Atkins diet

Does this Atkins thing really work becasue I have been thinking about giving it a go so if you are on it or heard somthing about it let me know:)

:) IT WORKS

My boyfriend's father is trying this diet right now. He's lost over 12 pounds in two weeks, and he says he doesn't starve or anything.

He says something that helps him is that there is a low-carb store here in the city where he can buy just about anything.

I am not on the Atkins diet, but I am on a low carb diet more in keeping with the Protein Power diet. I am losing pounds, have more energy than I have had for a long time, and I never feel hungry! It has also helped with my hypoglycemia.

I have never been on the Atkins diet, and I haven't read the book, but what I have seen from friends who have been on it is that they actually do lose a lot of weight pretty quickly. Then, they also put it back on really quickly.

I understand that the book gives ways to maintain the weight, but the 5 or 6 people I know who have gone on it were never able to stick to the diet once they got to their goal weight.

I also read in a London newspaper that a study was conducted that said that the reason people lost a lot of weight on Atkins was not so much the carb cutting, as the fact that they cut out basically an entire food group, forcing them to cut out a lot of calories -- their conclusion was: to lose weight, eat fewer calories.

I keep reading about these diets and I keep thinking "sure they work, all "diets" work." The bottom line is just what MadBess said "Eat fewer calories" I also say you need to incorporate exercise. Eat less....move more. :)

This is the 3 day diet plan it is to be used for 3 days at a time. If you follow it correctly you can lose up to 10 lbs. in 3 days . After 3 days of dieting, resume eating normally for four to five days, do not overeat. You can start back on the 3 day diet if you like.

You can add herbs, salt, pepper, lemon, vinegar, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mustard & ketchup to your foods. Drink 4 glass of water or diet soda or any diet drink without sugar or use only diet sugar.

The 3 day diet is a calorie diet, as long as you eat the same amount of calories in any type of food you will lose weight fast. You can switch the diet food around any way you wish or replace the foods you see for another with the same caloric value.



Day One - Three Day Diet Plan

Breakfast

Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water
1/2 Grapefruit or Juice
1 slice toast with 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter

Lunch

1/2 Cup of Tuna
1 slice toast
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water

Dinner

3 oz. any lean meat
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1 medium apple
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water


Day Two - Three Day Diet Plan

Breakfast

Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water
1 egg (any style)
1 slice toast
1 banana

Lunch

1 cup cottage cheese or tuna
5 saltine crackers
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water

Dinner

2 beef franks or hot dogs
1/2 cup carrots
1 banana
1 cup broccoli or cabbage
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water


Day Three - Three Day Diet Plan

Breakfast

Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water
5 regular saltine crackers
1 oz.(slice) cheddar cheese
1 apple

Lunch

1 hard boiled egg
1 slice toast
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water

Dinner

1 cup tuna
1 cup carrots
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup melon
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water

Important Safety Information
You should only go on this diet for one week at a time. As with any other diet, care is required.

The whole point of a "diet" is to lose/maintain weight and to promote good health, right?

If this is the goal, then its important to make sure the road to that goal is also healthy. Being thin or losing weight isn't necessarily healthy. So, I do not agree with the Atkins diet, or any of these quick diets.

In an attempt to stay healthy, I do my best to adhere to the following diet (kind of a combined "fit for life" and "zone", but without the restrictions)...

1. Every morning, eat as much fruit as you want (melons, berries, apples, bananas, etc.), but nothing else. Stop eating fruit at 11am. This is very cleansing, and those fruits contain tons of vitamins, almost no fat, and great anti-oxidants. I try not to drink coffee, but haven't been too successful with that lately.

2. At noon, eat all the veggies and lean protein you want (chicken, tuna, soy protein, etc). This does not mean go get McDonald's and eat everything but the bun.

3. Same for dinner

4. If you need to snack, choose cheese, or a piece of lunch meat, or some raw walnuts, or raw veggies. Go for low fat as much as possible.

Now, there are occassions where I can't avoid what I'm being served. If I have to eat a sandwich, then I take off one piece of bread and fold the remaining piece over.

I try not to eat bread, rice, cereal, potato products, pasta, etc. I eat a ton of veggies and a ton of fruit, so that's my fiber. Fiber is crucial in any diet.

Quick tricks to losing weight: Stop drinking soda (all of it). Stop drinking alcohol (all of it). Stop eating sugar. If you do the above for 2 weeks, then you will lose weight.

If it helps, give yourself a "free day" or "free meal" where you can eat whatever you want. But only once per week!

I've been doing this for awhile now, and I'm happy with it. Its really hard for me to find time to exercise because of my work schedule, and I have to do something because every woman in my family is huge. So far, its working. Ideally, combine this plan w/ exercise, and weight will fly off. Losing weight isn't really the issue for me (I usually fluctuate between about 118 and 123, and I'm 5'6"), its more health and avoiding buying a new wardrobe. This is a pretty easy way to do it. And I'm never starving because I can eat as much as I want!

I have a brother who has lost weight on that diet but he's gained alot and more back. I guess eating 8 slices of pizza with no crust isn't as good as just eating one or two slices with crust as I often do when eating pizza.

It's quite common for people on a diet, especially diets that promote quick weight lose, to put their weight back on very soon after; all the above diet advice will be great for you, but if you really do want to stay at a lower weight, it means some permanent changes to your eating routine, getting regular exercise, and keeping high calorie things as treats :)

Originally posted by ukfireball
It's quite common for people on a diet, especially diets that promote quick weight lose, to put their weight back on very soon after; all the above diet advice will be great for you, but if you really do want to stay at a lower weight, it means some permanent changes to your eating routine, getting regular exercise, and keeping high calorie things as treats :)

Very true. That's pretty much what I've written in another thread on this forum.

And as for the sugar treat, that was also advised in Bill Phillips "Body For Life" book.

Great points, ukfireball. Losing weight is not all diet and exercise, it's a lifestyle.

It works!! I read the book... I have been on it for 2 months and lost 30 lbs... and I feel great!!!

This is a really good plan. I don't call it a diet, because I don't look at it as a quick fix for me. It's really easy to stick to after you pass the initial phase of induction. I have been on it for less than a year and have lost 51 lbs so far. You just have to read the book, stick to the plan, and not feed into the negative advice you may get from others about it. It works!

Complete waste of time! Just eat less and do some excersise. Simple.

I agree with you on!



Originally posted by Wigsworld
Complete waste of time! Just eat less and do some excersise. Simple.

