I HAVE to have my coffee in the morning. I make it very, very strong and grab the first cup as it's just coming out of the brewer. If I go on a trip or to someone's house who doesn't have a coffeemaker (I won't drink instant), I take my coffeemaker (an extra one I bought just for travel). My son used to ask me if I'd had my coffee yet before he'd talk to me.

This MUST tell you that what we have here is a totally addicted coffee drinker. When I saw that you can't have caffeine on the Atkins, I figured I would anyway and would just opt for slower weight loss. But on the 3rd day - I had gotten so determined - had lost my cravings for carbs and sweets that I bought some decaf ground and I use 3 scoops of it and then 1 scoop of caffeinated. And, slowly I'm making the caffeine scoop smaller and smaller. I am amazed that I've had no headache and I don't even miss it. Granted I am still using a little but I didn't want total withdrawal. Now when I go out for coffee - it's easy to have decaf.

And because I don't want to waste too many of my daily carbs on my coffee (since I use a diluted cream and a little Splenda) - I've cut back from coffee all day - to 2 cups in the morning and then I begin on water. I was also a Coke addict in the evenings. Now my Diet-Rite even tastes too sweet so I drink a lot of water all day. Stay with it - I had the palpatations too and it's wonderful to be basically free of caffeine. I NEVER thought I could say that.