Atkins diet

[Bonegavel]

I'm starting this puppy tomorrow. Anyone have any words of encouragement or have tried this and have words of caution?

I'm in the process of reading the "bible" and the science behind the Atkins diet seems very sound. Everyone that I know that has tried this diet has lost lots and lots of weight. In addition, the people who have lost and stopped watching their carb intake have gained it all back.

[ISiddiqui]

Don't go super gung-ho and cut out ALL carbs. The diet says you should eat some carbs. And pace yourself, do some exercise with it, and stick to it .

[damnMikeBrown]

I'm 2 weeks into induction (20 carbs per day max). A couple things so far. The damn ketostix.

They are fickle. If you get trace, you're ok. A good deal of the result depends upon the time you've eaten until you test. As long as you come out in trace amount, you're fine.

Oh, the first 2-3 days I was on it, I was, how to say it, foggy. The brain runs on glycogen, and I guess mine was just upset without it's normal amount. I was a shade ill at the time too though, so that could've been it as well.

I've lost maybe 2 pounds or so? Difficult to say, as I've been lifting heavy. There is an initial amount of water loss, as h20 bonds with carbs, which you're drastically cutting down. So those first couple pounds you'll drop in the first few days most likely aren't real weight loss. On that note, hydration is extremely important because of the above. Make sure you're hydrating yourself more than you think is necessary. (yes there's such a thing as overhydration, but don't get ridiculous, and I won't have to get into that)

If you're active, expect a bit of a dip in your performance level.

I haven't been great about the protein I'm consuming. I do good 3/4 of the time, but I have hotdogs at lunch frequently & sausage with breakfast. I've read where he says that's bad, and where it doesn't really matter.

At any rate, my results have been nominal, but in only 2 weeks. The person I'm doing it with is already in a pair of jeans that she hasn't worn in 2 years, and they're fitting comfortably. She says, however, that she hasn't dropped a great deal of weight.

The body needs time to adjust.

[Kodos]

I'm a week into it, and have lost 2 pounds. My girlfriend has lost 19 pounds, but she has been on it longer.

I can report that I have been more tired than normal. Hopefully the actual weight loss will start soon. I am sick of eating eggs for breakfast every morning.

[damnMikeBrown]

On a side-note. I've found a couple really nice treats.

Sugarfree Jello with whipped cream. It's yummy, sweet & fun.

The atkin's candy bars. I've only tried the peanut butter & caramerl ones. The caramel was VERY yummy, and worth it. The peanut buter one, well, tasted like peanut butter. Big wup.

I use strawberry flavored Whey Protein for lifting. Mix that with milk & some whipped cream & it's -almost- like a shake. It's thick, creamy, and strawberry. Have to watch how much milk though. There's carbs in them there cows.

[sabotai]

"I'm starting this puppy tomorrow. Anyone have any words of encouragement or have tried this and have words of caution?"

Did you consult your doctor? I know there are a lot of fantical followers of Atkins, so they'll probably scream blasphemy at me for this ( ), but you should get you kidneys checked for any problems before the diet. Atkins might not cause kidney problems, but if you already have kidney problems, Atkins has been at least accused of furthering those problems.

[TroyF]

Originally posted by sabotai
"I'm starting this puppy tomorrow. Anyone have any words of encouragement or have tried this and have words of caution?"

Did you consult your doctor? I know there are a lot of fantical followers of Atkins, so they'll probably scream blasphemy at me for this ( ), but you should get you kidneys checked for any problems before the diet. Atkins might not cause kidney problems, but if you already have kidney problems, Atkins has been at least accused of furthering those problems.

My advice? Reread this post. You should start any diet with a consultation to a doctor to or nutricianist to talk about the right method for you.

TroyF

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by sabotai
"I'm starting this puppy tomorrow. Anyone have any words of encouragement or have tried this and have words of caution?"

Did you consult your doctor? I know there are a lot of fantical followers of Atkins, so they'll probably scream blasphemy at me for this ( ), but you should get you kidneys checked for any problems before the diet. Atkins might not cause kidney problems, but if you already have kidney problems, Atkins has been at least accused of furthering those problems.

Not blasphemey. It is exactly what Atkins says to do. Of course since my MD put me on the diet, I would guess that it was ok for me.

