Some questions

[DOH!]

Hi everyone!

I am a guy who is heaps over weight. According to one of the internet calculators, I need to lose about 60kg for my height!

I tried low carb just before xmas with GREAT results. I was never as strict with the amount of carbs I was having as the Induction Atkins diet states, but I still did well. I was making sure I was getting most of my calories from protein, wasn't eating alot of fat, and would usually only eat multigrain bread as part of a tuna sandwich each day. I was going to the gym to do a little cardio almost every day( only about 30 -40 min per time) keeping my heart rate between 123 and 145 BTM. I was also lifting weights. Anyways, after 8 weeks I was 8 kgs lighter, and I could see the difference in the mirror. It was great!! I could probably also put this weight loss to calorie deficiency, as I was only consuming, on most days, no more than 1000calories/day

Then xmas came and have been pretty slack. I put the gym membership on hold, and wasn't all that careful with the carbs, though I was still trying to eat more protein than carbs. I'm a w/end and half the holiday's father, and have had my kids since xmas day, and it has been VERY hard trying to stick with the 'lose weight' idea. It's hard to not cook an easy meal for the kids that may include party pies and sausages rolls, and not have any. But overall, I've been pretty good, but I doubt my body has been in much of a state of Ketosis for quite a while, and even when I might have been before, it would of only been lightly anyways.

Anyways, I have been back on track for the last 3 days. I have been eating lots of protein, only a small-ish amount of fat, and pretty much 0 carbs. One day I made a wrap, which only added about 10g of carbs.

I wish I could say that I feel great, but I don't really. I am experiencing most of the same symptoms as I did before xmas when I first cut down on carbs, but I feel so much more fatigued. I am finding it hard to fall asleep, and I feel, almost all the time, like I am sitting in an oven. I am sooooooo hot!! I experienced this before, but not like this.

Is the heat thing normal? I like to think it's because my metabolism is going very fast. Could this be right? I have been taking the kids to the local Hungry Jacks every day so they can get an icecream and I can get some exercise. The walk is about an hour long, and I would like to walk faster, but the kids only have little legs. But then again I read here that fast walking is not good anyways. I was just outside, it's only about 22 degrees tonight, and my glasses were fogging up because I was so hot!

I also read that aerobic exercise is a no no. Would anaerobic then be really good to do, ie lift weights? Would I get similar results to what I would if I was on a 'normal' diet, and not in ketosis? I am keen to have muscules under my skin when I lose the fat.

How important is fat in my diet? I just don't feel right eating alot of it. Would just high protein do the same thing?

With the possible fast loss of weight, have many people here experienced a lot of loose skin?

I am also taking Vit E every day, aas well as Vit A every 2nd day. And the last 2 days I have taken Borocca, without the usual visual sign in the toilet saying that I didn't need it.

I have been overweight all my life to varying degrees, and I am sick of it. Any help would be much appreciated. Along with my supplements I have to take BP meds, and would love to get off them, as I have done so once before when I lost weight a couple years ago. I would also like to see my kids growup and maybe have their own children.

Any help would be great. You have no idea how excited I was when I found this place!!!

And lastly I would like to share a positive: the middle of last year I started to develop headaches. Nothing like I have ever had before. I lowered my carbs and they went away!!!

thanks in advance,
Dean

[DOH!]

One more thing.... I am starting to experience heartburn. Is that normal?

Thanks
dean

[Sherrie]

Hey Dean

Its a bit late so I'll go through this again tommorrow. But the first thing I have to say is

Welcome :)

Also the beauty of low carb is starvation diets are not necassary, eat more.

Also you need fat even more so for males, don't be afraid of it.

Baby woke I have to go but will be back tommorrow. Make sure you drink water and take a pottasium supplement (just take reccomended dosage on bottle) and see if that helps.

talk soon

[Sherrie]

Hey there

I really want you to up your calories, 1000 calories is very dangerous for a male and honestly its not necassary on a low carb diet.

Really you can lose atleast the same weight in fat, even initially more from water loss aswell just doing it by the book, up to you. What other foods are you eating?

You really should eat fat, for 1, low carb works so much better with it and 2, low fat lowers testosterone levels which as a male you do not want.

Don't overdo the exercise right now, just stick with a nice walk for now and after a couple of weeks start adding the weights. Weights is good, if you do the diet properly then you may gain some muscle. Muscle is important here and is why 1000 calories are bad as the more muscle you have the higher the metabolism. I you burn your muscles away then you will decrease your metabolism and have lots of trouble later. Keep in mind ketosis is muscle sparing so keep in it if you can.

If you go all guns now with cardio then how do you increase it later when your alot closer to goal and stalled?

Take the pottasium for the first few weeks, it should help, other minerals will help too as alot gets flushed out in the initial water loss.

That plus upping your calories and fat should fix the fatigue.

Keep in mind your ceasation of headaches is probably from stopping the sugar and proccessed junk. That stuff might not be aggreeing with your kids either (namely the junk food through additives etc...), so during your journey you might find you don't want to give that proccessed stuff to your kids either.

Yes heat is good and probably is your metabolism, ketosis especially in the beggining is very thermogenic. you should make the most of this time and do it properly as it is the easiest in the beggining as you waste alot of ketones at first

The loose skin is something that will go back over time. If it doesn't go back aneough theres always a tummy tuck, one of the ladies here went that route and they did a really good job.

