Suzy Q!'s Helpful Hints

Induction

Now, remember that induction is: 
meat (non-processed) (non chemically added) (no sugar or honey-cured bacon) 
cheese (hard cheeses..no american or processed) (no more than 2-4 ounces a day of  hard cheese and nix cheese if weight loss slows or stalls) 
eggs (any way you like them) 
fat (cream cheese, mayo (not miracle whip), olive oil, and REAL butter (NOT margarine) 
2 cups salad greens a day...best to have 1 cup loosely packed greens for lunch and 1 cup for dinner..best to choose romaine, leaf lettuce, boston or my personal fave fresh spinach as your base rather than iceberg lettuce..then you can add to your greens (no other veggies in that salad) real bacon, any meat (I like canned chicken), olives, eggs, cheese, and a good low carb (NOT low fat) dressing

Check EVERYTHING for sugar...they love to add it to almost everything they pack.. even some canned and frozen veggies.. 
If sugar is listed way down on the list of ingredients or is <1 gm, then it will probably not affect you. 
For supper add 2/3 cup dark green veggies (like broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, any greens) For a change, some like to make mock mashed potatoes with califlower..and cabbage is good also.. 
Best to avoid onions, carrots, tomatoes..the high sugar ones.... and the high carb ones....

A good carb counter is key and Netzers is the fave, but here are a couple carb sites to get you started: 
Carb Charts and USDA Site

Check carbs on everything and notice the serving sizes...many things you think are 0 carbs or free are actually not and those carbs add up...the only real free foods tend to be some meats and water..the rest have very countable carbs and they add up...
Drink water only..lots of pure good ole water..very important....forget coffee and sodas for now..they do not count as water anyways and stall/slow you big time... drink at least 10 glasses or more of water every single day...water...water...water..
have nothing with aspartame at all  it turns to wood alcohol at body temp and is dangerous as well as stalls so many.. 
see here:  aspartame

If you make sf jello, make it with knox jello and sf davinci raspberry syrup... to make whipped topping, get heavy whipping cream in the dairy section by milk and whip it up with sweet and low or splenda and some vanilla... 

Get your vitamins and supplements: 
-multivit WITH minerals 
-Vit C >1000mg daily 
-Calcium >1600mg daily (with magnesium.. take in evening away from other vitamins and supplements, as calcium competes with the others ones for absorption and this can cause problems) 
-B-complex 1 daily 
-Good antioxidant 1 daily 
-Chromium piccolinate 600-800mcg daily& 
Now you can add others like L-glutamine, L-carnatine, fish oils and that as you go along and find a need for them.. 
Watch all vitamins and supplements for any sugars (all'ose's except cellulose which passes through the body undigested), starches, wheat, whey (70% lactose), yeast, alcohols. We do not want any of these no-no's. You may need a magnifying glass to read those labels!LOL! 
Many find they need extra potassium in a supplement during induction and any time they have any vomiting or diarrhea, but after induction if you are eating lots of greens, salmon, and using mortons lite salt sprinkled here and there, you might not need a supplement.. 
You can snack on pork rinds or, some cheese, eggs, any meat (pre-cook extra meat and eggs for ready-made quick snacks) 

This is induction.. nothing else.. best to drink nothing else but water.. 
Begin to exercise if you haven't already (makes a big difference) Do not try to get too gung-ho and overdo the exercise at first.. many who do this end up sore and stop the exercise. Just begin at where you are and work up to 30-40 minutes, 4-5 x a
week.. go slow.. walking is my fave for all over workout..

Now, about ketosis, ketosis is ketosis.. light or dark.. the stix are not the most accurate way to tell if you are in ketosis. More perfect indicators are smelly sweat, stinky breath, and hot flashes. The best indicator is weight loss. It may take 2-4 days after getting rid of all no-no's to get into ketosis.  If you are not in ketosis by day 5,add more fat in a slither of cream cheese and a few pieces bacon and nix 1 salad a day for 1-2 days, then after you get into ketosis, add that salad back (very important...you need the salad fiber and nutrients.. remember this is a low carb diet, not a no-carb one)

Read tips and references at this site and also this link about induction: 

Induction or Reference
Also, most important is reading the book.. it will make or break your success and health!
Another wonderful tip at success is start making your own low carb cookbook with all your fave low carb recipes...this is a way of eating for life and the best way to stick with it is learn to cook a lot of low carb delicious stuff...I bought a 3 ring binder and separators and made my own and the good thing is, it has no recipes I don't like! LOL! 
Also, measure now as well as weight because many times when the scale doesn't move the inches will be...why? because u lose fat and make muscle and fat takes up more space but weighs less than muscle (the side of beef/marshmallow concept)
Also, take a pic now...as u go along take more and see for yourself what a difference this is making! 
This is induction...forget sugar free sweet treats and all that until you are well on your way to loosing..