At least we agree on something.:D

Originally posted by Wigsworld
Complete waste of time! Just eat less and do some excersise. Simple.

Bite your lips........LOL

That's actually the problem with alot of dieters. They are under a poor assumption that if they diet well without any exercising, they will lose weight. And some think the opposite as well. That is, if they exercise well they won't have to diet.

But it's quite simple......
Since 3500 calories equal one pound, simply cutting the calories that you consume and increasing the calorie burning in your exercise, losing that one pound can actually happen twice a week.

THE MOST PATHETIC STATEMENT OF THE 20TH CENTURY:
When I lost 60 pounds during my bodyfat loss program, a coworker asked me if I had any supplements that cut bodyfat. I told her that I did and it worked very well since I was losing about 3 pounds a week. Without knowing anything about it, she took one out of my bottle and popped it in her mouth. She asked me to explain how it worked and I said, "Simple, I usually take it while I'm driving to the gym since it's supposed to be taken prior to exercising." Her pathetic statement was, "You have to exercise?"

P.S.> Please noticed that in an earlier statement, I stated "That's usually the problem with alot of dieters." Let me make it clear that I am not claiming that ALL dieters does this nor am I "pointing fingers" at anyone on the board.

I agree with many of the Atkins followers, and I have been following his plan as well, but modifying a great deal, because it's been quite an eye-opener to see exactly where and what to reduce my intake of.....and a lot of that points to the sugar proposed in certain carbs.

While much of that diet suggest the use of heavy creams and regular butters and full-fats is fine, I still forego that idea, because that part of it still doesn't fly for me --I really saw the business of cravings disappearing when the sugar was eliminated from the mix.

It's not in the entire deprivation of a food group which will incorporate a healthy diet, but in carefully examining results of keeping a food and exercise diary, and analyzing the information you have put into it, as to how it pertains to your healthy lifestyle, and being up-front to your doctor about it.

Atkins has been a great help, allowing me to see the alternative foods for sale, which replace the high-carb options, and allow me the chance to still indulge in a "real healthy alternative" without the consequences.

I've heard from a few people with diabetes2 , that they are on the Atkins diet. Not only to keep weight in check, but for health purposes overall. So, It's not that you eat less, less calories, ect...it can be what you eat and do not that can have either a negative or positive effect.

I look forward now to reading this book....I mean If it's helpful and actually healthy, then why not...just because the word diet is used?:cool:

I'm 5'4" and as recently as last March I weighed in close to 160lbs. I was going to a gym 4 times a week. The problem. My diet consisted of almost 100% carbs. And I was hypoglycemic. I went on a modified Atkins, I simply eat much more protien and much less carbs. I lost 30lbs. Still go to the gym but now it makes a difference. I used to think I was doing so well because I never ate fat and hardly ever ate meat. And slowly it was killing me. Now its bacon, butter on my toast. I even eat the skin on chicken. So is it easier than eating cereal for breakfast and rice for dinner.... I don't have a problem with it. But I won't cut out my wine.

After 8 months on an Atkins diet I just got my cholesteral check back from the doctor.

HDL 89 Desirable is more than 34
LDL 94 Desirable is less than 130

so with two eggs every morning, butter, bacon, beef, chicken skins, my cholesteral is very good... HDL is Excellent.

In general less calories plus exercise to lose weight sounds good to me. Although, my motto is: keep not exercising and calorie intake balanced :p (I hate exercising, lol; butnote, I have never really been "overweight" but rather considered "normal", i.e. reasonably slim, but not skinny ;) ).

I am VERY wary of diets after having watched my brother and his family spending the past 25 or so of their family life on and off dieting - and the only result is that they got ever more obese :( And believe me, they pretty much tried all diets under the sun; everytime I see them, they are following another fad, even under medical supervision and stuff.

So, bottom line for me is: I keep hands off any diet - fortunately, I have always had the principle of only eating when I am hungry, and normally not overeat (well, unless there are some special occasions like X-mas, when I find it hard to avoid it ;) ). So, listening to body signals is my way of watching my weight, really. Mind you, I am a very irregular eater, as I really only eat when hungry (but not necessarily "starving"). And I don't even follow the recommended "breakfast suggestion" although everyone keeps saying it's the "healthy way".Truth is, I am just simply not hungry before like 10-11 am ;) but then my "brunch" lasts me till late afternoons, normally ;)

Guess, it all depends on what works for you, but personally I don't trust corporations and the food industry & commercial advisors; don't forget, they would be out of business if their programms, supplements and product support would actually solve the problem :p

Originally posted by blondie
I'm SEMI on the Atkins diet now, like 40 grams of carbo's a day. Haven't gained anything back. At least now I can eat. Before Atkins I used to have to starve myself to stay slim. It is a great program for people with eating disorders, like the way I used to gouge all that popcorn in every night of the year for 24 years or so!!!!

POPCORN!!!!! I have to have it!!!! I reduced carbs, (which in turn reduced calories which is the basic tennant of losing weight) I don't weigh but I went from a tight Amercian size 8 (should have been in a 10) to a 6. I still ate my popcorn!!

JUST SOME INFO:

The atkins diet is NOT A FAD diet, it has been around forever. Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist and noticed since the beginning of low-fat eating, there has been a huge rise in diabetes and heart disease......For those who have not read the book, the reason for starting this diet was NOT just weight loss but it also was for lower triglycerides and helps in diabetics. (we all know that diabetics have to watch their carb intake) There are medical reasons for eating low carbs and the book explains that. AND Dr. Atkins had endocarditis which many people said AHHHH he has heart disease. That was not heart disease, it was and infection of the heart, like Strep.

ANYWAY, there is a study going on right now being done by the Medical Assoc (there have been a lot of studies) and so far Atkins claims of lowering triglyceride levels and raising good cholesterol is being proven as Dr. Atkins proved years ago.

BUT it just makes sense to eat less sugar and bread products if you want to lose weight and it also makes sense that since the increase of these products and LOW FAT products into our society, there has been epidemic proportions of diabetes and heart disease.

(just take a look when you go in any grocery store, first 4-6 aisles are HIGH CARB and HIGH SUGAR products. AND for those over 40, think about what we had in our grocery stores when we were growing up.....high protein, high fat, low carb products, and very little fast food which is high in carbs.

BUt with all weight loss, if you return to BAD habits after you lose weight, you will gain it back...

