Atkins on the Go
 

This is a true budge travel question.

Lost of people can eat cheaply on the road:

Slice of pizza, bagel & cream cheese, deli sandwich, etc.

How does one eat cheaply on the road when doing any sort of Atkins related mostly meat & veggies, no starch diet?

Anyone?

McDonalds or Wendys salad with grilled chichen should work.

Steer clear of fast food outlets, for a start. You're in luck in the processed food area, in a few years. Kraft, the US largest food processor, is radically changing it portions and marketing, and will keep ads away from schools. Kraft is worried about law suits over obesity and unhealthy eating. You can do Atkins, but be aware of eating anything processed or fast while travelling. Interestingly, Kraft's majority owner is Altria, the tobacco giant. Oreos and Velveeta are taking a hit!

Just order any protein-based sandwich -- tuna salad, ham and cheese, whatever -- or burger, have them put in every veggie available (but watch out for sweet pickles) and throw out the bread part.

An alternative is to stop at a supermarket rather than at a restaurant. A surprising number of them now have delis and/or salad bars; you can pick up fresh sliced meats, prepared salads, etc.

Remember, fast-food restaurants rely a lot on frozen and nonperishable foods and cheap bread-based components, whereas supermarkets are usually your best source of meal ingredients that are fresh.

An advantage of the supermarket stop is that you can easily accommodate the preferences of travel companions who are on other diets, or who are not dieting.

Instead of the pizza, order a chicken parm sandwich, just don't eat the bread. In a deli, order tuna salad, hold the bread, etc. I find it easier to stick to a diet eating out than at home:) Or maybe I just prefer to think so~

Scarlett, I agree with you, it's probably mentality - at home nobody can see what's on the plate ;)

In & Out Burger (in CA, NV, or AZ), you can order a "protien burger" and they will wrap the hamburger in lettuce leaves instead of bread.

Cafaterias seem to give me the greatest options. They are usually located along main roads.

A friend who runs a cafateria says they have a lot of regular customers doing Atkins.

I have resorted to fast food when on Atkins on 2 or 3 occaisions. I just ate the burger without the bun.

Salads, Atkins bars, cheese sticks...what others have mentioned

With anything breaded, like cheese sticks or chicken parm, don't forget to factor-in the carbs.

In & Out - as the previous poster suggested is great but don't forget to tell them to leave off the secret sauce - it's a 1000 island type with lots of sugar. They'll put mustard on instead if you ask. Also, if you request it they'll grill the onions which adds moistness so you don't notice there's no secret sauce. I find Atkins diet - I've been on it since January - is easier to follow whether I'm at home or not than any other diet has been. Good luck, don't give in to temptation!

I have been doing Atkins (in moderation) for 7 years! It is a lifestyle. When dining out, I order sandwiches without the bread and a salad in place of fries. I only get a few funny looks. Buffets like Golden Corral offer many meat choices. Dinner is easy. A big juicy 16 oz steak or prime rib. Hold everything else. No one ever said the Atkins diet was cheap!

No, it's not cheap--especially the Atkins products. But, if I was on Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc I'd be paying dues every week. That's how I justify buying those Endulgence bars!!!!

Sardines, sardines, sardines. Luckily I love 'em.

The New England Journal of Medicine just reported a randomized trial of people on Atkins' vs standard low fat diet.
Result?
No difference in outcome.
Interestingly the Atkins' pateints started off with more weight loss the first few weeks but apparently the impact tapered off over time relative to the low fat dieters.
Just a FWIW.

While I don't do a hard core Atkins, I do prefer a diet higher in lean protein and low in carbs. I find that many barbecue places will offer grilled meats without sauce if asked for.

Worst comes to worse, Chili's has an item called Monterey Chicken which normally is a grilled chicken breast topped with cheese and sauce with mashed potatoes and mixed grilled veggies. Most Chili's will accept my order for Monterey Chicken with NO cheese and sauce, replacing the mashed potatoes for a green salad without cheese and croutons. The chicken breast with roasted veggies atop is a nice combination au natural. I know they marinate the breast with something that contains a flavored oil, but it is good enough for me while on the road.

The cheese would be OK on a regular Atkins diet.

You are supposed to lose more at first on Atkins and then taper off. It is designed that way so it is easier to stay on the diet (way of life) after you have reached your goal.

So if there's no difference in the effectiveness of an Atkins diet compared to an easier to follow (and cheaper?) low fat diet, why do people follow the Atkins diet?

Many people find the Atkins diet easier to follow, since you don't feel starved all the time, nor do you begin to feel like you're turning into a rabbit.

Remember, the research was based on averages. Atkins works better for some people, and low-fat for others. Eventually, perhaps the research will help each of us figure out which will work best for our own metabolism! Maybe they could start by having the same people try both types of diets, first one and then the other.

The people I've met for whom Atkins works best are people who have built up extra weight during middle age due to slowed metabolism and perhaps some insulin resistance, which logically enough is a carb-related issue.