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Atkins Diet - Your Experiences Please?


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I'm not overweight at around 138lbs and 5ft 7ins, but having read William Leith's book "The Hungry Years", I'm trying the Atkins Diet for a week.

 

Not being into red meat, I'm basically centering my diet around chicken, turkey, tuna, cheese, eggs, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, that kinda thing. As well as a couple of lowcarb veggie substitutes I found gracing the shelves of my local supermarket.

 

I've only been doing this around for the best part of a day now, and I feel, I'd say, 75% Less Hungry between meals than I do normally. I feel steadier as I'm not eating anything sugary/refined/high-carb.

 

So my question is - does anyone have any experiences, good or bad, with the Atkins? It feels good thus far, I think I could easily stick out my week-long experiment.

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Oh, hon...of all the diets to try, you had to pick one of the most dangerous! I'm not aware of a single reputable nutrition/medical group that supports the Atkins Diet. The man himself died obese and with heart problems.

 

You can get more information about this "diet" here: link removed

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Definitely one of the least healthy diets. If you want to lose weight an be healthy, then you need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables. The Atkins diet restricts these and that is bad. In you continued on it, you would end up getting gas, constipation, bloating, that sort of thing.

 

Any diet that lasts a week will only have water-weight loss. It doesn't sound like you have much weight to lose, so why not start doing a bit more exercise and cut some of the crap out of your diet. You'd be amazed at how far that can get you.

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Definitely one of the least healthy diets. If you want to lose weight an be healthy, then you need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables. The Atkins diet restricts these and that is bad. In you continued on it, you would end up getting gas, constipation, bloating, that sort of thing.

 

Any diet that lasts a week will only have water-weight loss. It doesn't sound like you have much weight to lose, so why not start doing a bit more exercise and cut some of the crap out of your diet. You'd be amazed at how far that can get you.

 

Ditto everything just said here!

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As a biochemist, I have to say that atkins is the worst way you can go. You are essentially tricking your body into thinking it's diabetic. In fact, people who do atkins too strictly can go into ketoacidosis.

 

I do know a girl that did atkins - she lost 50 pounds, but then gained 70! so.... I really wouldn't recommend it.

 

You sound like you are at a very healthy weight. Don't push it much further! If you feel you'd like to lose 5 pounds, I'd recommend weightwatchers. The program makes a lot of sense, you eat a wide variety of foods, and the meetings are very supportive.

 

link removed

 

good luck

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My ex did Atkinds and lost about 6 stone. (He was a big lad.) And while I don't approve of it, it did a lot for him.

 

I recommend that you get the book. I see a lot of people who say they're doing the Atkins plan and are basically cutting out all carbs as they don't know anything about it other than what they see on tv.

 

And take healthier options in regards to the proteins you eat and prepare.

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I've read the ATKINS diet... and couldn't really adhere to it 100%.

 

My diet was what I would call... and adapted version of ATKINS.

 

As I recall... ATKINS recommends staying on his HIGH PROTEIN diet for 14 days. And then slowly adding carbs back into the diet.

 

I stayed on it for 10. I didn't do the greasy foods. I stayed away from bacon for 2 weeks. I cut all carbs and sugars out for 10 days. I drank water instead of soda (160 cals for a 12oz can). And I increased my excersise incrementally. The proteins I stuck with I boiled, broiled or grilled. Fast food.. I tried to stay away from. If I bought a cheeseburgar.. I dispensed with the bread.

 

Staying away from Carbs... such as muffins, donuts, chocolate, bagels... helped imensely.

 

I jump started my diet you can say. And after 10 days.. slowly started adding healthier carbs in my diet. Fruits and Vegi's.

 

If you try to adhere to a strict ATKINS diet... you'll note some of the problems listed above. Gassiness, bloatiness, constipation. And when the smell of KEYTONE break-down eminating from your pores and your breath. THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING. ATKINS will tell you it is.. I don't buy into it. You are not just breaking down fat cells but good cells as well. Not good.

 

Excersise.. Excersise.. Excersise. Very important. Just don't overdo it... a walk 3 times a week would do it.

