Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

[amwin12]

Hello All,
I was reading my 2002 Atkins book and came across a page where there was a question asking does Dr.Atkins promote a high fat diet and his response was no exactly that once you get into Maintence your fat intake will have to decrease as you increase your carbs.

I don't have the book in front of me to say exactly what page it's on. So my question is does the Atkins diet eventually become low fat? Not as low as the typical Low Fat diet but nonetheless much much lower then in the early phases?

It's been a while since I've read the Maintence phase section in the book but I do not remember Dr. Atkins stating that fat should be decreased in this phase but it is mention briefly in the Q&A section in the beginning of the book.

To you maintainers how have you handled the fat and increase carbs situation. Have you found it difficult to adjust?

Thank you all in advance for responding.

[ValidRouge]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

No, it does not become anything like "lowfat".

The majority of our calories always come from fat. But, instead of it being 65% fat as in induction, maintenance might come down as low as 50% fat. That's still HALF of our daily calories and a far cry from what anyone would consider "low fat".

With that said....in maintenance, I'm still at 60% fat or higher. I need the fat to stay satisfied.

[jimmyolsenblues]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

I agree with ValidRouge , atkins for life is still a high fat diet.

[sadie147]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

My fat is normally aroudn 40-50 % a day. When you up your carbs, your fats automatically usually come down.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

On Atkins fat is, and continues to be, your friend. Yippee! Actually, I never really reduced mine, but as Sadie said, when your carbs increase, which they do as you journey to maintenance, the percentage of your fats naturally gets reduced, without eating any less.

[losetocruise]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

I have both the 1992 and 2002 versions of his book. in the 1992 version he specifically says that the Atkins diet is not actually a high fat diet.. The purpose of fat in the diet is two fold. I,) Fat satiates the appetite. 2.) Fat makes otherwise bland diet food taste better.

Fat will not hurt you on the Atkins diet, but people often seem to think of it as a high fat diet rather than a low carbohydrate diet. Atkins also says that people with a real aversion to fat can do a low fat version using leaner cuts of meat or even a vegetarian version though their menu choices would be extremely limited.

In a practical sense, if you severly limit the carbs, there is not a lot left other then fat and protein

[mitzimarie]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

I have both the 1992 and 2002 versions of his book. in the 1992 version he specifically says that the Atkins diet is not actually a high fat diet.

LOL... well, if you do the math, Atkins IS a high fat, moderate protein, low carb way of eating. In ANY given phase of Atkins, your fat percentage will be higher than your protein or carb percentage.

It's OK... if you understand the plan, you know that fat is not a bad word. It's healthy!

[ttdriver]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

I'd give up living before I'd give up the fat.

I eat A TON of fat. Always have since day one on Atkins (January 19, 2002) and I still do. I also weigh less than I ever have !

I am a runner and fat is my fuel of choice. And besides, it tastes so darn good !

Betty

[vitaminc]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

currently i am maintaining on a low fat diet.
my doctor told me i had really high cholesterol and had to cut down the fat and greasy foods.
its doing well right now, no cravings what so ever.

[carbless_in_seattle]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

if you take a diet that is 65% fat, 30% protein 5% carbs, and then you add 5 carbs and do nothing else to change that diet, the 5% of carbs is going to go up, consequently lowering the other two numbers, even though you are eating just as much fat, its just not as high of a percentage.

[TWS]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

It's OK... if you understand the plan, you know that fat is not a bad word. It's healthy!

Not necessarily, which brings me to the only concern I have about the Atkins diet. The fats we have evolved to eat are from grass-fed animals. Since the 50s our protein is predominately grain-fed. Humans are not designed to eat grain or eat animals that eat grain. With that as a base arguement, are fats healthy? Yes, with the caveat that pastured foods are healthy while feedlot fats are not.

Low-carb, high fat foods are our natural diets. Eating healthy fats (lipid profile) is the only way to achieve this natural health.

Read Eades, Taubes, Pollan and others to see how the food industry has placed profit over health by almost eliminating the Omega-3 EFAs from our diets.

ABC News: Excerpt: 'Good Calories, Bad Calories'

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Grassfed Basics - Eat Wild

TWS

[creamsoda]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

Atkins works well for me and I don't really eat much fat, thats not on purpose but I just enjoy things like chicken and veg, chicken with tomato sauce etc. It's great knowing the freedom I can have garlic butter and proper butter etc it's just that I don't eat it very much. I think it's finding something that works for you really and finding your own level as not everyone is the same.

[Alexa]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

I missed this thread the first time around but I touches on a question I came into this forum to raise.

When you are on maintenance are you meant to be in or out of ketosis? I know above 40g carbs per day it is unlikely to register on the ketosticks, but is it still the basic underlying process?

[not2late]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

A low carb diet is considered to be one that contains 100-130 grams carbs per day (that number depends on who you read.) Typically, if you eat under 100-130 grams carbs daily, you use produce ketones, so it's a "ketogenic diet".

Your CCML really depends on your body, just like your CCLL did.

By the way, I met a dietician who uses the ketogenic diet for children with seizures. She said that after 6 months, the children stop registering on ketostix. I asked if these children were normal weight and she said they were. She didn't know why that happened nor do I. But it's an interesting factoid, imo.

[Alexa]

Re: Does Atkins eventually become Low Fat?

Thanks very much for the info - that answers my question totally.

Amazing that it can be used to treat seizures.