Could one of the "pros" give us newbies tips on how to survive the holidays. I am making a lc thanksgiving but we are going to Iowa for Christmas and I will have no control over all the goodies in everyone else's house. I really have a hard time leaving the candy and such alone. I don't want to blow my diet, but am not sure I am strong enough to say no to everything.

When I go out of town. I always pack myself a cooler of lc goodies and a few lc meals just in case they decide to have something that would cause me to sabotage all my hard work. My family is always very understanding. At times, I just ate a little different. Of course there is alway plenty of a choices at the Christmas dinner. Stick with meat and veggies. I hope this helps a little. Good luck and Happy Holidays.

I am far from being pro but I am finding L-glutamine to be helpful for cravings. Also, as Dr. A says "eat liberally from the allowed foods list" and eat at least every 6 hours. It might help to have the mindset that its not that you're giving up all of those foods forever but that you're choosing not to have them in the weightloss phase of atkins and will add things in at later stages.

I too am like Birdgog, I usually carry my own food to nosh on. I find its the best way to not sabotage myself.

Remember that there is a lot of things out that you can eat. Keep yourself full on what is allowed, this will help you avoid what you should not be eating. I was so stuffed last Christmas from eating all the meats and cheeses that I didn't want to look at anything else. Also I agree with everyone, that you should bring something alone that you know you can eat.