Am I Right for Atkins?

[donjn2]

I am a male, 6'5" and currently weight 307.

In 2001 I bought the Atkins book and lost 50 pounds. I felt great. I gained it all back and then some by 2002. Since then, I have started and stopped on Atkins about 20 times. I also broke my arm pitching a baseball in 2003. All tests were negative for cancer, etc. I wonder if all this starting and stopping hurt my bone calcium? The book does mention this.

Another problem I see is that I don't like salads, and I hate the flax items. So constipation just destroys me. Right now I am on day 16. I have had 4 bowel movements in 16 days! All I eat is beef, cheese, sausage, chicken, beef, bacon, sausage, cheese...I am begining to think Atkins may be unhealthy in my case.

I admit, I do not excercise, and I do not drink much water at all. However the first time I lost 50 pounds I did not do much of those either.

Is Atkins just not for me anymore?

[Miss Phode]

OK...a couple of things. If you're not eating veggies, drinking water, and exercising, you're not doing Atkins. You are doing "Donjn2's New Diet Revolution"*. If you won't do these things, I would have to say that Atkins is not for you. But, you can change. So many people who have lost weight on Atkins have changed. I can't tell you how many people on this diet said they hated salads before they started. Also, many hate water. But they suck it up, they eat their veggies, and they drink their water, and voila! they loose weight! Some of them actually like veggies now. Do you hate all veggies? Or just salads. Because there are a lot of "salad veggies" on the induction list, that you can have instead of salad. Celery, cucumber, etc. You could even dip your cukes in an induction friendly dressing, as long as you count the carbs.

As far as your bone issues. Maybe they are diet related, but since you haven't been doing Atkins properly, you can't blame it on Atkins.

If you eat your veggies every day, and drink the reccomended amount of water, I doubt you'll be constipated. But if you still are, you can use psyllium husks for fiber instead of flax. Psyllium is sold at health food stores. You can get the powder or capsules. I doubt you'll like the powder, so if I were you, I'd get the capsules. But this is a bulk forming laxative. If you don't drink PLENTY of WATER with this, you'll just constipate yourself further.

So bottom line, it's up to you whether this diet is right for you, and whether or not you'll do it correctly is also up to you.

I wish you well.




*Phrase stolen from Moochiecat

[Elizellen]

Re: Am I Right for Atkins?

IAnother problem I see is that I don't like salads, and I hate the flax items. So constipation just destroys me. Right now I am on day 16. I have had 4 bowel movements in 16 days! All I eat is beef, cheese, sausage, chicken, beef, bacon, sausage, cheese...I am begining to think Atkins may be unhealthy in my case.

Warning - tough love comment here :yikes :hug

You are NOT doing Atkins :no
Atkins IS healthy :yes

You are doing 'Donj2's Way of Eating'
'Donj2's Way of Eating' is unhealthy. :no

You MUST eat vegetables to remain healthy. :yes

Take a long hard look at the list of Allowed induction vegetables and decide which of them you CAN eat and start to add them to your meals.

Try different ways of preparing them - maybe cook those usually eaten raw and make soups or sauces to eat with meat, or eat those usually cooked raw, with a dip of mayonnaise.

But EAT your VEGGIES :hug

[donjn2]

I welcome tough love. :nod

Thanks for the advice. I am not blaming bone calcium loss on Atkins. What I said was the "starting and stopping" might be the problem. Atkins did admit that calcium loss levels are high through your urine when on induction. I have been on and off induction 20 times so this may be part of the problem.

The only veggies I like are green beans (love them) and carrots. I love corn but its not really a veggie. But celery, cucumber? No way.

If I dislike veggies then perhaps this may not be right for me after all. I guess I could try the fist-sized portions diet, who knows.

I am lost, help!!!

[Miss Phode]

I don't know of any diets that don't recommend veggies. Good luck in whatever you do.

[BreakfastSurreal]

I welcome tough love. :nod

Thanks for the advice. I am not blaming bone calcium loss on Atkins. What I said was the "starting and stopping" might be the problem. Atkins did admit that calcium loss levels are high through your urine when on induction. I have been on and off induction 20 times so this may be part of the problem.

