Anyone doing Atkins?

MissImpala

Both the Atkins diet and the Heller (Carbohydrate addicts diet) work because the body is not putting out insulin as often. Insulin is the hunger hormone. That is why many of us have cravings for more when we eat carbs, especially foods with a high glycemic index.
I did the Atkins diet years ago. I had tons of energy and never got cravings or the "shakes" from low blood sugar, an affliction I have had all my life.
Yes, no matter what diet plan, including simple calorie restriction, anyone will gain weight if they go back to their old habits. You can hardly blame the diet for that. Weight loss can only be maintained by changing one's eating habits FOR LIFE.

There is nothing unsafe or unhealthy about the low carb way of eating. Lets not forget that the Inuit people lived on fish, meat and blubber and were very healthy with no heart disease until they adopted the Western diet. The Masai people of Africa live on fermented milk, meat and blood and are very lean healthy people.

I totally agree with Kate! If your a true carboholic, you will be miserably full, yet your brain is telling you to eat, eat, eat! Grant it I have just started this diet on 1/27, but once I detoxified myself, (the first 5 days of low carbs), I can't believe the change in my brain chemistry! When I have fallen off of the wagon and eaten something with too many carbs, I end up paying for it, fighting those cravings, and getting back on the wagon.

I am finally, finally able to maintain a low calorie diet without thinking about food constantly. I have PCOS which is a syndrome that many women have, they will know what I mean about the compulsion so intense you can't fight it to eat carbs. Now I watch as other's eat carbs, and I have no problem with it.

I eat more vegetables now than I did before, most of my carbs, nearly all are comprised of veggies. But in diets where I did the same thing but ate carbs, I finally gave in to the compulsions. Hi my name is Angel and I am a carboholic.

There are clear instructions on what one is to do to step their carbs up as they approach their goal weight, but just like a diabetic, this will likley be a life long struggle. But I feel so much better, but most of all, I am finally in control of my eating! I eat A LOT of natural unprocessed foods, I eat a lot of chicken, eggs, cheese and fish and about once/twice a week some beef. I am getting better and better in tune with my body, whereas before I could not hear my body for the screaming in my brain telling me to eat.

As far as science goes, more and more studies are coming out that support this diet / lifestyle change.

I actually don't see much difference in what I am doing now as opposed to what I did on WW except for the cheese, avocados and the intense hunger and cravings are gone. Insulin is a powerful catalyst in your brain chemistry to eat, and one that I have hopefully silenced.

MissImpala

I do Atkins for weight loss as well as what I now consider an Atkins Mod to adjust to what I can and can't tolerate. I have PCOS and extremely insulin resistant so Atkins and extremely low carb is the only way I can lose weight. I also attribute 3 of my 4 pregnancies to doing Atkins. Every time I did it hard core it brought my hormone levels in check and made it possible to conceive. I personally am a huge carb addict. Anything with high carbs will throw me into non stop cravings and never being able to feel full. So I personally love it. I recently on the advise of others here, and massive reading on this sight bumped up my calorie intake along with my carb count to see if it will still work for me.

Congrats on doing Atkins and I sent you a friend request.

Interesting... it looks like PCOS might have another criteria to add to it's list of symptoms. I too have PCOS according to the symptoms. I call it being a carboholic. My sugar was never high, quite the opposite, I had huge issues with my sugar crashing when on diets and even when not on diets. I have absolutely no issues now, except I sometimes forget to eat!

HSM1982

I am starting on my second week of Atkins, still in the induction stage, and while the first four days were rough for me and I have lost 8 pounds so far, mostly water weight as described in the book. Every forum and site I have visited has given me a lot of good information and advice...mainly this, everyone is different (great emphasis on different) and will have to tweek their low-carb life style from time to time.

One thing that I have noticed is that my ability to strenuously exercise has gone way down and as I add more carbs to my diet in the future I think it will regulate and not be as noticeable. I still work out though, even if at a slower pace, and I enjoy it more sometimes because before I would feel all this pressure to really workout hard and sometimes that kills the joy that comes from exercise.

I stay away from the Atkins products...just a money maker for the Atkins brand, the book is essential though and also getting support from others that are following the plan. I am lucky because I only have one person in my immediate life and he doesn't make me feel silly or try to openly sabotage this attempt at a low carb lifestyle. That being said I make his food and he isn't on a low carb diet so I do get tempted.

