Atkins Diet


Beo-wulf

Beo-wulf

Guide
Bushclass I
Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Messages
3,660
Likes
292
Location
Native Texan living in Indiana
I am going on the Atkins Diet. I enjoyed reading the Caveman Diet thread. Actually I have been studying, planning, and getting ready for a couple of months now. PLan to start the first of the year, but I have already cut way down on my carbs and cut out a lot of processed stuff, and I am eating more vegetables. I have never rally been on a "diet" before, don't really need to lose a lot of weight, maybe 10-15 pounds. I just wanna live more healthy and feel better. For me, Atkins is more of a livestyle change, and I see no reason why I can't keep up this diet while camping, etc. I know I am opening myself up for all kinds of feed back here, but hey, thats why we post on forums right?
 
Last edited:
Ive been thinking about doing that... Mostly I just want to see what it's like I don't really have to lose that much weight but maybe I might try it in 2012...
 
I've had 3 sets of married clients perform either "amazingly" or "pretty well" on Atkins over the past 3 years or so.

they all know each other...both spouses are on it....and they share with each other what's what at church and the ladies walk together....

there's obviously a lot of good stuff in they way they worked it out...but as someone who visits them about 2 times year... I gotta tell you...some of them.... I barely recognized them!

They are all very happy and like you said it's a "lifestyle change" for all of them.

Wishing you the best of success, Robert! (if you get hungry, are your leather sheaths ok to eat? :D )
 
the atkins diet is a bad Idea... Its not healthy. you can wreck your kidneys, liver and heart eating like that.... there are no short cuts. the trick is good old fashion exercise, eating your fruits and veggies and eating less calories then you use... also you need to watch that you keep your sugar levels within the therapeutic range... too high of blood sugar from bengeing and its bad .... you store it as fat. Too low of blood sugar and your body thinks its starveing so it retains fat .... Best to eat small meals regularly... no carbs three hours before bed... biggest meal in the morning... its a lifestyle change... your body keeps most of its fat cells for life.... they just shrink... so the second you start eating junk again your fat comes back.... anyways thats my two cents worth good luck on the diet... please be careful.
[url]http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=51827[/URL]
 
I lost 40 lbs in 4 months on the Adkins diet. That was in 1999-2000, 12 years later, I haven't gained it back.
Be sure to follow the supplement/vitamin guidelines outlined in the book, and you will be good to go.
 
Paleo is healthier than Atkins (in phase 1) if you follow "The New Atkins" by phase 4 you are pretty much doing the Paleo diet. Paleo lends more towards "real foods" than Atkins does. I cook regular and have been doing Paleo for a about a year now and got rid of over processed foods even before that. So, if you need some recipes or if you have a recipe, pm me I may have already tried it and can save you the trouble of guinea pigging new stuff. Good luck brother in you new life change and you will find plenty of support on here for whatever you choose.
 
I've been on the Atkins lifestyle over 3 years. I'm down 70 lbs. Very similar to the Paleo diet , but more strict with carbs. I love it , live it and owe my life and good health to it. :dblthumb:

3 years ago = borderline diabetic , high BP . bad liver , gout..
My doctor was a skeptic. I proved him wrong and he saw my test results to prove it.

Now , ALL READINGS NORMAL.
I feel like I'm 30 again. I'm 49.

Edit to add: bushcraft/trail food is even easier for me !!
Good luck Beo-wolf with your new lifestyle venture. Atkins is launching a new forum revision now as well. Good advice on there and lots of tips.
 
Last edited:
I lost about 40 pounds on Atkins before I got married (then gained it all back starting on the honeymoon cruise, lol), it can really work for you. People tend to assume it is a unhealthy diet but it can really be as healthy as you want it to be, I ate more salads and better balanced meals when on it.
 
Hiwa said:
I've been on the Atkins lifestyle over 3 years. I'm down 70 lbs. Very similar to the Paleo diet , but more strict with carbs. I love it , live it and owe my life and good health to it. :dblthumb:

3 years ago = borderline diabetic , high BP . bad liver , gout..
My doctor was a skeptic. I proved him wrong and he saw my test results to prove it.

Now , ALL READINGS NORMAL.
I feel like I'm 30 again. I'm 49.
Click to expand...

Dude, that is pretty awesome! Paleo pushes lower carbs if you are trying to loose weight and introduce "Healthy" carbs as you reach your goal weight. Atkins phase 4 is a pretty dang healthy lifestyle.
 
