Hi- Newbie with questions

Hi Everyone!

First allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jen...I live in Boston. I'm just
getting started with trying out the Atkins diet. Today I'm making my big
grocery shop. I'm actually excited about the idea of buying all the eggs and
bacon I want and not feeling guilty!

Anyway...I have some newbie type questions for the group. I apologize if some
of these questions have gone around again and again....I will do a Google on
the group archives and see what comes up.

I am wondering about the effects of caffeine on weight loss during induction.
I've read the materials, and I gather that caffeine is a big no-no, as it
affects blood sugar levels. But it's really hard for me to imagine giving it
up. I will if I have to, though. So what's the real-life experience here with
caffeine and induction? I'm also wondering about weight loss during the ongoing
weight loss period. What kind of weight loss are you guys experiencing? Lastly,
what's your favorite no-carb snack for induction period cravings?

Thanks in advance,
Jen
Half the people you know are below average. -Steven Wright

Welcome Jen

Hubby and I just started on the 20th. He drinks coffee and I switched to
tea. They both have caffine but his coffee seems to do him more harm than my
tea does. Of course I don't use sweetener with tea either, or cream, maybe
that's the difference?

Pickled eggs, olives and lettuce have become a big favourite here for
snacks. I'm a salt and crunch freak. Olives and lettuce have filled the gap
left by potato chips

Heather
270/262/150

"JLove98905" wrote in message
...
Hi Everyone!

First allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jen...I live in Boston. I'm just
getting started with trying out the Atkins diet. Today I'm making my big
grocery shop. I'm actually excited about the idea of buying all the eggs
and
bacon I want and not feeling guilty!

Anyway...I have some newbie type questions for the group. I apologize if
some
of these questions have gone around again and again....I will do a Google
on
the group archives and see what comes up.

I am wondering about the effects of caffeine on weight loss during
induction.
I've read the materials, and I gather that caffeine is a big no-no, as it
affects blood sugar levels. But it's really hard for me to imagine giving
it
up. I will if I have to, though. So what's the real-life experience here
with
caffeine and induction? I'm also wondering about weight loss during the
ongoing
weight loss period. What kind of weight loss are you guys experiencing?
Lastly,
what's your favorite no-carb snack for induction period cravings?

Thanks in advance,
Jen
Half the people you know are below average. -Steven Wright

(JLove98905)

writes:

snip

I've read the materials, and I gather that caffeine is a big no-no, as it
affects blood sugar levels. But it's really hard for me to imagine giving it
up. I will if I have to, though. So what's the real-life experience here with
caffeine and induction?

A lot of people don't give it up, apparently. I am doing a combination South
Beach and Atkins, and I did give it up, but I tapered off instead of going cold
turkey. I think that helped me miss the headaches a lot of people experience
when they drop it abruptly. As to what you'll decide to do, I think one factor
is whether or not you want to eliminate everything that *could* affect your
weight. Anyway, after I had a decent loss behind me and felt confident on the
diet, I added back some caffeine. I used to have about 6 "shots" -- coffee,
tea, etc. -- each day, and now I have one.

I'm also wondering about weight loss during the
ongoing
weight loss period. What kind of weight loss are you guys experiencing?

You'll lose some water weight right away, and that will likely be impressive,
but it won't continue at that rate. How much are you trying to lose? That's a
big factor in rate of loss. After the first big loss, I've been losing about
1/2 to 1 pound per week. But I'm only aiming for 26 pounds off, total. If
you've got more to lose, it will likely come off faster until you get close to
goal. Be prepared to discover a "normal" weight fluctuation from day to day
(you might not want to weigh yourself more than once a week). And things get
weird around your Time of Month. You might stall, then lose a chunk of weight.
Or not. To make things even more confusing, you might notice that your
clothes fit better and you've lost inches, but your weight doesn't seem to
change right away. In other words, sometimes the pounds don't reflect other
changes.

This is a great diet, and a great way of eating. But it's not all linear. If
you can accept that and even laugh at the irrationality of it, you'll save
yourself some frustration.

Lastly,
what's your favorite no-carb snack for induction period cravings?

Smoked salmon! Mmmm, smoked salmon! It was and will likely remain my favorite
"crutch" food. I also cooked a lot of shrimp during the first two weeks, and
I'm now trying to have seafood twice a week.

Daria
166/144/140
sugar-free since 2/1/04
low-carb since 2/17/04

OSPAM (JLove98905) wrote:

Hi Everyone!

First allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jen...I live in Boston. I'm just
getting started with trying out the Atkins diet. Today I'm making my big
grocery shop. I'm actually excited about the idea of buying all the eggs and
bacon I want and not feeling guilty!

Anyway...I have some newbie type questions for the group. I apologize if some
of these questions have gone around again and again....I will do a Google on
the group archives and see what comes up.

I am wondering about the effects of caffeine on weight loss during induction.
I've read the materials, and I gather that caffeine is a big no-no, as it
affects blood sugar levels. But it's really hard for me to imagine giving it
up.

It will take five days to give it up. Live through the headaches. I
gave it up during Induction along with everything else. All the pain
and feeling crappy lumped into one five day period. If you miss colas
you can later try Diet Rite colas which have no caffeine or sodium and
use sucralose/splenda. Decaffeinated products exist.

