My wife and I just started yesterday.

The Atkins site is down it seems so the FAQ thing is not an option.

Basic question: what do you count and not count? I have a bit of trouble with Dr. A's writing style.

Do you count the carbs in the veggies?
In the cheese?
In eggs or meat products?
Of course count the sweetener for my now decaffinated coffee, although my cyclmate is only 0.5g, I decided to experiment with Splenda (2 to 3 x $) and Stevia (no mention of Stevia on either this host site or Atkins). Both of those show zero, do I need to restrict them still?
And what about Mayo? No mention in the "Acceptable Foods" article, but it seems it's "Ga'head" in "The Rules of Induction". (Mayo egg and hot sauce just save me tonight.)

My loved one has threatened to abandon LC and go back to WW. We just had a little scrap because I erred and bought some cottage cheese and told her it was allowed ... she'll be OK as long as she counts the carbs (4.2g or something) and doesn't go over 20 for the day, RIGHT? The "discussion" was really about the fact that I couldn't answer the foregoing questions.

Thanks to anyone who has some fast definitive answers.

Dez

I believe it's important to count the carbs in all your foods, except those contributing to dietary fibre which won't be absorbed into your system anyway. So yes, count the carbs in cheese, mayo, etc. An easy way to do it is to check out fitday.com for quick and easy counts.

All the best to you and yours...and don't give up

As I said on the Newbie Questions version of this post, I just wasn't following the Atkins-Speak.

Like one arcticle doesn't mention Mayo as acceptable, but another does. They say eat eggs liberally but don't even mention that carbs are involved ... I always thought eggs were pure protien & cholesterol. Didn't even think to look it up.

Thanks again for the reply.

Dez