Something I never understood about Atkins...

[ladyinred]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

Let me start by saying I'm pro-Atkins and in my second week of what I feel is a pretty successful induction. I'm doing it because it allows me to eat more than a traditional diet (in the earlier phases anyway) would.

Actions speak louder than words, big-boy. May I ask how your progressively inflamatory and derogatory remarks and pugilistic attitude reinforce your statement above?

You came here looking for a fight. Now you have one. Happy? I guess Wednesdays can be boring sometimes.

[not2late]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

If the eventual goal of Atkins is to maintain your ideal weight by eating a mixture of portion-controlled healthy foods, why do it at all? If you cheat from time to time (which EVERYONE will) you mess yourself up more than if you follow a non-Atkins portion-controlled lifestyle. For people who are really in to fine dining and like different kinds of cuisine from around the world, having to exclude the things Atkins wants you to exclude is really very unrealistic.

First of all, alot of us are unhealthy due to our obesity. There are many causes for obesity, in addition to the usual suspects (overeating and lack of exercise). But the mere fact that you can gain weight means your metabolism is screwed up.

For some people, it's because we are carbohydrate sensitive. Granted we're not "diabetic" or "pre-diabetic" according to the current definitions of those terms, but something's wrong with how we process and utilize our foods.

So in that regard, we all need to learn 1.portion control, and 2. what foods are "good" for our particular bodies. By "good" I mean the foods we can eat that won't cause us to gain weight or lead us into behaviors that promote weight gain.

As for cheating and messing yourself up, I think that's the slippery slope most weight loss diets have. You go on a low cal diet and you binge on ice cream and cake at a birthday party. How long will it take for you to go back to your low fat, low cal diet? Sure some people have the willpower to hop on and off, but come on....if we all were in so much control to start, why are we all trying to lose weight?

Different cuisines and Atkins/low carb....

This is where it gets interesting. The weight loss phases of Atkins isn't just the Induction Phase. The remaining OWL and Pre-Maintenance Phases allows you to customize Atkins to your individual needs because everyone has their own carbohydrate losing level and everyone has their own tolerances to various foods. It's a pity that people think Induction is the entire Atkins diet, because they cheat themselves out of a more pleasant menu while they are losing weight.

I don't have trouble eating different cuisines because I've been through the OWL phases. I know my carbohydrate level and I know how different foods affect me. And most importantly, I've learned portion size and portion control. In other words, I've learned that very little of very good is very satisfying because I've changed my attitude towards food and how I eat. The only thing I avoid is sugar, wheat (because I'm sensitive to wheat), and some other foods I am sensitive to. Otherwise the world is my dinner plate---if I want it.
If I languished on Induction, I'm sure I would feel dissatisfied and like I'm missing out on a variety of foods because I'm limited to the foods on the list.

And I'm sure if I stayed on Induction until I reached goal, I wouldn't have a clue how my body would react to various foods and I wouldn't have any idea how to eat properly for my body.

So for me, Atkins is a very realistic approach to eating in the real world. It really depends on how you choose to do your Atkins. If you're convinced that Dr. Atkins was wrong about moving through the phases of his diet and decide to stick it out with Induction to the very end. Good luck to you. And I hope you become familiar with the "Second Time Around Forum" here at ADBB. If you decide to take his advice and move through the phases, then you'll find your weight loss experience to be much more satisfying, in terms of food choices and continued weight loss.

[not2late]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

Oh and another thing....The diet books weren't the money-makers for Atkins while he was alive. The Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine was the big money maker---weight loss was only one of the things they did there. The larger part was devoted to "alternative" medicine: acupuncture, osteopathy, naturopathy, etc.

So the only money he took from us was the $10.00 spent on the book. If you bought all the low carb crap from the company, well, all I can say is if you read the book, you would know that none of the bars, shakes, low carb whatnots are necessary to doing this diet correctly.

[winthorp69]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

You are at an ATKINS BY THE BOOK site. There are plenty of other low carb sites that are not Atkins and are general low carb. If that's the type of plan you want, you can seek these out. Why come here and be irate because the answers we give aren't what you want to hear? Just go to one of those sites and get the answers you do want.

Sorry for the slow response. Was at lunch.

