I don't mind answering questions although I tend to not be the typical atkins dieter.

No I have never tried another diet in an attempt to lower my weight although I have lowered fats at times, cut out dairy other times but nothing was following a plan of any sort.

I have done Atkins since August 1, 2003. I lost 40 lbs between august and january. In early january I hit 123 lbs but a couple days later learned I was pregnant so I switched to the maint. phase of the diet in hopes of gaining a healthy amount of weight for the pregnancy while I stay on Atkins.

I decided to do this diet because both of my inlaws had lost weight doing Atkins and highly recommended it. Now that I am pregnant and have discussed my diet with my nurse midwife, she is extremely supportive in me keeping to the Atkins plan. I took in two weeks of menus to show her exactly what I eat and she was quite pleased.

I like that Atkins recommends a whole foods approach. I think our society is so heavily dependant on pre-packaged, ready to go, fast fix food that we have sacrificed our health for convenience. I like that Atkins doesn't require any prepackaged shakes, bars, or foods that show up on my doorstep daily in order to make the plan work. Simple foods in their pure form do the job.

What I miss and crave the most is biscuits and gravy and key lime pie. Other than that I can't say that I miss much at all.

I wouldnt' call it a relapse but every now and then I DO allow myself to have small portions special foods every once and a while.

You can look at my fitday if you like to look at the report ( I am not sure if that is open to public access) I do meet most of the rda recommended amounts every day without a vitamin but I do take a multi vitamin usually although now I am on a prenatal vitamin.

I think I am getting plenty of veggies, fruits and fiber. I typically get in around 30 grams of fiber a day via my food. I didnt however feel I got enough during the beginning phase of atkins.

I really don't care about how low fat or other diets compair. I know that Atkins worked for me. That makes me happy.

I don't really worry about the effects of atkins on my liver, or cancer and if I didn't have a genetic predisposition for heart problems than I wouldn't really be conserned at all about that either I don't think.

I have used the diet as a way to permenantly change my eating habits.

I would love to say I could stay on atkins for life but I have a fear of all the long term effects of the high fat intake. All four of my grandparents died from either strokes or heart attacks. They had hardening of the arteries, heart disease, high blood pressure etc. My father is 50 years old. His father died in his fifties, his brother just died in his fifties and no medicine that they put my dad on lowers his blood pressure for more than a couple months. He works out almost every day, is not over weight and eats what is considered healthy. I have 2 younger brothers in their 20s, they both have high blood pressure. THey have worked out every day, are super thin and eat well. Having said that, I don't want to take a chance with the fats. If my family history was that of normal healthy people yes, I could stay on this diet for life though.

I have had no medical problems or side effects.

Good luck with your report!
Jenn

<EDIT> I wanted to add that I will remain semi low carb for life it will probably just be with a plan like South beach diet because of the fat intake issue. I have no plans of eating sugar, refined pastas and white flours like I used to.