The NEW Atkins Diet?

MissMed07

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has tried the NEW Atkins diet (which they adverstise as being considerably better than the original). I bought the book and was considering starting it on May 1st. I have lost 15 pounds so far, and am looking to lose those last 10 with the help of this book.

I am a bit concerned, because everyone said the low carb thing makes you really crabby and can lead to depression. They also said once you finish you gain the weight back immediately.

Any information regarding your experiences would be super helpful.

Thanks!

Naomi91

I low carb a lot and dont get crabby xD I actually feel a lot better!

and im curious why does all the weight come back?

Newmammaluv

I am a bit concerned, because everyone said the low carb thing makes you really crabby and can lead to depression. They also said once you finish you gain the weight back immediately.

I think everyone says this about diets they don't like lol I've heard people say this about vegitarianism too! I'm not doing Atkins but I am cutting my carbs waaaayyyy down from what they were when I first started and the weight loss is FAST. I think for me carbs were contributing to my hormone issues so once I stopped eating them I've been feeling tons better.

lorinjer

it depends on your body. A few years ago (well actually like 8 or 9) a girlfirend and I started South Beach Diet (low Carb) and she couldnt handle it and didnt lose any weight. I on the other hand lost a lot of weight. She went for low fat diet and lost alot of weight.

mishmash73

it depends on what carbs you'll be giving up... the processed ones should make you feel better by not eating them (pasta bread, etc)... You also have to acknowledge that this is your new way of eating,,, forever... or you'll gain the weight back. You can add in some carbs, but you can never eat the way you use to again or you're torturing yourself for nothing.

NoExcuseTina

I feel better when I eat low carb...for me, I try to keep my NET CARBS under 100g

Also...just like with any change in your eating (your diet)...if you eat low carb, then stop and go back to eating anything you want, you will gain weight back...same for eating low fat, then going back to eating anything you want, you will gain weight back to...any change in your diet needs to be permanent!

helthymom6

I agree One of the only diets I lost weight on and keep it off for almost 2 yaers was one that had low carbs. it did allow fruits and veggies which are good carbs but no bread or pasta or potatoes things like that. I know I feel much better and much less cranky when i do low carbs. Think about you are also doing very low gluten. I know a lot of people are gluten intolerante without even knowing it. So find what works for you so long as you are eating healthy.

justsummie

Just wondering if you could give us a heads up on what the major differences are.

For many years I was a low-carb junkie and for the most part it worked for me. I could go off the diet for a few days and gain maybe 2-3 pounds and then go back on and lose them again. The only problem for me was feeling so worn down and tired and the total brain-fog that comes with that feeling made it difficult to do my job or give it my all in school.

Naomi91

But why do people gain the weight back from low carb if they stay at maintenance calories? this confuses me xD

KristiGuard

I have been doing this for years and I also feel better. I don't feel crabby or tired. Some people will gain the weight back if they go back to eating the way that made them fat in the 1st place. No one can drop weight on a diet and then return to the way they were eating that made them heavy to begin with and expect to not gain the weight back. As much as I wish this was true, you will gain the weight back no matter what diet you used to get slim if you don't continue to be watchful of what you are eating once you reach your goal weight.

atrayubrandy

I think it definitely depends on your body. I know some people go on low carb diets and lose all their energy and feel foggy headed (like when you're sick and can't really focus on anything). For me, I gain energy and feel more clear minded when I cut out the carbs. I think the reason why people (supposedly) gain all their weight back is for the same reason all diets fail if you completely go off them. You're likely to revert to your old ways. Not to mention, you're more likely to binge on the foods you've been denying yourself for all those months/years. I don't put a lot of stock in that, honestly. If you can control yourself you'll have no problem keeping the weight off. But I should also say that I am by no means "low" carb...I'm more "moderate" carb. I'm a firm believer in the South Beach diet and I follow phase 2 where you are allowed to eat fruits and whole grains a couple times a day (although, I actually try to avoid all grains...even whole grains). Occasionally, I get really naughty with a slice of bread or cake or whatever. I just don't eat those things every day. They are reserved only for special occasions.

JJBRAY85

But why do people gain the weight back from low carb if they stay at maintenance calories? this confuses me xD

Its when the people who are extreme about the low carb diet start eating carbs again. Really anything with carbs, even stuff like fruits that are good for you. There bodies are so deprived of carbs that it holds on to them. Thats why i believe the Atkins diet introduces carbs back into the diet as time goes on rather then all at once. So you don't gain to much or at all.

funkyspunky871

Why bother with a low-carb diet? Why can't anybody just eat balanced for once?! Low-carb, high-protein, low-fat... My God. You're denying your body what it needs: energy. It's just like all those weight loss detoxes! (No, you don't have toxins in your body, let your liver do it's job.) It's for money. That atkins book will tell you any lie just to get you to buy it, follow it, then recommend it.

