ATKINS DIET. Anyone else done it? How was your experience?
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I tried Atkins once. I stuck it out for 3 weeks and lost 12 pounds but I felt horrible the whole time. Every day I felt worse than the day before in terms of energy level and brain fog. When I finally quit I gained back more than I lost.
Interestingly, I now have lost more weight more easily by eating mostly WHOLE grains - oats, barley, brown rice, quinoa, combined with beans, lentils, and nuts. The more animal protein and refined carbs I eat, the less likely I am to lose weight, and then will start to gain again.0 -
I am probably the only person on the planet who followed Atkins to the letter and actually GAINED weight - 10lbs to be exact. Not only did I gain weight, but I felt like absolute CRAP while I did it. I had no energy at all the entire time. I wouldn't do it again because it doesn't work for me and because it is tough to follow any "diet" long term.0
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I would recommend you do your weight loss this way...
1) Eat HEALTHY - that means dont do Atkins! Follow your food journal
2) Exercise 4-5 times a week
3) Stay the course! Your in this for the LONG term.
You wont have to change your diet like you would on Atkins. Also, I have known quite a few people (including my mom and my brother) who went on Atkins - lost a ton of weight - then gained it all back and THEN SOME!
If you eat healthy - have a few cheat days thrown in there - you will lose weight and keep it off.
I'd have to agree with Jconner30...to me, you are on MFP because you want to lose weight right? I may be wrong, but MFP allows you to really eat anything you want...just count your calories...it's that simple. If you make the right nutrition chioces and exercise, you WILL lose weight. Keep focused. There is no need to re-invent the wheel. MFP is your diet...keep counting your calories!0 -
In 2000, Dr. Atkins developed cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart condition which has quite a few different causes. His was thought to be from a viral illness, and his physician stated at the time that there was no evidence that his diet contributed to the condition. His coronary arteries were reported to have been checked at that time and found to be free of blockages.Too much of ANY one macronutrient is not good, your body needs a balance for optimum nutrition. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the circumstances of his (Atkins) death, but one fact is not in dispute: he had heart disease. And from the pics I've seen of him, he appeared to be overweight.
Cardiomyopathy makes it more likely that a person will have a cardiac arrest (heart stopping), which happened to him two years later. Again, the cardiac arrest was not thought to be diet related. His cardiologist stated that (other than the cardiomyopathy), Atkins had "an extraordinarily healthy cardiovascular system".
He was 6 feet tall and weighed 195-200 pounds. NOT fat.
And he died from smacking his head against an icy sidewalk. Not sure how those circumstances are "controversial".0 -
lost the weight but it didn't stay off, had to abandon it due to awful constipation. missed the fruit and veg --Lorcer0
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I tried Atkins... but it wasn't for me (not to say that it doesn't work for others). My energy levels were SO low and I felt queasy all the time. I did lose about 7 pounds, but I put it right back on. My biggest problem was that exercise was nearly impossible on this diet (for me) because even climbing a set of stairs was too much. If you really want to try it - go for it! It might work really well for you, but if you aren't feeling like yourself or if anything else is going on, don't push it.0
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Did you like the diet? I personally did a combination of the atkins and the south beach diet for awhile. I loved it because there was no real limit on how much I could eat, just on what I could eat. This is how I fell in love with peanut butter (
) Also, I was a carb addict before, so quitting cold turkey really cut down on the amount of calories I took in.
How long did you stick with it? I stuck with it for maybe 1 to 2 months.
How much weight did you lose? I lost about 10 pounds on it.
Any other suggestions about atikins? While I lost weight on the diet, it came back fast (and I didn't stray from the diet). If you can stick with it, that's great, and for some, the high protein really works. I would suggest to do just a higher protein diet though, instead of such a low carb diet which is extrememely hard to stay on track with, and to transition with.
Hope this helps!
*Edited to add: Oh! And I also felt somewhat weak while doing the diet, and it was hard to have the energy to exercise.0 -
I think Atkins is a terrible way to go in terms of overall health, and, based on all the evidence we have now showing how awful Atkins is, I can’t believe people still decide to do it. I also can’t believe a doctor would recommend it. If I had a doctor recommend Atkins to me, I’d get a new doctor, or second opinion, at least.0
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I don't necessarily do Atkins to a "T" but I did do induction for a couple of months(yes, a couple of months), I currently do a low carb way of life and I feel freaking amazing. While in induction I did have the "flu" for a few days but after that I was raring to go and the weight melted off me at an incredible pace the first two weeks and then leveled out.
