Peeing Purple..And Loving It!

                                                       
I've been on the Atkins diet since the 1st of January, when I stepped on the scales and was shocked to learn of the toll all those those Christmas cookies and candies and pies had on my weight.  Several years ago I went on Atkins and lost 50 pounds in three months.  But that was when I was younger, healthier, and able to spend two hours a day in the gym.

I can't generate that kind of weight loss through exercise anymore.  In recent years Atkins' low carb diet  hasn't done much for me.  I could lose a few pounds but couldn't seem to achieve the weight loss I wanted.

But, on this journey through the low carb maze, I've learned to pay close attention to what I'm eating and measuring the carbs as if each were a gram of gold.  What I've learned this time is that, in my previous Atkins crusade against fat, I was cheating.  For those of you who aren't familiar with Atkins, the basic concept is that if you cheat your body of carbs your body is forced to consume your own fat to survive.  The "big government" food experts, and nutritionists say the average person needs about 200 carbs a day.   The "induction phase" of Atkins says you must restrict your carb count to less than 20 in order to lose weight and send you into "ketosis" which is the burning of fat.

Those on the Atkins diet can measure their progress with "keto sticks", available in Walmart and most drug stores.  After three "sub 20 carb days" you pull one of these little sticks out the container, pee on it.  If you are shedding ketones your stick will change color, from a faint rose..to a deep purple if you're really dumping the fat.  During my last few attempts at Atkins I felt like I was doing all I could to keep my carb count below 20 carbs per day.  Yet, each time I peed on that little keto stick the best I could manage was a rosy 'trace' of ketosis.

This time I've been monitoring my carb count closely and it is showing great results.  In fourteen days I've lost fourteen pounds....and "peeing purple" every morning.

My advice to anyone attempting the Atkins diet, pay close attention to every carb you consume, keep it under 20 per day, or don't even bother with the Atkins diet.  I've learned that a teaspoon of soy sauce is 1 carb..and needs to be counted.  I've learned that even those pseudo "low carb sweets and low carb breads" can stop your ketosis in its tracks.

The other day my wife, just back from a long trip, prepared me a lovely Asian meal; tofu soup, Asian squash, and egg fu yung.  I watched her flavor her cooking with soy sauce and other seasonings, watched her like a prison warden, and calculated each carb sizzling in the wok.  To be safe, I consumed not a single carb prior to that meal.

The next morning I pulled out a keto stick and was "peeing purple" and loving it!  So, folks, if you're going to try Atkins, if that Christmas pie and cake and candy, and turkey gravy is not sitting well on your waistline, go for Atkins!

Watch those carbs and pee purple!