Question for people new to Low Carbing

[brandywine1241]

Since conventional wisdom stresses that in order to eat healthy, you have to consume the majority of your calories from carbs, and there is still a sizeable group denouncing the Atkins plan as dangerous, I was wondering what made you decide to start this WOE? What influence did/does the "expert" advice have on your choice of diets? If you have tried other Low Carb diets, what made you decide to try Atkins?

I am particularly interested in hearing from those who have first tried low carb within the past year or so.

[blue996]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

I was convinced to start eating this way after my brother was hugely successful. He spent a lot of time researching the diet and I trust his opinion. He was a scientist (nuclear physics) and now is a red seal chef so he offers a unique perspective.

I don't much listen to the "experts" out there on nutrition. I prefer to look to the real people who have lost weight, kept it off, and are healthier than ever (many of which are members of this Board). I also just look around anytime I visit a mall to see that almost everyone is eating low fat but they are all fatter than ever.

I personally haven't tried any other low-carb plans as I feel they are all versions of Atkins in some way. In my mind Dr. Atkins is the expert on low-carb eating and I value his system above all others.

[FatBottomGirl]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

First and foremost - Atkins is a lifestyle change not diet... If diets worked most of us probably wouldn't be here. As a second timer - who had great success, I can't stress enough that you can't consider doing this as a "diet" otherwise you probably will regain the weight... This is a concisious choice to eat better and healthier as I believe that this lifestyle works for those that are carb/food intollerent.

As for the experts (or anyone else for that matter) I agree with Blue996 - I don't listen to the nutrionists - they all say different things... I do what I know works and Atkins is a plan/lifestyle that I can follow without having to give up everything I love... yes, you have to give up "things" in the beginning... but following the rungs you may able to incorporate some of those previously beloved foods back into your life with MODERATION.

[Adena]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

I started low-carbing about a year-and-a-half ago, so I'm a little outside your range, but this is the first time I've ever tried low-carb of any kind.

I had done some research online, and my mom had lost weight cutting out sugar and flour years ago, but beyond that, I honestly didn't have a lot of evidence to support this choice. I picked up an older version of Dr A's book on the sale table of a bookstore and started reading it. It made sense. But at that point, I saw it as just another diet. Not until I started it and was successful was I convinced. Before I started, I figured that the claims of being without hunger and no (or at least, few) cravings were psycological. I mean, I couldn't fathom that! But, when I started to experience the benefits for myself, I was convinced. For the first time EVER in my life, my appetite was supressed. I found it easy to stick to what at first was a very restricted "diet." But, I was allowed to have cheese and creamy things... It was almost too good to be true.

I've tried lots of diets, but never lost nearly this much weight, because I couldn't stick with it. When I found I truly lost my hunger, but yet could eat all sorts of decadent foods and still lose weight, that's when I realized that Atkins was like nothing I had ever tried. And it was something that worked for MY body.

So for me, what most convinced me was trying it for myself, and seeing but more importantly FEELING the results.

[SandyL2002]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

I agree with a lot of the other stuff... Of course I haven't reached goal yet.. But I wanted to say.. When I am on the program I feel so much better.. headaches go away, Ibs problems, heart burn, blood sugar levels going up and down...

When I try to eat a bunch of bad carbs..white sugars white bread..they affect me in this way so bad and I am always hungry...

So sure I could go to Weight Watchers and probably lose weight...which I have done but was always starving.. Atkins fills me

[sadie147]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

It was 4+ years ago for me....I hadn't really heard much about low carb diets here...

What made me switch, my last go at WW I ended up gaining weight...not because WW is a bad plan (it is a way of life as well for many that do it properly..no all these plans are 'diets'), I know many who are successful and happy on it, but because it wasn't for me. I was misreble with my food options, made bad choices on what i spent my 'points' on and was hungry all the time I think my biggest problem was i was consumed with 'fat free' everything..i even kept a big bag of red licorice in my desk drawer thinking it was 'fat free' so a good snack choice LOL.

There was a full page article in teh Health section of our local newspaper that caught my attention..basically a big photo of a steak and an article about Atkins...it was an almost pro-Atkins article. They listed the Atkins.com website and from there I started...bought the book (just was using the site at first) and here i am in maintenance 4 years later. To be honest, I really didn't believe it was going to work at all..but I was desparate.

I eat healthier now than I ever have. What had me convinced was losing 8lbs during induction of the 25lbs I needed to lose, while eating foods that I really enjoyed.

[Duinai]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

I did a lot of research. I got THE BOOK. I am Ph.D. major in Biochemistry, so I compared what The Good Doctor said with what my text books on Biochemistry say.. When I discovered nothing wrong AT ALL.... here I am 4 years later and never looked back.





