Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

[sallyseachange]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

I use them in dire emergencies...but only since hitting maintenance. I wouldn't really recommend taking the risk and eating them before goal as so many people get stalled...and there are so very many wonderful foods you can have.

[matawguro]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

I never got the Atkins Endulge Bars here in the Philippines, but for a time the Atkins Endulge Ice Cream was being by an upscale supermarket chain.

I had a scoop of vanilla ice cream daily which I mixed into A&W Diet Rootbeer to make a float. The effect was it cured me of my constipation problems. Fiber supplements had no effect except for psyllium husks which mad the situation a lot, lot worse.

I did continue to lose weight as long as I did not eat more than a scoop a day. Anything more than a pint would stall me.

Again, I'm a guy and at the time, I had lots more physical activity. Your mileage may vary.

BTW, what's the difference between the Endulge and the Advantage bars? As I said, I never saw Endulge bars sold here.

[changing]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

I ate an Atkins breakfast bar in my car every day for lunch when I was working as a temp for a week at this one office this summer simply because they didn't have a good lunch set-up. They were pretty good-tasting (not like fresh food, but still pretty ok), and it was all I had for lunch the days that I ate them. I don't normally lose every week, so it was difficult to determine that they stalled me or not. I didn't lose weight that week but like I said, I have no idea if they stalled me for the time being. I will say that, on the whole, I lost 11 pounds that month (my biggest weight loss month) -- but that was due to discovering my "true hunger" and eating much smaller portions that I had been as it was the actual type of food I was eating.

My issue in advising anyone to do anything is that I know myself and I know my own limits. I know how stubborn I am... I tend to be a bit of a chaotic sort of person and always like to test the limits. I also know that I love eating this way, and even hate the "carbed-up" feeling so much that true binging holds no pleasure. So for me, it would be fine to eat something bizzare and see how my body reacts. But I don't have a sweet tooth and got fat on potato chips and mac n'cheese. So a bar for me, not all that dangerous. And chocolate is sort of an average food for me. But I do eat other bizarre foods in very small quantities from time to time. I discovered much to my surprise that if I know that I don't have to go hungry on a regular basis that I can strictly portion control certain foods. But I am a weird person, and I know there's a 98% chance that your mileage could vary greatly.

Another thing to consider: I experiment and I do what I feel like, but I'm also a slow loser and I'm sure there's a direct correlation between the speed of my results and the freedom with which I tackle things. For me, though, I'd rather be able to experiment and find out where my limits are and test my resolve and find that my resolve is incredible (like I said, stubborn, stubborn, stubborn), rather than never know if I have what it takes to maintain in a world where there's a whole lot of gray. I stay the course.

But if you have a solid enough resolve to stay the course while experimenting (and I don't know how many people do), I'd say if you are going to try them, limit yourself. Just buy one and see how that sits with you. Or if you went and bought a box, like I did, buy only that one box. They might stall you, you might have to wean yourself because you find you like them too much, or they might awaken some old hunger in you. But even if those things happen, remember: you are not powerless, you are not a victim. You can walk away from whatever has befallen you and know you have a ton of resolve. Anything that goes in your mouth goes there because your hand brings it up there. So just because a certain food turns out to not be for you does NOT mean it's all over. Learn and move on.

[changing]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

Oh yeah, I didn't mention it in my behemoth post, but I've gone through all the rungs in OWL. I feel like staying on induction and being super-strict about losing the 70 pounds that I lost back in 2003 and never easing my way into OWL to even attempt to learn the very beginnings of how to adapt and maintain my lifestyle and weight loss are what doomed my weight regain. I needed to experiment to succeed, and I didn't last time.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

...remember: you are not powerless, you are not a victim. You can walk away from whatever has befallen you and know you have a ton of resolve. Anything that goes in your mouth goes there because your hand brings it up there. So just because a certain food turns out to not be for you does NOT mean it's all over. Learn and move on.

Love this para! Thanks Changing.

[mirna05]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

I ate one atkins bar two weeks ago, and I could not stop eating all day long!!

