hi guys i am new to this board, and really need advice on how to go about my diet, im 20 years of age, im 6 foot 2 and weigh in at like 13 stone and a bit, i am looking to loose at least a stone before crimbo if not more, so what would be the best way to go about this

Sorry I haven't seen this until now, enjibenji, been busy with stuff.

Have you done low carb before? It really depends on what you currently eat. Doesn't sound as though you are grossly overweight, just need to trim up a bit.

Strategies might include:
Up your exercise level. I walk 5 km on ahilly route 6 mornings a week, and do weights as an 'extra' 3 mornings. You cpuld also use a bioke/swimming/tradmilletc, depending on what you have access to. Walking is always possible, though, for anyone reasonably able bodied.

Dietary change. I follow Atkins, and am still int he losing pahse, but going onto an Induction-like phase (20 g cabrs or less perday for 14 days), if you have been eating at higher levels of carbs, should give tyou some instant weight loss.

Have a read of the stickies and so on describing the various low carb plans and see which one might suit you.

__________________
Odille
Terranora, northern NSW, Australia
Fem 53, 170 cms - doing Atkins
SW 131 / CW 103 / GW 64 (kgs)
SW 288.5 / CW 227 / GW 140(lbs)
BP-Nov05 176/96; Dec 05 154/84; Jan 06 122/80; Mar 06 110/76

thank u for replying,its much appreciated. u see i went to the states for two months and live in boston, and was eating a lot of junk food, i was orrignley 11 1/2 stone and gained around a stone,and from january untill now ive put on another half a stone,

i am not on any real diet at the moment, i was hopeing u could help me, i would really like to drop a stone before christmas, plz could u put me on the best route to sucess

Enjibenji.

From your post I deduce you are british (hence talking in stones). I too am in England. For me the easiest way for losing weight was on the Atkins diet. I lost 5 stone in about 2 years. ANd have now managed to keep it all off (except for putting back on 2 or 3 lbs).

Go into either WH Smiths, Waterstones or any other book store and pick up a copy of Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution. It was like a bible to me.

I am glad you found this board, be sure to ask what ever you need, and someone (eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later) will get back to you.

Welcome to the board

Rich

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Atkins since November 30th 2003

once again thanx for the reply,i am actually from ireland myself.... can any one point me on a diet,that would make me loose a stone in around a month!!??

You can lose a stone in a month on most diets. Try Atkins.

The problem lies though with all diets, as soon as you stop following it you are likely to put it all back on again. The trick is to find a diet that you can adopt as a way of life. Not just a quick fix.

Thats what I have done with Atkins and it works.

Sorry, if thats not what you wanted to hear.

Rich

__________________
Atkins since November 30th 2003

thanx again... could u tell me what i am supposed to eat and do within this month... and personely i dont think ill put the weight back on as quick because naturally i was never fat untill i went two america... thanx once again

1. Get a copy of Dr ATkins New Diet Revolution, make sure it is the 2002 copyright version (the local lobrary sdhould have one)

I'll post you a couple of lists/articles. They'll be in seoparate posts.

1.
Firstly, think of Atkins as a Nutrition Plan for the rest of your life. After this, the word DIET will never again be mentioned.
You WILL lose weight, increase energy and look better.
1 It is safe. Basically it is the meat and three veg our ancestors ate, from the time of stone age cavemen to about 30-40 years ago.
2 It is nutritionally sound. Even when eating only 20g of carbohydrates per day you still meet or exceed the body’s needs for vitamins and minerals.
3 You will not regain the weight if you keep the changes in your eating plan for life.
4 You will NOT be hungry.
Overweight is caused by metabolic disturbance. The more you weigh, the more disturbed you metabolism is.
The basis of this disturbance is not how much you eat, but what you eat. Too much carbohydrate leads to insulin resistance and a condition called hyperinsulinism. These in turn lead to diabetes and heart problems.
This result can be circumvented by a controlled carbohydrate eating plan. By avoiding refined carbohydrates (which incidentally are often high in sugars) you are avoiding the foods that make you fat.
You do not have to follow a small serve, low fat, calorie counting regime to lose weight, and indeed, many people will never lose weight on such a regime (including me!). But you will need to count the carbohydrates you consume each day until you have a good idea of what various foods contain and you will find it comes automatically.
Your body does need fats. Even the prehistoric cave dwellers knew this and store the fat from animals killed in summer to tide them over long cold winters of lean subsistence.
Carbohydrates DO provide a quick source of energy, but we become addicted to that quick, and all too often, sweet, fix – much to our health’s detriment. Diets high in carbs and sugar also raise blood cholesterol and triglycerides, both pointers to heart disease.
When you control carb consumption sufficiently, your body will switch from burning glucose derived from carbohydrates to burning primarily ft for energy. This means you could eat 2,000 calories per day and still lose weight and inches.
There is also a metabolic advantage – burning fat takes more energy than burning glucose so you actually expend MORE calories. And you’ll probably find yourself eating less because protein and vegetables are filling – so you’ll be eating less calories than previously and burning more, even without any exercise! Sounds good, huh?
It really is that simple. Depriving your body of carbohydrates makes it burn its own fat – and you reap the benefits.

