what about atkins diet?

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  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    @ Liawlliams - please read The China Study by T Colin Campbell before starting Akins.

    But before you waste your precious time, go read Denise Minger's dismantling of it ...

    http://rawfoodsos.com/2010/07/07/the-china-study-fact-or-fallac/
    T Colin Campbell is a lot more qualified to talk to the subject of nutrition than Denise Minger. He has worked in the field of nutrition for over 50 years, is very well respected, and is also a healthy person in his 70's. He cites more than 750 references in the book, including hundreds of scientific publications from other researchers.

    Right, OK, I get the whole qualifications, references and respect thing.

    I also get that a fresh eye on some subject matter can provide another angle/insight irrespective of formal credentials ...

    Just saying that everything should be treated with caution :)
  • Tykk
    Tykk Posts: 153 Member
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    I have tried Atkins in the past - lost 60 lbs, fell off the diet, and gained it back. But... the same is true of every diet I've tried.

    The big advantage for me with Atkins was that I didn't feel hungry. With standard calorie reduction diets, I *always* feel hungry, and am just dying for the next snack/meal to roll around. Not the case with Atkins.

    Most people don't follow Atkins properly (myself included - probably what went wrong for me.) You are meant to gradually reintroduce carbohydrates week by week. In the end, you'll still be avoiding sugar and white flour, but the diet is a lot less restrictive than at the beginning. I got hooked on the rapid weight loss and stuck with the induction phase too long.

    I'm back on a carb-reduced diet again. We'll see how it goes this time...
  • davispuppy
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    I followed the induction phase for two weeks - not-single-pound was lost
    I really don't know what went wrong but I may have eaten my way out of it - I'm trying this now and I hope to lose one pound a week. I think different thing work forvdifferentbpeople - I was devastated though, after two weeks of incredibly hard work.
  • GiGiBeans
    GiGiBeans Posts: 1,062 Member
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    I lost 40 lbs on it. Found it easy to stick with and satisfying. I stopped binging on sweets. After I lost the weight I slowing upped my carbs, gained a few lbs of water weight from added carbs, which is totally normal. Maintained for 8 months within 3 lbs. Am now bulking until April on higher carbs. When I cut I'll probably carb cycle instead of doing Atkins.

    If you enjoy low carb options go for it.
  • cardosium
    cardosium Posts: 25 Member
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    Do u think it workS? did anyone try it? please tell me your stories!

    It's unhealthy. In phase one you can't have fruit but you can have bacon, cheese and eggs everyday... It's terrible advice and just silly. The Akins diet would result in an unhealthy weight loss.... Whether we like it or not the way only way for healthy weight loss is using up more calories than we eat.
  • daffodilious
    daffodilious Posts: 6 Member
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    The Atkins diet is a diet, not a miracle cure, with specific instructions and guidelines. I've read more about diets than most people I know, and it is so interesting to see so many diets come out of Atkins. For example, South Beach, Wheat Belly, Ketosis, and Paleo. They all have the same premise of cutting carbs and processed foods, and Atkins has the original science behind all of that.

    People who haven't read the book and dispute are just as silly as the people who criticize the government without reading the laws and keeping up with their local politics. Ignorance is no excuse for spreading half-baked ideas around on the internet. Not like that's ever stopped anybody.

    I thought this diet would bother me a lot more, but as I get a true understanding of it and follow it the way it's meant to be followed, it's very healthy. I don't eat processed foods, I eat fresh vegetables, meat, and yeah, I probably do eat too much cheese, but that's my fault. Not the diet's fault. I choose not to eat the Atkins frozen meals because I don't want processed foods, and I can make similar recipes that taste much better at home. The books tells people about the frozen meals because some people need them--they're not going to cook their meals every Sunday and don't have time to prepare fresh meals every day, so there they are. A convenience. This is the diet's way of acknowledging that people need shortcuts, and I like that.

    Atkins is really a code, in my mind. A code that says "Stop eating so much stinking sugar!" Anybody who doesn't see that message in the diet is choosing not to see it because they are addicted to sugar. I understand wanting your favorite sweet fruits, I really do. They're sweet and delicious and wonderful. Same with your glorious whole wheat toast. It's sweet and it's delicious and it's wonderful. If you can control yourself when you reach your goal weight and maintain a healthy weight while eating those, then great. You are one of the very few, very lucky people who know how to control your sugar cravings. Most, as based on this website and the billion dollar weight loss market, do not. The best way to get control of your weight loss is to get rid of sugar.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
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    Tried it many years ago. I easily lost 50 lbs and developed Gout. My Dr. told me it was directly linked to the high protein diet and had me get off it. Unfortunately, once you have gout. It is there forever. If you do decide to go that route, a lot of suppliments could help avoid my outcome. Careful research with a medical professional would be the best assurance of health and success. Best wishes.
    Atkins is not high protein. You may have upped your protein while upping your fats. Atkins is a moderate protein diet.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
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    Do u think it workS? did anyone try it? please tell me your stories!

    It's unhealthy. In phase one you can't have fruit but you can have bacon, cheese and eggs everyday... It's terrible advice and just silly. The Akins diet would result in an unhealthy weight loss.... Whether we like it or not the way only way for healthy weight loss is using up more calories than we eat.
    What's silly is you not realizing phase one is very temporary.

    Do you realize Atkins is a method to caloric deficit? Probably not.

    OP - It may work for you, it may not. It worked for me. Dropped 90 lbs. I ate a banana every day with breakfast. Yes I ate carbs again. Maintained awhile and then I got pregnant and threw all portion control, sensible eating out the window and that was a big mistake. Atkins helped me get down to a weight I was comfortable with and definitely educated me in paying more attention to food and calories.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    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.

    Perhaps you meant IF you go off it.