Work parties... now that I am *trying* to follow a low-carb regimen it seems like we are having parties at work every other day with cake, ice-cream, cookies, whatever. I can't always skip them, but giving in to that little bit of temptation as I did Thursday, resulted in a two-day binge and I am starting all over.

Travel... just hard to eat and drink properly in airplanes, airports, and quick dashes to the nearest restaurant...

is it possible for you to take some deviled eggs and celery w/cream cheese to the parties for yourself? It's hard to resist stuff, especially at something like that, that you can't get out of. Travel is really hard, but I plan on taking full advantage of Subway when I'm gone.

I travel a lot for work. I always make sure I have nuts in my pocketbook for a snack, so if I get stuck with nothing to eat I have something healthy that will tide me over. Since I started low carbing, I have never gotten on an airplane without a bag of nuts. I also always bring a bottle of water on the plane with me, since it is difficult to get it in any quantity from the flight attendants.

I always manage to find something low carb in airports -- usually a chicken caesar salad. The salads can show up at the weirdest places -- Starbucks, Pizza Hut, etc., but so far I have always found one when I look. If I am lucky, I find something better, like a Cobb salad. I always carry a meal on the plane with me, because most planes don't offer food anymore and when they do it is likely to be something I cannot eat. If I'm starting out from home, I bring food from my own kitchen. Otherwise I buy it in the airport (I do get sick of chicken caesar salads!) or find a grocery store where I am staying that has a salad bar or prepackaged salads that I can buy to bring on the plane.

When staying in a hotel for more than a day or two, I sometimes empty the minibar out (making sure to put the contents next to it where it is clear that I did not eat them) and fill it with lowcarb food I can eat for breakfast or a snack.

Although they are sometimes expensive, I like hotel breakfast bars that include eggs, bacon, and strawberries. If I get a good breakfast, I can skimp on lunch (which is sometimes necessary if someone else is providing the food and it is not lowcarb) and still be okay for the rest of the day, especially if I have a stash of nuts I can snack on. I get a per diem from my employer when I travel, and from my perspective spending some of it on a substantial breakfast is a good investment in my health and well being.

I also keep up my exercise routine when travelling. If the hotel has a gym or a lap pool I use that, otherwise I walk.

You can travel and stay lowcarb and keep up your exercise, you just need to plan and you need to be creative.

As far as office parties, almost every meeting in my office seems to include a large platter of cookies or other sweets that sits in the middle of the table. We also have lots of parties that include junk I do not eat. I just bring my water bottle and ignore the carby food. I also make sure I am not hungry when the meeting or party starts and concentrate on interacting with the people, not the food. It gets easier as you get used to it.

Only you can decide how much you want to do this. However, if you really want to stay lowcarb, it's always possible to find a way. If you travel a lot, you sometimes you need to be a little flexible and eat a little more nuts or cheese or some other relatively lowcarb food than is recommended because that is all that is available, but in the long run that won't hurt you. What will hurt is going totally off plan. Be a little creative and make the best choices you can and you will be okay.

Good luck!

I was at a party yesterday with a friend who recently lost about 200 pounds. Anyway, she brought along every kind of low carb treat you can possibly imagine: Jerkey, splenda sweetened hard candies, low carb chocolate, sugar-free popsicles. During cake and ice cream, she had some kind of frozen dessert thing, and I ate a splenda sweetened popsicle. Worked out just great because I never was even tempted.

And I think the less I cheat, even having just a bite and passing it to someone else, the less I miss what I used to eat.

I find Atkin's is easy to adjust to dining out. First thing to do is ask if they have a low carb menu items, that does two things: 1) Clues the waiter into what you want and 2) maybe it'll get to the restaurant manager he needs to pay attention to folks with those needs.

Find something on the menu you can eat, like a hamburger. Ask them to serve it to you without the bun. Ask if you can have something in place of the french fries, like perhaps some steamed brocolli or green beans.

I always have some nuts and Atkins bars stashed in my carryon. Never go hungry! Even cheese comes wrapped individually now.

If there's nothing but a bagel bar for breakfast, use a spoon to tunnel out the bagel until it's nothing but crust, and fill it with cream cheese.

If there's nothing but lasagna for lunch, just eat the innards and leave the noodles on your plate.

There's usually something you can eat until you can get to a better low carb alternative. And planning ahead means you don't have to even settle for that. You can do it!

I am in human resources for my company but also the coordinator for birthdays etc... I am in charge of picking up and presenting b-day cakes. You don't even know how hard it's been to be in a bakery at least once a week! Time and time again everyone has told me have a piece of cake, "it won't hurt you." Most of the staff knows I follow Atkins but when other people look at me like I am weird, I just tell them I am trying to eliminate sugar in my diet and then walk away.

To the question about parties:

1) Eat beforehand (or at least have a snack) to reduce temptation.

2) You may bring something lowcarb -- like the deviled eggs suggested -- but ONLY if you bring a plate of them for everyone. It's rude to bring food just for yourself but generous to contribute to the party. I recently brought a big bowl of marinated and cooked shrimp to a colleague's party. I was the hero. Everyone loved them, five people asked for the recipe, and I've already been invited back.