Nutritionist's Blog

Your friends and family may give you a hard time but you may be your own worst enemy. Here's how to handle both challenges during the first week on the Atkins Nutritional Approach^TM.

• Remember that human beings are remarkably adaptable and, in as little as a week, your tastes will start to change. Soon you'll find that sugar and refined carbohydrates don't tempt you as much as they used to. Your other great ally will be the appetite suppression that is a natural consequence of this nutritional plan.
• The first few days you may find it a downer watching other folks eating foods that you're fond of but can't touch. Remind yourself that right now weight loss is your destiny. These moments of temptation are fleeting.
• Tell family members that you need a strong show of support and understanding. You certainly don't want them tempting you with illicit food and saying such inappropriate things as, "Don't worry. This tiny piece of cake won't hurt you." It will.
• Tell people in advance that you take Atkins seriously and that you'd appreciate their doing the same. We all know what a tricky, emotion-laden business food is. It's not uncommon for families to have issues surrounding food. It's understandable that the other people in your house may not be entranced with your new eating regimen. In the nicest possible way, tell them it's your lifestyle, not theirs. All they need to do is show respect for the major decision you've made. You're about to lose a lot of weight and gain a lot of health. After you've done Atkins, you won't need to request respect for it; the results will speak for themselves.
• Have you made a firm commitment? Don't start something this important with the shallow notion of, "Oh well, I'll give it a whirl." At the least, you should have decided that you're going to commit two weeks of your life--without deviation or compromise--to doing Atkins. 

If you can commit yourself and think beyond momentary temptations, you can expect great things. By the end of two weeks you'll be walking with new energy, getting out of bed in the morning with new zest and joyously anticipating your encounters with the bathroom scale. You'll be so impressed with how you look and feel, continuing with the program for life will be a foregone conclusion!