Have u tried the Atkins Diet? Does it work?

Malvys24

Hi there, thank you to reading my post.
I've been exercising for 3 weeks and i've cut my food consumption in 1/2. I've been eating healthy and drinking lots of water and have only managed to lost 3 llbs!!
I've heard u can lose weight quick doing the Atkins Diet but i'm skeptical

So i'm asking for your pro's and con's about this diet.
I'm 26, i weigh 219, i'm working out daily, and i'm in generally good health!!

Thanks, can't wait for your responses

Malvina

christahollis

The weight that is lost quickly on the Atkins diet is largely water weight and the weight of stored glycogen. As soon as you begin eating carbs again...the pounds will pack back on. It's a difficult (and expensive) diet to maintain, and does not appear to offer any long-term benefits that exceed those offered by a more traditional healthy diet.

I tried it and it made my cholesterol go through the roof.

swtally80

No good when u quit it all comes back and its an impossible lifestyle to maintain for life. Keep it slow and steady as u have been.

weaklink109

I lost 30 lbs on Atkins, went back to my "normal" eating habits, and regained all that plus 15 lbs of "interest." It took 5 years for me to get to my highest weight,but the weight I lost on Atkins came backe within 3 years.

I LIKE carbs, and now that I have redefined "normal" for me as eating whatever I want so long as I take into account the "cost" in calories, and making healthy choices for food and including exercise in my regular routine, I have lost 23 lbs. since Easter 2009,:drinker: AND since I am NEVER deprived of what I REALLY want--whether that is a chocolate cupcake or a glass of wine--I do not feel compelled to binge eat, and I don't crave things that aren't good for me.

If you wrap your mind around the idea of long term lifestyle change and throw "diet" out of your vocabulary, you will free yourself from the mindset that is holding you back. This website is a fantastic source of information and inspiration, and has great tools for tracking you progress and nutrition. If you combine the foregoing with a little "perspiration" in the form of cardio exercise (my choice is walking--I do about 20-28 miles per week), you will succeed.

I am following my own personal eating plan, based loosely on the Zone Diet, which allows for more carbs than Atkins, and is very adaptable to my lifestyle.

Whatever you decide, I wish you well, but you asked for opinions, and mine is, Atkins is NOT the best answer for permanent weight loss.

byHisgrace

I tried Atkins and SBD. Do they work? Yes. If you want to lose weight quickly. Are they a healthy, permanent way to achieve and maintain your ideal size/weight goals? No.

Not only did Atkins send my cholesterol, which had been just fine, soaring into the 230s, it made me a nasty, cranky person. Like permanent PMS. My hubby, who is very fit and always has been, said he'd rather have a fat wife than a skinny one he couldn't stand and he very much wants his skinny bride back. My children joke to this day, "mom needs some bread" if I get overly crabby. Very low carbs just did not sit well with me and it wasn't because I missed them, it was most certainly chemical. I can take or leave pasta and actually don't really care much for bread. I like pancakes and things once in a while but not enough to become mean over missing them.

I know some swear by these methods but honestly, balance and gradual loss are the keys to life long health and happiness when it comes to one's weight.

Kristi82

I tried atkins. You do loose the weight quick, but you also gain it back quickly as soon as you eat carbs again. Carbs are good for you, as long as you choose healthy ones.

isandi

I have tried everything including Atkins. for me it was the same for gaining it back but it did wonders for my labs. They were really good .I think one of the diets that is better balanced is the South Beach diet. But as others have said, no matter which plan it is, use the tracking system here and use the tools that this web site offers you!

good luck!:flowerforyou:

schubele

I tried both Atkins and South Beach Diet (SBD). However Atkins was just prior to me being diagnosed with hypothyroid disease and didn't work for me. After being treat I tried the SBD. SBD starts out limiting your carbs but then adds the healthy ones like sweet potatoes, wheat flour and brown rice back in after 3 weeks. Limiting the carbs and no fruit for the first two weeks gets your glycemic index back in check. Since being diagnosed 8 years ago with thyroid disease the only diet that does work with me has been SBD. I can lose the weight and keep it off even after I go off the diet. I can always tell when my thyroid medication is not working because even before my levels show abnormal I start gaining the weight. Once I get things back to normal I do the SBD and the weight comes back off. However your body does need some carbs so I dont suggest limiting your carbs for very long and thats what is great about the SBD.