I followed the Atkins diet for 2 weeks, it works, I admit and i lost 5lbs but I woke up one morning with leg cramps soooo bad I couldnt put my feet on the ground. This had never ever ever happened to me until I started this diet. The book explains why this is - not enough potassium, advice?? get a prescription for it from the doctor - well I reckon any diet that leaves you doubled up in pain and needing mineral supplements to be prescribed for something you can get from a normal balanced diet is verging on dangerous.

I was on the atkins diet for a month. I lost 15 pounds. The most diffiult part was giving up my pepsi. I used to drink 40oz. a day. i went off the diet and i have been off for 4 months and only gained 2 pounds. I can't drink any soda now because it is to sweet for me. So now i drink diet soda and diet tea is my fav. I had more engery when i was on the diet.

I have been on Atkins since the end of May and have lost 32 lbs. ( I lost 15 lbs prior to this on the conventional over a years time)..I have gone down 3 clothes sizes and love how I feel! :)

I am never hungry and I am not bored with the foods..I do however tend to stay with the same types of food because that's what I like.

The most important part of the diet is to make sure that you drink your (8) 8 oz. of water a day..this is needed to flush the body of the fat and extra protein. Also, if you do not drink it, you will have an issue w/ constipation.

Also, it is important to excercise..to help speed up your metabolism.

I lost about 60 lbs. doing an Atkins-ish diet combined with exercise and lifting weights (along with alot of manual labor type jobs on weekends - grind tree stumps for a month and your arms will be HUGE!).
One thing I've noticed, and i dont know if it has to do with the diet or the exercise or what, but I haven't had any type of a cold or sinus problem or anything to speak of since I've cut carbs about a year ago. I work with young children and I used to come down with something every other month or so (kids are cute, but lets face it, theyre nasty) and now, watching people coming down with the flu left and right all the while I feel great, Im wondering if there is any connection between the immune system and carbs. Just wanted to see if anyone else has noticed this.

Knocking on wood as I write this.....

Yeah! No heartburn either! That was a HUGE thing I noticed! I feel better than I ever have too - the only thing is that my blood sugar gets too low if I dont watch it and I get woozy and faint and will pass out.

Okay, you all have totally inspired me, congrats to all of you that have been successful on Atkins. I was wondering if anyone could be so kind as to advise me on the amount of carbs that you are allowed on this plan? And also, how do you maintain your weight loss once you have reached your goal?

Oh, and also, what is recommended as far as vitamin suppliments while on this plan?
Thanks so much for any info you might be able to give me!

~Lisa~

I live the low carb lifestyle
I stay around 20-40 carbs a day.
Heart burns gone.
I feel great.
I like fitday.com Its a free online fitness and diet manager.
I like the message boards at http://pub4.ezboard.com/flowcarbersfrm25.showMessage?topicID=135.topic

Here are low carb Chefs
http://lowcarbchefs.com./main.htm

And Jebp has a great website
Low carb website (http://hometown.aol.com/jeproostr1/index.html)

Good luck to all, keep updated here, I love reading this.

Atkins is absolutley awsome! I used to take the birth-control pill a few years ago and i had gained about 20 pounds because of the appetite increase the pill gave me. Instead of quiting the pill, i decided to give the atkins diet a try. Within a couple months I had lost all the weight I had gained !! I was back to normal and i didn't have to chuck my B-C pills ;-)

Now these days I don't use the pill....but i always know that if I ever were to gain unwanted weight, i can always follow the easy atkin diet steps to shed the pounds. I SWEAR BY IT!!!

Atkins worked well for me. It isn't cutting calories either because I think I ate more calories actually. It's the carbs! And some kind of metabolic chemestry that works without the carbs.

And of course you'll gain your weight back! but that's every diet unless you truly change your life style FOR GOOD!

Blondie, LOL you research girl!
Actually me doing low carb I eat more veggies now than I ever did before! I have wonderful salads with lettuce, ranch dressing, shredded cheese, ham, tomatos, cucumbers, and I eat about 3 cups of salads a day, I eat lots of squash, green beans, broccli, califlour, I finally have a taste for veggies, I eat alot of berrys too. So far I have lost 18 pounds! I feel really great, and my brain is functioning relatively well :)
I only use the low carb bread sparingly, and I only buy the low carb chocolate bars about 1 a week. I feel so much better without the massive sugars I used to inhale.

I am glad I am losing, I gained ALOT of weight since Will moved in, about 30 pounds, no ****!!!! I am a size14 now, I am 5'6, and hope to get to a size 10 by summer.
~Hugzzzz

The question that I've often asked successful Atkins Dieters is: Of all of the weight that was lost, how much of it was bodyfat?

I've seen too many individuals feel happy about their weightloss only to learn that they still have the same percentage, if not more, of bodyfat as they did before the weightloss.

Originally posted by TheChosen1
The question that I've often asked successful Atkins Dieters is: Of all of the weight that was lost, how much of it was bodyfat?

I've seen too many individuals feel happy about their weightloss only to learn that they still have the same percentage, if not more, of bodyfat as they did before the weightloss.
Now thats just sad :(, but don't worry, many of us are having great results :),
My sister-in-Law went from a size 28 and she is currently a 16.
I guess she lost mostly body fat ;)

Originally posted by SnowPrincess
Now thats just sad :(, but don't worry, many of us are having great results :),
My sister-in-Law went from a size 28 and she is currently a 16.
I guess she lost mostly body fat ;)

That's very good. I compliment her and tell her to keep up the good work. But I always suggest to fellow trainers and individuals who I assist with training to have a bodyfat analysis. Because if you're not consuming enough protein, sometimes you can lose alot of muscle rather than bodyfat. A similiar thing happened to me. I lost 60 pounds simply by eliminating the complex carbs from my diet and keeping the simple carbs (fruits, vegatables, etc.). I lost about 16 inches from my waist and couldn't past a mirror without posing. Then when I had a physical bodyfat analysis done at my gym, I learned that I had lost 20 pounds of bodyfat but I also lost 11 pounds of muscles. I realized that I hadn't been consuming my protein shakes enough while training hard at the gym.

If you don't have a gym membership, you can still evaluate your bodyfat ratio online. I am a member of several bodybuilding discussion boards that has online bodyfat calculators to approximate your bodyfat ratio. All you'll need is a tape measure to measure your waist, wrist, forearm, and hips. With those measurements, it totals your bodyfat ratio.

