Atkins style dieting
Startraveller
Posts: 53 Member
Does anyone have experience with the Atkins or similar low carb diet? I have an intolerance to gluten and find that I have to cut my carb intake anyways because let's face it, every single good carb has gluten in it! Has anyone had success with this type of dieting and been able to sustain on it?
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Been doing it for 2 years. Lost 56+ pounds.0
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I've been on it for 7 months and love it! Feel free to friend me for support.0
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I do Paleo which is very similar - no grains and can easily skew it to low carb by food choices0
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I have had great success with low carb. In fact, it's the only thing I have found that helps me loose weight. Weight Watchers is nice and all but I fizzle out on that real quick. There are tons of resources out there (I have found a couple of podcasts on itunes that were excellent for keeping me motivated and on track) that will help you feel less deprived and much more focused on how much better low carb is for your body.
Best of luck to you, feel free to keep in touch!0 -
I have done Atkins and lost a lot of weight. It and Paleo are good for gluten intolerance, but for me with Atkins I got tired of meat, eggs, cheese and salad greens all the time. Not enough variety. Plus my cholesterol shot up to 363. Now I just do MFP and stay under my calorie limit but eat a wide variety of healthy (and sometimes not so healthy) food.0
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I started out with Atkins 20 carb or less Keto induction for 3 weeks in March to break sugar addiction.I did not have a scale at that time guessing 10 lbs. I still do low to moderate carb 50 seems the best because I can enjoy fruits. I have lost the 13 lbs by low carbing since April. I will always count carbs and also calories keeping protein high.0
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That's my worry - my cholesterol is very low which is good but I noticed that my calorie count is higher. I am not as hungry, though. I will research Paleo as a few of you have already mentioned it and see what that's at.0
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Low carb diets are fads! No good for you, not sustainable, and far better alternatives.
If you look at the research, you'll confirm the above. Your body NEEDS carbs. It is the primary fuel source. If you take them out, you are tricking your metabolism into using fat stores which is what gives you results in the long term, but as soon as you go off this radical diet, your metabolism will work in reverse and store the carbs you give it, rather than burn them, because you've shocked the system.
You will also suffer from low energy, irritability, etc. Everybody I know who has done a low carb diet has gained all the weight back, and then some.
There are no short cuts to long term and sustainable weight loss. You need a long term approach and a lifestyle change that includes PROPER nutrition and balanced diet, along with exercise. It is really that simple... although not simple to do.0 -
I did low carb about 8 years ago and lost about 20 pounds in 2 months. Had to quit 'cause I got pregnant.
Currently I have been doing low carb ( under 100g per day, including fiber) for a little over 5 weeks, and have lost 9.8 pounds. Before I started this, it took me 3 months to lose 7 pounds.
I have kinda fallen into a meal routine, and am doing OK. Breakfast is 2 eggs, 4 slices of soy bacon...most of the time a low carb/high fiber tortilla, sometimes a slice of cheese. Lunch is a huge salad with 3-4oz of protein on it most of the time. Dinner is something like Keilbasa and steamed veggies. I am having trouble hitting a reasonable net carb for the day, so usually I have at least 1 atkins meal bar as a snack to boost my total calories for the day.0 -
Low carb diets are fads! No good for you, not sustainable, and far better alternatives.
If you look at the research, you'll confirm the above. Your body NEEDS carbs. It is the primary fuel source. If you take them out, you are tricking your metabolism into using fat stores which is what gives you results in the long term, but as soon as you go off this radical diet, your metabolism will work in reverse and store the carbs you give it, rather than burn them, because you've shocked the system.
You will also suffer from low energy, irritability, etc. Everybody I know who has done a low carb diet has gained all the weight back, and then some.
There are no short cuts to long term and sustainable weight loss. You need a long term approach and a lifestyle change that includes PROPER nutrition and balanced diet, along with exercise. It is really that simple... although not simple to do.
