Addiction and Withdrawal
Another mechanism that can cause adverse reactions is withdrawal symptoms. Quite a few people have addictions to foods they consume every day without being aware of them. When you suddenly stop eating a food or ingredient you are used to, as you do when you start Atkins, you may experience withdrawal. Common offenders are caffeine, sugar, wheat and other foods capable of quickly changing blood-sugar levels. Withdrawal symptoms vary widely, ranging from fatigue, faintness and palpitations to headache and cold sweats.
Bad as they seem, experiencing withdrawal symptoms is really good news. The withdrawal process is usually completed within three days, and afterward you should feel better than ever, unless, of course, you re-addict yourself. If you cannot stay the course and progress through withdrawal, do it gradually by consuming progressively smaller amounts of an addictive food until you get to zero.( For help on identifying which food is causing the problem, see Chapter 26 on food intolerances.) The more severe your withdrawal symptoms, the more you stand to gain from abandoning the food that is causing them. A food that demands to be eaten daily is often a key to a disordered metabolism. It can run your life, as well as ruin it.
Most people-even people with food addictions once withdrawal symptoms abate-experience a significant energy lift. It tends to send them roaring on through Induction because it ' s such clear evidence of the positive influence their dietary change is having on their metabolism.
You ' ll notice that I have not yet mentioned weight. Unless you are extremely metabolically resistant, you will start losing considerable weight during Induction. The amount and rate at which you lose can vary dramatically depending upon your age, level of activity, whether you are taking hormones or other drugs, your degree of metabolic resistance and other factors. The median weight loss from two weeks doing Induction is 10 pounds for overweight males and 6 pounds for overweight females. But do understand this: On any weight loss program, the first weight lost is water weight. Atkins is a particularly effective diuretic, so the water weight tends to come off fast on my program. But be assured that after four to five days, the pounds that come off are primarily fat.
Congratulations! You are really doing Atkins now. I ' m very happy for you. With my help, Induction will be just the first step of a natural progression to your permanent way of healthy eating.
KEY POINTS!
• Induction is designed to switch your body from burning carbohydrate for energy to burning primarily fat for energy.
• Fat burning helps control your appetite.
• Withdrawal symptoms, caused by food addictions, may occur, but will subside within a few days.
• By the end of the first week most people find that they have more energy and feel better.
• Lipolysis testing strips( LTS) measure the presence of ketones in your urine, gauging your fat-burning status.
94