Chosen, why on earth would you eliminate complex carbs from your diet? Even Atkins acknowledges that's a bad idea. Also, protein alone doesn't cut it. Carbs are your fuel. If you aren't getting enough of them your body will use protein as an energy source (although less efficiently) and you will start to burn muscle instead of fat. It wasn't protein you were lacking, but carbs. The faster the numbers on the scale go down, the more you can be sure that you're losing muscle and water weight. Fat takes time to burn and weighs a lot less than either water or muscle. Any quick fix is not burning fat.

The thing that makes me laugh is how people shun carbs in an effort to lose weight, but look at long distance runners and other endurance athletes. They practically eat nothing but pasta and have extremely low body fat. Maybe the missing part of this equation is excercise? Just an idea.

The only thing I agree with about this low carb hysteria is that people eat too much refined sugar. Americans also eat way too much red meat (actually most people eat too much of everything except fruits and vegetables), which is why our rates of heart disease, cancer, and obesity are through the roof.

In the book that atkins wrote it tells you about good carbs and bad carbs.....You do need carbs just not as much as we eat each day........ You are allowed 20 carbs per day.....and when you lose your target weight you can add more carbs ...... Carbs aren't bad.. it's just that you can't burn it fast enough if your not a die hard althetic pro...... Fact is Carbs are the easiest to burn but you have to exersice to burn it.... what you go the bathroom each day is the protein you eat.. so why not eat and just flush it out.... ;-) as soon as I deliever my baby and finish my breastfeeding I will go right back on the Atkins diet... It is doctor approved....

20g of carbs? That's only 80 calories a day! Out of a total of 1500-2000 calories that's only around 5%! Wow, I thought The Zone was bad. It's actually pretty reasonable in comparison. I guess I didn't know what the Atkins Diet was really about.

If you guys are concerned about refined sugars my advice would be to find a copy of the glycemic index and go by that. It's what diabetics use to plan their meals. Just my opinion of course, but I think a little common sense goes a long way, and that's what is usually missing in these fad diets.

Really Pink, I do think you should read up on some of the "myths" about our "fad" diet. What works for us may not work for others. I am very comfortable with my woe, and I am losing inches and weight. And I do have common sense ;)
Another thing that makes me giggle is muscle does not weigh more than fat or water, they weigh the same :)
Kinda like what weighs more a ton of feathers or a ton of bricks :)
I really think you should have more information on Atkins before you try to "ream" us for doing it :)
Peace Atkins (http://atkins.com/index.html)

Originally posted by MerAlove23
You are allowed 20 carbs per day.....

Yep, that is in the induction 2 week phase, it detoxes the body, gets rid of all the yuckies and helps you break your sugar and caffeine addiction.
In Phase 2 you slowly add in good carbs, more veggies, more berries, more fruit about 5 grams at a time, you find how many carbs you can eat while still losing.
Than there is phase 4 and 5 after this, its all on the website :)Atkins (http://atkins.com/index.html)

Basic principle of physics: if substance A has greater density than substance B, a given amount of substance A will weight more than substance B. If you have any doubts as to whether fat is less dense than water, just remember that fat floats. Therefore, for a given VOLUME, water weighs more than fat. The important thing about this is that a pound of fat takes up considerably more space than a pound of muscle, because muscle is made up largely of water.

And whether you agree with it or not, whether it appears to work for you or not, it's still a fad diet (or more accurately, a marketing gimmick). To put normal people on a diet more restrictive than most diabetic diets merely because they keep insisting on super-sizing their fries and forgetting to go to the gym is lunacy.

Of course muscle takes up less space than fat :)
I will stick to my "gimmick fad", I never did like french fries much anyways
:D

Snow I see you read the book also..... Yep i agree I would rather do this diet than any other... My doctor said it is the safest diet out there..... and I lost 30 lbs in a month and I felt great!!!

and Pink do you think that's alllllll you eat???? No actually you can eat so much and you get a lot of calories you just watch the carbs... Their are plenty of calories in protein.....

There are approximately:
4 calories per gram of carbohydrates
4 calories per gram of protein and
9 calories per gram of fat
(incidentally there are about 7 calories per gram of alcohol)

The problem with substituting one for the other is that not all calories are used by your body in the same way. Proteins are used to build and maintain muscle. But if consumed in excess they will be broken down and stored as fat.

Carbohydrates are more efficiently used as an energy source. Unfortunately, both carbs and protein are more efficiently used as an energy source than fat. That means that if your body lacks carbs for energy but has excess protein it will preferentially burn protein rather than fat (although as I said above, if you don't work those calories off they will be stored as fat - regardless of what form they came in when they went in your mouth).

I am not convinced that anyone can truly attain and maintain a healthy weight with diet alone, which is one of my biggest problems with restrictive diets that claim to be some kind of "health revolution." My rule is eat healthfully (do most of your grocery shopping around the perimeter of the store instead of the central aisles) and excercise as much as you can. That doesn't just mean going to the gym. If I'm not going more than three flights or so, I take the stairs instead of the elevator. Instead of taking the shuttle across my university's campus (and it's a big campus) I usually prefer to walk. It's easy to squeeze excercise in, but it's even easier to forget to or to be "too busy.".

I know the Atkin's Diet is the big thing right now, and I'm not going to convince you to give it up. That's okay. I wish you the best. I'm sure some people see results with it or it wouldn't have become so popular, so I hope it works for you.

Pink, what you are saying is making perfect sense to me ... ;)

Still, I am a hard-headed exercise-phobe :( which in terms of energy input/output ratio means I pretty much have to stop eating all together ... ^^ :( <just kidding, ofc ;) >

pink... unfortunatly it's not that easy for some of us.... I work multiple hours each week sometimes over 50 hours.... and I have a house and a family to take care of when do I find the time to excersise everyday??? When you battle a weight problem... I would say eating healthy would work... that is one solution....and excersise... but you can also excersise on the atkins diet......

It's not a dangerous diet and it doesnt' hurt you... if it did they wouldn't be putting it on menus at restaurants and my doctor wouldn't tell me to do it... and I say to each is own.....0

Just two comments and then I'll leave you alone about this.

One: Restaurants and other food producers don't care about you. They put fettucini alfredo on the menu don't they? Is that good for you? Just because it's on the menu doesn't mean it's good for you.

Two: Most general practitioners are woefully uneducated on nutrition. They are also quite often behind on the latest medical research. They tend to go by what they were taught, rather than the latest information. Doctors are not perfect. They make mistakes. In the 60's a doctor told my grandmother to start smoking as a way to relieve stress. She now has emphezema and must be on oxygen supplementation.

