I have a quick question regarding portions if anyone can answer please:
Hormonally speaking, I get very hungry certain portions of the month, plus I am bad about eating small meals all day and starving come dinner time. Can you lose weight on adkins eventhough you pig out on steak or chicken or eggs or bacon and salad? The reason I ask is that I know that I can eat two of there portions of steak at Golden Corral during that time, whereas, normally, I would barely be able to eat one. In general though, I have a good hearty appetite.

Atkins is careful to say "eat until satisfied, not stuffed." Sometimes eating more than we really need is more of a habit than anything, hormones or no hormones. I would say anything you'd characterize as "pigging out" is beyond the guidelines.

Here are some tricks that work for me:
--I make a deliberate effort to eat slowly. My husband says I "inhale" my food. That's a habit I have to think about. So I take small bites, and take my time. Portions last longer, and my "appestat" has a chance to notice how much I'm eating.
--Atkins says "don't let yourself get hungry." Eating enough FAT helps keep hungry away. Butter the veggies. Use cream cheese liberally. Salad dressing? Don't skimp (as long as it's a kind that has 2 carbs or less per serving--usually 2 TBS). Of course, watch out for restaurant dressings that are usually loaded with sugar. If you're hungry between meals, have a legal snack.
--Start the meal with a green salad. Salad veggies are light on the carb count, provide great nutrition, and fill up a lot of space BEFORE you tuck into the protein.

Can you lose weight if you pig out? The only good answer to your question is between you and your scales and your measuring tape. How's it going?

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

I have the exact same problem. I have found when I plan out my meals and snacks that I do better on proportions. When I don't and just pig out on steak at lunch I find myself hungary later and unsatisfied. Ive tried several different methods and the best for me seems to be planning out snacks between my meals. I seems to lose more weight that way! And drink lots of water!! Since Ive gotten back to my snacks and water Ive dropped weight easier than when I was eating bigger portions.
Good luck to ya =)

Good for you, Shell Bug. You're becoming aware of your body and its needs. You'll succeed!!!

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gotten some great feedback thusfar, i see.

if you're feeling especially hungry, salad and veggies are a good choice generally. protein and fats also help you feel fuller. days that you feel hungrier, it's fine to eat more, but do make sure it's physical hunger and not (what I sometimes get) the "emotional hunger" of looking to food to calm or comfort me for some other reason. and there is a difference, as barb pointed out, between eating until you're no longer hungry vs. eating until you're stuffed or uncomfortable. the second will interfere with losses for most people.

and sense you mention this is in sync with your cycles, that's a very good opportunity to plan ahead and have extra healthy food and snacks you enjoy on hand that you won't feel bad about indulging in. good luck!

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