Anyone doing or done the Atkins Diet?

[smom1976]

Quote:
my husband is doing this.. he is loosing lots of weight.. low carb but more rounded..

there is a book... there are also meals in the freezer section.. they are around 2.50 each and we stocked up on a bunch of those and suplemented with the book. Portion control is the best thing that he has gotten out of those meals... he will snack on almonds, or a cheese stick..

 

[VaM715]

I've done both Atkins and South Beach. Lost 68 lbs on Atkns and 46 on South Beach. This was over a period of 3 years. Atkins in my favorite as I'm a meat and potatoes guy. BUT and this is a BIG BUT>>>> the minute your go off and start cosuming Carbs, the weight JUMPS back on. South Beach gives you more variety and enforces the portion control a little better. I have learned its all about portion control and exercise. Eat slow and give the brain time to catch up and tell you that's enough. It's not what you eat, but when and how much and exercise in moderation.
My 2 cents.

 

[MissPrissy]

It is not a no carb diet. It is a low carb diet. You have to find the natural place inwhich your body uses X number of carbs without gaining weight. There ae good and bad carbs. You have to weed out the bad ones and stick with the good ones.

I prefer a nice spinach salad with assorted veggies and a drizzle of dressing for 10 carbs or less than to blow then entire thing on 1 slice of bread. It is all about learning your choices.

 

[ginasmarans]

I am following a plan similar to Atkins,but not quite. I am eating foods with a low glycemic index, a system designed for diabetics. I am not diabetic,but it makes sense-keep your blood sugar level steady,thus not sending your body into fat storage mode. This morning -for breakfast- I had a cup of whole milk and a slice each of turkey and cheese,rolled up. I avoid simple carbs and limit complex carbs. Moderation is the key. Meats or fats don't have a glycemic effect,but too much are not good for other parts of the body. I have lost 16 lbs in the last 6 weeks. 2 weeks ago I was re-measured and lost 1 inch in my arms,2 1/2 inches in my chest,4 inches in my waist,and 2 inches in my hips. My body fat index went down 1%. I don't feel deprived and I don't crave sugar. Dr. Sherry Lieberman wrote the book.

 

[Lunachick]

Quote:
Dr Atkins slipped on an icy sidewalk in NYC and banged his head. He was in a coma and on heavy meds, which made him bloat, which probably caused a problem with his heart, after all. Then he died. I do the Atkins. You have to read the Atkins 'bible' to understand how it works. Good luck whatever you choose.

 

[Chickfever]

I started yesterday. We'll see how this goes in 2 wks. Anyone want to be updated?

 

[MissPrissy]

I would be interested in how you physically do daily. For me the first 2 weeks set me off balance. sort of a slight woozy feeling and headaches off and on. It is the toxins coming out of your system from no refined and processed sugars and flours in many foods. I would like to know what you do to combat cravings, and what point in your day the cravings are the worst.

 

[Chickfever]

Quote:
Even though today is my second day, the headaches have already started. I had them the last time I tried this and had to quit. I assumed they were from trying to cut out caffeine and with everything that goes on here, I couldn't take it. So this time, I'm drinking diet Mtn. Dew (might I add I'm severely addicted) and I think it is one of the worst tasting things I've ever encountered in my life so I only drank one 24 oz bottle yesterday instead of the 2+ liters I normally drink.

I know there's a lull in energy either today or tomorrow or both, but I actually feel normal so far. It's not like I ever get to rest anyway (with 5 small children - 2 in school, 1 in sports, 3 at home all day, a mini farm, a household, who could?

). I did some exercises yesterday and still had about the same amt of energy afterwards. I did take a nap around 2 which is unusual for me but I accredited it to knowing someone was here to watch the kids so I could relax and not sleeping the previous 3 nights because of staying up with a 1 yr old with a fever.

Cravings, only time was when there were potatoes put in front of me. I love potatoes

. Then again when a lemon dessert was opened. I took a small nibble from my little girls lemon dessert and that was it. I'm not a big sweet fanatic anyway, I just love Mtn. Dew. I like to snack after we get the kids to bed, sometime around 10 so that was probably my hardest time yesterday. I had some dinner leftovers so I ate them slowly while drinking the rest of that too sweet Mtn. Dew and it filled me up.

 

[Reinbeau]

Diets don't work. Changing your relationship with food does. As does increasing your movement. People are always looking for the silver bullet that's going to help them lose weight - you've all got the silver bullet, but many don't want to use it. Eat more veggies and fruit. Protein is necessary but eat it in moderation. Cut out refined sugars, white flour, white rice, etc and focus on whole grain products, flours, breads, etc. Note this doesn't mean you can't eat a sweet treat once in awhile (notice I said 'a' sweet treat - not the whole package!), there are goodies made with whole grains. Avoid highly processed, packaged 'foods', the garbage that fills the grocery store is sold to make them money, not to nourish your body or your family! Avoid high fructose corn syrup (read the labels). The stuff is no good for you, it's only good for corporate profits.

We like to eat, we just need to eat the right foods. As Michael Poulan says in his new book, In Defense of Food:

Eat food. Not a lot. Mostly plants.

You can't go on these diets and go off them and maintain the results. You need to stop thinking of diets and start eating good food.

And move! Walking three miles a day, working up to 15 minute miles, will help you lose 18 lbs in a year - and that's without changing your diet. Make good food choices and you'll lose even more.

I know it sounds like I'm preaching, I don't mean to, but it's really as basic as what I've outlined. No pill is going to take the place of good food. There's no easy way out, you need to change how you eat, forever.

 

[MissPrissy]

One thing I do know about the atkins diet - it takes super will power for the first 2 weeks.

The diet drinks may be your biggest down fall in this first 2 weeks. There is some indication now that artificial sweetners do cause some insuline dumping which prevents getting your body into ketosis to burn the fat. Caffeine in these drinks is probably worse than the sweeteners. Caffeine causes huge insulin dumps. I learned this in a diabetes class when the doctor thought I might be borderline diabetic in my last pregnancy. Stick to water and unsweetened tea and follow the food recommendations as close as possible.

The headaches I had often brought me to tears but once you get through those 2 weeks you'll find it is worth it.

The headaches are a result of coming off your addictions to certain food items. If you can't break the additictions the diet doesn't work very well. Think about it this way - if you feel this bad coming off diet drinks, processed sugars, refined flours, not to mention all sorts of dyes and fillers - obviously they can't be very good for you to keep consuming them. Mt. Dew has one of the highest caffeine levels. It was the 1970's and 1980's version of Jolt and Surge. I would bet you are addicted to the high caffeine in the drink.

Do you have the urine test strips to test if you are going into ketosis and at what level?

Good luck and try not to drink those diet drinks.