Atkins Diet

[Gentle Giant]

Anyone else doing this? I've lost 30 pounds since Tuesday, March 18 (I would've started the day before but it being St. Patrick's Day I wanted to have a pint or three of Guinness). Best of all, I feel great. I used to need a candy bar at 3pm just to stay awake, but now I've got energy, I'm not snacking like before, and I'm eating very well. Unlike the way it's portrayed in the media, it's not about eating pig fat all day. I eat plenty of veggies and very little red (or the other white) meat. Not only that, but two more studies recently published show no negative effect on cholesterol.

I'm glad to discuss the diet on this thread, provide support and advice to others doing it, and defend it to critics. I've dieted on and off my whole life, and this is the most successful and easiest to do of all the diets I've tried.

BTW, I'm not affiliated with Atkins in any way.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

I'm assuming you're using this diet as a starting point to lose some initial weight and plan to return to a more balanced diet along with regular exercise in the near future. If, on the other hand, you plan to stay on this diet indefinitley I would say I'm not with you on that......................

[mke]

What's this diet about?

[Uli]

Originally posted by mke
What's this diet about?

Losing weight.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

From what I understand it's basically a diet that prohibits most carbohydrates and allows copious amounts of fat and cholesterol as well as protein. Since Jason is on the diet, I'm sure he can give you more detailed information...............

[steve(thelil)]

The theory is that if you eat NO carbs, it will cause your body to burn fats so much better, that even though you eat more of them that it makes up for it. Something to do with your body going into kitosis.

The things about the diet that seem surprising (other than the fact that it REALLY works if you follow it) are:

1) You don't get hungry and don't crave carbs (although you may feel like a furnace at work), and

2) Studies show that the diet is actually good for your cholesterol levels.

[patricia]

One of the criticisms of this regime is that although the initial weight loss is rapid, it's difficult, as well a inadvisable to continue it as a lifestyle.
Also, the most weightloss is experienced by those who, almost inadvertantly, reduce the number of calories which they were consuming, prior to starting the program.
The carb-free part troubles me as well. Most of the fibre content of a healthy diet is derived from fibrous fruits, grains and vegetables. So, Gentle, without being too impolite, where are your getting your fibre for healthy funcioning of your bowels??
Congrats on the farewell to those thirty extra pounds though.
Maintaining the loss may be the next hurdle, which is much more difficult than losing the weight.
Whatever works though, for taking off the fat. Good for you.

Also, you might want to consider bumping up your physical activity at the same time. Combined, you'll develop some good habits, which can't hurt.

[stonemonkts]

If you're interested, I'd be happy to ask my wife (Clinical Dietitian) to post her opinions on Atkins. Either here or via e mail, if you prefer.

[Clay Fink]

| can't concive of living without my beans and rice or without pasta.

Sorry.

I just try to eat a little less and exercise more. Eating is too much of an important part of life to want to fuck with dieting. I'd rather die fat and happy.

[al j]

I tried this diet about a year ago and quickly lost around 12 pounds. I found it unrealistic in that it was a dietary habit I could not see myself following for life. When I came off of it, responsibly so, the pounds came back on at lightning speed, proving the Carb-watching/Atkins/Zone type diet to be only a quick fix.

I've been on a calorie counting diet for 8 weeks now and have lost 20 lbs (more than I was aiming for) in a much more realistic (for me) manner. I'm eating what I want, when I want and have much more natural energy in the process. Exercise has been a major part of this, I should add.

The most important result, which flies in the face of the Atkins type, is that with of calorie counting I've been able to curb my 32-year old metabolism (and not my enthusiasm) so that my weight is not affected on those couple of days a week that I feel like pigging out during one of my meals.

[Enforcer]

Originally posted by Joe Christmas
proving the Carb-watching/Atkins/Zone type diet to be only a quick fix.

FWIW, the Zone is completely different. 40% calories from carbs, which is not all that radically different from what the ADA recs.

Joe, you are going about it the right way. The success of any diet, Atkins included, is rooted in the caloric deficit it creates. If you eliminate enough types of foods from your diet, you are eliminating that many more calories and you will subsequently begin to lose weight. You can just eat less of everything you like and achieve the same weight loss results, but that is apparently unpalpable to most of us. We want to be given a black and white list of foods that we can eat in unlimited quanitities to validate our neurotic addictions to overeating.

