Well this is an interesting turn of events

I definitely didn't see this coming.

On day two of my two-week induction I developed a very sore, achy back. On Saturday I had taken the kids to see Horton Hears a Who so I assumed it was from sitting in the uncomfortable theater chairs, but it persisted for days. It wasn't muscle aches, it wasn't spinal. I couldn't figure it out. I figured it was menstrual cramps gone awry. That is, until my husband began talking with some co-workers who also had experience with the Atkins plan. One of the had also had the same symptoms and learned that it was kidney stress. John was so alarmed that he called me from work and asked me to investigate. I hopped online and, surprise surprise, that's exactly what it was. I read dozens and dozens of accounts of people who had the exact same experience as me. Naturally, everything I found from the Atkins side of the matter said that there is 'no connection between the Atkins plan and kidney function." Hmm... can you really tell me that making drastic changes in your diet won't have an effect on every digestive organ in your body? I have no reason to believe that.

I consulted some Atkins followers online. I was told the same thing. I was told that there is no way that the pain I was experiencing could be from the Atkins plan B because it came on after only two days of the diet. It was suggested that I probably have a kidney infection (even though I'd had the pain for days and no fever?) or that I was constipated (I'm 30 years old and sure know what that feels like). I was also told that I should drink a lot of water and that it would probably pass after the two week induction (hmm... even though there is no way that the pain is related to the Atkins plan? Can we say contradiction?).

So I had to come to my own conclusion. Which was harder than it may sound. I was devastated. This was going to be my 'ticket' to health and weight loss. I so wanted to believe in this theory. I wanted to be smarter than the average bear. I was scared that the bottom of my last resort was falling out.

I quit. I had to. Maybe some people can stick it out. Me? I just can't do it. I have never (obviously) felt kidney pain before. The image of my internal body under stress just couldn't bypass my mind. It frightened me. It was hard to call it quits, but I had to. John and I talked it through, and I decided that the benefits did not out-weigh the risks. Not for me. Not for my comfort.

This is not the end of my journey towards lifestyle change. My sister has had great success with the South Beach plan. I am going to check it out. Part of me says to just chuck the whole idea of a diet change, but the other part just doesn't want to give up. I took the weekend 'off' and have read a brief synopsis (I already know the basic idea) of South Beach and am going to go ahead and dive in. Why not.

This blog... hmm. Well, the whole point of it was to record the everyday kind of person, so that's what I'll keep doing. I don't know if I will update everyday, but I will update. It's all part of the process.

Now, heading to the beach...