Negative effects of Atkins Diet? Articles?
- Thread starter Jenn1973
- Start date
I saw a sotry on TV today about how Atkins dieters need to cut back on the fatty meats and should consume leaner meats. The story said that some people eat a lot of fatty meats. That is not the essence of the Atkins. So the story emphasizewd leaner meats and less oils and fats.
These are the things I hear a lot about the cons of the Atkins diet:
Eating too few carbs depletes your energy.
Eating too much protein without enough carbs to break down the protein can stress your kidneys.
Eating high-fat protein increases your levels of bad cholesterol.
Completely taking out carbohydrates from your diet or drastically reducing carbohydrates makes you miss out on the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you find in fruits and vegetables.
Pinky
Eating too few carbs depletes your energy.
Eating too much protein without enough carbs to break down the protein can stress your kidneys.
Eating high-fat protein increases your levels of bad cholesterol.
Completely taking out carbohydrates from your diet or drastically reducing carbohydrates makes you miss out on the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you find in fruits and vegetables.
Pinky
Don't forget these common myths...oops I mean negative effects touted by "experts".
Leaches calcium from your bones so you'll get osteoporosis.
Destroys your liver.
Your kidneys will explode.
You'll lose muscle.
Will clog your arteries and give you a heart attack.
Ketones are toxic and will destroy your brain.
As a 5 year Atkins dieter I live on a kidney machine, had to have a liver transplant, had a quadruple bipass, had brain surgery, and I'm a big bag of bones that has to be wheeled around in a wheel chair because I have no muscles. Do you all think if I started eating pasta and bread I'd get my health back?
}( :+ :7 buh bye!!!
Leaches calcium from your bones so you'll get osteoporosis.
Destroys your liver.
Your kidneys will explode.
You'll lose muscle.
Will clog your arteries and give you a heart attack.
Ketones are toxic and will destroy your brain.
As a 5 year Atkins dieter I live on a kidney machine, had to have a liver transplant, had a quadruple bipass, had brain surgery, and I'm a big bag of bones that has to be wheeled around in a wheel chair because I have no muscles. Do you all think if I started eating pasta and bread I'd get my health back?
}( :+ :7 buh bye!!!Young and Restless
Member
LMAO Mandy!!! Too funny.
icklemoley
Cathlete
Mandy you rock!!! lol
Thought you ladies (and Trevor!) may find this interesting:
The Top 6 Displacing Debates
1. Fruit is Bad Now?
We all know fruit provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, and low glycemic index carbohydrates, so it should be no surprise that many experts recommend eating a few servings of fruit each day. Heck, this notion has even been turned into a clichéd rhyme: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!"
Yet some experts out there (short-sighted experts with a real lack of perspective, I might add) actually suggest that fruit might be bad for us! That’s utter nonsense.
So, imagine you’re someone with a lifetime of eating habits that are less than optimal (for some of you, it might not be so hard to do) and you’re exposed to this debate. What do you do? Well, nine times out of ten, you figure that if there’s a chance fruit is bad for you, you might as well stay away from it — probably better to reach for a Big Mac instead. After all, it does taste better.
Verdict: Eat the damn fruit.
2. Raw? Organic?
Speaking again of fruits (and vegetables), it’s recommended that the average person consume two pieces of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day as a bare minimum. Athletes probably need even more, yet most North Americans (athletes included) consume far less than the standard recommendation of five servings of fruits and vegetables.
However, rather than simply recommend more fruit and veggies (no matter how you can get them, for any fruits and vegetables are better than none), experts spend their time fighting about canned fruits and veggies vs. raw fruits and veggies. And then they fight about raw fruits and veggies vs. organic fruits and veggies! Sure, I agree that raw, organic fruits and vegetables are best since they probably have a higher micronutrient count, but let’s face the facts: any fruits and veggies are better than none!
So again, imagine you’re someone with a lifetime of bad eating habits and you’re exposed to all this bickering. What do you do? Well, you'll probably avoid the fruits and veggies, wait for the experts to finish dueling it out, and reach for a Snickers bar instead.
Verdict: Get sufficient fruits and vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they’re organic or not. Once you’ve done that, worry on.
