Please tell me how you feel on Atkins or low carb....

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fightingthebulge
fightingthebulge Posts: 65 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hello I have some questions for everyone on a low carb diet. back in 2003 I ate cold cuts and salad and lost 20 pounds very fast although this made me feel bored from eating the same thing all the time. What does someone who eats low carb menu look like? can anyone tell me what they eat with it . and how do you feel? do you feel lathargic at all?
can you get sick by doing this? can you die? does your body need carbs?
is it healthy? sorry for all the questions but I have been thinking about trying this and seeing how it goes for awhile but I am a but nervous.

Replies

  • leanmass24
    leanmass24 Posts: 304 Member
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    Um, let's see, where to start. I am not a medical professional, but this is my take on Atkins from experiance. If you like meat it is not too hard to do for a while. The first week is the roughest, your body goes into withdrawals from not eating any carbs. I had headaches. Not all the time but it is enough to make some people want to quit. After the first week it gets better. I didn't feel lathargic but my energy was not at it's normal level. My meals consisted of eggs and cheese for breakfast, sometimes bacon also. For lunch I would have a chicken salad with select greens according to the plan. And dinner would usually have some other meat with low carb greens. Maybe low carb cheese cake for dessert or sugar free jello with ready whip.... It didn't havemany carbs at all... For snacks I would eat pork rinds with cream cheese, or some sort of meat stick, beef jerky, or something of that nature. It is kinda hard to do if you don't have the time to cook all of your meals. I did lose 35lbs in a month when I was on it and 16 PBS the second month, after that though I couldn't take not having carbs... I needed my breads and pasta. Never was one for sweets though.
  • leanmass24
    leanmass24 Posts: 304 Member
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    Eventually you are supposed to reintroduce good carbs back until you are at your maintenance calories.... I didn't make it that far. I might go on it one more time if I get stuck on a plateau and nothing seems to be helping. I don't think that the initial drop to pretty much no carbs is good for you. It shocks your body into losing weight. I am sure that diffenrt people have different reactions to the drastic change. It could potentially have negative heath effects long term but there is not enough research on it right now to prove either way. Basically it forces your body to burn your fat reserves. The one thng that I do know is that it is effective short term.
  • hollymlb
    hollymlb Posts: 6
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    According to what I have always heard Carbs are what feeds your brain and some other important functions of the body. So you don't ever want to go no Carbs. Low Carbs but not to low can be ok and will generally help with weight loss. For women like me with PCOS, and people with IR(I have this too) or other sugar issues this might be the only way to shed some pounds. I love my breads and pastas and still eat them sometimes, but in moderation and not near as often as I used to. I have never done no Carbs, but low Carbs I initially felt a little sluggish but once my body adjusted and I got on some better vitamins I have more energy then before. You gotta listen to your body it will tell you if what your doing is wrong or right for you. I get cravings everyonce in awhile for things I eat very little of it means my body needs more, so I give it in moderation and the craving will generally go away. My favorite things to eat are generally the Weight Watchers and Lean Cuisine type meals because they are easy to cook most are actually really good and do all the work of portioning, and counting for me. Also very easy to pack healthier lunch that way.
  • GrammaPower
    GrammaPower Posts: 49 Member
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    * If you do a SEARCH right here on MFP you will find a TON of Adkin's related PRO & CON. One thing is for certain - reagrdless of the food/calories you consume in efforts to drop weight , the important key is - Are you losing FAT lbs or are you losing H2O or even worse - lean muscle.
    * The initial big weight loss with Adkin's is known to be water lbs, and once the carb stores are depleted, fat & lean muscle will go, depending on what you are eating AND if you are doing aerobic exercise & or strength training to preserve muscle mass.
    * Problem is - once carbohydrate stores are depleted, ENERGY wanes, person goes into a chemical state of mild ketosis - funny metallic taste & smell to breath, racey feeling like too much caffeine in some folks. Ketosis is a state of chemistry in the body that indicates fat burning as fuel. But HOW ketotic is important. I could go on for way too long.
    * Consider reviewing the posts in the search. You'll find lovers & haters of Adkins. But once you stop - the weight has been known to fly back on, plus.
    * Another way to accomplish Fat Burn is daily aerobic exercise and strength training. really pushing your own envelope and comfort zone - of course - once you have medical clearance to do so.
    * Go for it! But consider adding daily serious exercise! And Enjoy the Ride!
  • weaklink109
    weaklink109 Posts: 2,831 Member
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    * If you do a SEARCH right here on MFP you will find a TON of Adkin's related PRO & CON. One thing is for certain - reagrdless of the food/calories you consume in efforts to drop weight , the important key is - Are you losing FAT lbs or are you losing H2O or even worse - lean muscle.
    * The initial big weight loss with Adkin's is known to be water lbs, and once the carb stores are depleted, fat & lean muscle will go, depending on what you are eating AND if you are doing aerobic exercise & or strength training to preserve muscle mass.
    * Problem is - once carbohydrate stores are depleted, ENERGY wanes, person goes into a chemical state of mild ketosis - funny metallic taste & smell to breath, racey feeling like too much caffeine in some folks. Ketosis is a state of chemistry in the body that indicates fat burning as fuel. But HOW ketotic is important. I could go on for way too long.
    * Consider reviewing the posts in the search. You'll find lovers & haters of Adkins. But once you stop - the weight has been known to fly back on, plus.
    * Another way to accomplish Fat Burn is daily aerobic exercise and strength training. really pushing your own envelope and comfort zone - of course - once you have medical clearance to do so.
    * Go for it! But consider adding daily serious exercise! And Enjoy the Ride!

