hey everyone-- this is my first post although i've been getting support/advice from you guys for a few weeks now.. i love this forum!
so first, I just wanted to share a tip that got me through induction-- mouthwash! No, seriously, if you're craving fruit, the new listerine citrus mouthwash is fabulous and leaves your mouth feeling so refreshed, you don't want to eat. And johnson/johnson has a kids bubble-gum flavored anticavity rinse that really helps when u have a sweet craving (plus, you're not supposed to eat 30 min after using it so you forget all about food by that time...)

And here's my question-- its about portion control. I used to be a vegetarian and so have no idea what 3 oz of chicken or tuna is.... the deck of cards analogy just isn't working for me. Is there an easier way to determine this? Like in terms of cup size or something?

oh, and one more thing-- is spinach a leafy green which we can have 3 cups of or is it one of the moderate-carb veggies like broccolli (i think the webpage and the book conflict on this point, so i just wanted to clarify)

Palm sized!! Spinach is leafy green.

Hmmm.. I think spinach can be used as either... 2 or 3 cups of leafy "salad" + 1 cup veggie is what I usually eat. If you cook the spinach, the volume is less thus you count the cooked portion not the pre-cooked portion. So a 1/2 cup of cooked spinach can actually be over 1 cup of raw?? Same goes for onions, and other veggies you can eat raw or cooked.

I do best when I make sure I get that 3 cups or more....the fiber helps. Less dairy, moderate protein and fat...

Portin: A piece of meat about 4-5 oz is the size of your hand closed. A cup of salad about a handfull; veggies, dairy, I always measure... Have my measureing cups and spoons.

Hope success is yours

thanks guys--
so, for like a Wendy's grilled chicken sandwich, would that piece of chicken be around 4 oz?

And I've got another question for you-- i noticed you wrote that you keep your calories under 1500 (congrats by the way, i have a hard time with that)..... but i thought u could eat "liberally" with Atkins and not count calories? This has really confused me-- people write that you should eat until you're satisfied, and that they sometimes go up to 2000 calories a day and have to keep calories that high so as to not go into starvation mode, and yet then there's also emphasis on portion control and 10-12X body weight (which for me would be 1200 calories!) Any advice? =)

Hi Cat:

Many will disagree with me, but I DO NOT COUNT CALORIES! And, I don't think you need to to lose weight. Atkins says to eat until you are full, and for me at the beginning, that might be 6 eggs and a pound of bacon in a sitting. The cool thing about Atkins is that ketosis is a natural appetite suppressant. And, as you lose weight, you will want less. After being on this diet for almost 6 months, I eat pretty small portions now, but not because I am counting calories, but because I am just not that hungry. I think its part of the natural atkins process. That's my 2 cents, now let's hear the critics! mad