Atkins?

RingSize8

I started working out a week or so ago, and since I'm working out daily, my hunger level has gone through the roof, so my low cal diet is not really working anymore. I had taken off almost 20lbs in two weeks, then when I started working out I put back on like 7lbs. I refuse to be miserable and just eat salad to stay within my calorie limit, and when I eat more, even when it's healthy foods within my calories on MFP factoring in the calories gained from working out, I'm still gaining. My new workout buddy suggested Atkins as great for me, because I don't eat meat, but I do eat fish.

Today is my first day of Atkins - thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Anything helpful is appreciated, especially convenient options, pescatarian options, etc. My first Atkins meal today was a big omelet with a little bit of fresh mushrooms and 6 eggs made with unsalted butter and pepper added. ...and a diet coke. Was that a good choice? I'm so full I feel like I'm not going to want to eat for the rest of the day.

Thanks!

yarwell

6 eggs was a bit ridiculous, TBH. Atkins is about eating enough, not so much as you're about to explode.

No need for unsalted butter, you'll probably be needing more salt if you're going low carb rather than less.

Oily fish are great for Atkins as they are low carb and 70:30 or similar fat:protein calorie ratio. Eggs are good to, as is hard cheese, but calories still matter. Think oils and fats, you need them on Atkins.

hilltopsarah

If you are confident that this diet will work for you, go for it. Just be careful as this diet is loaded with saturated fat contents

TheVimFuego

If you are confident that this diet will work for you, go for it. Just be careful as this diet is loaded with saturated fat contents

And this is bad?

smokinjackd

If you are doing a truevAtkins diet, get ready for the gout and high cholesterol.

TheVimFuego

If you are doing a truevAtkins diet, get ready for the gout and high cholesterol.

True Atkins is too restrictive, agreed.

How does Atkins raise cholesterol?

And why is "high" cholesterol bad?

smokinjackd

Quick reply, everyone I know that has gone hebAtkins way, eat way too many saturated fats. And not enough of the green stuff.

RingSize8

Interesting comments. ...the whole 6 eggs thing was kind of accidental. I wanted to make that many eggs and the save some for later, but I was so hungry because I hadn't eaten all day, that I just ate the whole thing. I just picked up some cheeses, more eggs, mushrooms, broccoli, walnuts, sugar and carb free jello snacks, diet coke, and salmon for the week. I guess we'll see how it goes. Since I don't eat any meat, I'm hoping to not have some of the issues other people I know have had on this diet, who just ate steak and bacon and all that stuff all the time. I'm trying to keep it as healthy as possible. Any ideas for low carb veggies? I LOVE broccoli but it's not too low carb so I have to not eat too much of it. Hrmph.

shirley_beans

Response to Deadvim:

Because too much bad cholesterol will clog your arteries and lead to heart attack or stroke. I get that paleo diet followers point out that cholesterol is naturally produced in the body, which it is, and that consuming cholesterol does help your body regulate its own levels. That does mean that we are supposed to eat cholesterol with reckless abandon.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Understanding_Cholesterol.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/125610-high-cholesterol-bad-body/
http://www.healthylivingindia.org/2011/06/why-bad-cholesterol-is-bad-for-you.html

Response to original poster: The Atkins Diet will not promote sustainable weight loss. If you'd ever like to enjoy pasta again, the weight will come right back on. There is nothing wrong with eating broccoli! Any diet that discourages you from eating certain types of fruits and vegetables is not a balanced diet. Period.

yarwell

Green beans, cauliflower, leeks, spinach, asparagus.

jbug100

Atkins is not sustainable IMO. Any plan that restricts a major macros group as Atkins does is a less than healthy way to make a Lifestyle change. Losing 20 lbs in 2 weeks...also not healthy or sustainable. Should I comment on 6 eggs and diet soda? Nah. I think I will stop there.