ColinQ

I watched a TV programme about dieting last night and the general consensus of the experts Dr's etc id that the Atkins diet is really bad for you. Its not a balanced diet and has some rather unfortunate odorous side effects:frown: :bigsmile:

AlmostHot

My mum and I started the atkins diet a couple of years ago but it was to hard to maintain for me with the family, as I would have to make myself diffeerent meals, I did'nt have much sucess on it but my mum did and go to a healthy weight range for the first time inprobably 15 years and she has maintained her weight loss. she is still on atkins but isn't as strict onit. Test showed that her cholesterol was still high. Hope it helps! I like the quick start to flush sugar out of my system, then go back to counting calories, in the past I have had more sucess counting calories.

sbartlett0421

yes it works short term, but like everyone said - it comes back with a quickness!!
Both my husband and I found that it was even harder to lose weight after being on Atkins then gaining back. We may just be full of it, but it seemed harder.

LeanLioness

I am doing Atkins and doing it successfully............

The reason the weight comes back with Atkins is because you are not supposed to go off of it. I urge you to read the book first and decide if it is a lifestyle change you can make once you get to Phase 4 and maintenance.............

Since December, I have lost 37 pounds and my cholesterol, triglycerides and over all blood work is much better than it was..........

You will start out eating protein and green veggies and drinking lots of water and herbal tea for the first 2 weeks.............

I strongly suggest that you then move on to Phase 2 and start moving up the carb ladder and adding foods in as the book suggests you do........

Eat whole, natural, clean foods...........no processed foods, limit deli meats and cured meats (i purchase non-cured bacon) and lots of fresh or frozen veggies............try to buy organic when you can or if you can afford it...............

It is truly a LIFESTYLE change that you have to commit to. Not something you do for the short term and then go off...............

LeanLioness

I watched a TV programme about dieting last night and the general consensus of the experts Dr's etc id that the Atkins diet is really bad for you. Its not a balanced diet and has some rather unfortunate odorous side effects:frown: :bigsmile:

What is unhealthy or unbalanced about it????

The human body is not made for consumption of grains, we are not chickens, pigs or cows........

We do not need grain.

In fact when I have listed menus fo what I eat and compared it to others.........I am eating more balanced and healthier than most people on this site.

LeanLioness

No good when u quit it all comes back and its an impossible lifestyle to maintain for life. Keep it slow and steady as u have been.

Atkins is not impossible for maintain for life................

If you want to eat WHOLE foods and eat clean, then it is EASY to maintain.

ivykivy

Choose something you will stick with. Atkins can work if you plan on sticking with it for a lifetime. Better yet review several eating plans and modify them to make a plan that fits with your eating style.

Hi there, thank you to reading my post.
I've been exercising for 3 weeks and i've cut my food consumption in 1/2. I've been eating healthy and drinking lots of water and have only managed to lost 3 llbs!!
I've heard u can lose weight quick doing the Atkins Diet but i'm skeptical

So i'm asking for your pro's and con's about this diet.
I'm 26, i weigh 219, i'm working out daily, and i'm in generally good health!!

Thanks, can't wait for your responses

Malvina

Malvys24

THANK YOU everyone for taking the time in helping me with this question. I really appreciate it.
Best wishes to you all in this journey to a Healthy Lifestyle
Malvina

byHisgrace

No good when u quit it all comes back and its an impossible lifestyle to maintain for life. Keep it slow and steady as u have been.

Atkins is not impossible for maintain for life................

