ATKINS DIET

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  • BandedTriaRN
    BandedTriaRN Posts: 303
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    I have lost over 100 lbs eating low calorie, low gylcemic/low carb diet. Not only that but I have come off all but one diabetes medication (when I had lap band surgery, I was on 45mg of actos, 750mg of metformin TID, and Starlix 120 mg with meals tid) and now I am on 750mg of Metformin bid. Before I started doing a strict atkin's plan (april 26, 2012), I was still on the 3 metformin a day and 60mg of Starlix 2-3 times a day). It has really helped me with my Diabetes. I am averaging 1.5-2.25 lbs per week on average), which is a healthy weight loss. I count my calories. Part of me wishes that I could lose the weight faster like when I was first dieting (boy, that was great) but I have a lot of health issues and difficulty exercising very strenously so Atkin's is great for me. You just have to see what WOL works for you tho.
    There are so many diets out there, none is a magic device that will suck the weight off you while you eat all you want! You still have to do the work and it sometimes is very frustrating. It's really a good idea to find a WOL that YOU can stick with forever, not that I can stick with or your friends, or complete strangers on MFP! Good luck in whatever you choose and in whatever works for you!
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    It's a workable diet providing you can live largely without carbohydrates - bread / pasta / pizza / fruit / cereal / etc are all eliminated or very restricted. Not easy for vegetarians, and even more difficult for vegans. Good if you like meat though.

    Fruit and grains are ONLY restricted in the beginning phases as an elimination plan and will be added back in, down the road in later phases.

    Atkins works to rid you of sugar and starch cravings and addictions. You will then slowly add back in everything you were eating before in a controlled manner.

    I have to say that Atkins helped me to gain control of binge eating. I have taken it a step further and went Paleo and have eliminated some of the foods that Atkins does allow you to eat.

    It is all about finding a plan that you can stick with for life.
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
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    I have tried this at various points in my life and it worked well for me when I used it. However, I like carbs too much to give them up completely and don't find Atkins very user friendly for long term use.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    It may make you lose weight but it doesn't change your habits. In fact you end up consuming a huge amount of food, all mostly protein. Then as soon as you go off the diet you are used to eating a large quantity of food and you gain the weight back, usually quite quickly. It has been our personal experience that it does make you drop weight quickly but the lasting results are not there because it actually trains you to eat more food rather than less. If you can live on meat meat meat and little else then fine but most people can't stick with it. I do not recommend it for long term success.

    If someone goes from eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) to eating proteins, fats and lots of green leafy vegetables for 2 weeks and then starts adding in higher carb vegetables, berries, other fruits, dairy, grains and starches there lifestyle is going to be IMMENSELY changed forever.

    That is what the Atkins Nutritional Approach does. It is a complete lifestyle change from eating processed crap to eating healthy, natural and WHOLE foods. Anything else is NOT Atkins.
  • RachelsReboot
    RachelsReboot Posts: 569 Member
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    What is you take on this dieet, and is anybody following it?

    I'm not saying this diet doesn't work because it does short term, but it is probably one of the more unhealthy diets you could do. It's not based off any scientific research. Your brain NEEDS carbs and fats to keep it functioning. Our brains are made of fat, so we need glucose to keep it running properly. When your body has an overload of protein, your blood becomes more acidic for a couple reasons. One, the protein has to break down in a form that its not meant to, to fuel your brain, which produces ketones (your body could go in to ketosis). Secondly, when you eat large amounts of protein, the nitrogen in protein is excreted in the urine, called urea. Your kidneys have to filter the urea from your blood stream, which is really harsh on your kidneys. If you aren't drinking a TON of water, you can harm your kidneys. Protein shakes are horrible for your body too (I don't think atkins does protein shakes??) but predigested proteins going into your body can actually do more harm that good as a side note. Our body does best breaking down proteins in whole form. Anyways, I hope that helps :)

    Talk about not being based on scientific research, this post is not based on scientific research in any way, shape or form.
  • superstankazz
    superstankazz Posts: 193
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    it's dangerous
    And why is it "dangerous"? I've completely eliminated sugar and carbs from diet and lowered my cholesterol, blood pressue, and lost 18 pounds...my doctor says my changes are VERY healthy!
  • bellaphile
    bellaphile Posts: 20 Member
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    Net carbs is carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols. for example....an atkins "candy bar" has 19 carbs--9 fiber and 8 sugar alcohol-- so it has 2 net carbs. When doing atkins, you only count "net carbs".

    That's not totally accurate. Net carbs = carbs - fiber.
    So your candy bar is actually 10 net carbs.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    Net carbs is carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols. for example....an atkins "candy bar" has 19 carbs--9 fiber and 8 sugar alcohol-- so it has 2 net carbs. When doing atkins, you only count "net carbs".

    That's not totally accurate. Net carbs = carbs - fiber.
    So your candy bar is actually 10 net carbs.

    according to the package AND the atkins literature "fiber, sugar alcohols, including glycerin should be subtracted from the total carbs since they minimally impact blood sugar". The wrapper also states "only 2g NET CARBS"
  • angelashay42
    angelashay42 Posts: 286
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    Only a fat person would come up with a "diet" that consists of bacon, cheese, meat, and more bacon. Yuck. (Laugh, don't get offended. It was a joke.)
    But seriously, it's not called "The Heart Attack Diet" for nothing. The guy that invented the diet died of a heart attack. All that cholesterol and fat cannot be good for you. Your body needs carbs as fuel, especially in the form of vegetables and fruits. I just don't think its sustainable for a long period of time. How are you going to go the rest of your life without carbs/sugar? Seems like all those diets are just too restricting and most people gain all the weight back. Diets simply do not work. You need to change your lifestyle permanently in order to lose the weight and keep it off.

