Hurt

[TheDogAteMyName]

This morning I was at breakfast with a very good friend. She knows I am on Atkins, but I haven't talked at length with her about it. We order...she gets the Fit on the Farm at Bob Evans and I order a three egg omelet. She said she talked to another lady who is in her 30's that had a heart attack about Atkins. The lady told her that you can't do that and it's not safe and to follow a low-fat diet. Afterall, it's recommended by the American Heart Association. Then she went on about how Dr. Atkins died of heart disease and how unhealthy the diet is. Where on earth do these false statements come from? Dr. Atkins died to an unfortunate head injury - it's in the public autopsy report. Why is everyone so against Atkins? It makes me almost not want to tell anyone that I'm doing this WOL because of how negative they are. She said she dropped 6 pounds this week. I'm happy for her, but I'd also like for her to get her numbers checked in 6 more months. Her triglycerides and cholesterol were high and that's why she's now eating low fat. She asked me what I thought and I gave her my opinion of low fat. I'm sick of the stigma that surrounds Atkins. While my numbers weren't up, I did have blood pressure of 135/90. I can almost guarantee the next time I go to the doctor's office that it won't be.

How do you explain to people that this WOE is actually ok? I simply asked her to compare her foods to mine. How could you say that Fage Total is worse than Dannon Light? Read the ingredients list and that's only yogurt. I can post my menu that my nutritionist gave me, it's full of high fructose corn syrup foods. I could lose weight following other diets, but if it's not going to get me healthier than why even try. That's the whole point I was trying to make.

[liv]

Re: Hurt

Hi Nichole,
It is a bummer how little people know about the low carb lifestyle and how many misconceptions there are. When I check media report that deals with low carb I can certainly see where people get these ideas from. A lot of sillyness out there.

There are many studies that go in our favour and that supports that the low carb life style is a healthy way to eat and live. You may want to bring some of those up with your friends if this is discussed. Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories is a good one.

I think many people thinks that diet is about suffering and because us lowcarbers very often enjoy what we eat while we are losing weight (I know I do) people think it has to somehow be wrong. But it isn't.

Don't feel bad. Just prove by example how great it is.

[quotidianlight]

Re: Hurt

I understand exactly how you feel. I've stopped telling people even if they ask. I just tell them that I cut out ALL processed food and flour and sugar and took up exercise. Most people just shut up because they don't really want to know they want an easy ticket.

[misplaced southerner]

Re: Hurt

IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

simply say, let's just agree to disagree and change the subject. i have lost 70 pounds. my cholesterol has gone from 202 to 160, my BP has dropped into the healthy range AND....my CARDIOLOGIST, after extensive testing and a stress test has told me that in his medical opinion, my chance of having a heart attack is 0%....got that? 0%!!!

i don't argue the issue with the naysayers. i just tell them those facts and drop the subject. i let my lifestyle, activity level and size 6 jeans tell the story! don't be hurt. smile brightly and just know how good this is for YOU!

[moniegail]

Re: Hurt

it's really a shame that the Atkins way of eating has somehow gotten such a bad stigma. i know that my mom has questioned the validity of this diet to me many times, and i have tried to tell her that i eat so much better now than when i was not eating low carb. before when i was eating all the unhealthy high carb foods a salad or even veggies would never even be considered for a meal, instead it would be pastas, breads, and sweets. all the things that were very bad for the body, but somehow that seemed ok to her, even though they were lacking all the nutrients that i now get from eating the wonderful veggies everyday.

i know it's hard when the people you rely on for support seem to be the ones who doubt it the most. you just have to remember that you are really the one who knows what works the best for you and hope that they will come around when they see the results in the end. a healthier, thinner, more energetic person full of life and then maybe then they will come around to our way of thinking.

just stay strong and know you have support here on these boards any time you need it.

monie

[biogeek]

Re: Hurt

I understand exactly how you feel. I've stopped telling people even if they ask. I just tell them that I cut out ALL processed food and flour and sugar and took up exercise. Most people just shut up because they don't really want to know they want an easy ticket.

That's exactly what I have to do at work and with my extended family! Thankfully, my DH is with me on this WOL, so we're incredibly supportive of one another. I figure once I'm closer to my goal weight and have more blood work results to support my healthy lifestyle, I plan on answering such questions as: I cut out all processed foods, flour, sugar, and live an active lifestyle with a lot of exercise. By the way, THIS is Atkins! And I'm healthier than I've EVER been before!

