I'm going to be beginning the Atkins diet in a few weeks. I'd like to get going sooner (like tomorrow) rather than later, but my spouse would like to begin the diet at the same time I do, and she doesn't feel ready. She broke a bone in her foot a few weeks ago and is extremely limited in both her mobility and the level of activity in which she can engage.

She feels it would be too confusing for me to be on some sort of special diet while she eats something approximating a more "normal" American diet. She does handle most (okay, just about all) the cooking and food buying duties in the household.

So, what do y'all think? Am I wrong, selfish or what have you? I didn't want to make this my "introductory" post, as I have not yet begun to diet, but I'm kind of curious how other folks handle (or don't handle) this sort of thing. In all honesty, I probably will wait, but I do wonder to some extent if I'm handling this correctly.

Thanks for any and all comments.

Patrick

Hi and welcome, Patrick!

I understand your dilemma.... I think if it's only a matter of some weeks you should wait since it would be difficult for your spouse to cook extra for you. On the other hand my husband is not doing Atkins and I cook but eliminate "illegal" things, I just don't touch them. From the first day of induction they are non-existant for me.
Since she wants to do the plan with you - wait. I know you want to begin soon, this is a great plan with many more benefits than I can mention.
I wish you best of luck and hope you will stay here with us - makes this journey A LOT easier!

Take care, hope to see you again....

Alina

Hi Patrick,

Welcome to the forum! As a single person, I may be way out in left field, but in my opinion, if you're ready now, there's no reason you can't at least start eliminating flour, starches and sugars from your diet and start eating more fat and protein.

If that isn't feasible, why don't you start recording at Fitday, http://www.fitday.com so that you can get a better idea of just how many carbs, etc you're "normal" diet includes (and perhaps give your wife a little incentive to start lowcarbing?)?

judy

My tuppenceworth is: Both start now. The benefits of the Atkins way of eating are to great to put off! Whilst your wife is recovering from her injury, she could be on the net having a really good look round this site, read some of the journals and get "phsyced" that way. Is that how you spell phsyced?

Re cooking and shopping, to my mind, doing Atkins makes both easier. Even a bloke could manage it (joking!).

If you start now, in a few weeks you both could have lost some weight and have a greater sense of well being! Why put that feeling off? If your wife is worried about not being mobile and therefore not losing as much weight, well, to be honest, I do very little in the way of exercise, and have lost 11lbs since the end of May.

Good Luck!

hey omo,

I agree with what has been said by the other members, I feel that your spouse needs to be ready to start this way of eating, if she's not mentally researched and ready then it may not be as successful as hoped.

I'd encourage yr spouse to get on the net and start her own research, she'll be so well informed that she'll start begging you to start the plan.

wait for her, but do start the elimination process, flour, sugar etc.

i wish you both the very best on your new WOE.

sorry. meant to address it to Patrick!

Hi Patrick

I agree with Jude, there is no reason you can not make an effort to start at this time. I am sure you eat some food outside of the house. Just make good food choices.

I'm sorry your wife has a broken foot, I am sure she if finding that hard enough to deal with and so I can appreciate that she is not wanting to change her lifestyle right now. You could help her by trying to encourage her not to include sugary foods in your diet for the next month. This will do you both good.

Welcome to the forum and I hope that you will both soon be low carbing and losing pounds.