As far as squeezing in excercise, my point before was that just making small efforts can add up. Being pregnant I'm sure you're even more limited than you would otherwise be, but maybe you could get some workout videos or something so you can do it at home. I know a lot of people don't go to the gym just because it becomes too much of a hassle to drive across town to go there and then have to wait for a machine. You do have to make it a priority though, whether it's at home or at the gym. If you don't make time for something you'll never have time for it. I don't really like working out with anyone else, but a lot of people find that having a workout buddy is helpful. Maybe there's someone in your neighborhood you could go on walks with or something like that?

Well I disagree with you on both accounts....

#1 My doctor is very intelligent.... and Does know nutrition... she has helped me in many ways.... so I think that unfortunalty you have had some bad doctors come your way... but my doctor is great.......

#2 Excersise??? when??? Twice a week? yeah that's about as much time as I have... I get home even before..... at like 9pm and I have to be up at 9 am for a two hour commute into boston so when do I sleep? For a few hours? and then maybe get rundown? If I didn't have such a demanding job then I'd say ok.. Like when I worked for the bank I had every evening off and I walked daily but Now I work retail and i'm a store manager so I don't have time... and people with kids its sometimes just as hard......

You just don't agree with this diet doesn't mean it's bad.. I'm sorry..... Cutting down on carbs is like cutting out fatty food...Like if your eating healthy and staying away from Junk food than great..... This weight loss program just helps you stay away from To many carbs and junk food so I don't see the difference.....

Originally posted by Tru
POPCORN!!!!! I have to have it!!!! I reduced carbs, (which in turn reduced calories which is the basic tennant of losing weight) I don't weigh but I went from a tight Amercian size 8 (should have been in a 10) to a 6. I still ate my popcorn!!

Tru

I was on Atkins a few years ago and lost about 60 lbs. Have gained about 15 so I am going back on it again. I call this maintenance. Anyhow about the popcorn. I work in a snack food plant - it's all around. I eat all night! But, now that I'm back on Atkins I can't. Well, I read the carbs on our White Cheddar Corn and there are 5grams per 2 cups. I couldn't believe it. I am incorporating it into mydiet plan, but is popcorn forbidden on ATkins?

take care - be healthy

oh and I'm exercising like a fiend!

You can have some popcorn.. You can just do it after your induction period and Then just apply it to your carb count... whatever part of it your own... I did .. I love popcorn... Although I made it myself..> i didnt use the microwave stuff ;)

I've spent quite a bit of time researching nutrition and I'm just trying to pass on some of the information I've gained.

If your doctor does have a good knowledge of nutrition then that's great. All I was saying is that nutrition and preventive maintenance in general are not subjects that are given much weight in most medical schools, and that just because a doctor tells you something doesn't mean it should be taken as the word of God. That's what second opinions are for.

If all you can really excercise is two times a week, then that is fine. As long as you use the little time you have as efficiently as possible you will probably get good results from only working out two days a week.

Carazy,
Thanks, I'm glad you're getting it. :) I think the best way to get into better shape is to find a fun way of excercising. You've got to find something that you really want to do, that just happens to also be physical. Personally I would rather go to the dentist than spend twenty minutes on a treadmill. It's just boring to me. I've also tried aerobics classes and wind up getting confused or tripping over my own feet. I've found that I love lifting weights and outdoor activities. That's just me. If I tried to do something I didn't like just to get in shape I wouldn't stick with it. Surely there's something that you love to do that you could use as a physical activity?

LIke I said the Atkins diet, which I've also done reasearch on and read the book and the articles, is one of the most successful weight loss programs around now...

My mother has been in nutrition since I've been born and she is also doing this and also supports atkins.....

And the thing about Restaurants yeah they put fetticine on the menu.. does that mean you have to eat it? What I was saying is they are putting Atkins meals on the menu now... because most people are doing this because it's proven safe and effective.

If you like to exercise and eat different foods than that's ok who's stopping you? Doesn't mean that's the only healthy way.......

Originally posted by PinkPanther_04
Carazy,
... I think the best way to get into better shape is to find a fun way of excercising. You've got to find something that you really want to do, that just happens to also be physical. .. Surely there's something that you love to do that you could use as a physical activity?

thanks for your comments and suggestion, Pink ;) Unfortunately i am as lazy as they come and there really isn't anything physical that I would kinda enjoy and that I could do regularly ;)

For example, I have fun horseback riding, skiing and golfing ... - I bet I would like scuba diving too :p Unfortunately I have neither time nor enough money to do either of this regularly ;)
Which then means I don't bother to do EITHER of it - and cannot really do those things outside holidays really (location-/opportunity-wise).

So, bottomline, I cannot perceive any "joyful" exercise for myself on a regular basis ;) So, I am staying lazy, I guess ;)

Mer, I know Atkins is the latest "miracle" on the market. It's probably better than some of the other diets that have been around, so good luck with it. I just hope you're supplementing with a good prenatal vitamin/mineral formula.

Mer says "What I was saying is they are putting Atkins meals on the menu now... because most people are doing this because it's proven safe and effective. "

They are giving us so many choices now, califlour (sp) steamed brocclii, chicken wings without added sugar to the sauce, nice salads with tomatos, veggies, real bleu cheese dressing, Sauces with out the added starches, flours or sugars, steamed chicken, tuna salads on a bed of lettuce without sugar added to the salad, blue berries are strawberries, yum yum! William and I are going out Sat night for Prime rib and salads, no buns or tatties on our plates :)
The best part is we don't pay for drinks! Water is free and its all you can drink :)

No, I'm not doing it now because I'm pregnant. you can't do any diets when your pregnant.. but once I finish breastfeeding I will be right back on it.... to get ready for a second child

Don't ya love it snow????

Well your right they aren't always right who can be with Science?????? but My Doctor isnt the ONLY doctor to say it's safe and effective.... Honestly what makes you think that eating food could be bad??? The only thing we cut out is the bread that we don't need.. and the extra carbs...... We eat steak and chicken tunafish... other fish.... we have salads.... we can eat certain fruits certain veges... i eat broccoli like its going out of style..... I eat tomatoes I have strawberries.... I eat eggs.. So what is so bad about eating those foods????? and YES i eat some carbs just not alot.... It's not like We take pills or we take over the counter drugs which are harmful to your health but I don't see how eating good food is bad for you......

