I am fully aware that the very first phase of Atkins is tough. However, it is one thing to KNOW something and quite another to LIVE it. I am not even done with the first week, and I am struggling. I'm not struggling with temptation. It is quite easy to pass up sugar in all its forms. My coworkers have so far offered me caramel cake, cookies, chocolate, and even jello. It looked wonderful and I even had a split second where I gauged the damage a square of chocolate could do, but the damage that could be done stopped me dead in my tracks.
So far, I have experience nausea, vomiting, a brief couple of days of constipation followed by diarrhea. I have had headaches and body aches. I have been cranky as can be, prone to short bursts of anger, but thankfully have the patience borne of experience and age to swallow them rather quickly. All side effects of my body and brain scrambling for sugar. Beef and chicken bouillon help with the headaches. Motrin and Tylenol help with the body aches. Not much can be done about the transient nausea, the fatigue, or the bathroom issues for now. I am already always tired as a night nurse, so that is not much different. I can live with it.
What I am doing is drinking water, taking supplements, and carefully counting carbs, while minding protein, fat, and calorie levels. I am paying attention to meals that have absolutely no draw for me after a day or two and making a mental note not to make them ever again. I spend a large time of my downtime trying to think of ways to combine the list of acceptable foods in palatable ways.
I am definitely struggling with fat levels. Butter and olive oil tend to be my go-tos. Go figure that I went shopping this morning for my next week and forgot to buy the butter. Ugh. Therefore, I will cook what I can with what I have and pick up butter on my way home my next day off. (Since I only have one day off.)
Less than a week in and yes, I am looking forward to transitioning. Don't most people? I'll be able to do so much more. However, until I can transition (I am planning on one month of Induction), I will try to focus on just getting this thing right.
I know the time will come when I can expand my diet. I believe that nursing school taught me that dreams are not always easily brought to fruition. Sometimes you have to just have to put your head down and work hard, even when it seems like you're spinning your wheels. So many nights (and days!) I cried for a minute or two, feeling tired and defeated, but I crossed that stage and got pinned like a boss. Losing weight is like nursing school. Painful in a few ways but worth the outcome. I can do this! Induction may not be pretty, but it's so much better than diabetes or heart disease in the future.
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