3. Raw Milk vs. Regular Milk
What about milk? Most T-Nation readers know my stance on moo juice. In my opinion, it’s not necessary, doesn’t always "do the body good," and should be minimized in the diet (although I see no need for total elimination unless you’re lactose intolerant).
However, if we could simply get more people to drink milk instead of sugary soda, we’d have less obesity and disease. But instead of focusing on healthy behaviors, experts will bicker on and on about regular milk vs. raw milk. Of course, all this does is serve to draw negative attention to milk and away from the other healthy decisions people could be making.
Sure, if it were possible to get raw milk that was guaranteed aseptic, it would be better than processed, pasteurized milk. But faced with the confusion, what do you, the hypothetical sub-optimal eater, do? Well, nine times out of ten, you avoid both kinds of milk and drink another Coca-Cola instead.
Verdict: Limit milk, and drink calorie-free beverages like water and green tea instead.
4. Tap Water vs. Bottled Water
Speaking of beverage consumption, people are dehydrated because they drink too little water while drinking too many caffeinated, diuretic drinks (coffee, soda, and alcohol). Dehydration leads to all sorts of health problems for the inactive, not to mention the decrements in athletic performance seen in dehydrated athletes.
But rather than simply promoting the heck out of water consumption, experts will bicker on and on about tap water vs. bottled water. Sure, good quality bottled water is usually a better choice, but don’t be one of these people who stay away from tap water, forget to pick up their bottled water, and simply remain dehydrated.
Verdict: Drink sufficient water first; worry about the source later. (Of course, you may want to avoid drinking out of puddles next to pig farms in Uganda.) Put a water filter on your tap or buy one of those filter jugs you store in your fridge and be done with it.
5. Glass vs. Plastic
And how about the bottles the water comes in? That’s right, the glass vs. plastic debate. Just the other day, I was recommending that a group of my athletes pick up some Tupperware so they could whip up all of their meals and shakes in the morning. It’s easy to make a good food choice during the day when you’ve got all your good food with you, pre-cooked, pre-wrapped, and ready to be eaten.
After the talk, one of the athletes came up to me and told me he avoids Tupperware altogether because of the potential leeching of xenoestrogens into his food. When I asked what he uses to store his food in, he told me he doesn’t even preplan his meals. He also told me he needed to lose fifteen pounds and that he was overweight because his nutrition sucked!
Buddy, I agree that glass containers may be marginally better than plastic, but for the love of God, pick up some plastic if it'll help you plan your meals! And this was a world-class athlete! You can imagine how the average guy fares!
Verdict: Plan your meals in advance, storing them in woven baskets if necessary. Buy the best containers you can afford. If you can get the glass versions, great; if not, the generic plastic ones will do just fine.
6. Free Range vs. Extremely Limited Range Meat
Most weightlifters eat lots of protein and that’s no mistake. I’ve outlined the myriad of benefits associated with a high protein diet in my article, The Protein Prejudice. One of the best ways to get all that protein is by eating a lot of protein and micronutrient-rich lean meat. Protein supplements are okay to supplement your diet, but real food should be your nutritional mainstay and there’s nothing better than good ol’ fashioned meat.
Since eating more protein can increase metabolic rate, improve your weight loss profile, increase protein turnover, accelerate exercise adaptation, and (when replacing dietary carbohydrate) decrease the chance of cardiovascular disease, it should be clear that most people would do well to increase their consumption of lean meat.
So imagine the dismay someone might experience when hearing that the experts are now bickering about the type of meat we consume. Many experts muddy the waters when discussing free range vs. grain fed meat, telling people that grain fed meat (the only kind you can find in many grocery stores in North America) is full of toxins, bad fats, and hormones.
Sure, free-range meat is probably a better choice, although there’s little proof the supposed toxins and hormones actually get passed on to us. But again, imagine you’re someone with a lifetime of eating habits that are less than optimal and you’re exposed to all this bickering about lean protein. What do you do? Well, when you’re afraid of the meat you have access to, you shy away from all types of lean meat and reach for another bagel. Bad choice!
Verdict: Find the best meat you can by going around to various grocery shops and butchers. Owners of health food stores may also be able to help you locate the best stuff. But don’t be afraid to eat the meat you find in your grocery store — the reports of your impending death are greatly exaggerated.