Carbs are the Fastest thing to burn off but right after you eat them you have to exercise to burn it off... if you don't exercise enough it will jsut turn to fat.... but when you eat protein that is what your body disposes of naturally.......

You know Mer, I think it is the induction part of this woe that people don't understand. Induction is 2 weeks, very low carb, and thats it, just 2 weeks after that you add good carbs back in, than towards the end, you maintain your weight, you are eating healthy foods, and you have learned to love "real" foods.
You really have to read each stage of this woe to fully understand it.
Again all the info is at the tips of your fingers at http://atkins.com/index.html
Here is a list of foods to choose from after your initial 2 weeks, this is on going weight lose, after this the list gets bigger, than after that even bigger., not to shabby huh?

This is just a partial list, there is so much more, like salads, all lettuces. You really have to read the Atkins book, and visit the site.
All meats, fish, fowl, turkey, beef,
Vegetables
1 cup cooked spinach
2/3 cup red bell peppers
1 medium tomato
1 cup cooked broccoli
12 medium asparagus
1 cup cauliflower
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 California avocado
2/3 cup summer squash

Dairy
5 ounces farmer’s cheese or pot cheese
5 ounces mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup cottage cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream

Nuts and Seeds
1 ounce of:
macadamias (approximately 10 to 12 nuts)
walnuts (approximately 14 halves)
almonds (approximately 14 nuts)
pecans (approximately 14 halves)
hulled sunflower seeds (3 tablespoons)
roasted shelled peanuts (approximately 26 nuts)
1/2 ounce of cashews (approximately 9 nuts)

Fruits
1/3 cup blueberries (fresh)
3/4 cup raspberries (fresh)
3/4 cup strawberries (fresh)
1/4 cup cantaloupe or honeydew

Juices
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup tomato juice

Snow Your right... the induction is rough.... and it is very strict..... I just know the rest of the diet is so healthy for you... it's like cutting out fatty foods or the junk foods.... or like cutting out chocolate .....

Excess protein is stored as fat, Mer.

The problem is not the individual foods, but the proportions they are eaten in and the limitations on what you can eat. By limiting the variety of foods (especially fruits and vegetables) you eat, you are limiting the variety of foods your nutrients must come from. When you eat a smaller range of foods you might be missing some nutrients.

Just because something is natural or is "just food" doesn't make it healthy. I could propose a diet of broccoli all day, every day. Broccoli is good for you, right? But eating just broccoli isn't good for you. I'm not saying that's how Atkins is at all, but eating good food in the wrong proportions can be harmful.

Atkins works by triggering a depletion of glycogen from skeletal muscle, which then releases water stored in muscle in a 1:3 ratio. This accounts for the quick initial weight loss. It works further by reducing the total number of calories you eat (which is all you needed to do in the first place) and keeping you satiated with protein and fat, which digest more slowly than carbs and leave you feeling full more quickly and for a longer period of time. It has nothing to do with any magic number of carbs you eat or anything like that. It's a simple trick of metabolism.

:rolleyes:

My menu for one day would be....

Eggs for breakfast

I'd have a tuna with salad with dressing....

dinner I'd have a steak with broccoli

snacks I'd have some strawberries... and If I felt like cheating I'd eat some peanuts or some YES sunflower seeds.....

That is not to much protein and Yes there are carbs in that dinner....so.....

I will do this and I will be HEALTHY.... Your right about one thing eating right and exercise is the way to go.... and this is exactly what the Atkins is all about... eating healthy and exercise... they encourage you to exercise on this diet also because that helps your heart ...

Metabolism isn't the persons fault either.... Sometimes some are faster than others thats why some people can eat anything they like and never gain a pound... and others can eat a lot and gain tons of weight...

People need to find the right path for themselves and go with it......To all those struggling with weight issues keep your heads up and if it works for you then go for it!!

Ok, without knowing anything about Atkins or diets etc ...

Just wanted to point out, I think I got what Pink was saying and I didn't take it any way as an attack on anyone specifically here or suggesting that you guys DO eat unhealthily (or overdose on broccoli or whatever ;) ) ... the way it was posted, I think all it did was to express a wish for people not to get too dogmatic about this or that but rather use some balanced judgement and common sense, pointing out some rationale behind this or that .... ;)

So, in that sense I think both of you, Mer and Pink, are not that far removed from each other in opinion ;)

So no need for going "hyper" here ;)

Just my 2 cts ;) - speaking as someone too lazy too excercise, too unconcerned to diet and therefore with no vested interest in either side of the argument, just going by merits of arguments ;)

Crazy I apprieciate your thoughts and on some points I agree with you.....

Eating healthy and the atkins diet are based on the same things.. you cut down on certain foods....

I am purely defending the fact that the atkins is not a bad plan.....

Originally posted by Carazy
Just wanted to point out, I think I got what Pink was saying and I didn't take it any way as an attack on anyone specifically here or suggesting that you guys DO eat unhealthily (or overdose on broccoli or whatever ;) ) ... the way it was posted, I think all it did was to express a wish for people not to get too dogmatic about this or that but rather use some balanced judgement and common sense, pointing out some rationale behind this or that .... ;) I'm glad someone got what I was saying. :)

I've been helping people lose weight and develop diet and exercise programs for years (and trying to gain weight myself). I love to help people learn more about the way their bodies really work, and I just want people to see that a restrictive diet isn't the best solution.

Well why can't we say there are different solutions that work best...... Cutting food down.... cutting out to much proteinl.... or cutting out carbs.... if it works then by all means... good luck.....

Sorry, but this was Mark_Texas's thread. He initially asked for opinions about the Atkins diet.
People trying to gain weight are at least as well-versed in nutrition as anyone trying to lose it. I have accomplished my goals because of my knowledge of nutrition and exercise and am at my target weight. I have helped many of my family and friends successfully lose weight and become more active.

You have every right to think that this program is bad but unfortunatly this is a way of life for some of us and I do think you should respect that.... not all of us can have the problem of having to "gain" weight... most of us would like to lose it..... and Atkins is ideal for the working girl or full time mother.... sometimes we all just can't find the time to excersise

I started a new thread, come on over there and play Meralove, we can chat about strawberries :)

Originally posted by MerAlove23
you've never had a weight problem

not all of us can have the problem of having to "gain" weight... You are being extremely dismissive of a problem that to many people is very real. That is terribly insulting. I have had a weight problem most of my life which has, at times, affected my health. Just because it isn't the same problem you have doesn't make it any less important to me.

