Atkins

gjulie

I did Atkins years ago lost weight great then got sicker and sicker!realised I was pregnant!lol Its dangerous:laugh:

bodyrollin

Atkins does lose weight but it's not a healthy diet to do so...here's how it works...your body is most efficient when it is burning carbohydrates and blood sugars for energy...Atkins takes those out of the equation and forces your body to burn fat as a primary fuel...now this sounds awesome, but there are real problems with it...can your body burn fat? Absolutely, however it usually burns fat as a supplement for expenditures that exceed the level of sugars and carbs in your body. As a primary fuel it is dangerous, your renal system (primarily your kidneys) along with a few other key organs aren't designed to operate off of fat burn only, studies have shown that it can lead to premature kidney failure...and believe me, dialasys is no fun, and short of a kidney transplant it is permanent. Also there's the concern of cholesterol...protein has it, and a diet that is mostly weighted with protein has more of it than you would consume on a normal diet, so it's not great on your heart either. Be realistic, who in their right mind thinks a sound nutritional guideline is one that says "go ahead and eat that package of bacon...hell...wrap it around hot dogs, and eat those...but don't you dare touch that apple, or any whole grains. In summation if it's working for you then that's great, but I'd be looking for a more balanced sound program that makes more sense, and still works for you.

sbwood888

Several years ago, I lost 150 pounds on Atkins. It took me two years. As long as I stayed low carb, I was fine. Unfortunately, once I came off the low carb lifestyle and started eating those trigger foods (at least they are triggers for me), I started gaining. When I do bad, I do REALLLL bad. Over time, I gained all that 150 pounds back. :sad: My husband is following Atkins now. It is the only plan that he can stick to. He has lost about 115 pounds and still has more to lose. Any time he comes off of the diet, even for a little while, the pounds pack on sooo fast! So anyway, just a word of warning. Unless you plan to stay low carb FOREVER, it is just a temporary fix. I wish you great success! :flowerforyou:

waldo56

The problem with Atkins is the same problem that all other diets have.

Losing weight is and will always be the easy part. Keeping it off is the hard part.

By the time you reach the results backed groove stage of a diet, when losing is a habit, 3-6 weeks in, your attention should be focused on changing your lifestyle to maintain your loss.

Unlike all the fad diets out there, there are very few plans out there to help you with this. If losing weight is hard, you have already failed.

psuLemon

The problem with Atkins is the same problem that all other diets have.

Losing weight is and will always be the easy part. Keeping it off is the hard part.

By the time you reach the results backed groove stage of a diet, when losing is a habit, 3-6 weeks in, your attention should be focused on changing your lifestyle to maintain your loss.

Unlike all the fad diets out there, there are very few plans out there to help you with this. If losing weight is hard, you have already failed.

I would like to expand on this. Another reason most of these diets are unsustainable is because they are all low calorie diets and do NOT teach a person to eat healthier or make the right choices. And while they are very good at making people lose weight, they also will lose lean body mass which will slow down your metabolism and make it much easier to gain weight back.

Cattallie

I personally am on a medically supervised low carb diet plan. It does have most characteristics of an Atkins low carb high protien and so on, but more restricted on carbs within fruits, it has been working for me and I am able to use the Atkins bars and shakes to supplement things if I'm in a crunch. 30 days with changing my lifestyle and I have lost 21 lbs, my blood sugar is lower, my blood pressure is lower and my energy is wonderful. I think as with any life change you need to do some research. You are always going to have the people that are positive and negative, but look at the facts first. I researched my heart out for my specific body, insulin resistance and so on, then my doctor agreed. The people here are very helpful and you will have groups supporting every diet known to man, I would just say before you go into something make sure it is right for you. Ask your doctor if you have concerns. Sorry my opinion is so open but to nail it down for you, as with any "diet" or lifestyle change, it takes will power. If you look at people whom have tried things and have gained back its hardly ever the plans fault, in fact Atkins does take you through a maintence phase once you have hit your goal weight.. Emotional and life triggers, will power of the person and so on contribute more than anything. This is your body, what may work for others may not work for you, educate yourself. Some of this has been said but I believe the way it is said matters. Not trying to sugar coat anything but just being less harsh.

darleyschroeder

I tried the Atkins diet about a month ago. I lost 5 pounds in 3 days and was very excited. I got to eat lots of fatty food that I normally wouldn't. It was great and all was well. I really thought I had found something I could stick to.

HOWEVER, that changed on the 4th day. I got what the site and other people know as the "Atkins Flu". I was throwing up, had a terrible headache and felt sooooooo sick. People said it would go away and that it was normal, but you know what....throwing up stomach acid and being bed ridden is not normal or okay for me, detox or not. I got off that diet that day. I ate a large piece of bread and started feeling a whole lot better.
That is when I decided to go back to what worked for me and never made me ill: calorie counting and exercise.