    The weight WILL come back if you don't do the maintenance phase properly and re introduce carbs back in to your diet the right way. The people who gained weight after losing on Atkins (me included) did so because they went right back to the eating habits that got them overweight to begin with.

    BTW, I would be rather curious to know where it is written that "The initial big weight loss with Adkin's is known to be water lbs." On ANY diet, PART of what you lose, initially, is likely to be water, but Atkins is no different than any other diet in this regard.

    I am on a low carb regimen right now, not Atkins, and am in a state of ketosis, and the "problems" described above haven't happened now or when I did Atkins about 8 years ago. They may be more likely a result of the body eliminating toxins that have accumulated from the typical diet we have that involves lots of processed foods.

    To the original poster, if you would like to make contact with someone on MFP who has extensive experience with low carb eating and is very knowledgeable about nutrition in general, send a PM to July24Lioness, and you can mention I suggested you contact her. She is always willing to answer questions and give factual information and/or her opinion, depending on the questions you ask.

    Low carb can be an important stepping stone in weight loss. I chose to go on a plan that involves low carb because I was at a plateau and needed to get things moving. BTW, I have lost 12 lbs. in 18 days. That is more than I lost between January and mid-July.

    Good luck to you, whatever you decide.
  • AnnieeR
    AnnieeR Posts: 229
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    For me, low GI/GL has worked better than low carbs - for the most part I stay completely away from any white carbs (bread, rice, couscous etc) but eat the whole/brown varieties of all of them. I find I have far more energy - I don't think I could eliminate carbs without feeling really run down.
  • fightingthebulge
    fightingthebulge Posts: 65 Member
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    wow I don't think this is something I can do it seems very hard and boring lol thank you
  • weaklink109
    weaklink109 Posts: 2,831 Member
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    wow I don't think this is something I can do it seems very hard and boring lol thank you

    When I started with MFP in April 2009, I had great skepticism that it would make any difference--figured I was doomed to be a size 24W the rest of my life, but I decided to TRY....my ticker tells the tale.

    You know what they say, "If you think you CAN, you are right. :flowerforyou: If you think you CAN'T, you are also right.":cry:


    EDIT-BTW, I am now wearing a misses size 12 or 14 in slacks and a medium top instead of a 2X!!!:drinker: :drinker:
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    wow I don't think this is something I can do it seems very hard and boring lol thank you

    When I started with MFP in April 2009, I had great skepticism that it would make any difference--figured I was doomed to be a size 24W the rest of my life, but I decided to TRY....my ticker tells the tale.

