Do You Feel Like You Constantly Have to Defend...

IrishChik

Curious -

do any of you feel like you constantly have to defend Atkins or yourself for being on it?

My step-mom-in-law is a nurse and she is doing Atkins too. She has lost 15lb this year and she is diabetic. This is the only plan that has really worked for her. Her dietitian even works with her and she thinks it is fine. My dietitian put my on low-carb and I picked Atkins. She didn't really want me to do the induction phase because she felt it might be too low for me personally, but I did it anyway. She knows, and somehow she was ok with it since I lost weight and I feel great. She has a password to my food journal here and thinks I do great. I am insulin resistant due to PCOS and in the years I have been battling this, Atkins is the only thing that seems to click (and work). My husband is even coming on board (slowly, but surely).

But, I find that when I tell people (like when I go out to eat, order, and they ask me what plan I follow) I get a lot of people that hear all the rumors and myths (unlimited bacon and cheese, anyone?) and I find myself trying to explain that it is not really like that. Then, I get a lot of people telling me I should try Primal / Paleo.

Anyone else have a similar situation?

sallyaj

Yes! As a health editor for many years, I have always felt uncomfortable having to constantly defend myself to my peers about the only way of eating that has ever slimmed me down.

I found the documentary Fat Head really helpful in boiling down the issues of insulin resistance and why the same diet doesn't work for every BODY.

It does a good job of explaining why my skinny friend can be a granola-eating vegan chocoholic and I can't.

IrishChik

That is one of the few documentaries I haven't watched yet. I think they have it on Netflix, will have to check it out.

Yes! As a health editor for many years, I have always felt uncomfortable having to constantly defend myself to my peers about the only way of eating that has ever slimmed me down.

I found the documentary Fat Head really helpful in boiling down the issues of insulin resistance and why the same diet doesn't work for every BODY.

It does a good job of explaining why my skinny friend can be a granola-eating vegan chocoholic and I can't.

emstethem

Yes! I finally just decided to tell people that I'm sugar sensitive (I'm not diabetic) and they leave me alone about it. It's annoying really...people just mean the best though and truly do have good intentions...well...some of them anyway...

Gaelicgirl1983

Yup, I'm definitely feeling this. I just started Atkins on Sunday and I'm super excited about it, so I've been talking about it a lot at work and on facebook. Most people are supportive, and when they question me and I bring in the facts they usually are more so. It's frustrating how much misinformation is out there about Atkins. I'm tempted to just say I'm on a low carb diet instead, because it seems like when people hear Atkins their brains just shut down.

LaJaunaF

I found that I never mention Atkins. I just say that I have eliminated all starchy, processed, sugary foods from my diet, per my doctor's orders. Nuff said.

aimeehoward73

I do the same thing. I say things like "oh I've decided to cut bread, sugar, starches, things like that out of my diet." One of my co-workers who is over weight asked me how I was losing my weight, so I told her. She told me last week that she was at her husband's heart doctor with him and mentioned Atkins to him because she was thinking about trying it. She said the Dr was like "oh no, stay away from that, it's not healthy", so now she and her husband are following the "low fat" diet so many of us have tried before. I told her not all doctors follow the same thoughts and wished her well. I should also mention this is the same lady who was taking Adipex and thought it was ok because it came from a Dr. (I won't lie, I've also tried Adipex for a month in the past, but it wasn't for me). She came in a few days later and showed me some different junk foods they were eating because they were only 90 calories and told me about some of the stuff they were eating. I just thought to myself "alrighty then, good luck with that".

strawmama

I've noticed that my real friends are very supportive. Doesn't matter what I tell them (low-carb, Atkins, HFLC, etc.). There were a few people who I thought were friends of mine, who big-time criticized me. One so-called friend even had the nerve to tell me "You don't need to do that crazy *kitten* to lose weight, they make pills for that!" Um, seriously. Grow up (this was during a conversation about flaxseed meal). I still see her from time to time, and she hasn't even asked me about my weight loss.

All in all, I tell everyone if asked. I really don't need them, so it's no big deal to tell them I am low-carb.

Gleamy88

Hi, I'm new to MFP and a returnee to Atkins this past week and it is the only thing that has worked for me. I don't have PCOS but I have all of the symptoms so losing the weight has been very difficult for me. I personally cannot handle carbs at all. Most of my friends are pretty down for it. Some are skeptical about losing so much weight in a short time. I have lost 9lbs since last wednesday. I now its for the sake of being concerned. Sometimes i say low-carb diet other times i just say Atkins. I was scared at first to say Atkins because it has gotten some bad press and people are eager to believe the hype. It works for me and it beats being 324 lbs heavy doing nothing!

CoCoMa

I've been on and off Atkins for the past 7 years, but I keep coming back because it works. I'm type 2 diabetic, and when I'm on Atkins, a couple of days I'm in ketosis, a week or so later, I'm off meds. When I tell people that I'm diabetic, they seem to get why I've chosen low carb. It's true that when someone who's uneducated about this WOE hears "Atkins" they immediately assume that we consume a rediculously amount of steak, a slab of bacon, and a block of cheese at each sitting - *sigh*

yoyonomore2013

Yes! As a health editor for many years, I have always felt uncomfortable having to constantly defend myself to my peers about the only way of eating that has ever slimmed me down.

I found the documentary Fat Head really helpful in boiling down the issues of insulin resistance and why the same diet doesn't work for every BODY.

It does a good job of explaining why my skinny friend can be a granola-eating vegan chocoholic and I can't.

I have seen Fathead and it is the best! It opened my eyes to what was going on for me. Every time I dieted I would start out with a little high LDL, a little low HDL and very reasonable Triglycerides. Then i' d go on a low fat diet and the numbers would get progressively worse the longer I went., even though I was losing weight and exercising. At least now I understand the mechanisms better. I read the book "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes, which is referenced in Fathead. It is fascinating. .

JessicaOnKeto

Yes! I feel like I have to constantly constantly defend my healthier diet choices over and over and over again to different people in my life.
They hear the myths, like (unlimited bacon, cheese, meat.. etc) and negatvity, but they won't hear the facts, what success I'm having, or others on the low carb plan.
I first let them know, that all diets usually work the same, using calorie deficit in order to promote weight loss.
Low Carb just helps me reach my goal easier by allowing me to eat better, meat, cheese, and keeping me fuller.

GiGiBeans

Only on MFP. It seems a lot of people follow Atkins to lose weight then go back to high carb diets and gain it back. I bet these are the people who didn't take the time to go thru OWL, find their CCL, do pre-maintenance and maintenance level. If someone is really doing Atkins they know to drop carbs as soon as they gain 5 lbs. It's a lifestyle way of eating not a quick fix for quick weight loss. I'm up to well over 100g of carbs by upping my exercise. The weight comes off slower but that's fine as I near the end of what I want to lose. Most people in real life had no clue I follow atkins. Grilled meat, veggies, salads, fruit desserts looks like standard diet fare.