Atkins vs WW

[mylilredhead]

Hi! I have been browsing these forums for a month or so, and am so impressed with how supportive everyone is of one another. I have been trying to decide whether to do WW or Atkins...I have a lot of weight to lose and at this point need to do something. I actually went to a WW meeting last week and was a bit turned off when after the meeting the leader, who was going over the plan with the new people, started bashing the Atkins diet...I got up and left. The last time I was on Atkins was a few years back when I was single...now I am married with a baby and wonder if Atkins is doable when you are the only one on it. Hope I'm making sense. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I remember being hungry all the time on WW and would rather not go there.

Thanks!

[spydergrl80]

I have had success with both, but with Atkins, I'm never hungry. It's actually a struggle to eat enough every day to get to 1200-1400 calories. I don't think it is right to bash anyone alse's choice of diets. I would have left too! Everyone has thier own way of getting the weight off, and as long as it's a healthy way, it's fine.
I think it's doable if you're doing it alone, your family can eat most of the same things you can. My little 20 month old girl is FINALLY starting to grow hair, and I think it has something to do with the extra protien she's getting. She has always hated meat, but now that I have it every meal, she is getting more of a taste for meat, veggies, and eggs. Of course you'll still need the dairy, whole grains, fruits and extra veggies for the baby, but getting your baby used to protien and veggies now will pay off for them in the future. And if your DH is anything like my BF, he'll eat whatever you throw in front of him, hee hee.
You will find tons of support here! Thanks for delurking!
Hannah

[penelope]

Lame! :nono I can't believe someone would bash something they probably know nothing about to a group of people who would benefit more from Atkins than WW (IMHO). I have tried EVERY diet and this is the best for me. My boyfriend isn't doing it but he is conscious of my choice and I keep my food where I don't have to look at his. It is possible to do this when you are the only one. Read the book and give it a try. We are all here for you.

[bambinaUK]

HMM

Well last year my friend started on WW at the same time I started on Atkins, we both lost the same weight every single week without fail.

A year on I am still living the Atkins way of life and she not only gained the weight back but another 8lbs on top of it!!

We both have similar family situations and she found it a real pain to be measuring stuff out all the time. Every little bit that went on her plate had to be added up in points.

I however just measured my carbs and then chucked in as much protein as I fancied....

WW just seemed so much more fiddly to me ....

[2big4mysize]

welcome to the board be sure to join our TDL exercise challenge when you do decide you wil be doing Atkins to regain your health and smaller size.

Many married folk fix Atkins family diner and supplement the spouces with some higher carb complex carb foods thast they too will be eating at goal.

if you want it you can find a way to do it.

HAppy low carbing.

[Laurenfra]

Cooking for your family is easy on Atkins, like 2big said just add some carbs to their plates. Tonight I made chicken parm kids and DH had spegetti with theirs
Good luck on what ever you choose.

[papajack_1]

wonder if Atkins is doable when you are the only one on it.

OK......................This is the easy one....................Atkins is doable under any circumstances. If you do it properly, you will choose what foods go into your mouth. That is the only issue that makes any "diet" work or not work.

But, if you're worried about eating differently from what you serve the others in your family...............again, no problem. I've been doing "Atkins" for almost 2 years. My wife has never had a weight problem, and we've co-existed, with no problem.

Now, I have no intention of trying to sway you toward my WOL, or toward WW. I'll just tell you a little about myself, and of a few of the conversations I've had with a few doctors on the subject of weight loss. I've been overweight all my life, toping out well over 400 lbs. when I was 60 years old. I've tried every diet that came down the pike, lost weight on most of them.....................and gained it all back with interest every blessed time. I never, ever made it 6 months on any diet, and the whole time I was "dieting" I was thinking about the binge I was going to have when the scale finally said "so and so." The scale never got to "so and so" but, man, did I ever binge!

I've been on "Atkins" for close to 2 years now. You can see my stats and decide for yourself if it might be what you're looking for. But, let me tell you about the medical group where my doctor practices. My doctor is very much in favor of my eating plan, both for weight loss and, as importantly, for the health benefits. One of his partners is very much "anti-Atkins" and thinks WW is the only way to go. When I'm in for my regular visits, my doctor loves walking over to his partner's space, and showing him my chart. I've talked to both of these doctors and told them why I feel Atkins works for me and WW will only guarantee failure FOR ME.

I think WW is great ....................for people who are overweight, but not addicted to foods! Someone with 20lbs, 30 lbs, 40 pounds to lose................it can work wonders for them. But, I contend that people like me, with much more than 100 lbs. to lose have issues with food that WW cannot address. People like me "crave" food differently from someone moderately overweight. Try as hard as we might, we can never beat those "cravings." They'll get us every time!

Atkins has allowed me, and a bunch of others around here to break our addiction to those "cravings."

