Yeah, we’re at it again… though I’m not sure we have near enough willpower to stick with it this time.
For the record, here’s how we did last time.
Jim travels A LOT, and neither of us takes the time to cook these days. So sticking to a 100% Atkins-friendly diet is going to be quite difficult this go-around.
Nevertheless, we’re bound & determined to give it a go and see what happens.
To help us enjoy the ride this time, we’ve found 10 low carb snacks & desserts that make the Atkins diet a little bit easier and a lot more FUN!
#1 – Sugarfree Jello [0 carbs per Jello cup]
We eat this stuff like it’s going out of style. Thank GOD for artificially-colored blobs of gelled goo! Believe it or not, there’s actually some flavor to sugar-free Jello. Sometimes we’ll dip spoonfuls of Cool Whip whipped cream into our Jello cups. Ah… added sweetness for just 1 carb per tablespoon.
#2 – Peanuts (in the shell) [3.6 net carbs per 28 nuts]
I’ve been addicted to these things for years. (I’m usually known as “the girl who brings baggies of peanut shells to work.”) The good thing about nuts, is you get to take into consideration the amount of fiber they also provide. While 28 nuts amounts to about 6.1g carbs as a whole, when you subtract out the fiber at 2.5g, you’re only taking in 3.6 net carbs… for 28 nuts!
#3 – Sugar-free Popsicles [2 carbs per popsicle]
These slow-eating sweet treats on a stick help to pass the time when all you can think about is making it to your next meal. They’re really sweet tasting. EXTRA-SLIMMING BONUS POINTS: When you’re done with one, your mouth is so cold that you don’t even want to consider eating anything else at the moment.
NOTE: I can’t wait to try Carb-Smart Creamsicles which have 0 net carbs!
#4 – Almonds [3 net carbs per 24 nuts]
Similar to peanuts, you get to subtract the fiber 3.3g (or, what I think of as “good carbs”) from the 5.6g of [bad] carbs that 24 almonds provide, leaving you with 2.3 net carbs. For 24 whole almonds, that’s pretty darned good!
#5 – Dill Pickles [1 carb per 3 [big] slices]
We get the Vlasic OVAL Hamburger Dill Chips, and these things are huge! So three are a considerable snack. Dill pickles don’t have sugar in them, while sweet pickles (obviously) are loaded with sugar. My point: probably any variety of dill pickles — ovals or not — would make a good snack on the Atkins Diet.
#6 – Grapes [8.5 net carbs for 10 grapes]
It’s easy to go overboard when snacking on grapes… much like potato chips, you can’t eat just one. (Same with pickles, for me.) But we appreciate the sweet taste from a handful of grapes on occasion.
#7 – Lemons (raw) [4 net carbs per lemon]
Another wacky snack food… I know. Nonetheless, raw lemons have always been a favorite of mine. Sometimes only a half a lemon suffices for a sweet (or sour!) snack, and at just under 4 net carbs, you can’t beat that! Pucker up.
TIP: Squirt some lemon into a bottle of water and enjoy some healthy flavored water on-the-go. (Remember, the more water you drink, the fuller you feel and the less you think about food… a great mind-trick when you’re trying to make it through a diet!)
#8 – Strawberries (raw) [6 net carbs for 8 strawberries]
While, that may not seem like many strawberries, I’m comfortable giving up almost one carb per strawberry. They’re oh so sweet… and worth every tasty carb!
#9 – Eggs [1/2 of a carb per whole egg]
Sometimes when you’re on a diet, you need to think outside the box when it comes to finding things to snack on. I know eggs seem more like a meal than a snack, but sometimes that just doesn’t matter. Plus, they’re filling, so you win big simply because you’ve managed to find something low-carb to munch on. (I like to make a fried egg or two and add a smidgen of ketchup — or low-carb catsup — on top.)
#10 – Cheddar Cheese [0 net carbs per 1/4-cup]
Our intake of cheese is just about as high as our intake of sugar-free Jello when we’re following the Atkins plan. It’s tasty… and filling! But you’ve got to be careful — not all cheeses are low-carb as cheddar cheese is.
How To Determine Net Carbs: Net carbs are calculated by taking the grams of total carbohydrates and subtracting the grams of fiber and the grams of sugar alcohol, as found in the Nutrition Facts box on the side of the product.
Splurging On “Sweet” Alcoholic Beverages
Perhaps the best news of all — our all-time-favorite dessert of choice — a mixed drink consisting of Wild Turkey (bourbon) and Diet Coke — is not off limits!
To me it tastes like Cherry Coke
I know, I know, you’re technically not supposed to have any alcohol during the first phase of the Atkins Diet. But what fun is it if you play by the rules all the time?
Besides, there isn’t one stinkin’ gram of carbohydrate in the Wild Turkey and only 1/10th of a gram of carbs in the Diet Coke, so it can’t be that bad…
Other Atkins-Friendly Snack Foods
Here are some other low carb snacks you might want to consider:
- Pork Skins / Pork Rinds – 0 carbs per ounce (.5 carbs per ounce for BBQ flavored)
- Peanut Butter Splenda Cookies – 3 carbs per cookie
- Edamame – 5 carbs per 1/2 cup (shelled)
- Fortune Cookie – 7 carbs per cookie
Explore more low-carb snacks via the Atkins Carb Counter.
Atkins Dieting: Then & Now
So, wish us luck as we begin our journey yet again. We’ll most likely be referring to these tips often. And here’s a summary about the Atkins Diet Plan from their official website.
We’re getting started again and here’s what we’re thinking as we consider choosing a high protein low carb diet.
For starters, we’re still addicted to Smoothie King angel food smoothies. (It’s been a couple of years since we tried their low-carb version (only 6 carbs!) and were very unimpressed.
Someone mentioned that we might’ve just been at the wrong Smoothie King on the wrong day. So — we’re anxious to try it again. We’ll let you know what we think.
TIP: We’re still not convinced that the Atkin’s plan is the #1 best way to go for weight loss, dieting, and a healthy approach to eating. But it has worked for us in the past, so it’s at least a great kick-start to get us headed in the right direction… again.
More Low Carb Snacks & Diet Resources
In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some other resources to help you decide if a high protein low carb diet is right for you:
- The Net Carb Debate: What’s In Low Carb Snacks?
- Low-Carb vs. Low Fat Diets
- Harvard’s Findings Regarding Low Carb Diets
- Low Carb Diet War: High Protein vs High Fatca
Professionally, I pursued my Masters Degree in Family Therapy at Texas Tech — where I obtained invaluable expertise and experience helping people with a wide variety of physical and emotional health issues. Personally, I think it's useful when people realize that they're not the only one going through a difficult time. So any time that I think my personal health experiences would be helpful to someone else going through the same thing, I will share my story here. With health issues that I've personally experienced (like Endometriosis, Lyme Disease, Hysterectomy, Skin Cancer, Ganglion Cysts, Autism, and other topics that very few people enjoy talking about) and health products that I've found beneficial (like sleep aids, essential oils, and medications)… I do my best to provide my own raw and honest firsthand experiences that I think others would appreciate hearing about and (hopefully) find helpful. I'm grateful that I have a number of friends who have also been willing to share their very personal stories here — regarding their own physical and emotional health. When I'm not writing about health topics, you will find me sharing Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