Thought you ladies (and Trevor!) may find this interesting:
The Top 6 Displacing Debates
1. Fruit is Bad Now?
We all know fruit provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, and low glycemic index carbohydrates, so it should be no surprise that many experts recommend eating a few servings of fruit each day. Heck, this notion has even been turned into a clichéd rhyme: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!"
Yet some experts out there (short-sighted experts with a real lack of perspective, I might add) actually suggest that fruit might be bad for us! That’s utter nonsense.
So, imagine you’re someone with a lifetime of eating habits that are less than optimal (for some of you, it might not be so hard to do) and you’re exposed to this debate. What do you do? Well, nine times out of ten, you figure that if there’s a chance fruit is bad for you, you might as well stay away from it — probably better to reach for a Big Mac instead. After all, it does taste better.
Verdict: Eat the damn fruit.
2. Raw? Organic?
Speaking again of fruits (and vegetables), it’s recommended that the average person consume two pieces of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day as a bare minimum. Athletes probably need even more, yet most North Americans (athletes included) consume far less than the standard recommendation of five servings of fruits and vegetables.
However, rather than simply recommend more fruit and veggies (no matter how you can get them, for any fruits and vegetables are better than none), experts spend their time fighting about canned fruits and veggies vs. raw fruits and veggies. And then they fight about raw fruits and veggies vs. organic fruits and veggies! Sure, I agree that raw, organic fruits and vegetables are best since they probably have a higher micronutrient count, but let’s face the facts: any fruits and veggies are better than none!
So again, imagine you’re someone with a lifetime of bad eating habits and you’re exposed to all this bickering. What do you do? Well, you'll probably avoid the fruits and veggies, wait for the experts to finish dueling it out, and reach for a Snickers bar instead.
Verdict: Get sufficient fruits and vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they’re organic or not. Once you’ve done that, worry on.
3. Raw Milk vs. Regular Milk
What about milk? Most T-Nation readers know my stance on moo juice. In my opinion, it’s not necessary, doesn’t always "do the body good," and should be minimized in the diet (although I see no need for total elimination unless you’re lactose intolerant).
However, if we could simply get more people to drink milk instead of sugary soda, we’d have less obesity and disease. But instead of focusing on healthy behaviors, experts will bicker on and on about regular milk vs. raw milk. Of course, all this does is serve to draw negative attention to milk and away from the other healthy decisions people could be making.
Sure, if it were possible to get raw milk that was guaranteed aseptic, it would be better than processed, pasteurized milk. But faced with the confusion, what do you, the hypothetical sub-optimal eater, do? Well, nine times out of ten, you avoid both kinds of milk and drink another Coca-Cola instead.
Verdict: Limit milk, and drink calorie-free beverages like water and green tea instead.
4. Tap Water vs. Bottled Water
Speaking of beverage consumption, people are dehydrated because they drink too little water while drinking too many caffeinated, diuretic drinks (coffee, soda, and alcohol). Dehydration leads to all sorts of health problems for the inactive, not to mention the decrements in athletic performance seen in dehydrated athletes.
But rather than simply promoting the heck out of water consumption, experts will bicker on and on about tap water vs. bottled water. Sure, good quality bottled water is usually a better choice, but don’t be one of these people who stay away from tap water, forget to pick up their bottled water, and simply remain dehydrated.
Verdict: Drink sufficient water first; worry about the source later. (Of course, you may want to avoid drinking out of puddles next to pig farms in Uganda.) Put a water filter on your tap or buy one of those filter jugs you store in your fridge and be done with it.
5. Glass vs. Plastic
And how about the bottles the water comes in? That’s right, the glass vs. plastic debate. Just the other day, I was recommending that a group of my athletes pick up some Tupperware so they could whip up all of their meals and shakes in the morning. It’s easy to make a good food choice during the day when you’ve got all your good food with you, pre-cooked, pre-wrapped, and ready to be eaten.
After the talk, one of the athletes came up to me and told me he avoids Tupperware altogether because of the potential leeching of xenoestrogens into his food. When I asked what he uses to store his food in, he told me he doesn’t even preplan his meals. He also told me he needed to lose fifteen pounds and that he was overweight because his nutrition sucked!
