Hello!

I've been reading messages on this forum for a month now. They are SO useful! First week of Induction wasn't easy. I had to spend hours in supermarkets to find low-carb foods, and it's not that easy in UK, unless you are a true meat fun (which I am now). I've started Atkins diet myself a month ago. I don't have to loose too much, so every pound counts. My main addiction were fruit and nuts. I could demolish a kilo of apples in an hour! A friend of mine who's diabetic said that's how I substitute my sugar intake, and that perhaps explains why I couldn't loose any weight at all, in fact pounds started piling up, which happened to all my family at this age, slow-down of metabolism. I thought it's a very healthy addiction till I read Atkins' New Diet Revolution. On the first week of Induction I was getting shivers from seeing somebody eating apples. Am I a sicko!

Well, anyway I'm clear now! And ready to share some shopping experience. I found an excellent beverage in Safeway called SoBe tropical fruit drink (trace of carbs sugar free, and contains chromium picolinate as well as vitamins). It's so refreshing! Never could get the taste of Coke, so Diet one is not for me. It's very good replacement for juices, which I miss. You can get some info on their web http://www.sobebev.com/site/lean/index.asp

Another thing I found in Safeway is German barbeque sausages (only 1.1g carb per sausage!!). I can't remember exactly the brand, but I can check out and post it next time. I also enjoy snacking on Macadamia nuts, which you can also get in Safeway, quite pricey though 3.75 quid!! But so worth it!

I would be interested to hear from you on how you succeed in low-carb food hunting in UK supermarkets

Yes, I must admit pre-Atkins I was a fruit addict - quite self-righteous too that I was following a very healthy diet - except that I didn't feel that healthy!!

Most of my shopping is done at Iceland (frozen and tinned fish; fresh chicken; cream; cheese) Kwik-Save (they do nice pumpkin seeds with kernals which are great to nibble on) simply 'cos they are local to me. Sainsburys do nice Dijon mustard, anchovies (100% protein), macademia nuts for £1.49 - i forget what quantity but probably 100g. And of course Holland & Barratt for things like Protein Whey, all kinds of nuts, herbal teas and soya milk.

I try not to purchase anything prepared 'cos I can't trust what it might contain or how accurate the food label is. Like you I spent hours reading labels when I started - now I know the more in its natural/original state the food is the closer I am to LCing.

Good luck and take care.

Thank you for advice! I'll definitely pop in to Sainsbury's, even though it's not my local.

This week I checked Marks & Spensers (always loved their food :daze. Not brilliant, but they do Brazil nuts, which come only 1.9g carb per 100g , much lower than in Atkins carb counter and other supermarkets. I noticed that lots of products do vary on the carb scale depending on the store. Something like Brazil nuts have no other added ingredients.

Unfortunately, sometimes I haven't got time to cook. especially during lunch. And I don't really trust the office canteen, so I have to rely on supermarket ready food a lot. I liked M&S sandwich fillers. Though they do have little sugar (especially prawn and mayonnaise only 0.9g carb where 0.4g sugar per 100g ). I wonder if I'm allowed this, though it didn't seem to reduce ketones. In fact they are too high recently, I wonder whether it's because of my recent vigorous workouts in the gym.

Ella as you are well past Induction you can increase your carb allowance by 5g at a time - keeping an eye that you do not start gaining.

{Though they do have little sugar (especially prawn and mayonnaise only 0.9g carb where 0.4g sugar per 100g ). I wonder if I'm allowed this, though it didn't seem to reduce ketones. } That sounds fine to me. The only problem with sugar is that it is all too easy to keep increasing it and soon have the cravings start all over again without realising. But if you are vigilent you will be fine.

Exercise of course is a major element in increasing the metabolic rate and helping to burn off the calories.

Olives and Anchovies; cheese and nuts; lettuce + tin of tuna are great for quick snacks when I don't have time to cook.

Take care.

Have you noticed that.........

Low carbohydrate foods being mainly fresh meat and vegetables
have less packaging and there is more space in my trolly and less bags to carry to the car. Just think of the size of a packet of cornflakes!

That's so true! I used to end up carrying 4 bags from the supermarket. Now it's hardly 1 bag. I say: quality not quantity!

Fiona, thank you for your snacks ideas! All these yummy things!!

Last night I popped into Waitrose. Must say they have a very good choice of cheeses, especially cream cheeses from Italy, 1.7g carb per 100g and no added sugar. I found it quite hard to find sugar-free cream cheese.

Brilliant choice of nuts and seeds!

They also have sugar-free Italian dressing Cardini's . And Wairose free range chipolata sausages, 0.7carb per chipolata, 0 sugar. But bear in mind they are rather skinny comparing to English type.

Pates... Mmmm... You have to see for yourself!

Unfortunately, some of the yummy things from Europe don't state carb content. That's the only reason why I stopped doing my shopping at the Borough market before I familiarise myself more with all the carb contents in different foods to have a rough idea.

As promised I'm posting an update on the new low-carb products I've seen.

I stopped loosing weight, in fact put all back again. But I'm not so easy to be put off. Mainly because I like my new WOE. I got rid of any cravings I used to have.... hmmmm.... maybe not all of them (nuts don't count, right?! ). So I decided to check this Fat Fast diet for 4 days (today's my 2nd and am already 1kg less... a bit too quick, don't you think). First day was SO easy, I hardly thought of food, mainly because of Safeway's Italian soft cheese snack St Moret Appeteasers (cute little things shaped like chocolates with herbs, even look like white chocy and come with cocktail sticks) only 1.39. I think it's a special treat for Christmas, I hope they won't disappear after that. Just call it my new addiction. Hey! who cares if it works!

