Starting the Atkins diet

30yearssincebikini · February 2012

I started the Atkins diet two days ago and I got on the scale today and it says I lost 2 pounds in two days! I have been counting calories and exercising like crazy for three weeks and I haven't been able to lose anything and now I am finally losing.

I tried this diet a year ago and lost ten pounds in two weeks. It's a great diet for quick weight loss, but it's hard to keep it off after the initial induction phase. But people have done it. I went to a forum called lowcarber and looked at success stories of people who stayed on the atkins diet and lost tons of weight!

I know there are a lot of naysayers out there when it comes to this diet, so that's fine. I expect to be blasted on this thread. But it's a tried and true method of losing weight, (as long as you stick with it) and I'm going to try to stick with it. If I can't, I can't, but after all the work I am doing, I am happy to finally be getting results.

So for all of you who are ready to give up, try this diet. Just google it.

MrsBlobs · February 2012

I attempted the Dukan which is similar but much lower in fats - I'm being honest here, I lasted three days. To work out, run a home with three kids, a dog and my mother with alzheimers and just life in general...I needed carbs. Badly. I started getting dizzy spells and felt very low in energy, that's just no good for me personally.

I want to work out hard, I like it...a diet that gets in the way of that is a problem, not a cure. Back to the slower, but more energizing calorie counting and working out for me. I will though still have one red (protein) day a week, as it does force weight loss quicker, no doubt.

30yearssincebikini · February 2012

I attempted the Dukan which is similar but much lower in fats - I'm being honest here, I lasted three days. To work out, run a home with three kids, a dog and my mother with alzheimers and just life in general...I needed carbs. Badly. I started getting dizzy spells and felt very low in energy, that's just no good for me personally.

I want to work out hard, I like it...a diet that gets in the way of that is a problem, not a cure. Back to the slower, but more energizing calorie counting and working out for me. I will though still have one red (protein) day a week, as it does force weight loss quicker, no doubt.

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. I can see where it would be hard with all that you have to deal with. I hope you reach you goal!

terrellc1 · February 2012

Good luck on going low carb!

Sure, lots of people gain the weight back because they revert back to how they were eating to begin with. I have been doing Atkins for about a year and a half now, and am happy. I feel so much better when I eat low carb that it's not a struggle for me. When I go on vacation, it is a life rule that there are no diets on vacation (and my vacations are LONG...about a month), so I always overdo it on carbs and alcohol. LOL I might gain a few pounds, but once I get home and start eating better again, the weight drops off and I am back in the groove.

Granted, not everyone can do this. But I can simply because I know how I feel. Weight loss or no weight loss, I feel better when I am low carb. Not to mention, my skin, hair, and nails look so much better, and I have loads of energy.

Let us know how it goes. :glasses:

dittiepe · February 2012

Best of luck! I love my low carb lifestyle. I have a recipe blog in my sig if you need some recipe ideas

30yearssincebikini · February 2012

Good luck on going low carb!

Sure, lots of people gain the weight back because they revert back to how they were eating to begin with. I have been doing Atkins for about a year and a half now, and am happy. I feel so much better when I eat low carb that it's not a struggle for me. When I go on vacation, it is a life rule that there are no diets on vacation (and my vacations are LONG...about a month), so I always overdo it on carbs and alcohol. LOL I might gain a few pounds, but once I get home and start eating better again, the weight drops off and I am back in the groove.

Granted, not everyone can do this. But I can simply because I know how I feel. Weight loss or no weight loss, I feel better when I am low carb. Not to mention, my skin, hair, and nails look so much better, and I have loads of energy.

Let us know how it goes. :glasses:

This is very encouraging. I didn't expect such positive responses! I will definitely update!

30yearssincebikini · February 2012

Best of luck! I love my low carb lifestyle. I have a recipe blog in my sig if you need some recipe ideas

Thank you, I will check out your blog!

momof3and3 · February 2012

Do what works for you and you alone...just remember this is about lifestyle changes so if this is a lifestyle you can do...go for it!

dsjohndrow · February 2012

I have been doing pretty close to a 1:1 with carbs. But I am going to try Atkins for 2 weeks to kick this plateau in the back side. I don't do processed meats because of the sodium, but I can work it out.