Buddy, I agree that glass containers may be marginally better than plastic, but for the love of God, pick up some plastic if it'll help you plan your meals! And this was a world-class athlete! You can imagine how the average guy fares!
Verdict: Plan your meals in advance, storing them in woven baskets if necessary. Buy the best containers you can afford. If you can get the glass versions, great; if not, the generic plastic ones will do just fine.
6. Free Range vs. Extremely Limited Range Meat
Most weightlifters eat lots of protein and that’s no mistake. I’ve outlined the myriad of benefits associated with a high protein diet in my article, The Protein Prejudice. One of the best ways to get all that protein is by eating a lot of protein and micronutrient-rich lean meat. Protein supplements are okay to supplement your diet, but real food should be your nutritional mainstay and there’s nothing better than good ol’ fashioned meat.
Since eating more protein can increase metabolic rate, improve your weight loss profile, increase protein turnover, accelerate exercise adaptation, and (when replacing dietary carbohydrate) decrease the chance of cardiovascular disease, it should be clear that most people would do well to increase their consumption of lean meat.
So imagine the dismay someone might experience when hearing that the experts are now bickering about the type of meat we consume. Many experts muddy the waters when discussing free range vs. grain fed meat, telling people that grain fed meat (the only kind you can find in many grocery stores in North America) is full of toxins, bad fats, and hormones.
Sure, free-range meat is probably a better choice, although there’s little proof the supposed toxins and hormones actually get passed on to us. But again, imagine you’re someone with a lifetime of eating habits that are less than optimal and you’re exposed to all this bickering about lean protein. What do you do? Well, when you’re afraid of the meat you have access to, you shy away from all types of lean meat and reach for another bagel. Bad choice!
Verdict: Find the best meat you can by going around to various grocery shops and butchers. Owners of health food stores may also be able to help you locate the best stuff. But don’t be afraid to eat the meat you find in your grocery store — the reports of your impending death are greatly exaggerated.
icklemoley
Cathlete
Seems to me like she got her question answered nicely, plus a whole lot more information to chew (no pun) over.
Every diet out there has good and bad things about it, depending on who is doing the research and who pays for it. http://www.mercola.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/kf.woa has some great information on the atkins diet that is worth having a look at. Just remember as above, its not the research that matters so much, but who is paying for it, and is it impartial?
Lets hope you find the information you were looking for?
Every diet out there has good and bad things about it, depending on who is doing the research and who pays for it. http://www.mercola.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/kf.woa has some great information on the atkins diet that is worth having a look at. Just remember as above, its not the research that matters so much, but who is paying for it, and is it impartial?
Lets hope you find the information you were looking for?
Jenn, are you looking for articles from academic journals or the popular press?
The latest news on Atkins is that the Atkins organization is suggesting that Atkins followers limit saturated fat to 30% or less of calories. U.S. dietary guideliness suggest a max of 5% saturated fat with total fat limited to 30% of calories. This is apparently a "clarification" not a change in policy.
One of the criticisms of the Atkins diet has been the lack of research to support their dietary advice. The Atkins organization said they didn't have the funds for university quality research ! Seems 3 plus decades on the best sellers list would provide funds for research.
Debra
The latest news on Atkins is that the Atkins organization is suggesting that Atkins followers limit saturated fat to 30% or less of calories. U.S. dietary guideliness suggest a max of 5% saturated fat with total fat limited to 30% of calories. This is apparently a "clarification" not a change in policy.
One of the criticisms of the Atkins diet has been the lack of research to support their dietary advice. The Atkins organization said they didn't have the funds for university quality research
! Seems 3 plus decades on the best sellers list would provide funds for research.Debra
Quoted from above..."The latest news on Atkins is that the Atkins organization is suggesting that Atkins followers limit saturated fat to 30% or less of calories. U.S. dietary guideliness suggest a max of 5% saturated fat with total fat limited to 30% of calories. This is apparently a "clarification" not a change in policy."
Totally untrue. As usual with the media covering the Atkins' Diet, words were taken out of context and misinformation was spewed. Typical and I've been watching this go on for the past 5 years.