Pink you may have had a weight problem on the other spectrum but no on the gaining weight ..... So the Atkins wouldn't be a solution for you.... No I'm not being dismissive I think I just told you I have had a weight problem my entire life.... I have been heavy then I lost all the weight and went down to 125 lbs then I have gone up and gone down....I was just stating how you made me feel I was challenging you ... You don't think the atkins is a good plan then ok... that's YOUR opinion.... I think the atkins is a Great plan then thats MY opinion...

it's a Great Diet..... My uncle in Florida who has diabeties and just recently took a stroke.... was put on this low carb diet by his doctor and he's now very healthy and on his way onto a complete recovery....... so that's now two doctors.....

This thread, as I read it, was for people to give OPINIONS about the Atkins diet.

And they did....

Some FOR it...people who have obviously tried it, and are therefore biased in their opinion of it. It becomes personal--it's not "A Way of Eating" It becomes "MY way of eating" and opinions against it are taken to be personally insulting. Someone is seen inaccurately--they are seen as insulting a person, instead of giving an opinion on a diet plan.

Some people are against it...and, again, there may be inaccuracies in their opinion if they have never tried it firsthand.

When it comes to nutrition, the basics are still the same: burn more calories than you consume. Period. Every diet or eating plan comes down to this; many diet ARE seen as just manipulations of the basics.

When it comes to Atkins, the bad press I've seen was in relation to people doing it wrong--not following the plan perfectly, and, in consequence, doing harm to themselves in the long term.

I'd love an unbiased, scientific article on the subject. Not an opinion piece from someone who has tried it or is trying to sell it; but an unbiased opinion of how well it works, long and short term, from an experimnetal point of view.

If anyone knows of such an article or study, I would suggest posting a link so we can all see it.

I actually enjoy doing research on this sort of thing, so here are some articles I found that discuss Atkins or low carb diets in general. These are generally considered to be well-respected, unbiased organizations, don't you think?

The only real research that has been done by an independent agency are two very small short-term studies reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. In one of them, a large percentage of participants were diabetic and would already be advised to follow a lower carbohydrate diet. Effects on kidney and liver function and bone density were not researched in either study. You'll have to register (it's free) to get the full articles.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/348/21/2082

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/348/21/2074

American Heart Association

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11234

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11103

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3003

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2884

American Dietetic Association

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0822/7_100/63947872/print.jhtml

http://www.webdietitians.org/Public/NutritionInformation/92_nfs0200b.cfm

Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition

http://healthletter.tufts.edu/issues/2003-12/atkins.html

http://navigator.tufts.edu/weight/sites/489.html

American Council on Science and Health

http://www.acsh.org/publications/priorities/0804/diets.html

Colorado State University

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columnnn/nn000905.html

University of California at Berkeley

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/wl/2000/wlFeatured0400.html

WebMD

http://my.webmd.com/content/pages/7/3220_136

http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/18-590441.html

http://www.lowcarb.ca/

http://www.heartinfo.org/nutrition/atkins103097.htm

Originally posted by PinkPanther_04
Chosen, why on earth would you eliminate complex carbs from your diet? Even Atkins acknowledges that's a bad idea. Also, protein alone doesn't cut it. Carbs are your fuel. If you aren't getting enough of them your body will use protein as an energy source (although less efficiently) and you will start to burn muscle instead of fat. It wasn't protein you were lacking, but carbs. The faster the numbers on the scale go down, the more you can be sure that you're losing muscle and water weight. Fat takes time to burn and weighs a lot less than either water or muscle. Any quick fix is not burning fat.

Pinkie, anyone who's into fitness and/or bodybuilding knows that you're supposed to minimize your consumption of complex carbs. Complex carbs (i.e., sugar, flour, most fruit juices, white rice, etc.) are not processed and digested as well as simple carbs (fruits, vegatables, brown rice, etc.). Too many people assume that it they consume enough carbs, they can burn it off at the gym. That is sooooo further from the truth. Plain and simple and as I've already said, Carbs feed your energy. But if you do not burn that energy completely, what's not used will be stored inside the body. Hence, bodyfat, which is stored energy. Have you known anyone to lose weight on a Bryer's ice cream diet? Afterall, they advertise to be made with sugar, cream, milk, and whatever fruit, if any, is on the label. Isn't that complex carbs? Yes it is but you'll never know of anyone losing weight with it since there's clearly a large amount of sugar used in the product. This was explained to me over a decade ago by a Gold's Gym nutritional counselor and is also explained in the EAS "Body For Life" system.

Originally posted by TheChosen1
Complex carbs (i.e., sugar, flour, most fruit juices, white rice, etc.) are not processed and digested as well as simple carbs (fruits, vegatables, brown rice, etc.). I see the problem now. You've got your simple and complex mixed up. You've got the right idea (although fruit juices are just as healthy as fruit, only with less fiber), but you've got your terminology switched.

Edit:

Pink said: "Even Atkins acknowledges that's a bad idea."

Ya know what? I was wrong about that. I hadn't originally realized just how far Atkins went. It does restrict complex carbs, thereby limiting people's intake of B vitamins, fiber, folic acid, and other nutrients. I also didn't realize that it basically eliminates milk, which could lead to a deficiency of calcium and vitamin D. People are encouraged to use supplements, but how healthy is it to get a large part of your essential nutrients from manufactured piecemeal supplements? Even the best of them don't include things like phytochemicals or isoflavones in adequate amounts.

The more I learn about this the more disturbed I am.

Originally posted by PinkPanther_04
(although fruit juices are just as healthy as fruit, only with less fiber),

If your into high fructose syrup, aka corn syrups any "ose" actually :) check, next time you go to the store check labels, even bread has high fructose syrup in it, the juices are really loaded with it.

*****Don't go to the store, whoevers reading this go to your fridge or cupboard and read the ingredients, find any high fructose syrup in them? how about corn syrup? go to everything steak sauces, dressings, mayos, taco shells, bread, there are lots of sugars in foods. Anybody see Dateline about the corn syrups in our foods? I am not sure where that link is, but heres an example
Foods that may be making you fat (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/Default.aspx?id=3088173&p1=0)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PinkPanther_04
IIt does restrict complex carbs, thereby limiting people's intake of B vitamins, fiber, folic acid, and other nutrients. I also didn't realize that it basically eliminates milk, which could lead to a deficiency of calcium and vitamin D. People are encouraged to use supplements, but how healthy is it to get a large part of your essential nutrients from manufactured piecemeal supplements? Even the best of them don't include things like phytochemicals or isoflavones in adequate amounts.