30yearssincebikini · February 2012

I have been doing pretty close to a 1:1 with carbs. But I am going to try Atkins for 2 weeks to kick this plateau in the back side. I don't do processed meats because of the sodium, but I can work it out.

The Atkins diet is great for no processed food! Check out the "allowed food" on their website. (for phase one) and it will have tons of meat, fish, cheese, and veggies you can have. The key is no carbs like potatoes, rice, sugar, fruit, etc. And you don't have to worry about fat or butter. In fact, that is what gives you energy during the diet. Good luck!

jenniferwren · February 2012

:noway: )it's the processed meats that are the carcinogenic killers full of utter yuck and not much real meat (only needs to contain 3% to legally be allowed to call it meat , if only people would watch/read about how this food is 'created' they wouldn't give it to an enemy let along their own stomach!!

have done it and lost 70lbs really quickly but it made me ill and I put 80 back on, sigh!

sorry what i actually meant to say was, if it works for you brill!! good luck :happy:

bugtrain · February 2012

I was doing the Atkins diet in January,but got off course due to digestive issues.....mostly constipation(sorry for TMI).......I started back with the carbs.,but I want to keep doing Atkins....other than the digestive problem,I feel much better doing low carb......someone suggested taking Metamucil(sugar-free of course)......I bought some a few days ago and I believe it will solve my problem with the diet.
My biggest downfall is sweets....I can't and don't control my portions when I am eating them.....the first bite always leads to a binge....just look at my diary yesterday....I had 6...yes,6 cupcakes....Good grief! I'm trying to start induction over as of today......best of luck and hang it there....this is a great lifestyle and I know you can be successful at it!
Friend me if you would like.......I would love to have a fellow follower to support me here!

mcanavan05 · February 2012

Im at a loss. Stuck at 16lbs lost since mid Sept 2011. Pretty much no progress in 2012. So im going to try Atkins. Just download latest book via Amazon to my RAZR. 12 bucks.. steak tonight.. I need to drop 10lbs to get back on pace..

kvsmith59 · February 2012

I did the Atkins 5 years ago...lost a lot of weight, however, and I can't prove this, but I'm pretty sure it caused me to have a kidney stone, which was one of the most painful things I've ever had. Probably my fault because I wasn't drinking enough water.

martinah4 · February 2012

Good for you, for giving Atkins another try! It really should be called the "No Processed Foods" diet, because that's what it is really all about. Not tons of protein, but more whole foods, veggies and avoidance of things containing flour, starch and sugar! I've been doing it almost a year, to the day, and I'm down 67 pounds.
I encourage you to do it correctly at least for 1 month, and then slowly climb the carb ladder. If you don't have a book, get one!
Also, join one of the support groups on here. There is one called Atkins Support Group and several other just for low carbers.
Good luck. Remember, as with any diet, if you start eating those bad foods again, you're going to gain weight back!
Good luck!

David1178 · February 2012

There is no secret to losing weight. It all boils down to burning more calories than you take in, whether those calories come in carbs, fats, or proteins.

martinah4 · February 2012

There is no secret to losing weight. It all boils down to burning more calories than you take in, whether those calories come in carbs, fats, or proteins.

Actually, there is a secret! When you lower your carbs, you usually up your fat and protein. When you eat more fat and protein, you feel full and tend to eat less calories!
Conversely, if you're only tracking your calories and exercising more, you feel hungry more often and faster, making it easier to cheat.
IMO.

David1178 · February 2012

There is no secret to losing weight. It all boils down to burning more calories than you take in, whether those calories come in carbs, fats, or proteins.

Actually, there is a secret! When you lower your carbs, you usually up your fat and protein. When you eat more fat and protein, you feel full and tend to eat less calories!
Conversely, if you're only tracking your calories and exercising more, you feel hungry more often and faster, making it easier to cheat.
IMO.