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=115415
News Release
Monday 19 January 2004, 15:36 GMT Monday 19 January 2004
FOOD
Atkins Health and Medical Information Services.
Atkins has not changed
London, 19 January 2004 /PRNewswire/ -- - ATKINS NUTRITIONALS, INC. statement on The New York Times article, 'Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters'
NEW YORK, Jan. 19 - The January 18 article in The New York Times and the subsequent publicity is yet another dramatically inappropriate example of the media reporting on the media and perpetuating a false report on Atkins. This is a great disservice to the millions upon millions of Atkins followers who have been benefiting from this nutritional approach for over 30 years.
The accusation in today's media claiming that Atkins is retreating from its long held position on the consumption of fat is simply wrong. It is a false premise created by members of the media itself based on input from "experts" who apparently have never read any of Dr. Atkins books, nor have even casually browsed the Atkins web site "Atkins.com".
Atkins has not changed. The basic tenets of the Atkins Nutritional Approach, consistent since 1972, are control the intake of refined carbohydrates (like sugar and white flour), eat a balance of fats (including saturated fat but not trans fats) and a balance of proteins including red meat. Saturated fat remains a valuable part of the Atkins Nutritional Approach(TM). And, again, there is absolutely no science to support any claims that eating red meat and saturated fat as part of your Atkins program is anything other then beneficial. These protocols have been consistently reinforced as safe, effective and beneficial by 17 studies over the past three years.
Equally as important and equally as troubling, is the attempt once again by critics of Atkins to ignore fact, science and the clear messages stated in Dr. Atkins' own words over the past 32 years, in order to sensationalize the ANA as the "all-the-steak-you-can-eat" approach. This has never been true and the millions of followers and health care professionals who have read Dr. Atkins' books clearly understand this. We would urge anyone who is confused, including the media to simply read Atkins New Diet Revolution, Atkins For Life or visit our website (http://www.atkins.com/) rather than interpret Atkins on the basis of sensationalized reports based on hearsay and mischaracterization.
Even in the original 1972 Atkins Diet Revolution, Dr. Atkins explained, "Fat allows for enormous variety in your diet; that vital and best of all, it keeps you from feeling deprived. Of course, you aren't confined to steak, you can have almost any kind of meat, fish or fowl." He continued, "One of the biggest reasons this diet works so successfully is because you eat protein and fat ... "
Dr. Atkins made no secret of the fact that his methodology evolved over time as scientific discovery added new and useful information. His original 1972 book was re-written by Dr. Atkins three times exactly because he felt it his responsibility to keep people up to date as to the most recent and relevant information on controlled carbohydrate nutrition and health. In the 2002 edition of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, he wrote, "Eat either three regular-size meals a day or four to five smaller meals. Eat liberally of combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and red meat, as well as of pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils. Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases when hungry, eat the amount that makes your feel satisfied but not stuffed ... "
By providing followers with a lifelong strategy, including exercise and meal plans (at various carb thresholds) incorporating a wide range of foods, Dr. Atkins believed through Atkins for Life, the misconceptions that his approach consisted only of eating red meat would be put to rest. His simple goal was that people would come to understand how to incorporate his controlled carbohydrate nutritional approach as the first step in gaining control of their nutritional out-of-control lives.
Millions of consumers who benefit from doing Atkins understand that the Atkins Nutritional Approach (ANA) is a very effective four phase nutritional approach. The ANA focuses on moving consumers from diets saturated with refined carbohydrates like sugar and white flour to a lifestyle of eating whole foods, emphasizing the consumption of nutrient dense foods like leafy vegetables and bringing into balance the consumption of proteins and fat.
Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of Atkins Health and Medical Information Services.
Totally untrue. As usual with the media covering the Atkins' Diet, words were taken out of context and misinformation was spewed. Typical and I've been watching this go on for the past 5 years.
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=115415
News Release
Monday 19 January 2004, 15:36 GMT Monday 19 January 2004
FOOD
Atkins Health and Medical Information Services.
Atkins has not changed
London, 19 January 2004 /PRNewswire/ -- - ATKINS NUTRITIONALS, INC. statement on The New York Times article, 'Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters'
NEW YORK, Jan. 19 - The January 18 article in The New York Times and the subsequent publicity is yet another dramatically inappropriate example of the media reporting on the media and perpetuating a false report on Atkins. This is a great disservice to the millions upon millions of Atkins followers who have been benefiting from this nutritional approach for over 30 years.
