Atkins diet

I did Atkins in 2005. It worked wonderfully for as long as I was doing it religiously. I lost 50 pounds in about 7 months (lost 17 in the first month). I don't recall exercising at the beginning, but I know I added exercise somewhere in that time frame. I don't think exercise is necessary for Atkins to be successful, but exercise has other benefits which are important (i.e., cardio health, toning up so you aren't soft and mushy when you lose weight, etc.). My lipid and cholesterol readings were fabulous at the conclusion of my "doing Atkins right" period.

For me, Atkins wasn't a sustainable lifestyle and once I started cheating more than once a week, the weight started to come back like a freight train. I added back the 50 and then 7 more for good measure in the last few years.

I went into the Atkins year with the mindset "just do something to lose weight" rather than think about what a sustainable healthy lifestyle would look like. A lifestyle without fruit, without many veggies, without pizza, without any pasta, etc., just is not sustainable for me. This year, its been about eating healthy...eating foods I like, but doing so in moderation. If I want pizza, I eat pizza...I just know that I'm full after 1 or 2 pieces so I stop eating when I'm full. I love fruit and I eat fruit. I'm on a healthy eating "plan" that I can sustain because I get to eat the foods I like as long as I'm smart about it.

Somehow I gained weight trying Adkins....not sure how! I do best on WW.

Atkins is poorly set-up in terms of nutrients and vitamins, Just remember to get what you need in you, and when you come off the diet there *will* be weight re-gain from water retention bc of carbs. It's not fat though, so don't worry!

I'm not doing Atkins per say but I am doing LC. I get most of my carbs from vegetables. I love this diet ! I am never hungry , my mood has been way better and I have all this energy. I started on July 24th and I have lost 17 pounds .

The first two weeks I did crave my starbucks but as for pizza, pasta and other starchy /sugary foods , the craving have gone away. I have never been a soda drinker so this was not a problem for me.

Every week I have weight loss. I have about 15-20 pounds left to lose and my plan is to make LC my lifestyle.

This is the easiest weight loss plan I have ever done and I have tried a few.

I tried atkins, helped me loose 15lbs (: I didn't use the atkins products though, just sord of followed thru how to count my carbs and calories. And I walked almost everyday for 30mins to an hour. nothing too crazy hehe

edit to add: it also helped me maintain my weight, which was great! haven't gained any of that back lol

I've been doing Atkins for years. I also work out, but Atkins is the easiest way (ketosis and all that) to keep weight off when you skip the gym for a little while.

Feel free to friend me, I try to "collect" friends that do any sort of low carb diet including Paleo, Blood Type, Atkins, South Beach, gluten-free. . whatever. Actually most of my friends on here do low carb and lift weights, work out. . the combo of the two really works for me keeping my weight low.

The number one reason low carb works for me is that it helps keep my appetite in check. Don't know why, but it just does. If I have carbs then I eat and eat and eat and eat! Who ever stops at one slice of toast?

If I have healthy cereal or fruit for breakfast I'm starving by 10am. But with low carb I can have eggs and bacon for breakfast and have to force myself to eat at lunchtime because my appetite just isn't there.

Main thing is to take a good multivitamin, just in case, and make sure you get lots of good veggies (I advocate low carb, not no carb). More than anything, if you avoid the ready-made low-carb products, you get to make lots of healthy meals from scratch, which I find are easier to cook than those with carbs (one less pan where the potatoes or rice would be!).

Tonight I had roast chicken, broccoli and fake mash (steamed cauliflower whizzed through the blender with black pepper, cheese and a dash of cream). Delicious. And now, at 9.30pm, I haven't got any of my usual evening hunger pangs.

Buy the book and try it - you might be surprised!

Lots of thoughts and opinions and I enjoy reading them all and thought I would chip in my two cents. First I never say I am doing a diet...seems to imply something short term. To lose weight and maintain the loss requires a change in lifestyle. I started with Atkins but like many people I found it difficult to sustain long term...I lost 60lbs over the course of 2 yrs and I was pretty strict with it. After two years I just couldnt stay with it and put back on about 20. To anyone who is going to do Atkins you have to read the book. Yeah you can eat lots of meat , cheese, eggs and some veggies, but he does suggest staying way from processed meat products. I saw so many people eat a pound of bacon (typically loaded with nitrates) or eat multiple cheese burgers from McDonalds just minus the bread...I just dont think it is what Dr. Atkins had in mind.

