Hello everyone,

I'm (very) new to all of this, so please bear with me. I am seriously considering starting the Atkins diet, but I live in a college dorm and it is next to impossible to find out what exactly is IN what I am eating here. There is a salad bar. There is always lunchmeat-type food. Breakfast shouldn't be a problem, but entrees at dinner are often in sauces.


Any advice? I'd really like to do Atkins the right way.

When I was in college and wanted to eat my own food, I asked my doctor to write me a note. He sent them a letter saying that he had recommended such and such a food plan, and in order for me to adhere to it, I would need to prepare my own food. This got me off of the school's meal plan (and I didn't have to pay for it). I also had access to a kitchen so I could prepare what I wanted and could store food. Other students who were on special diets or for whatever reasons could not eat the school food shared the kitchen.

Worked for me, and if I were in the same situation today (I just started Atkins)-- I'd ask for the same thing, at least until I was more settled into this program and could more easily figure out whether cafeteria food contained items I wanted to avoid.

I noticed a relatively new forum just for students and teens. You might want to check in there for some advice and support.

Students and Teens

Low carbing anywhere but home can seem tricky, and may at times require some extra effort and time!

I used to stock up with nuts, check packages for lowest carbs; pork rinds, (in the chip isle) I dipped them in ranch quite often, sugar free jello and pudding are easy to make, but beware they have carbs too, various lunch meats are good to stock, I also kept bacon around, easy to microwave, is a yummy sweet treat with splenda on top!


Low Carbing takes some research, head out to the library and even barnes and nobles and pick up a few books, atkins, protein power, the zone, sugar busters, all fill you in on what you can and cannot have during certain points of diet. They list what is good and bad for you to eat -- especially important for induction on atkins ...
kris