Thinking about beginning Atkins. Any thoughts?

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  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
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    I watched the movie Fat Head and it really clicked with me. thousands of years ago all we had was fire (possibly not even that), animals, fruits, nuts berries and veggies like the ones you find on the ground (dandelion greens, tubers, weeds basically) I'm talking about before wheat and sugar were used as a food source. Back in time people hunted and ate mostly meat. They didn't hunt down candy and bread. They might have found some sweet potatoes for fuel. Or some peanuts. But I definitely doubt that hunters ate bread, candy, cakes, or really any type of refined carbs, but they still had the fuel to hunt wild animals, and the women gathered whatever type of fruit, berries, nuts, or seeds to feed their families.

    Back then their average life span was about 25 years or so also......

    Maybe because there was lack of medicine and humans were more susceptible to feral animals?
    Precisely. I don't think it was because they got Type 2 diabetes at age 10 like, sadly, is happening more and more often today.
  • SouLThinking
    SouLThinking Posts: 308 Member
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    Any negativity towards Atkins comes from pure ignorance because they haven't read the book completely.....or applied the principles..completely.

    4 phases.
    1. induction (2 weeks or longer ..personal choice)
    2. OWL- on going weigh loss
    3. Pre-maintenance
    4. Maintenance.

    From phase 2 on to goal you are eating fresh fruits, whole grains, meat and of course vegetables.
    Fat isn't UNLIMITED. It's also a personal choice or experience factor.
    Some people do not have to watch their fat intake but everyone has to watch their food intake in some sort of manner.
    Dr. Atkins didn't say anywhere in his book to eat without abandon.
    The great thing about low carb is it's a natural appetite suppressant.
    It take's willpower. Just like any kind of eating plan.

    The funniest part of the nay-sayers is they HEARD somewhere it was bad or they know someone who gained it all back. Guess what I know A LOT of people who did ALL kinds of other diet plans and gained it all back WHY? because they
    didn't follow through with it and didn't stay on plan.

    I'm a success story. I'm 11 lbs from goal. I do not take 8 meds a day anymore. I take no meds. 7 yrs and a baby later and yep I haven't gained it back.

    So before you listen to people who haven't even picked up the book and read it cover to cover...well read it for yourself.

    God Bless.
  • KBGirts
    KBGirts Posts: 882 Member
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    Then you need to research and consider the Paleo diet. Not Atkins.
    I watched the movie Fat Head and it really clicked with me. thousands of years ago all we had was fire (possibly not even that), animals, fruits, nuts berries and veggies like the ones you find on the ground (dandelion greens, tubers, weeds basically) I'm talking about before wheat and sugar were used as a food source. Back in time people hunted and ate mostly meat. They didn't hunt down candy and bread. They might have found some sweet potatoes for fuel. Or some peanuts. But I definitely doubt that hunters ate bread, candy, cakes, or really any type of refined carbs, but they still had the fuel to hunt wild animals, and the women gathered whatever type of fruit, berries, nuts, or seeds to feed their families.
  • TAWoody
    TAWoody Posts: 261 Member
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    Any diet that says to eliminate one of the 3 calorie sources is just flat out bad. A low carb diet like you're doing now is much better so I would stick to that. Without the excess carbs that most of us are used to you will lose weight, feel more awake and energetic, and not be as hungry since the extra protein helps with appetite.
  • SouLThinking
    SouLThinking Posts: 308 Member
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    Any diet that says to eliminate one of the 3 calorie sources is just flat out bad. A low carb diet like you're doing now is much better so I would stick to that. Without the excess carbs that most of us are used to you will lose weight, feel more awake and energetic, and not be as hungry since the extra protein helps with appetite.

    She is asking about Atkins so what you said doesn't apply to this. But yes the way she is eating now is basically phase 2 of Atkins.
    But even in Phase 1...there isn't any calorie source eliminated.
  • LowCarbForLife
    LowCarbForLife Posts: 82 Member
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    Before I start, this post is simply my self-educated experience from reading plenty of fitness books, and personal experience:

    The Atkins diet is hands-down one of the worst things you could possibly do to lose weight.

    I can post over 50 cited websites on the reasons why the Atkins diet is a horrible idea, but I'll simply just summarize it.

    Carbs are what our body uses for fuel.

    Our body digest protein and fat VERY SLOWLY, so it can not use fat or protein as a quick fuel source needed when workout out!

    Even your brain needs a good deal of carbs to keep it running healthy!

    If you don't eat enough cards (for me, that's 200+/day), and you workout, your workouts will suck. Your will not improve quickly, your results will be disappointing, you will fail.

    What you need is a good balance of carbs, both sugars and complex, proteins, and healthy fats (such as omega-3, and so forth. No trans or saturated).

    Feel free to message me and I can give you some good sources to read through.

    You are completely wrong on every point you tried to make. You understand so little about how your body actually functions it is quite sad.