JJBRAY85

Why bother with a low-carb diet? Why can't anybody just eat balanced for once?! Low-carb, high-protein, low-fat... My God. You're denying your body what it needs: energy. It's just like all those weight loss detoxes! (No, you don't have toxins in your body, let your liver do it's job.) It's for money. That atkins book will tell you any lie just to get you to buy it, follow it, then recommend it.

Bingo...

calmmomw3minimeez

Why bother with a low-carb diet? Why can't anybody just eat balanced for once?! Low-carb, high-protein, low-fat... My God. You're denying your body what it needs: energy. It's just like all those weight loss detoxes! (No, you don't have toxins in your body, let your liver do it's job.) It's for money. That atkins book will tell you any lie just to get you to buy it, follow it, then recommend it.

Exactly! I know from experience...will never do it again which is why I'm on MFP doing it the right way. Plus the Atkins diet puts your body into ketosis and you lose weight very, very quickly which also is not healthy. I'm sticking to adding more healthy foods into my 'food budget' and eat everything in moderation. Never again will I go on ANY type of deprivation diet!:drinker:

helthymom6

one thing I will say for lower carb way of eating. I think the reason some people find they feel better is because a lot of people have a sensitvity to gluten. I know for my self I feel much better when I eat lean protien and lots of fruits and veggies and stay away from grains and pasta and the like. But that is just because my digestion system is so messed up. I do think your body needs "GOOD" carbs like fruits veggies and whole grains.

Mrs2Mac

Why bother with a low-carb diet? Why can't anybody just eat balanced for once?! Low-carb, high-protein, low-fat... My God. You're denying your body what it needs: energy. It's just like all those weight loss detoxes! (No, you don't have toxins in your body, let your liver do it's job.) It's for money. That atkins book will tell you any lie just to get you to buy it, follow it, then recommend it.

Thumbs up!!

AnnieeR

I don't see anything at all wrong with low carb, but I think it's a bit ridiculous to cut them out entirely TBH. Particularly fruits and vegetables. For me the most important rule is to stay away from highly processed food - bread, cereal, pasta - when I eat as close to nature as possible I feel SO much better. I have more energy, I'm clearer thinking, and I don't want to go to sleep as early at night. I don't think anyone needs a prescriptive diet - you just need to figure out what works for your body and go with that....

AdAstra47

There was a recent study where they put people on either a low-fat diet or a low-carb diet to see which worked better. But they did it by metabolism type: people who were insulin-sensitive vs. people who were insulin-resistant. Everyone ate fewer calories, so according to conventional wisdom, everyone should have lost the same amount, right? Wrong. Everyone did lose. But insulin-resistant people lost *three times as much* on an Atkins-type diet as they did on a low-fat diet. Even though they were consuming the same number of calories. And the insulin-sensitive people were the other way 'round: the low-fat people lost twice as much as the low-carb people.

So, long story short: it depends on your particular metabolism. That's why, for best results, you should check with your doctor & find out how your metabolism works.

Also, the reason some people gain their weight back quickly after a while on Atkins is because they do it wrong. First of all, it's a lifestyle change, not a diet you can just "quit" when you've hit your goal. Second, it's not just about restricting carbs, it's also about getting enough protein to replace those carbs. Your body *either* gets energy from carbs, or it gets energy from burning a combination of fat & protein. So if you don't eat carbs, your body turns to burning fat & protein. It gets that fat & protein either from your food or from harvesting what's already in your body. So if you don't eat enough protein, your body steals protein from your muscles. And when that happens, instead of just losing fat, you're also losing muscle mass. That's what makes people tired. And your muscles are your calorie-burning engines, so when you lose weight by losing muscle, then you make it harder to lose any *more* weight and easier to gain it back.

My doctor recently did tests on me and recommended that I stick to fewer than 30 carbs a day and eat at least 50 g protein every 3 hours while I'm awake. Since I've started that, I feel great, I have energy and am happy all the time. And I've lost 7 pounds in three weeks. Previously, I had tried every diet under the sun and still gained about 10 pounds a year my entire adult life. This diet has been wonderful for me. So, again, I recommend getting advice from a good doctor who will take the time to test your metabolism and find out exactly what will work for you.

AdAstra47

Here's a great video that explains how low-carb diets are *supposed* to work: http://www.diabetesnewsstand.com/vissue/vernon/titlepage.html

My doctor works in the same office with Dr. Mary Vernon (the lady on this video).