Jeffrey29584 said:
Dude, that is pretty awesome! Paleo pushes lower carbs if you are trying to loose weight and introduce "Healthy" carbs as you reach your goal weight. Atkins phase 4 is a pretty dang healthy lifestyle.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I love it. I've been on ph. 4 for a while now. My CCLL is about 40 ; I can have fruits and lots of veggies now and either stay stable or still slowly lose. I want to go down another 20 lbs though but it's slower now than my 1st. Atkins I did 12 years ago ( plus I'm older and metabolizm slows)

I am so familiar with the glycemic index and carb content of most foods that I don't even count carbs anymore. I just know what I can eat to stay healthy and not gain weight back.
 
Last edited:
I lost 30 lbs on Atkins and felt so much better, slept better and all aspects of my life were better. I have stopped the diet due to personal issues and getting lazy about it but I only gained back 10lbs. I will start it again after this weekends Christmas festivities.

The first couple of weeks was hard for me because of a high carb diet I had before, after that I didnt even crave snacks or sugar loaded products, it was pretty cool.
 
Good luck Beo!

I was told by someone who was on the atkin's diet that you can't eat carrots. Is that true?
 
There are two types of Atkins: the way people ~think~ it works and how it really works.

It's nearly all veg, no grains and decent meat for the first phase, then introduces grains again (whole, healthy, little-processed grains) later on. The initial is kinda harsh, but it's meant as a temporary cleansing stage...and it works!!!

Wife and I went on it several months ago. I lost about ten pounds, a LOT of swelling I didn't know I had, intestinal emissions ceased and I felt better than I had...ever. And that was cheating on taters and bread every couple days. We went off of it because it's expensive and the holidays...ya' know. Well, I can't wait to get back on it. Christmas day is my last day imbibing processed grains. I've got me two decent pizzas in the fridge...I'm banned at "family" anything, so Christmas is gonna be just me, the couch and pizza this year...then I'm back on the wagon cuz I'm tired of being fat, tired, lethargic and hurting.

Yes, it's more expensive and a bit difficult if you don't have ready access to decent produce, but I'm willing to live with that. I've not found anything that works as well.

Oh, and detractors state that Dr. Atkins died prematurely...yeah, he did...in an accident. no diet will stave off a broken neck...but it can work on diabetes, so I'm all over that!
 
Well from my knowledge (which is only hearsay from other people I know who have tried it) Atkins is a very useful diet for weight loss. Just be careful. It is easy, or so I hear, to not get all of the things you need since you limit certain foods. However, you said that you have been doing research for a few months so you probably know how to deal with this WAY better than I do.
Good luck on the diet and kudos to you for making the commitment.
 
Fats, carbs and sugar are prime calorie sources.
Proteins are not.
If you consume lean meats, you require more calories to digest them than they provide.
The required calories can come from other items in the diet or from stored calories [body fat].
Reduce dietary calorie sources and consume lean meats and you will burn body fat.
In an extreme form the result is known in the North American ethnographic literature as "rabbit starvation". [consumption of lean animal protein in late winter with few if any good calorie sources] Once body fat as a calorie source is low, you start to metabolize your inner organs - which can kill you.
 
Last edited:
johnsonga said:
Fats, carbs and sugar are prime calorie sources.
Proteins are not.
If you consume lean meats, you require more calories to digest them than they provide.
The required calories can come from other items in the diet or from stored calories [body fat].
Reduce dietary calorie sources and consume lean meats and you will burn body fat. True

In an extreme form the result is known in the North American ethnographic literature as "rabbit starvation". [consumption of lean animal protein in late winter with few if any good calorie sources] Once body fat as a calorie source is low, you start to metabolize your inner organs - which can kill you.
Click to expand...

Come on, really?? That is called starvation! On this diet you will be full and still lose weight. I find it funny how people who have never read the book (Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution) or tried the diet, can come on here and speak as if they know what they are talking about.

Humans survived on high protein foods (wild game), without processed foods (high carb) for millions of years. This diet is high protein, LOW carb and if you stick to it you will be happier.

BTW, I didnt find it more expensive, I spent the same amount but spent it on different stuff.
 
