I posted my husband's initial attempt at the Atkins diet on the 'everything else' board, more as an attempt at humour than anything else, but it seems he is now quite keen to lose about 20 pounds as his clothes are all quite tight.

For the past three months that i've been low carbing, he has meticulously supported me - nagging me about anything with carbs as he reached for the cookie jar. Now he wants to lose weight he realises the discipline it takes.

I don't think he would survive even a day of Induction, and have put him on OWL with the idea of just restricting the more obvious carbs. For instance, I fried his breakfast (eggs, bacon, mushrooms, one sausage) and he had it with a thin slice of toasted wholemeal bread and butter. He's off sailing this morning. Normally he would fix his own breakfast of cereal and toast and jam, etc.

Does anyone have any tips about how to be successful when strict Atkins/low carbing isn't going to be possible? He's a businessman and does a lot of travel at the moment, but I've read that men lose easier than women, so maybe he can make some compromises and still lose weight?

Many people - men especially, darn it! - lose with significantly more than 20 g/day of carbs.

I would say that given where you are and his travel, CALP may be easier for him. He can eat a good English breakfast (avoiding the carbs, of course), a light meal at midday (Caesar salads, maybe even a Ploughman's lunch without the bread), and then a "normal" dinner, keeping in mind the "thirds" rule.

He SHOULD, however, avoid the chips they pile on at pubs...in fact, pub food, while often delicious, is notoriously NOT-LC (as I discovered during my last trip this summer).

If he travels outside the UK, he's probably a bit more likely to find inexpensive, easy meals that are LC.

Hope this helps!

(Off-topic: what part of the UK are you in? My BF lives in Hampshire, and my company's manufacturing facility is in County Down.)

Emelia

"We can only learn to love by loving." - Iris Murdoch, Irish writer
294/208/174 since 25-Nov-01

My whole family low carbs. Obviously, not induction style for the kids, and dh doesn't need to lose. He does it for his health. He gets allergy symptoms really bad when he eats too much sugar.

I suspect that he can do OWL while travelling. Most fast food restaurants now carry nice salads. If the protein portion isn't enough, he can add a burger for a buck and toss the bun. Of course nice restaurants will always have choices. Even the Olive Garden has choices.

My dh's typical menu:
bfast -- 3 eggs scrambled and a glass of whole milk

in his lunch box he carries -- 2 or 3 meat (not lunch meat, but home cooked) sandwiches on whole wheat or sprouted wheat bread with mayo, a bag of grapes or 1/2 can olives or an apple, sometimes baby carrots, salted peanuts

dinner -- we eat meat and veggies. I'll fix corn for him if we are eating greens, but otherwise he eats what we all eat.

Basically, he gets most of his carbs in his lunch box, which he grazes off of throughout the day. He's a cabinet maker, so he works very hard physically.

One thing that we've noticed has made a big difference in how he feels is eliminating nitrates from his diet. He has much more energy now.

I suspect that just telling your dh to not eat the "white stuff," (white flour, potatoes, rice, sugar), would probably be sufficient for him to lose what he wants to lose.

HTH

Blessings!
Sharron
Author of "Low Carb Cooking at Sharron's Place," and "Extreme Lo-Carb Cuisine" to be released in December

www.thelowcarbcook.com

Wow, thanks both of you!!

We live in Surrey, but on the border with Hampshire, and I know Hants rather better than Surrey.

He travels within the UK, but usually to the North of England, which as you know, is chip buttie country. He's never been overweight, and I suspect that he will lose easily, if he can avoid the 'white stuff'.

I'm hoping that Lc-ing will help my allergies, Sharron, but after three months I don't *think* it's yet affected it.

Will let you know how hubby does.

Clare

I have this baseless theory that a lot of people that have NEVER DIETED BEFORE can lose some weight just by getting rid of the worst offenders (sugar, flour, potatoes). You could have him try that.

Dieting with a spouse must pose problems I've never experienced. I don't think I would be doing as well as I've been if I were still with my ex.

Speaking of whom... I talked to her on the phone a couple of days ago and mentioned I'd lost 51 pounds on Atkins since I last saw her (Christmas). She was impressed and wanted to find out more about Atkins so i explained a little and sent her to atkinscenter.com Maybe she'll convert?

Dr. Insom, it's entirely possible - an ex-BF of mine has lost 40+ pounds. I gave him my little pep talk (which was actually a pitfall talk) and my LC website and off he went - I'm so proud! Although the work was all his own.

Laurelyn

My DH is also low carbing but truly never did the Atkins Induction phase. He keeps his carbs around 35 per day and is losing weight and inches. He doesn't have as much weight to lose as I do and is quite active. What's funny is he wanted to lose weight so we both decided to diet. I went the Atkins way and he was doing the LF thing. LOL. After my induction was over he saw such a change in me (and his own lack of progress) that he rapidly joined me! He initially lost about 14 pounds but currently he is holding on the pounds but is losing inches and is looking pretty darn good!

Susan

LC and feeling better every day!

Atkins since 7/18/03
210/190/140

My hubby tried Atkins with me.. He stuck to it for a solid 30 days and didn't lose a single ounce, while I was flying through induction...

For some reason, it just doesn't work for him, so he went low-fat, and I stayed with this..Low-fat works for him, but once in awhile I see his cravings kick in, and they're always worse than mine.. I kinda feel sorry for him, in a way... He's a big guy to begin with - 6'4", and 250# right now - wants to get down to 220...

Wonder what he's going to do if Subway ever closes...

shrinky,

have you tested to see if he has candida? my dh had a flare a while back. we did the treatment described on my website and it took care of it easily.

Just a thought...

Blessings!
Sharron
Author of "Low Carb Cooking at Sharron's Place," and "Extreme Lo-Carb Cuisine" to be released in December

www.thelowcarbcook.com