Lipstickandlashes

atkins is for volume eaters.. i was working out and eating healthy for 2 months, decided to try atkins for a month to see how many pounds i could drop.. well after the first 2 weeks i noticed i wasnt losing any weight. ( when before i did it i lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks) so i stopped it and went back to what i was doing before.. and in the first 3 days dropped 4lbs! i came to the conclusion that i was still doing portion control with atkins and im pretty sure i was starving my body.. I still kind of keep it low carb but atkins is great for people just starting out when it comes to eating different and who are volume eaters. if i grubbed like i used to it would be perfect.. but i just cant get used to eating a lot anymore

Lipstickandlashes

also if you like breads pastas rice or pretty much anything WHITE lol its really hard to stick to let alone going the grocery store. you dont realize how many things have crazy carbs in them until you try atkins.. you are basically eating vegetables, meat, cheese, eggs and its gets boring pretty fast.. I did make some pretty good carb free things like grilled eggplant sauce and cheese its like the healthy version of eggplant parm. i still make that to this day.

amandae0182

Atkins is not going to help you keep off weight. It isnt safe to lose that much weight in such a short amout of time and that is one of the reasons you gaind your weight back. You dont have to be miserable and eat salads all of the time jsut change the foods you eat. I eat 1600-1800 calories per day to lose 2 lbs per week and when i workout i am starving afterwards. But i just eat more whole foods that have less calories and i feel full! Look up how Mr. Atkins died too. kind of ironic!

greedygirl118

If you are confident that this diet will work for you, go for it. Just be careful as this diet is loaded with saturated fat contents

And this is bad?

A recent long-term study showed an unexpected spike in cholesterol in Sweden - where the Atkins/low carb diet is especially popular. And average BMI went up.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/11/health-atkins-diet-blamed-cholesterol-heart-disease_n_1585766.html

XXXMinnieXXX

When I first started exercising my weight went up 6 or 7lb with DOMS. It's your body freaking out. One week a month I got up 7lbs too. No need to do something so drastic! Not.saying Atkins is necessarily wrong. Everyone is different but if you freak out and do something drastic every single time the scale throws a wobbler your going to.be.doing a different.diet every single month! X

MemphisKitten

Please be careful with Atkins; there is a reason the guy dropped dead of a heart attack! High protein and healthy fats as well as eating at regular intervals (every 3 hours) would be a better choice. Starving yourself or trying a fad diet will not ensure your success. You must make changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. If you are new to exercise, the Atkins diet can be even more difficult, as your body needs carbs to burn. If your body is not used to switching over to burning fat for fuel, you will not feel good. It is not necessary to eat a super low calorie diet or excessive amounts of fat (which Atkins advocates) to lose weight! Calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), and base your calories on that. It will be higher than expected. If you eat at least 20% below your TDEE and no lower than your BMI, and add in both cardio and strength training, you will immediately begin replacing fat with muscle and seeing changes in your body. Just because you don't lose 5 pounds a week doesn't mean you are not making progress. In fact, you will speed up your metabolism and NEVER be hungry! Now doesn't that sound better than starving yourself or making yourself physically ill from a ridiculous fad diet?

fluffeesquirrel

I've been hearing a lot about the resurgence of low carb and high fat with keto and it just seems unsustainable. Obviously, I can't speak to the health benefits (although shoving bacon down your throat all day doesn't sound alllll that healthy...) but the main thing I was looking for when I started losing weight was what I could keep doing after I dropped the weight. I couldn't keep the low carb thing up after, it's just not practical. And I'm really not interested in restricting myself, except in portion control. It may take longer and it may take tweaking, but a balanced diet seems better in the long run.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

How much misinformation can be in ONE thread????

First off, Dr Atkins died from slipping and falling on ice. WOW, out right lie.

Funny that you mention high quality proteins and healthy fats, which the Atkins plan advocates also. And Dr Atkins says you should eat every 3-4 hours of your time being awake and to eat within 30 minutes of rising.

It is also based on for the first 2 weeks eating protein, fats and green leafy vegetables. After 2 weeks, you slowly start adding back in higher carb vegetables, then fruits, nuts, dairy, starchier vegetables and then grains.

How is that NOT sustainable? It teaches you to see how your body reacts to certain foods.

Atkins is NOT a fad either. It is a healthy and very sustainable lifestyle.

