When it comes to the Atkins diet plan, your success will lie in your
planning. Making sure you have the proper foods on hand when you begin
your diet plans will go a long way toward your ongoing weight loss.
There are many suggestions for Atkins diet in the Atkins books, and
there are plenty of resources online for Atkins and low carb recipes.
Planning your meals and snacks will be an important part of your life
when you are on this diet. That advice really goes for any diet. When
you eat whatever you like, you gain weight. Your current weight and
health problems are a direct result of letting your eating habits goes
unchecked for so long.
As with all diet plans, becoming used to the Atkins way of eating is
going to take some time and adjustment. The standard American diet
relies heavily on carbohydrates and other restricted foods. Many people
grew up on carbohydrate heavy favorites like spaghetti and meatballs,
meat and potatoes and pasta casserole. It is going to take some effort
and patience to get used to eating in an entirely new way.
There are two different approaches you can take in adjusting your diet.
You can find replacements for your favorite foods with "mock"
carbohydrates. For example, lasagna made with eggplant or zucchini
instead of pasta is much more carb-friendly than the regular variety.
Spaghetti squash noodles make a good substitute for spaghetti noodles.
There are also many low-carb or carb-free replacements for bread, pasta
and sugar products.
The second approach is to find out how to make new recipes that center
around meats and other low-carb foods. There are a wide variety of meats
that are acceptable on the Atkins plan. If you are used to just eating
ground beef or chicken on a weekly basis, you'll be surprised by the
variety of meats that are out there.
Try incorporating pork, lamb and ham into your weekly routine. You can
also experiment with game fowl like Cornish hen, quail and pheasant. If
you've never been a fan of fish, try a different variety. Some people
who don't like trout find they have a love of salmon or another fish.
Don't forget shellfish like mussels, clams and shrimp. These foods are
all acceptable and can add variety to your diet.
Make sure to have some easy to prepare foods on hand for snacks and
quick meals. For example, thin sliced cucumbers, radishes and celery
mixed with lemon mayonnaise makes a great low-carb meal or dinner salad.
Fried peppers, mushrooms and garlic served on arugula with feta cheese
is another good option.
Research and try out different low-carb recipes so you have a good base
of knowledge of what to prepare for meals. The most important step you
can take in losing weight is planning. Getting a good arsenal of easy to
prepare meals will prevent you from hitting the drive through or going
to a restaurant and breaking your diet.
If you have delicious food to look forward to everyday, you'll be less
bored with your diet. Even during the restrictive induction phase, there
are many food combinations that you can use. At first glance, the
vegetable and meat options may seem restrictive. But this is only in
comparison to what you have been used to eating. With a little planning
and creativity, you can find something interesting to eat every day.