What do you think of Atkins?

[urmaniac13]

I apologise if this subject has already been discussed, I have a feeling it already has... I haven't been in the US for several years so I haven't been directly confronted by this seemingly celebrated "Atkins Diet" hype, and it has come to my consciousness rather belatedly... how popular is it really over there now? The idea of the "Low carbohydrate diet" just sound absurd to me, and very misleading. It is true that we tend to consume too much "processed" carbo, and this must be better cut down, but the flatout attack on "carbohydrates" can really send a wrong message and it is not positive. Carbohydrate is one of the essential requirements in our dietary intake, and to give general public an impression to avoid it can do more harm than good, or at least it seems to me. Also another problem associated with many carbohydrate based foods, like pasta, rice, and potatoes, is due to the fact that they are too often cooked and prepared with loads of saturated fat, so the issue should be focused on how you prepare them, at the same time about concentrating more on complex carbohydrates. That is my personal impression, and what is your opinon about this Atkins Diet?

 

[Robo410]

not much, there are many good carbs the body needs. loose weight with push aways and exercize

 

[Raine]

I don't think it is as popular as it was. We tried it and it is very boring after a few weeks. I only managed to lose 5 pounds. Weight Watchers works best for us in losing weight.

 

[jkath]

urmaniac, you are correct. It's just hype. I'd never follow a diet anyway. It's best to just be sensible with your eating.
The best diet in the world is to eat foods the way folks did 100 years ago, before everything could be ordered from a drive-thru. Someone in my family went on this diet and ended up with kidney problems.

(PS - Atkins also stated that eating fruit was bad! How ridiculous!)

 

[SizzlininIN]

I worked with a girl that was on this diet. Granted she did lose a lot of weight.....too much in my opinion but she also started loosing her hair........the bad thing was she had really thin hair to begin with. Eat sensibly and exercise.

 

[urmaniac13]

I am really with you, jkath. I don't believe in any of those fad diets you would only end up with yo yo syndrome like Oprah, not to mention other side effects on your health. The sensible eating and regular exercise is just the way to go, it is much more of a matter of life style that you can comfortably follow throughout your life, not just a temporary immediate solution... I also heard about his ridiculous view on fruits, that is one of many things made me raise my eye brows about him... I am glad I am not the only one, and hope this "trend" will die out eventually!!

 

[Andy M.]

If you know that the Atkins company declared bankrupcy recently, your question is answered.

I believe if you want to lose weight, all you have to do is consume fewer calories and burn more calories. The keyes are portion control and exercise.

 

[urmaniac13]

If you know that the Atkins company declared bankrupcy recently, your question is answered.

Aaaaah, that's the way ah ha ah ha, I like it, ah ha ah ha!!

 

[Constance]

I have a friend who is always on some special diet kick. Thing being, she's not at all fat, and in great shape as she cleans houses for a living. I have finally convinced her she NEEDS some carbs to stay healthy.
Any diet that totally cuts out one food group cannot be good for you. I think the best thing is to eat a well balanced diet, limit sweets and fats, and get some exercise.
And be sure to splurge once in a while...it does the soul good.

 

[jennyema]

Any diet where it's ok to eat bacon but not vegetables is just CrAzY !

 

[Andy M.]

...Any diet that totally cuts out one food group cannot be good for you...QUOTE]

I absolutely agree. The beauty of portion control and counting calories is that you can eat any food from any food group as long as you are careful about how much of it you eat.

 

[corazon]

I think it's just nuts to cut out carbs but it's still okay to eat heavy cream?! Carbs are important, but I think the reason people think they are "bad" is because they eat white bread and white rice. Whole grains are very good for you. Maybe the reason atkins was so popular is because it is a good excuse to eat bacon and whipped cream.

 

[Zereh]

Eating 30-40-40 is still the best way to make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs.

If paying attention to carbs, you're much better off using the glycemic index to help you choose which carbs give you the best bang for your buck.

There was a time that anyone who dared say anything bad about Atkins was chastised, even on this board. =P I'm glad to see that opinions have changed.


Z

 

[middie]

i have a friend who lost 100 pounds doing atkins.
i however failed at it miserably. it's too hard to
stick to when you work in a bakery and you get hungry !!!