The Atkins diet will lose you some weight, no doubt. But the success of a diet is awarded when it is demonstrated to keep the weight off for 3-5 years. The same studies that recently have supported the weight loss claims of Dr. Atkins have also shown that most put the weight back on in about a year (which is typical of most diets). There wasn't any evidence in the studies that shows cholesterol was a problem, but long term research is really needed to support that assertion.

Larry

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Larry and others have confirmed what I've been saying for years. Diets simply don't work in the long run. They can be a good jumping off point for some and I congratulate Jason on his success. But, the most effective and healthy way to keep weight/fat from becoming a problem, one most consume a balanced diet consisting of reasonable portions and engage in regular physical exersize. And don't forget that daily glass of wine or two!................

[patricia]

One thing that seems to be effective, for long-term weight-loss and maintenance of the loss is to cut your usual portions in half, pay attention to what you snack on and, again, get more exercise.
Also, it helps, sometimes, to remind yourself how long it took to get to the overly voluptuous condition that you find yourself in now. If you can lose that weight in the same amount of time, it would give you more likelihood, IMO, to cement the new habits that you are learning in the process and develop a new way of looking at your lifestyle and fixing what's wrong. It's not normal to carry a lot of extra weight. Your frame is designed to carry a certain amount of pounds. So, extra fat puts a strain on everything. Best to get rid of it, if you can.
What is hoped, is that during the process of getting back to a normal weight, rather than obsessing over every single thing you eat, you replace recreational eating with actual activity. It doesn't have to be all physical exercise, but just other things, like reading or painting or music, or even more [gasp!] sex and other things besides food.
Put eating into perspective, with all the other things you do. One thing that people seem to lose touch with is whether or not they are actually hungry. Getting back into sync with what our bodies actually need, to function, seems to be one of the biggest problems. Be picky about what you eat and slow down. Stop when you aren't hungry anymore. You can still enjoy eating, but one bite is sometimes enough. Nobody is going to haul you off to jail if you don't eat everything on your plate.

[Gentle Giant]

All good questions and valid statements. I'll respond to patricia first, since she got so personal (nothing new, on the old board we talked a lot about feet). I am now 40. For the last few years, I have become a firm believer that fiber is our friend. I had been off Metamucil for a while before starting Atkins, and soon went back on it. It's definitely necessary to supplement Atkins with fiber; on the other hand, you can also get fiber from certain vegetables, and they tend to load the bars and shakes they make for low-carb diets with a few grams to help keep the works clear.

Exercise-wise, I've taken up jogging (unfortunately, I haven't run in 10 days because of all the soggy weather here in the northeast) and do a morning regimen of push-ups, crunches, and light free weights (all right, I'll confess: I'm using my wife's Pilates weights). I also do a fair amount of walking each week, since I commute by train to work.

Atkins is done in three stages. The first, and most intense, is called Induction. During this stage, you limit your carb intake to 20 grams/day. This means you can eat unlimited amounts of meat, poultry, fish, most shellfish, and cheese; generous amounts of salad veggies; and a somewhat more restricted amount of other veggies. Potatoes and beans, of course, are out; and carrots and tomatoes must be consumed very sparingly if at all. My favorite green vegetables are green beans and broccoli, and in general I have not cared to limit my intake along strict Induction guidelines. All fruits, breads, pastas, grains, and rices are out.

Induction lasts a minimum of two weeks, although the idea is to stay at this level until you're near your goal. My goal was 40 pounds (which would bring my 6'1" frame down to an even 200), so I'm starting to plan for the next stage. In the next stage, you add 5 grams of carbs to your diet each week, starting with veggies and berries. You keep adding at this rate until you are no longer losing weight. This is how you define you carb limit. Once you know how many carbs you can consume without gaining weight, you stay there and that's the maintenance stage. Carb limits are an individual value, and are influenced by one's activity level, metabolism, etc.

You know what I can't consume, here's some of what I can consume without guilt:
Scotch
Wine
Vodka
Lobster
Cheeseburgers (minus the bun, of course)
Full rack of baby back ribs
Eggs
Cream
Butter

While I generally don't like diets that sell you products, the Atkins chocolate shakes and bars are pretty tasty and I have been able to use them as meal replacements when I need to (usually for breakfast, when I don't have time to make eggs).

As I mentioned, I've dieted on and off my whole life. I know what it's like to fall off the wagon. While I miss bagels, pizza, pasta, and beer, I know that at some point I'll be able to have them as occasional treats. The fact is, carbs are pretty addictive; the more you eat, the more you want. Protein fills you up and builds muscles. I'm getting great feedback from the ladies in the office, too, so I have more than enough incentive to keep it up.

