what about atkins diet?

liawilliams123

Do u think it workS? did anyone try it? please tell me your stories!

lyndalpn

Short term it works as far as Kg lost, but it is not a long term way of life. Atkins has a high long term failure rate and is not a balanced way of eating long term IMHO. So while you may lose weight fast, you may not keep it off. I think there are better ways to go.

mjrkearney

I've seen it done but I personally found it way too restrictive. If you want to cut carbs, then cut carbs. Less process sugar, pasta, rice, bread, etc. If you have a serious craving, try shirataki noodles.

Mads1997

Short term it works as far as Kg lost, but it is not a long term way of life. Atkins has a high long term failure rate and is not a balanced way of eating long term IMHO. So while you may lose weight fast, you may not keep it off. I think there are better ways to go.

All diets are the same, Sure you lose weight while on them but as soon as you go back to normal eating you gain it back and then some.

kcaffee1

It works quite well. I've lived on it for quite a while. What finally dropped me out of the program is that it's EXPENSIVE and I had moved out on my own, and was the only income in the household. Just couldn't afford to keep up with the program.

The nice thing for me was that even at the six month mark, it was working just as well as it did at the start. I have to watch most of the "diet" plans, because my body typically adjusts to the nutrient/caloric intake within a six month window, and instead of continuing to loose, I start skyrocketing. The Adkins plan kept me from doing that.

Just remember to drink LOTS of fluids, and if you have any kidney issues, talk to your doctor first. You will be producing ketone bodies which some people have trouble clearing. Especially if you have any kidney problems. That's the only down side, except the cost of keeping that much meat and/or pure protein in the house.

Good luck, and I look forward to reading more about your journey!

K

TheVimFuego

I did 6 months on a low carb thing, not Atkins exactly but less than 50g a day, mostly "Low GI" carbs, here is my take:

Initial drop of water weight, reduced hunger helped maintain a calorie deficit, it got me back in touch with my true feelings of hunger, satiety and reset my 'sweet tooth'. I also enjoyed going nuts on the bacon and fats in general

If I were to do it again then I would think there would be no need to be THAT restrictive on the carbs (especially the less processed kind) as long as I were maintaining the calorie deficit.

There was no magic to it, it's just another, perfectly valid, means to an end IMO.

Poke yer nose in here if you like, plenty of support and opinion ...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/411-low-carber-daily-forum-the-group-

MemphisKitten

I did it several years ago, and it make me very sick. I couldn't stay out of the bathroom and had no energy. Needless to say, after 2 weeks I was done with it!!

lmbs1966

I tried it several years ago and it worked, I lost 56 lbs in 4 months, but the first three days to a week you feel really tired, the food choices are so limited it gets boring fast, and the minute you fall off the diet, you gain weight. It took me about three years to gain that weight back, I tried doing it again, but gained weight on it that time, so never again. I have mfp now, makes me feel accountable, I can eat what I want as long as I stay in my cal range. On Atkins you can't have fruit or bread, pasta or potatoes which I found was not easy to avoid eating. I am much happier just keeping track on mfp. Hope this helps.

etoiles_argentees

tried low carb a long time ago for health benefits, saw none. Lost 10 pounds in 4 to 6 weeks, not good when you only weigh 100 pounds. Back to sugar and carbs.

Cranktastic

meh

EAT

SMASH THINGS

REPEAT

wswilliams67

It works short term, but it is NOT maintainable in the long haul. Once you go off it most gain the weight back and then some more.

sarahrbraun

I didn't even go as low as atkins levels...I went down to 100g net per day ( from 200g+ per day) and lost 8lbs the first month, 5lbs the second month, 5lbs the third month, 4lbs the fourth month. That is 22lbs in 4 months. Before I cut carbs, it took me 3 months to lose 7 lbs. I havent had much loss in the last 3 months due to some asthma medication i had to start taking

bradthemedic

Count calories. Restrict bad fats and processed food only. Otherwise eat whatever you want.

wish21

it tastes terrible haha. It will work, but can you maintain a lifestyle like that. It takes more than just saying okay I'll stay on until I reach my goal and then I'll get off and eat whatever I want. You will not succseed(sp?). I thought about it and when you sign up on their sight they will give you three of their bars. That was a turn off for me because they are yucky taste artificial. However if you are considering a program maybe you should try medifast. I was seriously considering this but the money was my deciding factor. I chose Weight Watchers.

