I'm more of a "savory" aficionado.

What I miss most are chip-type snacks (tortilla chips, potato chips), fried potatoes (french fries, tater tots), and popcorn. You know, the constant hand-to-mouth foods.

I also miss mashed potatos and gravy.

I've never been a big sugar fiend. I can live without chocolate, candy, ice cream, pastries, etc. But I do miss some sugar/carb-laden alcoholic beverages, such as cider, microbrew, and Irish cream whiskey.

As for fruit, that I can have in moderation. I'm lucky that the fruit that I like is mostly that which I can have on Atkins.

The nice thing about low-carb is that there are replacements, to a certain degree. I can have nuts instead of chips. I can have mashed cauliflower with meat drippings instead of mashed potatos and gravy. Plus, there are all kinds of sugar-free chocolate, candy, and ice cream that are available. And I can have other types of alcoholic beverages than the ones that I listed above.

So this is definitely doable. And once I hit maintenance, I can add high-carb food back in, one treat once a week. That I can live with.

-G.