Low Carb & Atkins Diet

Teuthis

Contributed by Blueskyes2

The 10 Commandments of Low Carb

- THOU SHALT NOT COMBINE DIETS

Don't try to calculate Weight Watchers points for Atkins or do a Low Fat version of Atkins or so on.
The rules are the rules and they're there for a reason; combining rules makes things unnaturally
complicated and sets you up for failure.

- THOU SHALT NOT COMPARE THY WEIGHTLOSS TO ANOTHER PERSONS

Your friend or spouse doing the same things but losing more? Big deal. Everyone starts out with
different amounts of muscle, different metabolisms, hormone levels, medications, and so on. Weightloss is also never a linear process, so maybe you'll zoom when they're stalling. This is not a race! Celebrate your own successes.

- IN A HOPELESS SITUATION, THOU SHALT CHOOSE THE LEAST OF ALL EVILS

You're out to eat with coworkers. You're at a wedding. You're at a roller coaster park. Not everywhere can be accommodating to the diligent low-carber, so you have to make the best choices you can. Don't use it as an excuse to throw your hands up in the air and go offplan. There's always SOMETHING you can eat, even if it means throwing away half the dish (I once ate the filling in between lasagna noodles!) Best: Have a backup food, like a lowcarb bar, with you at all times.

- THOU SHALT NOT BEAT THYSELF UP FOR PAST ERRORS

So you just looked at the nutritional label and discovered that you accidentally consumed 35g carbs more than you thought. Well, there's nothing you can do about it now, so don't panic, don't binge, and don't whine about how horrible everything is; just get back on plan as fast as you can, and don't eat that particular food again.

- THOU SHALT NOT FREAK OUT ABOUT FLUCTUATIONS ON THE SCALE

Salt intake, muscle gain, hormones, water retention, sun spots: there are dozens of reasons besides fat gain why the scale may go up instead of down. The scale number is only a number and is not who you are as a person. Instead of weighing yourself every day, weigh yourself once a week or less, take measurements, see how your clothes are fitting, examine your energy levels, hunger levels, and overall mood.

- THOU SHALT EXERCISE. NO EXCUSES.

The good Doc said to. Anyone who is not bedridden can at least go for a walk. Just move!

- THOU WILL LOSE QUICKLY AT FIRST, THEN SLOWLY.

In two weeks, you lost a significant amount of weight, but in the third week, the scale hasn't dropped a millimeter. This is normal. The induction period is about flushing out the glycogen (carbs) that are stored in your muscles and take a huge amount of water with it. After that, when you're in ketosis, the fat will melt off at the usual rate of 1-2 pounds per week. A true stall is when you've not lost anything
in 5-6 weeks; THEN you can fine-tooth comb your plan.

- THOU SHALT REVEL IN WHAT THOU CAN EAT, INSTEAD OF WOEING WHAT THOU CANNOT

Yeah, your friends can eat all the crazy sugar-laden things that you can't. What's so great about high fructose corn syrup, anyway? Instead, think about all the wonderful things you CAN eat! A way of eating that lets you eat bacon and full-fat natural fragarant cheese? Rich creamy sauces? Nuts and olive oils, avocados and egg yolks? Savor it and brag!

- THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID OF FAT OR VEGETABLES

Fat is what makes things yummy. Fat is what tells your body that you're satisfied. Fat is not the
enemy. Fat makes your hair and skin feel smooth and healthy. Vegetables are the perfect food, full of nutrition and fiber and color and texture. There are dozens of vegetables that you've probably never even heard of before, so before you say you hate veggies, get a good cookbook and try something new.

- THOU SHALT CELEBRATE THE SUCCESSES INSTEAD OF PANICKING ABOUT THE FUTURE

You didn't gain the weight overnight, you're not going to lose it all in a month. It's a stupidly slow process, but doing it deliberately and healthily means you're more likely to keep it off. It's as much about changing your lifestyle and your habits as it is cutting out carbs. Break your large goal up into minigoals, and reward yourself with something special for each. Always remember that what you do today helps you get closer to that goal!