Atkins diet - your opinion.

[honeybunch1]

I always look for: does the eating plan re-educate you on food, and can you live with it long term. This is why WW is so successful.

I can't imagine being on the Adkins plan - I don't like all those limits.

Just Do It!

 

[zoelda]

>eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full.
>Diets are a mistake because they put too much focus on the food. You start thinking about what you can and can't eat all the time.
>Instead of controlling your food, it starts controlling you. The key is to enjoy your food but keep it in its proper perspective -it's only fuel!


Amen. What you said sums up so, so much. Anything will work for a time if you can stick to the rules. The problem is (and it's a more dramatic problem if you have some Obessive-Compulsive type quirks or full blown OCD) that you have an OBSESSION. You eat, but you spend your day worrying about your next meal, worrying if you chewed your food enough times before swallowing, worrying if you measured your portions correctly -- maybe there was an extra gram of this or that, you can't go to a restaurant because you can't trust that they really did not use this type of fat or that type of fat when they made your dinner. You become a maniac. It solves the problem in that instead of numbing yourself with food, you can temporarily numb yourself with the new obsession about food. Eventually, almost inevitably, you trade back to the original obsession as you are a master of it and it is a "more comfortable" obsession. The trick -- I hate using that word -- is to learn to LIVE your life outside of all the crap that's thrown at you about what you should be doing, could be doing, need to be doing about food.

As you said -- you need to eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full and MOVE YOUR BODY.

If you are an active person or training to become a more active person, try cutting your calories by NO MORE THAN 20% -- for many of us active people this means we may be eating as much as 1800 calories a day to lose weight and close to 2200-2400 to maintain.

You will never be hungry, you will have the strength you need to deal with the day (and those Cathe workouts)... and something else that this one sports nutrionist said (Nancy Clark)you may not lose weight EVERY day... and that's okay too because you will lose the weight.

I say this as someone who is very, very good at gaining weight. I certainly don't have the system perfect... but I'm trying to keep my butt moving no matter what goes in my mouth and I figure it will all work out (no pun intended) in the end!

Working out is the most stabilizing thing I have found in controlling binging and overall weight.

Speaking of which... I HAVE to get over this evil flu thing. Time to start officially training for Cincinnati in May (Flying Pig Marathon)!

Take care,
Zoelda

 

[nancy324]

StepEdith-

What did the Last Diet program do for you and why do you think it's the best? Thanks.
-Nancy

 

[StepEdith]

> StepEdith-
>
>What did the Last Diet program
>do for you and why
>do you think it's the
>best? Thanks.
>-Nancy

I lost 70 lbs that have stayed off. It's not really a diet at all, you actually have a lot of room to design your own plan. It's based on a gradual series of changes and includes all food groups except sugar.

Take a look at the forums and the website.

I will warn you it's not a fad quick fix by any means. Lot's of long hard work and changes but soooooooooo worth it.

Edith

 

[nancy324]

Edith-
The website is interesting, particularly for the effects upon mood that it discusses. Sugar addiction affects more than just weight, according to the doctor, it also affects seritonin levels. Have you noticed any changes in mood, Edith?

-Nancy

 

[redbirdgirl63012]

My husband lost over 60 lbs on Atakins. I didn't realize how much I was worrying about his health until he lost the weight. He's kept it off for a year now. I've been on it for about a month and lost 10 lbs. I have to admit the change in eating interfered with my exercise for about two weeks--just didn't feel up to it. This was worrying, but after the first two weeks, I feel so good. Carbs are just a problem for some people. If you're not one (carb-sensitive), you just won't get it. But to get rid of the afternoon slump, the constant cravings, always being hungry... if that's you, you owe yourself a month on Atkins. Good luck.

 

[veganchick]

In my honest opinion I think this guy is a quack! Where has he been with all the goings on and the latest research about reversing heart disease? Too much protein especially from animal sources is not a good thing. It leaches calcium from your bones and this a another reason why so many people in the US have osteoporosis! It isnt a lack of calcium it is too much protein from animal souces. Also this "diet" taxes your kidneys and puts too much stress on them. And to top it all off the state of "ketosis" is not a a very good state to be in.....I strongly dispute anyone using this program to lose weight or to gain health. The only was to do this is to exercise and eat right. As others have said eliminating whole food groups is a wacky weight loss scheme to me. Definatley limit your consumption of white flour products and increase your consumption of whole wheat like brown rice and barley, and fruits and veggies. I asm not downing anyone here on this board at all, but I just wouldnt want anyone sacrificing their health for the sake of losing weight. Do it the right way and it will stay off forever! This Dr.Atkins must have been out sick the day they taught nutrition!!

 

[coloradocarol]

I've tried it twice but didn't last long. I'm with Mindi - I was constipated, had a raging headache, and both times I got sick with flu-like stomach problems. I think my body rebelled against all that protein and those pork rind snacks and eggs! I hear it works well for people, but I'm finding that men are more successful with it than women (because they tend to eat more meat).

 

[kristieschultz]

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I agree with others here that this diet is NOT a good idea. Maybe people have lost weight on it, but I also question the health benefits. If you want to go on some type of diet and only need to lose 25 pounds(which is not much) I would say eliminate the sugars and white flours mainly. Drink water instead of juice or soda. DON'T eat fast food,junk food or fried food. Watch your portion sizes, don't eat too much! Try to eat the fresh veggies and fruit that you like to eat but without a bunch of sauce,butter or dressing on them. Think about what you're eating but don't let it rule your life, like this wacky diet does. You actually probably already know all this stuff if you're on weight watchers. Well have you lost any weight on ww? If so, how much? Weight should come off slowly. If you have lost some weight on ww just keep working out with cathe 6 days a week (4 or 5 cardio days and 2 weight days) and you will lose more and more. You'll see, it will happen but you have to be patient.

Good luck to you.