    50 "cited" websites mean nothing if the people who created those websites are just spouting their opinions. If you want to show that Atkins and other low carb diets are ineffective or worse dangerous, how about pulling up some actual objective research studies which show this? What you will find if you do that is that the diet is both safe and effective.
  • Pisc2749
    Pisc2749 Posts: 61 Member
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    I too feel bloated and puffy when I eat carbs. Atkins definitely helps in that area, you lose water weight at first and you're rarely hungry. I did it a couple of times for a few months in my past. I can't stay on it though, anything that restrictive is hard to sustain for the rest of your life. I always go back to "if I can't do this forever, don't do it" mindset. I think whatever you do to lose the weight you'll have to do forever, it's a complete lifestyle change. Cutting back on refined carbs will help with the bloat, but it's hard to cut them out altogether and keep up enough energy to exercise.
  • sandy2006
    sandy2006 Posts: 483 Member
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    Low carb is a fantastic way to eat! I dont see the need to buy the adkins book. I would stick to protein, veggies, fruit and nuts! Its the healthiest way to eat! good luck
  • LowCarbForLife
    LowCarbForLife Posts: 82 Member
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    Amazing, Atkins is not a bad diet if you follow it to the letter.

    Only the first 2 weeks of Atkins are carb restrictive. After the first two weeks you introduce more carbs each week until you know where your tolerance is then back off just enough to continue losing.

    Once you reach your goal you add carbs again to the point of maintaining that weight and then determine your "magic' number to maintain that weight.

    The reason atkins has a bad rep is because people abuse the diet and stay in the induction phase of 20g Carbs daily forever and that ultimately causes health issues. Following the diet properly isn't dangerous at all.

    I agree with everything you wrote except your next to the last sentence. In my opinion, the reason some people have problems doing Atkins is that they don't follow the actual Atkins recommendations. For example, even in the restrictive Induction phase Atkins recommends that you eat 12-15 grams of net carbs from vegetables per day. Since net carbs are less fiber, that is quite a bit of carbs, for example that is a bit less than 5 cups of broccoli per day. The other thing people do poorly on Atkins is eat too many calories from protein. Low carb diets are low carb and HIGH FAT. Almost invariably when I read accounts from people who had issues while doing Atkins they'll say they either didn't eat vegetables daily, they ate too little fat, or both.

    Atkins also get a bad name because of people's tendencies to gain all the weight they lost on Atkins back, and sometimes more, when they get off the diet. Some of that is just water weight gain as the body replenishes its glycogen stores and retains more water, but body fat will also frequently come back too.

    IMO there is no problem with staying in Induction indefinitely as long as you do it correctly as I've stated above by eating adequate vegetables and eating sufficient fat as a percentage of your overall caloric intake. That means at least 65% of your total calories should be from fat and even more is better.
  • LowCarbForLife
    LowCarbForLife Posts: 82 Member
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    Any diet that says to eliminate one of the 3 calorie sources is just flat out bad. A low carb diet like you're doing now is much better so I would stick to that. Without the excess carbs that most of us are used to you will lose weight, feel more awake and energetic, and not be as hungry since the extra protein helps with appetite.
    What is it about the word "low" that completely confuses some people? Atkins is a "low" carb diet, not a "no" carb diet. It doesn't completely eliminate carbs, it just controls them.

    What is interesting to me is how someone like yourself who clearly knows very little about what Atkins actually recommends will have no compunction about stating your opinion about it in a public forum.
  • PreshelledPistachio
    PreshelledPistachio Posts: 14
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    Even your brain needs a good deal of carbs to keep it running healthy!
    Your brain needs glucose. Your body converts protein to glucose so no carbohydrates are needed for brain function.
  • DerpdyHerp
    DerpdyHerp Posts: 44
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    This is an impressively ignorant thread laden with opinion and anecdotal evidence and not a shred of proven fact.

    The initial question I would ask, have you been consistently creating a calorie deficit (after measuring and tracking EVERY SINGLE BITE WITH NO EXCEPTIONS) and had no success at all? Second question, what is your current macronutrient ratio and intake?