I like this diet so far in that I feel a lot more in control of how my body functions after the first few days.

LKPMiller

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/LKPMiller/view/damn-lost-a-reply-to-a-message-board-post-639849

I don't think this was the reply I replied to before(!) , but it's the same thread!! I was talking about how I did Food Lovers Fat Loss a couple of years ago and was sort of struck by how the start of that diet is a mirror of how you should be eating at the end of Atkins. There is really nothing unhealthy about Atkins.

Leeanne1974

Hi all!
I am new to Atkins, been doing it for almost 3 weeks now. The main difference I have been doing is eating nuts during induction, simply because I find them incredibly filling.
I always really disagreed with very low carb diets but since starting this I can say, hand on heart, that I have found it easy to stick to and have the opposite of the possible side effects. I sleep better than I have in years, I (excuse me here lol) erm go to the toilet at least once a day (instead of 2 or 3 times a week), feel full (for example I ate my dinner at about half 8 tonight whereas normally I am famished by 6pm) and in general feel so much better. I have PCOS and a low carb diet is supposed to be one of the best ways to try and help naturally ease the symptoms. Normally I have a very light period and feel extremely bloated and sore for days. I have had the first proper period in about a year starting last week - although this could be pure co-incidence of course as I am only 3 weeks into this diet.
The ONLY problem I am finding is completely kicking sugar. I have tried today, for the first time ever, to have my coffee with no sugar. It tastes like crap but I have to persist.
I also read about a rice alternative that I purchased today, called Slim Rice. Stunk like fish when i opened the packed but rinsed it several times and cooked it and had it with some sausages and cheese. Sounds manky but was yummy.
Best of luck everyone!

Leeanne1974

And it has changed a LOT since it first became mainstream too.
I eat a massive salad every single day now with a bit of diced pepper in it. It is less restrictive compared to when I tried to do it years ago.

One more thing, there is no need for people to be so rude with snidey comments....

Nickih4619093

Hi! I'm eating low carb to lose 25lbs. Logging food and exercise everyday! Feel free to add me

jazz161

I started Atkins today. I have already done it before but stopped after Induction. Hopefully I can go longer this time all I need is the motivation. Which I know I have now. Good Luck!! add me too!!
Jazz

harrys1

Just joined myfitnesspal but have been low carb (Atkins) since May 2013 and have lost 65 lbs. Went that route because I was an insulin dependent diabetic. Stopped taking insulin and stopped eating carbs the same day and feel great about it. Have a ways to go, but this is definately working for me. Have recently added some fruit, and beans back into my diet and I have one meal a week where I "splurge and eat a carb I normally wouldn't. (ie - small baked potato, cheddar garlic bisquit from Red Lobster, etc.) Am now concentrating on portion control - still low carb - to ensure I can re-introduce some carbs and keep losing. I have no doubt that I have adjusted well enough to maintain my goal weight with this program.

RhiRhi1984

This is my second day on Atkins and I've lost 2lbs (water weight of course). I love it! I have energy, I actually woke up this morning rested and fulfilled. My grade on it so far is a B. Here are my Pros and Con's vs. a regular "counting calorie" type diet...

Pros: Good food (if you have the right recipes), energy, overall better well being. Unlike a "calorie counting" type diet I'm full and satisified, I felt like I was starving before and it's not like that anymore I was so scared of slipping up and going over my calorie limit and I was DEAD tired and bit***.

Con's: Learning to ignore the calories and count the "net" carbs, it's hard to know what sites are accurate with the information even the website itself! Calculation is: Carbs-Fiber/Sugar alcohol = Net Carbs... No offense but it's a pain in the a**! Plus, the Atkins App is terrible! Only good thing is the food list! So I use My Fitness Pal and the Atkins App to compare.

Lastly, I just want to say I've been skinny my whole life, I'm the fattest I've ever been at 161(my normal weight is 120-125). I have put off eating healthy for years and it's caught up to me... However, I alone had to make the decision to start this. No one else. It's a life style choice and screw anyone else that wants to tear you down. My motto is if I'm feeling better than I have in years that must be a good sign and I've read A TON of success stories with Atkins including my own family member who lost 70lbs on it and she's still going strong in Phase 4 and she loves it! Good luck to everyone! ????

Jennlc033

Bump