Atkins Dude wrote:
>
> Do most of you avoid salt on induction?
No. Atkins is a fat loss system. Avoiding salt
is based on the false idea that since salt causes
water retention that water is actually fat.
Water actually is not fat. Extremely hard concept
for someone standing on a scale looking at a
number.
Atkins triggers water loss without avoiding salt.
Avoiding salt means you haven't paid attention to
the principles of the plan. Then again eating
excess salt isn't a part of the plan either so
salting your food isn't mandatory. Restaurant
food is generally over salted so if you don't
want to salt your food at home that doesn't
automatically count as avoiding salt.
> If so, do you use a salt substitute
> (0 sodium) instead of regular salt?
No. There is no reason to avoid sodium. There is
reason to pursue potassium so you are't completely
off. The stuff to use is lite salt that's 50-50
sodium and potassium salts.
> Does using salt or a salt substitute
> have any negative effect during induction?
Salt has no effect on fat gain or fat loss. Salt
effects water retention. Water is not fat no matter
how much staring at the scale makes you want to
think it is. Use a tape measure and only use the
average readings over a period of time not the
scale reading or any one day. Learning what of
the scale readings is fat and what is water is a
very hard lesson for a lot of people.
Avoid salt only if you still have bloating
problems after you have completed Induction. Since
Induction cures most bloating problems, the number
of people who have any cause to avoid salt while
on Atkins is quite low. Nitrates remain as one
of the most common causes of bloating but avoiding
salt does nothing to effect nitrate bloating.
It isn't harmfull to avoid salt while on Atkins
(unless you avoid it to the point of a sodium
deficiency) so more avoid salt than actually need
to. Do not put any effort into it. All effort
aimed at fighting water is effort wasted from
fighting fat. And ultimately all effort aimed at
fighting water is effort wasted period. No amount
of effort will keep water retention from happening
on occasion. It's a road to frustration, avoid
it.