The Atkins Theory

[xcape101]

hey, i watched a documentary on atkins on tv a couple of days ago and in its conclusion it seemed to suggest that the main reason atkins works is that by eating proteins you get fuller easier meaning you eat less the people that they carried out studied on that were on atkins seemed to eat about 1400 calories a day, so is it basically all about calories when it comes down to it, ie eat less than you use up to loose weight?

so does that mean no matter if your on atkins or not (ie a regular calorie controlled diet) as long as you watch out for your intake on calories you will loose weight?

the majority of people on here seemed to oppose a regular calorie controlled diet (as oppose to carb controlled) because they feel that with a calorie controlled dieted the feel unsatisfied and feel hungry, where as with atkins they do feel full and not hungry.

so what i really wana know is calories at the end of the day what we should be controlling, coz i really wana move away from atkins and to a calorie based diet as i feel with a calorie one would suit me better in the long term, im not gona turn back to my old eating habits that made me fat in the 1st place but a more balanced diet (such as wholegrains and vegetables and fruits and cut out the processes sugar crap) but im a bit nerveous making this transition in case i put the weight back on i lost with atkins (eveen if ii control my calories) i feel this because ive been with low carb for a couple of years so im a bit paranoid that the introduction of higher carbs (but still low calorie) could mess up my body sytem as it might have gotten used to living low carb.

any helpful suggestion?

[Checkers]

Most recently I stay between 1300 to 1800 naturally eating my fill of meats, fats, veggies, nuts, berries, legumes, and now fruit. My diet is not only more delicious, but way more nutrient dense than anyone I know. So why would I go back to just calorie counting? Because it sucked! I eat LOTS of food which contribute to being full, protein is only one piece of it.

[Elizellen]

Re: The Atkins Theory

, coz i really wana move away from atkins and to a calorie based diet as i feel with a calorie one would suit me better in the long term, im not gona turn back to my old eating habits that made me fat in the 1st place but a more balanced diet (such as wholegrains and vegetables and fruits and cut out the processes sugar crap)

Seems to me that your 'more balanced diet' sounds remarkably like Atkins Maintenance stage :yikes

[not2late]

Re: The Atkins Theory

, coz i really wana move away from atkins and to a calorie based diet as i feel with a calorie one would suit me better in the long term, im not gona turn back to my old eating habits that made me fat in the 1st place but a more balanced diet (such as wholegrains and vegetables and fruits and cut out the processes sugar crap)

Seems to me that your 'more balanced diet' sounds remarkably like Atkins Maintenance stage :yikes

Actually it sounds like the OWL phase. :nod

[Checkers]

This is xcape101's only other post.

"hey, ive been on atkins on/off for about 3 years and has really worked for me but im at a point when im getting sick of it and im thinking of stopping arond october when i start university.
im sick of protein and miss stuff like fruit and im not just talking about the odd berries and nuts you can have on atkins but proper fruit.
the one thing that is kinda worrying me is that a lot of people say as soon as you stop the carb control you start putting weight back on even if you follow a 'calorie controlled' diet, so im getting really paranoid that as soon as i eat a banana or potatoe my body will start to gain weight. anybody know any good ways of making the transitions from a carb to calorie lifestyle? "

I'm really not sure what diet you're doing, but it's sure not Atkins. The "odd berries and nuts" really cracked me up because I have those everyday. You should read DANDR and give Atkins a try. BTW, here's the carb ladder.
1. veggies
2. fresh cheeses
3. seeds and nuts
4. berries
5. wine and spirits
6. legumes
7. fruits
8. starchy vegetables
9. whole grains

See! Atkins includes everything so why not try it!

[Bill]

This WOE is really not about controlling calories. Dr. Atkins recorded many instances where people using his method took in far more calories than a traditional calorie reduction diet yet lost far more weight simply by controlling the carbohydrates. Now sure you can't consume 5000 calories per day and think you're going to sustain weight loss, but for now count the carbs and try to forget about the calories.