I'm not mad or irate. Others, however, seem offended that I dare mention something like this. I respect the guy and AM DOING HIS PLAN (by the book). I just thought on a site full of adults I might throw an alternative viewpoint/thought out there in hopes of getting intelligent responses (not anger). I understand this a by-the-book Atkins site and I'm not saying it's wrong or any member is wrong for doing it. Just thought maybe a conversation other than the usual might be nice.

I really don't mean to offend.

[ladyinred]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

Okay, no offense taken, then. But you must understand that this is kind of a hard core site and while we agree that Atkins isn't for everyone and that other plans do work for other people, they don't work for us. We've tried them all, believe me. We'd rather spend time supporting each other in our mutual quest to do Atkins correctly (as correctly as people with human failings can, of course) than argue about it with people who want to pick fights. If it wasn't your intention to pick a fight, then I apologize.

Happy low carbing!

[winthorp69]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

Actions speak louder than words, big-boy. May I ask how your progressively inflamatory and derogatory remarks and pugilistic attitude reinforce your statement above?

You came here looking for a fight. Now you have one. Happy? I guess Wednesdays can be boring sometimes.

Everyone (until this post) including myself has remained cilvil. Presenting a view and then debating it back and forth isn't fighting. Yeah, Wednesday MUST be boring...

[ladyinred]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

We must have posted at the same time.

[winthorp69]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

all I can say is if you read the book, you would know that none of the bars, shakes, low carb whatnots are necessary to doing this diet correctly.

I haven't bought a single one of those. Atkins brand or other.

[winthorp69]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

First of all, alot of us are unhealthy due to our obesity. There are many causes for obesity, in addition to the usual suspects (overeating and lack of exercise). But the mere fact that you can gain weight means your metabolism is screwed up.

For some people, it's because we are carbohydrate sensitive. Granted we're not "diabetic" or "pre-diabetic" according to the current definitions of those terms, but something's wrong with how we process and utilize our foods.

So in that regard, we all need to learn 1.portion control, and 2. what foods are "good" for our particular bodies. By "good" I mean the foods we can eat that won't cause us to gain weight or lead us into behaviors that promote weight gain.

As for cheating and messing yourself up, I think that's the slippery slope most weight loss diets have. You go on a low cal diet and you binge on ice cream and cake at a birthday party. How long will it take for you to go back to your low fat, low cal diet? Sure some people have the willpower to hop on and off, but come on....if we all were in so much control to start, why are we all trying to lose weight?

Different cuisines and Atkins/low carb....

This is where it gets interesting. The weight loss phases of Atkins isn't just the Induction Phase. The remaining OWL and Pre-Maintenance Phases allows you to customize Atkins to your individual needs because everyone has their own carbohydrate losing level and everyone has their own tolerances to various foods. It's a pity that people think Induction is the entire Atkins diet, because they cheat themselves out of a more pleasant menu while they are losing weight.

I don't have trouble eating different cuisines because I've been through the OWL phases. I know my carbohydrate level and I know how different foods affect me. And most importantly, I've learned portion size and portion control. In other words, I've learned that very little of very good is very satisfying because I've changed my attitude towards food and how I eat. The only thing I avoid is sugar, wheat (because I'm sensitive to wheat), and some other foods I am sensitive to. Otherwise the world is my dinner plate---if I want it.
If I languished on Induction, I'm sure I would feel dissatisfied and like I'm missing out on a variety of foods because I'm limited to the foods on the list.

And I'm sure if I stayed on Induction until I reached goal, I wouldn't have a clue how my body would react to various foods and I wouldn't have any idea how to eat properly for my body.

So for me, Atkins is a very realistic approach to eating in the real world. It really depends on how you choose to do your Atkins. If you're convinced that Dr. Atkins was wrong about moving through the phases of his diet and decide to stick it out with Induction to the very end. Good luck to you. And I hope you become familiar with the "Second Time Around Forum" here at ADBB. If you decide to take his advice and move through the phases, then you'll find your weight loss experience to be much more satisfying, in terms of food choices and continued weight loss.

Great post.

And to clear up that last paragraph for you, I DO plan on going through all the phases just like the book says and I DON'T actually believe he was doing it ALL for the money.

