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The Atkins Diet


redrum

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I'm curious if anyone here is currently doing it? I was having coffee at McDonald's about 2 weeks ago and an older woman comes in and shows me the Atkins diet book and asked if I would be interested in reading it just to see what I would think. Of course I was skeptical as I have tried dieting too many times before and it's always failed. As I read the book I really began to get interested and I started the diet last Tuesday. The first 2 weeks calls for limiting your carbs to 20 a day and I'm keeping a small note book to record everything I eat. I won't go into detail, but it's really not as bad as it sounds and I really have to say that I feel so much better even in that short time as prior to that I was consuming ridiculous amounts of carbs, mainly in breads, ice cream, popcorn, cookies and fruit. I can honestly say that in that short time my gut has gone down and it was almost popping my shirt buttons when I sat down. I was very uncomfortable sitting and was becoming depressed. My pants are also not as tight now and I am cinching up my belt too. I myself believe that this is the diet that will finally work for me and I know that it's the one that I can stick to. I had pretty much given up and resigned to the fact that I would be overweight for the rest of my life no matter what. I'll be 68 next month. Now, I don't feel that way and my energy level is now way up and exercising doesn't feel like drudgery anymore. I have a treadmill to use. I'm sure there will be skeptics (my girlfriend) and that's to be expected, but she now says she supports me. She is slim and trim. Thoughts? I'd like to hear from anyone who has been on it for a while. 

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Is this not the diet where you basically eat fats? High amounts of meat and eggs and no bread,wheat,potatoes that sort of thing?

To have a balanced diet you do need carbs - not all the time mind as well as fruit and veg. Exercise is important too. I have never gone on a diet and have remained pretty much the same weight for years. 

I do believe Mr Atkins died of a heart attack whilst running? Maybe his arteries were clogged from all that animal fat?

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The problem with that diet is once you get off it, you gain most of the weight back. it's better to eat a balanced diet that's low in starchy carbs. I mostly eat broccoli, chicken, and almonds for most of my meals with the occasional banana or protein bar.

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This is a better diet than most but calories still have to be counted. Counting calories is by far the most effective long term diet solution for fat loss as well as maintaining a weight. Exercise is good for you but has little effect on weight loss. Counting calories also educates you about food and what's in it, especially restaurant food. Some restaurant meals, the sit down type of restaurant, have an entire days worth of calories in 1 meal, yet most people count it as 1 of 3 meals per day. Check out reddit/r/loseit for complete instructions.

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My brother in law did the Atkins diet for a year - he lost 125 pounds! He kept up with his doctor to make sure he was doing it ok medically.  Then after he lost the weight he wanted, he switched to a normal healthy diet with lots of veggies and fruits, no bread or fried foods and moderate exercise.  He's kept the weight off that way!

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9 hours ago, chillumpuffer said:

Is this not the diet where you basically eat fats? High amounts of meat and eggs and no bread,wheat,potatoes that sort of thing?

To have a balanced diet you do need carbs - not all the time mind as well as fruit and veg. Exercise is important too. I have never gone on a diet and have remained pretty much the same weight for years. 

I do believe Mr Atkins died of a heart attack whilst running? Maybe his arteries were clogged from all that animal fat?

He died from a fall and hit his head. You should read his book. He does recommend eating carbs along with fat after the initial start of the diet. 

 

 

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10 hours ago, slave to zep said:

Low carb is the way to go.

Sugar is evil (sounds like a good thread title..... hmmm ) ☺

Congrats!

Thanks, slave. I remember that thread title. :) Sugar truly is evil. I do not want diabetes.

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5 hours ago, Wolfman said:

The problem with that diet is once you get off it, you gain most of the weight back. it's better to eat a balanced diet that's low in starchy carbs. I mostly eat broccoli, chicken, and almonds for most of my meals with the occasional banana or protein bar.

The thing is, you never really 'get off it.' You have to maintain as with most diets. Your diet sounds great for that.

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5 hours ago, FL6 said:

This is a better diet than most but calories still have to be counted. Counting calories is by far the most effective long term diet solution for fat loss as well as maintaining a weight. Exercise is good for you but has little effect on weight loss. Counting calories also educates you about food and what's in it, especially restaurant food. Some restaurant meals, the sit down type of restaurant, have an entire days worth of calories in 1 meal, yet most people count it as 1 of 3 meals per day. Check out reddit/r/loseit for complete instructions.

This is true. We went out to eat on Friday and I ordered a chef salad and only ate half. I had the other half for dinner the next day.

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3 hours ago, Stryder1978 said:

My brother in law did the Atkins diet for a year - he lost 125 pounds! He kept up with his doctor to make sure he was doing it ok medically.  Then after he lost the weight he wanted, he switched to a normal healthy diet with lots of veggies and fruits, no bread or fried foods and moderate exercise.  He's kept the weight off that way!

