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Hello,
I had a false start on the Atkins Diet yesterday and I wanted to ask if anyone else has a background similar to mine and perhaps they can offer advice.

About 16 yrs ago, before I knew about Atkins, I unknowingly did my own version of this diet and lost even more weight than I had hoped to. So I believe in its principles. I have remained on a low fat, high protein and low *refined* carb diet ever since, but I do eat carbs -- fruits and vegetables mostly with the occasional piece of high fiber bread or a banana. Those carbs, I know, are what are not allowing me to lose weight now.

My system has always been very sensitive to insulin. My weight is stable, but I want (need) to lose five pounds. (I know this may be laughable but on my frame it is noticeable and I figure it should not be THAT hard to just lose five pounds. I have also been trying to lose the same pounds for over two years now with zero results and that bothers me; it would be one thing if i didnt watch my daily intake but i measure it like a hawk).

My challenges come with Induction, as I am sure most people also experience:

1) I am used to eating most of my calories in the second half of the day. I typically work out in the mornings, so I wake up, dress and leave the house. I've tried in the past to shift my eating patterns earlier in the day (ie dine like a pauper) but I end up eating in the evening OR staying awake all night long. I cannot sleep if I do not have a full stomach (which is fine but means I can only lose weight if I become an insomniac).

2) I eat only 850-1000 calories per day and I work out 7 days per week, am fairly active. I do not know how I will manage to eat only protein and fat at this level and not gain weight initially.

Yesterday when I "succeeded" on Induction until bedtime, I had a difficult time ingesting the extra fat that I'm not used to. It feels psychologically "wrong" to me to eat fat, even though I know that chemically Atkins works, I am scared of gaining weight when I begin as my body needs/uses very few calories now simply to maintain current weight. What I ate yesterday:

1) 1 hard boiled egg with 7 extra egg whites also boiled, with curry spice on top. 1 red pepper and 1 cup lettuce and 1 cucumber (whole)

2) 1oz mackerel, 1oz cheese

3) two pork chops, 1 oz cheese, 1 c lettuce, 1c mushrooms

I drank a ton of H20 throughout the day. I also had more than 4 cups of decaf instant coffee, with a sweetener bought in my country called Huxol, it is german and the label says that each tablet has .002g carbohydrate. I probably had 20 tablets in the course of the day. The label says it contains cyclamate natria, hydrocarbonate natria, citrate nitria, saccharine and lactose. 100g of the tablets is 20 cals and the whole container has only 72g worth of tabs in it.

At that point it was late evening and I went to bed.

I then got up around 1am, was hungry, and blew it all with some bread, an apple, a protein bar and a banana. BAD! But I can't help but think my body knows when it doesnt have carbs!

Does anyoen have advice to 1) stay on induction. I know if i can do that, that i will breeze thru the rest of this. and 2) not go over my current (low) calorie limit, ie not GAIN weight while on induction?

Thank you in advance for any help!