Questions from a Newbie & Answers from Liz

Hi, I'm going to try to answer your questions within your message. Hopefully this will work.

by the way i love Chiles but I guess I will have to stop the eating out for awhile .

I would suggest that you not eat out for at least 6-12 weeks. I didn't until my 13th week. You cannot buy a meal at a restaurant that is totally POP (perfectly on plan), because all the meats come to them pre-marinated with tons of sodium. So, even if you request them not to add any seasonings, it won't matter....it's already seasoned. If you HAVE to eat out, this is the rule I follow: I always take my 2 oz. of chicken with me, along with either 1/2 cup of strawberry slices or 1/2 cup of baked potato chunks, and my homemade vinaigrette. Then, I order a plain lettuce salad. If it is a meal with the potato, then I ask for tomatoes and maybe some chopped onion. Otherwise, I just order a plate of lettuce. You have to stress to them you don't want anything on your lettuce...no cheese, no croutons, no sprinkles for decoration, etc. You must be firm.


We eat there almost every week.. I am a body type c, but I guess we can all use your recipes.

They are for all body types. Each person will have to adjust the amounts and times based on his/her body type.

I just found out a week ago my thyroid is out of whack, too. I am still learning about it. I have hypo, they told me, so I don’t know if that’s good or bad. I need to start my meds soon.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto Toxicosis about 25 years ago. They worked on me for 2 years with 23 different medications, none of which controlled the wild swings my thyroid gland was going through. One week I was hypo and the next week I was hyper. The drs. put me on 300 cal. a day for a month and I gained 30 lbs. Anyway, I have to take Synthroid the rest of my life because they "killed" the gland with radioactive iodine. If they put you on Synthroid, do not ever again taste a grapefruit. The drs. and pharmacy did not know when I started, what they do now, so be careful. Also, always take your med. 1/2 hour before you eat anything. They didn't tell me that one either!!!

Is there any recipe with ranch dressing which is what i love..

I've never found a recipe for anything creamy that we can have. I have learned to love the balsamic and raspberry vinaigrettes that I make and even have eaten them on my chicken, my baked potatoes, broccoli, etc.

I am going to start again on this diet Monday I am so weak for cake with real icing and my French vanilla cappuccino from stop ‘n’ go.

It will take about 3 weeks to get the sugar (and salt) cravings out of your body, unless you give in to them. Then, you have to start your 3 weeks over again. It's not worth it. Generally, when your body tells you it wants sugar, it means it needs protein, which naturally turns into sugar during the digestive process...that's the kind you need, not simple sugars from sweets. Be sure to read the book, Breaking the Food Seduction, by Dr. Neal Barnard. It explains why we have an addiction to certain foods and what you have to do to break it.


i really need the support staying on this diet. I am going to start making more trips to the gym. I hate water, but I know it plays a big factor for the weight loss and body period. What did you do to spice up the water?

Some people put lemon in their water, but I have a water purifier (not a filter, but a purifier) and that makes water taste really good. It takes all the junk out of it that comes to us in the tap. However, because I cannot seem to remember how much water I've had, as long as I'm on the weight-loss phase of this program, I am drinking 6 bottles of Ozarka (1/2-liter) per day. There are waters and there are waters. Some of tasty, some are not, and some have preservatives and sodium in them. Be very careful what you drink.

Can we have any Atkins flavoring products?

From what I understand the Atkins products are not for us. Someone else may have to correct me on that one, though.


Have you found any sodium free chicken broth ?

There is no such thing as sodium free chicken broth. Chicken itself has sodium in it. However, Health Valley puts out a lowfat, NSA (no salt added) chicken broth you can find in the health food section and sometimes the soup section of grocery stores and health food stores. When you get it home, pop it in the fridge, so that when you get ready to use it, the fat will have solidified on top and you can skim it off. Then, you have low sodium, basically fat-free broth. You can also find Herb-Ox brand of chicken or beef bouillon packets, but they must be the ones that say VERY LOW SODIUM (5 mg. per serving). (first published 5/3/05)