Best Wishes on big success! 

 

Calcium & Potassium

Calcium
Most times it is the calcium you need for the leg willies.  Leg cramps (charlie horse) and the leg willies are the most common
side effect of not getting enough CALCIUM...

Let's look at DANDR page 128:
"When the diet works too well, and the weight loss is too rapid, there can be weakness or slightly debilitating symptoms, presumably caused by sodium or potassium shifts, that can be corrected by the simple measure of TRIPLING or  QUADRUPLING the vegetable intake (yet another argument to not be afraid of good carbs in veggies...we need to be afraid of BAD carbs not good healthy veggie carbs) and slowing the weight loss down. Whenever weight loss exceeds 1 pound per day, you should suspect you may experience some symptoms. Another problem that people occasionally experience is LEG CRAMPS at night. This is due to rapid excretion of CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, and POTASSIUM, almost invariably indicates that the dieter has not followed my recommendations on vitamin and mineral supplementation (see chapter 22)."

Almost everyone who adds calcium with magnesium, finds the leg cramps subside...but, sometimes u need potassium also..
I take 1600mg a day myself, because I eat a lot of dark green veggies...
The thing to remember is take the calcium at a different time than the other vit and supplements because it competes for absorption and then the other vit and nutrients might not be adequately absorbed...
When we do not get enough calcium, the body steals it from your bones and teeth with dire long-term consequences. That is why pregnant women often experience charlie horses and where the ole wives tale of loosing a tooth a pregnancy come from. If your body continues to tear down more bone than it replaces over a period of years to get calcium, your bones become weak and break easily. This leads to the crippling bone disease called "osteoporosis." Approximately 25 million American women have some degree of osteoporosis; the disease will affect one-third to one-half of post-menopausal women, and 5 million American men suffer from osteoporosis.

Dandr pg 264 tells us, "The more calcium you accumulate premenopausally, the better you will withstand the evolutional calcium loss." Calcium mainly comes from dairy products and cheese (besides too much cheese stall/slows our loss), which we do not get enough of on this diet...
Calcium is also found in foods such as dark green vegetables, nuts, grains, beans, canned salmon and sardines (if you eat the bones). These foods can help contribute to your calcium quota. But without dairy in your diet, it may be difficult to meet your daily calcium requirements.

You all know I push those dark green veggies and salmon and that is only one reason why. They are packed with other needed nutrients also....make sure to go get some today. The recommended daily requirement of calcium is:

Adults 19 - 50 years 1,000 milligrams/day
Adults 51+ years 1,200 milligrams/day

* The above levels are irrespective of pregnancy, or lactation, in women.

However, the solubility of calcium supplement preparations needs to be considered. Prior to absorption, calcium preparations must dissociate into elemental calcium. The more soluble a calcium supplement product is in vitro (i.e., measured by the ability to dissolve in 6 ounces of vinegar within 30 minutes) ( A NOTE-check all of your vitamins and supplements to see if they
pass the solvability test, if they do not, then you are taking them for nothing), the more soluble the calcium preparation is in the
body. 

Avoid lead - Calcium supplements made from bone meal, dolomite or oyster shell, often advertised as "natural," may contain lead and other toxic substances. 
Read labels - Different types of calcium supplements contain different amounts of elemental calcium, which is the actual amount of calcium available to your body. For example, a label advertising 1,250 mg of calcium carbonate may contain only 500 mg of elemental calcium.
Recommendations for how much calcium you need are in terms of elemental calcium, so read labels carefully to make sure you're getting what's recommended. Also look at the serving size. A label may list 1,000 mg of elemental calcium in each serving, but a serving size may be three tablets. So each tablet contains about 330 mg.
Increase absorption - Some calcium compounds dissolve easier and are better absorbed than others. For example, calcium citrate supplements may be more easily absorbed and better tolerated than calcium carbonate supplements. But calcium citrate supplements usually contain less elemental calcium in a  given amount.

Calcium phosphate supplements contain phosphorus, and some also contain vitamin D, both of which may help increase absorption. But, we do not want a calcium with D, but we DO want one with magnesium. D is a fat soluble vit and
store in fat and can become toxic. To get enough fat soluble nutrients, simply add 1 antioxidant daily and that is plenty.
You can increase absorption by limiting single doses to no more than 500 mg of elemental calcium and by taking supplements with meals (but not with foods very high in fiber, such as wheat bran). And look for the letters USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) on the label. USP sets standards for how well a supplement dissolves.