[Blackadar]

I tried it for a couple of weeks. Felt logy and never lost a pound.

[Logan]

Just curious, but have any other members of the board lost weight through any other method than a "fad" diet like the Atkins?

I ask because we seem to get a lot of posts back and forth debating the pros and cons of this diet, specifically in a thread a month or two ago. Some say they've lost a lot of weight - which is great - and some say they feel its an unhealthy approach - which is probably a justifiable concern.

Personally, I have been very overweight since I can remember. I tried a bunch of the fad diets (never the Atkins though--I just felt it couldn't be healthy to eat like that--but thats an old debate) with no success. Did the Weight Watchers points system and had some success, but when I stopped losing I got discouraged and put it back on, plus plenty more. Now, a couple family members have done very well on that diet, but insist its the weekly meetings and weigh-ins that lead to most of the continued success. And I do have a friend who dropped a solid 80 lbs on the Atkins, so I guess thats one more testimonial.

Anyway, in my case, I decided I wanted to lose weight, but it would be in a simple way. Eat less, exercise more! No tricks, no over-indulgence in some areas. Simply put, I ate a lot of grilled chicken, stayed away from the fried foods, cheese, desserts...all the good stuff. Watched the fat content, calories, and carbs. Went to the gym and rode the bikes at pretty high intensity for at least a half hour at least five times a week. And then there's what I felt was the biggest thing--I didn't eat anything after dinner. Maybe some veggies here and there, but that was it. After a couple weeks, I wasn't hungry after dinner. You're body's metabolism is real slow then, so obviously anything you eat will probably stay with you. Plus, if you're not eating anything else, you'll still be burning calories (even at a slow rate). If I had to attribute one specific thing to the success, its cutting out eating after dinner.

Oh, and my results? I weighed in at about 330 less than a year ago. I'm almost at the century mark, currently at 235. I have to say it really has been easier than I expected. Still difficult, but if someone would have told me about 10 months ago that I could lose close to 100 lbs only by doing what I was doing, I would have said they were crazy.

So anybody else have success stories, losing weight the old-fashioned way?

[damnMikeBrown]

All I've got to say is, Congratulations Logan!

That's just wonderfull. You must be absolutely thrilled with your progress. It's a marvelous thing that you've done not only for yourself, but for your family.

It can be as simple as you make it I suppose. It's a very basic formulae. Calories used > Calories consumed, and voila, weight loss.

It's just amazing. 10 months, and you've completely changed your life! Living with it, it probably doesnt seem like much, but look what you've done! Let me applaud you again, and urge you to keep up the good work.

I'm doing the Atkins in support of my mother, who needs to loose weight. If it takes an unconventional approach for her to do it, so be it. Whatever works, and for her, not many other things have. Aside from the support, for me, it's just a bit of vanity. I'm just wondering if a drop of 10lbs or so would be enough to give me a 6-pack.

[korme]

Originally posted by Logan
Oh, and my results? I weighed in at about 330 less than a year ago. I'm almost at the century mark, currently at 235. I have to say it really has been easier than I expected. Still difficult, but if someone would have told me about 10 months ago that I could lose close to 100 lbs only by doing what I was doing, I would have said they were crazy.

So anybody else have success stories, losing weight the old-fashioned way?

Wow, good for you man. Keep it up.

[Swaggs]

I have been doing Atkins and went from around 200 to about 180 in a matter of 3 months.

A few good hints:

--Somewhere between 3-7 days in, you will feel absolutely miserable. Fight through that, your body is going through a transition.
--Use Atkins Indulgence bars. They are pretty damn good and only have 4 carbs. Excellent for chocolate junkies. I recommend the peanut butter cups and wafer crisp-type bars (peanut butter, chocolate, or vanilla).
--Unsalted peanuts are a good snack. Remember for Atkins purposes, dietary fiber can be subtracted from your "carb count," so if they are like 7 carbs, but have 4 grams of dietary fiber, you only have a net of 3 carbs.
--Frozen whipped topping is another good desert/junk food. It has like 1 gram of carbs per tablespoon and can get you over the junkfood jones you will have.
--Heavy whipping cream can be subbed for milk.
--Most important, don't do a half ass Atkins diet, where you do everything, except, say stop drinking soda, juice, or beer. You will gain weight if you do not cut the carbs.