The accusation in today's media claiming that Atkins is retreating from its long held position on the consumption of fat is simply wrong. It is a false premise created by members of the media itself based on input from "experts" who apparently have never read any of Dr. Atkins books, nor have even casually browsed the Atkins web site "Atkins.com".
Atkins has not changed. The basic tenets of the Atkins Nutritional Approach, consistent since 1972, are control the intake of refined carbohydrates (like sugar and white flour), eat a balance of fats (including saturated fat but not trans fats) and a balance of proteins including red meat. Saturated fat remains a valuable part of the Atkins Nutritional Approach(TM). And, again, there is absolutely no science to support any claims that eating red meat and saturated fat as part of your Atkins program is anything other then beneficial. These protocols have been consistently reinforced as safe, effective and beneficial by 17 studies over the past three years.
Equally as important and equally as troubling, is the attempt once again by critics of Atkins to ignore fact, science and the clear messages stated in Dr. Atkins' own words over the past 32 years, in order to sensationalize the ANA as the "all-the-steak-you-can-eat" approach. This has never been true and the millions of followers and health care professionals who have read Dr. Atkins' books clearly understand this. We would urge anyone who is confused, including the media to simply read Atkins New Diet Revolution, Atkins For Life or visit our website (http://www.atkins.com/) rather than interpret Atkins on the basis of sensationalized reports based on hearsay and mischaracterization.
Even in the original 1972 Atkins Diet Revolution, Dr. Atkins explained, "Fat allows for enormous variety in your diet; that vital and best of all, it keeps you from feeling deprived. Of course, you aren't confined to steak, you can have almost any kind of meat, fish or fowl." He continued, "One of the biggest reasons this diet works so successfully is because you eat protein and fat ... "
Dr. Atkins made no secret of the fact that his methodology evolved over time as scientific discovery added new and useful information. His original 1972 book was re-written by Dr. Atkins three times exactly because he felt it his responsibility to keep people up to date as to the most recent and relevant information on controlled carbohydrate nutrition and health. In the 2002 edition of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, he wrote, "Eat either three regular-size meals a day or four to five smaller meals. Eat liberally of combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and red meat, as well as of pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils. Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases when hungry, eat the amount that makes your feel satisfied but not stuffed ... "
By providing followers with a lifelong strategy, including exercise and meal plans (at various carb thresholds) incorporating a wide range of foods, Dr. Atkins believed through Atkins for Life, the misconceptions that his approach consisted only of eating red meat would be put to rest. His simple goal was that people would come to understand how to incorporate his controlled carbohydrate nutritional approach as the first step in gaining control of their nutritional out-of-control lives.
Millions of consumers who benefit from doing Atkins understand that the Atkins Nutritional Approach (ANA) is a very effective four phase nutritional approach. The ANA focuses on moving consumers from diets saturated with refined carbohydrates like sugar and white flour to a lifestyle of eating whole foods, emphasizing the consumption of nutrient dense foods like leafy vegetables and bringing into balance the consumption of proteins and fat.
Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of Atkins Health and Medical Information Services.
dani21496
Cathlete
Jan 19th CNN article:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/01/19/atkins.reut/index.html
NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Promoters of the popular low-carbohydrate, high-fat Atkins diet are saying that people should limit their intake of saturated fat by cutting back on Atkins staples such as meat, cheese and butter, The New York Times reported on Sunday.
Responding to criticism from scientists that Atkins could lead to heart disease and other health problems, the director of research and education for Atkins Nutritionals, Colette Heimowitz, is telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a dieter's calories should come from saturated fat, the paper said.
Beef, pork, lamb and butter were on the list of "foods you may eat liberally" in diet founder Dr. Robert C. Atkins' plan. Atkins' original 1972 book, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," was contrary to the recommendations of most nutritional experts at the time. It has become increasingly popular since the 1992 publication of his book, "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution."
Atkins, who died last year, always maintained that people should eat other food besides red meat, but had trouble getting that message out, the paper said.