For more information (and a carb counter), check out www.atkinscenter.com

[Jimmy Cantiello]

The diet has obviously worked for you, Jason. My question would be, are you planning on staying on this diet or do you plan to go on to a more conventional way of eating to maintain your new physique?.......

[patricia]

Gentle,
Never you mind about my feet.

The real test for your successful program will be if the weight stays off and if you are establishing good exercise habits. We are designed to eat to create energy and replace fluids minerals, vitamins and fibre, so that we can function. Food is fuel. The side benefit is that it tastes good and is a sensual pleasure.
Nobody wants to restrict, too much, something which provides much of our social interaction. I know that if I am alone and just eating to stay alive, my creativity is severely limited. I'm just hungry, so I eat.
But, because most of us are social creatures, at least as much of our pleasure is the company and the interaction. The food is almost secondary. I guess what I'm saying is that food should taste good and be part of a pleasurable activity. If it is, then the eating of it, along with the social aspect, can and should be part of your lifestyle. If this diet helps you do that, then you will be on your way to becoming, once again, a vital, attractive, even sexier guy. Go for it!!!!

[clinthopson]

We've been on Adkins since January of 2002. I have taken off 40 lbs and kept it off.

I've had my blood checked and my cholesteral is lower the good triclicerides are higher and the bad ones are lower.

From the beginning we avoided starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, corn, peas, etc. But have eaten a lot of salads with good dressing, green vegs like string beans, asparagus and spinach. We have meat, chicken or fish in approx. 4-8 oz servings.

We are now at the point where we have increased our carbo portion and have beans and rice occasionally. We still avoid potatoes and bread. We have sweets on rare occasions. We have fruit every day.

We feel good and plan on sticking to this kind of diet forever.

SImple carbos are good if someone is very, very physically active to provide fast energy, but if you're like me and don't exercise (I hate mindless activity!) then those carbos go right to your belly and butt.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Originally posted by clinthopson

I hate mindless activity!

Then what the hell are you doing posting at the Alley?!.............

[Jazzooo]

First of all, let me say that i have been exercising with a personal trainer 3 xs a week for 8 years. In addition, I do 20-60 minutes of aerobics at least 3 times a week, but usually it's more like 5 times.

Still, my ass continued to spread like SARS.

My whole life, including the last 8 years, I have struggled with my weight. I have definitely turned some body fat into muscle, but I never came anywhere close to meeting a realistic goal weight. I started trying some diets--jenny Craig, Weight Watchers were among the most effective for weight loss, but not for long-term maintenance. I think Weight Watchers is the most logical one, in terms of conventional knowledge of what a "balanced diet" represents to some people. Still, for the long term it's a fucking bore which makes it difficult to stay enthusiastic about.

The disappointing thing when talking about Atkins is the amount of scary misinformation floating around--people quote "studies" they've never seen or even read about firsthand; people quote "common sense" that may or may not apply to everyone's body type. Stevethelil thinks Atkins is a "no carb" diet--not true. For Patricia, who as i recall is a naturally tiny person, to suggest "I just eat when I'm hungry" as if that is some kind of logical lightening bolt from the sky that all fat people should just say "Hey, yeah--why didn't i think of that?" is not only unrealistic but also a little dismissive of proven differences in metabolisms and, of course, personal relationships to food. Glad that works for you, Patricia. Trust me when I say that I'm a bright, motivated 47 year old man, and it doesn't work for me the same way. "Cut your portions in half" is a more natural way to live than what I'm doing now? Cutting out pasta, candy and bread most of the time is somehow more "unnatural" than walking around hungry all the time? Maybe for you, but not for me.

The other thing is that over the years, the Atkins diet has changed to a less stringent system. Even in the old days, it was never a "no carb" diet like Steve suggested. I've read the old book more than once, and this just isn't the case. But perhaps bowing to critics, Atkins revamped the newer version to be more liberal, even during the induction phase.

I did Atkins three years ago for about 9 months. I lost 23 pounds, and my cholesterol (which was borderline high) dropped 21 points. I felt fantastic, and my cravings for ice cream, donuts and candy almost vanished altogether. After 9 months, I decided to to a modified Atkins approach, upping my carb intake a little from time to time, allowing myself to sample desserts I would have previously passed on. While the cravings did come back, they weren't as strong. I kept most of the weight off successfully for a little over two years.

