Is anyone else doing Atkins?

TheJungle77
TheJungle77 Posts: 6
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been on a hybrid of Atkins and Low Calorie diet for about six weeks now. So far i am down 29 pounds! I am just wondering if anyone else on here is doing Atkins as well, and if anyone is seeing the hurdles and challenges of the low carb life.

Replies

  • nvaine
    nvaine Posts: 2
    I just finished six weeks of something similar (pretty much Atkins, but low fat.) Having a handful of grapes right now and WOW! are they sweet!

    It's tough to do, but worth it for the weight loss. Honestly, I feel much better when I strictly limit carbs. It does mean a lot of beans, nuts, chicken, cottage cheese... it gets boring after a while.
  • TheJungle77
    TheJungle77 Posts: 6
    I agree completely. My diet consists mainly of grilled chicken, tuna, ham and cheese omeletes, and pork rinds.
  • Stagezz
    Stagezz Posts: 124 Member
    Im kinda doing it too...I slip once in a while...like today i had a handful of french fries.
    But normally i have a lot of eggs, chicken, fish, salads, and steamed veggies.

    I have my weigh in tomorrow...so we will see if it has paid off!!
  • sbwood888
    sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
    I have done Atkins before and am planning to start again in the morning. I am really stuck at a standstill with my weight loss doing just low cal / low fat. I am getting desperate. I know Atkins works, so I am going to do it again. My only fear is that I will gain the weight back (just like I did last time). I followed Atkins for a very long time and lost 250 pounds. I have gained almost a hundred of that back, so here we go again. I just am really worried about the maintenance phase. Will I stick to it this time???? Also, I have found that the last three times I tried going on Atkins, I did not have the excellent results that I did that first time. I wonder why? After losing 250 pounds on Atkins, I would say that Imust have a pretty thorough understanding of how to do it. For some reason, I have just not had good results that l did in the past. :grumble: Since you have been doing it recently, do you have any pointers for me???
  • Stagezz
    Stagezz Posts: 124 Member
    Sorry Double post!
  • alex724
    alex724 Posts: 1
    I have just been doing a study on healthy lifestyles and discovered that the Atkins diet can damage your kidneys so be careful!:smile:
  • TheJungle77
    TheJungle77 Posts: 6
    don't worry, i damage my kidneys enough already! Seriously though, ive read the same kinds of things. this is kind of a quick push to get to the weight loss goal, and then i can switch tactics to maintaining the weight loss and eat a more balanced diet. Atkins just works so quick and steady its hard for me to stay on a diet if i dont see results quick. 30 pounds in 6 weeks has kept me super motivated. i only need 28 pounds more, and I am golden!
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    I have just been doing a study on healthy lifestyles and discovered that the Atkins diet can damage your kidneys so be careful!:smile:

    you know he asked is anyone else doing Atkins. she did not in any way ask for nay sayers opinions on the diet.

    Yes i do atkins though not as much fat as it allows as I just dont like it. if you wish feel free to friend me
  • peppycat
    peppycat Posts: 6
    Today is the end of week 1 on Atkins. I lost 5 pounds. I had done alright on my own counting calories and defeating White Death ... aka sugar, flour, salt...but I noticed I kept going way over MFP sugar limits. My weight loss had plateaued as well. I showed my food diary to my personal trainer, and he said dairy and fruit were the big culprits. He encouraged me to research low carb/high protein "diets" mainly to help maintain lean muscle mass.

    I'm doing it for some of the reasons you list. It's been a good way to restart the weight loss as well as really pay attention to what I'm eating. I'm looking forward to adding in more foods though. It is kind of boring. Limited choices make it easier in some ways, if you don't mind eating a lot of the same things. Fruit looks good though! I do get hungry, but I have never been ravenous to the point I wanted to chew off my own hand like I did by simply reducing calories and fat. I don't count calories anymore, but I log them here. I tend to stay around my 1250 calorie limit, depending on whether I choose to eat more fat.

    It's making me realize that I am going to have to make a lifestyle change and NOT let White Death slay me. I think this is a good start to find out how I can eat and lose and maintain a healthy weight.
  • 1horseygirl1
    1horseygirl1 Posts: 98 Member
    I haven't been doing Atkins but have been aiming for low carb. Trying to keep under 75g a day. I think that is too high for me though as I am still having cravings.
    How many carbs a day do you have on Atkins?
  • ladyshills
    ladyshills Posts: 58
    I did it back in 2009 & lost 23 pounds in 5 weeks. BUT - I gained it all back when I stopped. Now I'm trying to just balance my foods & lower my portions & have lost 29 pounds, but it's taken me 8 months to do it. I just got way too bored on Atkins.
  • nvaine
    nvaine Posts: 2
    LA Times suggests 50 grams of carbs or less will do it: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/20/health/la-he-carbs-20101220

    "'Carbohydrates are a metabolic bully,' Phinney says. 'They cut in front of fat as a fuel source and insist on being burned first. What isn't burned gets stored as fat, and doesn't come out of storage as long as carbs are available. And in the average American diet, they always are.'"

    It seems like if I keep the carbs under about 120 or so, I feel much better. But when I follow a strict high protein, low carb diet, I lose weight. It's the only way I can. I avoid all fruits, eat very few vegetables, take a multivitamin and drink lots of water. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm not hungry anymore. If I can maintain a good level of physical activity, I can lose about five pounds a week.

    That doesn't mean it will work for everyone. I knew someone who swore she got gout from a diet like that. I'm not her doctor or her cook, so I don't know exactly what she did, but it's something to keep in mind.
  • Kjarlune
    Kjarlune Posts: 178
    I did it back in 2009 & lost 23 pounds in 5 weeks. BUT - I gained it all back when I stopped. Now I'm trying to just balance my foods & lower my portions & have lost 29 pounds, but it's taken me 8 months to do it. I just got way too bored on Atkins.


    I am just using this as an example....With any Diet, when you stop you start gaining weight. With any lifestyle when you stop things change....Atkins, low carbs, eating clean etc etc...they are all lifestyles...and lifestyles means for life.
  • JaimeLaRae
    JaimeLaRae Posts: 279 Member
    I am on day 2. Just got back from vacation and gained weight eating low cal and walking a ton... Go figure! Historically I've been successful low carbing, so I'm going that route.
  • ratkins811
    ratkins811 Posts: 190 Member
    I was successful on Atkins several years ago and of course gained the weight back. I have found anytime I try it again it isnt as successful. I read an article posted on the Atkins site that it is common for this to happen. It seems your body remebers and doesnt respond they way it did the first time. The article does go on to say you can be successful on it a second time but you really have to watch the carbs. That is why I am trying this program. I tried Atkins over and over again without success.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories