Atkins diet

rach2582
rach2582 Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone, im on the atkins diet and works very well for me, when I first started it I started off at 16st and went down to 12st 3lb in just over a month. After a few celebrations and lost focus I obviously gained weight and went up to 13st 5lb, after re starting it I've been doing it for 2weeks now and im down to 12st 7lb so on my journey again so I'm happy. Does anyone else do the atkins diet and how do you find it? And nice recipes etc xx

Replies

  • lordkiwi
    lordkiwi Posts: 2 Member
    I am finaly seeing results on keto. Atkins and Keto are similar but different diets. Keto you can live with for ever but Atkins your likely to fall off the wagon again at some point. The main similarity is eliminating all carbohydrates and starches. All of them. 20g to begin with but those without insulin resistance can go as high as 50g. The main difference is Atkins avoids most vegitables while keto embraces non starchy veg. mostly greens like kale collards, spinach cabbage. Vegitables should be cooked with butter or meat.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited April 2021
    lordkiwi wrote: »
    The main similarity is eliminating all carbohydrates and starches. All of them. 20g to begin with but those without insulin resistance can go as high as 50g. The main difference is Atkins avoids most vegitables while keto embraces non starchy veg. mostly greens like kale collards, spinach cabbage.

    I don't quite get the claim that you must eliminate all carbs and then the acknowledgement that 20 g to 50 g are okay. I've done keto, and actually it's likely one is in ketosis (depending on size, activity level) at above 20 g net carbs (and note that it's net carbs, which allows a lot more veg than 20 g total carbs would). Some keto guru types recommend starting at 20 g to get into ketosis faster, but personally I think it makes more sense to go lower carb first and continuing cutting carbs -- for me, the fact I was low carb and went keto seemed to prevent any significant keto flu (that and increasing salt some and continuing to eat los of veg for the potassium, as well as the other benefits).

    I'm not sure why you say Atkins avoids most veg, as I think veg (up to carb limit) are encouraged on Atkins, and I also think the super low carb limit is only for stage one and at least back in the day when I recall everyone doing it (early 2000s), there was a later maintenance stage that was basically about finding the amount of carbs right for you -- stage 1 would have been basically what is now called keto, and the maintenance stage probaby just low or even moderate carb.

    I would also add that although greens are great and encouraged, keto would be consistent with eating other non starchy veg like asparagus, zucchini, cauliflower, etc., as well as whatever else you can fit in your carb limit (including winter squash, some root veg like turnips and carrots and parsnips), as well as other foods with carbs that can fit -- I always made sure to eat nuts and seeds, which have carbs, some manage to fit in lower carb fruits (and of course avocado), and even yogurt.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,260 Member
    lordkiwi wrote: »
    I am finaly seeing results on keto. Atkins and Keto are similar but different diets. Keto you can live with for ever but Atkins your likely to fall off the wagon again at some point. The main similarity is eliminating all carbohydrates and starches. All of them. 20g to begin with but those without insulin resistance can go as high as 50g. The main difference is Atkins avoids most vegitables while keto embraces non starchy veg. mostly greens like kale collards, spinach cabbage. Vegitables should be cooked with butter or meat.

    Why are you more likely to fall off the wagon on Atkins than on Keto??

    Just curious - no intention of following either myself.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,374 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    lordkiwi wrote: »
    The main similarity is eliminating all carbohydrates and starches. All of them. 20g to begin with but those without insulin resistance can go as high as 50g. The main difference is Atkins avoids most vegitables while keto embraces non starchy veg. mostly greens like kale collards, spinach cabbage.

    I don't quite get the claim that you must eliminate all carbs and then the acknowledgement that 20 g to 50 g are okay. I've done keto, and actually it's likely one is in ketosis (depending on size, activity level) at above 20 g net carbs (and note that it's net carbs, which allows a lot more veg than 20 g total carbs would). Some keto guru types recommend starting at 20 g to get into ketosis faster, but personally I think it makes more sense to go lower carb first and continuing cutting carbs -- for me, the fact I was low carb and went keto seemed to prevent any significant keto flu (that and increasing salt some and continuing to eat los of veg for the potassium, as well as the other benefits).

    I'm not sure why you say Atkins avoids most veg, as I think veg (up to carb limit) are encouraged on Atkins, and I also think the super low carb limit is only for stage one and at least back in the day when I recall everyone doing it (early 2000s), there was a later maintenance stage that was basically about finding the amount of carbs right for you -- stage 1 would have been basically what is now called keto, and the maintenance stage probaby just low or even moderate carb.