Please be careful with Atkins; there is a reason the guy dropped dead of a heart attack! High protein and healthy fats as well as eating at regular intervals (every 3 hours) would be a better choice. Starving yourself or trying a fad diet will not ensure your success. You must make changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. If you are new to exercise, the Atkins diet can be even more difficult, as your body needs carbs to burn. If your body is not used to switching over to burning fat for fuel, you will not feel good. It is not necessary to eat a super low calorie diet or excessive amounts of fat (which Atkins advocates) to lose weight! Calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), and base your calories on that. It will be higher than expected. If you eat at least 20% below your TDEE and no lower than your BMI, and add in both cardio and strength training, you will immediately begin replacing fat with muscle and seeing changes in your body. Just because you don't lose 5 pounds a week doesn't mean you are not making progress. In fact, you will speed up your metabolism and NEVER be hungry! Now doesn't that sound better than starving yourself or making yourself physically ill from a ridiculous fad diet?

TinGirl314

I wanted to give you my opinion....this is not based on research studies or internet articles, it's what happened to me specifically.
A large amount of the damage done to my body was due to being misinformed about the diet. My mother had me try it when I was 13, but she basically said 'You can eat as many meats and vegetables as you want. This was incorrect.

Please note I AM diabetic, so that probably had something to do with it, I'd image insulin resistance would provoke the same outcome?

I was on and off this diet for two years and I lost ....maybe 30 pounds. The problem that was caused laid hidden, because I didn't notice the problem. My triglycerides were marked at 1,200....

This caused a bout of pancreantitis, which was very painful and almost killed me.

Now I am NOT saying to not do this diet if you feel it's right for you. I will however ask you, guilt free, to educate yourself on the progress, and get your doctor involved. You can't go at certain foods constantly (Say...two hamburgers a day) just because you are on the Atkins diet, it is not a quick fix! You really need to watch your saturated fat levels and anything with trans fat really should be eliminated. I know I might get some nasty comments about my opinion, but I don't care....it's more important to be honest. Please get your doctor involved in your diet plan... stripping the body of all carbs is a major chemical change in your body. I felt so betrayed when I found out my try's were that high because I killed myself doing a diet uninformed and I was as unhealthy as ever. Also Ketosis felt like CRAP.

So ....short version: Educate yourself, visit your doctor regularly. I wish you the best of luck in your journey.

angelicasmommy

Please be careful with Atkins; there is a reason the guy dropped dead of a heart attack!

"On April 8, 2003, at age 72, Dr. Atkins slipped on the ice while walking to work, hitting his head and causing bleeding around his brain. He lost consciousness on the way to the hospital, where he spent two weeks in intensive care. His body deteriorated rapidly and he suffered massive organ failure. During this time, his body apparently retained an enormous amount of fluid, and his weight at death was recorded at 258 pounds. His death certificate states that the cause of death was "blunt impact injury of head with epidural hematoma".
Following this, a Nebraska doctor known to be anti-Atkins, and associated with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, requested Dr. Atkins' medical records, which should not have been released, but which mistakenly were sent. The Medical Examiner's report had a hand-written note that Atkins had a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), congestive heart failure, and hypertension (written "h/o MI, CHF, HTN"). The above Committee made much of this and began the rumor that Atkins had "died of his own diet". The misconceptions remain to this day."

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/atkinsdiet/a/dratkinsdeath.htm

I do not agree that Atkins is not sustainable...there are a lot of people who have done it, and are still on it years later and have lost a lot of weight. If you are doing it though, it specifically states on the atkins website and on all their information, not to eat a lot of sugar free foods, diet soda etc. You *can* because it doesn't contain carbs, but it is not healthy. For the person who said people onAtkins don't eat enough veggies, you are supposed to consume at least 15 of your 20 daily carbs (to start) in veggies. That means that 75% of your daily carbs are supposed to be veggies. So if you are doing it PROPERLY, you are eating a lot of veggies.
And just because you are doing Atkins, doesn't mean you can never have pasta again either. You go up in carbs every week when you move in in the different levels, adding more carbs each week. Once you are at maintenance, you can eat pasta or whatever carb heavy food as long as it fits into your carb limit.
I think the reason people seem to hate this diet and think it's so unhealthy, is because people who do it, do it incorrectly and give it a bad name.