Dui

[kate58]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

what made you decide to start this WOE?

A friend's doctor, a gynecologist, put her on it. We were fat in the same way, had stuggled fruitlessly though WW together, had similar hormonal issues (ie "women's problems") and were both getting very tired during the day and lacking in energy. Her doc told her she was insulin resistant, the hormanal issues would never go away unless the fat did and that Atkins was the best way for her to eat.

I was shocked. I though until then that Atkins was the fad diet from **** that would kill you stone dead from heart disease. But it was enough to start me reading.

What influence did/does the "expert" advice have on your choice of diets?

It used to influence me hugely - I absolutely believed in low fat. My kitchen was basically chock full of low-fat products, butter never crossed the threshold and I even felt guilty about olive oil. I ate up my carbs like they said I should. Not an awful lot of sugar, but a LOT of potato, rice, pasta, bread, cereal etc.

Now I read everything much more critically, scrutinize it, go to the source if I read any new research. It is just amazing how much of those research things start with the premise of "low-fat good, high fat bad" - they take it as a given, the only question seems to be how much and what kind. The more I read the more I realise that I need to read.

I am a vet (as in an animal doctor, not a former soldier as some people mistakenly think when I say that!!!), so I had the advantage of being used to reading scientific papers, they speak my language. And I read a LOT of stuff - really a LOT - before I started, and continue to do so. And like Dui it became ever clearer that a lot of them ignored the basic physiology and biochemistry - like all that stuff existed in isolation from what we eat.

If you have tried other Low Carb diets, what made you decide to try Atkins?

I never tried any others. I went with Atkins becuase it was the one that the doc who started me reading had mentioned to my friend. And because everything I read about it began to make sense. Two weeks, 14lbs and a prodigious amount of extra energy later I was sold. 6 months to the day since I started, and 66lbs later, I am still sold.

I'll eat this way forever.

[pamelainaustin]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

I had a vague idea of what Atkins was and frankly, prior to getting the book and spending a lot of time on this and other sites, thought it was dangerous and a "fad" diet. As I learned more, I came to understand more about it and think that it couldn't be dangerous--LOOK at all the healthy people who had lost significant weight. The improvement in health conditions, lab results, etc. really impressed me.

I have been a nurse practitioner (pediatrics) for almost 18 years and never really had weight issues until my early 40's. I felt I was reasonably well educated about nutrition. I had tried other diets (Zone, WW) and never had consistent success because I was constantly STARVING. I also took prescription drugs (phentermine) at one point. I already ate all whole grains, plenty of fruit and veggies, low fat dairy, etc. When I started to really look at the Atkins WOE I was surprised to find MANY things that I already ate and enjoyed which made me decide to give it a try.

When I started induction 12/01/07 it was just scary --from the very first day I felt great. I never had any "induction flu" or other problems. I did get some leg cramps at night a few times which resolved with taking calcium/magnesium supplements. That's it. My main craving has been for Fuji apples which I had eaten daily for at least 5 years. I have had no "off-plan" moments (other than occasionally jumping on the alcohol rung a bit ahead of schedule ) and it is already second nature to me to stay with the plan.

I just turned 50 and I feel better today than I have for many years. I have tons of energy and feel so grateful that I found this WOE that is helping me feel this way and get rid of the physical and psychological burden that my extra pounds are for me.

Pam

[Chicklady]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

I'm not sure why you're asking only people who started in the past year, since we've all had to deal with making a decision to go against the "wisdom" of the low-carb denouncers?
I wish I could say it was some great scientific knowledge on my part, but I bucked the trend of lowfat because I had tried every diet under the sun, starved while doing them, and was still fat and desperate.
I wish I had stuck with it the first time around. But I guess I needed to learn how to do it right. Now that I'm doing Atkins properly, I have never felt better.

[brandywine1241]

Re: Question for people new to Low Carbing

I really appreciate all the responses. Chicklady, the reason I especially asked people who started in the past year is that there is much more information out there today supportive of this WOE. Those of us who began our Atkins journey in the early 2000s or earlier had very little information to back us up except Dr. Atkins and our own gut feelings.

The resposes posted here have confirmed a feeling I have that the naysayers today are having less and less impact. People are seeing others who are successful and not dropping dead, getting doctors' recommendations, and reading current research. They are not listening to soundbites from the "experts". So when I read/hear another headline screaming how dangerous Atkins and other low carb diets are according to so-and-so, I will just chill out and let them babble on. The hot air they are spewing is not doing much more than contributing to global warming.