Anybody on the Atkins Diet?
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You'd think that after all these years, people would know more about Atkins and how/why it works... and why people gain when they go off it (which isn't because it's a bad diet but rather because if you go back to your old habits, you'll go back to your old weight... and continue to gain). And you'd think that if they didn't really know much about it other than heresay, that they'd refrain from answering questions about it... but then, you'd be giving the general public way too much credit.
Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist. He wasn't a quack... he knew his stuff. He recommended the diet to his patients and while they stuck to it, it worked. It was so successful, he wrote a book about it, so that even people who were not his patients could benefit from his knowledge. I can tell you this: while I stuck to it, it worked. Very well. (For a couple of years, until I no longer stuck to it. Is that Dr. Atkins' fault, or my own?)
The problem is sticking to it in a society that loves foods that are high in carbs. It's not easy. It can be done. But if you're a carb addict, it's going to be a constant struggle.
To dispel some common myths:
- You don't have to eat TONS of meat every meal.
- You actually will be eating a bunch of vegetables, so I hope you like them. If you don't now, you will learn to.
- You can have fruit on Atkins.
- Most people can move up from 20 grams of carbs per day after the initial two weeks (Induction) following the prescribed method and still lose. (I was losing at 35-40 grams per day at a rate of 5-8 lbs. per month.)
OP: I used to moderate the Atkins Diet Journal on LiveJournal; we had 1500+ members at the time. While I am no longer following the plan, I am willing to answer questions any time.0 -
I was on Weight Watcher and lost weight. Eventually, I started back to my old eating habits, and I gained it all back and then some. Weight Watchers doesn't work. It's a fad. It's a myth. And I know this because I did it, and I gained all the weight back that I had lost and more! It had nothing at all to do with me not making good food choices or having a poor nutrition lifestyle. Nothing at all. I personally wouldn't recommend Weight Watcher's for anyone, but, hey....to each his own.
O_O0 -
Seriously, to the OP, I DID try Weight Watchers, and energy balance diets, and finally hit on Atkins more than 2 years ago. I've lost weight, feel great, and have made this my permanent way of eating. I don't like to judge anyone else for their diet choices, because everybody loses weight differently. This works for me. I've never felt healthier or more energetic. My body doesn't deal well with high carb, processed foods, so I don't go near them. There are several Atkins and low-carb groups on MFP that you can join for support, questions, friends and recipes!
Good luck!0 -
Tried it, worked really well... 17 pounds lost in one month. However as soon as I started slowly reintroducing carbs I gained it all back plus some more. I wouldn't do it again...0
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eat less + work out = lose weight...
It is not low carb that makes you lose weight..it is just you replace all the garbage carbs you were eating with better foods that are lower in calories....IMO
THIS!0 -
Not Atkins, per se. I've been cutting carbs to approximately 20% or less of what I eat -- amounts to around 70 carbs per day. I am losing weight and wasn't when following the recommended ratios of Carb/Protein/Fat on this site: 10 lbs in the last two weeks, which is probably mostly water. I'd recommend you read Gary Taubes' book, Why We Get Fat and What We Can Do About It for a good overview of carb-restricted eating plans. Perusing the web-based groups of low carb dieters indicates that people do eventually start having to count calories, although not at the beginning of the diet.0
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eat less + work out = lose weight...
Read "Good Calories Bad Calories". It opened my eyes to a lot of BS I've learned from dieting.
The calories in/calories out argument for weight loss is garbage.
so you are saying you can eat in a calorie surplus and lose weight? Please explain this magic to me....
I am still waiting on the miraculous explanation as to how one can eat MORE than you take in and still lose....
Me too. Got my popcorn ready :drinker:
people get confused because of the scale and how full they feel. When I "bulked" on a no car diet it seemed I could eat more because I was holding so little water so the scale didn't move as much. When I bulk on a 500-800 carb diet my weight skyrockets 15-25 pounds from the water weight. It confuses people I really think that is the explanation.
Most don't realize how much glycogen stores play a role in weight. When I get up to 280 or 290 my weight will fluctuate 8-14 pounds a day due to glycogen stores and water intake. That is an extreme example but when a 160 pound women suddenly drops all her carbs and loses 6 pounds she thinks "OMG this is the same amount of calories I ate with carbs and I just lost 6 pounds of fat". In reality their glycogen stores are depleted and the water is gone making them look leaner and the scale go down.
I would agree with the sentiment that you can eat the same and still "lose" due to water weight loss...
However, the original poster seemed to imply that you could eat over maintenance and still lose...which I find highly doubtful...0 -
eat less + work out = lose weight...
Read "Good Calories Bad Calories". It opened my eyes to a lot of BS I've learned from dieting.
The calories in/calories out argument for weight loss is garbage.
so you are saying you can eat in a calorie surplus and lose weight? Please explain this magic to me....