[boonie stomper]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

I just sincerely hope you are not adocating cheating occasionally as a way of life. ESPECIALLY if you are diabetic on insulin, and take extra insulin along with a binge to "keep the blood sugar under control". (I know some people do this! )

[gazaleh]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

You know what, I agree with this guy. Every diet has positive and negative aspects. I find that with other diets, if you dine out once in a while or deviate, you barely gain as long as you're on track. With Atkins, however, sometimes one meal off plan makes you gain like 5-10 lbs, could be water weight , but that is extreme. Once u do Atkins, you have to kiss some things goodbye forever. IT's as if your body becomes allergic to most carbs and you gain quickly (water weight, fat, bloat) as soon as you look at one.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

Honestly? Come on man...I know the spin Atkins puts on all the fats and whatnot is positive but seriously. Don't act like you can't understand SOME of the foods one is asked to eat during induction could be viewed as unhealthy.

still waiting for you to list those unhealthy foods.

if you read or listen to Dr Atkins tv interviews you will see it is the news folk not Dr Atkins pushing the pan full of bacon grease with eggs frying as an atkins meal.
Dr Atkins was a tease and did like to cut up with the press saying things like I can have cream or I can have bacon when he was on the Larry King show and Larry King couldn't cause of his heart condition doctor diet restrictions, but if you read the transcripts he says very clearly yes Atkins Induction is restrictive but it is only 14 days and you have the rest of your life to have those (the foods folk complain about not being abkle to have on his plan)
When ask if a person COULD eat bacon, cream, butter, eggs, fillet migion sp?, and/or cheese as Larry King did then Dr Atkins says yes. (Because you can if you chose eat any or all of that but you can have other fats like olive or canola oil if you chose even though butter fat is short chain healthy fats too and the cut of meat Dr Atkins mentions have less fat then a chicken breast too.)

Most folk who think it is unhealthy are shocked to discover the premaintnenance and later stage OWlers are having 6-8 cups of veggies a day along with fruits.

[Sheshy]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

You know what, I agree with this guy. Every diet has positive and negative aspects. I find that with other diets, if you dine out once in a while or deviate, you barely gain as long as you're on track. With Atkins, however, sometimes one meal off plan makes you gain like 5-10 lbs, could be water weight , but that is extreme. Once u do Atkins, you have to kiss some things goodbye forever. IT's as if your body becomes allergic to most carbs and you gain quickly (water weight, fat, bloat) as soon as you look at one.

Wow 5 or 10 pounds from one meal?? That must be some meal(s)!

And I don't know about Atkins having the corner market on regaining or how quickly the weight comes back on if a person falls off plan. I got fatter doing the low calorie/low fat and other than some mild ups and downs, I've never regained like I did then. But, everyone is different!

[boonie stomper]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

All I can say is LOL... One year, eggs , butter and coffee are bad for you, and margarine and fake fat are good; the next year it's the opposite. And yes, Cambells soup is good food, but all the salt in it isn't, and one of my old coworkers thinks pasta is the world's healthiest food. HAAAAA! ROFL

[not2late]

Re: Something I never understood about Atkins...

I just sincerely hope you are not adocating cheating occasionally as a way of life. ESPECIALLY if you are diabetic on insulin, and take extra insulin along with a binge to "keep the blood sugar under control". (I know some people do this! )

I hope those people have glucose tablets and a telephone nearby. Insulin comas are nasty things that one seldom survives.....

Once u do Atkins, you have to kiss some things goodbye forever. IT's as if your body becomes allergic to most carbs and you gain quickly (water weight, fat, bloat) as soon as you look at one.

Actually, I found out that I had a food intolerance thanks to Atkins. I have asthma and seasonal allergies. Around 1996, my asthma and allergies got progressively worse, requiring more medications, higher doses of medications and being on medications longer. It was scaring me because I was on my way to allergy shots and I was on my way to having permanent lung damage.

6 months on Atkins, my asthma got better. I didn't need as much medication. In fact, I was able to go off one of the medications completely. Same thing for my allergies. When I was working my way up the OWL carb ladder, I added whole wheat during the Grains rung: bang! I began wheezing again, my nose started running. And while wheat doesn't affect my weight loss, it aggravates my asthma and allergies. So I avoid it.

Looking back to my typical menues back in the late 90s, I noticed I was eating more whole wheat and wheat products than I was rice or potatoes.

So, if I never went on this diet, I would still be 240+ pounds, and probably taking allergy shots and taking a whole cabinet full of medications.

Also, in my OWL experience, I found only 1 food that caused me to gain weight, but never 5-10 pounds worth. Others in OWL might want to comment about that. But the 5 net carb additions didn't cause me any major weight gain problems.....