Help, new and hungry

[greene]

I am desperately looking for snacks and meal suggestions. I am cutting carbs by listening to friends, I have not purchased any books yet to help me. Currently, I am only going by labels to count carbs. I know there is a whole lot more I can have other than cheese, meat and brocoli. I appreciate any suggestions. Is there any fruit I can have? What about anything sweet to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Thanx!!

[engineergirl]

Hi:

I've been following the atkins program for a week and a half (have lost 6 pounds so far). meat & cheese is the easiest way to snack without worrying about the carb count - i bought several kinds of individually wrapped single portions of cheese at costco - or those cheese sticks. i like salami a lot (and avoided it like the plague, before) so i bought some very nice/expensive salami from the deli - i'll have a few pieces of that with a piece of cheese. i eat nuts quite a bit, but you do have to watch the carb count - i'll eat a handfull, drink a bunch of water & wait for the hunger to subside. (it usually does!) i usually buy almonds or pistachios, although it looks like macadamia are the best, but also the most expensive. avoid peanuts. i'll also sometimes eat cottage cheese with salt and lots of pepper - again, watch the carb count.

hope that helps somewhat!

[engineergirl]

i forgot to ask if you've checked out any of Karen's wonderful recipes - they should give you a few ideas. for dinner, i'll generally prepare meat & a side dish of steamed broccoli/cauliflower or a salad. dig out those cream sauce recipes - now is the time! :)

[doreen T]

Karen has also put together some terrific quick menus and snack ideas for our Tips column. Just click "Tips" on the red menu bar at the top of the page, and look for Jazz Up Your Induction, by Karen Barnaby.

You might want to read some of the other articles there too. It really would be wise to inform yourself about how lowcarbing works in your body. Most of the popular books - Atkins, Protein Power, Carbohydrate Addicts - are available at public libraries everywhere, so you don't have to buy anything...:)

Take care, and happy lowcarbing!

Doreen

[Karen]

Hi greene,

It's really important to arm yourself with information by following Doreen's suggestion on reading one of the low-carb books above. You will be hungry for a while, but that will change as your body switches from carb burning to fat burning mode. A good carb counting book such as C.T. Netzer's Complete Book of Food Counts is also a must.

If your doing this to lose weight, you have to find out what your maximum amount of carbs would be a day for ongoing weight loss and reading one of the books will ease you into the process.

Both Protein Power and Atkins have lists of low carb vegetables. Fruit is a no-no, except for very limited quantities of berries.

For snacks, celery with blue or cream cheese, pork rinds, microwave sliced turkey with cheese and eat with pickles (sugar free of course!), hollow out hot pickled cherry peppers and fill them with cubes of cheese and a slice of prosciutto or ham, make a dip for raw cauliflower and bell peppers with crisp bacon, cream cheese and a spoonful of salsa etc....


Karen

[fern2340]

Greene-
I got the Dr. Atkins carb. counting book. This gives you a listing of almost all foods-- both high and low carbs. I am hoping this helps me when I start my diet!! It is a thin book and costs only about $6 at a drug store.
Hope this helps!

[numberonewendy]

Kewl Fern,

Glad you gave that information out. What drug store did you purchase this book from?

Wendy

[fern2340]

Wendy,
I am not sure of the exact store I got the book at because my boyfriend picked it up for me. I think he may have gotten it at Rite Aid. I will let you know when I talk to him. The official name of the book is "Dr. Atkins' NEW Carbohydrate Gram Counter." It cost $4.95

[numberonewendy]

Oh Pooh Fern,

Didn't look earlier....darn it your in the States....Go Figure LOL....Oh well, I will still keep my eyes open for that book.

I'm still learning about carbs and that book sounds like it would be helpful for me.


Good luck in your eight week program. You can do it and especially like you say, the both of you together...thats even better :)

Wendy

(Rite Aid clued me in...LOL)

[Deirdre]

I got the Atkins carb count book at my local Coles book store, so I imagine you can get it at any book store. I'm not very impressed with it though. Corrine Netzer's food count book is much better.

[numberonewendy]

Oh really? Well then must check out the two :)

Thanks for the info.

Wendy

[fern2340]

Wendy-
I talked to my boyfriedn who got the book at a local bookstore. You can get at any bookstore. Thanks for the support! I am excited about doing this with Dan because then we can both push each other and we won't let each other give up when it gets too hard. I need to get some sleep, but tomorrow I will post some internet sites with good carb foods on them!

Linda