[sabotai]

"but if someone would have told me about 10 months ago that I could lose close to 100 lbs only by doing what I was doing, I would have said they were crazy."

Breaking it down to a per weekly figure, that comes to about 2 pounds per week. Sadly, most people are too impatient for 2 pounds per week. Even though any doctor will tell you that losing at lot more than that figure could cause some health problems.

[Ksyrup]

I don't consider Atkins to be a "fad diet." Even after I'm done losing weight, I intend to severely restrict my intake of sugar and flour. I've found alternatives to regular bread that are considered health foods, not just Atkins foods.

The key for me is increasing my carbs gradually, so that I don't go from eating no carbs and losing weight to eating like I used to and gaining it all back. I've lost about 45 pounds, and plan to lose another 10-15 over the next 6 months or so, by transitioning from a strict weight loss diet to more of an everyday diet. That means eating a pasta meal or a regular sandwich once a month, trying to incorporate that into a low-carb diet, because I know I'll want to eat those things every now and then. So far, it has worked, but my weight loss has slowed. That's OK, though, because I haven't gained, or when I have gained (like when I went on vacation), I quickly lost it.

My typical day's worth of eating goes something like this:

No breakfast
Some pumpkin seeds for a snack mid-morning (Pumpkorn kicks ass)
A salad for lunch
Chew lots of gum
Meat and either a salad or broccoli/green beans for dinner
An Atkins candy bar, jello, or popcorn for desert

It's really not that extreme - I'm cutting out cereal in the morning and starch at dinner.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by Swaggs
--Somewhere between 3-7 days in, you will feel absolutely miserable. Fight through that, your body is going through a transition.

Its more than that. Without carbs, the brain lacks a certain chemical which allows it to feel joy. People who encourage you to stay on the diet have simply learned to live without joy.

Me, I'm fat and happy

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by Samdari
Its more than that. Without carbs, the brain lacks a certain chemical which allows it to feel joy. People who encourage you to stay on the diet have simply learned to live without joy.

Me, I'm fat and happy

I love the misinformation spread by people. It is just so funny. Actually, about the second week you usually begin to feel great. It is almost euphoric. When I was fat, I would go up and down constantly (sugar reeks havok with your mood).

Logan, yes I have lost weight exactly how you described. But for me to maintain that weight meant that I could barely eat anything, and what I did eat was tastless food I didn't enjoy. I lost 55 pounds over about 8 months, and gained every bit of it back (and then some) in about three.

I'm like Kysrup. This is not just a diet. I have every intention of cutting out sugar and white flour out of my regular diet, and staying away from starchy foods. That doesn't mean not getting carbs or cutting out any food groups. It just means eating smarter than what FDA suggests.

[Subby]

Losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is all about common sense. Follow these five basic principles and you'll be half way there:

1) Reduce consumption of sugar, white flour, and corn to as close to zero as possible.

2) There are no bad fruits and vegetables. Eat them all the time, but don't fall into the fruit juice trap.

3) Exercise, even if it is just a brisk walk, 45 minutes per day.

4) Completely eliminate soda from your diet and make sure you are getting 64 oz of water through out the day.

5) Eat five fist-sized meals per day and don't eat after 8pm.

Obviously there are other ancillary points, most of which relate to moderation (ie. alcohol). Find your triggers (I am a big stress eater) and try to strategize against those. Doing the common sense stuff above enabled me to lose about 50 pounds over the course of several months. Nothing radical about what I did. Just a combination of stuff I learned about over the years...

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Subby
Losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is all about common sense. Follow these five basic principles and you'll be half way there:

1) Reduce consumption of sugar, white flour, and corn to as close to zero as possible.

2) There are no bad fruits and vegetables. Eat them all the time, but don't fall into the fruit juice trap.

3) Exercise, even if it is just a brisk walk, 45 minutes per day.

4) Completely eliminate soda from your diet and make sure you are getting 64 oz of water through out the day.

5) Eat five fist-sized meals per day and don't eat after 8pm.

Obviously there are other ancillary points, most of which relate to moderation (ie. alcohol). Find your triggers (I am a big stress eater) and try to strategize against those. Doing the common sense stuff above enabled me to lose about 50 pounds over the course of several months. Nothing radical about what I did. Just a combination of stuff I learned about over the years...