__________________
Odille
Terranora, northern NSW, Australia
Fem 53, 170 cms - doing Atkins
SW 131 / CW 103 / GW 64 (kgs)
SW 288.5 / CW 227 / GW 140(lbs)
BP-Nov05 176/96; Dec 05 154/84; Jan 06 122/80; Mar 06 110/76

There are 4 stages. Induction (14 days - can go longer); OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss); Pre-maintence (when you get within 10lbs of your goal - maybe 5 lbs as tyou don't have much to lose); Maintenance.




FISH – all fish
SHELLFISH – all shellfish (oysters and mussels no more than 4 ounces daily)
POULTRY – all poultry, skin on
RED MEATS – all including beef, lamb, pork (restrict bacon/ham products cured with sugars – read the packets)
EGGS – all eggs
CHEESES –cheddar, cream cheese, Gouda, mozzarella, Swiss and blue cheeses made from cow, sheep and goat milk
SALAD VEGETABLES – 2 to 3 cups daily from the list



Alfalfa sprouts
Bok choy
Celery
Chicory
Chives
Cucumber
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Parsley
Peppers
Radicchio
Radishes
Sorrel



OTHER VEGETABLES – one cup per day (but restrict salad vegies to 2 cups)



Artichoke hearts
Asparagus
Bamboo shoots
Bean sprouts
Beet greens
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collard greens
Eggplant
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leek
Okra
Onion
Pumpkin
Rhubarb
Sauerkraut
Scallions (spring onions)
Snow peas
String or wax beans
Summer squash
Tomato
Turnip
Water chestnuts
Zucchini



SPICES – all spices to taste
HERBS – all in moderation
FATS AND OILS – all vegetable oils, butter, cream (not thickened cream with gelatine and sugar).
BEVERAGES – clear broth/bullion, soda water, mineral water, decaffeinated tea and coffee (use cream), herb teas, lemon and lime juice (unsweetened), water
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS – any EXCEPT Aspartame.



SAMPLE MENU

Breakfast
2 or 3 eggs as omelette or scrambled, cooked in olive oil or butter, with avocado or mushroom
Slice of cheese and tomato OR 2 rashers of grilled bacon
Decaff coffee with cream

Lunch
150g salmon
Green salad from list
Decaff tea or coffee

Dinner
Grilled or baked chicken – 150 – 200 g
Green vegies and cauliflower, steamed and then browned in butter
Decaff tea or coffee

I also like to have grilled bacon and sautéed mushrooms for breakfast, easy to cook, filling and delicious!

__________________
Odille
Terranora, northern NSW, Australia
Fem 53, 170 cms - doing Atkins
SW 131 / CW 103 / GW 64 (kgs)
SW 288.5 / CW 227 / GW 140(lbs)
BP-Nov05 176/96; Dec 05 154/84; Jan 06 122/80; Mar 06 110/76

