Overcoming Obstacles
  1. If you are taking oral diabetes medicine or insulin, consult your physician before starting Atkins. You will need to reduce and then monitor your dosage as you lower your blood sugar level.
  2. If restaurants test your willpower, meet friends for a movie instead of going out to dinner.
  3. Some airlines have a controlled carb meal option. It your carrier does not, consider ordering the kosher meal or simply order a salad plate and bring along a source of protein.
  4. Bring your favorite Atkins-friendly hors d' oeuvre to the next dinner party you're invited to; your hosts will appreciate the help and you'll be sure to have a healthy option.
  5. Come up with at least three restaurants that can accommodate your controlled carb eating plan as well as the needs of your friends not doing Atkins. That way, you needn't feel their tastes are compromised by your needs.
  6. Avoid people who try to sabotage your healthy new lifestyle. They often have their own reasons for not wanting to see you take control of your life.
  7. If you simply can't break a plateau, go back to Induction to jumpstart weight loss.
  8. If you are on a weight-loss plateau, cutting back on or omitting cheese and nuts altogether may be all it takes to get you back on the road to weight loss.
  9. Use a food diary and a carb counter to make sure that hidden carbs aren't causing your weight loss plateau.
  10. When entertaining, serve controlled carb hors d' oeuvres that can be modified for your carb-hungry friends. Examples include cheeses or guacamole served with raw veggies. Visit our Food & Recipes section for more great appetizer ideas.
  11. To stop a binge from going any further, immediately take chromium picolinate or chromium polynicotinate (400 mcg, three times daily for two days); L-glutamine (500 to 1,000 mg, three times daily; plus a single dose of vitamin B complex.
  12. Loss of inches is as much an indication of success as is weight loss. Measure your waist, hips, thighs and chest every week or two.
  13. Exercise is one of the best ways to break through a plateau. Either start exercising or increase your frequency.