The only veggies I like are green beans (love them) and carrots. I love corn but its not really a veggie. But celery, cucumber? No way.

If I dislike veggies then perhaps this may not be right for me after all. I guess I could try the fist-sized portions diet, who knows.

I am lost, help!!!

Hey, just want to say I am a fellow veggie hater...but I really WANT to like veggies...if you truly want to succeed on this diet, then you will change your attitude and WANT to like veggies, even if you don't. IF you do eat veggies this diet can be the most healthy way in the world to eat! You don't have to eat a side of veggies. HIDE THEM! Find some with really mild flavor and puree them and throw them in a casserole that also has lots of meat and cheese...I HATE veggies and in the past week I have eaten onions, tomatoes, cauliflower, and spinach! So you CAN do it if you really put your mind to it I promise!

[carbcounter999]

I think what you are doing is called a "meat fast." I've seen it recommended as an alternative to the "fat fast" but you should NOT be eating this way all the time. It is a way to kick start weight loss when in a true plateau. This site talks about it briefly.

http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/beginners.html

I agree that any diet/WOE will include veggies. Can you fool yourself by doing things like eating them with cheese or salad dressing? Also, my 'taste' for veggies increases when on Atkins. I used to not really like them but now they're yummy. Perhaps our bodies like them more since we aren't shoving sugar in all the time.

[cajunthunder]

There are an awful lot of veggies in the world. I happen to love veggies, and I'm always open to try something new.

Just think of us as your Mom and we are telling you that you should at least try some of {fill in the blank}, and you might find you like it! Some people find that they can learn to like certain veggies by putting something on them.

For instance, broccoli or cauliflower are great in a cheese sauce. Easy cheese sauce recipe:

1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
Cheese - I use Cheddar - shredded

Put the butter and cream in a sauce pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, start adding your cheese and stir, as it melts add more cheese until it's the thickness you like. Pour over your steamed veggies and chow down!

:eating

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm {burp} 'Scuse me.

[BreakfastSurreal]

There are an awful lot of veggies in the world. I happen to love veggies, and I'm always open to try something new.

Just think of us as your Mom and we are telling you that you should at least try some of {fill in the blank}, and you might find you like it! Some people find that they can learn to like certain veggies by putting something on them.

For instance, broccoli or cauliflower are great in a cheese sauce. Easy cheese sauce recipe:

1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
Cheese - I use Cheddar - shredded

Put the butter and cream in a sauce pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, start adding your cheese and stir, as it melts add more cheese until it's the thickness you like. Pour over your steamed veggies and chow down!

:eating

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm {burp} 'Scuse me.

oh awesome! I have been looking for a super easy cheese sauce recipe like that thanks!

[ttdriver]

You've gotten great advice, so I won't repeat it again....

But I can agree with you that STARTING AND STOPPING *IS* YOUR #1 PROBLEM..... That's how you lost the weight initially (by starting) and that's also how you gained it back (by stopping).

I have to wonder if you just want to 'lose weight' without changing your lifestyle permanently? This isn't a diet. This is a way of eating FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. It is healthy. VERY HEALTHY. But its not a quick fix to 'get to a goal' then go back to eating crap foods. (Pardon my crudeness, but let's face it, that's what they are.)

As for the constipation, well, of course you're constipated if you do not eat veggies except for green beans (relatively low in fiber) and carrots (which you should not be eating because of their high glycemic rating). You are right; corn is NOT a veggie, so that's out.

Go to the produce aisle. Look beyond the SALADS. Look for things you haven't ever tried. Like potatoes? I suggest turnips ... peel them, slice or hash brown them, fry them in butter and you'd never know the difference. High in fiber too. My guess is, if you would step outside the SALAD ZONE and try some new veggies, prepared new ways, you just might discover what you've been missing!! And, you'd solve your constipation issues!! I never had to use flax and I've never been constipated ... good old-fashioned healthy veggies will resolve anything!

Bottom line: With Atkins or any other lifestyle change, its gotta be permanent or you're doing yourself more harm than good.

My question to you is: HOW BAD YOU WANT IT?

Betty