I was on a strict Paleo diet for about a year, then started to incorporate potatoes and yams and even raw milk after awhile. I think anything is better than the "Standard American Diet" and diets are really about finding out what works for you and tweaking it. If your interested in trying out Atkins, then i say go for it! I think after awhile you'll either find it works or it doesn't, and if it doesn't, you shouldn't be discouraged, just keep adjusting foods and trying things, and see what works or doesn't. Like some people are more sensitive to even light starches or dairy (ie slowing down or stopping weight loss). I found that on Paleo, i was allergic to nuts, so i cut those out. But i noticed that potato starches didn't really affect me much in terms of weight, so i incorporated them. The hardest part is just getting over those initial carb cravings (like spaghetti and pizza), but just make a plan and stick with it for 3 weeks, and then you'll see that you are no longer getting those carb cravings. I still have treats but i try to limit them to non wheat based treats. Also, i find that there are plenty of "replacement" type meals that you can use that are low carb but mimic those old pasta / wheat based meals. Like using spaghetti squash in lieu of pasta, or using coconut and flaxseed flour to make a kind of pizza dough. There are tons of recipes and ideas out there on youtube and google. I just wanted to pass on my encouragement and support and wish you good luck!
 
Yes - really

Inuit [Eskimo] can thrive on an 'all meat' diet - of which a significant component is blubber or other animal fat - the critical calorie source.
 
Atkins diet can be a very effective tool in dropping weight IF you do it properly. However, it is not without risks.

If you are going to do it, get the book and read it to understand it. DO NOT do as most folks do and just go by "word of mouth" and just eat high fat/high protein food and think it will work. Do it the right way.

One tool that I used that you can pick up from your local pharmacy is urine test strips. They have little chemical coated paper strips that you can pee on that will tell you, based on color, whether or not you are in ketosis. These are a good way to determine when you start whether you are where you need to be and it a good reinforcement while in ketosis that you are where you need to be.

Now, one one major word of CAUTION! (sorry about yelling, but this is important.)

When you intend to go off the hardcore ketosis phase and start bringing carbs back into your diet, do so VERY, VERY gradually.

I used Atkins diet about 5 times over several years and dropped about 40 lbs. By the end of my last stint, I was in my late 30s and weighed less than I did when I graduated high school. The last time that I was using the diet I did not go off the diet gradually. Due to a high stress project w/ work, being in the field and not having the availability of food to transition properly, I went off ketosis rapidly (think eating hoagies, coke, chips and maybe even a candy bar in there somewhere.) I've been paying for this for the past 5 years and will for the rest of my life.

By the end of that day, my one foot and lower leg swelled up to the size of my lower thigh. It stayed this way for weeks. The swelling went down a lot over time, but my foot was swollen for over two years. I was also getting 5 week long headaches, funky heart beats, sore joints and a whole raft of other symptoms. After much poking and prodding by a dozen different doctors after the third year, I figured out on my own that it was behaving similarly to gout, but on a larger scale.

Now, five years later, I'm back to near normal physically, but I'm on a very restricted (and boring) diet just to avoid pain, swelling and other weirdness. My rheumatologist and I aren't sure if this was caused by the Atkins diet or if it was something hereditary that I was going to get anyway that was just triggered by the diet. Either way, it sucks. I used to be the Energizer Bunny and could eat and drink anything. Now I live on rice, tomato soup and some veggies and my activity level is around 85% of what it used to be on a good day and my duration is greatly reduced. And I'm only in my early 40s.

I'm not telling you not to do Atkins. As I said, it is effective. Just know that the physiological processes that you will be messing with can be just as dangerous as a knife or a gun if handled irresponsibly. I only wish I would have had someone to tell me this five years ago.

Good luck with it if you do it.
 
johncarbaugh said:
"cut out a lot of processed stuff"
Dose that mean no more SPAM :eek:
Click to expand...

I think I can factor in a little Spam. As most of y'all know. I am not really overweight and I am in very good shape for my age. I just wanna live even more healthy and I figure if I cut out 80% of the "bad" stuff I am eating now (which is not very much) I'll be doing even better.

I have already cut 75% of my carbs over the last 6 weeks.
 
JC1 said:
Come on, really?? That is called starvation! On this diet you will be full and still lose weight. I find it funny how people who have never read the book (Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution) or tried the diet, can come on here and speak as if they know what they are talking about.

Humans survived on high protein foods (wild game), without processed foods (high carb) for millions of years. This diet is high protein, LOW carb and if you stick to it you will be happier.

BTW, I didnt find it more expensive, I spent the same amount but spent it on different stuff.
Click to expand...

I bought the book some time back. In my "investigation stage". The wife has read most of it and I have read a lot of it. I also have read a lot from other sources.

I new when I started this I was going to get ALL KINDS of "advice".
As with all post, we read, we are thankful for good discussion, even opposing views, then we make up our own minds and do the best we can.
 
