Let’s be honest, diets aren’t fun, but being overweight is even less fun. The thirty pounds that I gained in the last year has taken a toll on my mental and physical health. I avoid mirrors, hate shopping for new clothes, and I don’t feel well. When approached about working on a campaign for the Atkins diet, I didn’t hesitate. I had successfully used the Atkins diet in past to lose weight, and this was the perfect motivation to shed my unwanted pounds.

If you regularly read my blog, you know I like to cook and entertain. My son’s preschool class is having a party tomorrow, and someone asked me to bring cupcakes. I couldn’t resist making them from scratch. They are vanilla with marshmallow buttercream, and they filled the house with a sweet aroma while they were baking. A few days ago, I made caramel apple pancakes at the request of my son. One of the biggest barriers to my losing weight is my love of cooking.

When I was regularly running or training for a race, I could eat whatever I wanted. There was no stressing over the calories in a cupcake or late night snack; I easily burned off the calories training. When an injury sidelined me for months, I packed on the pounds. I failed to adjust my eating habits. I recently reintroduced regular exercise into my diet and exercise routine.

If you aren’t familiar with the Atkins diet, it is a low carbohydrate diet. You have guidelines to help you plan your meals which include protein and carbohydrate allowances.

On the Atkins diet you can eat:

• A variety of protein including fish, poultry, lean beef, and plant-based protein
• Healthy fats which include avocado, olive oil, and nuts
• Dairy such as whole Greek yogurt and cheese
• More than the USDA recommended allowance of vegetables
• Fruits
• Whole grains

A major advantage to the Atkins diet is that it is free. There is no fee to participate. The Atkins website includes meal plans, an online community for support, recipes, and resource center. They have a product line which can easily be supplemented into your daily diet; They sell Atkins branded frozen meals, bars, shakes, and treats. These products make it easier to maintain your diet.

The Atkins website has features such as:

• Carb counter
• Mobile app
• Online shop
• Program guidelines

I had success with the Atkins diet in the past because I never felt hungry. On other diets, I was starving before I went to bed.

It is hard to argue with science; success of the Atkins low-carb diet approach has been documented in independent peer reviewed journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and Journal of the American Medical Association.

Stay tuned for the next several months as I start my weight loss journey with the Atkins diet. I’ll be sharing tips, Atkins friendly recipes, and reviews of Atkins branded products.

Meanwhile check out the Atkins diet social channels:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Atkins.