    You know what they say, "If you think you CAN, you are right. If you think you CAN'T, you are also right."

    I have never heard that quote, bloody good quote though! How true it is!!
  • saverys_gal
    saverys_gal Posts: 808 Member
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    I've been living the low carb lifestyle for over a year now and haven't looked back.

    I physically feel better eating this way than I did before-I have more energy, I don't get tired after meals, I don't feel so loaded down from all the carbs!
    The first week of low carb is tough because your body does have to adjust-you will most likely feel kinda foggy, have some headaches and quite frankly might be kinda cranky! But once your body adjusts to not having those carbs-man it's great!! But, that's only if a low carb, high protein "diet" is for you.
    As someone has mentioned before, you do have to continue on the low carb lifestyle in order to maintain the weightloss-you don't just eat this way to get the weight off and then go back to your normal eating habits. If you do, all of the weight WILL come back.
    I lost exactly 65 pounds in my first year, am currently at 68lbs. down and my goal is 75lbs. and I have done it through low carb and exercise.
    As far as food choices-I did find it difficult at first but the longer I kept at it, the easier it got, plus as you move through the phases, you do reintroduce more carbs back in. My diary is open to all, so are free to look if you're curious for some ideas.
    Hope this was helpful! :smile:
  • AnnieeR
    AnnieeR Posts: 229
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    You know what they say, "If you think you CAN, you are right. :flowerforyou: If you think you CAN'T, you are also right.":cry:

    That is a GREAT quote.

    I think the thing for me is all things in moderation. On MOST days I don't eat white carbs, but if I'm really and truly craving some white rice or if I'm at a party and the birthday cake is on offer... I don't stress over it and have a small bit. But what I think you'd find is that once you're used to it, a hunk of white bread actually tastes kind of disgusting! Your body and tastes have to adapt to healthy eating, but once they do, the DO! :smile:
  • judswi
    judswi Posts: 73 Member
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    well for me it is the only diet that worked for me, in the beginning you are tired I did the low carb but not as strict as the book my favorite food is pasta I still ate it every week plus we went out to eat once a week and I had a few beers and I still lost every week i cut out sweets, bread ,potato but if you add those foods back in the weight will come back. I lost 50 lbs in 2004 I went off the diet and gained the weight back, 1-3-09 I went back on the low carb diet and lost again this time I am going to keep it under control. I don't know if it is my body type but a lot of carbs makes me gain a lot of weight. Good Luck with your weight loss journey
  • tralalara
    tralalara Posts: 149
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    I started off with The Zone Diet which is moderately low carb. I've kind of played with the numbers and have found a moderate carb lifestyle I can live with easily and still lose weight. I changed my MFP settings to 40%carbs, 30%fat, 30%protein. Some days I come in low on the protein but I feel like this is a ratio I can live comfortably with and still lose weight. I aim for about 10gr fat, 20gr protein, 30gr carbs at each meal with balanced snacks in between. I'm trying to stick to whole grain carbs and lots of veggies and fruit. I feel great. I'm feeling SO much better than before I started this. My aches and pains are MUCH better and I've read it's from the diet being anti inflamatory. Send me a friend request and you can read my diary. I'm not always perfect and I do eat some "processed" foods but it's working for me.
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    ^^^ I also do moderate carbs, I think this is the best way to go for satiety and general health. I have the same mfp settings (40/30/30) and feel great! I will occasionally carb cycle by doing very low carb days and higher carb days as well. If induction makes you feel crappy (like it did for me), you don't need to do it, you can aim for 50g a day or so and still get fast results. Low carb isn't boring, though, you can eat a lot of stuff - meats, eggs, cheese, veggies, legumes.. Just no grains

    Your body needs some degree of carbs, such as those that come from veggies and fruit, but low carb diets have not been shown to be dangerous. In fact, the Paleo diet argues that early man ate this way since breads and other grains require processing. Also, its basically an ideal diabetic diet you're following Hope that helps

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