Got my first box of goodies from Carblife! Yuppie! Was really hard not to get my hands on those chocolates, but I was strong, and after all it's only 2 days left of Fat Fast, which is actually working!!

So, I'm in my good moods today and feeling rather energetic. Since not much work at the moment I decided to use this energy for good purposes. I'm calling and writing e-mails to all the big supermarkets enquiring about low-carb products and explaining why they should introduce a wider range of sugar-free products. I think it's important to make them aware of such demand on the market. If they receive more inquiries of this sort they might consider to get more low-carb produce on their shelves. Some have no idea what I'm talking about and try to explain that they do actually do low-fat range

So, why don't we try and make them aware of what we want to see in our supermarkets.

What do you think?

I am glad your Fat Fast is working for you. Keep it up and stay off those chocolates.

I have already tried phoning, writing to and e-mailing a number of supermarkets. Like you I found most have no idea what I'm talking about and try to explain that they do actually do low-fat range . Some even sent me 100 page lists of Low-Fat foods after a full explanation of what I wanted !!!

Perhaps we ought to lobby the Food Minister!

Take care.

I have been wondering about something that Ella mentioned. I have a calorie counting book that also lists carbs etc and also I check out carb content from this site and the Dr Atkins book. I am confused though at the difference in carb amounts.
For eg, i have bagged salad leaves which are 2 carbs per 100g which is 2 large soup bowls full, yet Dr Atkins' book says that 1 cup of lettuce is 1.6 (iceberg), Ive also seen a marked difference with nuts.

Does anyone have an explanation for this?

Happy hunting

I did manage to stay off those chocolates, but had one after finished the Fat Fast, to treat myself. They are much better than I imagined and only 4.25g carb. But strange thing, I found them SO sweet, felt a bit sick to be honest half way through. Is that because I've completely gone off it.... Fab! It's like when you try something for the first time, and not quite sure if you get the taste of it.

Down 3kg just in 4 days! (too good to be true). But I had to start taking antibiotics to treat rush, that came out. Mmmm... it might spoil the result . I had the same problem, when I just started the Induction. And now again during the Fat Fast. It's spreading like crazy. I wonder if it's because I don't take enough vitamins. I take Solgar vitamins: multi-vitamisV2000 (1 a day), chromium picolinate (1 a day), Omega 3 and EPA (in 1 capsule 1 a day). I'm not very keen in taking too much. But I do feel that I need to increase the dosage, or add more. Could anyone tell me which supplements they take? Thank you.

He-hey! I've got reply from Safeway. Not sure if it means anything, but I did write a very long letter trying to explain the commercial benefits of introducing low-carb products. Mentioned that Atkins products are going to hit the UK market soon, and they should think well ahead to be successful in a highly competitive market. I'll post their reply below. I think if we try to make the point how profitable it could be for them, it will make them at least consider it. I said that it's not only for those who want to loose weight, but it's also for people with particular food allergies, diabetics etc. I sent them all the web links I could find, so they had to reply . Fiona, maybe we should be sending something similar to the Food Ministry? After all, they would never know untill they are told.

Harley, I've got the same problem figuring out the carb content in clean products (i.e. without any added ingredients). They vary a lot. At some stage I just stopped worrying about it. If I had too much I stop loosing or... start gaining . So I figured how much I should have (quite hard to do that with nuts, SO addictive )

Take care

Here's the reply from Safeway:

Dear Ella

<<Thank you for your e-mail.
Your comments have been forwarded to the appropriate buying departments at our head office for their attention and review.
However, it maybe of interest to you that we have a dedicated nutritional advice service on 0208 970 3622 who would be happy to discuss such issues with you if you would like.
I hope this maybe of help and thank you again for your feedback.
Kind Regards
Jo >>

Is it a progress or just one of those thank-you-come-again things?

I think its definately a 'patronise the customer with no intention of listening to or doing anything they have asked" sort of letter.

Good for you for trying, maybe your letter will get into the hands of a low carber.

Well done with the big weight loss on the fat fast.
What did you eat? ive been thinking of doing it for a while as the weight loss boost would do me good but not too sure what Id eat.

Harley

{Harley: i have bagged salad leaves which are 2 carbs per 100g which is 2 large soup bowls full, yet Dr Atkins' book says that 1 cup of lettuce is 1.6 (iceberg), } Harley it wall depends how the carbs have been calculated. Apparently there are various different ways: with fibre removed, without fibre , different countries have different ways of measuring. Like Ella I take Labels with a pinch of salt and go more on how I am feeling.

Ella, I have to agree with Harley about patronising the customer re Safeway's reply. The "dedicated nutritional advice" experts have completely closed their minds to the possibility that Low Carb could possibly be healthy!

{Ella: progress or just one of those thank-you-come-again } I call it Be-Polite-and-Nice-to-the-customer's-face-and-bin-their letter-when-they-are-not-looking sort of progress. You never know though - perhaps someone at Head Office might see a possibility of making money on us wierdos

And yes I can't eat sweets as I used to - that's what happens once you get past the carb withdrawal stage.

Take care