HurricaneElaine

It worked for me, but I couldn't maintain and gained it all back. I was 19, moved out of the parental house, spent most of my paycheck on meats and non-carb veggies, and worked out. I lost 90 pounds in 18 months. If you can change your way of eating and adhere for the REST OF YOUR LIFE, it will work and the weight won't return, but it is VERY hard to do.

mcjabber

If you're interested in atkins, look into eating paleo instead. That IS sustainable, and aside from weight stuff, I have the most energy when I eat that way, or eat mostly that way. It basically means grain free and eating clean.

SteAnnMui

I did do Atkins in the past and I am doing it again. When I did it in the past it helped me get to my goal weight, and I was able to maintain within 5 lbs for months. Even with going off it, I learned good habits like staying away from sugar and too many carbs, which contributed to my maintenance.

Then after a big move, a husband who couldn't find a job, and getting pregnant and living off Mr. Noodle, I got to my highest weight ever. I'm back on it again because I know it works. I did it for four months and lost 23 lbs, took a break, only gained a few back in 4 months, and now I'm back at it for the past week and seeing losses.

Of course if when you're done losing weight you go back to eating junk all the time you will gain it back. Maintenance is about taking what you've learned during weight loss so you can sustain your results.

Molly_Maguire

It's not really sustainable. Almost everybody gains any weight lost right back when they stop eating strict Atkins. Better to eat a balanced diet and sticking to a calorie deficit.

ETA: This is from personal experience.

HypersonicFitNess

Very bad for long term; your body will not be getting adequate nutrition. You really need vegetables and fruit in your daily diet to get adequate nutrition; also you can really harm your liver with Adkins...

katevarner

It used to be my diet of choice because it always worked, but I could never stick to maintenance, so always gained the weight back and then some. This time I'm just eating fewer carbs, particularly processed carbs, so we'll see if I'm better able to stick to it. I do find myself craving sugar this time, tho, which I didn't do in the past, but because I'm counting everything, I can fit some sugar in most days. Not sure it's a great idea, but it's working so far.

Alli4Chocolate

I am on the atkins diet. It works for me. There are 4 phases. The first 2 weeks are retrictive but as time goes on you are allowed to start including in your diet fruit, nuts, and some breads. Many people think that they are to live on the, "The Induction Stage," that is the first 2 weeks.

I am not real strict on the Atkins. I had Doctor who specializes in Nutrition and he told me to go on a Low Carb diet. He himself does a low carb, but as he admitted once a week he has a donut and a BIg Mac. You can't deprvie yourself. I have once a week splurge.

If you get off any diet you are going to gain wieght. It is not a diet but a change of eating. I have no problem eating vegatables, salads, cheese and lean meats and excluding sugar and processed white flour. As I said I do have my splurge. I just don't go crazy.

Railr0aderTony

I lost about 75lbs on the adkins diet, then gained 90+ when i went off of it. Not saying it is not effective, but it is not for me.

MusicInMyHeart

Please do not consider doing this diet. I'm living proof that it does not work. I was on the Atkins kick for 3 months and dropped 40lbs for a vacation to the Bahamas. As soon as I returned I gained it all back and an extra 20lbs.

californiagirl2012

Do u think it workS? did anyone try it? please tell me your stories!

Oh my gosh. horror story here. I've lost and gained on it several times, eat time I gained I was higher than previous.

Diets like those are not sustainable and I found they hurt me in the long run, delayed my success.