If you want to eat WHOLE foods and eat clean, then it is EASY to maintain.

Any diet that is whole foods and clean will help one live a healthy lifestyle, choosing to eliminate an entire food group for life is something many people, and experts, consider unbalanced.

Every diet or lifestyle change in eating habits, is going to have a different impact on each of us as individuals.

My personal blood chemistry, as many others, did not take well to atkins, and yes, I do eat entirely clean and organic. I grow much of my own food and buy meat from a local farmer/processor.

It's great that Atkins is working for you, but your experinece is not the final word in it working for everyone and responding to numerous posts and insinuating that people didn't eat clean enough on their diets as the cause of it not working for them is unfair.

Johnnyswife

I LOVED it. Was never hungry, and I am a total meat freak. The only thing is that I had 60 lbs to lose, and lost 30, and got stuck. Stayed with it for 2 years because I liked eating meat all the time, and still never lost anything else.
The people for the help line were no use, so you need to find a pro who knows the diet, and can offer good advise for those "EEEEK!" moments.
The other bad thing, was that I started losing large handfuls of hair toward the end, and thats what made me stop. I have no idea what I did wrong, but it took like 4 years for the weight to come back, so yeah, just get someone who knows what they are doing, to keep you on track. Don't count on just the books. They can only take you so far.

LeanLioness

No good when u quit it all comes back and its an impossible lifestyle to maintain for life. Keep it slow and steady as u have been.

Atkins is not impossible for maintain for life................

If you want to eat WHOLE foods and eat clean, then it is EASY to maintain.

Any diet that is whole foods and clean will help one live a healthy lifestyle, choosing to eliminate an entire food group for life is something many people, and experts, consider unbalanced.

Every diet or lifestyle change in eating habits, is going to have a different impact on each of us as individuals.

My personal blood chemistry, as many others, did not take well to atkins, and yes, I do eat entirely clean and organic. I grow much of my own food and buy meat from a local farmer/processor.

It's great that Atkins is working for you, but your experinece is not the final word in it working for everyone and responding to numerous posts and insinuating that people didn't eat clean enough on their diets as the cause of it not working for them is unfair.

Obviously you did not read my first post to the original poster..........

I am not saying that what I have shared with others is the final word in it. I am simply tired of people saying that Atkins is unhealthy and unsustainable. That is a fallacy and an out right lie. I also post in the clean eaters thread and I eat just like they do just that I call mine Atkins and they say eating clean........There is no difference in the end. I am just adding back in my carbs 1 food at a time to see if I have any food allergies, which I have found that I do have.........wheat is one of those allergies.

As further more, you are not elminating a whole food group............you decrease the carbs that you put in your body and then add them in (if you are doing it correctly). So, when you get to maintenance, you are eating protein, dairy, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, but in limits that your body can tolerate........

Actually, I am eliminating a food group.........That would be white sugar, white flour, preservatives, chemicals.............stuff my body doesn't need anyway.

The reason that Atkins didn't work in the long term for someone is simply because they DID NOT follow the book, go through all 4 phases and make a lifestyle committment.

LeanLioness

I LOVED it. Was never hungry, and I am a total meat freak. The only thing is that I had 60 lbs to lose, and lost 30, and got stuck. Stayed with it for 2 years because I liked eating meat all the time, and still never lost anything else.
The people for the help line were no use, so you need to find a pro who knows the diet, and can offer good advise for those "EEEEK!" moments.
The other bad thing, was that I started losing large handfuls of hair toward the end, and thats what made me stop. I have no idea what I did wrong, but it took like 4 years for the weight to come back, so yeah, just get someone who knows what they are doing, to keep you on track. Don't count on just the books. They can only take you so far.

If you were losing hair, you were deficient in Biotin and the other B vitamins..........

I take raw vitamins anyway, I have no problem with my hair, skin or nails.......Actually they are healthier than they have been in a long time.

