Which Diet? Atkins Nutritional Approach

Over the next few posts I'm going to explore some of the low/controlled-carb ways of eating that I have experienced and some that I have not. I'm still figuring out which one I'd like to use this time around, and I think this will help me narrow it down a bit.

Most of my previous weight-loss success was when I used the Atkins Nutritional Approach (ANA). This way of eating (WOE) has four phases:

1. Induction
2. Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL)
   
3. Pre-maintenance
4. Maintenance

I spent most of my time with the ANA in the first two phases, and was quite happy most of the time. My weight dropped quickly, and after a bit of initial discomfort (nausea and tiredness) during the induction phase, I felt great. Induction is the most strict phase, during which I ate only from a list of acceptable foods, and followed a few simple rules. There's a decent two-week meal plan on the Atkins web site. I used eDiets.com because I'm one of those people that needs everything written out for me, but I like to have some control over what I'm going to do.

About once a month I ate something that wasn't "allowed" so I didn't feel deprived. I almost always got a nasty "carbohydrate hangover" after each of those planned cheats. I felt pretty horrible for the next day, and I usually gained about a pound (probably water weight) but then I'd also get a big drop in my weight for the week or two following the planned cheat. I may have to explore this in more detail another time.

One of the things I really liked about ANA was that I could eat in-plan while on the road. I sometimes travel for work, and I am often in my car going from client to client during the day, so I need to have a plan that allows me to eat cheat-free even when I have to pick something up at a drive-through burger joint.

Atkins is one of my top choices right now, simply because I have prior success with it, and it's pretty easy to do. But I'm not making a final choice until after I've done all of my research.