Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

**slimndown** · October 20, 2005, 09:51 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

The NERVE! Any doctor who is a good doctor supports a lower carb diet - even if it's a modified lower fat approach like South Beach. If she hasn't read Atkins' book - buy it for her as a present. Another thing to ask her is what is unhealthy about eating meat and vegetables? If she's concerned about really high fat content - she can cut most out. Poor thing.

**dreamof145** · October 20, 2005, 10:12 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

I hear you slimndown. She did buy the book and said she read it when she started Atkins a few weeks ago. She called me when she went to the grocery store and told me everything that she bought and it has been a big deal for her. I don't know why in the world she let that doctor talk her out of it. She is afraid and says she better not do it.

On the other hand, I have another friend who just went from 329 pounds to 307 in four weeks. He went to the doctor a few days ago and his doctor told him whatever he is doing, keep doing it...cause his bloodwork and BP and cholesterol is looking so much better. He told the doctor he was doing Atkins and he said his doctor said, "If its working, then go for it." I guess its just different doctors who have different opinions. But, they shouldn't be allowed to comment on something unless they have read the book or studied the entire program. If that doctor had taken time to research Atkins, I think she would have hesitated from making negative comments.

I guess all I can do is keep doing what I've been doing and give her support. If her low-carb diet doesn't work, maybe she'll try Atkins again.

**slimndown** · October 20, 2005, 10:20 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

I hear ya! My mother in law is a Nurse's Assistant and won't even go near the Atkins diet - or even READ about it because the doctor's don't like it. What's so unhealthy about eating natural meats and green veggies? Frustrating. People believe everything they hear from a doctor as much as they believe everything they read. Atkins' book was the only diet book I have EVER seen that actually cited studies and shown research on why things work. When she gains some weight on her new low fat diet, she might ponder on what's healthier: getting fatter or getting slimmer. It's not like Atkins is an eating disorder but doctor's sometimes treat it like it is.

**cleochatra** · October 21, 2005, 06:05 AM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

My doctor was against Atkins when I began that way of eating at 325 pounds.

I was at his office to renew my prescriptions for depression medications, high blood pressure medication and acid reflux medication. I was pre-hypertensive, and he was really worried because it seemed I was in there a lot lately.

When he saw me again the next time--almost a year later, I weighed 107 pounds less than I had the time before.

His jaw dropped and he kept running tests and telling me he could not believe how much weight I'd lost, how young I looked--everything! He was sincerely amazed. His words? "I always tell people to lose weight. No one ever does it. What did you do?"

I told him about this way of eating. He listened this time. He also removed me officially from all the medications. I left that day with a clean bill of health and a doctor who now believes, thanks to Dr Atkins.

**Momtofour** · October 21, 2005, 09:51 AM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

My doctor is on Atkins, and so is my gynecologist. My gyno told me that about 8 years ago, he and a group of other doctors did Atkins as a group. They tested their bodies every few months. He said the results were so spectacular with all of them that they all still eat this way today. I saw in the paper this summer that he did a bike ride to raise money for cancer, and rode his bike from Detroit to the Mackinaw Bridge. That is one heck of a long ride. It takes about 5 hours to drive that far.

Too bad your friend was scared off by a doctor. It makes me mad.

**bizzlekitty** · October 21, 2005, 10:53 AM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

You need to teach your friend that while the doctor is a great advisor on your health, they do not totally know everything. They are human too. And that *you* need to take your health issues and deal with them. With the age of the Internet, there's no excuse for not asking questions and doing research on things like diets and following up on your doctor's advice. Some times, you have to try something that might not be 100% with their advice.

I used to be in the same naive boat, just blindly believing what my doctors told me, but then I realized I wasn't feeling better and there wasn't going to be a magic pill to make me better. I took things into my own hands and have done tons better since finding alternative things that work. This has worked for my fibromyalgia and it holds true for Atkins too.

My doctor has been supportive of me, though I suspect he's not fond of Atkins. But his quote "whatever you're doing, just keep doing it, because it's working" after looking at my blood work and blood presure and weight loss. That's all the reassurance I need.

If you want to share my blood work numbers I posted here a while ago with other people to show that this does work, feel free. Look at those number improvements and tell me again why this WOE is bad. When it has dramatically changed my life (and others) and helped me not only lose weight, where nothing else ever did, and feel better?

