anyone else being bashed?

[Pam_C]

You know I realized that the people that have said something about atkins being bad were overweight themselves and then they ask what I eat and drink and usually say oh me too I don't eat sweets and I am going to lose weight the healthy way but I have noticed that none of them has lost anything yet. It has been people who made fun of me in high school and now I am skinnier than them by alot!!!! I think jealousy has a lot to do with these particular people.

[ttdriver]

Absolutely, Pam, I totally agree!! Our success bothers ALOT of other people! That is *their* issue .. Rock on, girlfriend!

Betty

[TWTMhomeschoolMom]

I usually tell them I'm on a "controlled carb and excersise" diet and they listen with open ears about how healthy it is and about all the good food I'm eating and how well I've done. Then I drop the "A" bomb and their dumbfounded.

I did this today, with a nutritionist --- I was at a birthday party, refusing the cake, chips, ice cream, pizza,,,,,, when the hostess explained that Carole is on low-carb and can't eat that stuff. Her sister the nutritionist asked what I eat------I listed the veges, the meats, the cheeses, and that I just stay away from all the processed foods like flour products, rice, potato produsts,.....
"you know, the Atkins program"

She was shocked that I ate vegetables. ':joy' And quite interested when I explained how it affected my hypertension too.

[ttdriver]

WTG Carole, giving it to a nutritionist!! :joy :joy

Truth be told, you *could* have eaten that trash, but you love yourself enough to say no cuz its POISON!

GREAT JOB!

Betty

[Jennval]

I've been "bashed" by just about every person I work with. When DH and I started out, we heard just about every line in the book about how bad Atkins is etc. 7 months later, and 65 lbs. lighter, people seemed more interested in my advice. And now that I'm back on induction again, I've silently lost 12 lbs in a month. I pass on all the junkfood that goes around the office, and watch everyone else dig in as I shrink before them (ha! evil, I know.) I don't even tell them what I'm doing, or how I'm doing it. Trust me, it isn't even worth arguing with some of these people.

Usually when people say I'm being too "unhealthy", I just list off some of my favorite things to eat (including veggies etc.) And then I ask them what they've had to eat today (????)

Or when people say "you need carbs to live," I always answer with "you can have 60 carbs in half a Snickers bar, or in a bucket full of fresh fruits & veggies." Which would you choose? Which is healthier? Eating carbs just for the sake of eating carbs, or getting them from nutrient rich sources?

I've got a comeback for every bashing!

[cleochatra]

This is a great thread!

Yes, it is amazing that people who eat at McHappy World would judge a diet rich in vegetables, whole grains and other nutritious foods. But then, people put that negative peer pressure on others trying to drag them back down into the pit with them.

Way to go educating everyone! You're all making a difference, both with your successes and your counsel of others in a positive and loving fashion (with the occasion smack to the back of the head donated via the Dr Atkins 2002 book).

*hip bumps and props to our shrinking Atkins family*

[Alienore]

ignorance of others

Well, although I'm having a hard time sticking to things at the moment I am thrilled that I have not gone above 154lbs again as that's a weight I NEVER want to be again.

I've had one friend say 'but isn't that the one where you eat nothing but meat' and I said 'No, I'm having steak with peppers, mushrooms and broccoli for dinner...' She was impressed but she's not the brightest of girls so I may have to remind her a few times before she gets it.

People at work don't understand what I'm doing and if it gets brought up as a discussion topic I find that my voice gets drowned out by all the 'know-it-alls' a lot of whom are on Weight Watchers. I've tried WW and I did get down to about 133 lbs but that was nine years ago and I had a stall I couldn't get out of and gave up so of course the weight I had lost all went back on again.

I LIKE eating this way thank you very much. I'm eating much more healthily than I have done in YEARS and even if it takes a while I will get down to the weight I want to be. I'd rather get used to the scales slowly showing nice things than rush and find that I get weight creeping up on me. And I can feel the difference already in my clothes and see the difference in my face and body.

