take care.

I remember when I lived in Cyprus where I worked whenever anyone complained of a general tummy ache or pmt, they always used to make a cup of tea with these funny dried green leaves. I wonder whether that was the same thing?

Where's the best place to get the green tea in the UK and in what form is it avaialble? Sounds like I should try it.

Thanks

Chrissy
www.sugarlite.co.uk

I just thought I'd better update you on my supplements saga - I've been shopping with my 12 year old daughter today (nightmare city) and we came out of superdrug with :=

1 tub of multivitamins
1 tub of multiminerals
1 tub of Complex B

So I'm going to give those a try and see how I feel - I can always add more as I go along - but I just never realised how many were on sale in the shops. We were there for ages, but actually it served another purpose. That of getting my well developed daughter called laura, her own set of vitamins and minerals.

She's gonna kill me if she reads this - bless her.

Thank you for the great advice
Bye for now

Chrissy -

Here in the US I can get green tea at any grocery story.... it is widely available, so I'm sure the situation is the same in the UK. It is available in tea bags, loose tea or even in capsules sold as green tea extract at the pharmacy, health food or nutrition stores!

Chrissy, I buy my green tea in tea bags from my local health food shop, but I know some of the bigger supermarkets sell it too. All the best, Jay (UK)

{TeriDoodle: it is widely available, so I'm sure the situation is the same in the UK. } No so. There is a gap (ever decreasing but still a gap) in the availability and price of supplements etc. in the US/Canada and UK. Some of the larger branches of supermarkets stock teabags.

{Chrissy: they always used to make a cup of tea with these funny dried green leaves.} That is green tea. I believe the difference between our (say, Typhoo) tea and green tea is that it has not undergone any processing and is the whole leaf which curls up as it dries.

I get mine from a Chinese Shop called Wing Yip. Most of the shops in ChinaTown would stock it. Temple of Heaven (brand name) Chinese Green Tea (250g) costs approx £1 and lasts many months as I only use a few grains for each 1 ltr pot.

Tigra, I know - it can be a nightmare deciding which one to go for.

Take care

Hiya Guys

Thanks for the replies and I will try the tea. Although the tea you refer to in Cyprus is actually 'cay' pronounced Chay.

It is there normal everyday tea like we have and is stewed in water over another pot of boiling water, which is then added and topped up when needed. And how do I know this - My fiance is Cypriot !!!!

Unfortunately he likes the turkish coffee better - YUCK nasty stuff - but everyone to there own I suppose.

Well I'd better go - cos speaking of Cypriots - we've got three of them downstairs having a very large and loud debate about god knows what -

speak to you soon