Ahhh, I cheated during lunch!! My mom told me to, so it isn't my fault. I had my cheat, so no cheating for me for a while. :D

I think you need to internalize the responsibility. :p

Oh, I have it under control. Didn't you read, I was drinking diet coke and bacardi at the club!! It doesn't get any more humiliating than that. :p

You know....the scale can say that you have only lost of couple fo pounds...but its probably more- if you have been eating healthy and exercising- then i am sure that you have converted fat to muscle- muscle weighs more....so, you look skinnier, but your weight doens't change that much!

very true! :)

Another clarification:

Please note from a previous post: fat cells and muscle cells cannot change from one to another....They are two different types of cell structures....

Second, in case anyone was wondering, muscle does weigh more, but an interesting fact: muscle cells are more compact than fat cells, thus the reason that you can weigh the same, but lose inches, thus appearing smaller...

Those were actually never my problem. It's wanting potatoes with the meat, bread with a sandwich, stuff like that.

I am actually a little more used to it now. It's a bit easier every day. Friday and Sat are my "relaxed rules" days...I get to have pizza tomorrow!!! WOOHOO!

Oh and to the person who commented on the diet soda and bacardi: alcohol is a carb!!!

Well, bread is my downfall, but I have been VERY controlled. My problem was always the snacking and the abuse of carbs.

Actually, certain types of alcohol (including rum) contain zero carbs. However - your body metabolizes alcohol first, even before dietary carbs, so having too much to drink can halt your progress. This is why Dr. Atkins recommended abstaining from alcohol.

(For the record, I did not abstain from alcohol while on Atkins, and I still lost... would I have lost faster if I'd given up the booze - probably - but I happen to like martinis :p )

Zero-carb alcoholic beverages include gin, vodka, rum, and whiskey (including bourbon and scotch).
Dry red or white wine has 2-3 carbs per glass.
Light beer has 3-5 carbs per 12 oz.
Dessert wines, regular beers, liqueurs, and schnapps are right out.

And, of course, if you have a mixed drink, you have to watch what's in the mixer. Diet coke is ok, fruit juices are not!

OK, I'm reviving this thread because my friend and I are starting a low carb diet today. We're going for a month, and we're not cutting all carbs completely, but I'm personally trying to cut out bread, rice, and potatoes. I'm going to eat fruit and other vegetables and drink lots of water. I also have been working out at least four times a week for about 1 1/2-2 hours a day.

This is going to be so tough for me because I LOVE bread and was raised on rice, but I want to try and eat healthier and see if it works. Does anyone have any sample meal plans or low carb recipes to share?

I actually found a recipe for mock mashed potatoes made out of cauliflower that's surprisingly good:

Mock Mashed Potatoes
Cooked cauliflower processed with sour cream. Garnish
with grated cheese and fresh minced chives.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 cups cauliflower, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sour cream, or
more to taste
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste


Directions
1 Steam or microwave cauliflower until very soft.
2 Put cauliflower in blender or food processor with
butter and sour cream, blend.
3 Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Editor's Notes:
Frozen cauliflower works very well.
Grated cheese, minced chives and/or parsley are nice
variations to add. Hand mix these in after blending the cauliflower.

I also wanted to know what you all recommend for breakfast that's quick. I don't have time in the morning to make omelets or anything, and I used to just eat half a bagel or a toast with peanut butter. Any suggestions?

Wish me luck!

Hey Jess!! I wish you success with the low-carb. For breakfast, I sometimes have a protein shake. Not sure if this is okay, but I do it.

Thanks for the tip Adri! Good luck to you too! :D

Not a problem, and thanks. :)

Good Luck, ladyj39!
It's hard, but it definitely makes you more concious of what you're eating and makes you crave food less.

just wondering how everyone is doing with their low carb dieting?