Atkins Diet: My Sorta Success Story

by Karen
(Georgia)

Two years ago, my boyfriend and I went on the Atkins Diet together. I had been told stories about what a tough diet it was to stick to.

I found it fairly easy to stick to, and so did my boyfriend. I think the main reason for that is that we were not healthy eaters to start with.

Atkins involves eating a lot of meat, cheese, nuts, and other things with high fat and cholesterol. I ate a lot of bacon, scrambled eggs, and I remember the most special treat was ordering a meat lover's pizza and eating only the cheese and toppings.

The weight loss started slowly, about a pound or two a week. Eventually, after a month or so, I was losing 5 pounds or more a week!

I noticed that if I reduced my intake of water on Atkins, I would not lose as much. I stayed on the diet for about nine months, and I lost over 60 pounds.

Another thing that I had heard about Atkins was that when you stopped doing it you would immediately gain it all back, plus some. That did not happen to me.

It was about six months for me before I started to gain weight back. And during that six months I had not exercised at all.

I believe that what happened to me was that I just got used to eating less. I didn't enjoy eating bunless burgers and shredded cheese out of the bag for months. So I ate less. And I think I continued that for the next half year.

Little by little, I got used to eating more and more and more... I am now significantly overweight again, and am getting married this summer (different boyfriend).

I am considering Atkins again, but I'm afraid of health side effects - Like a big fat heart attack. Perhaps I just need a Nazi work-out trainer instead.

Karen in Georgia