# Atkins and exercise



## MOJILL (Aug 27, 2002)

Has anyone here maintained the "induction" phase of the atkins diet while continueing to exercise?

Can it be done? I pulled his book off the shelf again this week and although he advocates exercise he doesn't explain how with no carbs it can be done well.

Any thoughts?

Thanks - -- Jill


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## mommagoose_99 (Jan 25, 2005)

Yep . I went to Curves and Yoga classes during the induction phase of Atkins. I weighed 239 pounds when I started and I lost a total of 53 pounds. My husband and I stayed on induction for about 8 months. When we began to add carbs we both gained weight. I am back up to 199 and refuse to gain any more. This week we went back on induction but now I have a cold and I am drinking unsweetened cranberry juice to sooth a sore throat. I would say if you are in good health ( I went to the doctors before starting the diet) go for it. I just re upped my Curves membership but any kind of exersize will make you look and feel better. When you lose 53 pounds in a short amount of time it can actually be scary. I had no idea where to buy clothes or even what size I wore. I was used to shopping in fat lady stores and was afraid of trying on size 14 after wearing size 24 for so long now I am mad cause I have to wear size 18-20. Want my cold and fat to go away now!!!  
Linda


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## MOJILL (Aug 27, 2002)

Wow Linda,

Thanks for posting. It's motivating hearing from those who have been so successful.

I did Atkins about 6 years ago and lost a lot of weight. Like you - we (DH and I) remained on induction for quite some time. Added the carbs gradually. 

Somehow though, after moving to MO, we let it go and just dropped the entire No/Low Carb nature of eating and both gained quite a bit in last few years. I tried Atkins again here and there with no luck......but I'm thinking either my body just rejected it or I wasn't doing it right.

I'm in full induction mode now but am also using the gym. I want to continue running and cycling with added weight training. Wasn't sure if I'd be able to do it without the carbs. It's only been 3 days of no carbs and I'm feeling the difference in my jeans already! 

Jill


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## TexCountryWoman (Jun 22, 2004)

Jill

I started Atkins in Jan 2004 and by that summer (2004) had gone from 225 to 135. I went from size 24 to size 7/9 in juniors. I am 5'7". I am almost 50 and now wear clothes that my 21 year old model daughter passes on to me. I have been mistaken for a teen from a distance....that led me to color my grey hair...now I'm blonde! As a mother of four and grandmother of two, that feels pretty darn good! I have maintained my wt. loss except for the few pounds i have gained over the holidays which I am dropping easily right now. Listen to me, see how vain I have become after losing the weight! I did it because my joints hurt and I didn't want Diabetes!

I did exercise during induction and my body just got used to it. My exercise consists of really tough ranch chores that last for hours each day and long walks over sandy terrain. There are no gyms nearby. I have free weights to tone specific areas and I do ab exercises.

Once that weight starts coming off, and it does really fast, that in itself is motivation not to cheat. With Atkins, you can really eat quite a bit if you eat the right things. Also, once the weight started dropping, i started tweaking my diet. I ate oatmeal sweetened with splenda and lots of cinnamonon a regular basis and lost weight.....good carbs. I dranks LOTS of goat milk and used it in sugar-free diet chocholate pudding...got me through rough times. Cool-whip was fine on that i ate gobs of that and still lost. There are lots of tricks on Atkins that work and retrain the way you eat for life......Diane R.


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## Paso (Oct 18, 2003)

Wow Texcountrywoman you are awsome. I have tried that diet and did good for a while then my stomach started to bother me I thought from all the meat. But Im expecting company from Canada in May and I would love to loose the pounds by then... Got any tips for me ? I think having a partener helps too.


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## TexCountryWoman (Jun 22, 2004)

I am a compulsive chocolate/sweet eater if I get the chance. It is best for me if none of the wrong foods are in the house at all. Because I live WAY out in the country and I am not able to get to town and because my kids are up and grown, it is easy to keep "legal" food in the house. It would be difficult if someone lived here that was not dieting because of my weak willpower. So fo me, not having anything in the house that you can cheat with is important, no matter how dull.

Another interersting point. I had some film developed from last summer when i weighed 137-140. I did not look good. I wondered why people kept asking me if I was ill. I had taken it as flattering. But the pictures did not lie. I have always had a body image problem, sort of "body dysmorphia"...I don't know what I really look like, what other people see. I looked really bad in those pictures...like Atkins Gone Wrong. I was so thin I looked anorexic but I remember back then that i thought I was still fat. I was shocked by my appearance when i saw those photos. I gained weight over these last couple of months over the holidays and thought I was fat...I saw those photos and saw I was still thin at 150-155. I think i have a warped since of self for sure. I was bulimic/anorexic 25 years ago but that is LONG PAST. Now i just can't get the picture right in my head. 

Grow a big garden and eat from that. Eat lots of cheese and eggs and meat and milk. Stay away from any sugar and white flour. Eat oatmeal, brown rice and things with brown flour if you need carbing up. Eat lots of fruit. I have learned not to be so harsh but to not keep sweets around or I binge....Good luck to you your goal to be thin in time for those Canadians!...Diane R.


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## cindyc (Nov 12, 2005)

TexCountryWoman said:


> Grow a big garden and eat from that. Eat lots of cheese and eggs and meat and milk. Stay away from any sugar and white flour. Eat oatmeal, brown rice and things with brown flour if you need carbing up. Eat lots of fruit. I have learned not to be so harsh but to not keep sweets around or I binge....Good luck to you your goal to be thin in time for those Canadians!...Diane R.


This sounds like South Beach, which I have done pretty well with before. I thought Atkins was more restrictive. Anybody know what the differences are?

Thanks,
Cindyc.


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## MOJILL (Aug 27, 2002)

I don't know much about SB but I also heard it allowed for some fruit and vegetables whereas Atkins is much more restrictive --- especially in the serious weight loss phases of it.

Well -- an update to my original post question - - i've been on Atkins induction (meat, cheese, less than 20 carbs a day) for a little over a week now and I've exercised every day. Am running about 3-4 miles and also doing some weight stuff...........so.....

So far being on Atkins hasn't seem to affect that area of my life.

Jill


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## Paso (Oct 18, 2003)

well Im on day 2 :dance: and I was also under the impression it is only cheese meat and eggs and there Atkins bars so far so good but its only day 2 . It feels good to have someone to talk to about it Thanks!!!We need a skinny smiley LOL


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## MOJILL (Aug 27, 2002)

Paso said:


> well Im on day 2 :dance: and I was also under the impression it is only cheese meat and eggs and there Atkins bars so far so good but its only day 2 . It feels good to have someone to talk to about it Thanks!!!We need a skinny smiley LOL


If you have any trouble loosing weight go buy some KETONE strips. This will show you if you are producing Ketones....which means you're burning fat rapidly. The term "peeing purple" means you're doing well. If you're not peeing purple - you're still getting too many carbs in a day's diet.

During induction don't bother with any Atkins bars.........they are actually pretty high in carbs. Just my own experience. 

Good luck! 

Jill


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## BaronsMom (May 22, 2005)

Two years ago lost 60 plus pounds on the Atkins diet - in a very short time! Then, after all the "bad" publicity about Atkins decided I better get off the diet. Didn't keep up on the exercise, and gained it all back.

I need to start again, but am still concerned about just going "straight" Atkins


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