You can be low carb and not encounter any of this issue. If you go from eating the SAD of like 300-500g of terribly awful carbs and switch to natural carb sources you'll be under 200 pretty easily, and if you're active you will be fine. The key is just to cut the garbage sources out.0 -
^^ I don't know, but what if it's a sustainable lifestyle for some? Example, I don't condone any radical diet or quick fix but I can see myself succeeding on this kind of diet. I am not a big carbs person to begin with... I love protein, love meat, and have to make a conscious effort to eat carbs....
I do agree, once you get back to normal eating you'll feel the effects but what if someone can keep this up for life?
*** Disclaimer, again, I don't support this or any other extreme diet... just playing devil's advocate :-)0 -
^^ I don't know, but what if it's a sustainable lifestyle for some? Example, I don't condone any radical diet or quick fix but I can see myself succeeding on this kind of diet. I am not a big carbs person to begin with... I love protein, love meat, and have to make a conscious effort to eat carbs....
I do agree, once you get back to normal eating you'll feel the effects but what if someone can keep this up for life?
*** Disclaimer, again, I don't support this or any other extreme diet... just playing devil's advocate :-)
Paleo/Primal is a pretty easily manageable life style that is low carb. If you like veggies, some fruits, meats, nuts, it is about as easy as it gets. I also get a higher carb intake than most paleo/primal would recommend, but I don't really want to do carb cycling or any of that crap. Primal taught me to just focus on good clean carb sources and to enjoy them. :DD
Removing grains has made me feel significantly better and I really have no issue not eating them. I occasionally do when something like a burger comes along, but I don't sweat it.0 -
How do you know you have an intolerance to gluten? Have you been tested for Celiac disease or do you just notice that gluten makes your digestive system irritable?
I agree that if you're looking for a lifestyle change, look into paleo/primal eating. I'm not going to call it a cure-all for everyone but you will at least be able to find support and people with similar eating habits. You'll learn to love eating meat...
I disagree about low energy levels. I tried primal living for six months and had more energy than ever. I realized I can't hold myself to NEVER eating grains but I really liked the way I felt when my diet was vegetables, meat, fruit, nuts and some dairy (only with minimal processing). My energy levels were VERY high.0 -
Low carb diets are fads! No good for you, not sustainable, and far better alternatives.
If you look at the research, you'll confirm the above. Your body NEEDS carbs. It is the primary fuel source. If you take them out, you are tricking your metabolism into using fat stores which is what gives you results in the long term, but as soon as you go off this radical diet, your metabolism will work in reverse and store the carbs you give it, rather than burn them, because you've shocked the system.
You will also suffer from low energy, irritability, etc. Everybody I know who has done a low carb diet has gained all the weight back, and then some.
There are no short cuts to long term and sustainable weight loss. You need a long term approach and a lifestyle change that includes PROPER nutrition and balanced diet, along with exercise. It is really that simple... although not simple to do.
This is all debatable, at best. The natural diet for humans, as an animal, would be fat and protein as the primary energy source. Low fat diets are FAR more likely to cause depression and irritability than low carb (I've never even HEARD this one before). I have been low carb for weeks now, and bike commute 15km daily, and have no issues of low-energy (anecdotal, but thats all I got). If you don't know how to eat at a maintainable level before going on ANY special diet, you won't know how to eat if you go OFF that diet. That's a problem of lifestyle and education, not the diet.
A lifestyle change is indeed needed to maintain low body fat. However, a simple lifestyle change could result in slow loss (which is fine, and healthy, and effective over time). I know how to eat. I dropped 30 pounds through lifestyle change and a ton of exercise. I then got injured and stopped exercising as much, but stayed on my new food habits of sensible calories and balanced carb/protein/fat intake. I stayed at my lower weight +/- 2lbs for over a year.
Now that I'm back at it, I decided to drop faster this summer (2-3lbs a week) and THEN go back to my normal, sensible diet. Low carb has had me losing my desired amount (and then some, some weeks) I'm within 22lbs of my goal weight, and have made more progress in 3 weeks of low carb (with no adverse effects) than I did in 3 months of low fat, calorie reduced, diet and exercise.
