How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

[Marzipan]

Part of what got me to the scale-tipping weight I am now is that my life is so stinkin busy (not to mention being surrouded by food) nearly all of my waking hours. A fast food run is usually in my daily routine.

How can you succeed on Atkins if you are a grab and go person. Are protein shakes (whey protein and water NO carbs) a possibility during induction?

I will be starting the program during the week of 10/17.

[not2late]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

Part of what got me to the scale-tipping weight I am now is that my life is so stinkin busy (not to mention being surrouded by food) nearly all of my waking hours. A fast food run is usually in my daily routine.

How can you succeed on Atkins if you are a grab and go person. Are protein shakes (whey protein and water NO carbs) a possibility during induction?

I will be starting the program during the week of 10/17.

Preparation, preparation, preparation.

Set aside an hour on the weekend to do food preparation for the week:
1. Boil eggs and store in refrigerator for use throughout the week.
2. Wash and cut veggies. If you are really a "grab and go" type person, you might want to put these cut veggies plastic bags or containers. Store in refrigerator.
3. Buy a block of cheese and cut it into 1 ounce pieces. Put them into a container for something quick.
4. Do batch cooking: I cook about 6-7 chicken breasts on the weekend. Throughout the week I use these cooked chicken breasts for my meals: sliced and used in "fajitas" or stir fries, cubed for use in soup, shredded for use in chicken salad and omelettes.
5. Make dishes that can be portioned out during the week. Crustlesss quiche is a great make ahead dish and a slice of it can serve as a light breakfast.
6. Check out the recipe for Atkins Revolution Rolls in the sticky thread called "Induction Recipe Basics". The Revolution Rolls can be used as "bread" for sandwiches.
7. Set aside 15 minutes every evening to pack your lunch for the following day.

During the week:
1. Make sure you have food with you at work. Pouches of tuna or chicken and packets of mayo make a fast coffee break snack.
2. If you can bring a small insulated lunch bag or cooler with you to work, fill it with your lunch and snack.

[cleochatra]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

I agree with megs! I usually have an emergency kit:

10 green olives
an ounce of cheddar
16 small pepperoni slices


I break cheese into little pieces and use the pepperoni like small crackers. The olives are just for a little bit of tweak to go with the milder flavors.

I'm totally all about prepping boiled eggs in advance for things like devilled and hard-boiled eggs and egg tossed in with salad.

I'd watch protein shakes, especially if they're sweetened, as they migt make you more hungry. You'd get more bang for your buck with 2 devilled eggs... and more flavor, too!

Way to plan ahead, girlfriend!

[I lost it]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

The responses you recieved are right on, taking an hour or two to prepare meals for the week work great. Also it really cuts down on the clean up time during the week(dishes).

[sadie@136]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

www.atkinsathome.com
will work for u..
but i guess it wont be cheap.

[Brook]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

I wrote my time-savers in the ADBB newsletter. It's right here "How I Save Time Preparing Meals" : http://home.comcast.net/~adbb/ADBB_S...etter_2005.pdf

[Elsie150]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

I'm for the batch cooking. This site even denotes induction friendly recipes. I have been pulling stuffed peppers out for dinner lately. http://users3.ev1.net/~fontlady/index.html

[Marzipan]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

You guys are AWESOME! Thanks so much!!

[FunkyFabDiva]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

Great Tips!!!

[not2late]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

Oh yeah, and don't forget you can freeze your leftovers so you can have a stash of "frozen dinners" in your freezer.

Also if you go to a restaurant, instead of forcing yourself to eat everything on your plate, ask for a doggie bag. Once in a while, my friends and I go to Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse. The portions are too big for me now. I eat a third of the steak at the restaurant and bring the remaining 2/3 home for lunch or dinner the following day. I paid for it so why waste it, right?

[cleochatra]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

I agree with megs on the freezing leftovers!

I make a spinach lasagne and cut it into 9 pieces, and then indiividually wrap each square. They reheat pretty darned quick! An awesome quick meal on the go, made even better with a small side of green beans and a small portion of alfredo and pignoli!

[dreamof145]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

I have to agree. If you don't prepare to succeed, you are almost sure to fail. I have emergency totes of food that I take every where I go. I have baggies of quick-grabs in my fridge in case something comes up that I have to eat in a hurry or grab it and go. Thinking ahead is the only way to meet obstacles and not be tempted.

[iwillbethin]

Re: How to do Atkins AND have a busy life...

Family packs of meat cook all at one time and eat that at every meal when i'm done with that which is usually 2 1/2 days or so. I cook another. I buy fresh veggies (cauliflower, broccli, celery, mushrooms, peppers) cut up and put in ziplock bags and crab as a i want. I am a working mother of 1 well 2 if you count my husband.

Where there is a will there is a WAY!