I'm kinda surprised when she has such a great example of you to look at that she changed her mind so easily.

Anyway, I hope you can talk some sense into her. I tried doing "low-fat" for years and all I did was get "fatter" grrr. I think some diets like that just don't work for some people.

**Lyssie** · October 21, 2005, 11:16 AM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

Hey everyone,

This is insane. I learned about this WOE from my step-mother, she had gotten my dad fixed on it. She was working at a pharmaceutical company at the time and had consulted doctors (I believe about 5 of them) who worked there. ALL of them said that it was a good idea. Now I work in the pharma company, the person I go to the gym with is a doctor, and he eats more or less, this WOE. I worked at an oncology company before here, we had a meeting in New York with key doctors in the field (and by field I mean internationally known and respected doctors), guess what... out of about 20, 3 of them were on Atkins and were discussing it with me. My point is this: So many people view Atkins as just eating cheeseburgers without the buns, or are quick to discount it without ever actually learning about the WOL. *steps off of the soapbox*

**Momtofour** · October 21, 2005, 03:30 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

Maybe your friend's heart wasn't into losing weight yet and with one objection from her doctor she bailed. We all know that we had to want this and be ready to do it, before it could work. Maybe she just wasn't ready.

**Mary-chan** · October 21, 2005, 03:42 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

Originally posted by Momtofour

Maybe your friend's heart wasn't into losing weight yet and with one objection from her doctor she bailed. We all know that we had to want this and be ready to do it, before it could work. Maybe she just wasn't ready.

I was thinking the same thing. A pretty similar thing happened to my sister recently,, where she was on atkins for 2 weeks, lost 10 pounds, was feeling good, and then found one small reason to quit atkins and try low-cal again, which she never stays on for more then three days. But what can ya do.

Though I'll agree that that doctor should actually RESEARCH things before giving advice on the subject! Doctors do more harm then good sometimes!!

**dreamof145** · October 21, 2005, 05:30 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

Michelle,
I'm sure that part of what you said is true. I think her heart is into losing the weight but like so many people, she isn't really ready to make the sacrifice to do it. She's seen my stats from the doctor and she's seen me lose about 40 pounds (she didn't know me before that) but she's seen my photos. As I told her last night, we all have to make choices and if her choice is to follow her doctor's advice, then I wish her luck and hope that she succeeds at losing the weight.

When I started, I was lucky. I had a doctor who was very open minded about Atkins. She said to keep checking in with her. I did. She was so impressed that she started low-carbing too. (she was a bit overweight). I think that many doctors don't really want us to lose the weight and be healthy, cause then they will lose a customer. I was lucky that my doctor didn't think like that.

I'll let you know how she is doing in a couple weeks as she follows her low-fat diet. (As for me, when I was doing Low-fat, I was hungry all the time and hated counting the 1600 calories every day. Its much easier to keep track of 20 carbs. lolol

**brabea22** · October 21, 2005, 11:02 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

It seems to me that if she really wanted more information about the way of life or wanted to make a truly informed decision, she would see another doctor to get a second opinion. If that was too much, she could get her 'pre-diet' blood work done, do the diet for a month by the book, then go back in for a comparison on the same bloodwork. There was a world of difference (for the better) in my bloodwork after just a month.

**cruiser gal** · October 22, 2005, 10:33 AM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

WHen I first started at the end of January of this year, my doctor was totally against me going on Atkins. He is Italian, and said he could never survive on a low carb diet! I was just recently in his office, and his jaw dropped, he had never in the last 25 years seen me this low in weight. I lost 80 lbs. I have been on blood pressure medication for many years, and he is now going to start dropping some of the meds, as my blood pressure is low now. He has now even told his nursing assistant to talk to me as she has well over 100 lbs to lose!

**Labarum** · October 22, 2005, 12:13 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

My Doctor directed me: "Do Atkins", he said, "It works."

**cleochatra** · October 22, 2005, 12:38 PM

Re: Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

You know, my dad's doctor in Germany, in 1983, directed my father to do Atkins.

I wonder if the Europeans might be more open to low-carb ways of eating?

Obviously I'm basing this on anecdotal evidence.

Announcement

Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

Dr. talks friend out of Atkins WOE

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment