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You know how some people just have to try to make your life miserable? It was obvious to everyone that I looked and felt healthier, but some people just had to try to spoil it. I was told that 'lots of people have died of kidney or liver failure' after being on Atkins I read it in a magazine; you will have a heart attack because it's not natural; your cholesterol will go through the roof and you will need your toes amputated or you will have a stroke; it will affect your eyesight. All sorts of exaggerations. So, I went to see my local doctor, who admitted that he had no knowledge of the Atkins diet, but he also said that he had heard nothing bad about it either. He sent me for a series of tests at the hospital and the results were all OK. He was happy that I'd lost 18 lbs and so was I. Six weeks later, I went for another cholesterol check-up, because of the high fat levels inherent in the diet and, although my cholesterol level was up very slightly, they said there was no cause for concern.

The book warns that you might suffer from bad breath (halitosis). I don't know whether I did or not - no-one mentioned it, but I started brushing my teeth four or five times a day just in case. I guess that's another benefit of Atkins: increased awareness of oral hygiene. It also warns of constipation. I didn't get that either, although I didn't give up black coffee, which has always had a laxative effect on me. But how can you become constipated if you're allowed to eat well over 1lb of greens a day? I wasn't eating that well before the diet! So my two main concerns were unfounded.

After a couple of weeks I was getting bored. Not with the diet, but because I'm single and am used to going to the pub (and drinking beer). So, I decided to treat this scientifically. One day, after work, I had three pints of Guinness and felt great. Before the diet, I would have drunk five or six to feel the same. To my delight, the next morning the ketone sticks told me that I was still 'on the diet'. Over the following weeks, I thoroughly enjoyed checking out what would 'work' and what would not. I found that cider is a complete no-no. Some beers and some lagers are OK. Red and white wine are OK. Consuming alcohol does not knock you off the diet, but it slows your rate of progress. But even slow progress is progress, I say. Better than giving up the diet.

Don't let people encourage you to 'just have a little bit'. They don't understand or don't want to understand the trouble they're causing you. One's body can hold two days worth of carbohydrates: one square of chocolate, one slice of bread, a bowl of cornflakes or one sugar in your coffee will cost you TWO days to clear out of your system. Don't let people do it to you. This is not a diet that you can stop and start when you like, in fact I think that it probably could be dangerous to keep allowing your ketone and other levels to fluctuate wildly. There are also the high fat levels in the content of the Atkins diet, which is not dangerous if you keep to it, because you body devours fat and cholesterol in the absence of carbohydrates.

That is the story so far, with me having got down to under 16 stone and keeping it there until very recently when I moved to the Far East to live. The food is so different here, but once I get used to the food and have my own house and own kitchen, I will get down to 15 stone, I'm sure I will " without any real effort.

Anyway, thanks to you, Mr. Blackwell, wherever you are these days, you changed my life and my understanding of food with that book and thank you, Mr. Atkins too.

Do you want to know more about the Atkins Diet? Visit our site on Atkins dieting at: Atkins Dieting