Week #1 is Done!

     Today makes one week that I've been on the Atkins Nutritional Approach. It's been different, but good.
      Last week, I went shopping and purchased only foods from the Acceptable Foods List for Phase 1 (Induction). I called my sister-in-law, and asked her to stop by and pick up all of the foods I'd no longer be consuming, which she did, gladly. I sat down with my husband and explained to him the changes that would be in the menu. He was very supportive and excited, because he is a big meat eater! 
     The first thing I did was cut up all of my veggies and measure them to the recommended 1/2 cup servings, and put them in little snack bags. Then when separating meats to go into the freezer, I weighed out a few 4-6 oz. pieces of each meat and wrapped them individually for lunch or when hubby wanted a pizza or something. Another thing I've been teaching myself to do is to try to keep some leftovers just in case something comes up and I'm short on time. Not having time to prepare the right foods can lead to me making hasty decisions that don't benefit my goals.
     So the first few days I was super excited! I still am. Around my third day, I really started to feel the cravings for sugar! Oh my goodness! As a smoker who quit successfully (more than 3 years now:P) I can easily compare the craving for the sugar to a nicotine craving! I gave in and had an Oreo! I felt SOOO guilty. I hadn't sent hubby's snacks home with my sis-in-law, and when I told him that I'd caved, he packed up all his goodies and sent them to my dad! That was so sweet. So, after reading somewhere that the cravings should subside around the end of the first two weeks, I told him we'd stock up again then, depending on how I'm doing at that time. 
     I've noticed a few other changes during this first week. The biggest is my level of energy. It's not very high, and the Atkins website says that energy level will vary based on the individual. It affects me most in the mornings. I've been having a few problems with my sugar because of all the weight I've put on, and I've found in the mornings that if I don't fix breakfast and eat immediately, my sugar drops very low within that first hour of my day. Even by the time I've cooked my eggs, and fixed my coffee, I'm feeling so weak and dizzy, I can hardly stand. So after eating, I'll lie down for a few moments and visit the website to log my meal and check out new posts and what not. It's gotten better the last few days. This morning I had an Atkins shake for the first time, and I think because it was so quick and easy and because I drank it right away, I never felt the sugar low at all. I was very pleased. The other change has been in using the bathroom. I've gone quite frequently as a result of the veggies and water intake, and I feel like my system has really been cleaned out. On the Atkins program, you'll eat a lot of fresh vegetables. I've made fresh spinach a staple just about on my menu. I love it fresh with a homemade dressing, or cooked in eggs, or even included in the mixture for hamburger patties.
     The biggest help to me has been the website. It's amazing. There is so much knowledge, tools, and a community of people that would love to help anyone that is on Atkins. I spend a lot of time on the site every day getting recipes, planning menus, and logging my carb and water intake. Every member has their own blog. There are groups and forums, and chat rooms. Best of all, it's all free!!
     So I'm sure you want to know how I did on my first week! I weighed in this morning, and I'd lost 5 lbs! I'm stoked. I can hardly wait until next Thursday. Until then, I'll take it one day at a time, and give my all to achieving my goals. It's lunch time, so I've gotta go!