The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[RosieCotton]

Wonder if it has to do with whether or not they are raised on the stuff.

Quite possibly! If that's the case, I worry about my youngest siblings...they have way more access to sweets and sodas than I did, so far as I can recall.

[2Jedismom]

Wow, the guys are really doing manuevers up in the sky today!! They were below the clouds when they roared by earlier, but now they are up above and you can hear them flying around and round!!

I love it so much! I spoke with a woman down the street yesterday who said she's noticed them too.

[RosieCotton]

But I think for those who just need to lose 10,20 even 30 lbs. it is better to modify the diet, exercise and water intake. The lbs. won't come off as quickly, but they'll stay off.

Yeah, that's the way I'm looking at it. I've never been really heavy, but I HAVE been in better shape than I am now. Usually it's just a matter of eating real food (i.e. stuff prepared from scratch instead of chemical laden quick meals), doing a bit more exercise, and drinking water instead of sugary stuff.

Takes more effort, though, especially living alone.

[RMDupree]

Can you believe that I have been drinking cafe con leche since I was 2!!??

[2Jedismom]

Joshua drank a cup of coffee with milk in it the other day at McDonalds and everyone thought it was hysterical. He just sat there sipping on his coffee and eating his pancakes!

[RosieCotton]

Joshua is such a cool kid! I hope I still know you when he's older...it's gonna be fun to "watch" him grow up.

[Lil'freeper]

<< Grrrr... have to retype this 'cuz I lost it in a FR Hiccup >>>

Atkins is the strictest and most regimented of the low-carb plans- at least it starts out that way. The beginning phase is called 'induction' because it is designed to switch your body over from burning carbs to burning fat as the primary energy source. This is what receives the bulk of the criticism and bad press which is mostly hype and ignorance. Atkins does a good job of laying out the research in the book. He also cautions folks with certain conditions- which is why he's portrayed as a reckless fool. (I don't get it.)

The induction phase is limited to 20g of carbs a day. The bulk of these should be vegetables. He recommends three cups a day- at least 2 should be leafy greens and salad-type veggies, one cup can be cooked. As far as fats and proteins being 'unlimited' that's a falsehood. He says 'eat until your hunger is satiated'. Portion control, iow. Because they are filling and slow to digest, you get full more quickly and eat more infrequently.

During induction my menu was similar to: Sausage, eggs, and an Atkins muffin (soy) for breakfast. Tuna salad with salad greens and cheese for lunch. Sugar-free jello for 'dessert'. Dinner was bacon-pepperjack-bbq chicken (or a big, juicy steak), salad with nice dressing, cauliflower with butter. Dessert was a slice of jello-cheesecake pie stuff I made.

As you progress, you add carbohydrates back into the menu. Unrefined, nutritious, and fiber-rich carbohydrates...like more veggies (squashes, beans) and nuts. I eat a handful of macademia nuts everyday for elevensies.

Eventually you not only arrive at a healthy weight, but you have discovered the perfect balance of fat, protein, and nutritious carb for you as an individual.

[Sam Cree]

I have a Kentucky ice tea recipe, it has enough sugar to choke a horse, plus half a citrus orchard and a bed of mint leaves. Tastes great, reminds me of childhood too, but I doubt if I'd even like it anymore.

[2Jedismom]

LOL Yep. He's a great kid. Life is going to be easier on him than with Matthew, I believe. I try to make it good for both my boys, but it's always been easier with Josh.

[Lil'freeper]

Is it a normal thing your body has to grow through due to carb withdrawals?

Yes! I had the shakes almost, I was distracted, had a muddled brain, restless sleep, and "land of dairy queen" dreams. Now when I eat sugar I have an almost allergic reaction. My sinuses burn and my nose starts dripping. It was a good choice for me to break the sugar habit.

I've been told that this is the worst thing I can do, since my body will act as if I am starving and start to work against me.

Tell that person to go read the book. Then branch out and actually read the research. I have. And it has been an eye-opening adventure.

[RMDupree]

He's such a little man!! Too much!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Someone may have answered this but I am trying to do house work and keep up, way behind..

The Atkins formula is 2 wks at keeping your carbs to 15 a day. No cards from sugar or white flour, no bread in other words. After that you raise your carb intake 5 a day a week at a time. If you continue to lose weight you continue to add 5. When you stop loosing weight you are at the maintaining point. If you gain weight you go back 5. And you HAVE TO DRINK lots of water. At least 60 ounces a day.

There are test strips you can buy at WalMart to see if you are in ketosis. It's a urine test.

The Atkins diet is on the internet.

During the 2 wk induction, you are suppose to eat 3 cups of salad a day, and you get pretty much all the meat cheese eggs you want. Your carbs come from the salad and dressing.

The main problem we had with it was there is hardly any where you can go to eat out. We always go out with our children on Wed. and Sun. after church, and I really missed those times together. There are alot of recepies on the Atkins web site to give alot of variaty. The best thing it did for me was I still drink nothing but water, 80 to 100 ounces a day. I don't do the diet anymore, but drinking that much water has helped me loose weight because I don't eat as much.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I actually know a few people who don't care for sweets

I am actually one of those I guess... I like sweets OK, but I don't crave candy, and never buy it. I love pancakes with maple syrup, probably the sweetest thing I eat. But cinnamon rolls with lots of frosting or frosted donuts or cake? - I really don't go out of my way for and can turn down unless someone actually hands me a plate and tells me to eat it.

My weakness is breads.... I don't feel complete without bread and butter in a meal. I really don't think I would have to do more than just perhaps cut down on the number of entirely bread meals, like pancakes and peanut butter sandwiches, and exercised more.

[RMDupree]

We hates FR hiccups!

It sounds as if the Atkins diet is more of a system to acheive the right balance of carbs and proteins rather than a weight-loss plan. I guess weight-loss is the natural side effect of eating smarter!

[RMDupree]

When I was talking about the starving reaction, I meant my current diet of eating 2 small meals a day.

I've heard nothing but good things about Atkins.

[My back yard]

Have I mentioned lately how much I despise dial-up?
I know exactly what you mean. I have dial-up at home and a really fast T-1 (or something) at work. It didn't bother me so much until I came here. But now I can't stand the sloooowww connection at home. I click on something, then go in the kitchen and start supper or somthing. Half the time I forget I ever clicked it.

(BTW, I've been meaning to tell you how much I have come to rely on your morning posts to sorta find out what is going on around here that I have missed. Thanks a lot)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Have you seen those Atkins candy bars at Wal-Mart. The carb count looks high at first, but if you read the fine print you only have to count 2 carbs for a whole bar, different kind of carbs count different. I think the bars are really good, and very filling.

Becky

[ecurbh]

Very true! In fact, in his book, Dr. Atkins makes a point about not calling it a diet, and refers to it as "The Atkins Nutritional Approach." A diet is a temporary thing, this is a lifelong change in eating habits.

[Corin Stormhands]

Every sugar substitute I've ever tried (Splenda included) has an aftertaste.

It wouldn't after a while. You'd adjust to it.

[RMDupree]

I'm terrible about the water thing. I can go an entire day with nothing to drink with the exception of my cup of cafe con leche in the morning and a small juice after my lunch (or breakfast, depending which one I choose to eat that day).

By the time the evening rolls around, I have a glass of juice after dinner and maybe another glass before bed. It's weird, but my mom is the same way.