I don't follow Atkins now, but I do follow a LC lifestyle. I also try and eat lean meats and unprocessed meats. I use dream fields when I need a pasta fix and really pump up my veggie intake. I have tried WW and I was miserable and constantly hungry so in my opinion different eating styles suit different people. I have a serious history of diabetes in my family so a LC plan suits my genetic background (my personal feelings).

Best of luck to everyone!

Hi Anne, welcome on board! I'm still pretty much a newbie when it comes to doing low carb but there is a great thread you should join on here with people with loads of experience and advice: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/324624-atkins-support-group

But, for now, my first thought would be whether you have sought medical advice about all this. Sounds like there is a lot going on and self-diagnosis is not always the best way forward. I've been treated for allergies since I was a child (undergoing skin scratch tests, exclusion diets etc - I have asthma, hayfever and allergies to dust, pollen and wasp stings) and have since had what I thought were allergies as an adult to things like wheat and milk (which gave me stomach problems so aren't really allergies). But only an exclusion diet under medical supervision can ever really test for allergies and intolerances. Also, bread and pasta give a lot of people bloating, but this is not necessarily an allergy - it's just that some bodies struggle to digest these (my digestive system often grinds to a halt if I have lots of bread, even wholemeal and multigrain).

Giving Atkins a go is a great idea. It certainly seems to settle my stomach, although do keep taking the psyllium and keep your fat and water intake high to prevent constipation (this often settles down after the first few days, so don't worry).

Your symptoms could be IBS so, again, worth talking to your doctor. There are over the counter antispasmodic drugs too that could help with the cramping - ask your pharmacist about these.

Not being able to eat meat could be a problem though as this is vital to the diet. You can try eating lots of fish instead but I really would give meat a go. You may find that by cutting out the foods we usually eat alongside them (potatoes, rice etc) stops the indigestion problems. Chicken is usually quite kind to the stomach, so start off with that and see how you go. Also avoid processed meats as it could be that the additives are upsetting your stomach.

Good luck and will drop you a friend alert - we could all do with a little support now and then

Hi Anne, welcome on board! I'm still pretty much a newbie when it comes to doing low carb but there is a great thread you should join on here with people with loads of experience and advice: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/324624-atkins-support-group

But, for now, my first thought would be whether you have sought medical advice about all this. Sounds like there is a lot going on and self-diagnosis is not always the best way forward. I've been treated for allergies since I was a child (undergoing skin scratch tests, exclusion diets etc - I have asthma, hayfever and allergies to dust, pollen and wasp stings) and have since had what I thought were allergies as an adult to things like wheat and milk (which gave me stomach problems so aren't really allergies). But only an exclusion diet under medical supervision can ever really test for allergies and intolerances. Also, bread and pasta give a lot of people bloating, but this is not necessarily an allergy - it's just that some bodies struggle to digest these (my digestive system often grinds to a halt if I have lots of bread, even wholemeal and multigrain).

Giving Atkins a go is a great idea. It certainly seems to settle my stomach, although do keep taking the psyllium and keep your fat and water intake high to prevent constipation (this often settles down after the first few days, so don't worry).

Your symptoms could be IBS so, again, worth talking to your doctor. There are over the counter antispasmodic drugs too that could help with the cramping - ask your pharmacist about these.

Not being able to eat meat could be a problem though as this is vital to the diet. You can try eating lots of fish instead but I really would give meat a go. You may find that by cutting out the foods we usually eat alongside them (potatoes, rice etc) stops the indigestion problems. Chicken is usually quite kind to the stomach, so start off with that and see how you go. Also avoid processed meats as it could be that the additives are upsetting your stomach.

Good luck and will drop you a friend alert - we could all do with a little support now and then

Thanks for the reply

I did determine the "issues" under the care of an acupuncturist I was seeing for infertility. She suggested the diet and gave me the feedback. I have not continued to see her for monetary reasons though, not because i didn't want to!

My wheat allergies are not stomach related. I get what I thought was an allergic reaction to cats! About 1/2 an hour after I eat it I get a "frog in the throat", itchy, plegmy feeling in my throat, and that progresses to sinus congestion & sneezing quite rapidly. The red, itchy, swollen, watery eyes - "faucet" runny nose, etc. continues in the next day.

I spent years thinking I had standard "hay fever" with the allergy to cats when in truth it was because when I visited my friends & family with cats (mom, best friend, inlaws) we'd have a big get together, burgers & dogs, bake cakes & cookies, etc... I blamed it all on the cats!! I have my own now, and she doesn't bother me!