The low fat, high carb diets for weight loss are old fashioned and outdated. Look up some new information on the benefits of primal / paleo (neither of which really suit me, as I don't like to disallow foods just because cavemen didn't eat them) or Atkins (too restrictive and regimented for my tastes). I've just cut carbs (breads, potatoes, pasta, sugar) and I'm taking in a mostly fresh vegetables, cheese, meat, nuts, oils, etc. It's not dangerous, or unhealthy in any way, if you are sensible about it.
Just like vegans can safely eat a diet without meat, you can safely eat a diet with limited carbs. There will be haters who think it's dangerous, but that just tells me they are working from an old edition textbook, one made when the food pyramid was king. (PS: who do you think funded the research behind the food pyramid? hint: grain lobbyists)0 -
Some people have to eat low car or lower carbs than the standard American diet. My father, although always thin, has type 2 diabetes and has to eat lower carb. I have PCOS and my Dr has advocated a lower carb diet. I eat far more carbs then the Atkins Induction phase but less thean the average diet. I don't so it because I want to but because I have no choice. For my father and I this will be a life issue. It's probably different when people have the option.0
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Did the research, found a phrase "there is no molecule in the group carbohydrates that the human needs to eat to survive".Your body NEEDS carbs
All diets exhibit the long term failure you describe, regardless of type. Atkins proposed his method as a "way of eating" for life, there need be no "when you go back to eating crap at your local carb palace" phase to worry about at all.0 -
Did the research, found a phrase "there is no molecule in the group carbohydrates that the human needs to eat to survive".
This. Carbs are the junk food of the macro nutrient world. They let your body buzz along effortlessly by giving you glycogen with almost no biochemical work. Your body has a ton of mechanisms for doing this on a natural diet of vegetables and meat (what our pre-agrarian ancestors lived on). If you needed carbs to live, poor Grok with his leaves and buffalo would have never made it to adulthood to beget, eventually, us.0 -
Ive lost almost ten pounds in 3 weeks doing low carb. Ive been doing low carb for three years, but apparently Ive been doing it all wrong and could never get into ketosis. I found that NOW that Ive been eating 6 small meals a day, basically eating every three hours, and not eating whatever fattening meat and cheese I want (that was what I thought Atkins allowed) and eating lean meats and veggies, Im FINALLY able to lose. I wanted to slap myself silly for all the hard work Ive put in for so many years and deprivation and I was never doing it right or losing any weight.0
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I was having digestive issues and have difficulty maintaining my iron levels. My specialist attributed my issues to gluten intolerance. If I stay away from gluten for long periods of time, my iron shoots way up - regular gluten intake prevents my body from maintaining my iron levels. I feel much better and don't have the issues that I experienced before.
Thank you to everyone for the primal/paleo suggestions. I will look it up and see what its like. The Atkins induction is just not sustainable because I want to eat some vegetables beyond romaine lettuce and I love fruit. I also love rice and can have it although it is high in calories.0 -
Good for you on your weight loss! We all have to do what works for us. I have not found the right formula yet. I am really worried about the energy level drop that I know happens with low carb so I will wait and see.0
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Didn't for me. Doesn't for many. Keep your calories up, your body will adjust.Good for you on your weight loss! We all have to do what works for us. I have not found the right formula yet. I am really worried about the energy level drop that I know happens with low carb so I will wait and see.0 -
Does anyone have experience with the Atkins or similar low carb diet? I have an intolerance to gluten and find that I have to cut my carb intake anyways because let's face it, every single good carb has gluten in it! Has anyone had success with this type of dieting and been able to sustain on it?
If you follow the plan as written and increase your carbs the way the plan is written, then yes you will be able to be successful and keep the weight off and sustain it for life.0 -
I was having digestive issues and have difficulty maintaining my iron levels. My specialist attributed my issues to gluten intolerance. If I stay away from gluten for long periods of time, my iron shoots way up - regular gluten intake prevents my body from maintaining my iron levels. I feel much better and don't have the issues that I experienced before.
