Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

[warbishop]

Ok lets clear a couple things up....

Of course excericise is good for you. And anyone who argues otherwise is simply taking a study or two too far and not thinking with common sense. And dont tell me you cant lose weight with exercise. Bull! I served in the US Army and I saw tons of recruits come in, me being one of them, who lost weight in basic due to the program they placed everyone on. And it is an Army standard. And it wasnt like we didnt eat either, We ate carbs and actually I thought most days I had too much to eat. we usually had 3 sqaures before 6 pm. And I lost 25 pounds in basic back then... some lost more and some lost less. But either way, aside from that... back then... after basic... I felt good and looked good. I was better for it. So yes, excercise is very good for you. Now, that being said... You will lose weight faster on the Atkins diet combined with excercise. And yes, if you excercise you will most likely need to eat a little more. Duh! Dr. Atkins, in his book, even says you need to excercise and that it will allow you to eat more carbs cause u r burning more. Not to mention that it builds muscle which burns more calories......etc....

Also, lets talk about conditioning. If you are trying to build your cardio up. You need to find out what your safe maximum heart rate is for your age and try and not exceed that. Then you need to keep your heart rate up for at least 25 minutes of continuous excercise in order to gain conditioning value. THEN, and most importantly, you will need to excercise with cardio again within 72(preferrably every 4 hours to insure your body will build on what you have already done. If you wait more than 72 hours to cardio again, you will lose what was gained from the previous workout. And thats a fact.

And one more thing I'd like to mention. It is very important to eat fat along with the protien you are eating. Atkins is, to me, not really a protien diet but more a protien/fat diet. Simply put, if you eat too much protien, your body will treat too much protien like carbs or sugar and convert it as such. This can sometimes lead to even more cravings. Fat on the other hand, since it is being broken down, wont be stored and cant be converted to glucose. So, when you are going to take in more calories, it helps to have a large precentage of those calories as fat calories. Just like if you are getting hungry, a little cream cheese, which is high in fat, will curve your appetite.

So people. Do excercise. Follow the Atkins plan. And take your vitamins and drink plenty of water.

And one more thing. Telling people you do atkins will sometimes get you an odd look or two since they dont know better, BUT telling people that excercise isn't necessary will just make you seem crazy for sure.

[kate58]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

Comparing the average overweight person attempting to lose that weight with young recruits undergoing an intensive military training programme tells you little about weight loss in the 'real' world. I am sure they feel wonderful. I am equally certain that not many overweight people are going to embark on an exercise regime that even approaches that one in it's intensity and that it would be completely unrealistic to expect them to do so.

To reiterate: Gary Taubes did NOT say not to bother exercising or that exercise was not an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. What he did do was produce a lot of very convincing data to show that for people trying to lose weight, exercise does not play a vital role in their weight loss. Not in their general health and well being - just in their weight loss.

Have you read his book?

As I said before he is already starting to have things pinned to him by those who pick up on a handy headline, like 'don't exercise' or 'exercise is unimportant' - which he did NOT say. It is a a totally parallel situation with all those people who misunderstand Atkins because they have never read the book.

I could try to distill Taube's arguement into a couple of sentences, but that would be to do him as much disservice as trying to distil Atkins into a similar length has repeatedly done. So I'll say what I say to those who critisise Atkins without actually knowing anything about it - read the book.

I honestly believe that if Atkins were alive he would be convinced by the evidence Taubes gives for his proposition. However I don't believe for a moment that it would necessitate any change in his insistance that exercise is a vital part of his programme.

[Hudson]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

War

I can think of a time in my life (late 20s) when I think exercise made me lose weight. I rode a bicycle and got into racing. I rode and raced over 200 miles a week. Every now and then around 300. And I remember being the thinest of my life. But I don't remember what I was eating. I do remeber that we "learned" that we needed to cut back on the fat and I began to gain - so much so that I was no longer competitive.

Now as an old geaser of 48. When I read exercise won't help with weight loss, it fits perfectly into my experience. On Atkins there is no connection between exercise and good losing. I have done the best when not too concerced about exercise or no exercise at all.

And two nights ago I sat at a table and listened to "I have been working out hard this month and GAINED 5 POUNDS!"

Yes it is possible to lose weight with exercise. But what Taubes puts forth is that in the research it dosen't work long term. More exercise, more food. You should get the book it is absolutely fascinating.

Kate, I could not help but wonder the same thing: What would Atkins think about this book?

[Chicklady]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

I lost weight in my early twenties doing 45 minuted on an exercise bike at a gym four times a week....then we'd go for pizza!....and i still lost. But like any diet, exercise must be continuous, which is where I failed. By the time I hit my late 30's and doubled my tonage, it became hard enough to walk, never mind do ANYTHING for 45 minutes. Army training might well make me lose weight-I'm just not so sure I'd survive it.
My knees, my back, my lungs after 30 someodd years of smoking.... well, I hope to get to the point where a half hour workout doesn't leave me in pain for days.

