• Think big picture. Don ' t use your trip as an excuse to go off the program. Remember, if you continually make " detours " from your planned route, you ' ll never reach your destination.
• Take food with you. When you miss a flight or a meeting runs late, be prepared. Take along some low-carb snack foods like one-ounce portions of cheese in plastic wrap. If you ' re traveling by car, consider taking a cooler packed with cold cuts and cheese. You can even bring along salad in a plastic bag with dressing on the side. Or stow away a few controlled carb bars and some shake powder to use as meal replacements.
• Eat first. Start out on the right foot by eating a well-planned, satisfying meal before you leave home.
• Go a little nuts. If you ' re past the Induction phase, you can snack on nuts and seeds. Macadamias, almonds, walnuts, pecans, filberts and sunflower and pumpkin seeds are all good choices because they ' re high in protein and fat. You ' ll feel more satisfied and in control of your appetite after eating a handful.
• No skipping allowed. Tempted to pass on lunch and make better time? Don ' t do it. Omitting a meal could make you ravenous, out of control and more likely to grab anything edible that ' s handy.
• Fly right. If you ' re on a flight where a meal will be served, call ahead and ask what ' s on the menu. You may be able to find a seafood salad or other dish that is acceptable.
• Drink up. When you ' re traveling, consume lots of water. Staying hydrated will help you feel satisfyingly full. Stay away, however, from caffeine and diet sodas full of aspartame-both increase carbohydrate cravings.
• Pack your pills. If you ' ve gotten into the habit of taking nutritional supplements, congratulations! Now make sure you continue this part of your lifestyle when you ' re on the road. Once one element of your routine gets upset, other good habits tend to slide as well. Even if you make some mistakes with your food choices, staying on the vitanutrient program will help you focus on getting back to eating properly.
• Speed counts. If you do slip off Atkins for a day or more, get back on ASAP The longer you ' re off, the harder it may be to resume.
• Be ready to compromise without quitting. If you find that your food options on the road or in the air are all really poor, adhere to the program as closely as you can. For example, if you find that you need to increase your consumption of salad and other vegetables beyond your usual allowance, it doesn ' t mean you might as well eat bread and pasta. It ' s better to deviate a little than to throw the whole program out the window
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Training Those Special People
Even if you overcome your temptations and the challenges of eating in places other than your own kitchen table, one of the obstacles you may find in the real world is people-the very same people upon whom you normally rely for advice and support. I ' m talking about your spouse, family members and well-meaning friends, all of whom may have been so influenced by the media ' s fixation on low fat that they are certain Atkins has no validity. " Oh, that ' s a high-fat diet. It can ' t be good for you " may be the reflex response, said without any knowledge of the solid scientific research supporting the lipolytic approach to weight loss.
Although a particular person ' s advice may have been valuable in the past, you must reply that he or she can ' t know something until it has been examined thoroughly. If your naysayer is someone you live with or must deal with every day, then you know you need total cooperation as much as you need your own single-mindedness. If I were you, I would start by suggesting that
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