Based on an individuals preference. It can vary from person to person, but in the end it still comes down to burning more calories than you take in no matter if you eat carbs or not. You can cut all the carbs you want out of your diet, but if you are still eating 3000 calories a day of proteins and fats, you are going to have a hard time losing weight.

David1178 · February 2012

Atkins may work for some people and that is great if it does. But what people need to realize is that it is by being in a negetive calorie deficit that the reason they are losing weight, not because they stopped eating carbs.

martinah4 · February 2012

Atkins may work for some people and that is great if it does. But what people need to realize is that it is by being in a negetive calorie deficit that the reason they are losing weight, not because they stopped eating carbs.

As far losing weight goes, it being strictly about energy balance is debatable. I believe there is a lot more to it then just calories in/calories out, but my point was just that generally eating higher fat and protein is naturally going to curve your appetite, and make it very hard to ever reach 3000 calories. I find it very hard to ever get over 1600.

emeralds5668 · February 2012

I did the Atkins 5 years ago...lost a lot of weight, however, and I can't prove this, but I'm pretty sure it caused me to have a kidney stone, which was one of the most painful things I've ever had. Probably my fault because I wasn't drinking enough water.

I had kindey stones 2 separate times while doing atkins.........it works but it almost killed me due to complications from lithotripsy. My advice would be to drink more water than u can stand and take cranberry pills or some other herbal supplement that reduces kidney stone risks...

emeralds5668 · February 2012

There is no secret to losing weight. It all boils down to burning more calories than you take in, whether those calories come in carbs, fats, or proteins.

Actually, there is a secret! When you lower your carbs, you usually up your fat and protein. When you eat more fat and protein, you feel full and tend to eat less calories!
Conversely, if you're only tracking your calories and exercising more, you feel hungry more often and faster, making it easier to cheat.
IMO.

Based on an individuals preference. It can vary from person to person, but in the end it still comes down to burning more calories than you take in no matter if you eat carbs or not. You can cut all the carbs you want out of your diet, but if you are still eating 3000 calories a day of proteins and fats, you are going to have a hard time losing weight.

well when I was on it I lost 60 lbs....and I ate alot......it was ketoacidosis that caused the weight loss.

almonds1 · February 2012

There is no secret to losing weight. It all boils down to burning more calories than you take in, whether those calories come in carbs, fats, or proteins.

Actually, there is a secret! When you lower your carbs, you usually up your fat and protein. When you eat more fat and protein, you feel full and tend to eat less calories!
Conversely, if you're only tracking your calories and exercising more, you feel hungry more often and faster, making it easier to cheat.
IMO.

Based on an individuals preference. It can vary from person to person, but in the end it still comes down to burning more calories than you take in no matter if you eat carbs or not. You can cut all the carbs you want out of your diet, but if you are still eating 3000 calories a day of proteins and fats, you are going to have a hard time losing weight.

THIS!!!! The last one!!

almonds1 · February 2012

totally not good for you health but a little article on a twinkie diet by a proof in Kansas university....

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

Its cals in/out

sarahcs424 · February 2012

Don't do it! Please ive done Atkins it's so bad for you! I was 160 when I did Atkins lost a ton of weight had bad headaches felt weak and shaky at times. When I introduced carbs my body latched onto them and it was horrible! I blew up to 196 like that! Please don't do this diet just eat healthy small portions. Get a little of everything! No diet should ever cut out carbs that strictly. Your body needs carbs when it doesn't get it your starving yourself and essentially your body eats itself yuck! When it gets a little carbs back it stores the he'll out of them because it thinks you might starve again. Fuel your body right!

kathyc609 · February 2012

Best of luck to you! I love low carbing - it changed my life!

