How to do low carb the easy way

A lot of people start out on a low carb diet the Atkins way where you count all your carbohydrates and try to keep them under 20 grams a day. If you eat everything out of a package, the counting isn't too hard but keeping your daily diet to under 20 carbs is hard if you are eating all packaged food. If you aren't eating out of a package, it's hard to count. So either way, people starting out on Atkins are likely to quit just because it's too hard to count carbs.

Don't worry about the exact number of carbs you are eating. Just follow these simple guidelines.

1. Cut out all the high carb, starchy foods like:
   
   • potatoes
   • bread
   • rice
   • baked goods
   • sugar
   • pasta
2. Base your meals around a protein (chicken, steak, fish) and vegetables. Some meals we often eat:
   
   • ham and cheese stuffed chicken breast with broccoli
   • steak with asparagus
   • cajun chicken greek salad
3. Make smart choices where ever you can but don't worry about the occasional high carb food. I ate a girl scout cookie this morning - although it wasn't good for me, I didn't have the four or five I normally had. Guilt will often make you give up the whole plan, so just concentrate on all the good choices you have made!

What are your tips for staying on a low carb diet?