That very good advice, Subby - for those who can follow it. My problem is mainly with pasta, bread, and sweets. And the Atkins diet helps me to control those things, by severely restricting my intake of them. Because honestly, it is an addiction. It's something I cannot control, otherwise I wouldn't need to do it this way.

On the Atkins diet, I pretty much follow every single thing on your list (although admittedly, the exercise part I've been bad about), other than the fact that I won't eat certain fruits and vegatables. But I do eat them. In fact, over the past two months, I've eaten about one watermelon a week, as well as a bunch of strawberries. And I eat quite a bit of broccoli.

So I don't see where Atkins strays too far from a typically "sensible" diet, other than the intake of fat, which I think too much importance is placed on. It seems like the FDA would rather people get addicted to Snackwell's than eat a couple of slices of cheese as a snack.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by GrantDawg
I love the misinformation spread by people.

Well, then you must love the Atkins website.

[Subby]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
It seems like the FDA would rather people get addicted to Snackwell's than eat a couple of slices of cheese as a snack.

The lowfat, food pyramid-driven diet has to be one of the biggest fallacies ever pushed on the American public.

Avoid anything with corn syrup in it and you'll probably lose 10 pounds in two weeks...it's amazing how stuff has that in it...

[Axxon]

Originally posted by Subby

5) Eat five fist-sized meals per day and don't eat after 8pm.

Which would suck because I work at night.

Seriously, good post. I have the biggest problem with #4. It doesn't help to just say soda though. If I give that up I just switch to sweet tea. Same effect though definately less sugar when I make it. Still, I HAVE to get my caffeine somewhere!!!

[Subby]

Originally posted by Axxon
Seriously, good post. I have the biggest problem with #4. It doesn't help to just say soda though. If I give that up I just switch to sweet tea. Same effect though definately less sugar when I make it. Still, I HAVE to get my caffeine somewhere!!!

Caffeine isn't bad for you. I still drink two cups of coffee per day. Moderation, baby!

Soda is particularly bad for you because it is loaded with sugar and chemicals, not to mention that it completely screws with your endurance levels when competing/working out.

On the not eating after 8pm thing - that is easily adjusted to "don't eat three hours before bed time." But be careful about that because most of us are fairly sedentary in the evening, so you have to be a stickler about your caloric intake during the last meal of the day. If you have a big dinner, even before 8pm, it is a good idea to go for an after-dinner stroll...speeds up the metablolism.

[44Niners]

This “fad” diet never fails:

Eat in moderation – work out every day.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by 44Niners
This “fad” diet never fails:

Eat in moderation – work out every day.

Again, I don't think anyone would fault that. But for some people, it's not that easy. If I could eat all foods in moderation, I would. I've tried. I haven't been successful, or if I have, it's only lasted 6 months or so.

I have no clue whether food is addictive or not, in the drug/alcohol sense. I think there is evidence that it can be, whether it's a chemical dependency or used as a stress reliever, or whatever. With that possiblity in mind, though, you don't simply tell a gambler that they should gamble "in moderation," and that should take care of all of their problems. You've got to dig a little deeper than that.

[MizzouRah]

Originally posted by Subby
The lowfat, food pyramid-driven diet has to be one of the biggest fallacies ever pushed on the American public.

Avoid anything with corn syrup in it and you'll probably lose 10 pounds in two weeks...it's amazing how stuff has that in it...

High fructose corn syrup is really bad for you, although you'll have to cut out soda, candy, and things like rice crispy treats!

Men's health had a good article about HFCS and how bad it really is for you. Like Subby said, get rid of that from your diet and you'll loose weight.


Todd

[Radii]

I agree with KSyrup on this one about the 'simple' answer being more exercise and less eating. For many people it's just not that easy.

Every time I've ever tried to diet before, I haven't felt in control. I've always felt like its been a constant battle for me to ignore hunger. For a year or two or more I have probably been hypoglycemic and just never gone to see anyone about it until recently... if I missed a meal, or had any strenuous exercise, I would get very very hungry very fast and if i didn't eat right away I'd get sick and dizzy...

Whether it's medically proven or not, I totally buy in to the idea that I am/was addicted to food. Perhaps I'm technically just addicted to sugar, or addicted to carbs, but I definitely feel something akin to an addiction.