Thank you to everyone for the primal/paleo suggestions. I will look it up and see what its like. The Atkins induction is just not sustainable because I want to eat some vegetables beyond romaine lettuce and I love fruit. I also love rice and can have it although it is high in calories.
Sounds like the anti-nutrients are doing what they intend of keeping your body from absorbing the iron in the other foods you eat.
Atkins induction is for 2 weeks, then you start adding in other foods and the vegetable list for Induction is way larger than romaine lettuce.
Have you looked at the allowable food list for Phase 1 (Induction)???Vegetables:
You should be eating approximately 12 to 15 net carbs a day from vegetables, which is equivalent to
several cups depending on the Net Carb count of vegetable used.
1 cup is equal to approximately the size of a baseball
Vegetable Serving Size/Prep Net Carbs
• Alfalfa sprouts 1 cup/raw 0.4
• Argula 1/2cup/raw 0.2
• Bok choy 1cup/raw 0.8
• Celery 1 stalk 0.8
• Chicory Greens 1/2cup/raw 0.6
• Chives 1 tablespoon 0.1
• Cucumber ½ cup 1.0
• Daikon ½ cup 1.0
• Endive ½ cup 0.0
• Escarole ½ cup 0.0
• Fennel 1 cup 3.6
• Jicama ½ cup 2.5
• Lettuce Iceberg ½ cup 0.1
• Mushrooms ½ cup 1.2
• Parsley 1 tablespoon 0.1
• Peppers ½ cup/raw 2.3
• Radicchio ½ cup/raw 0.7
• Radishes 10/raw 0.9
• Romaine lettuce ½ cup 0.2
The following vegetables are slightly higher than the salad vegetables listed above; they also provide
important nutrients and add variety to your daily foods. Make sure you stay within the 12-15 grams net
carbs.
Vegetable Serving Size/ Prep Net Carbs
• Artichoke ¼ of medium/boiled 4.0
• Asparagus 6 spears/boiled 2.4
• Artichoke hearts 1/ canned in water 1.0
• Avocadoes 1 whole/raw 3.5
• Bamboo shoots 1cup/boiled 1.1
• Beets ½ cup/canned 4.7
• Broccoli boiled ½ cup 1.6
• Broccoli raw ½ cup 1.0
• Broccoli rabe 1 ounce 1.3
• Broccoflower ½ cup 1.4
• Brussels sprouts ¼ cup boiled 2.4
• Cabbage ½ cup boiled or raw 2.0
• Cauliflower ½ cup boiled or raw 1.0
• Chard ½ cup swiss/boiled 1.8
• Collard greens ½ cup boiled 4.2
• Eggplant ½ cup boiled/raw 1.8
• Hearts of palm 1 heart 0.7
• Kale ½ cup 2.4
• Kohlrabi ½ cup 4.6
• Leeks ¼ cup boiled 1.7
• Okra ½ cup boiled/raw 2.4
• Olives green 5 2.5
• Olives black 5 0.7
• Onion ¼ cup raw 2.8
• Pumpkin ¼ cup boiled 2.4
• Rhubarb ½ cup unsweetened 1.7
• Sauerkraut ½ cup canned/drained 1.2
• Peas ½ cup edible podded 3.4
• Spaghetti squash ½ cup boiled 2.0
• Spinach ½ cup raw 0.2
• Summer squash ½ cup boiled 2.0
• Tomato 1 raw 4.3
• Turnips ½ cup boiled 2.2
• Water chestnuts ½ cup canned 6.9
• Zucchini ½ cup sautéed 2.0
Salad Garnishes
• Crumbled bacon 3 slices 0.0
• Diced hard-boiled egg 1 egg 0.0
• Grated cheeses (see above carb counts)
• Herbs and Spices (make sure they contain no added sugar)
o Basil 1 tbs 0.0
o Cayenne pepper 1 tbs 0.0
o Cilantro 1 tbs 0.0
o Dill 1 tbs 0.0
o Garlic 1 clove 0.9
o Ginger 1 tbs sliced root 0.8
o Oregano 1 tbs 0.0
o Pepper 1 tbs 0.0
o Rosemary 1 tbs 0.0
o Sage 1 tbs 0.0
o Tarragon 1 tbs 0.0
• Sautéed mushrooms ½ cup 1.0
• Sour cream 2 tbs 1.20 -
I have had great success with lower carb eating. I typically do 5-6 fairly low carb days, then a day or day and a half of higher carb eating.0
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Did the research, found a phrase "there is no molecule in the group carbohydrates that the human needs to eat to survive".
