I've been on this site a few years ago and posted a return hello about 3 months ago. I'm finding it VERY hard to get started, and when I do start, after 2 days of being 'good", I fall off, hard. DO any of you have any advice on how to just stick it out? I really need to lose this 30lbs I'm carrying around, I feel so "thick" in the middle that I notice when I bend down or exert myself. I have 2 beautiful daughters and really want to be able to be there and play with them. The change in clocks/time seems to have affected me as well.....I find it harder to get up in the morning and go to the gym..then, when I don't go, I eat 'whatever' since I've already messed up the day....any advice is appreicated....thank you....

Although I don't know the rules for the, uh... "help!" diet, this is what I'd say for Atkins (or any plan actually)


cooking.
planning.

fill your kitchen with all your favourite yummy foods.
Have the most decadent meals planned for the week (or two if you need that long to get back into the swing).

enjoy! don't worry about anything other than eating yummy foods.

after you've been on for a bit, then you might need to scale back.

Decide what you want more: your health or the food that's not allowing you to be healthy.

thank you for your note and congrats on your own success. I think you've said nothing I shouldn't already know...and you're so right...2 words that can really make the difference: plan and cook....I think, in your honor, I'll go ahead and switch from "help" (which I just got)..to Atkins and give it a go....thank you very much.....

Everything Pennick says is what makes it work for me. Very important to plan and have things ready especially for busy people. Very important to not feel deprived, especially when you're going through withdrawals, so having really great food around is important too.

It will be SOOOOOOO much easier when you get past the third day. Make a plan & get prepared. Do not concentrate on what you can not have but what you can have. Make a plan to OVER eat, it's easy to diet when you're stuffed. Make a huge batch of deviled eggs and whenever you want to eat, have one or buy lots of pork rinds and make a batch of seasoned avocado mayo dip or celery with cream cheese. For breakfast make a HUGE omelet with bacon, mushrooms, cheese. snack, snack, snack Lunch have some pork chops. snack, snack, snack Have a large steak, shrimp, crab and lobster with butter sauce & small salad for dinner. snack, snack, snack Make a HUGE sugar free cheesecake and eat it when you want something sweet. You only have to commit for 3 days by the 4th day your appetite should be nearly gone. But until that happens STUFF yourself.

Don't worry about the gym yet. Save your energy for buying & preparing low carb food. Don't fixate on the cost & energy low carb food takes. It will be easier and cheaper later. Take it ONE day at a time, commit yourself one day at a time, the next thing you know 5 years will have passed.