    I would also add that although greens are great and encouraged, keto would be consistent with eating other non starchy veg like asparagus, zucchini, cauliflower, etc., as well as whatever else you can fit in your carb limit (including winter squash, some root veg like turnips and carrots and parsnips), as well as other foods with carbs that can fit -- I always made sure to eat nuts and seeds, which have carbs, some manage to fit in lower carb fruits (and of course avocado), and even yogurt.

    This plus the fact the Atkins focuses more on protein where keto focuses on fat. Even in the induction phase of Atkins you are supposed to eat a green salad with both lunch and dinner, so why the claim that Atkins is 'no' veggies?
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,771 Member
    edited May 2021
    lordkiwi wrote: »
    I am finaly seeing results on keto. Atkins and Keto are similar but different diets. Keto you can live with for ever but Atkins your likely to fall off the wagon again at some point. The main similarity is eliminating all carbohydrates and starches. All of them. 20g to begin with but those without insulin resistance can go as high as 50g. The main difference is Atkins avoids most vegitables while keto embraces non starchy veg. mostly greens like kale collards, spinach cabbage. Vegitables should be cooked with butter or meat.

    *😑*
    The keto diet is NOT a longevity diet, a heart healthy diet, a sustainable diet OR smartest diet.
    We all vary in food preferences. Low carb, high carb, vegan, Paleo etc. Here is the take home questions-

    What can I do to loose weight SAFELY AND PERMANENTLY, that will keep me young healthy disease free and vital? What changes are realistic enough for me to sustain and are smart? What does not include a goal of eliminating almost an entire macronutrient my body needs in balance for my life and health?
    At the top- what can I do to reduce the calories I take in compared to burn causing a deglict which is the bottom line for weight loss AND that is smart?
    Keto was never intended as a lifestyle. It was done for severe medical use in an aggressive treatment.
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  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited May 2021
    tsazani wrote: »
    These are the modern Atkins guidelines. You eat REAL healthy foods. No crap. The induction phase is keto. As you approach your goal weight you may increase the carbs.

    I'm type 2 diabetic (in remission at goal weight) so I'm usually in phase 2. Once or twice a week I'll do phase 4.

    Phase 1 (Induction).  This phase allows for 20–25 grams of net carbs per day until you are 15 pounds (7 kg) from your goal weight.

     Phase 2. During this phase, you consume 25–50 grams of net carbs per day until you are 10 pounds (5 kg) from your goal weight.

     Phase 3. Your net carb allowance is raised to 50–80 grams per day until you have met your goal weight and maintained it for 1 month.

    Phase 4. During the final phase, you consume 80–100 grams of net carbs per day for ongoing weight maintenance.

    If "crap" is supposed to mean highly processed snack type foods, Atkins sells such foods, marketed as compatible with the diet.

    Also, one can eat a healthy diet doing keto (and I eat lowish carb myself), but it is somewhat more challenging since you cut out many healthful (meaning nutrient dense) foods. For example, looking at the guidelines for Phase 1, you are not supposed to eat any fruit, any dairy other than cheese or butter, legumes, starchy veg, or whole grains.

    Often I think people who see going super low carb as improving the nutrient-density of their diets were simply not choosing to eat a nutrient-dense diet before they limited their diet to basically meat, eggs, non starchy veg, and added fats. Also, for me, eating less than 25 g net carbs including nuts and seeds would force me to cut back on the amount and diversity of non starchy veg I like to eat (I know this, since I experimented with keto at one point).

    I do agree that one can do keto healthfully, that phase 1 Atkins is basically keto, and that the original claim that Atkins avoids most vegetables is not true (at least if by vegetables we are using the normal culinary meaning).
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  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    Yeah, it's easier with 40 net carbs than 20-25. When I was experimenting with keto I tried to stay below 35 net, and had to cut back on veg some, but I was also eating at least a serving or two of nuts or seeds, half an avocado most days, and occasionally some greek yogurt. I normally like to have at least 10 servings of veg daily, so I know not everyone has the same idea of what a lot of veg looks like as I do.
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  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    You don't need to, but I think it's good for you, and plus they are tasty.
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  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    tsazani wrote: »
    My problem with veggies is that they are not calorie dense. I'm constantly trying to add calories to my diet. Veggies are weak on calories.

    It's difficult to eat a lot of them and stay inside my eating window of 4 to 6 hours.

    Plus I eat them because they are supposedly good for me. But I don't particularly like them.

    Add butter.
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  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    One reason I couldn't do a really small eating window is I would find it hard to get the amount of vegetables, fiber, and protein I think is optimal. When I'm on a deficit (at least right now, when my workout schedule is more flexible) I find two meals works well, so have been eating in a 7 or 8 hour window. When I lost a lot of weight and then when maintaining, I prefer 3 meals, with breakfast right after running or other working out.
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