I am still waiting on the miraculous explanation as to how one can eat MORE than you take in and still lose....
Me too. Got my popcorn ready :drinker:
people get confused because of the scale and how full they feel. When I "bulked" on a no car diet it seemed I could eat more because I was holding so little water so the scale didn't move as much. When I bulk on a 500-800 carb diet my weight skyrockets 15-25 pounds from the water weight. It confuses people I really think that is the explanation.
Most don't realize how much glycogen stores play a role in weight. When I get up to 280 or 290 my weight will fluctuate 8-14 pounds a day due to glycogen stores and water intake. That is an extreme example but when a 160 pound women suddenly drops all her carbs and loses 6 pounds she thinks "OMG this is the same amount of calories I ate with carbs and I just lost 6 pounds of fat". In reality their glycogen stores are depleted and the water is gone making them look leaner and the scale go down.
I would agree with the sentiment that you can eat the same and still "lose" due to water weight loss...
However, the original poster seemed to imply that you could eat over maintenance and still lose...which I find highly doubtful...
Not to put words in this person's mouth, but my take away from the comment was that there's more to the story than calories in/calories out. That's not the *only* formula--there are more factors at play here. IMO.0 -
I believe the implication was that you can eat more than you burn and still lose...I am just curious as to how this would be possible?0
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I lost tons of weight on it years ago but gained it all back plus some and I swear more went to my butt! You don't count calories but you do have to count your carbs. Much easier limiting portions and counting calories on here. You can't tell me that having bacon and eggs for breakfast on Atkins every single day is healthy.0
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I think it's great short term if you need a jump start. Sometimes a little motivation gets the momentum going.
This exactly!
I've done Atkins twice and lost 10 pounds each time in the first week. Was it mostly water weight? probably......But it sure felt good seeing that much "progress". If it works for you though and gives you the motivation to move into a healthier long term diet then good for you!
Sadly, most people slip back into old habits and gain all of the weight back that they lost.....I think, that (and how much wrong information is floating around about the diet), is the reason the it gets such a bad wrap.0 -
I started the Atkins WOL back in 2010. I lost over 120 pounds in a year, and was well on my way to losing more, but I fell of the wagon due to life getting in the way. Plus, I intentionally gave up. I didn't intent to gain the weight back, but the longer it went on the harder it was to get back into gear.
So, here I am, 80 pounds heavier than my lowest, and restarting. I'm starting from induction, and just taking my time to more forward. I don't feel like the weight is coming off as quickly this time, but like I said, it's a WOL (way of life).
Starting....It's hard. It sucks. It makes you miss certain things.....but at the end of the day it's worth it. The cravings totally subside, you aren't hungry, you aren't gorging on bacon, you aren't putting yourself on the cusp of a major heart attack. Anyone that wants to judge the Atkins diet or anyone trying to follow it can take their assumptions somewhere else. I can tell you first hand that if you follow it then you will eat more veggies that you probably have ever eaten before. I know I did. It's a whole new way of looking at foods, and I strongly suggest it to anyone that is looking for something to save them.
I'm off my soap box now!0 -
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".0
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eat less + work out = lose weight...
Read "Good Calories Bad Calories". It opened my eyes to a lot of BS I've learned from dieting.
The calories in/calories out argument for weight loss is garbage.
so you are saying you can eat in a calorie surplus and lose weight? Please explain this magic to me....
I am still waiting on the miraculous explanation as to how one can eat MORE than you take in and still lose....
Me too. Got my popcorn ready :drinker:
people get confused because of the scale and how full they feel. When I "bulked" on a no car diet it seemed I could eat more because I was holding so little water so the scale didn't move as much. When I bulk on a 500-800 carb diet my weight skyrockets 15-25 pounds from the water weight. It confuses people I really think that is the explanation.
Most don't realize how much glycogen stores play a role in weight. When I get up to 280 or 290 my weight will fluctuate 8-14 pounds a day due to glycogen stores and water intake. That is an extreme example but when a 160 pound women suddenly drops all her carbs and loses 6 pounds she thinks "OMG this is the same amount of calories I ate with carbs and I just lost 6 pounds of fat". In reality their glycogen stores are depleted and the water is gone making them look leaner and the scale go down.
I would agree with the sentiment that you can eat the same and still "lose" due to water weight loss...
However, the original poster seemed to imply that you could eat over maintenance and still lose...which I find highly doubtful...
Not to put words in this person's mouth, but my take away from the comment was that there's more to the story than calories in/calories out. That's not the *only* formula--there are more factors at play here. IMO.
Just so everyone knows, about half of all the protein you eat gets converted to glucose(carbs). So if you eat about 200g of protein, that's almost the same as 100g of carbs.
This isn't necessary true but I get where you are coming from with extreme dieters.