Johnnyswife

I LOVED it. Was never hungry, and I am a total meat freak. The only thing is that I had 60 lbs to lose, and lost 30, and got stuck. Stayed with it for 2 years because I liked eating meat all the time, and still never lost anything else.
The people for the help line were no use, so you need to find a pro who knows the diet, and can offer good advise for those "EEEEK!" moments.
The other bad thing, was that I started losing large handfuls of hair toward the end, and thats what made me stop. I have no idea what I did wrong, but it took like 4 years for the weight to come back, so yeah, just get someone who knows what they are doing, to keep you on track. Don't count on just the books. They can only take you so far.

If you were losing hair, you were deficient in Biotin and the other B vitamins..........

I take raw vitamins anyway, I have no problem with my hair, skin or nails.......Actually they are healthier than they have been in a long time.

Really? Those can be purchaced at a health store? I mean, I know I can get vitamin B, lol, just never heard of the other one. Cool.....might consider doing a lighter version of that sometime down the road. I LOVED that diet! lol

AlmostHot

As I said earlier, Myself and my mother did follow the book it worked for her and is still working for her but it did not work for me! Everybody is different, and yes we were eating the same, she was staying with us at the time. Infact I had the better knowledge because I had read the whole book and she had not, she followed me, she lost and I didnt.

byHisgrace

No good when u quit it all comes back and its an impossible lifestyle to maintain for life. Keep it slow and steady as u have been.

Atkins is not impossible for maintain for life................

If you want to eat WHOLE foods and eat clean, then it is EASY to maintain.

Any diet that is whole foods and clean will help one live a healthy lifestyle, choosing to eliminate an entire food group for life is something many people, and experts, consider unbalanced.

Every diet or lifestyle change in eating habits, is going to have a different impact on each of us as individuals.

My personal blood chemistry, as many others, did not take well to atkins, and yes, I do eat entirely clean and organic. I grow much of my own food and buy meat from a local farmer/processor.

It's great that Atkins is working for you, but your experinece is not the final word in it working for everyone and responding to numerous posts and insinuating that people didn't eat clean enough on their diets as the cause of it not working for them is unfair.

Obviously you did not read my first post to the original poster..........

I am not saying that what I have shared with others is the final word in it. I am simply tired of people saying that Atkins is unhealthy and unsustainable. That is a fallacy and an out right lie. I also post in the clean eaters thread and I eat just like they do just that I call mine Atkins and they say eating clean........There is no difference in the end. I am just adding back in my carbs 1 food at a time to see if I have any food allergies, which I have found that I do have.........wheat is one of those allergies.

As further more, you are not elminating a whole food group............you decrease the carbs that you put in your body and then add them in (if you are doing it correctly). So, when you get to maintenance, you are eating protein, dairy, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, but in limits that your body can tolerate........

Actually, I am eliminating a food group.........That would be white sugar, white flour, preservatives, chemicals.............stuff my body doesn't need anyway.

The reason that Atkins didn't work in the long term for someone is simply because they DID not follow the book, go through all 4 phases and make a lifestyle committment.

Grains are not a food group? Carbs are? We must live in different worlds. You said we don't need grains. Last time I checked, they are a food group. Carbs come in many foods found in more than one food group.

Again, I feel it is unfair to say that for those of us it did not work for, we didn't follow it correctly.

You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not stating your opinions as opinions, you are stating them as facts and making assumptions about other people and why atkins didn't work for them when you don't know anything about how everyone here has followed the book.

Have a great day, I don't want to argue with anyone, I just don't like having my expereinces judged by someone who doesn't even know me. I DID read the book, I DID follow it and IT DIDN'T work in the best interest of my overall health.

MacMadame

choosing to eliminate an entire food group for life is something many people, and experts, consider unbalanced.

There is no food group that is permanently eliminated with Atkins. You do add back in carbs, more at each of the various phases. You can have as many carbs as your body lets you and still loses (or maintains if you are at goal).