I went from 200 pounds to 129 counting calories and working out. It never made me sick once. Did it take longer? YES. Was it worth it? YES

I don't suggest Atkins to anybody. For those who tried it and didn't get sick, you are very lucky! I wish I was like you.

mummymorgon

Everyone is talking like I'm someone who has always struggled with my weight - I am not. I have just had a baby. I don't follow atkins to the extreme, I just eat lots of veg, salad and fish. Unhealthy? I think not.

As for losing weight only being hard when youre on a fad diet - no it's not. By that statement I meant it's hard to lose weight, as you have to sort out the emotional problems associated with gaining weight, and people often find it hard to get the motiviation and drive to lose weight.

I started this post as a general chat for people eating similar foods to myself to discuss recipe ideas etc...but thanks to the over opiniated people getting their two pence worth there is little chance of that. So I will start a new thread somewhere else. Thank you all for your opinions, but my eating habbits are my own business and no-one elses

mummymorgon

The problem with Atkins is the same problem that all other diets have.

Losing weight is and will always be the easy part. Keeping it off is the hard part.

By the time you reach the results backed groove stage of a diet, when losing is a habit, 3-6 weeks in, your attention should be focused on changing your lifestyle to maintain your loss.

Unlike all the fad diets out there, there are very few plans out there to help you with this. If losing weight is hard, you have already failed.

Losing weight is not hard for me personally, I've found it really easy as Im eating all the normal foods I did before I was pregnant. However, PEOPLE do find it hard losing weight, otherwise everyone would be skinny. Don't make a judgement on a person and their lifestyle based on one comment which you have interpreted wrong on a forum.

Lyra89

8lbs of water weight...

mulderpf

I did the Atkins diet for about 2 and a half week. Lost a decent amount of weight, but all I remember was the fact that I did not go to the toilet for a #2 the entire time! And how I started craving cakes and biscuits and bread and pasta. I also remember going to a restaurant and how sad I looked with just a piece of meat on a plate.

Pros for me:
* Fast weight loss initially

Cons for me:
* Not sustainable
* Constipation
* Cravings for everything that's a carb
* The instant weight you put on the moment you start eating normally
* The difficulty in planning meals - having just mince on a plate isn't great!
* Not being able to eat many fruit and veggies
* Smelly breath
* Difficulty fitting in with normal life
* Potential kidney problems

IronSmasher

Everyone is talking like I'm someone who has always struggled with my weight - I am not. I have just had a baby. I don't follow atkins to the extreme, I just eat lots of veg, salad and fish. Unhealthy? I think not.

As for losing weight only being hard when youre on a fad diet - no it's not. By that statement I meant it's hard to lose weight, as you have to sort out the emotional problems associated with gaining weight, and people often find it hard to get the motiviation and drive to lose weight.

I started this post as a general chat for people eating similar foods to myself to discuss recipe ideas etc...but thanks to the over opiniated people getting their two pence worth there is little chance of that. So I will start a new thread somewhere else. Thank you all for your opinions, but my eating habbits are my own business and no-one elses

Atkins, by definition, is an extremely low carbohydrate diet.

Everyone appears to be trying to help, with nothing to gain on their part.

It's not your own business, the NHS is legally obligated to fix anything you mess up by following a fad diet linked with heart disease and osteoporosis, by spending the money we've all spent through tax.

fun_b

Never tried Atkins but I have been on a low carb diet a few years ago. This was the first diet that I was able to stick to for more than a week. I have no regrets as I lost a lot of weight and without this motivation I may have stayed extremely overweight and unhappy.
Unfortunately I love my bread/crumpets/bagels so I find it hard to stick to long term.

Brian_VA

I have lost 46 lbs with an Atkins-like low carb way of eating. It really works well for me. By eliminating the high sugar/high starch foods like regular bread, while potato, rice, cereals, pasta,sugary desserts, and the like, I am in control of what I eat and eat foods I love. Since starting I have been exercising, and even participated in a triathlon sprint. I recommend low carb eating with an active lifestyle highly!

The problem with using this as a diet is that being fat is a symptom of carbohydrate intake, and once you add back the carbs you go back to the same lifestyle that caused you to gain in the first place. And since low carb is so easy to do and lose weight, when you go off of it you have not learned the self control skills that more traditional diets require - like counting calories and resisting carb binging. So if you go into this, don't call it a diet. Call it a lifestyle. And just eliminate the trigger foods from your diet. None is easier than one - it is much easier to not take the first bite than to not take the second! I eat low carb wraps, fruit, nuts and lots of veggies, in addition to a steady diet of meats and some cheeses. But not a single piece of white bread has crossed my lips since 12/31/2011.

As far as whether this is a natural diet, I think it is. Man has been on this planet some 2 million years. The wheel was invented 10,000 years ago. So how did man eat for 1.99+ million years? He didn't eat bread or pasta, and didn't drink soft drinks or fruit juices. Fruits and vegetables were very seasonal, and his body scarfed them down and to excess to gain weight and protect against him from famine. But when food was scarce and he ate meat, his body did not drive him to eat it all at once. He was in control and made it last. This is the kind of diet our body evolved on. It makes tremendous sence we over eat carbs and get fat. It's in our DNA! And if you've watched the mainstream nutrition advice morph over the past few years, the low carb comments have gone from unhealthy to recommended (although the name Atkins continues to be vilified, which I think is unfortunate).