This. Carbs are the junk food of the macro nutrient world. They let your body buzz along effortlessly by giving you glycogen with almost no biochemical work. Your body has a ton of mechanisms for doing this on a natural diet of vegetables and meat (what our pre-agrarian ancestors lived on). If you needed carbs to live, poor Grok with his leaves and buffalo would have never made it to adulthood to beget, eventually, us.
Would that be our Neolithic ancestors with a life expectancy of 20?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy#Life_expectancy_variation_over_time0 -
As a lifelong calorie counter i am counting carbs for the first time. After two weeks im still going strong wich compared to my history at weight watchers is an accomplishment. My goals are simple 20 - 50 carbs a day trying to achieve most of it from lean meats and veggies I limit for fruit and dairy . no grains or sugar. i splurge rarely but i do it makes it easier for me i dont know if this helps but its what i do and i like it and can imagine myself doing this for a long time.0
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Thanks for this quick reference. I have been sticking to romaine lettuce for the last few days as its easiest to put protein in a salad for lunch but its getting boring. I love yogurt and fruit so I have had some strawberries each day. But its hard to stick to the induction phase so I am making a choice to top it a little so that I don't restrict my diet as much as Atkins wants you to for the first bit.0
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Would that be our Neolithic ancestors with a life expectancy of 20?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy#Life_expectancy_variation_over_time
That's a fallacious argument. Can you directly correlate their life expectancy to their diet? What about lack of dental, medical and societal welfare, as well as lack of protection from predators, disease, infection, and aggression from your own kind? I think that a modern man, put in a neolithic society, but given a bottomless cave full of bread to eat, would also be lucky to live past 20.0 -
I had a lot of success with Atkins a few years ago - got my weight down to a healthy level, had loads of energy, enjoyed working out, etc. I did find though that I couldn't sustain it for more than a few months - I cracked about craving bread, rice, pasta, cider.... But it's different for everyone, what you van stick with and what you can't. I did learn that I do well on high-ish protein levels, but overall I prefer the MFP approach which allows me to set my protein target on the high side but still eat whatever I want within my goals0
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I had a lot of success with Atkins a few years ago - got my weight down to a healthy level, had loads of energy, enjoyed working out, etc. I did find though that I couldn't sustain it for more than a few months - I cracked about craving bread, rice, pasta, cider.... But it's different for everyone, what you van stick with and what you can't. I did learn that I do well on high-ish protein levels, but overall I prefer the MFP approach which allows me to set my protein target on the high side but still eat whatever I want within my goals
This is more or less what I'm doing, Sally. I'm not strictly cutting out any particular food, but I have reduced my carb intake to 15% of my calories, increased my protein to 190g (0.7 * bodyweight in lbs) and eat the rest in fat. (magic formula I found on several different paleo sites. Figured it was as good a place as any to start my low carb experiment.
That means my ability to have breads and pastas and whatnot is definitely hampered, but I'm not depriving myself cold turkey. Yesterday I tore up a pita and added it to a half a pound of browned ground turkey and taco seasoning and topped with a bit of shredded cheese. If I ate that once or twice a week, I wouldn't even miss my beloved crunchy tacos. about 30g of carbs in that meal, and I had only 15g in my other meals for the day, so i was still way low at days end.0
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