Thanks, Stryder. That's great. What I've found in just the first week is that by cutting out so many carbs that I don't get the false hunger pains and I'm not constantly thinking about food like other diets that promote deprivation. I'm truly amazed at this. My weight last week was just under 228 pounds. I'm 5' 8" and that's a terrible weight to be lugging around. I think about in the old days where you rarely saw an obese person and their diets really did consist of butter, eggs and meat. Sugar is evil. The FDA should be banned.

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13 minutes ago, redrum said:

Thanks, Stryder. That's great. What I've found in just the first week is that by cutting out so many carbs that I don't get the false hunger pains and I'm not constantly thinking about food like other diets that promote deprivation. I'm truly amazed at this. My weight last week was just under 228 pounds. I'm 5' 8" and that's a terrible weight to be lugging around. I think about in the old days where you rarely saw an obese person and their diets really did consist of butter, eggs and meat. Sugar is evil. The FDA should be banned.

You are welcome!  His big problem now is all the excess skin!

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28 minutes ago, redrum said:

This is true. We went out to eat on Friday and I ordered a chef salad and only ate half. I had the other half for dinner the next day.

Yeah even the salads are off the charts. At fast food joints I get a kids hamburger and a diet coke. 300-350 cals. That's my lunch. Dine-in places I eat half and take the rest home like you.

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28 minutes ago, FL6 said:

Yeah even the salads are off the charts. At fast food joints I get a kids hamburger and a diet coke. 300-350 cals. That's my lunch. Dine-in places I eat half and take the rest home like you.

The dressings are the culprit with so much sugar added.

I frequent McDonald's just about every day but only for coffee and socializing with my older friends there. I am always amazed at the obese people who come in and order the big stuff. McDonald's is the last place they should be in.

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The latest diet being recommended is low carb high fat. The included fats should come from avocado, coconut,  good quality cheese, cream eggs, meats that are from grass fed  animals. No processed foods at all. No fruit initially other than berries ( if you want weight loss) and obviously NO sugar, honey etc lots of water green veg

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9 hours ago, slave to zep said:

The latest diet being recommended is low carb high fat. The included fats should come from avocado, coconut,  good quality cheese, cream eggs, meats that are from grass fed  animals. No processed foods at all. No fruit initially other than berries ( if you want weight loss) and obviously NO sugar, honey etc lots of water green veg

Yes. :) I'm going to weigh myself every Friday.

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It's very dangerous to eat all that fat and protein. Silly that people think carbs are bad. Refined carbs not good but whole grains and all are important. Best diet is a balanced one with good quality protein, carbs, fruits, veg, and some fats and exercise. All these "fad" diets work temporary but soon you go off, you gain the weight back and sometimes more. 

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30 minutes ago, tenyearsgone21 said:

It's very dangerous to eat all that fat and protein. Silly that people think carbs are bad. Refined carbs not good but whole grains and all are important. Best diet is a balanced one with good quality protein, carbs, fruits, veg, and some fats and exercise. All these "fad" diets work temporary but soon you go off, you gain the weight back and sometimes more. 

I don't consider it a 'fad diet.' Good carbs are added as you go along. You should also read his book. I don't plan on going off either. It's for life. On my old 'starvation' diet I actually lost 60 pounds, but the craving for sweets was always there and that was my downfall. I must have had tremendous will power, but you can only do that for so long too. I am now losing my craving for sweets. Diabetes is what I fear most as it runs in my family.

Sugar is evil.

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1 hour ago, redrum said:

I don't consider it a 'fad diet.' Good carbs are added as you go along. You should also read his book. I don't plan on going off either. It's for life. On my old 'starvation' diet I actually lost 60 pounds, but the craving for sweets was always there and that was my downfall. I must have had tremendous will power, but you can only do that for so long too. I am now losing my craving for sweets. Diabetes is what I fear most as it runs in my family.

Sugar is evil.

Yes sugar is bad but I don't think being on such a high protein, high fat diet is good either, even if you add carbs. I've read a lot about him and I know someone who worked for him. 

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Best advice is, Keep sugar to a minimum. And walk to places. We are a lazy nation. People catch the bus for 2/3/4 stops. Just walk it. it is better for you. And you save money. I am 40. Now my sugar intake is next to nothing. Mainly to look after my teeth. Having root canal treatment on 1 of my teeth made me change my ways. I have always walked long distances. I have stayed a healthy weight.

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39 minutes ago, craigled said:

Best advice is, Keep sugar to a minimum. And walk to places. We are a lazy nation. People catch the bus for 2/3/4 stops. Just walk it. it is better for you. And you save money. I am 40. Now my sugar intake is next to nothing. Mainly to look after my teeth. Having root canal treatment on 1 of my teeth made me change my ways. I have always walked long distances. I have stayed a healthy weight.

We are a lazy nation. People catch the bus for 2/3/4 stops.

Reminds me of the movie 'The Gods Must Be Crazy' where the woman gets in her car and drives about a 1/2 block to get her mail, then drives back to the house.

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