The change comes as new low-carb diets are gaining in popularity, with many calling for less saturated fats. The South Beach Diet is one such plan and has sold millions of copies of its book since its launch last year. The book is currently No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/01/19/atkins.reut/index.html
NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Promoters of the popular low-carbohydrate, high-fat Atkins diet are saying that people should limit their intake of saturated fat by cutting back on Atkins staples such as meat, cheese and butter, The New York Times reported on Sunday.
Responding to criticism from scientists that Atkins could lead to heart disease and other health problems, the director of research and education for Atkins Nutritionals, Colette Heimowitz, is telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a dieter's calories should come from saturated fat, the paper said.
Beef, pork, lamb and butter were on the list of "foods you may eat liberally" in diet founder Dr. Robert C. Atkins' plan. Atkins' original 1972 book, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," was contrary to the recommendations of most nutritional experts at the time. It has become increasingly popular since the 1992 publication of his book, "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution."
Atkins, who died last year, always maintained that people should eat other food besides red meat, but had trouble getting that message out, the paper said.
The change comes as new low-carb diets are gaining in popularity, with many calling for less saturated fats. The South Beach Diet is one such plan and has sold millions of copies of its book since its launch last year. The book is currently No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list.
Aquajock
Cathlete
Hi, Jenn!
There is a good section on Quackwatch.org on the Low Carbohydrate Diet system; a lengthy article by Dr. Stephen Barrett MD (I think) as well as links to other published studies of the low carb diet. I don't know how to print the link to the actual article here on this post, but instead go to:
www.quackwatch.org; then
scroll down the left-hand column to the Low Carbohydrate Diet(s) thingie and click on that.
Hope this helps -
A-Jock
There is a good section on Quackwatch.org on the Low Carbohydrate Diet system; a lengthy article by Dr. Stephen Barrett MD (I think) as well as links to other published studies of the low carb diet. I don't know how to print the link to the actual article here on this post, but instead go to:
www.quackwatch.org; then
scroll down the left-hand column to the Low Carbohydrate Diet(s) thingie and click on that.
Hope this helps -
A-Jock
I have to agree with you Mandif ... being an Atkins follower myself. A lot of people who criticize Atkins think we eat nothing but red meat and fat when that is the furthest thing from the truth. I have tried many different eating plans and diets and have to say I have had the most success with Atkins. Someone else on the other hand may have tried all the different programs I did and found success with somthing other than Atkins. I really believe it is an individual choice as to what works for you. When I last spoke up in favour of Atkins there was a lot of negative comments made about it which I really believe was unfair. A lot of people have found success with BFL, which when I tried it the scale would not move at all and I found it extremely frustrating. But for the people who are on BFL and it works for them .. way to go! I believe the key here is finding a plan that works for you and sticking with it. Here's a link to a site which helped me a lot when I was unsure ... http://forum.lowcarber.org/ ... It not only talks about Atkins but other topics as well and provides views on the pros and the cons. Just my two cents for all it's worth
I think I made my point:
>http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=115415
>
>News Release
>Monday 19 January 2004, 15:36 GMT Monday 19 January 2004
>FOOD
>Atkins Health and Medical Information Services.
>
Not an independent source. The point is that the Atkins group is doing a back-step around saturated fat.
I'll retreat now, as I really don't want to engage in a cyber cat fight.
Debra
>http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=115415
>
>News Release
>Monday 19 January 2004, 15:36 GMT Monday 19 January 2004
>FOOD
>Atkins Health and Medical Information Services.
>
Not an independent source. The point is that the Atkins group is doing a back-step around saturated fat.
I'll retreat now, as I really don't want to engage in a cyber cat fight.
Debra
Interesting link
Sample diet from Atkins books had 60% of calories from fat??
Ignoring the Atkins issue, the website looks interesting. Can hardly wait to explore some of the other articles.
Annette, as alway, you're a wonderful resouce of science over pop.
(hope the nicotine withdrawal is progressing.)
Debra
Sample diet from Atkins books had 60% of calories from fat??
Ignoring the Atkins issue, the website looks interesting. Can hardly wait to explore some of the other articles.
Annette, as alway, you're a wonderful resouce of science over pop.
