Why does Atkins have to be a way of life??

[BadToTheBone]

Re: Why does Atkins have to be a way of life??

WOW… What a loaded question! You have a lot of EXECELLENT answers here and they DO explain A LOT… It occurs to me that you are working from some very false premises…



“Just because people don’t “do” Atkins or any other “kind” of “diet” Don’t have a problem with weight gain “OR” Health…”



First… To “do” Atkins is assuming that it is an effort… Something that is difficult… To embrace it as a “Lifestyle” makes it easy… A regular part of life that one can follow…



Second… EVERYONE on this earth follows some sort of “Diet”… Unless they can not eat… By definition… What we eat IS our “Diet”… Should you choose to eat Fast food three meals a day, 7 days a week or choose low fat or choose Weight Watchers or choose Low Carb… What you eat IS your “Diet”…



Third… Those people that “Don’t have a problem with weight gain or health”… I feel lucky that my weight gain has been an early warning sign telling me to do something or else I will die before my time… Those that you might think are healthy may have hidden problems that will spring out suddenly when it is too late for them… You can not assume that because one “looks healthy” that they are in a state of health… A prime current example is Lance Armstrong… He had to fight back from cancer and worked very hard at it…



With the advent of refined sugars and the ability to grow Grains cheaply, we have become a world of consumers of high carbohydrate manufactured foods… These foods are NOT natural to our diets… The foods that are included on the Atkins plan are all natural during the induction phase AND if you stick to the foods included on the other phases… There is very little processed food included…



And finally… Atkins does NOT HAVE to be a way of life… There are no universal rules out there that state this… To embrace the Atkins style is a CHOICE that a lot of us have made because no matter what our level of understanding is, we realize that we feel a whole heck of a lot better and have the added bonus of being able to get to a healthier weight… The science also proves that it is a healthy way of living with lowered BP’s, Lowered cholesterol levels, having to take less meds… Just look at what a lot of people have posted on this board… Good luck to you on your journey from just one person who has embraced the Atkins style as a way of life!

[k5commando]

Re: Why does Atkins have to be a way of life??

Megs is right. For those of us who have tried one diet after another all our lives and finally found Atkins which WORKED for us, it means it puts us into a separate category - just like alcoholics, most of us here are carbaholics - meaning Atkins NEEDS to be a WOL because "just one cheat", "just one bite" is as deadly as "just one drink" for an alcoholic.

I couldn't have said it better myself. se99paj, you ask why does it have to be a lifestyle change? Because food is addictive, no matter what people say, just like tickletussler said, its like " just one drink" to an alchoholic.

I am 2 days away from being on this diet for 1 year. I've lost 70 lbs, I'm off high blood pressure medication completely and have optimal readings, I've dropped 4 pant sizes, and I am at the gym 5 days a week. I've NEVER been in this good of health. Most importantly I've gained self esteem I've never experienced. This is why it needs to be a way of life and not just a "fad diet". I, along with hundreds of others on this board, have tried every diet out there with zero success untill Atkins. FOR SOME OF US THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO LIVE.

[not2late]

Re: Why does Atkins have to be a way of life??

Weight gain caused by genetics affects a small number of people, even if a mutated gene does affect the maintenance of body weight, it is still possible to lose weight, but this would be due to different environmental conditions, such as the right type of exercise, and the right food.

Right. These people are still on a "diet". Diet simply means what you eat. They have found a "diet" that works for their metabolism and their lifestyle so they stick to it and have minimal weight issues. In other words, they have found their way of life that works for keeping themselves slim.

Some people do return to their original lifestyle once they reach their goal weight, and I think this is the only reason why they return to their original weight. What I'm saying is once someone reaches their goal weight, if they do exercise and drink lots of water why do they have to still count the carbs they eat. Lots of other people manage to keep a healthy weight without going on Atkins, I'm sure other people who are on Atkins can continue a healthy lifestyle once they have reached their goal weight.

Actually the later phases of Atkins are very healthy if they are properly followed. I'm in second phase of Atkins, the On-Going Weight Loss phase, and I'm eating healthy--I eat more vegetables than the USDA recommends daily. I eat lean proteins like chicken, fish, turkey, legumes. I eat high fiber foods like whole grains. I eat nuts, which are packed with omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E. I eat fruits that are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. I get more calcium from my diet now than I ever got as a vegan. I'd say my diet is alot healthier than most people. When I get to Maintenance Phase, I'll just be eating more of what I'm already eating on this phase.

I think you are making a common mistake in discussing this diet as a way of life: Induction is not the entire diet. You aren't limited to the Induction foods once you get past the Induction phase, nor are you generally limited to the Induction level carbs.

It is true that just because someone looks healthy, they might not be. But there are a massive number of people who look healthy and are healthy, and they don't do Atkins.

And these are the people who do not have metabolisms that are sensitive to carbohydrates.

[G-Mom]

Re: Why does Atkins have to be a way of life??

FOR SOME OF US THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO LIVE.

That is true of me. I need a tight rein on what I am allowed to eat, because I never chose the healthier foods over the chocolate cake or blueberry pie.

I was pre-diabetic before Atkins. I suffered from weekly bouts of hypoglycemia and it scared me so much. I knew if I didn't do something, I would become diabetic. After starting Atkins I never suffered another episode and I know since I will be on Atkins forever, my weight and blood sugar will always be in control.

[dreamof145]

Re: Why does Atkins have to be a way of life??

For me, Atkins will be my way of life. I have lived a life of unhappiness regarding my weight issue for over 40 years. For the first time the past year, I've felt good about myself and my body. I am so happy that I will never go back to eating the way I did before. I've found a way that is satisfactory to my eating likes and makes me feel terrific. I no longer feel like a freak or embarrassed about the way I look.

So for me, it will remain my way of life for the rest of my life. Everyone makes the choice when they venture into a weight loss plan if it will be a permanent change or a temperary one. For me it will be permanent.

[not2late]

Re: Why does Atkins have to be a way of life??

So for me, it will remain my way of life for the rest of my life. Everyone makes the choice when they venture into a weight loss plan if it will be a permanent change or a temperary one. For me it will be permanent.

You got that right! This weight loss thing is hard work. I never want to go through it again and I'm gonna do my darnedest to make sure I don't. So if that means, I can't pig out on spaghetti or mashed potatoes, so be it.