I started the Atkins diet 3 weeks ago, and the symptoms of hypoglycemia disappeared within the first 48 hours. I can now have a late lunch if I'm busy at work without being afraid about getting sick, or without rushing to eat before I need to because I am afraid of that sick feeling that would come with missing a meal... and when I say missing a meal, I don't mean skipping lunch, I mean eating at 2pm instead of noon.

I cannot begin to say how different I feel on this diet. It's only been 3 weeks, so the verdict is still out, but I feel in control of my exercise habits and eating habits for the first time in 2 years, and the fear of the hypoglycemia symptoms I'd been dealing with makes it really easy to resist that occasional urge for a soda :P

I haven't felt the euphoric gain in energy that many people talk about, but I feel a... steadiness that wasn't there before. I lost 12 pounds the first week(although I was also going through the stress of a breakup, and moving at the same time) and am up to 18 pounds total lost, though I have a long way to go(at least 75 more to lose), but seriously, for the first time in a number of years, I feel in control of what, when, and how much I eat.

[Craptacular]

I've cut out regular soda, we've been careful about baking and cooking with whole wheat flours, etc, had french fries or other potatoes maybe once every couple of weeks, and stopped eating candy with sugar. I still eat tacos and burgers and chicken tenders all the time, and haven't maintained an exercise program (not that I'm recommending that). I've lost about 20-25 pounds since I started in late January. If nothing else, just really watch the amount of sugar you eat. As others have posted, fruits and fruit sugars are still good.

[44Niners]

The point is every single person I have known that has tried a “diet” such as this has either:

1. given up before getting results or
2. had great results, went off and gained most if not all and more back

The only thing that works long term is a change in lifestyle – eating (and drinking) in moderation and working out everyday – no other diet comes close to being as effective.

Yes – it is hard, the facts of life are that most things worth a damn are.

[Radii]

Originally posted by 44Niners
The point is every single person I have known that has tried a “diet” such as this has either:

1. given up before getting results or
2. had great results, went off and gained most if not all and more back

The only thing that works long term is a change in lifestyle – eating (and drinking) in moderation and working out everyday – no other diet comes close to being as effective.

Yes – it is hard, the facts of life are that most things worth a damn are.

Actually to succeed on any diet you have to view it as a lifetime change in lifestyle. I have no intention of ever going back to a massive carb diet. Of course you increase your carbs later on but never back to the 242314235 grams a day that many people consume today.

Also you should recognize that some people, myself and GrantDawg at least IIRC from earlier in the thread were recommended by their physicians that we go on the atkins diet specifically. Although in my case it was a rather half assed suggestion by my doctor, he did make the suggestion and support it.

My mother is currently getting ready to try out the Atkins diet with full support of her physician since she's a diabetic, they are hoping that it will allow her to control her insulin a little better which will allow the doctors to treat some other chronic pain conditions she is facing.

My point? Every individual is different. After years and years of obesity simply eating less and exercising more often isn't enough. In my case I am learning that I needed a diet tailored to my specific medical problems to have a chance in hell of success.

[Franklinnoble]

When I divorced my first wife, I decided to slim down to make my self more marketable. At the time I was about 260 pounds.

I lived alone in an apartment, with no family around, and only a few friends. This, I think, was the key - because there wasn't any convenient means to sabotage my routine. I cleaned out pretty much every article of food in the place, and adhered to the following diet:

Breakfast - Fruit and water, along with vitamins and supplements.

Lunch - More water. Water all day long. Pissed like a racehorse.

Dinner - Vegetarian pseudo fried chicken patty on toast with a bit of ketchup.

Dessert - No stinkin' desert.

I worked out 5 days a week (conveniently, the company I worked for had a pretty decent fitness center, which allowed me to spend my lunch on an elliptical stair machine instead of in front of a cheeseburger).

I slimmed down to 180# in less than four months.

Again, this is not an easy diet. If your married or otherwise live with anyone, it's almost impossible. If you don't have a way to exercise every day, it's almost impossible. If you don't have the willpower and motivation to stick to it, it IS impossible. Otherwise, it's the best possible way to lose weight.

As an aside... I've since re-married, and in one year, am now back up to 250 pounds. But, hey, my wife is pregnant, and her belly is keeping pace with mine, so I don't feel so bad about it.