Good luck to you in your choice. We're pulling for you, which ever food plan you choose.

[Isabeau]

In my family of two teenagers, hubbie, and myself, I'm the only one doing Atkins. My daughter is a vegan, and my son and DH eat everything. I only kinda sorta cook three different meals, but not really! Just some get some dishes, others not.

I've lost weight on weight watchers before too. For me, the big difference is when I was going to w.w.'s, I was always thinking about food. Almost obsessively. I was hungry, and had cravings. I can honestly say that on this woe, I've rarely been hungry, I've had no cravings for anything and am now happily obsessed with exercise. I've never felt better.

[mrslee44]

I have started to offer my DH and DS more low carb dishes with any meal I prepare.

I fine tune the dishes more to their taste and it works well for all of us. They absolutely love the oven baked parmsean cheese chicken with 2 sides of green veggies. So I make plenty of the meat and just enough veggies.

I do at times offer pasta or potatoes with dinner, but it is becoming fewer in between times.

I sorta feel that they don't need those carbs anyway, so I'm trying to quietly convert my guys over.

You can do it, not feel hungry nor have the cravings, and thats what I like so much about this WOE. And its not a diet for me..its a lifestyle change forever.

Robin
:hug

[bizzlekitty]

What papa said is dead on (as usual).

I tried WW 3 years ago and lost 30 lbs, but then when I hit a stall for 4 weeks (and my friends stopped going) and then lost my job, I couldn't afford it and realized that it just wasn't working enough or more from me and easily slipped back into my old habits, since I never really learned to change them. I then regained all that weight plus 40+ more lbs (another long story, but being off thyroid meds helped with that too).

I think it's good for people who can loose weight just by watching what they eat more carefully, and its a good support system if you go to the meetings. And if you can afford it.

But for people like those of us here in CC, we have more serious problems with eating that nothing else, including WW, has really worked for. Many of us might even have true physical problems eating certain carbs, which I think is the case for many people, including myself.

Atkins done right does permanently change your eating habits. The key is doing it strict and sticking with Induction for a longer perioid (3-6 months) so that you do change your eating habits and stick in ketosis without cheating that messes things up.

I am now eating (and drinking) much differently than I ever did before, and eating better (not skipping meals, drinking lots of water (no more soda!), and lots of veggies!).

Even with my health issues, Atkins is working while no other diet (other than WW for about 30 lbs sorta) ever did. And I've come to realize that this is not just a diet to lose weight, but a permanent lifestyle.

And I found I don't miss my old favorites (fries, potatoes, bread) as much as I thought I would. And I can eat my other favorites, like hamburgers, chicken and steak.

It works. It really does!

[BamaMom25]

Welcome to the board!
You've come to the right place if you want support with no diet bashing invovled.
I have done both WW and Atkins and I agree that on Atkins I have not been hungry. Sometimes I think I may not be eating enough but since I am not hungry I don't force it.
I am also the only person in my family doing Atkins. Husband & 3 year old are both tall and skinny. It is very doable. It takes a little will power at first though. I find that meal planning helps. Also, if you make a meat/side/vegetable type dinner with legal veggies & meats, your family will still have a complete meal and you can just leave off the side dish.
After the first week or two when you start to see the results, you won't have to try to avoid the bad stuff.....you'll want to.
Good luck! I look forward to hearing about your success!

- Jes

[G-Mom]

I have found that Atkins is much easier to do than low-fat. I could never prepare ribeye steaks and fresh asparagus with butter and expect to eat it along with my family while eating low-fat.

If you are wondering if you can do this WOL with your family eating high carb, take a look at some low carb recipes. You will find that you could serve them to your family and they would rave! Not so with many low-fat recipes.

Do a comparison between low-fat recipes and low carb recipes. Which ones seem closer to nature and tastier sounding? Many low carb recipes call for cream, butter, eggs, REAL cheese. Low-fat recipes have you using margarine or no butter at all, skim milk, egg whites, fat-free cheese, fat-free sour cream. One word: YUCK!!

Full fat goes a long way with full flavor to go with it. That is one reason why we can live with Atkins. We don't lose flavor at all.

[goin2Bgood]

After years of catering to my family, it's my turn to get catered to. They eat Atkins at night with me. I prepare an Atkins legal evening meal and so far there have been no complaints. Sometimes son will forage for some bread to go with his meals, but he's eating everything, including fauxtatos and caulifried 'rice" LOL

[IrishIrish]

I'm basically a lazy person who doesn't want to put myself out in the kitchen. The beauty of Atkins is that I can even invite friends for dinner and they rave about the food not always realizing it is Atkins friendly.

[mylilredhead]

Thanks to everyone who replied....your opinions/advice were so helpful! I have just completed day 1 of induction and I feel like I'm back on track.

ha