I don't actively strive to keep my carbs super low, they naturally stay around 50g net or less a day based on what I eat. I eat a ton of veggies, minimal fruit (never was a huge fruit eater in the first place) and derive my protein from greek yogurt, cottage cheese, raw milk cheeses, tofu, chicken, fish, nuts. I love my way of life and would never go back to the carb fueled diet I was slowly killing myself with for years. I don't miss bread, chips, potatoes, pasta, crackers, cake, cookies, sugar, etc. in the least.0 -
I did try it a long time ago and then I learned through my trainer and health and nutrition exactly how damaging it is to your body. .. I would definitely advise against it. .
Better to increase activity and limit calories. . .0 -
In 2000, Dr. Atkins developed cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart condition which has quite a few different causes. His was thought to be from a viral illness, and his physician stated at the time that there was no evidence that his diet contributed to the condition. His coronary arteries were reported to have been checked at that time and found to be free of blockages.Too much of ANY one macronutrient is not good, your body needs a balance for optimum nutrition. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the circumstances of his (Atkins) death, but one fact is not in dispute: he had heart disease. And from the pics I've seen of him, he appeared to be overweight.
Cardiomyopathy makes it more likely that a person will have a cardiac arrest (heart stopping), which happened to him two years later. Again, the cardiac arrest was not thought to be diet related. His cardiologist stated that (other than the cardiomyopathy), Atkins had "an extraordinarily healthy cardiovascular system".
He was 6 feet tall and weighed 195-200 pounds. NOT fat.0 -
In 2000, Dr. Atkins developed cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart condition which has quite a few different causes. His was thought to be from a viral illness, and his physician stated at the time that there was no evidence that his diet contributed to the condition. His coronary arteries were reported to have been checked at that time and found to be free of blockages.Too much of ANY one macronutrient is not good, your body needs a balance for optimum nutrition. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the circumstances of his (Atkins) death, but one fact is not in dispute: he had heart disease. And from the pics I've seen of him, he appeared to be overweight.
Cardiomyopathy makes it more likely that a person will have a cardiac arrest (heart stopping), which happened to him two years later. Again, the cardiac arrest was not thought to be diet related. His cardiologist stated that (other than the cardiomyopathy), Atkins had "an extraordinarily healthy cardiovascular system".
He was 6 feet tall and weighed 195-200 pounds. NOT fat.
And he died from smacking his head against an icy sidewalk. Not sure how those circumstances are "controversial".
thank you! I was going to say the exact same thing.0 -
After losing 12 lbs and plateauing, my dr told me go one Atkins. Its day 2. I think Ill be able to do it. I just feel weird not eating bread!! I feel hungry a lot. The good thing about bread was that it fills you up. I feel like i have to eat a lot more to be satisfied. I feel like im eating way too many fat grams.
Did you like the diet?
How long did you stick with it?
How much weight did you lose?
Any other suggestions about atikins?
So, wow, there's a ton of mis-information floating around on this thread about Atkins.
First, you have an incredibly learned doctor, for recommending the Atkins diet. He/she must keep up with his research!
I could tell you all of my positive experiences from Atkins, from my 53 lb weight loss in 6 months, how my blood pressure has gone down, my energy level has gone up (yes, it's possible to excercise at high intensity levels on Atkins), how my heartburn has disappeared, my body fat has gone down, I've lost 20% of my body weight, how I feel better than I've ever felt on any other diet (and I've tried the low-fat, calorie counting way many times), how I sleep through the night, how I don't crave sugars or carbs.....