sarahcs424 · February 2012

Sorry for the rant I just feel very strongly about this. A little info though I don't cut carbs but I don't eat much of them. If I have toast I'll only eat half or if I make a sandwich I just use half the bread. I watch how much I've had and I usually stay well below the recommended 300! I think the Atkins can be great if you skip induction. Completely removing carbs from your diet is bad in my opinion and experiences.

roro73 · February 2012

I've done Atkins a few times and lost weight with it (yo-yoed a lot due to feeling deprived) but after really tracking it (at first with weight watchers now with MFP) I've come to realize i was losing weight when i was sticking with it because I was taking in ALOT less calories because I was so much fuller on whole, clean foods instead of processed stuff. You need to do what works best for you. I've learned that I do better keeping a somewhat low carb diet but as long as I'm under on my calories I don't feel guilty if I want a bagel, a piece of toast or any kind of fruit (I love bananas!!). Good luck with your journey no matter which path you take

engineman312 · February 2012

I started the Atkins diet two days ago and I got on the scale today and it says I lost 2 pounds in two days! I have been counting calories and exercising like crazy for three weeks and I haven't been able to lose anything and now I am finally losing.

I tried this diet a year ago and lost ten pounds in two weeks. It's a great diet for quick weight loss, but it's hard to keep it off after the initial induction phase. But people have done it. I went to a forum called lowcarber and looked at success stories of people who stayed on the atkins diet and lost tons of weight!

I know there are a lot of naysayers out there when it comes to this diet, so that's fine. I expect to be blasted on this thread. But it's a tried and true method of losing weight, (as long as you stick with it) and I'm going to try to stick with it. If I can't, I can't, but after all the work I am doing, I am happy to finally be getting results.

So for all of you who are ready to give up, try this diet. Just google it.

the problem most people have with atkins, is that its not sustainable. like you said, its a great way of losing weight, good for a quick weight loss, but then people have trouble maintaining that type of diet.

good luck

mjbrenner · February 2012

When you transition for as lower-carb to higher-carb diet, you will gain an easy 8-10 lbs. of water weight, even if you still maintain a caloric deficit. There is nothing wrong with this, but it is good to know that if you see the scale jump up a ton after a "bad" day, it's no big deal. You just need to burn off that glycogen stored in your body.

Induction phase gets a bad rap, because it makes people feel so crappy. Transitioning from primarily burning carbs to primarily burning fats for energy is a slow process, and it takes a few days to a week of "carb flu" for the body to make the adjustment. For some people, this is unnecessary, and for others it could even be dangerous. For many of us, it is an absolutely necessary, safe step on the path to better health, because it breaks to physical addiction to carbs that we have developed. On these forums, you can read about many people who use Atkins Induction as a periodic step in their eating strategy to help them stay off the sugar in an otherwise "standard" calorie restricted diet.

It is also important to note that you still need to use more calories than you take in to lose weight. Many lower-carb diets also use tricks to tweak the body's metabolism and try to maximize the calories used, but it is not a good idea to rely on this. I use ice packs to stimulate brown adipose tissue into heat production, and I also might be peeing out ketones in my urine. but both of these are at best debatable advantages. View them as a bonus. You cannot count on any tweak to the system reliably working, so stick to a caloric deficit if you mean to lose weight.

Good luck on Atkins! You have a few rough patches ahead of you as you transition to a lower-carb lifestyle, but many of us have found success here where we have only found failure in other strategies. If it does not work for you, then there is no shame in trying a different strategy.

David1178 · February 2012

From reading some of the posts above, I feel that some of you are WAY overcomplicating things. Thats your business and you can lose weight whichever way you feel works for you and I wish you the best, but from my past experiences with Atkins (I did it 3 times), whenever you deprive yourself of something, sooner or later you are going to give in, And the thought process of coming out of ketosis from one carb cheat day can make someone give up the whole diet completely, and balloon back up adding more weight on. It happened to me 3 times. I am speaking from experience.

Remember, this is a slow steady approach to living a healthy lifestyle. We all did not become overweight overnight, so we cannot expect the weight to come off overnight either.

Starting the Atkins diet

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