BogQueen1

I've tried Atkin's so many times. At least 4 times in the past year. I just can't make it work for me anymore. I lost about 60 pounds on it when I was younger, but anymore, I just can't give up my red wine and chocolate. Not to mention fruit. Principles of dieting like volumizing with lots of vegetables and monitoring your glycemic index, things I think are very valid, just don't have a place in this diet. Not to mention the heavy reliance on supplementation (since you can't get anywhere close to your daily requirements for vitamins on this diet) and the fact that some of the things recommended are ridiculously heavily processed (protein bars and shakes?), it's just not for me anymore.

Not going to comment on saturated fat and cholesterol. I don't think we fully understand how many of these nutrients fully impact us and truly believe that the healthiest diet is one that is minimally processed, and full of fresh produce, legumes, nuts, minimal whole grain, and low in meat as well. I can't say I will ever eliminate meat, but I really don't eat more then one to two servings a day normally, so Atkin's just about killed me with all the meat eating I had to do.

islandmonkey

Any ideas for low carb veggies? I LOVE broccoli but it's not too low carb so I have to not eat too much of it. Hrmph.

Edited to be less *****y.

Please, PLEASE don't be afraid of ANY vegetables, especially broccoli.


Also, please read up on the difference between simple and complex carbs. Broccoli is not something that needs to be avoided.

ExplorinLauren

LOVE low carb... In fact I'm following 1st phase of Atkins starting today (again) ... I've done it mannnnnny time before, but usually just to drop a few pounds. lol I've spent the last 6 months learning "how" to eat... and following low cal, high protein. The scale isn't budging for me recently, so doing Atkins hoping to jumpstart it.
You're going to get a million answers...and everyone is either gonna love it, or gonna hate it... but this is about whatever works for YOU.
I myself, am not a huge 'carb' craver... so I don't find low carb difficult. I loveeeeeeeeee salad, ribeyes, bacon, eggs, cheeses, broccoli, veggies, slim jims, .... so it isn't a big deal for me. I do like grilled potatoes, but a small sacrifice isn't enough to keep me from doing it. lol I'm also not a big fruit person... so it works for me.

zynx1234

Instead of Atkins try the Paleo or Primal diets/life styles.....

PaleoPath4Lyfe

I wanted to give you my opinion....this is not based on research studies or internet articles, it's what happened to me specifically.
A large amount of the damage done to my body was due to being misinformed about the diet. My mother had me try it when I was 13, but she basically said 'You can eat as many meats and vegetables as you want. This was incorrect.

Please note I AM diabetic, so that probably had something to do with it, I'd image insulin resistance would provoke the same outcome?

I was on and off this diet for two years and I lost ....maybe 30 pounds. The problem that was caused laid hidden, because I didn't notice the problem. My triglycerides were marked at 1,200....

This caused a bout of pancreantitis, which was very painful and almost killed me.

Now I am NOT saying to not do this diet if you feel it's right for you. I will however ask you, guilt free, to educate yourself on the progress, and get your doctor involved. You can't go at certain foods constantly (Say...two hamburgers a day) just because you are on the Atkins diet, it is not a quick fix! You really need to watch your saturated fat levels and anything with trans fat really should be eliminated. I know I might get some nasty comments about my opinion, but I don't care....it's more important to be honest. Please get your doctor involved in your diet plan... stripping the body of all carbs is a major chemical change in your body. I felt so betrayed when I found out my try's were that high because I killed myself doing a diet uninformed and I was as unhealthy as ever. Also Ketosis felt like CRAP.

So ....short version: Educate yourself, visit your doctor regularly. I wish you the best of luck in your journey.

If your mom had read the book, the outcome would have been different.

Also, high triglycerides come from too much sugar, not fat.

Trigs are lipids (fats) that, in excess, can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. Eating foods high in sugar, starch or fat can dramatically raise trig levels in your blood. If your trig levels are elevated (a simple blood test can tell), you'll want to cut back on sweet and starchy foods.

Unfortunately, changing your diet may not always do the job. That's because there are other, less common reasons why some people develop high trigs.

