Atkins - Close but no cigar

fried eggs and bacon cake
Originally uploaded by debbiedoescakes

Don't you love this cake?! I was totally fooled.

I thought I would make this a separate post because Atkins lasted a long time for me, and I did briefly (for about one glorious day!) get to goal weight - which was 168lbs (12 stone).

Atkins is very much misunderstood. When I was following Atkins (the 2002 Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution version) everyone and their Mum felt free to lecture me on how I would diet of a heart attack, how I was only losing water weight not fat, how my kidneys would explode and basically how all of humanity would scorn me. None of these things happened. I followed Atkins from September 2006 until February 2010. The first year went very successfully and I lost a load of weight.

I felt GREAT - more energy, hardly any colds or flu, no headaches, great skin and a whole load of other benefits. People tend to think of Atkins as a meat and fat fest but I swear I ate more veg on that plan than most people generally do. My typical day was:

Breakfast: 2 grilled or fried pieces of bacon, 1/2 cup mushrooms cooked in butter, 1 oz of chedder, a medium tomato, and two fried eggs. When it was going well I also had a bowl of blueberries and cream (small portion).

Lunch: A can of tuna packed in oil, lots of mayo, 1 cup of rocket, 2 cups of romaine lettuce and/or raw spinach and a cup of peppers.

Snack: Cheese (1 oz) or 20 olives.

Dinner: Chicken breast and two cups of denser veg like broccoli or courgettes or both! Also served with pesto and cheese, or mayo.

Drinks: 2 cups decaf tea with cream or decaf coffee and cream and lots of water.

When it was going well I loved this plan. I didn't get bloodtests as the book recommended, but my thyroid function was not affected and I had great blood pressure. I exercised regularly and didn't feel that low carbs affected that. BUT there were problems for me, which is why my search for a long-term solution continue and have finally led me to the primal approach. The problems I couldn't get to grips with plagued me from after that first year to now, really.

1) Atkins works on a ladder system - you start off basic, at 20g of net carbs per day and then add in more veg, more dairy, nuts and seeds, berries and so on and eventually end up at some small amount of pulses and grains. Each person is meant to test their personal reaction to each new food and to find out their own level of carbs to lose weight and the level at which they maintain. For me, and this was when I exercised and hour a day six times I way I was frustrated that after that first year I could not eat more than 35g net carbs without my weight loss stalling or gaining.

2) I found it hard to stick to when I was away for a longer period of time. If staying with friends or family for a night or two I could generally limp through by packing hardboiled eggs, mini cheeses and cherry tomatos to snarf when no-one was looking! I could eat some meals with them, but watch the carbs. But after around three days, say at Christmas, this became awkward and to be honest, quite anti-social. Then, the moment I ate something not on plan I would go absolutely off plan with gusto. It was like some insane sugar and carb monster would take over my body and I would become like an eating machine. I would eat secretively, storing chocolate, eating massive portions of pasta, heaps of anything. It was almost like I was trying to eat all the carbs I'd avoid in a couple of days. I felt upset by this, and felt like Atkins had put my relationship with food even more out of whack than ever, and like I was trapped doing Atkins forever or I'd struggle to gain back control.

3) Once off plan the punishment was very swift - I could, and did, regain weight in terms of lbs each day. Over a week and a half away for Christmas I could easily gain back a whole stone (14lbs). Then I would get home, start up again and feel I had to re-work the ladder each time to get my cravings under control.

Ok, so all this became very frustrating but I stuck with this rollercoaster of good behaviour, weight loss, alternating with massive sudden gains up to now. September 2006-to February 2010. Occassioanlly I would try another plan but always came back to Atkins when I felt rubbish, couldn't control my cravings or lose weight. But the real nail in the coffin for me was:

4) Uhm, not sure how to say this. But let's just say it seemed to be affecting my libido and my husband eventually begged me not to carry on. I have to qualify this and say this is how it SEEMED. I have not heard of anyone else with this problem, in fact I think the opposite is more common.

Don't get me wrong - I still have a big affection for for Atkins. I have been part of fantastic forums online where people work the plan successfully and are very happy for years. I think his work is worth reading and I am so used to Atkins that I tend to eat like that automatically given half a chance. For me I learned that carbs are key to my weight loss, to my mental wellbeing and my physical health. But I still feel something is missing, and that it can be improved, hence my primal plans.