Adkins Diet

Adkins Diet: Getting My Life Back

Okay, so it sounds pretty dramatic to say I needed to get my life back, but it really was the truth. I have been athletic all my life and then I became a mom. Don't get me wrong. I love being a mom, but running after your kids and jumping to conclusions doesn't qualify as work outs. By the time I hit my mid-thirties, my weight was over two hundred pounds. My husband still loved me and supported me. He told me he wouldn't have cared if I were even heavier. But, truly, I knew I was a ticking time bomb. I didn't set out to do Atkins. I wasn't even sure what the Adkins Diet entailed. What I knew is that I was tired of being tired and I was worried about heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all of which ran in my family.

It was my supportive husband who gave me my first Atkins' book. Actually, he had purchased it for himself and, as he calls it, I took advantage of ownership by occupation. Now, you must understand. My diet was about as far away from low-carb or sugar busters diet as you could get. A farm girl, meat and potatoes and thick grainy breads were basic staples in my house. But, I am also a firm believer in what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and, when I tipped the scale at 210, I decided I could give this a real try.

The program isn't really that tough. I love to think of it as the caveman diet. If you don't find it in nature, you don't put it in your face. Pretty simple. Admittedly, it took a lot to get to that point. Atkins explains that the first part is called induction. I will admit that it was a rough two weeks. During those first two weeks, there are some pretty strict rules. Foods that are high in glycemic index are verboten in that first two weeks.  This includes, as opponents to low-carb diet products are quick to point out, no fruit, no bread, and no potatoes. Meat, fat, and some vegetables are pretty much it for the first two weeks. I missed wine and bread, but I was quite happy letting these go.

Opponents will also tell you that much of what is lost in that first two weeks is water weight, but this in itself is not a problem. See, your body retains water when you are bloated or suffering from inflammation. So, losing some of that water weight is actually a pretty good thing. Prolonged inflammation we now understand is a contributor to other serious health issues, including cardiovascular problems.

Ketosis is what opponents of Atkins will throw at you most often. It's a terrible condition and bad for your kidneys, they will warn you. All ketosis means is that your body is finally burning fat for fuel instead of storing it. Yes, you might have a little BO and bad breath for those first two weeks, also known as phase 1 or induction. So what? Take a shower, drink lots of water, and pop a sugar-free breath mint. Eventually, this subsides, as does the weight.

Am I where I want to be yet? No, but, following the Atkins' diet, I am on my way. For more specifics about how my diet changed, the reader is asked to consult part two, Low Carb Diet Plans: The Vagaries of the First Two Weeks.

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