Then we hit a really stressful stretch--lawsuits, deaths, business catastrophies--and I found myself saying 'Fuck it--eating bad food makes me feel better.' At the time, that was simply the truth. Within 4 months I'd gained back about 15 pounds. I knew it was time to buckle down again, but I didn't feel I had the discipline to do Atkins at that time...so I went to Weight Watchers, just to be a part of a group process that dealt with conscious eating.

Weight Watchers worked for me, though as i said--after a while, eating tiny portions of food I liked got old. I got my weight back down, but most of the time, I felt deprived. I thougt about food all the time. Not the worst thing in the world, but certainly not a "lifestyle choice" I'm interested in.

So last month, I started Atkins again. I'm a little older now, and the weight is being a bit more stubborn this time, but the energy I feel and the enjoyment I get out of the food I eat is worth the struggle.

It is not about eating unlimited amounts of anything. It's true that there are some foods you can eat more than others, but that's really not the same as eating unlimited amounts of fat or meat, something I often see mentioned by critics. jimmy--if you've read the Atkins book, then I stand corrected, but it seems as if you've been consistently critical of this approach for a long time--have you really read the book, or are you just basing your comments on what you've heard from other people and your own upbringing?

I'm having no roughage crisises, by the way, because I'm eating plenty of salads, and also some nuts every day. I can't speak for anyone else, but I would bet that my salad intake is on a par with people eating a more traditional diet. The biggest change for me is that I'm not eating bread, pasta or other flour products, rice, candy, or sugary fruits--an occasional bowl of strawberries or few blueberries in some cream is about it. For the life of me, I cannot see that this as an 'unnatural' way to eat. Eating candy, Kris[y Kremes and other sugary crap with no nutritional value, or eating a Big Mac for lunch--that seems pretty unnatural to me at the moment.

Anyway, nice to hear that Jason and I have even more in common than I'd realized!

[Enforcer]

Originally posted by Jazzooo
Larry thinks Atkins is a "no carb" diet--not true.

Even in the old days, it was never a "no carb" diet like Larry suggested.

Doug,

Just to clarify, I reread my post and I never said that. Maybe someone else did. I know that it is a "low carb" diet, and that there is a lot of misinformation about what you're really supposed to be eating.

Always watching his own back because he has no friends to do it for him,
Larry

[Jazzooo]

Larry, my apologies--I mistakenly attributed thelil's quote to you. This is what he said: "The theory is that if you eat NO carbs, it will cause your body to burn fats so much better, that even though you eat more of them that it makes up for it. "

I'll edit my post.

[patricia]

Jazzooo[Doug],
First of all, let me apologize to you, and to everyone else who may have interpreted my light approach as glibness. I didn't mean it to be.
Yes, sometimes the basics seem obvious and, they are. I may not be very big, but five pounds on me is like thirty on a bigger person. Everything that makes anybody else gain weight will do the same for me. It's not about being naturally thin, or being prone to putting on weight. It's about being aware of what we're eating and doing, I think. If it were up to me, I'd LIVE on peanut butter and chocolate and, as a result, would be like a little garden tracter, chuggin' along.

As some of you know, I was raised as a vegetarian, but that doesn't factor into being fat or thin. It's very possible to be either one, depending on food/exercise choices. The Frankensteins for "veggie folks" are nuts,[and nut products] grain products [breads etc.] and fats [butter, mayonnaise, again nut-butters]. Although I don't eat meat, there are plenty of things I have be wary of over-indulging.

The Atkins' regime troubles me, for the reasons I've already mentioned. Weight Watchers seems to be a method which suits most people, later, as a lifestyle, but whatever works in the long run is up to the person resolving to lose weight and gain back their health, I think.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Actually, Doug, I'm not really critical of the Atkins diet per se. My criticism is based on eating in this fashion for extended periods of time or as a regular way of eating. And yes, I have read more than one Atkins book. It's been years since I read one of his books so, unless the basic principles that he's espoused over the years have changed then I believe I have a pretty good handle on what the diet is all about. My knowledge of the diet is not vast but it's also not based on what other people say.

The fact is, physical science has principles that are very consistent and apply to the whole species. True enough, everyone's metabolism is not the same and everyone will not burn calories at the same rate. But................it has been proven over and over and over again that the most effective and safe way to maintain a healthy weight and general overall good health is to eat a balanced diet and engage in some form of meaningful and consistent physical activity. That's not to say that there aren't other ways to shed pounds but to lose fat/weight safely and permanently you have to change your lifestyle. Remember, physical fitness is not a destination, it's a journey.