I started OWL after my two week induction and haven't looked back. It has been a major reason I have been able to stick to Atkins - lots of extra menu choices, using ground flax and almond flour for baking cakes, more variety in snacks, and the fun of testing out the rungs. I averaged just under 1 lb/week loss over the past 9 months on OWL, and lost so much more in inches (down from a size 18 to a size 10 so far). OWL has definately been the reason I have been so successful on this WOE.
Ongoing Weight Loss or OWL is the next step of the Atkins Diet after Induction. It involves the most important part of this diet and that is finding out your Critical Carb Level for Losing (CCLL) or ACE (Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium).
This number is the amount of net carbohydrates you can eat in a day and still lose weight. It varies between individuals and is affected by the amount of physical activity you do. Most people find the more exercise they do, the higher their CCLL.
OWL works by adding in 5 net grams of a rung for a fixed amount of time. During that time you check for food tolerances, cravings and triggers. If all is ok, then you go up to the next rung and add in another 5 net grams of carb. There is no fixed time for each rung, you can stay on a rung for a week - or over a month, it is up to you.
Please make sure you always have fat with your new carbs to help with cravings. If a food group causes cravings, drop it immediately. You may find you can add it in later on in your Atkins program.
The first week you add in an 5 net grams of carb. If this is a new food to you, then eat it nore than 3 times a week. If it's a food you've already had in your plan then eat that food in moderation one time daily. If you have no triggers or cravings, then you can successfully add this food rung into your diet. Otherwise, please stop straight away.
(Also, if you try something new to you from an earlier rung, even while on the later rungs of OWL, this rule still applies ie: In summer, while on the whole grains rung, you have mango, mango can only be eaten up to 3x a week for that first week)
If we use the vege rung as an example, this may be your first week, presuming that the foods are new to you:
Monday: Induction menu
Tuesday: Induction menu with 1/2 cup of asparagus, 1/2 cup brussel sprouts
Wednesday: Induction type menu
Thursday: Induction menu
Friday: Induction menu with 1 cup caesar salad with romaine
Saturday: Induction menu
Sunday: Induction menu with 1 cup cherry tomato (raw)
If you were averaging for example 15 grams of net carbs during induction - then the 5 net gram rule still applies. Your first rung of OWL will contain up to 20 grams of net carbs in total.
OWL Rungs:
1: Vegetables
2: Dairy
3: Nuts and Seeds
4: Berries & Melons
5: Wine and other spirits low in carbs
6: Legumes
7: Fruits other than berries
8: Starchy Veges
9: Whole Grains


CCLL / ACE:
To find out your CCLL or ACE, continue adding 5 net grams of carb each time you move up a rung. Keep track on the scale and with a tape measure. If after moving up a rung you find you have stopped losing weight and inches (and for the women, TOM isn't involved) you should have found your CCLL number. You can now plan your menus around this number - just keep your carb count BELOW your CCLL and you will continue to lose weight.
Once you have gone through Pre-Maintenance and reached Maintenance, you will then eat ABOVE this number, to stop losing any further weight - it then becomes your CCLM (Critical Carb Level for Maintenance).
If you want to know more about OWL, please check the stickies at the top of the OWL forum, and read up chapter 14 of your DANDR 2002
We wish you the best with your OWLing!

__________________
Odille
Terranora, northern NSW, Australia
Fem 53, 170 cms - doing Atkins
SW 131 / CW 103 / GW 64 (kgs)
SW 288.5 / CW 227 / GW 140(lbs)
BP-Nov05 176/96; Dec 05 154/84; Jan 06 122/80; Mar 06 110/76

1. The Rules of OWL

Just about everyone knows the rules of induction by heart, but do you know the rules of OWL? Well, here they are! You should follow these rules just as stringently as you followed the induction rules.
Also, note that those following a ‘modified OWL’ (eating Owl foods but sticking to 20 carbs per day) do follow the rules. You are allowed to increase net grams of carbohydrates by no more than five each week, but you are not required to go up the full five. It is a good idea to eat a fat with your new carbs as you introduce your new foods to help keep your blood sugar from spiking.

Rules of OWL

• Keep protein and fat as the mainstays of your diet.
• Increase your daily carbohydrate intake by no more than 5 grams each week.
• Add new foods in the order listed in the carbohydrate ladder.
• Add one new food group at a time.
• Eat a food group no more than three times per week to start, then eat it daily.
• Stop new foods immediately if they provoke weight gain, the return of physical symptoms lost doing Induction or increased appetite or cravings.
• Continue doing OWL until you have five to 10 pounds left to lose.

2. The OWL Carbohydrate Ladder

As you move from one rung to the next, add carbohydrate foods back into your diet in the order that follows. Adhering to this order tends to minimize blood-sugar surges that could reactivate cravings. You will find that while fat and protein will continue to be the mainstays of your diet, you will eat less of them as you add carbohydrates.

As you choose foods from each rung on the ladder, you should choose most often from foods with a low Atkins Glycaemic Ranking, or AGR. Foods with a low AGR will have the least impact on your blood sugar for each rung. The foods listed in each rung of the ladder below are examples of low AGR foods for their rung.

As you hit each rung, you can add up to 5 net carbohydrates from that rung. For each food group you add, you should eat from it no more than three times the first week and monitor your body for changes. You need to give it the entire week as a couple of days may not be enough to know how a food is affecting you. You can eat from daily same food group the second week, and continue to monitor your progress.