Minimize side effects - To minimize problems with constipation and gas, increase the amount of water you drink, take the supplement with a meal, and take several smaller doses during the day rather than one large dose. In addition, try different calcium compounds to find one with fewer side effects. But don't overdo calcium supplementation. Excessive calcium -
double or triple the recommended dose - may increase your risk of developing kidney stones. If you have a history of kidney stones made from calcium, then consult your Dr about how much and how to get the calcium you need in your diet...
But, taking a clcium/magnesium combo increases the absorption and utilization of the calcium..

Now lets talk about potassium(K+)
About potassium:
I advocate getting Potassium in mortons lite salt and dark green veggies because it is the safest way...too much potassium can cause a dangerous electrolyte imbalance. However, you would be hard-pressed to overdose on potassium only taking one 99mg supplement daily. Elevations or depletions of this important mineral can cause problems and, in the extreme, even death.

Maintaining consistent levels of potassium in the blood and cells is vital to body function. Fatigue is the most common symptom of chronic potassium deficiency. Early symptoms include muscle weakness, slow reflexes, and dry skin or acne; these initial problems may progress to nervous disorders, insomnia, slow or irregular heartbeat, and loss of gastrointestinal tone. Even some high blood pressure is related to potassium deficiency. A sudden loss of potassium may lead to cardiac arrhythmias. Low potassium may impair glucose metabolism and lead to elevated blood sugar. In more severe potassium deficiency, there can be serious muscle weakness, bone fragility, central nervous system changes, decreased heart rate, and even death.
You can get potassium on this woe in dark green veggies, lean meats and poultry, fish. We do not get the dairy products and grains on this woe to get enough potassium. Leafy green vegetables (there is those leafy greens again!!LOL!) such as spinach, parsley, and lettuce, as well as broccoli, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, and potatoes, especially the skins, all have significant levels of potassium (but you do not want to eat peas, lima beans, tomatoes (tomatoes, occaisonal and in moderation is ok), and potatoes on this woe...that is why we need the mortons lite salt and dark green veggies, lean meat, poultry, and fish.We do not get the dairy products other fruits and veggies and grains on this woe to get adequate potassium. Alcohol, coffee (and caffeine drinks), sugar, and diuretic drugs, however, cause potassium losses and can contribute to lowering the blood
potassium. This mineral is also lost with vomiting and diarrhea.

Potassium toxicity could result from the overuse of POTASSIUM SALT (the supplement), but not from ingestion of foods alone. That is why I always recommend getting it in foods and the lite salt... It is best to get a lite salt that is iodized also to protect the thyroid. 

The body protects itself from potassium toxicity by dissolving and excreting the mineral, and in severe cases vomiting, to keep blood levels within safe limits. When blood levels of potassium start to measurably rise, a condition called hyperkalemia, it is usually due to a specific cause such as reduced kidney function, increased protein breakdown or severe infection.

When first beginning this woe, it is common for you to need added potassium, but later on as you add the greens and stuff, your need for a supplement decreases... I advocate eating salmon 1-2 times a week because it is just full of good nutrients and fish oils and a FYI, if you are pregnant, a must (studies show it helps baby to develop the brain)

Anyone who is on certain B/P meds and diuretics, must get potassium levels checked by the Dr on a regular basis. People using potassium-sparing drugs should avoid the use of potassium chloride-containing products, such as Morton Salt Substitute®, No Salt®, Lite Salt®, and others.

Here is a site to see if any of your meds may affect your potassium:  potassium and meds

Hope this helps...I am not a DR, but this is my knowledge about calcium and K+(potassium). 
I thank all the wonderful sites on the net, DANDR, and my Nurse's training/career for allowing me to gather the info for
this article.
Some are as follows:
http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/article.asp?PageType=article&ID=2063
http://www.healthanswers.com/centers/lifestyle/overview.asp?id=nutrition&filename=1930.htm
http://www.calciuminfo.com/index.htm
http://www.endocrineweb.com/osteoporosis/calcium.html
http://www.findarticles.com/m3225/8_62/65864208/p1/article.jhtml
the USDA site about recommended dosages DANDR
Q!~

[Home] [back]

(this was not written by me, but a nurse I know on the internet, she (SuzyQ) mainly posts on the message from EverythingAtkins

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1