(hope the nicotine withdrawal is progressing.)
Debra
Here's a thread I found on another forum that has a lot of info (pro's & con's):
http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/Forum38/HTML/001512.html
It's long, and some of the posters make statements without really backing them up with scientific evidence, but a couple of them post links to scientific research. Pay particular attention to posts by "viver"; they make a lot of sense.
HTH
http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/Forum38/HTML/001512.html
It's long, and some of the posters make statements without really backing them up with scientific evidence, but a couple of them post links to scientific research. Pay particular attention to posts by "viver"; they make a lot of sense.
HTH
Aquajock
Cathlete
RE: To Mandyf, Ellis and MichS:
Maybe we should segue to another, less volatile topic like abortion rights or gay marriage . . .
Actually, I do have a question for Mandy, Ellis and Michs:
It shows from your posts that you have had good experiences with the Atkins diet, including over the long term. In fact, a co-worker of mine has also slimmed down quite noticeably over the past few months, and credits the Atkins diet for that although I've never really asked her what her menu choices are.
I would appreciate it if each of you could outline what your current workout program looks like, in terms of number of sessions per week and modes of exercise (i.e. cardio, strength, muscle endurance) as well as how much you rely on Cathe workouts and which ones. Since this is a forum created by and for exercisers, I for one am curious as to what exercise protocols Atkins customers prefer and do.
TIA -
A-Jock
Maybe we should segue to another, less volatile topic like abortion rights or gay marriage . . .
Actually, I do have a question for Mandy, Ellis and Michs:
It shows from your posts that you have had good experiences with the Atkins diet, including over the long term. In fact, a co-worker of mine has also slimmed down quite noticeably over the past few months, and credits the Atkins diet for that although I've never really asked her what her menu choices are.
I would appreciate it if each of you could outline what your current workout program looks like, in terms of number of sessions per week and modes of exercise (i.e. cardio, strength, muscle endurance) as well as how much you rely on Cathe workouts and which ones. Since this is a forum created by and for exercisers, I for one am curious as to what exercise protocols Atkins customers prefer and do.
TIA -
A-Jock
Hi A-Jock and all others who actually answered my post with respect and informative answers.....
I actually posted this question here, as I have been a member here for over 3 years and have found that there are a number of people here with a wealth of information regarding nutrition, exercise and overall health concerns. I have a neice who is trying to do a research paper on the pros and cons of Low Carb diets, and she found that alot of the information she was finding was atleast 2 years old. And there had been alot of controversey regarding the duration of most of the studies regarding the Atkins diet. So natuarlly I turned to this forum with hopes to get some input from those people that would probably know where I might find current up to date information for my neice. So once again, for those of you who were a great help in providing some great links...THANK YOU.....and to those of you who have nothing better to do than write garbage.....spend that wasted energy on exercise rather than wasting space on this great website, for those of us who try to support and encourage one another in a positive manner!!!
I actually posted this question here, as I have been a member here for over 3 years and have found that there are a number of people here with a wealth of information regarding nutrition, exercise and overall health concerns. I have a neice who is trying to do a research paper on the pros and cons of Low Carb diets, and she found that alot of the information she was finding was atleast 2 years old. And there had been alot of controversey regarding the duration of most of the studies regarding the Atkins diet. So natuarlly I turned to this forum with hopes to get some input from those people that would probably know where I might find current up to date information for my neice. So once again, for those of you who were a great help in providing some great links...THANK YOU.....and to those of you who have nothing better to do than write garbage.....spend that wasted energy on exercise rather than wasting space on this great website, for those of us who try to support and encourage one another in a positive manner!!!
I am not sure whether offended posters on this thread refer to Wayne's contribution as "helpful and informative" or if it falls into the other, unmentionable category.
I, for one, find it to be one of the most sensible, cut-through-the-bullshit contributions I have read on the forums for a long time. Thanks Wayne for some straight-up common sense that was not aimed at undermining anybody.
Eat to live, and enjoy it!
Clare
I, for one, find it to be one of the most sensible, cut-through-the-bullshit contributions I have read on the forums for a long time. Thanks Wayne for some straight-up common sense that was not aimed at undermining anybody.
Eat to live, and enjoy it!
Clare