These were the diets I tried and failed and did the diet yo-yo with for 15 years:

Low fat high carb, Slim-Fast, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Organic, Weston Price Diet, The Schwarzbein Principle, Eat Fat Lose Fat, The Ultimate PH Solution, The Makers Diet, A friends diet from a personal trainer/dietician

I finally just got sick of it all and made up my own diet with healthy foods I enjoy and smaller portions. I ate my meals from small desert plates and bowls. I stopped eating in the evenings (not that when you eat matters.) I started calling what I did mini-meals and mini-fasts and I lost 40 lbs. Then I found Eat Stop Eat and learned why it worked and everything took off for me at that point.

Eat what you want, eat what you like, mostly healthy. Don’t deprive yourself of foods you love unless there is a serious health risk. Depriving yourself of food you love and creating extensive good food and bad food lists at some point borders on a mental disorder. It will drive you insane.

This is why on the login page to MFP it says eat what you want. That is what it's all about. A calorie budget. No more good foods and bad foods. You want to eat as healthy as you can because it makes you feel better and perform better, and makes you healthier. There are a bunch of tricks and clean eating; reducing sugar (especially HFCS), fiber, white flour vs whole grain, low carb, low fat, on and on. All that matters is calories for weight loss. If you need to eat a certain way for health reasons or to feel better do it, but extensive good food and bad food lists will drive you insane at some point, it’s a constantly moving target. Just eat what you like, mostly healthy, mostly balanced, within a calorie budget. We all know what healthy is by now, just do it.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss. Don't make it complicated.

Wishing you the best! Bobbie

jcr85

Funny how people lose all that weight and say it doesnt work because when you go off it you gain all the weight back. That doesnt mean the diet doesnt work it means you dont work right once you stop the diet.

JenniTheVeggie

I am a firm believer in whatever works for YOU. I do lower carb. Basically I cut out junky carbs and processed garbage. You have to think of it as a lifestyle not diet.

Wendysworld13

From personal experience - Atkins works really well the first time you do it. If you are strick about it you can lose easily and quickly and you throw lots of ketones - must be careful if you have any kidney issues at all. If you stry you will gain weight back and because it is very restrictive it is hard to go again.

My recommendation is to try to make some lifestyle changes you can live with - ie, cut out refined whites (white sugar, white breads, white rice, white flour, white pasta). By adding whole grains and less refined food products you can truly lose weight without deleting any necessary component from your diet - Carbs are in MANY things, and thou cannot live on fats and proteins alone!

Good Luck

RobynMWilson

Lose the term "diet". Sure you will lose weight but will you keep it off for good? I never agreed with "diets" or any eating plan that eliminates an entire food group. I have a busy life...I need carbs for energy, but healthy carbs.

kaervaak

Very bad for long term; your body will not be getting adequate nutrition. You really need vegetables and fruit in your daily diet to get adequate nutrition; also you can really harm your liver with Adkins...

Being on Atkins actually should cause you to eat a lot more veggies. If you're doing it right you should eat high fiber cruciferous veggies with every meal. Spinach, lettuce, broccoli, kale, asparagus, brussel sprouts, bean sprouts, cabbage etc should be absolute staples in a low carb diet. Your body doesn't process fiber in the same way that it processes other carbs, so the fiber in veggies should not be counted in your daily carb intake.

There's no danger to your liver with low carb diets unless you also drastically increase your heavy metal intake, please cite a source for that info.

Steve_Runs

I don't know how anyone can say they have lived on it for years. You can't continually keep yourself in ketosis! I don't believe it is healthy at all. I did it 12 years ago and I swear, it took me 10 years to enjoy eggs again!

speedgraphic19

It CAN work, but a lot of people don't function well on a low-carb diet and you can get sick etc. Maintenance is also really hard and impractical on a highly restrictive diet like Atkins. I wouldn't recommend it, personally.