Atkins?

Atkins is not an extreme diet, and it is very effective.

There's an Atkins support group on MFP, you can ask questions there and get good advice:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/5181-atkins-support-group

Lol! YES, it really IS an extreme diet. I was on Atkins Induction off and on for months and found it absolutely miserable. Not to mention, I lost weight the first week, then NOTHING after that. If you're diabetic, then that's a good reason to limit carbs, but to lose weight, as a lifestyle option, it's just not for most people...and it only helps if you have a LOT of weight to lose. Despite what the book tells you, it works through calorie restriction, because you can't eat a lot of foods, especially at first. If the OP is set on this diet, I'd suggest that they try a lower carb diet, in order to restrict calories that way, rather than demonizing specific types of food. Simple carbs aren't that filling, so it's easy to stick to a diet if you're eating more filling foods, like protein and veggies. However, in a lower carb diet, you CAN eat a freaking cookie without feeling like you've blown your entire diet (because you "knocked yourself out of ketogenesis").

*smh* Atkins isn't an extreme diet. Psshh! :noway:

Ok, so let's see now....what did I eat within the week.... Here's a rundown....

Eggs
Bacon
Smoked salmon
Ribeye steak
Ground beef
Pork sausage
Chicken
Chicken soup
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Asparagus
Cabbage
Radicchio
Rapini
Tomato
Zucchini
Cauliflower
Fennel
Kale
Carrot
Peas
Olives
Pickles
Full fat Cheese (parmigiano reggiano, Comte, montassio, Toma Piedmontese, kerrygold cheddar)
Flaxseed bread pita wraps (made with flaxseed, egg, extra virgin olive oil, baking powder, salt and water...and that's it)
Dark chocolate
Cream
Butter
Extra virgin olive oil
Red wine, tea, coffee

Does this look like being deprived of food? At the end of the day, I'm so full and satisfied I don't even think of overeating above my calorie targets set by the traditional tdee, bmr, etc, calculations.

I'm not suffering at all....and yes I can live eating rich and delicious foods like this for the rest of my life!!

Not a cookie or slice of real bread in the mix. Have fun with your flaxseed pitas, Oopsie rolls, and cauliflower tortillas and the fact that it's a pain to eat in many restaurants and explain to others why you can't have birthday cake, then tell me it's not extreme.

For me, eating is a SOCIAL event; if it's not, you're doing it wrong. If it works for you, GREAT! Different strokes for different folks. However, my assessment of the restrictiveness of the diet was EXTREME!

It's not a pain to eat in restaurants, and a bite or two of birthday cake or whatever in a celebration does no harm to me. Will the world come to a screeching halt if I don't eat the entire slice...no. Social events are fine, in fact I find I have more ability to eat with this lifestyle than with the traditional diet, where in a traditional diet I would eat a birds ration of food and say no to all the good stuff, instead now, I load my plate up with incredibly rich food and not restrict any of the wonderful accompaniments like bearnaise sauce, hollandaise, salad dressings, clarified butter, etc. Throwing out the egg yolks for omelets, not being able to eat full fat cheese and yogurt, not to mention cream, butter, bacon, etc. give me a break...who exactly is on the restrictive diet?

To everyone complaining about why us "pro carbs" peeps come on here is be amuse we understand the importance of carbs.
Go research the health effects of low carb diets, like deep research. Ones not backed by the meat and dairy industry (yea I'm vegan so flipped what?).

Here's what happens on low carb. You lose weight quickly and a lot is because it is water weight that comes off. Carbs and water are like that friend you see who's always with their significant other.
Another is that is is so low carb that fiber intake is pretty low. But hey, you can just eat massive amounts of veggies correct? Sure you can buuutttt......
Your body doesn't need that much protein, the WHO recommends 5% of calories comes from protein. That's, if you are a woman....an average of 45g.
Ok so what happens to the extra protein? Well the body can't use it so it can either get rid of it or try to convert it to.......GLUCOSE. Which usually happens when carbs go bye bye. Guess where glucose comes from? Carbs. So why would I eat massive amounts of meat and fat that have very little nutrients when it's going to eventually convert to glucose when you can just eat whole foods like beans and veggies and fruits? Vitamins ya say? Guess what, our bodies can't properly absorb what's in the vitamins anyways.
And ketosis isn't healthy for us either, in fact the blood goes acidic and eventually damage organs. The body doesn't even use all the ketones but instead tries to get rid of them(gee I wonder why?) Ketosis is also found in diabetics (not insulin related), alcoholics, and starvation.
Eat properly, live longer, enjoy life.