The more I learn about this the more disturbed I am.
QUOTE]
Where on earth are you getting your information?
We get PLENTY of vitamins from NATURAL foods.
you think bread is healthy? hmmmm gosh they add in vitamins to it!! LOL
The only thing I have cut out of my diet is manmade flours and "oses's I can eat brown rice and fruits and veggies and whole wheats!!
You really really need to read Atkins in depth!!
Cheese has calcium so does broccli, and many other things......

You might want to read one or two of the articles I posted previously. Some of those organizations might know a thing or two about health and nutrition and they're saying the same things.

~heres to good eating
Hugzzzz
~Tammy

Atkins Diet Goes on a Diet
Atkins Educator Recommends Limiting Saturated Fat to 20%
By Jeanie Lerche DavisWebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MDon Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Jan. 21, 2004 -- For years, many people have thought of the Atkins diet as an all-you-can-eat meat, eggs, and cheese buffet.
But in seminars across the country, health professionals are hearing a different tune. An Atkins educator has reportedly said that only 20% of a dieter's calories should come from saturated fat, according to a recent New York Times story.

After all these years, is the Atkins organization reacting to criticisms that the diet advocates too much saturated fat? WebMD spoke with an Atkins advisor and other experts in nutrition and heart disease.

"Nothing has changed," Stuart Trager, MD, chairman of the Atkins Physicians Council, tells WebMD. "Our message is still the same. Atkins is, and always has been, about controlling carbohydrates -- teaching people to eat nutrient-dense whole foods and avoid refined carbohydrates like white flour and sugar."

Atkins never did -- and still does not -- prescribe amounts of fats or protein, Trager explains. "Instead, we teach people to be aware of and control carbohydrate consumption. When we eat a variety of protein sources and fats to satiate hunger, we eat less because the food tastes good and is filling. Without portion restriction, this has been shown to result in weight loss."

Do the Math
The "20% number" in the Times article was derived from meal plans and recipes in Atkins books, he says. In fact, during the diet's induction phase, people typically consume up to 60% of calories from fat.

If 60% is divided into thirds -- to reflect the variety of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats that Atkins espouses -- the magic number pops up: 20% of calories would be from saturated fat.

"It's important and worth recognizing that both steak and eggs are a balance of fats," Trager tells WebMD. "In a porterhouse steak, saturated fat makes up 17% of total fat. In an egg, including the yolk, saturated fat is only 18% of total fat."
Read the Books The Atkins diet is vastly misunderstood, says Trager. "Atkins has never been, as the media and opponents would have people believe, a red-meat diet," says Trager. "We need to spend less time criticizing individual nutrition strategies and more attention in defeating obesity. Weight loss solutions aren't one-size-fits-all."

The problem is, "An awful lot of people who follow these high-protein/low-carb plans haven't read the books," says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of nutrition therapy at The Cleveland Clinic. She is also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

"What they've gleaned from magazines or newspapers or pictures is what they think the diet is -- a double cheeseburger without the bun, with extra bacon and cheese," Moore tells WebMD.

Nevertheless, the blanket "prescription" to eat all the protein and fats you want is what gets dieters into trouble -- it's just not healthy, she says.
"I still don't understand the rationale in limiting trans fats and not saturated fat," says Moore. "Trans fats act very similarly in the body as saturated fat -- they both increase LDL 'bad' cholesterol and decrease HDL 'good' cholesterol."

Shades of South Beach?
"I sense this cutback on saturated fat is in part a political positioning in response to the South Beach diet book, which is outselling the Atkins New Diet Revolution," says Robert H. Eckel, MD, chairman of the American Heart Association's Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism Council.

All the leading health organizations -- the AHA, the American Cancer Society, the USDA, the World Health Organization, and the American Dietetic Association -- agree about what constitutes a good nutritional diet, Eckel tells WebMD. "It's not so much about good food and bad food, but what the overall diet is like."
"The quantities of foods that Atkins recommends are unacceptable," says Eckel.
"In the short term, Atkins and similar diets won't cause health problems. But I don't think they teach anything about the importance of a healthy overall dietary program and lifestyle for long-term success in weight reduction."
Even in the maintenance phase, the Atkins diet is not balanced, Eckel tells WebMD. "The Atkins books says if you start to gain weight when you start eating carbohydrates, return to a more carbohydrate-restricted program. Of course, that's a diet higher in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. This is not a program -- despite the weight reduction -- that is consistent with good health and nutrition."

Counterpoint
"Many professionals who criticize this approach demonstrate a lack of understanding and a lack of appreciation for how valuable this tool can be in helping the many who have been unsuccessful in maintaining weight and health through standard diet recommendations," says Trager.
Trager adds: "Dr. Atkins was the innovator in making better carbohydrate choices and recognizing the negative impact that simple carbohydrates have on obesity. He stood alone in this mission for many years, since 1972. He tried to teach people that just because a muffin says low fat, it's not OK to eat it."
The AHA diet, consistent with many other health organizations, says the maximum intake of saturated fat should be 10% of calories -- one-half what Atkins advises, says Eckel.

I AM GOING TO STICK MY NECK OUT ON THIS ONE SO HER IT GOES!!! I FEEL THAT DIETS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A TOOL AND NOTHING MORE ????WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT GENETICS THAT ALLOW US TO PROCESS FOOD AND NUTRITION DIFFERENTLY AND DIFFERENT PHYSICAL DYNAMICS THAT CAN CAUSE TO HOW EFFECTIVE A DIET CAN WORK
THESE ARE ELEMENTS THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BEFOR ANYONE SHOULD LOOK INTO ANY DIET
WHY DO I SAY THIS?????
I HAD TO GO THROUGH A SURGICAL PROCEDURE TO ADHERE TO WEIGHT LOSS AND IT WAS EXTREEM
IN MY CASE GENETICS WERE A KEY COMPONENT
AND I LARNED MY OWN BODYS RHYTHYMS TO KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF I LOST ON 1 YEAR 250 LBS
CHRIS

CONGRATULATIONS on your great weight loss, Chris. I, for one, am very happy for you. That was quite extreme and I wish you nothing but success with the continuation of your weight loss and management.

And you're very right, be it the Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, Body for Life program, etc., diets do not always work for everybody. IMPO.....Diets don't work. It's the lifestyle that has to change. It's not always what you eat but how much of what you eat. I was still eating the occassional chocolate covered cake doughnuts when I lost alot of weight.