I highly recommend people watch the movie "Fat Head". Horrible name but well researched and humorous. It will make you mad and forever change the way you look at food. It is free on Hulu, and snippets are available on YouTube.

If anyone wants support on a low carb diet, send a friend request and mention low carb.

mulderpf

Everyone is talking like I'm someone who has always struggled with my weight - I am not. I have just had a baby. I don't follow atkins to the extreme, I just eat lots of veg, salad and fish. Unhealthy? I think not.

As for losing weight only being hard when youre on a fad diet - no it's not. By that statement I meant it's hard to lose weight, as you have to sort out the emotional problems associated with gaining weight, and people often find it hard to get the motiviation and drive to lose weight.

I started this post as a general chat for people eating similar foods to myself to discuss recipe ideas etc...but thanks to the over opiniated people getting their two pence worth there is little chance of that. So I will start a new thread somewhere else. Thank you all for your opinions, but my eating habbits are my own business and no-one elses

Then you're not following Atkins - it's just low carb. (Atkins is low carb to the extreme - no more than 20g of carbs a day (this includes carbs from fruit & veggies).

Brian_VA

Then you're not following Atkins - it's just low carb. (Atkins is low carb to the extreme - no more than 20g of carbs a day (this includes carbs from fruit & veggies).

Atkins recommended a 2 week induction phase where carbs are cut to 20 per day, but after that carb intake was increased. As weight started to return to normal, more and more carbs are added to the person's diet.

I don't do Atkins exactly, but this is what he advocated.

vytamindi

Atkins does lose weight but it's not a healthy diet to do so...here's how it works...your body is most efficient when it is burning carbohydrates and blood sugars for energy...Atkins takes those out of the equation and forces your body to burn fat as a primary fuel...now this sounds awesome, but there are real problems with it...can your body burn fat? Absolutely, however it usually burns fat as a supplement for expenditures that exceed the level of sugars and carbs in your body. As a primary fuel it is dangerous, your renal system (primarily your kidneys) along with a few other key organs aren't designed to operate off of fat burn only, studies have shown that it can lead to premature kidney failure...and believe me, dialasys is no fun, and short of a kidney transplant it is permanent. Also there's the concern of cholesterol...protein has it, and a diet that is mostly weighted with protein has more of it than you would consume on a normal diet, so it's not great on your heart either. Be realistic, who in their right mind thinks a sound nutritional guideline is one that says "go ahead and eat that package of bacon...hell...wrap it around hot dogs, and eat those...but don't you dare touch that apple, or any whole grains. In summation if it's working for you then that's great, but I'd be looking for a more balanced sound program that makes more sense, and still works for you.

There is a lot of misinformation here, my friend. Your body craves carbohydrates because it wants to take the path of least resistance and burn off the easiest fuel. Once you're fat adapted, it's no longer an issue. Also, the diet is not about cutting out carbs, but making the carbs you eat worthwhile (green, fibrous veggies and not Atkins Indulgence Bars). I haven't touched bacon in a few weeks, to be honest. And apples are not off limits and can definitely fit into the <20g scheme if you plan for it. Sure, they have tons of sugar but lots of healthy fiber as well. I haven't been craving one, but I've eaten raspberries with no issue. I'm eating meat, dairy, nuts, and veggies with a little fruit and a square of dark chocolate here and there. What is so unhealthy about that?

OP, I've been on a ketogenic (20g or less carbs per day, high fat, moderate protein) diet since May, and I have to be honest, my body has never felt better. I don't feel tired after work anymore and I'm not constantly chugging coffee just to stay awake. I've started eating more veggies than I ever have. I found an awesome online collection of recipes. Google Linda's Low Carb Recipe site. If you just stay away from sugar alcohols and fake stuff, you should be fine. I hear those are okay once in a while, but some people are sensitive to sugar alcohols and it may stall progress.

martintanz

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I started this post as a general chat for people eating similar foods to myself to discuss recipe ideas etc...but thanks to the over opiniated people getting their two pence worth there is little chance of that. So I will start a new thread somewhere else. Thank you all for your opinions, but my eating habbits are my own business and no-one elses

If that was your purpose, you should have been more explicit. You act as if some malicious person hijacked your friendly Atkins thread. As someone else said, people here have nothing to gain, and in fact, sacrificed minutes of their lives they will never get back offering friendly advice. Now it is free advice from internet strangers, and you seem inclined to ignore it. Come back here in a year or two and update on how Atkins worked out for you.

vytamindi

Well to be honest, there is a lot of low carb hate on the MFP forums, so I understand her being on the defensive. I, for one, see it almost every day.

However, do you think your comment helped the general demeanor of this thread? Or do you think it will solve anything?

Look, we're all here for the same reason: to lose weight. Low carb, high carb, low fat, paleo, veganism, whatever works for you is what you should use.

SuperCrsa

Noooo dont do it..
I lost an incredible amount of weight on this diet, and put it all plus more back on.