The simple proof is checking your blood sugar. Go ahead and eat 14 ounces of steak and 4 eggs and you won't see a change in blood sugar...well at least not a change like you ate 50 grams of carbs which is basically what you are saying. Especially if you have sufficient fat and calories even on no carbs you will see minimal conversion to glucose.
There is a lot of debate about this topic. And certain protein foods convert to glucose at a higher percent. For instance after a workout if you slam 60 grams of whey protein isolate you will see a slight tick in bg levels. It is small though...not even in the ballpark of 30 grams of carbs.
The process of gluconeogensis and deamination does get a little more complex with an extreme low carb, low fat, and low calorie diet. It does seem like in extreme diet mode when carbs are zero and calories are low the body will convert more.
Carbs do spare protein...you are right about that. It's just incorrect to think "if I eat 200 grams of protein it's the same as eating 100 grams of carbohydrates" as a blanket statement.
So I guess "it's complicated". Much more complicated than "if you eat 200 grams of protein it is l ike eating 100 grams of carbs."
The other interesting part is will the process of deamination occur with protein you take in or will the body start with your own muscle first? Interesting topic. I will also concede that in a situation where a person is no carbs, no fat, calorie deprived....it may get up to 50%. But nobody should be eating like that.
This is personally why I like low carb diets with 60-110 grams of carbs a day. No matter the debate on how much converts or the leaching of your own muscle tissue we know carbs are protein ie muscle sparing.
your post deserves it's own thread lol very interesting topic we could go on and on about0 -
I just jumped to the pre-maintenance stage, because that's for people who have 10lbs or less to lose. It's giving me 60 net carbs, so the carbs I choose to eat I make sure are high in fiber, which is tons of veggies and some fruit. It's very similar to what I'm used to eating anyway, but makes me focus on eating even more veggies, and that is a very good/healthy thing. I feel better and more energized. The proteins I choose are just the same as a body builder...lean. You don't want to eat more food, because between the protein and the high fiber veggies you are full faster. What's so unhealthy about that?0
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I have a friend who started the Atkins this week and yesterday was her 5th day and she already lost 12 lbs. So needless to say this diet has sparked my interest. She sent me links that had all the details and I read through everything and I went and watched vids on youtube of real people with real experiences on the Atkins diet, both good and bad. Then I came on here and read all these comments. I was considering giving this diet a whirl...but the more I am learning I think that if I do decide to try it, I only want to do the induction phase for a boost, I am just curious what it will do for ME.....but I still have not made up my mind just yet. I am not so sure if this is something I want to stick with much longer than that just because I like the way I have been losing weight so far. I have lost 35 lbs total since Thanksgiving. Wanna know how? You will never believe this! Proper diet and exercise!
IMAGINE THAT! LOL
My husband and I have gotten very serious about nutrition and exercise and we have changed everything we used to do for the better! The big key for us has been to change the way we grocery shop and our portions! We read the labels and ingredients on every single thing we buy! We measure everything we eat all day long and we do not go over our daily calorie and carb allowance! Whatever the nutrition label suggest is the serving size or amount for 1 serving for 1 person, then that is what we measure out for our meal. THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR FACTOR!!! I encourage everyone to use portion control! We also cut out sugar and white foods except milk, yogurt and sour cream...but we buy 1% milk and almond milk instead of whole milk and when we buy yogurt we buy light or fat free, same goes for sour cream we buy light or fat free. We buy loaves of Nickles Multi-grain 35 calorie per slice bread. We plan our meals especially if we go out to eat. We go online to read the menu's and we plan our meals to stay within our calories and carb allowance. We completely avoid fast food and soda or sugary fruit drinks. Instead we drink water and we buy Crystal Light or Disani flavored drops to put in our water. If we are having some serious major craving for something bad, we allow ourselves to have a bite or two- a small amount- we don't go crazy! We put the rest away! We also allow 2-3 cheat days a month but we still don't go crazy then either. We have been doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred work out which you can find on youtube and we also joined Planet Fitness and we love it! I did my first 10k on the first day we went on a bike! MFP has been a great tool for us as well. We take advantage of everything MFP has to offer. There are some days we don't log in because we are so busy or we cant always get to a computer with internet access...but we do our best on here when we can come on. If we can not come on here we still keep track of everything we eat. It takes some self discipline to do all of this, but you have to really want it to succeed and keep it off! This is a life style change for your health and if you really want it and keep motivated you can do it! You deserve to be healthy! We all do!
I think just about every one has a valid point on this thread...except the person who said you can consume more calories or carbs and still keep losing weight lol...consuming MORE is what has gotten many of us here in the first place! Everyone has had their own personal experience with dieting and not dieting...what works for you may not work for others and vice versa. There! That's my two cents!
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I did Atkins years ago and lost a ton of weight. Within a year slowly adding carbs back, I gained it all back plus some.
Ughhh me too!!!0
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