Low-Carb Atkins-Friendly Foods Are Everywhere!

For me, to be able to stick to the Atkins plan, it was important that I first find acceptable answers to the following questions (in this order):

1. Can I still enjoy sweet treats and desserts?

2. Can I still eat out at my favorite restaurants?

3. Can I prepare low-carb meals at home with little effort?

4. Can I find low-carb food products readily available in my area?

I'm happy to say that I found the answers I was looking for. And I'd like to share them with you...

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

It's no longer considered "taboo" if you want to satisfy your craving for something sweet while you're following the Atkins plan. As I mentioned in an earlier article, full-size candy products like Reese's peanut butter cups, Hershey's almond chocolate bars, and Russell Stover's heath bar toffee wafers are our favorites. These products are made with sugar alcohol rather than typical table sugar.

I must warn you, however... While you won't get drunk off of them (cuz it's not that kind of alcohol!), you might experience some slight gastrointestinal discomfort. It has been documented that sugar alcohol reacts differently in the GI tract, causing gassiness and cramping in some (but not all) people. Atkins recommends no more than 25 grams from sugar alcohols a day, but I've had symptoms from as few as 8 grams... it hasn't stopped me though. The trade-off is worth it: rich, creamy chocolate to top off a healthy, low-carb meal. My favorite is the Reese's peanut butter cups (2 of them have 8 grams of sugar alcohol and only 1 net carb!)

So, if the need for sweets outweighs the tiny bit of discomfort you might experience after eating candies made with sugar alcohol, then you might be interested in knowing that you can purchase large boxes of these candy products at Sam's Club at a reasonable price.

How To Stay Low-Carb When Eating Out

We eat out A LOT! It's just easier. While we HAVE curbed our desire to dine out as much as we used to, we still do at least once a week.
(Did you catch that?... Another benefit of being on the Atkins plan: You save money, since you might not go out to eat as much as usual!)

Here's what we do...

We either save our "cheat night" for a full-course "regular" dinner at a local restaurant, or we stick to the Atkins plan and order from the low-carb menu that most places have these days.

Here are some great tips for how to eat out and not go over your daily carbohydrate limit:

• While Subway and TGI Fridays were among the first to add low-carb options to their menus, most major fast-food chains have followed suit.
• If you're following the Atkins plan, you need to be true to the plan, day in and day out. Here are some great tips for how to eat low-carb ANYWHERE.
• For those who travel a lot, here are some things to watch for when you're traveling, or if find yourself eating out at a restaurant you're not familiar with.

Where To Buy Low-Carb Food Products

These days, most grocery stores carry Atkins or other low-carb food brands. Many even have an entire department devoted solely to low-carb options! In the Nashville area alone there are more than 130 stores selling Atkins-brand products, including: Walgreens, Walmart, GNC, and Kroger -- to name just a few.

Preparing Low-Carb Meals At Home

Here are some awesome low-carb recipe ideas for preparing meals at home. Simply combine a couple of ingredients from the low-carb foods list (aka carb counter) and you're on your way!

I like it because you can sort the results by Cuisine or which Course you're preparing.

You can also sort all of these low-carb recipes by whatever "level" you're on (Phase 1: Induction, Phase 2: Ongoing Weight Loss, Phase 3: Pre-Maintenance, or Phase 4: Lifetime Maintenance). And there's a great keyword search box.

Need Some Motivation To Get Started?

Here are some tips for getting personally motivated to try the Atkins plan ... and most importantly, how to stick to it!

If you don't already own the book by Dr. Atkins called "Atkins For Life", you should. It's a great book.

You may also want to check out the Atkins Online Progress Tracker for some additional encouragement to jump on the plan. There, you can monitor your own progress online - post your measurements, your weight (...if you so desire; no one can see it but you), and even your "before" photo. (Be sure to pick a really BAD photo, so you'll feel even better with the smallest amount of progress!)

And, before you start, take this online test. You will probably be surprised by how dramatically your "score" will change between Week 1 and Week 3 for example!