 

Drink plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated. Your skin will love you for it.

 

And portion control.... we've become a nation of SUPER SIZER'S... and getting the most bang for our buck. Eat slowly... chew and savor your meals... and know that you do NOT need to eat that whole WHOPPER and that BIGGIE SIZED FRIE'S. Push yourself away from the table.

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You don't need to lose that much weight at all. Atkins is horrid, dangerous.

 

Personally I think slim fast is better and safer, for losing a few lbs. 1 shake in the morning, snack on fruits, rice cakes and other stuff inbetween, another shake for lunch, few more snacks, then a proper dinner, and some more snacks after! This is not good for long term, but to lose a few lbs I think it's perfectly fine.

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I did Atkins, very strictly, for several months, never more than 20 carbs per day. I lost 30 pounds, was never hungry, and felt loads of energy. My cholesterol and blood sugar levels fell to within normal range after being high for 2 years. I haven't gained back any weight at all. (Well, I lie. I gained 13 pounds when I was pregnant.)

 

I did all of this under the supervision of my general practitioner and a cardiologist, being absolutely frank with them about my diet. They were behind me 100%. I didn't eat a bunch of red meat either, mostly tuna and chicken, and a whole mess of green veggies.

 

Of course, I did this when I was in California, completely isolated from my family. It's too hard to do when your mom just shows up randomly with the most delicious red beans and rice in the world.

 

You do have to be careful though - if you kinda slack off, you can totally throw the whole diet. If you eat your eggs in the morning, but decide to have a muffin later in the afternoon just for funsies, that completely throws off your carb count for the day, and you WILL gain weight.

 

By the way, Robert Atkins died from a head injury sustained from falling on an icy sidewalk, not because of heart problems. He did have a heart attack in 2002, but it was related to a viral infection, not to a diet. (My husband had the same thing.) He was not obese upon his admission to the hospital after his fall, but gained 60 pounds while in a coma. Just wanted you to get the other side of the story.

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I don't understand how anyone can stick to a diet where they are not allowed to have one muffin, or else they will gain weight. The moment you can't have a muffin, that is all you think about, and soon, the very thought of muffins consumes you.

 

Life is supposed to be about enjoyment, and not forbidding yourself from eating one major food group. I know plenty of people who are skinny who still eat pizza and donuts. Their secret? They do so only once in a while. Their diet does not revolve around pizza and donuts alone! the rest of the time, they are exercising and eating fruits and veggies and whole grains and lean meat.

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Don't you think, in general, that this is a good approach for a diet? it is not specific to atkins alone.

 

YEP.. thats why my doctor laughed at me and called it a modified ATKINS diet.

 

I think the ATKINS diet by itself is probably quite dangerous. His premise is that we are primarily "carnivores". Maybe at one time we were... but then again.. people only lived till the ripe old age of 30, if that.

 

My parents come from Europe and they were raised in a farming community. The diet they subsisted on... is GREASE laden. And yet.. when I visted that country and their village, it is RARE to see any obese people. WHY??? because of their life style. They walk or bike everywhere. They are used to hard physical labor. And hence the condenced "FAT" Calories they took in.. are burned off quickly. When they came to this country... they tried to keep the same diet. IMPOSSIBLE. Both gained a tremendous amount of weight. Why??? lack of physcial activity.. instead of burning off their intake, they were storing it. Its very difficult to change a habit. And that is what needs to be done. A fast "fad" diet is not going to do it for you... its LIFE STYLE changes that are sustaining and keep you fit and trim.

 

Everyones body chemistry is different. I don't think there is a "One diet" that fits all out there. I know a women that went on a near starvation diet and didn't lose anything. Finally through diligence and research... she found that she was alergic to "SOY". There are alot of diets out there that recommend switiching from natural Proteins to SOY. On further research she found that there are trace amounts of SOY in just about everything that is man made.

 

My suggestion to the poster is.... If you have the time and inclination. Take a nutrition and health class at your local college. Read as much as you can health and nutrition and then closely examine your lifestyle.

Taylor your nutritional intake to your lifestyle.

