Hi, I'm Jane. I started Atkins 4 weeks ago and was doing okay until a week ago when my premenstrual cravings grabbed me by the throat and kicked my butt. At first it was a bagel here, a bagel there, a few days of compliance, but then this weekend I just caved in completely. I had a lot of carbs just to ease the cravings and get some energy and now I've accepted the fact that I'll just need to start over once my period is done.

I tried the official Atkins forums but they were not helpful so I started looking around and find this site.

I've been reading the original Atkins book from 1972 and a line from it struck me. He said, the goal is not to have the weight loss be rapid, but to have it be easy. And that felt very comforting to me because he acknowledged that there will be a learning process and that it's natural to have some starts and stops along the way. I believe my pms cravings were a result of not eating enough fat and protein, and being low on vitamin B because no matter what I ate, the cravings were there... until I ate a lot of ribs! Like a lot. It was only then that the feelings went away. I've started taking a multivitamin and supplementing my vitamin B even though I'm now off-program. I'm also going to eat more ribs today. Progress not perfection, right? And no self-flagellation!

No more beating myself up for falling off the wagon. Instead, viewing this as a learning experience. I hope this site, and the community in it, will be a positive and supportive place to continue this learning and growing. I will do my best to contribute and provide support as well.