There are tons of diets to choose from, if you are interested in losing some weight. After thinking things over, I decided to try the Atkins diet. My reasons for doing so may not match anyone else’s reasons for making the same choice. I have never been on a diet before in my entire life, so this will be an adventure.
Why did I choose Atkins? The most obvious reason is because I wanted to lose some weight. My sister is getting married this year, and has asked me to be a bridesmaid. This is not something I have ever done before, and it is going to push me out of my “comfort zone” a little bit. In other words, even though I am not a person who has ever had the desire to be a bridesmaid, I am doing this for my sister, because I want my sister to be happy on her wedding day.
My sister is one of the lucky people who naturally has a “model thin” figure. I, however, am not. I have curves, and always have had them. When I stand next to my sister I feel as though I must look like I am incredibly obese. I wanted to lose some weight before her wedding so that none of our relatives would wonder if they were looking at a pregnant bridesmaid. I am definitely not pregnant! Yes, I realize that it is somewhat odd to be trying to lose weight for a wedding where I will not be the bride.
Another reason why I chose Atkins is because I haven’t tried it yet. Years ago, almost a decade now, I decided to use Depo Provera as my form of birth control. To make a long story short, it did not agree with me. I gained thirty pounds, almost instantly, despite working more than one job that kept me on my feet watching over other people’s children all day. Once, a co-worker smiled gently, and asked me when the baby was due. I, of course, was not pregnant. His question lead to one of the most awkward conversations I’ve ever had. I have since stopped using Depo Provera.
Those thirty pounds are still here. I’ve tried cutting down on the amount of soda I drink. I’ve counted calories. I attempted to increase the amount of exercise I do, but this is difficult because I have a lot of days when my severe allergies make me too ill to do much of anything. Nothing was working. I am hoping that the Atkins diet will be something that finally makes those extra thirty pounds disappear.
Speaking of allergies, another reason why I chose Atkins was because it forces you to reduce the amount of carbs you eat. Many of the foods that contain carbs are made from wheat, rice, and other grains. I have suspected for years that I may have a gluten allergy. If I find that avoiding the foods that tend to have gluten in them makes me feel much better than I usually do, then it will confirm my suspicion.
Image by Raelene Gutierrez on Flickr