[ttdriver]

Re: Hurt

How do you explain to people that this WOE is actually ok?

I don't explain a thing. I tell them I've been an Atkineer for over 6 years and my bloodwork is astounding. Success speaks for itself. You really don't have to convince anyone .. just show them what success looks like and they'll want all the details.

Betty

[fat4now]

Re: Hurt

Free advise is worth what you pay for it. We get our advise from the Doctor. We eat all the good things now. We are taking care of ourselves. Sometimes, misery loves company. Your friend cares about you or they wouldn't say anything. They are still your friend, just misinformed.

f4n

[blue996]

Re: Hurt

I don't explain it unless someone wants info so they can start themselves. All I know is people tell me I look great and I feel great and if everyone else wants to do low fat that's their choice.

[TheDogAteMyName]

Re: Hurt

Thank you You are all so precious!

I'm taking your advice and letting my lifestyle do all the talking.

[joee5]

Re: Hurt

Tell em to not believe the hype as they checkin out the new you. Good luck. God Bless, Joe

[sallyseachange]

Re: Hurt

I just ignore the naysayers, let my results talk... and stick to my guns!
You're doing very well and will soon be in a position to be an Atkins example... actually, you already are!

[Thinker]

Re: Hurt

I was debating giving up meat some time ago - and on the Veggie boards there are people who have relatives who start Atkins and develop cardiac problems. That's always worrisome. As a result - I've tried to eat more veggies when I can. I've kept up w/my supplements.

However, I think it is a misunderstanding. On Atkins - I suppose you could just eat rib-eyes morning-noon-and-night, but it is obvious that isn't a good idea for lots of reasons.

Frankly, on those rare occasions where I get into conversations w/people - they're usually surprised at what I eat. When I'm trying to lose weight I tend to eat more eggs and I'll eat steak a few times per week.

However, when I'm on Maintenance - my diet is remarkably unremarkable. My lunches are salads w/chicken or tuna or nothing. My dinners are usually fish and veg. My breakfasts are some low-carbish thing like a low carb yogurt, high fiber cereal, or a veggie omelette. I snack on nuts, cheese, and veggies. Add it all up ---and it doesn't come to much. Most people would call that a pretty healthy diet and be stunned that this (or some variant) works for Atkins.

There is nothing healthy about being overweight. There is nothing healthy about eating bagels or corn flakes or fruit smoothies. This is nonsense. They are candy. There is a connecting theory between the Vegetarian books (The China Study and Skinny B*tch) and DANDR. They say much the same thing - unprocessed carbs are bad. The only difference is that ATkins cuts other carbs to encourage weight loss and has no fear, in the long term, of meat. Frankly - it is far more sensible than anyone understands.

[APanthesilia]

Re: Hurt

Thinker, I think you are right- people don't know what Atkins really is. They hear Atkins and think all we eat all day is bacon and steak and that we just sit on the couch and watch TV and expect the bacon to magically melt away the pounds! I eat WAY more veggies and exercise more than my friends and than I ever did before. The biggest moment for me when I realised that people can be so misinformed and just silly was when I was out to dinner with a friend and we had both ordered chicken but she had chips and I had a salad- then she started going on about how Atkins just isn't healthy or sustainable and it would be wrong to do it long term, etc, etc, and I just looked down at our plates and thought (but didn't say!) compare what we're eating, I'm more healthy than you are! How is this not healthy? People think it is a lot of meat and don't realise how many veggies we eat, how we don't eat processed food, how much we exercise! There is a strange misconception out there that Atkins is a high protein diet, I just don't understand where that came from! I heard a doctor talking on tv once about how Atkins isn't healthy because it is basically all protein. I thought "do they let just anybody stand up and say things they don't know anything about?". It's frustrating for us because we know how great it is but people in general think it is horrible and even dangerous. I think we just have to do what most of the people on this tread have said and just let our results speak for themselves. I'm healthier doing Atkins than I ever have been in life (even when I was thinner) because I'm eating healthy things and exercising. So when I'm starting to feel hurt that people don't get it I just remind myself how much better I feel and how much better I am because of it and suddenly it doesn't matter so much what people think.