I started the Atkins diet shortly after Summer began. I have had to modify this diet around my food allergies, but, for the most part, I have managed to stick with it. Right now, I am at the point where I truly miss eating certain foods. I have also grown tired of many of the foods that are acceptable to eat while on the Atkins diet.
I am tired of the Atkins food. I haven’t touched the vanilla shakes since I first tried them. The texture was incredibly clumpy, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t get it to thin out. Just thinking about what the vanilla shakes were like has made me lose all interest in ever trying those again.
I am sick of (or perhaps sick from), the Atkins chocolate shakes. Some of them contain more dairy than I am able to tolerate. One bad allergic reaction has made me afraid to try those again.
I have also lost interest in the many varieties of Atkins bars. They taste good, their texture is just fine, and I am not allergic to them. The problem I am having is that they are no longer satisfying my cravings for chocolate. I miss being able to eat an actual, honest to goodness, “real” candy bar every once in a while.
Eating in restaurants, something I used to enjoy fairly frequently, has become a chore. I have many food allergies, so I am used to having to go over menus with a fine-toothed comb before making my lunch or dinner selection. Having to ask the waitress to remove the bun from my burger, or to remove it myself after it is placed before me, is getting old. I miss being able to eat like a “normal person”.
I miss potatoes! People who are doing the Atkins diet are not allowed to eat potatoes until they hit Phase Four of the diet. I am somewhere in Phase 2 right now, which means that I must stay under 25 carbs each day. There are 13.9 grams of carbs in one half cup of white potatoes.
To my complete frustration, this means that I cannot eat french fries, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato soup, hash browns, or anything else that has potatoes in it without completely blowing over the amount of carbs I am allowed. I find myself dreaming of the french fries that come from the Belgian place downtown.
After drinking can after can of Diet Coke with Splenda, I have grown tired of the taste. Splenda is no longer “Splendid”. I miss drinking Pepsi Throwback, my favorite soda, (which contains real sugar).
No one said that sticking with this diet, or any other diet, would be easy. Perhaps what is keeping me from quitting this diet all together is the other things I am missing. I am several pounds lighter now than I was when I began the Atkins diet. Unlike the other things I am missing, I have no desire for those extra pounds to return to me.
Image by Marshall Astor on Flickr