It's even more fun when I talk to Dad and he asks what I had for dinner and he tells me he'd rather have had my meal than what he had... lol... but then he and my Mum are totally behind me on this WOE as are family friends.


Deborah

[Pam_C]

Well today a neighbor told me her friend was on atkins and died of a heart attack from it. I asked if there was proof it was atkins and she said well no but I think it was. I jumped on the chance I asked what do you think I normally eat? She said meat of course. I went and got the book. She was very suprised and finally said well my friend also took phen-phen. HELLO, duh. Onenon informed person down a billion to go. Thanks for the advice guys.
Pam

[spazzyhilo]

Onenon informed person down a billion to go.

lol, this just cracked me up..

Maybe one day the world will believe that people who truly follow Atkins are not going to keel over and die from a heart attack... maybe one day...

[ddevicente]

My take on it is this:

Herbivores are animals that eat plants.
Carnivores are animals that eat meat.
Omnivores, then, are animnals that eat meat and plants.
Where are the starchivores? Granivores?
There are none because bread, pasta, and sugar are invented foods, not naturally occuring in nature. You're not going to just grab a wheat stick and munch on it for nourishment - which leaves us with potatoes and rice, which, if I am correct, you can eat on the last rungs of Atkins occasionally.
But when are invented foods ever healthy?

[MotherOfGizmo]

Although you will lose weight with a very low carb diet such as atkins, i think that the jury is still out as to whether it is safe to eat saturated fats and little to no fruit and limited veggies for long periods of time. Clearly this is viewed as an extreme eating plan, and anyone who claims that it is safe really can't have much data to support it.
Don't bash me, I am just telling you why people confront you when you tell them you are on a very lo carb eating plan.

Are you sure you know what Atkins is? Have you read the book? I mean the entire book, not just the induction food list.

Look at the new dietary food guidelines put out by the government. They are saying to greatly limit your intake of refined sugars and bleached flours..even they are starting to get a clue.

Please, tell me one healthy thing that we are missing by not eating sugar/bleached flour and an abundance of starches? Once you move up the rungs you are eating more veggies than most folks who are not on Atkins, you will be eating whole grains, nuts, starchy foods. The only difference is you will be eating REAL food--not some crap created in a laboratory and fed to rats!

So please tell me how you have come to the conclusion that there is no proof that a low carb lifestyle is a healthier way to eat, I'd love to hear this!

[michigangirly]

yeah i love when people say they are going to lose weight the "healthy" way...like eating tons of veggies and salad and berries and nuts is not healthy! my roommate and i started atkins together..but sure enough so pooped out a few weeks later. every now and then she asks me if i'm still doing the "diet" and i get so frustrated because this is just my LIFESTYLE now. being healthy and eating better than i was! it isn't changing anytime soon, not a fad diet. it is like everyone is waiting for you to "crack" but i'm not going anywhere off this wagon. so they can stare at my 20-pound-lighter self :angelanim while i eat the atkins way. :yes

[cruiser gal]

A close friend of mine is a physician...a gastroenterologist. After I read the entire dandr, and was ready to go, I asked him about Atkins. His response to me was very positive. He told me that at a medical GI conference last year, they devoted a whole day to the low carb - Atkins approach, and the results were that it is healthy, and the success rate of maintaining weight loss, is the highest of all diets, because it is a learnt lifestyle. He said that if he had to lose any weight, this would be the way to do it. That was enough for me!

When negative people now approach me and tell me how bad a low carb regime is for me, I tell them about my doctor friend, and ask them how many years of education in the medical field that they have, to qualify their opinions. That usually shuts them up, and results do tell....I have already lost 35lbs, and going strong :joy

[cleochatra]

I love reading your shining moments of enlightenment to others!

Keep it up!

Great points about starchivores and donutivores!

[290wannabe150onAtkins]

I agree with you all, I eat more veggies on Atkins, then using the food pyramid. And you guys talk about Atkins bashing, Anyone see the NEW food pyramid!!! That is somthing to make fun of ! Just kidding.


Holly :wave