Atkins diet: Lose weight - increase stress!

by Lara
(Belgrade, Serbia)

I tried Atkins Diet but it didn't work for me. It just increased my stress. Here's why:

Since I was having weight issues almost all my life I have tried several popular diets. My weight went down, then after a couple of weeks up again. Sounds familiar?

After a couple of days on Atkins diet I thought it was the solution to my weight problem. I lost 6 pounds in 5 days and was continuing to lose weight at the same rate.

The good side of it was that it was quite easy for me to get used to that way of nutrition and I was really never hungry. I could eat most of the stuff I eat anyway and in any place or occasion with just minor adjustments. Everything except carbs.

The downside is that, exactly because of the lack of carbohydrates in my organism, my overall physical and mental state was deteriorating rapidly.

After about 2 weeks I didn't have enough strength to do some light exercises I used to do without any problems.

I was feeling very nervous, inpatient, unable to concentrate for a longer period of time and that started to reflect on my social life.

After one month, 15 pounds down, I decided to stop with the diet.

At first I was very careful not to make the usual mistake - Eat everything I couldn't for the past month! - but still, those lost pounds were slowly coming back. That was even more stressful than the dieting itself!

I have tried it a couple more times, but sadly always with the same results.

Eventually I gave up on diets and turned to regular exercising so I can burn those calories instead of not eating them. I still have weight issues but that causes me less stress than the Atkins diet.

Lara

Note from Dr. Dan

Lara,

Your body needs fuel for normal activities, including exercise, but also for just thinking and reading. That fuel is carbohydrate.

Take away that fuel and you won't feel well. Take it away too quickly -- like with diabetics when their blood sugar drops -- and you'll go into a coma.

Now, take a look at those people with the slimmest and leanest bodies. Runners. Gymnasts. Weight lifters. What do they eat?

Well, one thing is for sure. They eat their carbohydrates. Not Snickers, but real food. They need it for energy.

And if you want to have a strong, lean body, you need carbohydrates too. It's nature's way.

Dr. Dan