Personally I don't do any diets that involve a lot of rules so I don't do Atkins. But I do eat high protein, low carb and there really is nothing unhealthy about it. I eat vegetables and fruits and whole grains. My cholesterol is 131.

So Atkins doesn't *have* to be unhealthy. I think it is for some people because they don't watch their fats since the diet doesn't require it. That makes something like the South Beach Diet (which is probably closer to how I eat) a better bet for them.

The other thing I don't like about Atkins is that the books say you can eat "whatever you want" as long as you follow the rules. But this isn't true. At some point, calories count. You can't eat 3 steaks for dinner and still lose weight on Atkins. Heck, my mom was engaged to a guy who tried back in the 70s and, when he didn't lose weight, he got an apointment with Dr. Atkins himself and Dr. Atkins told him flat out that he'd have to limit his calories or he wouldn't lose weight.

Malvys24

a BIG thank you to everyone that took time to reply to my question... I'm going to continue eating small portions and healthy of course. I'm just going to try to do a low-carb 1400 calorie a day diet. I'm gonna see how that works out for me.

Thank you and BEST wishes in your journey EVERYONE

Malvina

LeanLioness

choosing to eliminate an entire food group for life is something many people, and experts, consider unbalanced.

There is no food group that is permanently eliminated with Atkins. You do add back in carbs, more at each of the various phases. You can have as many carbs as your body lets you and still loses (or maintains if you are at goal).

Personally I don't do any diets that involve a lot of rules so I don't do Atkins. But I do eat high protein, low carb and there really is nothing unhealthy about it. I eat vegetables and fruits and whole grains. My cholesterol is 131.

So Atkins doesn't *have* to be unhealthy. I think it is for some people because they don't watch their fats since the diet doesn't require it. That makes something like the South Beach Diet (which is probably closer to how I eat) a better bet for them.

The other thing I don't like about Atkins is that the books say you can eat "whatever you want" as long as you follow the rules. But this isn't true. At some point, calories count. You can't eat 3 steaks for dinner and still lose weight on Atkins. Heck, my mom was engaged to a guy who tried back in the 70s and, when he didn't lose weight, he got an apointment with Dr. Atkins himself and Dr. Atkins told him flat out that he'd have to limit his calories or he wouldn't lose weight.

\Yes, in the end, calories do matter..................that is one of the reasons that Atkins does work so well, because you end up eating a lot less calories because fat and protein keep you full for a long time.

LeanLioness

Grains are not a food group? Carbs are? We must live in different worlds. You said we don't need grains. Last time I checked, they are a food group. Carbs come in many foods found in more than one food group.

Again, I feel it is unfair to say that for those of us it did not work for, we didn't follow it correctly.

You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not stating your opinions as opinions, you are stating them as facts and making assumptions about other people and why atkins didn't work for them when you don't know anything about how everyone here has followed the book.

Have a great day, I don't want to argue with anyone, I just don't like having my expereinces judged by someone who doesn't even know me. I DID read the book, I DID follow it and IT DIDN'T work in the best interest of my overall health.

I wasn't trying to argue either. I am merely pointing out that I am not eating any different than anyone on this board that says they are following an "eating" clean way of eating..............I am far more judged on here about the way I eat than anyone else that is on a dorito diet..............

I eat plenty of carbs, they are just in the form of fruit, veggies, nuts, eggs and dairy.

You shouldn't be so quick to get upset as no one is judging anyone, don't take context of words on a computer screen to heart. You are probably taking it way out of context to what is written as there is no emotion, inflection or anything then if we were having a true conversation.

KatWood

Oh my ....

Malvys24 I just want to say that you don't need the Atkins Diet. You can lose the weight by simply eating well and exercising. It will be a slow weight loss but it will be healthy and sustainable. This isn't a race. Remember the tortoise and the hare :happy:

Good luck and keep us updated on your progress:flowerforyou: