To change to a healthier way of life does tend to be fairly disruptive, especially as most doctors are unwilling to believe that they have been wrong. The low carbohydrate way of life is as different in its way as macrobiotics or vegetarianism.

 

Dedication to your new lifestyle is important. It not only means weight loss for many of us, but a means to return to health. Many are adversely affected by carbohydrates such as diabetics, epileptics, people with various connective tissue disorders and those with an actual physical addiction to carbohydrates. There are a number of different types of low carbohydrate lifestyles, ranging in style from Atkins to Neanderthin to Protein Power. I personally prefer Atkins, but you are free to make your own choice.

 

Dedication means that you do everything you can to make sure that you stay on track. This can be very simple if you live alone or with another low carber. All you need to do is remove anything not on your diet from your house, and make sure that you have low carbohydrate snacks for work or school. If you are married and your family don’t low carb, simply menu plan that they have their meal, and you have enough to satisfy yourself. This would be changing the traditional meat, 2 veggies and starch meal by only making enough of the potatoes, pasta or rice for the others and choosing lower carb vegetables. Many people live hectic lives now, and use this as an excuse for not eating correctly-both low fat and low carbers alike. To prevent this from letting you eat in a healthy manner, take advantage of the new vacuum meal sealers, and freezer containers and spend one or two days a month cooking and portioning out meals and entrees for the freezer. Lunch becomes a lot healthier if all you need to do in the morning is pull out your own frozen meal. If you have no access to a microwave at lunch, then find a meal that will please you that needs no reheating such as cheese, pepperoni and a salad.

On the internet are a number of websites, and email lists that are a great source of information and support. 

 

• USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference is the first place to go for nutritional information on the carb, fiber, calorie and micronutrient content of raw materials. 
• ChemFinder.Com is a place to look up some of those mysterious food additives so see if you really want to use them.
• alt.support.diet.low-carb low carb diet FAQ probably the best resource on low carbing around. Spectacular goldmine of information! 
• Expert Foods has some of the best low carb products around.
• Life Services Supplements Catalog caries not just nutritional supliments, but a line of keto products.
• Protein Factory is the best source of custom protein powders I have found so far.
• naturesflavors.com is one of the best sources for splenda-based syrups for diluting into soft drinks, adding to coffee or using in cooking. They also have essential oils and other goodies.
• Synergy Diet has liquid splenda and an array of other low carb delights like chocolate covered macadamias, bran-a-crisp crackers and other snacks, baking mixes and convenience foods for the low carber.
• The Nordic Lodge OK, so it isn’t low carb per se…but for $44 you can have all the lobster and seafood you can stuff in your mouth!
• Top Secret Recipes on the Web is not entirely designed for us low carbers, but they have worked out recipes for some of the favorite recipes from major chains that we can use to work into low carb versions.
• CopyKat.com Another website of copied recipes from major chains.
• General Ecology Inc. And a source of water purifiers, since we have to drink lots of water every day, the least we can do is make sure it is pure!
• Nutrigenie Software  This is my favorite nutritional software. If you get the Diet Balancer software, you get a cookbook program, and thee diet balancer software bundled. Both programs will do a nutritional analysis on the foods, and diet balancer is the best diet log I have found. It even tracks exercise!
• Peep Surgery Something to do with these precious little bundles of pure sugar!
• Urban Legends Research Centre And finally, for when you are bored and want to keep busy, or you get email that sounds either too good to be true or heart-rending…a place to check them out. There is some amazing stuff on this site, hours of fascinating reading and links!