A Lifestyle Change - Living Atkins

So I've been trying to get Hubby to eat healthier for awhile. He wasn't thrilled when I began introducing more vegetables into our diet. He likes broccoli, broccoli and broccoli. I am a veggie fiend - I love just about all of them. Except, of course, lima beans.

Our diet consists of mostly chicken and rices. Occasional pastas. Lots of sandwiches for lunch. Ice cream is a staple. I started introducing veggies and salads, but due to the lack of enthusiasm from the non-veggie camp I've let those slide a bit.

Somehow, we both found ourselves along an intersecting path of thought this past week. I had already made the decision to bring back the salads into our nightly meal and begin having bigger salads for lunch. I had been working on giving up extra sugars...eliminating sodas, using only creamers in my coffee and stifling my inner Southerner and going with *gasp* unsweet tea. Suddenly, last weekend Hubby announced his intention to start following the Atkins diet on Tuesday. He was at least considerate enough to account for the roast that I planned in the crock pot on Monday.

I thought very briefly about picking up the diet with him, but then remembered the glorious food extravaganza planned for "Employee Appreciation Week" at work. I'm no fool...so I picked up the Atkins diet starting with diner on Friday night. :D

So here I am...day 2. Dinner Friday night was rosemary chicken with salad. We were on a road trip all day Saturday so lunch was a giant cobb salad topped with steak strips and vinaigrette dressing on the side, and dinner was a mushroom jack cheese burger (minus the bun) with a salad...ranch on the side. Unsweet tea for both meals. And string cheese with bottled water for snacks.

What I have stumbled with the most so far is my inability to stomach eggs. I used to love them, but a few months ago I suddenly couldn't stand the thought of eating them anymore. So this morning I got up and went to the grocery store...picked up some sausage and veggies to make snacks from. I'll eat either a burger patty for breakfast or prepare some recommended veggie snacks like sliced tomato/mozzarella/basil under the broiler or cucumber boats filled with chicken salad. Maybe cucumber sticks wrapped with lunch meats.

What am I hoping for? Lost weight, of course. Hubby is already down over five pounds. I'm also hoping that we both start feeling better about ourselves. Hubby no longer suffers from after dinner lethargy. And after his stomach surgery in 2005, he's suffered from some pretty awful side effects that we've pegged to have been caused by carbs. He has reported no issues this past week and that he actually feels better after meals.

So...hello Dr. Atkins. Welcome to my life and my refrigerator. Let's make this a good journey, shall we?