[Elizellen]

Re: The Atkins Theory

Actually it sounds like the OWL phase. :nod

:yes

[wannabethintoo]

I've done low calorie dieting all my life. It never worked successfully for me because it never took away my cravings and I was always hungry. I'm on my 4th week of Atkins and I've never felt better. Even though I eat a lot I never get the feeling of being really full that I used to get when I was eating a lot of carbs. I can last quite a while between meals without being hungry and I have no cravings for sweets at all. I doubt that I will ever go back to my previous way of eating. This WOL feels way too good.

[msnicole816]

Hello xcape101!

Hey I've been on Atkins a few times reached my goal weight and thought that maybe if I switched over to a low-calorie diet that I could still maintain my weight loss. Well I'm here to tell you that I WAS WRONG! When I switched over to low-calorie I was always hungry! Because high-carb foods (which most low-cal diets require you to eat) simply aren't that filling. At least on Atkins you can eat until your full and not until you've "used up" all of you calories for the day. I've never been hungry on Atkins. My mistake with the Atkins diet in the past was that I didn't go through the stages like I should have so I got bored because I lost most or all of my weight while on induction. But if you go through the stages of the diet like you're supposed to you can gradually re-introduce most of the foods that you miss eating now in the later stages like some of the other members of ADBB have already said. I'm just sharing my dieting experiences of what works and what doesn't work for me. Everyone is different.

[soliwit]

hey xcape!!!
Welcome aboard first of all.
I think most things you need to know have already been said.
Best thing you could do is buy the Atkins book (the 2002 version, that's the one that is used here) and read it, I think you will see that if you do the diet properly it ads exactly those foods that you mentioned missing to eat !!!
Good luck !!! :wave

[xcape101]

thanks for the advice, but i really wana know regardless of the feeling hungry thing on low calorie diet that most of you have experienced in the part will controlling my calorie intake on a calorie based diet maintain the weight loss i have achieved with atkins?

coz when it comes down to it atkins is also calorie controlled, but instead of using up your calories with less 'filling' food (carbs)you have an intake of proteins which make you feel fuller meaning your less likely to binge and stuff.

[Checkers]

You obviously don't believe in Atkins and you are here pushing a low-cal agenda. I was pretty sure from your first two posts, but with the last one there's no doubt. This was a waste of time. If you really wanted to be low cal you would be checking out another board, not here trying to discredit Dr. Atkins. The people here aren't going to buy it because we've read the book and you haven't. By the way, it's not even a high protein diet, it's high fat! Hah, hah, you've really proved you know nothing about this way of eating.

[xcape101]

im not trying to convinve anyone about anything, nor am i trying to discredit atkins ( ive lost 50 pounds on it so why would i?)

all im asking is whether its safe(weight gain wise) to make a transition from atkins to low cal whithout it messing up my results. as i feel in the long term atkins is not for me i cant imagine myself doing it in 10yrs time, obviously you guys can but its just not for me

i want an eating lifestyle that i enjoy and that its not something i 'Have' to do, which is why im askin advice on this change

[sadie147]

I believe a calorie is a calorie, and if you are in a calorie deficit (i think the forumula is you will lose one lb for every 3500 calorie deficit.) you will lose weight. If you keep your calories within your basal and active metobolic rates you will maintain your weight.

I know ppl who have been sucessful on many different woe's including low fat and low cal. Atkins is not always for everyone I know ppl who have tried and failed with low carb, then have succeed and maintained their loss on another woe, I say to each his own. If you feel that a low cal diet is more suited to your lifestyle then by all mean go for it.

As long as you are eating a healthy balanced diet and exercise regularily you should be able to maintain your current weight.

Good Luck!

[Esther]

You need to move yourself up into maintenance, which includes *all* the things you say you want to eat. Do it by the book to find out how many carbs your body can handle. If your body has trouble handling carbs, then you'll need to keep your level fairly low for life, regardless of the calories. If your body handles carbs well, 'calorie controlled' will be fine for you so long as you stay off the junk.

A calorie is a calorie so long as your body is 100% at handling carbs.

Mine isn't!!!

You need to go through the stages of owl and pre-maintenence to find out your carb tolerance.

But it really does help if you read the book...