Hey there!

I have been reading through the forums here and am quite impressed with not only the strength of the people but also the positive support for one another. This is my very first time joining in a forum of any kind, and would like some feedback as to whether I executed this correctly.

I am looking forward to starting Atkins this week, and I am a bit nervous about being able to stick with the induction phase. If anyone has some tips or tricks I would love to hear them.

Thanks- Anay

Welcome here.

You can do it. Just start. Plan what you will eat and write it down. If i write it down then I do better. Drink lots of water and then drink lots of water.

what i really like about this WOE (way of eating) is you get to eat a lot and therefore not get hungry.

Yes, I agree with the water part. Just when you think you've had enough water, drink some more. You need it a lot during the induction phase, because you'll be losing a lot of water in the process and you don't want to get dehydrated.

Be prepared for the carbohydrate withdrawal, and just march on through it. Don't let it discourage you. Everyone is different, but it's common to get headaches, feel weak, irritable and perhaps nauseated during the first few days. It will pass and when it does, you'll be feeling great! Some people don't have any symptoms at all. You might also experience a degree of muscle weakness as you lose electrolytes along with your water, so be sure to take your supplements. I had to add extra potassium, magnesium and calcium during induction to combat this.

For me, the cravings pretty much disappeared around the 4th or 5th day, and I found myself eating less and less as I went deeper into ketosis. (Ketones are a natural appetite suppressant).

Writing down what you'll eat is a good idea too. Just make sure you're prepared when you're away from home. Take along a few lo-carb high-protein snacks in case you get hungry so you aren't tempted by the sugary stuff. Some people find it helpful to eat protein every 3 or 4 hours or so to help with the difficult first few days.

Before you know it, you'll be losing weight and feeling great!

Good luck!

Raven

I found my hardest time to be at night watching tele. My husband and I usually have a cuppa and a snack like biscuits or something. My first 3 or 4 days were the hardest I think, so I just went to bed, at least when I'm asleep I cant crave anything!!

I am a bit confused though because most of the people here say after a few days the cravings go away. I am on day 10 of induction and I have huge cravings for something sweet every now and then that I really have to resist. I would love anyone to give me a suggestion on what to do with this.

I am so determined to lose this weight once and for all that I am not going to give in to my cravings, I would just prefer not to have the cravings at all


Tracie

I think it depends on your level of carb-addiction. The physical cravings go away, but the mental ones and the ones out of habit still hang around. Good for you for staying strong.

Karen