[warbishop]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

Well, Atkins himself said in his book that excercise was an important part of the Atkins lifestyle. It is sessential to good health and definately can help you lose weight, stay healthier, and live longer and if anyone thinks differently, I'm sorry but you have Zero merit with me and no one will ever convince me any differently.


And for those who said when I was in my 20's and excercised etc..... Well, obviously you are out of touch with todays military. People in there 30's are regularly going into basic. Some get waivers for not meeting the weight guidelines going in. I saw a waivered 34 yr old mother of 2 that was 35 lbs over weight going and that lost 40 pound in basic. And she ate like the rest of us. I'm sorry if you disagree but please dont tell me that excercise isnt important. It is.

And to be even more clear, I never disputed what taubes said. Never mentioned his name. Dont even care. All I know is, excercise can definately aid in weight loss. And I'm not ignorant enough to believe diferently.

[Chicklady]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

And I'm not ignorant enough to believe diferently.

To call those who don't believe what you do "ignorant" is just plain nasty. Doesn't inspire nayone to listen to your point.

[warbishop]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

And dont forget, you dont have to run 12 miles for excercise or bike around town or play ball all day. All you have to do, iget your heart rate up for 30 minutes day at a safe level and do that at least every 2-3 days minimum. That shouldnt be hard since some of us, like myself not long ago, get tired just climbing stairs. So go walk a few hills for 30 minutes or something.

And I dont mean to offend anyone really, but I get a little upse t when anyone even suggests that excerise isnt important in any healthy lifestyle. And it can aid in weight loss. No one however is saying that diet isnt also a key ingredient.

[warbishop]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

Well, I'm sorry you feel that way chicklady. It wasnt meant as a direct insult. I was simply making the point that it is, to me, totally rediculous to say that excercise isnt a key ingredient to losing weight. I would wager that 99% of the entire world would agree with that, PHD's and all.



Didnt mean to offend anyone.

[warbishop]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

And really, if one reads a few things that say something like excercise isnt very beneficial for losing weight. Well thats one authors point of view. and he may even have some evidence to support his theory, BUT... I bet there is like a gazillian studies and actual cases that support how benificial excericse is for weight loss and overall health.

[kate58]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

It goes without saying that you are completely entitled to your opinion, and it is obviously something about which you feel very strongly. But, once again, nobody that I can see, either in this thread or elsewhere suggested that exercise is not essential to good health. And certainly nobody said it was ok not to bother with it.

I never disputed what taubes said. Never mentioned his name. Dont even care.

That's a great pity. I think you would find the book very interesting. As well as the part about exercise there is a massive amount of information about nutrition and health and nutrition and weight loss in there. It really looks at the scientific evidence for all opinions very thoroughly - and it was lack of thorough science that led us into the whole "low fat is the only way"/"saturated fat is bad" mess.

[Hoping]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

I think he made the info public himself, therefore fair game??

I forgot about this thread, but a million years ago I posted that doctor's couldn't share a patient's health history.
I meant health history or about treatment or anything for that matter. That means that this person's friend's friend who's a doctor SHOULD not and by law COULD not discuss Dr. A's condition, etc. Patient confidentiality, right?
maybe I'm wrong...

[julirama723]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

I just got the book last night, and I'm only a few pages in. I obviously plan on reading it, but I want to ask a couple questions. Does the book state that exercise does not help you lose POUNDS (weight) because at a certain point you will maintain your weight or possibly gain as you lose fat but increase muscle? By default, you still lose fat, but the NUMBER on the scale doesn't change? Or is it simply the argument of calories in vs. calories out--the more energy you expend, the more calories your body will need?

Also, is it "all exercise" or cardio? Perhaps this fits with the idea of the "no cardio" diet. Strength training will build active muscle tissue which burns calories to maintain itself and make repairs. However, often you gain weight or maintain on the scale, even though you may lose inches. Cardio does not build muscle, it improves cardiac endurance and health. Did the book distinguish between cardio and weights?

I probably shouldn't even post this here, as I haven't read much of the book yet...

[cgdat136]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

which book are you referring to jules....?? must be the good/bad calories book because i know that was one of his premises.....saying something like all the exercise in the word wont help you lose weight?! please someone correct me if i am wrong......i am somewhat turned off by the fact that that book is like 450 pages long? i may pick it up at a library...

i did get a book today called the biggest loser fitness challenge or workout....now that one...i like it. mainly because i canned the gym membership and i am just fine working out here in the basement. i can do pushups and situps and squats right here.....thats more than enough!! maybe someday i will even be able to do a few pullups again LOL

do you wanna know something....when i was in 6th grade i remember doing like 25 pullups...unbelievable huh?

chris

[julirama723]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

I was referring to Good Calories, Bad Calories. I've read DANDR more times than I've vacuumed my living room. Which either means I am a bookworm or a horrible housekeeper.

[Chicklady]

Re: Touchy Topic: Dr. Atkins' death

I was referring to Good Calories, Bad Calories. I've read DANDR more times than I've vacuumed my living room. Which either means I am a bookworm or a horrible housekeeper.

LOL. Well, I've read War&Peace more often than I've cleaned my house.....and I've never read War&Peace