I realize that the book says you dont have to measure portions or calories-jsut eat til you are satisfied, but i was wondering if anyone who has had success with atkins did measure out portions or calories. Did you just count the carbs? How did you know when you were satisfied? I am going to try atkins, but I want to make sure that i understand when i am satisfied and since it is hard for me right now, if maybe i should measure something out. Thanks.!!!

I never measured. In fact, I never even measured to make sure I was getting the "3 C veggies." The feeling of being satisfied? Hmm....how to explain it. It's to the point right BEFORE your stomach feels stretched. It's when you know you can go w/out food. This is all stuff I've been doing.

Drink a big glass of water and eat slow, it take a while b/4 the brain registers that you are full.

The more I paid attention to the calories AND carbs, the more I lost. Most folks don't have to watch calories, but I did because I found myself over eating most of the time.

I didn't pay much attention to calories when I was in my first 2 weeks of induction. As a matter of fact, I didn't pay much attention to anything other than to make sure I was only eating foods on the list.

Now that I've moved on way past that point, I pay more attention to nutritional values and carbs than calories. I find that if I'm eating the right amounts of the right foods, my body regulates itself very well on calories.

I have never counted the calories just the carbs, and you will know when you are satisfied.

I only paid attention to sticking to the list of what I could have. As a little time passed, I learned what satisfied is--something I never had before; it was either hungry or famished.

I have always just paid attention to carbs. I wasn't "satisfied" I would eat more protein (in the form of meat) until I was full.

I never did count calories, but I did begin to use leaner meats and more of a variety of meets as I have continued this lifestyle. I have found that as long as I continue to use/try different vegetables and dishes it keeps me from wanting to go back to the way of eating that cause me to be over the 200 lb mark many years ago.

I hope noone minds, but I also have a question for Atkins success stories...I personally am not doing Atkins but am trying to modify my lifestyle to something that I can do for the rest of my life, such as limit my sugar and fat intake and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
My question is - after you are finished dieting and have reached your goal weight, then what? Is giving up bread and pasta something that you have to live with for the rest of your life? Or, if when you are at goal weight and then begin to eat carbs, will you gain all of the weight back?

Samantha- no, you don't have to give it all up-the induction phase is only a small part of this WOE- you add back carbs until you stop losing, but don't gain....nothing is ever "forever" -I think most people just CHOOSE not to eat cabrs like they did, and not just for the weight issue....carbs just make you feel bad if you try to go back to them....