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I did the Atkins diet about 4 years ago. I lost about 20 pounds. It seems like "ahhh the holy grail of diets" BUT when you go off of it its the "hell of all diets."

 

I loved it the first week and then I got really tired of cheese, meat, low carb veggies. I craved an apple the whole time. I didnt eat much fruit at the time so craving an apple only tells me my body was CRAVING it. Actually needed it. After I was off of the diet I gained half of it back. Since then I have lost 30 pounds by increasing my activity level. Taking the stairs when I can, parking farther away from the door at the stores, and so on and so on.

 

When they say moderation and exercise is the name of the game it is. I also think one can eat whatever in moderation if they incorporate physical activity.

 

The point I am getting at is I would NOT reccommend the Atkins diet. It is really hard on the body.

Just my two cents.

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I don't understand how anyone can stick to a diet where they are not allowed to have one muffin, or else they will gain weight. The moment you can't have a muffin, that is all you think about, and soon, the very thought of muffins consumes you.

 

 

TRUE!!!! What I did was cut out all of these simple sugars for a time. Adding them back in moderation. And thats the ticket to everything isn't it... MODERATION.

 

I did find that I had more energy if I moderated simple sugar intake. Instead of dumping it in, riding through the sugar rush.. .and then crashing and burning at the end of it.

 

There's a restaurant near me that has the most delicious out of this world.. Chocolate fudge cake... OMG!!!! now how can I deny myself that luxury. Well... a way around it is.. I get that piece of rich rich cake. And I share it with 3 of my friends. We each get a fork... and dig in. And we all feel good about it.

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I don't understand how anyone can stick to a diet where they are not allowed to have one muffin, or else they will gain weight.

 

What I did was tell myself that I'd have the muffin (okay, generally a chocolate bar) tomorrow. Without fail, when tomorrow came around, I didn't want the chocolate bar anymore. If I really wanted something sweet, I'd eat a few strawberries.

 

I learned that from my mom... when she had just gotten out of rehab, she had cravings for beer constantly. She always told herself that she'd have a beer on Friday. When Friday came around, she didn't want the beer anymore.

 

Atkins, if followed for a while (not a week, as the OP is intending) can teach people how to slowly re-introduce unhealthy things into a diet, while eating healthy things most of the time. Like cherrytree said above, it's a complete lifestyle change, which is something fat people need in order to lose weight.

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By the way, Robert Atkins died from a head injury sustained from falling on an icy sidewalk, not because of heart problems. He did have a heart attack in 2002, but it was related to a viral infection, not to a diet. (My husband had the same thing.) He was not obese upon his admission to the hospital after his fall, but gained 60 pounds while in a coma. Just wanted you to get the other side of the story.

 

I did read this story. And didn't he also gain weight from the predizone he was placed on after his heart attack???? I did read that he his blood test from autopsy came back that he was within "NORMAL" limits as far as cholesterol goes.

 

And yes... I know a few people who have had heart attacks who were on the THIN side. Heart attacks don't just come from obesity.. but also from life style choices. Smoking, drinking, high stress, heart defects.. etc.

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if you can't accept the fact that there is no easy way for success, you should stop even considering the option of losing weight. If you're overweight, there's always something else than you could do instead of trying atkins - you could exercise more or eat less and more healthy. There is no reason to try and pull off some mysterious special techniques that are more harm for your health than what use they are. Let's say you pull off some crazy diet and lose 10 kilos. Then you figure that "hey now the diet is over, back to normal", guess what's gonna happen? Very soon you have gained the 10 kilos back cos you didn't solve the problem that caused you to be overweight in the first place.

 

"Of course I would change my eating habits after losing the 10 kilos", you say? Why not start changing right now - and lose the weight in the process? Much safer, you don't want your blood to be infested with nitrogen or anything.. listen to annie, she knows what this is about, I don't

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WHOOOOOO NELLIE....

 

You didn't mention you've had bouts of ANOREXIA... or that you are dealing with Epilepsy issues. Anorexia is usually about "control"... can't control one area of your life so then you transfer it to something you think you can.. Intake of nutrition.