I'm 54 years old. I stand 6' 1" tall. I weigh 170 pounds. That is no accident. It's the result of hitting the gym a minimum of four days per week and watching what I eat. I do this after working ten hours a day. I've been doing this for years, even when my kids were babies. My daughter just graduated from college. However, I don't deprive myself of any type of food. I believe the worst thing a person can do to lose weight is go on a diet, any diet. When you deprive your body of nutrition your metabolism reacts by slowing down. It's a very natural phenomenon. Feed your body and stoke the furnace with activity (consistently and for the long term) and it will respond.

You know what pisses me off the most? When people tell me how lucky I am that I don't have a weight problem. I usually respond by saying, "I wish you were next to me last night when I was at the gym sweating my ass off on the treadmill after I did my weight training. You could have told me then how "lucky" I am.

Don't get me wrong, Doug. I'm well aware of metabolic differences, believe me. God, if only I had the same metabolism at 54 that I had at 24, but I don't, so I've made adjustments. I still eat anything I want and I really don't feel deprived in any way. Who knows, maybe I've gotten used to it. I plan to hit the gym until I can't walk but I'm also going to enjoy my meals as well................

[Jazzooo]

Apology accepted, but your new comments are even worse!

"Everything that makes anybody else gain weight will do the same for me."

Not necessarily true--there are tons of books and studies that contradict this, some I've even read.

" It's not about being naturally thin, or being prone to putting on weight."

And how would you know? All you have is your own body, which has a very specific metabolism. And I'm sorry, but gaining five pounds for you is not the same with wrestling with my own body for 35 years. Of course, you can gain some weight if you try, but that is different from having a weight problem your entire life.

" It's about being aware of what we're eating and doing, I think."

This is puritanistic thinking, imo. "I am aware, you're not." There really are people for whom awareness is not the key issue. let me rephrase that: I do agree that awareness and education about what you're putting into your mouth is important, but that still doesn't mean we can all eat the same things or the same ways and have the same results. I know for a fact that some of us cannot.

"If it were up to me, I'd LIVE on peanut butter and chocolate and, as a result, would be like a little garden tracter, chuggin' along. "

Spoken like a naturally thin person who believes that everyone else is just like her...just less disciplined!

I promise you that I have not lived on peanut butter and chocolate or anything close to that. Eating the way you say you eat does not make me lose weight, or even stay the same weight.

Touchy subject, this weight thing.

[patricia]

Doug,
I don't know what to say to you now. My point was that there is a relationship between what we eat and do and what we weigh and what kind of shape we're in. I know that each person is different and that you are not just sitting there, eating all the wrong stuff and are therefore doomed to be overweight.
Clearly you see this and are doing something about it and that's good. I'm afraid I came across as a pompous ass and that certainly wasn't my intention.


Jimmy,
You're right that exercise, some kind of physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle. I run two miles every morning, weather permitting and go to the gym when the weather here is bad in the winter. I too get really tired of people assuming that I just am naturally thin or naturally anything. I believe that anybody can get fat and anybody can get into shape. It's a personal lifestyle choice, and I emphasize "PERSONAL". Nobody can do it for you and nobody should presume to know what other factors contribute to whatever shape a person is in, at any particular time. Most of us eat according to our mood at the time and some people eat too much. What they choose to do about it, when they get too heavy is up to them and only they can make that decision. My doctor never tells people to lose weight, if it's not affecting their overall health, because it's just added unnecessary stress, to no good end. So, vanity is the best motivator.

[Uli]

Oh, you vain people are just too much! Now you don't just want to be admired for looking good but also for working hard at it.

[Valerie]

Just tuned in here and, boy, can I ever relate! I was overweight when I arrived to help take care of my mother last August (after losing about 25 lbs. on WW) and have almost put it all back on! Stress will definitely help me lose the little self-discipline I possess when it comes to food. I have had a slight obsession with GOOD, TASTY food all my life and I was quite slim until about 10 years ago. I also have a problem with exercising and do it far too infrequently. I've been thinking about doing Atkins and I probably will, but maybe just until I get to my weight goal.

Must say that I relate strongly to Doug's posts, in many ways. I also know that you're one handsome dude, whatever weight you may be carrying. And I'm also aware that comment is kind of gratuitous and beside-the-point but I had to say it just the same!! LOL!!

P.S. And congrats to the Gentle Giant who has become a smaller one!

[Al in NYC]

Man, you folks sure know how to bring up the depressing topics. Particularly since I've been struggling with it all of my life, and keep coming out on the losing end. Couldn't we please talk some more about George W. Bush??

[shrugs]

I LOVE CARBS!!!!!

[shrugs]