But, instead, I'm going to suggest that, instead of listening to the same old Negative Nellie's (who may or may not have done the diet correctly) or have a "friend" who told them about a mom/aunt/cousin, etc, go pick yourself up a copy of the book, read it, then, go to Netflix and watch a movie called Fathead, then, come back to MFP and go to a thread "Atkins Support Group" to help you with any questions you may have, or friend me. If you are serious about following Atkins, I can only advise you to read the book, stick to the plan, give it a chance to work (at least a month), and don't cheat! Follow the plan! Good luck!0 -
First, you have an incredibly learned doctor, for recommending the Atkins diet. He/she must keep up with his research!
Most doctors (MDs) are trained in disease, not health. MDs do not get much education or training in health and nutrition. And I doubt research on Atkins is at the top of their list of things to read up on.0 -
It's generally accepted that you should get a BALANCED diet planned for your day by day nutrition. This includes eating the dreaded carbs, and fats as some people seem to not think. From what i've read/heard it's 50/30/20. 50% Calories from Carbs, 30% from Fats and 20% from Proteins. While this doesn't mean you can't cut your Carb intake down, you should never dip below like 25-30% in my opinion. The biggest thing to remember is how much you are eating. If you are eating balanced meals everyday, at the appropriate calorie ammounts, you WILL lose weight, and that weight will stay off. Instead of starving your body of much needed macronutrients.
In short, I wouldn't recommend Atkins, or any other "diet" that forces you to feel like crap to lose weight. I've Personally not heard of anyone keeping the weight they lose from low-no carb "diets" off.
IMO of course 0 -
You might look into the Precision Nutrition program. I started a week ago and the scale started moving again! I have cut out all breads, rice, etc. You replace them with at least 4 veggies and fruits per day. I get in around seven along with lean protein and, something I've never done before, added healthy fats!!!! It is working so far and I'm not hungry. I eat 6 meals a day at least 2-3 hrs. apart. I also started drinking at least 10 glasses of water each day. The info is on their website, I signed on for free and they e-mailed me new info over a 5 day period. I got the info I really needed to start right off the website. I like it alot, but bear in mind, I do 50-60 min. of weight training and cardio 5 days a week. It can't hurt to take a look.0
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It's generally accepted that you should get a BALANCED diet planned for your day by day nutrition. This includes eating the dreaded carbs, and fats as some people seem to not think. From what i've read/heard it's 50/30/20. 50% Calories from Carbs, 30% from Fats and 20% from Proteins. While this doesn't mean you can't cut your Carb intake down, you should never dip below like 25-30% in my opinion. The biggest thing to remember is how much you are eating. If you are eating balanced meals everyday, at the appropriate calorie ammounts, you WILL lose weight, and that weight will stay off. Instead of starving your body of much needed macronutrients.
In short, I wouldn't recommend Atkins, or any other "diet" that forces you to feel like crap to lose weight. I've Personally not heard of anyone keeping the weight they lose from low-no carb "diets" off.
IMO of course
I'm not a nutritionist, so could someone please tell me what macro-nutrient comes from pasta, noodles, bread and starches? What nutrient or whole food group have I deprived myself of when I'm not eating refined, processed food? The Atkins diet I've been following--the one that promotes eating lots of salads, veggies, healthy fats and normal amounts of protein--is pretty healthy, unless eating tomatos, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, avacodos....is bad. I must not have got that memo! And, the only time I felt like crap was when I was eating the SAD diet, and constantly hungry, ready for a nap at 2 pm every day, and sugar levels spiking and crashing, like a roller coaster....0 -
It's generally accepted that you should get a BALANCED diet planned for your day by day nutrition. This includes eating the dreaded carbs, and fats as some people seem to not think. From what i've read/heard it's 50/30/20. 50% Calories from Carbs, 30% from Fats and 20% from Proteins. While this doesn't mean you can't cut your Carb intake down, you should never dip below like 25-30% in my opinion. The biggest thing to remember is how much you are eating. If you are eating balanced meals everyday, at the appropriate calorie ammounts, you WILL lose weight, and that weight will stay off. Instead of starving your body of much needed macronutrients.
In short, I wouldn't recommend Atkins, or any other "diet" that forces you to feel like crap to lose weight. I've Personally not heard of anyone keeping the weight they lose from low-no carb "diets" off.