I used Induction as a purge. A reset to a simpler diet. All the excess
crap removed at once. Then i can try and add things in later on and
learn what affects me and what doesn't. Caffeine is an addictive
substance.

I will if I have to, though. So what's the real-life experience here with
caffeine and induction?

I'm also wondering about weight loss during the ongoing
weight loss period. What kind of weight loss are you guys experiencing?

My loss in the 30-35 carb range was faster than staying at 20g and
much easier to maintain. I stayed 20g for five weeks. When I moved
onto OWL I felt better. I hadn't realized I wasn't feeling great, but
I definitely got a pickmeup moving to OWL.

Lastly, what's your favorite no-carb snack for induction period cravings?

Pepperoni and cheese, deviled eggs, pork rinds

Thanks in advance,
Jen
Half the people you know are below average. -Steven Wright


DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)
350/300/May-288/200
Atkins since Jan 12, 2004
OWL-60 carbs/day (CCLL=?)

JLove98905 wrote:

Anyway...I have some newbie type questions for the group. I apologize if some
of these questions have gone around again and again....I will do a Google on
the group archives and see what comes up.

Among other things, check the FAQ.


I am wondering about the effects of caffeine on weight loss during induction.
I've read the materials, and I gather that caffeine is a big no-no, as it
affects blood sugar levels. But it's really hard for me to imagine giving it
up. I will if I have to, though. So what's the real-life experience here with
caffeine and induction?

Some people give it up, others don't.

I didn't. I lose slowly compared to some, but dunno if it's the
caffeine or just how it goes with this body.

I'd have to try low-carbing without caffeine to compare loss rates and
find out if it made a difference for me, but I don't want to. Slow is
OK with me.


I'm also wondering about weight loss during the ongoing
weight loss period. What kind of weight loss are you guys experiencing?

I lose 4 lbs/month, except for the first month which was 11 lbs.

Jenny's page has an analysis of the monthly weight loss challenge.
People lose more when they first begin (water loss), men tend to lose
faster than women, people with more weight to lose seem to lose faster
than those with less, and apparently the last 10-20 pounds come off
extremely slowly for most folks.


Lastly,
what's your favorite no-carb snack for induction period cravings?

Neither are no-carb, but I ate piles of pepperoni and hard-boiled eggs
to get through induction cravings myself.


--
As you accelerate your food, it takes exponentially more and more energy
to increase its velocity, until you hit a limit at C. This energy has
to come from somewhere; in this case, from the food's nutritional value.
Thus, the faster the food is, the worse it gets.
-- Mark Hughes, comprehending the taste of fast food

Someone mentioned "jenny's page." What's that?

-Jen
Half the people you know are below average. -Steven Wright

JLove98905 burbled across the ether:
Someone mentioned "jenny's page." What's that?

Jenny-the-bean. http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ A sometime
regular.

--
revek www.geocities.com/tanirevek/LowCarb.html lowcarbing since June
2002 5'2" 41 F 165+/too much/size seven petite please
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to
think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's
fault. If it was Us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I
must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one
ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's
Them that do the bad things. {Jingo, 1997}

In article , jlove98905
@aol.comNOSPAM says...
Hi Everyone!

First allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jen...I live in Boston. I'm just

Hi Jen, welcome to the group!

I am wondering about the effects of caffeine on weight loss during induction.
I've read the materials, and I gather that caffeine is a big no-no, as it
affects blood sugar levels. But it's really hard for me to imagine giving it
up. I will if I have to, though. So what's the real-life experience here with

I drink decaf, but in the past I've occasionally gotten hooked on coffee. I
HIGHLY recommend tapering off in order to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches.
Try decaf for every other cup or mixing 1/2 caffeine and 1/2 decaf.

caffeine and induction? I'm also wondering about weight loss during the ongoing
weight loss period. What kind of weight loss are you guys experiencing?

The rate is different from person to person, but the average seems to be 1-3 lbs
per week. I tend to lose slower than that, but I'm older and very sedentary when
I'm not actively exercising. My weight loss sped up when I started keeping my
calories at 1200-1400/day. It's slowed down recently, coinciding with my taking
in more calories.

Lastly,
what's your favorite no-carb snack for induction period cravings?

Pork rinds. Peach Smints. Hard boiled eggs.

--
Saffire
205/158/125 - 5'2.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

Hi Jen

I am wondering about the effects of caffeine on weight loss during
induction.
I've read the materials, and I gather that caffeine is a big no-no, as it
affects blood sugar levels. But it's really hard for me to imagine giving
it
up. I will if I have to, though. So what's the real-life experience here
with
caffeine and induction?

I didn't give up caffeine (in diet soda, I don't drink coffee) and didn't
have any problems. SOME people find that caffeine stalls them, others find
that it affects blood sugars etc. See how you get on without giving up the
caffeine - if you find that you have problems, losing the caffeine might
help.


--
Tara
www.dazzled.com/lowcarb - my homepage
New Zealand

Hi, Jen!

Well, (cough) that will probably be up to you.

Every body is different, and that's the one thing I have been learning here.

I can drink coffee all day long, and whether I do or not, I know that now if
I don't eat something before noon, I''m gonna get dizzy, and that just
happens. Coffee has nothing to do with it.

We''re all different and all trying to accomplish something and we're all
here as friends with a common goal. And the best thing we can do is share
our experiences.