These include:
Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes
Diabetes, especially in combination with obesity, can boost your trig levels way up. Controlling your blood sugar can help bring trig levels back down.
Low levels of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism)
High levels of trigs and cholesterol (another blood fat) may signal that your thyroid isn't producing enough hormones. If this is true for you, taking medication for your thyroid will help.
Kidney disease
High trigs and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels may signal that you're developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). This is a condition you'll need to discuss with a doctor; together you can determine your best treatment options.
Alcohol consumption
Drinking alcohol can cause a rapid rise in trig levels—especially if you have a family history of lipid problems. If you're drinking regularly and blood tests show that your trig levels are high, consider cutting out alcohol.

Sloth_TurtleGirl

I did the Atkins diet years ago. I can't really say anything negative. I felt great on the diet. I went off, ate spaghetti on a cheat and got super sick. My body responded very well to Atkins. But, I had young kids and I just couldn't eat like that. You can be on Atkins and eat low calorie. Meat is more filling. Currently, I've found myself sticking with meat and veggies more than anything. I blamed the diet at the time I quit. But, now realize I probably had issues with pasta and other type so food like that. Not having them, and then reintroducing them to my system probably made me ill. But, I do love my ice cream, so I can't see myself doing Atkins again.

Many people actually recommend that people shop the outer aisles of the grocery store which is kind of Atkins like if you are hitting the meat and veggies. It might be a good idea to just do that. Eat a lot of veggies if you are a volume eater. I know that is technically against Atkins. Once you are through the beginning few weeks, you can eat a lot more on Atkins. People tend to focus on those first couple of weeks.

RingSize8

I really feel like most people DID NOT listen to what I was asking for, nor what I said. First of all, I DON'T EAT MEAT. ...so telling me not to eat all hamburgers or bacon is just silly. Secondly, I was asking for vegetables that are low carb for the first two weeks. I didn't say I wasn't eating broccoli. I actually ate two cups of it yesterday. I'm trying to incorporate in as many vegetables as possible for the phase of the diet I'm on - how could anyone take that, and tell me I'm eating a diet where I can't have vegetables, or I'm not going to eat enough vegetables? Let's think about things before we post them on the internet.

If you have some snide remarks you just HAVE to make, make them somewhere else. ...as for everyone else that gave me what I was looking for, I appreciate it.

Again, I'm eating a diet that's primarily made up of proteins, lean proteins at that, and vegetables, how is that unhealthy? Not to mention the fact that I was 214 2 days ago, and today I'm 209.

So, one more time, if you have any SUGGESTIONS for me that will help me with Atkins, I welcome it, if not, please gripe somewhere else.

amoffatt

:bigsmile: Good luck

Edited to say: If it works for you then keep at it. I havent personally tried it myself though so I cannot suggest what to eat on it.

LPCoder

I have been doing low carb, healthy fat. Going crazy on the eggs or high fat is not a good idea. I have one egg and one egg white omelet, grill a bunch of chicken (skinless) and chop it up to put in a bowl in the fridge. Same thing with beef. Choose a lean roast and allow the fat to drip off in the oven. then dice to keep in the fridge. Eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Avoid high starch fruits and veggies like, cantaloupe, potatoes, soy. Also no bread, rice and most grains. Drink unsweetened almond milk, or coconut milk. Use coconut flour or almond flour to bake with (get a good cookbook). Eat fish as well. If it comes in a box, don't buy it. try using Stevia for sweetening your life up! Also, choose non-fat milk products (cottage cheese, other cheeses, greek yogurt, sour cream, but NOT fat-free mayo)

Look for products that use pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds. I like Go Raw products. They make a pumpkin bar that I use for a bread substitute when I make tuna salad or chicken salad. (Don't buy their chocolate flavored chips, blech!)

Hope this helps!

oneorangecat

Their website has a lot of free info including lists of foods and carbohydrates amounts www.Atkins.com. I have been playing around with it while on here and I suspect it works (or seems to) because it ends up being low calories. I did some research and everything says people lose more on Atkins but then as with all diets can gain weight back. I am thinking about tracking here and eating mainly protein and veggies. Since January I lost almost 30 lbs with the best weeks being following Atkins and I paused for the summer and have not gained.