[skunkworks]

One big problem with Atkins: very, very difficult to have high-quality workouts due to low carbohydrate intake. Performance suffers across the board, and glycogen stores are exhausted quickly and not replenished adequately afterward.

If you weren't getting enough protein intake on a low-cal diet, that's kinda your fault and not really a good excuse. Were you eating too many carbs and not enough fat/protein?