    Third question, why do you want to start Atkins? And finally, do you understand that there is no metabolically superior diet?
  • twotoforty73
    twotoforty73 Posts: 28 Member
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    The reason I am starting atkins tomorrow morning is because I watched my parents and brother (he is 43) eat highly processed carbs, drink high sugared drinks, and all three of them had diabetes (I don't have diabetes or high blood pressure yet). My father died at age 65 after being obese all of his adult life (with good cholesterol levels and after losing over 100 lbs on a low-fat diet). He and my brother also had/have severe gout. My mother took cholesterol meds for a few years and had a lot of joint problems eventually leading to a knee replacement at age 63. My brother looks like he is 55, can't feel his feet (from the diabetes) and is about 100 lbs overweight. My father was 6'2 and obese. His father was 6'5 and very slim, and lived before most processed foods came out. My brother is 6' and weights between 300 and 350. I know exactly how my family became obese and am determined to change my future and be healthier than my family. I started to become a carbohydrate addict at about age 12. I literally ate a loaf of bread at night to comfort myself. I started out a timy little kid and as soon as I became carbohydrate addicted, my weight ballooned and the only way to control my addiction is to cut out all processed carbs, including sugar. I know where I came from (a family where my father died young, an obese mother and brother that both have diabetes and high blood pressure. I watched what they ate to become the obese and dead people that they are today. Even my half-sister and half-brother are diabetic. I know how they eat also. I am going to break the cycle of carbohydrate addiction in my family. I have been pretty low carb, in ketosis for 2 days (and it is TOM) have little to no cravings for carbs anymore. I am starting induction officially tomorrow (even though I have been in ketosis for 2 days). I know this journey will not be perfect but am very sure that this is going to be a rehab type thing for me and to be healthy forever I am going to have to do this lifestyle change for life. the last 2 doctor appts (general and gyn) my blood pressure has been about 130 over 90. I checked it yesterday and it was 115 over 79. I also started menstruating and it has been about 6 months since I had a period and it seems pretty normal (not just spotting) just after a week of low-carb. Besides fat and protein I will be eating more veggies than most people eat daily. I can't wait to start my 1st official day of induction tomorrow!
  • twotoforty73
    twotoforty73 Posts: 28 Member
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    The reason I am starting atkins tomorrow morning is because I watched my parents and brother (he is 43) eat highly processed carbs, drink high sugared drinks, and all three of them had diabetes (I don't have diabetes or high blood pressure yet). My father died at age 65 after being obese all of his adult life (with good cholesterol levels and after losing over 100 lbs on a low-fat diet). He and my brother also had/have severe gout. My mother took cholesterol meds for a few years and had a lot of joint problems eventually leading to a knee replacement at age 63. My brother looks like he is 55, can't feel his feet (from the diabetes) and is about 100 lbs overweight. My father was 6'2 and obese. His father was 6'5 and very slim, and lived before most processed foods came out. My brother is 6' and weights between 300 and 350. I know exactly how my family became obese and am determined to change my future and be healthier than my family. I started to become a carbohydrate addict at about age 12. I literally ate a loaf of bread at night to comfort myself. I started out a timy little kid and as soon as I became carbohydrate addicted, my weight ballooned and the only way to control my addiction is to cut out all processed carbs, including sugar. I know where I came from (a family where my father died young, an obese mother and brother that both have diabetes and high blood pressure. I watched what they ate to become the obese and dead people that they are today. Even my half-sister and half-brother are diabetic. I know how they eat also. I am going to break the cycle of carbohydrate addiction in my family. I have been pretty low carb, in ketosis for 2 days (and it is TOM) have little to no cravings for carbs anymore. I am starting induction officially tomorrow (even though I have been in ketosis for 2 days). I know this journey will not be perfect but am very sure that this is going to be a rehab type thing for me and to be healthy forever I am going to have to do this lifestyle change for life. the last 2 doctor appts (general and gyn) my blood pressure has been about 130 over 90. I checked it yesterday and it was 115 over 79. I also started menstruating and it has been about 6 months since I had a period and it seems pretty normal (not just spotting) just after a week of low-carb. Besides fat and protein I will be eating more veggies than most people eat daily. I can't wait to start my 1st official day of induction tomorrow!
  • Southernsister
    Southernsister Posts: 198 Member
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    Eating healthy and your intake is the only vvay. It is all about a life style change. I have been on every diet and roller coaster there is. It all comes back unless you learn to eat right and exercise.
    It is very bad for your kidneys. A healthy nevv you is vvhat you deserve.
    Best of look.
  • LowCarbForLife
    LowCarbForLife Posts: 82 Member
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    Eating healthy and your intake is the only vvay. It is all about a life style change. I have been on every diet and roller coaster there is. It all comes back unless you learn to eat right and exercise.
    It is very bad for your kidneys. A healthy nevv you is vvhat you deserve.
    Best of look.
    Why do you have to write so many smart things and then add something completely false? Atkins and other low carb diets are not "very bad for your kidneys".
  • SouLThinking
    SouLThinking Posts: 308 Member
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    I agree that people if you post something you should back it up with facts. I am a living fact that Low carb works IF YOU WORK IT.

    Oh and after 7 yrs..my kidneys are working just fine thanks.

    Nichole
  • Mrsfreedom41
    Mrsfreedom41 Posts: 330 Member
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    I watched Dr. Oz program today and he had a guy on that teaches people how to eat carbs. He says to eat high carbs one day and low carbs the next and alternate for 6 days. On the 7th day, eat anything you want in moderation. Makes sense to me - I wish I could remember his name. Did anyone else watch it?
  • SouLThinking
    SouLThinking Posts: 308 Member
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    I have heard about that. I believe that if a person can do that ..and it works for them by all means do it. My problem was ..I was addicted to carbs so bad that I didn't have an OFF switch. I would say ok...eat higher carb today and tomorrow get on track. Well, that always turned into a 2 week carb binge..and I felt horrible. Does this mean that everyone shouldn't eat carbs. NO I think it's a form of food addiction that certain people suffer from. I believe any person who is thinking of trying any type of "diet" plan should look at the reaons' they are overweight and just find the one that works for them. I wish people who are against low carb would educate themselves and see the success stories like myself ...not the people who didn't follow the directions.

    A plan will work if you work it.
    simple but true.

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