 

Again... I'll reitterate what I've said above. Education. You need to educate yourself on how a human body operates in terms of good health and nutrition. What you take into your body runs the engine and determines how well the mechanics of your body works.

 

I ride a Harley... it costs a lot of money and I want to keep my investment. Soooo... I've learned about proper maintenance and upkeep.

I'll maintain that investment and only put in quality gas and quality oil. make sense??? You should look at your body the same way... proper maintenance and up keep will keep you running smoothly and give you many more years to enjoy VACATIONS as you mentioned in the above link and all else that life has to offer.

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I went on a diet similar to Atkins. Its from a book called Breaking the Vicous Cycle. The diet if for intestinal problems. I lost like 30 pounds in 2 months but beause of my busy lifestyle could never really get enough energy. This diet called for NO complex carbohydrates bread, pasta, rice ect.

 

What I have seen in my own experience in others is people EASILY overeat carbs. Often the mistake is made when people think that fat is the problem when its is daily caloric intake versus daily calories burnt. You have to burn more calories than you take in to lose weight basically.

 

Reducing your carbs especially portion size is a huge step i the right direction. If you are used to overeating your stomach will take some time to adjsut to smaller portions so you may feel more hungry in the beginning. Think about this: How many people would eat a pound of bread, rice or pasta? Now how many people would eat a pound of butter?

 

Carbs are just way to easy to overeat on. And sugar is used in a lot of processed foods increasing their caloric content. Too much sugar(carbs) also increases your chance at getting adult onset diabetes.

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I'm amazed by the number of people that DO imply I only have "a few pounds to lose".

 

I don't have ANY to lose, thanks very much, my BMI is 22, right in the middle of healthy.

 

I've read as much about Atkin's as I can, and believe as long as you eat as many lowcarb veggies etc as possible, it's no worse than any other diet.

 

But that wasn't what I was debating...I wanted experiences, which some people gave me, so

 

Thank you very much for those.

 

For years I have been educating myself about the human body, but its my decision to

 

a) choose to disregard the good info I read

b) do things like smoke, etc. I know full well ALL the risks of smoking, but that doesnt change the fact that 33% of the time I'm gagging for a cigarette. Same with this. I know Im an OK weight, I know dieting hurts you, I know practically everything there is to know, but I don't like myself enough to implement it and some days I want to SNAP.

 

I do feel slightly as though I'm being treated like a moron here. I'm Not.

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I'm not overweight at around 138lbs and 5ft 7ins, but having read William Leith's book "The Hungry Years", I'm trying the Atkins Diet for a week.

 

I'm sorry. from your orignial post, it seemed you were implying you were wanting to lose a few pounds, since you said you were going to try the diet.

 

I agree, you are at a very good weight, no reason to lose.

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I did South Beach which is a similar concept. I felt very tired the first week and had problems not eating fruit. I lost a good amount of weight and started to enjoy the recipes. I ate a lot of fish and chicken and didn't get much red meat. I loved the greens and ate a bunch of steamed veggies. Its mostly about discipline and keeping to the plan. It can be tempting and I had a jerk intentionally pushing off-plan foods on me, so you just have to be strong and think about how much this means to you.

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It must have been 2 or 3 years ago that I starting going on the Atkins diet (and I was very unhealthy then, so it was a lifesaver). For the first month or so, I cut out almost all carbohydrates. It was hell at first. But when all was said and done, I lost about 20 lbs after that first month or two, which had me feeling great Once that phase was over, I eased up a bit and started eating on a more balanced diet. Since then it's been slow going, but I'm not too concerned about losing weight fast. I used to weigh about 240 lbs before I went on the diet (at 5' 8''), and since then I've cut down to 200 lbs or just below (at 5' 9''). Last summer I was down to 190 lbs for a while, but lost some that once the holidays rolled around.

 

So I guess the Atkins diet was more of a springboard for the balanced diet than it was a diet that I used all the time. I don't think I could live if I was always on the Atkins diet. I'm happy I went on the Atkins diet, though... but I don't think my body would have reaped the benefits had I continued using it for a much longer period of time.

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