Put Down That Brownie! Just One Bite Can Knock You Off Plan

• Calorie - a unit equivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body.
• Bariatrics - the specialty of medicine dealing with the medical and surgical treatment of obesity.
• Phony weight loss device - Appetite suppressing eyeglasses are common eyeglasses with colored lenses that claim to project an image to the retina which dampens the desire to eat. There is no FDA evidence that these work.
• Weight loss - the loss of body weight, typically by losing fat.
• Lap band surgery - adjustable gastric band weight loss surgery.
• Guar gum - an ingredient in weight control pills determined by FDA to be unsafe for weight control

It is very important for low carb dieters to stick to the exact plan prescribed in a book or by a doctor or dietitian. Taking even "one bite" of something that is not on the plan can easily ruin a dieter's progress on a low carb plan.

This is especially important in the early "no carb" phase of many low carb diets.

For instance, in the "induction" phase of the Atkins diet, taking even one bite of carb-rich or sugar-rich sweets will not only knock a low carb dieter out of ketosis-- and prevent the massive and rapid shedding of fat--but it will also increase cravings for more carb-heavy foods, making it harder for dieters to stick with the plan in following days.

If you are on a low carb diet or are planning to start one, it is important for you to think ahead, so you don't fall into this trap.

If you are planning to eat somewhere that you cannot control what is being served (i.e. a friend's house or your parents' house) during the early, "no carb" phase of your diet, it is a good idea to come up with a plan ahead of time. You may want to either tell your host that you are on a special diet--or simply wait until the upcoming week to start the first phase of your low carb diet.

When you get into the later phases of your diet, you will have a little more flexibility. If you are planning to eat at a friend's house, you can save up some of your carbs from the week (if your diet allows it) and then use them at your friend's house.

No matter what your plan is, it is important that you stick to it. Decline the carb-heavy meals when they do not fit your prescription.

There has probably never been a single low carb dieter who hasn't been put in this situation. But then again, there probably aren't too many successful low carb dieters who don't know how to say no.

Next time someone asks you if you want dessert, remember: even "one bite" can ruin all your hard work. Say no.

Benji Paras runs http://www.list-of-low-carb-food.com, specializing in the benefits of the low-carb lifestyle. The site contains a treasure trove of information for losing weight, and includes a list of low carb foods along with informative articles and the latest low-carb headlines.