You should only skip a rung if you do not plan on eating from it. For example, someone may have dairy allergies, so they may skip the dairy rung #2.

If you do skip a rung, at Atkins Diet Bulletin Board we have found that it is best if you spend the time you normally would have spent for that rung before moving to the next one. This helps to give your body enough time to adjust before giving it the higher AGR foods. For example, if you normally spend three weeks on each rung, and you want to skip alcohol rung#5, then you should spend six weeks at berries rung #4 before proceeding to legumes rung #6. In the same example, if you normally spend two weeks on each rung, then you would only spend four weeks at the berries rung #4 before proceeding to the legumes rung #6.

Your ability to add all the food groups back depends upon your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium, or ACE. For example, someone that does not exercise and has a low ACE would probably not be able to add legumes back during OWL, while someone who is young, works out regularly, and has a high ACE might have no problems climbing to the top.

Once you begin consuming alcohol on rung #5, be sure to count the carbohydrates and monitor your weight loss. Spirits have no carbohydrates, while white wine and red wine have 0.9 and 2.0 carbohydrates respectively. Alcohol will suspend weight loss as you do not burn fat while your body has alcohol to burn. If you find that you are stalled, discontinue your alcohol consumption.

When you get to the last three rungs of the ladder, you are eating foods with the highest AGR. Make sure you do not eat those foods alone. Eat them with foods high in fat and fiber to help minimize their impact on your blood sugar.

With fruits and vegetables, the more color they have, the more nutrition they have. If you have a choice between red grapes and white grapes, choose red. Also, be careful of dried fruit as it concentrates the natural sugar and could potentially make a small piece have as many carbohydrates as the entire fruit.


The OWL Carbohydrate Ladder

1. Vegetables
   More salad and other vegetables on the acceptable foods list
2. Dairy
   Fresh cheeses:
   Cottage cheese
   Farmer’s cheese
   Ricotta cheese
   Pot cheese
   
   Keep portions small for:
   Hard aged cheese
   Cream, heavy and light
   Half and half
   Sour cream
   Low-carb ice cream, yogurt, and milk
3. Seeds and Nuts
   Macadamias
   Almonds
   Peanuts/Natural Peanut Butter
   Coconut
   Sunflower seeds
   Sesame seeds
   Walnuts
   Pistachios
4. Berries
   Eat frequently from:
   Strawberries
   Blueberries
   Blackberries
   Raspberries
   
   Eat moderately from higher AGR melons:
   Watermelon
   Honeydew
   Cantaloupe
5. Wine and other spirits low in carbs
   Spirits
   White Wine
   Red Wine
   Low-carbohydrate Beer
6. Legumes
   Lentils
   Kidney Beans
   Pinto Beans
   Black Beans
   Hummus
   Chickpeas
   Tofu
   Soybeans
   Soy milk, unsweetened
7. Fruits other than Berries and Melons
   Plums
   Kiwis
   Peaches
   Apples
   Grapefruit
   Tangerines
8. Starchy Vegetables
   Keep all portions small
   Carrots
   Green Peas
   Acorn squash
   Butternut squash
   
   Eat rarely:
   Corn
   Potatoes
   Sweet potatoes
9. Whole Grains
   Keep all portions small and focus on whole, unprocessed grains:
   Old fashioned Oatmeal
   Oat Bran
   Wheat Bran
   Low carb (soy) bread and muffins
   All-bran
   Barley, cooked

3. OWL Power of 5 – each food = 5 net grams.
Not complete and exclusive, just some examples.
Vegetables
RAW:
13 cups Lettuce (shredded)
49 cups Spinach (about 0.2 net carbohydrates per cup)
4 cups Turnip Greens
2 1/4 cups Cucumber
3/4 cup Sweet green/red pepper
1 cup Cherry tomato
3/4 cup Tomato
2 1/2 cup Mushrooms
7 medium Green onions
1 1/4 California Avocado (black skin)
3/4 Florida Avocado (green skin)
COOKED:
2 3/4 cups Spinach (from canned)
3 1/2 cups Turnip Greens
1 cup Turnip
1 1/2 cups or 12 medium Asparagus Spears
1 cup Yellow Summer Squash (fresh)
1 3/4 cups Broccoli (chopped)
2/3 cup Spaghetti Squash
2 3/4 cups Cauliflower (chopped)
3/4 cup Green or Red Peppers
1/2 cup Tomato (from fresh)
1/2 cup Brussels Sprouts (from fresh)
1/4 cup Onions
1 1/2 cups Cabbage (from fresh)