 

[Andy M.]

Long term results for Atkins showed that after a year, people were putting the weight back on. It's very hard to make the major lifestyle change of cutting carbs so dramatically. Of course, some folks did it with great success and that's great.

 

[ArticKatt]

I watch the carbs I eat. And I eat more protien then most people do. I need more protien then most people and am very carb senitive. But having said that I watch what I eat I try not to eat to many starchy foods and I try to cut sugar out of my diet as much as I can. I eat fruit and other more complex carbs. I am losing weight not as fast as I would like but I am losing it. But I don't go without carbs as atkins suggests. this can be very hard on the body and cause kidney failour if your not drinking enough water. Also when someone is very over weight there are often other medical conditions that need to be watched for. One thing I do find I cant eat is bread and other wheat products. I don't have celiac disease but wheat is hard on me. I get the runs and gain weight when I eat it. forget losing if I don't restrict the wheat I eat big time. and no yeast that is also hard on my body so no beer. I do drink other things though

 

[kleenex]

I want CARBS!!!! About the only low carb food item I tasted that was any good was a carb considers New York Style Bagel.

BUTTT that food item actually had the most carbs listed out of any food product that had a low carb label on it.

 

[Lugaru]

I want CARBS!!!! About the only low carb food item I tasted that was any good was a carb considers New York Style Bagel.

BUTTT that food item actually had the most carbs listed out of any food product that had a low carb label on it.

Same here.

I did the atkins and it worked... I was losing weight and felt very good. BUT I NEEDED MY BEANS AND TORTILLAS! Grr... barely lasted two months before I caved in and had a real mexican meal.

 

[Rob Babcock]

BEWARE! There's a lot of ignorance and nonsense out there concerning Atkin's Diet. If you decide to try it, read the book- don't listen to a lot of guys running their mouth that don't know what they're talking about.

I've found Atkin's Diet to be wonderful- I've been at it for two years and have lost (and kept off) over 100 lbs. And I've probably never been in better health. Only you can decide if it's for you, but for God's sake, don't listen to people who tell you it's "all bacon and no veggies"!

 

[Piccolina]

If you know that the Atkins company declared bankrupcy recently, your question is answered.

Thanks Andy, that made my night!

My 2 wee pennies would be this...It is plainly obvious that not everyone has the same metabolism! (Let alone a zillion other lifestyle/medical/personal factors.) What works for one may fail (often miserably) for another person. Besides carbs and proteins there are a lot of things you have to look at when evaluating your diet.

For example, do you have any food intolerances, food allergies, medical conditions that you "eat for", vitamin requirements, age considerations (this would sort of cover if you were pregnant too), or religious dietary requirements?

I like to keep my processed foods to a minimum, I wouldn't go so far as to say that I eat a "whole food diet" but it has been years since I drank a soda. I don't eat too much meat, and what I do is typically very lean. It might sound cliché but if the recipe rocks, you rarely miss meat.

To me food has to have a certain level of pleasure, this doesn't have to mean gravy ladled over fatty meats or deep fried foods, nor does it per se mean a limp green salad or a lone, naked potato. Food is about more than just what it does or doesn't provide our body with (though of course these are truly important points). Eating should never become a dread, a burden or a chore.

We've all known that size 4/6 who could down burgers and ice cream like they were water, but this isn't the norm - and the truth is that being (very) thin is not always a sign of "perfect health". Things like high blood pressure, diabetes and hypoglycaemia can affect anyone of any size.

I've never tried Atkins, and I doubt I ever will, though I have experimented with carb levels. Like most of us I've had friends who loss weight on the diet. But if you look closer there is usually more behind it. Such as one friend who turned to a high protein diet and started increasing his heavy weight training. he slimed down, but the weight turned to muscle (the desired result, but he was exhusted all the time). In another case (a friend of a friend) was actually on the verge of an eating disorder, as her protein meal was rarely more than a one small meal a day. Just two examples, though, not to instill the wrong impression. I do commend those who managed to lose weight on Atkins - I truly hope you are able to keep it off!

Just use common sense, as most doctors note carbs are necessary in the long run to a healthy diet