    ***Obviously, this is my opinion, not scientific fact.***
  • RachelsReboot
    RachelsReboot Posts: 569 Member
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    Only a fat person would come up with a "diet" that consists of bacon, cheese, meat, and more bacon. Yuck. (Laugh, don't get offended. It was a joke.)
    But seriously, it's not called "The Heart Attack Diet" for nothing. The guy that invented the diet died of a heart attack. All that cholesterol and fat cannot be good for you. Your body needs carbs as fuel, especially in the form of vegetables and fruits. I just don't think its sustainable for a long period of time. How are you going to go the rest of your life without carbs/sugar? Seems like all those diets are just too restricting and most people gain all the weight back. Diets simply do not work. You need to change your lifestyle permanently in order to lose the weight and keep it off.

    ***Obviously, this is my opinion, not scientific fact.***

    He died from a slip on the ice and the resulting head injury, check your facts first. SMH

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/apr/18/2
    On April 8, 2003, at age 72, a day after a major snowstorm in New York, Atkins slipped on icy pavement, suffering severe head trauma. He spent nine days in intensive care, before dying on April 17, 2003 from complications from his head injury.
  • aproc
    aproc Posts: 1,033 Member
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    I don't know anybody who's been able to stick to it long term. My mom and a few friends have done it only to gain the weight back after stopping. Doesn't exactly teach much of a a lifestyle change. I don't see how any specific diets are successful in the long run unless your eating a variety of whole foods including carbs. Just my opinion though. I think it's better to have a flexible diet you can stick to and keep up. So if your eating a lot of good foods with your calorie deficeit and lose the weight, I would think that would be easier to maintain because then you could just up your calories a bit while eating the same foods for maintenance. Cutting things out and then bringing them back later after a diet just seems like asking for trouble.
  • Fausttt
    Fausttt Posts: 101
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    the amount of misinformation on this site has become frightening. "I heard about it somewhere" does NOT constitute a valid source.
  • Fausttt
    Fausttt Posts: 101
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    Also, ANY diet you lose a considerable amount of weight with, then proceed to return to a "normal" western diet, will result in regaining the weight. This is not an exclusively atkins-related problem.
  • RonSwanson66
    RonSwanson66 Posts: 1,150 Member
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    It is not limiting.

    Words have meanings. Any diet that strives to eliminate an entire class of foods is, by definition, limiting.
  • fraser112
    fraser112 Posts: 405
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    This thread is so full of bull it needs a new name like bro science.

    But for people saying low carb diets are bad for you when its all pretty much been proven as bull.

    Its just like fasting, why dont people do some research Find one study that says fasting is unhealthy for someone with no pre existing medical condition.

    Find one study showing any of these warning have any basis in reality.
  • Fausttt
    Fausttt Posts: 101
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    It is not limiting.

    Words have meanings. Any diet that strives to eliminate an entire class of foods is, by definition, limiting.

    Expanding on that thought; ANY diet is an attempt to restrict certain aspects of your existing diet, whether it is removing a type of food or restricting the amount of food, and is therefore also, by definition, limiting.
  • whitehandlady
    whitehandlady Posts: 459 Member
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    A large amount of the information that the people above are telling you is incorrect.
    Atkins is about eating healthy. You are getting a large amount of your daily carbs in the form of vegetables and salads. You are eating healthy fats from sources such as avocados, olive oil and nuts. Yes, you eat protein, but are not to gorge on it, just eat a normal portion size. You are allowed eggs for breakfast, but you are encouraged to eat veggies, too (think a Denver Omelet). Atkins does cut carbs, though: processed carbs (i.e. junk food, things made in a factory). You cut out starchy carbs like pasta and rice. Potatos, breads, things made from flour.

    It is not limiting. Since the diet has been around since the 1970's, there are a ton of food choices and options. Join one of the low-carb groups on this site, and there are delicious and simple recipes and meal plans.

    The first phase, Induction, is restrictive. But you are only supposed to stay on it for 2 weeks, and then start slowly adding in carbs (including fruits).

    A lot of people blame the diet, saying it failed them. The truth is, they failed the diet. They didn't do it right, didn't stick it through, cheated, couldn't live without their sugar and carbage, and now they can only bad mouth it. I and thousands of others have made low-carb a lifestyle with great results.

    If you decide you're interested, please read a book on Atkins or low-carb. Do your own research.


    totally this^^^^^^.....my dr put me on it..............i have pcos.....am insulin resistant......and borderline diabetic with mood fluctuations.....it works and is quite healthy unless youn abuse the system
  • builtforlife
    builtforlife Posts: 259
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    I think it sucks.
  • Timkoetta
    Timkoetta Posts: 70 Member
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    Maybe try the Carbohydrate Addict diet. It is sort of similar. It drops your carb intake to drop your insulin levels in order to have the same effect, but it is easier to live on bc you eat one meal as you normally would. You eat low carb for 2 meal and then you get one meal where you can eat what you want (healthy of course but you can have carbs and desert) but you have to eat it within 60 minutes. My doctor recomended it to me, he said him and his wife lost a lot of weight 10 years ago following it and they are still thin.

    Good luck to you. :smile:
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    but you have to eat it within 60 minutes
    Within 60 minutes of what ? starting to eat it, getting up, going to bed.....

    Seems a bit crazy. Like who spends 90 minutes eating a meal.

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