I tested the Atkins 40 diet plan for one week, eating pre-made foods from its line of products as well as making some of my own meals following the guidelines.
I purchased a combination of frozen meals, shakes, bars, chips and cookies, which I enjoyed as snacks or quick meals on the go. The food was easy to find in my local grocery store and reasonably priced when compared to the other diet food brands lining the shelves.
After creating a free account on the Atkins website, I used the progress tracker to help log my food intake. I preferred using the smartphone app over the desktop version, as it was more user-friendly and offered additional features—such as the ability to scan barcodes to track nutritional information. The app also made it easier to search for recipe ideas.
I found the pre-made food relatively satisfying, which made it easy to stick to the plan. I didn’t feel deprived or like I was on a “diet” the majority of the week—a major plus. I enjoyed protein shakes for breakfast, occasional frozen meals for lunch and dinner and assorted snacks throughout the day. The shakes had a smooth texture and weren’t chalky like some brands I’ve tried. I could easily drink a shake for breakfast in the mornings and make it to lunch without feeling hungry.
The portion sizes of the frozen meals were a bit small, so I had mid-day urges to snack. However, the snacks—such as the protein chips and meal bars—were satisfying and helped tide me over until my next meal. I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor of the products, as I’ve had mostly poor experiences with convenience diet foods in the past.
When preparing my own meals, I initially found the guidelines a bit overwhelming. I stuck with recipes from the Atkins website and app since they followed the specific nutritional requirements. After a few days of meal planning, I had the hang of it and felt confident in my food choices.
The biggest downside to the Atkins diet is the amount of cooking, meal planning and advanced preparation, which is time-consuming. If you don’t have the patience for it, the pre-made foods are a convenient option—but I personally wouldn’t want to eat them…