If your on BP meds make sure you let you doctor know and that he keeps an eye on your BP as this will lower it.

[Sherrie]

oh and with the heartburn usually people experience the opposite. Try making those changes I suggested and see if that helps.

[melvan]

Hi Dean, welcome to the forums :)

Have a look around, we have plenty of recipes & articles to keep you going.

Sherrie has given you some great advice, but then she's good at that :)

[DOH!]

Thanks heaps for the help!

I will increase my calorie input, but what sort of foods should I eat that contains fat? I occasionally have some unsalted peanuts with the kids, which fat is the main part, but what else?

Thanks
dean

[Sherrie]

Okay drop the peanuts their high carb, almonds are okay but if you do induction don't have them untill the 2 weeks are up.

Do things like cook in butter, put butter on your veg, things like that. Low carb salad dressing, even better to make your own with some olive oil and vinegar of your choice, some lemon juice, maybe add some herbs and garlic too.

One of the biggest problems people have when starting LC is letting go of this whole low fat thing. I was the same... once I started letting go the weightloss happenned.

[DOH!]

Thanks so much for the help so far!

What's hard is I don't have access to an Atkins book anymore. My girlfriend had one but we just split so I can't really go and ask her what I can/can't eat.

I haven't had a salad for ages. I hate them, but I guess I need to get used to them right?

And I haven't had any vegetables for ages either! I only really like peas and corn but from memory they are high in carbs. I can tolerate carrots but they are high in carbs too aren't they?

And when it comes to salads I only like lettece. That's it! I guess I could eat lots of lettece, but is there any point?

Maybe I should just learn to like these foods.....

Thanks
dean

[Sherrie]

Dean I guess this is the perfect time then to experiment, sometimes you just have to try something a little at a time untill you develop a taste for them.

For instance all my life I hated mushrooms and coconut and now I love them.

In regards to your atkins book, You will be able to pick up a copy dirt cheap at your local k-mart, bigw etc...

[luv2bslim]

Welcome Dean :D

I am not sure if anyone has mentioned it yet, but pop over to the diary section and start your diary, as a lot of us (OK, mainly I) don't venture out of there every day, and that way we can try and help you a lot more often:D

Cheers
L2bs (Tracy)

[melvan]

Try your local library too, they might have Atkins books. Also ones like Protein Power, Carbohydrate Addict's Diet might be there too.

[Moonie]

Hello and welcome to the forum..

Have a look at this link, it will help you with the first two weeks of induction....http://www.atkins.com/articles/atkins-phases/phase-one/the-rules-of-induction

When you start your diary, list what you would normally eat for the day..eg breakfast, lunch dinner, and snacks..Also what you are drinking...This will make it easier for everyone to help you..

Good luck;)

[Snez]

Dean, your body needs fat. If you don't eat fat your body won't be able to burn the fat from your fat stores.
Have you seen this site regarding fats, should have a browse:
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/index.html

Get rid of margarine, and canola oil. Use instead butter, ghee (clarified butter), extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil.

You shouldn't be hungry on low-carb. If you are, eat up!!
Try and add more low-carb vegies if you can.

[DOH!]

Thanks everyone for your advice...

Since I don't like salads all that much, is it alright to then eat more meat and fat to fill me? Will it make me lose weight slower?

thanks
dean

[Sherrie]

No shouldn't stall you at all. Make sure you have a good multivitamin with antioxidants and don't be afraid to try something different every now and again as your tastes tend to change after a little bit.

[DOH!]

If I take the kids out to Maccas, I read that it's ok for me to just eat the meat on the burger. Is that really ok?

[melvan]

Dean, I do that sometimes myself :) I wouldn't make a habit of it though, who knows what else they put in those patties.

[Sherrie]

Yeah alot of people do that and lose weight fine Dean :)

I reccomend getting the Jamie Olivers school dinners DVDs from the video shop and have a watch. I think its the last or close to last episode where he shows the kids whats in chicken nuggets, gross!

[DOH!]

Thanks heaps for the help. I am really noticing the weight loss. I'm losing it everywhere except my belly, though i did expect that. I'm sure a little is coming from there but it's not noticable yet. I can really see it coming from my arms. The weights I have done did infact do stuff.. I HAVE MUSCULES!!!!

I feel pretty good now. Still sweating though.

anyways, I really appreciate the help!!!

Dean

[Sherrie]

That is excellent Dean, very happy for you!!!

Are you feeling better?

[Sherrie]

Bump

How are you feeling Dean?

[pigglet]

]Dean if you load your diet too much in the protein direction your body will convert some of the protein to glucose... you must have a your carbs ( think it is 20g or 3 cups of legal veg in atkins ) and the fat... your body wont use the fat to make you fat but it will sate you.

here is a list of the foods that you can eat from on the atkins diet. you can print it out and keep it in your wallet or blow it up print it out and stick it on the fridge. Eat anything on the list..if it isn't on there don't eat it!
Please don't do a "no carb diet" .. it will stall you and will stuff with your body...

[tinklebell_05]

What exercises are best to go with a low carb diet. or do u even have to exercise to lose weight

[Sherrie]

Walking and resistance/strength training are best. I wouldn't worry during the first couple of weeks whilst your body gets used to everything.

[tinklebell_05]

Ok. That's good. I love to walk/jog.