Dairy
3/5 cup or 5 slices Hard cheese (Cheddar, Provolone, Swiss, Mozzarella etc.)
2 cups Goat cheese (Crumbled)
1 cup Fresh cheese (Cottage, Farmer’s, Pots)
1/2 cup Ricotta
4/5 cup Cream cheese
3/4 cup Heavy cream (Fluid)
4 1/2 oz Light cream (Fluid)
3 3/4 oz Half-and-Half (Fluid)
1 1/2 cup Heavy cream (Whipped, Unsweetened)
1 1/3 cup Light cream (Whipped, Unsweetened)
2/3 cup Cream (Whipped, pressurized container)
1/2 cup Sour cream

Seeds and Nuts
3 3/4 oz Macadamias (Dry Roasted)
2 1/4 oz Almonds (Dry Roasted)
1/4 cup Peanuts (Dry Roasted)
2 tbsp Peanut Butter (Natural, no sugar added)
1 cup Coconut meat (Fresh, shredded)
2/3 cup Coconut milk (liquid expressed from grated coconut meat, water added)
1/4 cup Sunflower seeds (Hulled)
2 1/4 oz Sunflower seeds (With hulls)
3/4 cup Walnuts (Shelled)
1/2 cup Pistachios (Roasted)
4 1/2 oz Pecans (Dry roasted)

Berries
3/4 cup or 9 medium Strawberries (Raw, 1 to 1 1/4� diameter)
1/3 cup or 32 berries Blueberries (Raw)
1/2 cup Blackberries (Raw)
3/4 cup or 55 berries Raspberries (Raw)
1/2 cup Gooseberries (Raw)
1/2 cup Watermelon (Raw)
1/2 cup Cantaloupe (Raw)
1/3 cup Honeydew (Raw)

Alcohol
Bourbon - 0g
Brandy - 0g
Gin - 0g
Rum - 0g
Tequila - 0g
Vermouth, Dry - 1.4g
Vermouth, Sweet - 4.5g
Vodka - 0g
Whiskey - 0g
Wine, Red (4oz) - 2.0g
Wine, White (4oz) - 0.9g


Legumes
0.075 cup Cranberry Beans (Raw)
0.15 cup Chili beans, barbecue beans, ranch style beans or Mexican- style beans (Raw)
1/5 cup Fava Beans (Cooked, unmashed)
1/5 cup Lima Beans (Cooked)
1/5 cup Red Kidney Beans (Cooked)
3/4 cup Soy Beans (Cooked)
0.15 cup White Beans (Cooked)

Fruits other than berries
(All raw)
2 slices Apple
1 1/2 Apricots
5 Cherries (sweet)
5 Grapes (with seeds)
1/2 Kiwifruit
1/5 cup Mango (sliced)
1/3 Nectarine
1/2 Papaya (small)
1 1/2 Passionfruit
1/2 Peach (medium size)
1/4 Pear (medium size)
1/4 Persimmon
1/2 slice Pineapple
1/2 Plum
3/4 Cup Rhubarb (cooked, unsweetened)
4 Tamarinds

Starchy Vegetables
2/3 cup Carrots (Raw)
1/2 cup Carrots (Cooked, fresh)
1/3 cup Celeriac (Cooked)
1/4 ear Corn (Cooked, fresh)
1/3 cup Peas (Cooked, frozen)
1/4 cup Leeks (Cooked)
1 Parsnip (Cooked, small)
4 French Fries (Cooked, straight cut)
0.15 cup Potato (Cooked)
1/5 cup Sweet Potato (Cooked)

Whole Grains
1 1/2 tablespoons Oat Bran
2 tablespoons Wheat Germ (Toasted)
1/4 cup Oat Meal (Cooked)
1/2 slice Wholegrain Bread

__________________
Odille
Terranora, northern NSW, Australia
Fem 53, 170 cms - doing Atkins
SW 131 / CW 103 / GW 64 (kgs)
SW 288.5 / CW 227 / GW 140(lbs)
BP-Nov05 176/96; Dec 05 154/84; Jan 06 122/80; Mar 06 110/76

Wow!!! Odille!!! You have given a great ammount of information in your posts.

Folks... do not ignore Odille's posts if you want to be successful. She is a great source of information, and also a great success story!!!

Thanks Odille!!! If people will read and follow, they will be successful... no doubt!

Rick

__________________
Start Date: 12/30/2005
Restart Date: 3/25/2008 at 240 lbs
250/226/190
Atkins