Hi,
I am just beginning Atkins. After years of high carb/low fat diets, hunger and blood sugar swings I think I have found something which will be successful...at last
Last year I went on an Australian low carb program and for 5 weeks lost nothing so just before Xmas I felt pretty discouraged and of course what happened over Xmas The carbs were too high and after reading Atkins I realise I have to get down to 20 to probably get anywhere.
I have been easing my way down to 20 carbs this week and today was my first day. I am over the cravings and am starting to feel better.
I have a lot of weight to lose but feel after reading about so many people's successes that it is possible to get to goal weight.
You all sound so supportive and helpful...how nice
I would love to have some buddies to share journeys with, so if anyone would like to share great!

G'day Yogi,

Good to see another Aussie here!

Have you visited our Oz/NZ forum yet? You'll find some local info there.

How about starting a journal here? I've found it the best way to not only keep track of things for myself, but also a great way to make friends. People drop in to give support, encouragement and just plain friendship.

Happy low carbing to you, matey!

Rosebud

Hi,

I am glad to see that you came here for support. This place is wonderful. It seems that I have the cravings most when I get up, when I get dressed for work, when I drive to work, when I si here with nothing to do and etc... I think it is mostly out of boredome. I have tried to start drinking water instead of eating. For some reason, it doesn't taste the same! Hang in there, you will do wonderful.

Hi Rosebud,
Love that name...you see I am a mad keen rose grower so anything with roses sounds wonderful to me.

Thanks for your welcome and info.
I did skim the Oz/NZ site breifly yesterday but plan to go back there more seriously. I have to find out the brand of low carb chocolate for later down the track treats. I would also like to meet some other LC' ers.
I will attempt to start a journal but haven't a clue yet about how to.

Thanks matey
Yogi

Roses are far and away my favourite flower.
But I chose my user name because my mother often called me Rosebud when I was little (at least on the rare occasions when I was being a good girl ) and using it brings back some warm memories.

To start a journal, go to the My Journal/Bootcamp section (either scroll down on the main page or go to "forum jump" at the bottom of this page and scroll down). They are in alphabetical order according to username, so you'll want "T to Z." If you click on tamarian's announcement about the forum rules, you'll see another announcement below it by Doreen which gives more info about journalling.

Cheers!

Roz

Hi Smurfy,
Thanks for your welcome.
It seems a very friendly place and I only joined a few hours ago.
I see you're from Germany. I spent some time there in Bayern. Being winter I guess you have lots of time indoors.

It's summer in Aussie so it's much easier to be busy and more active. I love my garden so I keep pretty busy with that. There is one thing I loved in Germany was the meat and cheese. The German blood stirred in me and now it's a dream to be able to diet on what used to be taboo. I still can't believe it. I have just been on the recipe forums and it's amazing what they have. Oh well it obviously works as many people have testified.

Keep low carbing

Cheers Yogi

Thanks Yogi,

I know what you mean about not being able to get outside. I LIVE with my heater! I think that hardest time that I have is not the eating of the meat but I love the salads and it seems that I rack up the carbs in that department. I am having a hard time there.

Yes Smurfy,
I understand about the salads. It's hot here and all of the delicious summer fruit are out..drool drool. My favourites like mangoes, watermelon, papaya, pineapple, berries, plms, peaches..oh stop!!!

My husband enjoys them. At Xmas we had some..thought I'd get in before I started the diet...whooops lifestyle change.

How many weeks have you been on the program?
I find if I drink lots of water I lose some craving for saladish stuff. but when it's hot...and it gets hot here we only feel like salads and fruit.
Oh well just think the more successful we become in losing weight the sooner we can add more carbs back to our diet. It's hard to accept though that they will always be limited.
It's time to get some sleep.
I've just begun a journal tonight. maybe we can catch up there next time.
Do you have one?
Enjoy
Yogi

Yogi,

The only journal that I have is on the FitDay and I just stared that. This is only 1/2 way through my 3rd day. My only question to you is, then, if you can't eat salad (I can understand the fruit because of the sugar content) then what else can I eat besides meat? I will be around, have a great night!

Smurfy,
Just caught me as I was signing off.
There is a journal/bootcamp section in the alphabetical section...right down at the bottom of the page where you can jump to another thread. You just click on the letters to match your name and post a thread. this becomes your journal and people 'visit' you at that one site. It becomes like your home where you can chat and not lose track of who is where.

About the salads. Have you been able to read the Atkins book?
He says that at the first stage (induction..usually 2 weeks) you can eat up to 3 cups of salad/veggies per day. He lists the ones you can eat..mainly non starchy ones. (I was on a program like this but with higher carbs for about 6 weeks) For lunch I usually have a raw salad (tomato, cucumber, capsicum, snow peas. maybe a cupful plus some tuna and mayonnaise, cheese, meat or whatever protein I feel like.
For dinner I cook some vegies like zucchini, broccoli, pumpkin and some cooked chicken or meat. I put butter (not margarine) on the vegies. There are some great recipes in the section up the top of the page.
In the next stage after the fat burning starts roaring you increase your carbs by 10 per week until you get to a steady amount of weight loss. You then stay there for the journey. Some people stay at induction for ages..it's up to you. I'll see how I feel in 2 weeks.
gotta go.. the bed's calling me
Yogi