[doeskin]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

To be honest, I don't think they HAVE to be pure evil. I never ate them during induction, but I think they have their place as an in-case-of-absolute-emergency type thing. It's better than being goaded into eating something much worse, IMO. I would buy one every now and then and have it when I had ZERO time to eat anything else, or when travelling, and I still lost weight. But I'm talking about once a month or so that I would eat one, maybe less. I never got cravings too much, as long as I went right back to eating on plan, but a lot of people do.

I think of them as junk food - even though it's "low-carb", it's something only for very sparing use, or when you're in a bind. Plus, they're full of yucky chemicals like junk food!

[angelstar]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

When I did Atkins for the first time last year, I ate the Breakfast Bars every day for Breakfast. I was working in a hotel an hours commute from home and the bars were a great way of grabbing breakie and eating when I got to work. I still lost weight, I lost 3 stone. They didnt affect me in the slightest. I also ate the Russel Stowel low carb sweeties and it didnt have any effect on me at all.

This WOL affects everyone in different ways. U just need to see how different foods affect you. I never realised that the bars weren't part of the real Atkins diet until I came on this board.

I do agree, you can get stuck in a rut with this WOE, esp if ur in Extended Induction. But read the food threads, go on Linda's website. I tried the 'Pork Rind Pizza' this week, its induction friendly and was a great substitute for something that I feel I'm being deprived of.

[Waterbabe_Helena]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

Dear Rich, 2big, Angel and all my other lovely sisters and brothers:

When I posted this thread, never did I think that I would myself be the one to answer the question, and in the affirmative!

Ironically, it is I myself who has lost weight while having an Atkins bar each day - yes! And what is more, I've lost more weight since I started eating them than at any other time since I started. Unbelievable, yet true!

I never had a single Atkins bar in my life till last week when I was travelling around the UK. Since Nov 6th I had one Morning Shine bar a day for 9 days.

On 16th I found I had lost 7lb in fourteen days. Totally amazing.

Anyway, to reply to 2big, yes we have Slimfast here and I understand what you are saying. However, I have never suggested using the Atkins bars as a meal substitute, but as a 2-carb dessert or a treat to keep me off the ten carb hot chocolate. Eating an Atkins bar has not set up a craving for anything else; on the contrary, it has kept me off the hot-choc. Weds and Thurs I didn't have the hot-choc OR an Atkins bar, nor did I crave them, which I think proves my point.

Owing to the avalanche of ADBB disapproval of my Atkins bars I sealed them all in an A4 envelope on Wednesday night and "hid" them outasight in a low down drawer, hoping I'd forget them. However, now I've found my weight loss has continued while having one a day, I'll have one now and again when I feel like it, and if my weight loss stalls I'll chuck em straight in the bin.

I do appreciate all the lovin' care you all show me, like big bruvvas and sistas LOL - ironic, since my OWN blood siblings are horrified at my current diet and are already planning what they will wear at my funeral after my early death from heart disease. Hmph!

Anyway, 17 pounds down in 6 weeks, despite cheats. I'm happy with that!

[Lady_Hawke]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

Wow Helena! Way to go! 7 pounds in 14 days is awesome! Good going! The Atkins bars work for you and thats wonderful
17 pounds in 6 weeks is fantastic you are off to a wonderful start!

[Maerow]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

Wow Awesome Job!!!!! Grats!!!! :d :d :d

[JoviMom]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

Thanks to everyone for stopping by.

My question was has anyone managed to lose weight while eating atkins bars? I was hoping to hear from those who had. I've had the warnings coming down on me like a ton of bricks already, and my purpose in posting this question was to try to hear the other side of the argument, if there is one, and I am sorry I didn't make this clear in the first instance.

I have been trolling the boards all day (done no work whatsoever) and found that a helluva lot of people on ADBB are eating a whole range of frankenfoods (not just atkins bars) to get them through the long months.

Helena

I have, and still do! However, I only have 1-2 a week on days when I am on the run and know I cannot stop for Lunch. Usually a Wednesday or Friday...

[Adena]

Re: Atkins bars - are they truly evil?

Good for you, Helena! As folks have pointed out, different things work for different people. I'm glad you found something that works well -- and is enjoyable! -- for you.

Moving up the rungs will also give you the variety you crave. I was amazed at what a big difference it made for me. And, don't be afraid to do it... I actually started losing MORE, not less, when I moved up.

Take care!