I have eggs, ham, and plain salted no sugar added bacon and 2 types of lettuce waiting in the fridge.... chicken breasts & thighs, pork chops, broccoli & cauliflower in the freezer to start with. My major shopping trips are Thursdays so I hope to absorb some knowledge and get some recipes before then.

Oh! I posted the same message above in the thread you suggested right after I posted the original. I wasn't sure which I'd get more activity on

Hi Anne, welcome on board! I'm still pretty much a newbie when it comes to doing low carb but there is a great thread you should join on here with people with loads of experience and advice: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/324624-atkins-support-group

But, for now, my first thought would be whether you have sought medical advice about all this. Sounds like there is a lot going on and self-diagnosis is not always the best way forward. I've been treated for allergies since I was a child (undergoing skin scratch tests, exclusion diets etc - I have asthma, hayfever and allergies to dust, pollen and wasp stings) and have since had what I thought were allergies as an adult to things like wheat and milk (which gave me stomach problems so aren't really allergies). But only an exclusion diet under medical supervision can ever really test for allergies and intolerances. Also, bread and pasta give a lot of people bloating, but this is not necessarily an allergy - it's just that some bodies struggle to digest these (my digestive system often grinds to a halt if I have lots of bread, even wholemeal and multigrain).

Giving Atkins a go is a great idea. It certainly seems to settle my stomach, although do keep taking the psyllium and keep your fat and water intake high to prevent constipation (this often settles down after the first few days, so don't worry).

Your symptoms could be IBS so, again, worth talking to your doctor. There are over the counter antispasmodic drugs too that could help with the cramping - ask your pharmacist about these.

Not being able to eat meat could be a problem though as this is vital to the diet. You can try eating lots of fish instead but I really would give meat a go. You may find that by cutting out the foods we usually eat alongside them (potatoes, rice etc) stops the indigestion problems. Chicken is usually quite kind to the stomach, so start off with that and see how you go. Also avoid processed meats as it could be that the additives are upsetting your stomach.

Good luck and will drop you a friend alert - we could all do with a little support now and then

Thanks for the reply

I did determine the "issues" under the care of an acupuncturist I was seeing for infertility. She suggested the diet and gave me the feedback. I have not continued to see her for monetary reasons though, not because i didn't want to!

My wheat allergies are not stomach related. I get what I thought was an allergic reaction to cats! About 1/2 an hour after I eat it I get a "frog in the throat", itchy, plegmy feeling in my throat, and that progresses to sinus congestion & sneezing quite rapidly. The red, itchy, swollen, watery eyes - "faucet" runny nose, etc. continues in the next day.

I spent years thinking I had standard "hay fever" with the allergy to cats when in truth it was because when I visited my friends & family with cats (mom, best friend, inlaws) we'd have a big get together, burgers & dogs, bake cakes & cookies, etc... I blamed it all on the cats!! I have my own now, and she doesn't bother me!

I have eggs, ham, and plain salted no sugar added bacon and 2 types of lettuce waiting in the fridge.... chicken breasts & thighs, pork chops, broccoli & cauliflower in the freezer to start with. My major shopping trips are Thursdays so I hope to absorb some knowledge and get some recipes before then.

Oh! I posted the same message above in the thread you suggested right after I posted the original. I wasn't sure which I'd get more activity on

You're definitely on the right track! Just make sure you get plenty of low carb vegetables too - low carb doesn't have to mean no carb. I also use a lot of frozen veg, cauliflower in particular. Lovely as 'fake' mash. Just cook, drain, blend (in a blender/food processor or with a hand blender), add some black pepper, salt and a spoon of double cream. Mmmmmmm... amazing with just about any meat or fish! Also worth taking some multivitamins as during the first week you can get a bit headachy as your body adjusts - it will pass and then you will feel amazing!

I'm down 65 in 9 months by eating smart. I don't think of myself as on a diet. I cut out processed & starchy foods leaving lean meats, healthy fats, and natural carbs found in veggies (theoretically Atkins)... I need to get ready for work now... I'll be back later.

You're definitely on the right track! Just make sure you get plenty of low carb vegetables too - low carb doesn't have to mean no carb. I also use a lot of frozen veg, cauliflower in particular. Lovely as 'fake' mash. Just cook, drain, blend (in a blender/food processor or with a hand blender), add some black pepper, salt and a spoon of double cream. Mmmmmmm... amazing with just about any meat or fish! Also worth taking some multivitamins as during the first week you can get a bit headachy as your body adjusts - it will pass and then you will feel amazing!

I'll be making broccoli & cauliflower to go with dinner... i haven't decided what to have as a main yet....