I new when I started this I was going to get ALL KINDS of "advice".
As with all post, we read, we are thankful for good discussion, even opposing views, then we make up our own minds and do the best we can.[/QUOTE]

Well said!!!
 
I'm convinced that Paleo is a more healthy way to live than Atkins. In your case you don't seem very overweight to start with. I would take a second look at Paleo as you need those fruits and vegetables to be really healthy.
 
I just (within the past two weeks) stopped Atlkins, so I'll give you my experience on it.

I started Atkins with a goal of losing 30 pounds. I started with the Induction phase and I kept accurate track of everything I ate during that time (I used FitDay online because it's free and it appears to be pretty accurate). During the first week I lost 10 pounds. I kept my carbs below the levels for Induction and I was getting the majority of my carbs from the vegetables, just like they advise for that stage. One thing I will add is I did suffer the "Atkin's flu" the first week. My legs and neck ached and I felt tired and gassed pretty easily during exercise. It only lasted about 5 days and it wasn't unbearable or anything, but I didn't feel good during that week...

The second week I lost absolutely 0 pounds and I had changed nothing. I'm analytical by nature, so I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that nothing had changed. I was consuming the same carbs/calories/fat that I did the first week and my exercise routine was identical to the previous week.

The third week was the same as the second. No weight loss at all. Same diet, same exercise. No results.

After the third week, I switched to a 'normal' diet. I ate standard amounts of carbs and just watched my overall calorie/fat intake and kept those down to diet portions. I've lost another 6 pounds since I switched (just over a week ago), but my exercise regimen fell off because I got a cold and just haven't felt like exercising. My big fear was that all of my weight loss would be water weight that I would gain back once I introduced carbs back into my diet, but so far that hasn't happened.

Overall, even though I had mixed results, I'd certainly recommend it. It does give you a different perspective on types of food and I am crediting it with jump starting my weight loss. I don't know that I would personally want it as a lifestyle, but there are probably a lot worse choices too.

Good luck with your weight loss, regardless of your choice!
 
Last edited:
TX expat said:
I just (within the past two weeks) stopped Atlkins, so I'll give you my experience on it.

I started Atkins with a goal of losing 30 pounds. I started with the Induction phase and I kept accurate track of everything I ate during that time (I used FitDay online because it's free and it appears to be pretty accurate). During the first week I lost 10 pounds. I kept my carbs below the levels for Induction and I was getting the majority of my carbs from the vegetables, just like they advise for that stage. One thing I will add is I did suffer the "Atkin's flu" the first week. My legs and neck ached and I felt tired and gassed pretty easily during exercise. It only lasted about 5 days and it wasn't unbearable or anything, but I didn't feel good during that week...

The second week I lost absolutely 0 pounds and I had changed nothing. I'm analytical by nature, so I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that nothing had changed. I was consuming the same carbs/calories/fat that I did the first week and my exercise routine was identical to the previous week.

The third week was the same as the second. No weight loss at all. Same diet, same exercise. No results.

After the third week, I switched to a 'normal' diet. I ate standard amounts of carbs and just watched my overall calorie/fat intake and kept those down to diet portions. I've lost another 6 pounds since I switched (just over a week ago), but my exercise regimen fell off because I got a cold and just haven't felt like exercising. My big fear was that all of my weight loss would be water weight that I would gain back once I introduced carbs back into my diet, but so far that hasn't happened.

Overall, even though I had mixed results, I'd certainly recommend it. It does give you a different perspective on types of food and I am crediting it with jump starting my weight loss. I don't know that I would personally want it as a lifestyle, but there are probably a lot worse choices too.

Good luck with your weight loss, regardless of your choice!
Click to expand...

Did you read the entire book? 3 weeks is not long enough for you to call it quits and stop the diet. You should have moved onto phase two
 
Default
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peacelovingirl View Post
the atkins diet is a bad Idea... Its not healthy. ....
I tend to agree with that.

based on what evidence?


I haven't figured out the multi quote thing yet so please bare (or is it bear?) with me.
 
Last edited:
JC1 said:
Did you read the entire book? 3 weeks is not long enough for you to call it quits and stop the diet. You should have moved onto phase two
Click to expand...

No, I didn't read the book I used their website as a guide. The website said after your second week of induction, you could move on to phase two but it also said that you could stay in induction longer if you wanted to continue to lose weight at a slightly higher rate. Nowhere on anything that I read on the Atkins site said anything about moving on to phase two if I totally stop losing weight on induction...

I'm not knocking the diet in the least, it just didn't work exactly the way it was supposed to with me. Not every body type is going to respond the exact same way to metabolic changes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top