IMO of course
I'm not a nutritionist, so could someone please tell me what macro-nutrient comes from pasta, noodles, bread and starches? What nutrient or whole food group have I deprived myself of when I'm not eating refined, processed food? The Atkins diet I've been following--the one that promotes eating lots of salads, veggies, healthy fats and normal amounts of protein--is pretty healthy, unless eating tomatos, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, avacodos....is bad. I must not have got that memo! And, the only time I felt like crap was when I was eating the SAD diet, and constantly hungry, ready for a nap at 2 pm every day, and sugar levels spiking and crashing, like a roller coaster....
I agree completely. I'm not sure why people are under the impression that while on Atkins it is ok to consume a pound of bacon and a pound of cheese. This just isn't so. He promotes eating whole, healthy foods. Carbs=sugar, the only carbs the human body requires we can obtain from eating fruits and vegetables (Atkins friendly). We do not require refined carbohydrates such as pasta, rice and bread. Most (even whole wheat) is so refined that they have to add the good stuff back in to make it supposedly healthy. Refined carbs are poison in my opinion and I'll never go back to consuming them on a daily basis and certainly not 50% of my daily caloric intake. Read the book and form your own opinion (to the OP), most of the info on this thread is misinformation or people that have not followed the diet correctly. Also, anyone that returns to their previous way of eating is going to gain weight no matter what diet they are following.0 -
It's generally accepted that you should get a BALANCED diet planned for your day by day nutrition. This includes eating the dreaded carbs, and fats as some people seem to not think. From what i've read/heard it's 50/30/20. 50% Calories from Carbs, 30% from Fats and 20% from Proteins. While this doesn't mean you can't cut your Carb intake down, you should never dip below like 25-30% in my opinion. The biggest thing to remember is how much you are eating. If you are eating balanced meals everyday, at the appropriate calorie ammounts, you WILL lose weight, and that weight will stay off. Instead of starving your body of much needed macronutrients.
In short, I wouldn't recommend Atkins, or any other "diet" that forces you to feel like crap to lose weight. I've Personally not heard of anyone keeping the weight they lose from low-no carb "diets" off.
IMO of course
I'm not a nutritionist, so could someone please tell me what macro-nutrient comes from pasta, noodles, bread and starches? What nutrient or whole food group have I deprived myself of when I'm not eating refined, processed food? The Atkins diet I've been following--the one that promotes eating lots of salads, veggies, healthy fats and normal amounts of protein--is pretty healthy, unless eating tomatos, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, avacodos....is bad. I must not have got that memo! And, the only time I felt like crap was when I was eating the SAD diet, and constantly hungry, ready for a nap at 2 pm every day, and sugar levels spiking and crashing, like a roller coaster....
I agree completely. I'm not sure why people are under the impression that while on Atkins it is ok to consume a pound of bacon and a pound of cheese. This just isn't so. He promotes eating whole, healthy foods. Carbs=sugar, the only carbs the human body requires we can obtain from eating fruits and vegetables (Atkins friendly). We do not require refined carbohydrates such as pasta, rice and bread. Most (even whole wheat) is so refined that they have to add the good stuff back in to make it supposedly healthy. Refined carbs are poison in my opinion and I'll never go back to consuming them on a daily basis and certainly not 50% of my daily caloric intake. Read the book and form your own opinion (to the OP), most of the info on this thread is misinformation or people that have not followed the diet correctly. Also, anyone that returns to their previous way of eating is going to gain weight no matter what diet they are following.
Right back at ya! Exactly, read the book and form your own opinion!0 -
Do what works best for you. Maybe you can try Atkins for a month or 2 and see where it takes you. Honestly, I think changing your lifestyle is a trial and error process. What works for someone needing to lose 20 lbs may not work for a pre-diabetic who needs to lose 100+ lbs. Right now, I am insulin resistant and super low carb works for me. I remember when I was about 25 lbs overweight and a high carb, low fat diet was the best prescription for my weight loss.
The way I look at it is, prior to MFP, I ate crap on a daily basis. Eliminating carbs, and upping lean protein and healthy fats (in an effort to gradually find my proper carb level) is an improvement any way I slice it. Good luck to you!
Edited to add: I did Atkins back in 2003 for 2 1/2 months and lost 30 lbs. I kept it off for about 18 months until I started eating whatever, whenever0
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