Today is the first time in my life that I have eaten a chicken leg for a snack. They were just out of the oven, and I was hungry so I couldn't resist. Normally, I say that about cookies.

They're so good right out of the oven.

I started taking it a step further: when I buy chicken thighs on sale, I pull all the skins off and cook them on a separate cookie sheet with parchment paper, and eat them like pork rinds. I don't care for the skin on chicken after it's been reheated.

Good job staying on track!

I've found that if you're really hungry and are in danger of going off plan, reach for fat rather than carbs. Add an avocado or some extra butter/fat to your meals. A lot of people have trouble with dairy, though, so limit the heavy cream. It's been my experience that giving in to the sweet cravings, even with "legal" artificial sweeteners, is a bad idea because it just feeds the cravings rather than eliminating the cravings. Best to avoid artificial sweeteners.

That said, when I first did Atkins back in the late 1990s, my one treat for the day would be a jello cup with a squirt of real whipped cream. It was enough to take the edge off, enough to think I was having a treat, but it never affected weight loss and never caused more cravings.