How do I know if Atkins (or lo carb) is right for me? I have been pretty frustrated lately doing WW and I am thinking I need to change things up. Is Atkins the way to go for me? I am 46, if that matters.
atkins gets results. but for it to work u have to cut out ALL starches (bread,rice,potatoes, flour, etc.) and sugars. if u can do that, then i say try it for two weeks and see what happens! good luck to u!
Atkins is def not for me. I know people have great results but I prefer to count calories. I like it because there is hardly any retrictions and even though I try to eat healthier having carbs is not something I cant do. I say try it and if you dont like it change it up!!
Location: NW New Jersey But, My Heart's In Pittsburgh!! GO STEELERS & PENGUINS!!!
Posts: 3,060
S/C/G: 245/143/145
Atkins works. That said, the effectiveness of Atkins (or any other plan for that matter) is your attitude going into it, doing it & maintaining it. It must be a complete lifestyle change, not a quick fix to get the weight off and then a return to old habits that will ultimately get you right back to where you started.
My first suggestion to you would be to get a copy of the book, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (2002 or prior version) and read it cover to cover BEFORE you attempt the plan. While there is some valuable info online concerning Atkins, there is no substitution for reading the book. Depending on how well you want to understand low carb eating in general, I would also suggest reading Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. Unfortunately, people have become misinformed over the years where Atkins is concerned and have been conditioned to believe all us low carbers eat is pounds of red meat, bacon & butter or even worse, that it is no carbs at all . IF this is the way anyone is "doing Atkins"....they are doing it incorrectly....hence the importance of reading the book first.
I have been on Atkins 6½ years, it works. I wouldn't consider eating any other way. That being said, you are the best judge of what you will do & what you will stick with and for that, reading the book is essential.
All the best to you!
BTW, I'm 49
Last edited by JerseyGyrl; 11-03-2010 at 12:52 PM.
If you are going to make a decision make sure you make an informed one.
When I started Atkins and people started to notice the weight come off I was constantly asked what I was doing to lose the weight. Once the word Atkins left my mouth the opinionated comments would start. Only by being an informed atkins follower was I able to beat down every single one of their arguements. At this stage of my diet people know where I came from and know that I am not very far from goal.... 50 more pounds..... May seem like a lot to some, but to me, I'm cool with it.
Buy the book or better yet reserve it at your local library.... the copy here always seems to be checked out but you can reserve it to be sent to you. Of course that is considering you can wait that long...lol.
Getting the book and reading it is the best advice. Atkins works great for me.
It's not for everyone though. But like Brown said earlier, you'll never know unless you try it. Best of luck to you
I agree with the informed advice given above. I'm a newbie to Atkins (Day 66 or so), and this site is a treasure trove of information.
Just as an FYI, I switched from Weight Watchers to Atkins, mainly because I found that I was always hungry on Weight Watchers due to the low-fat nature of the plan (WW has worked for me in the past, but I must be changing, because it just isn't for me anymore). So far, Atkins has worked really well for me. My losses are slower on Atkins than on WW, mainly because I'm consuming more calories on the plan than I was on WW (on WW, I think I was under 1500 a day, which is too low, really). This slower rate of loss isn't bad, though, because I think that the weight loss will be more sustainable in the end.
Definitely read the book that Jersey Girl recommended. It will answer your questions, and it will help you to respond to those who criticize you when you tell that that you're doing Atkins.
I'm very happy that I decided to explore this WOE. I never would have thought that it was "for me," but it seems that it is!
I agree. Try it for two weeks; enjoy the richness of cream, butter, cheese, beef, fish and chicken...eat what you need to eat so you won't be hungry. See what happens. If you hate it, don't do it ever again. But, everyone is so right, read that book cover to cover before you start. Good luck!
Backing up what Kim wrote here, if you go to youtube, you can watch videos of 1) "Sugar:the bitter truth" by Robert Lustig and 2) the lecture given at Dartmouth by Gary Taubes. I can get the links if anyone is interested. They are true eye-openers. Once you watch them, you will really want to read the Taubes book, Good Calories, Bad Calories....even though it can be quite complex.
Is Atkins for everyone? If you are a person who hates meat, fish, most vegetables and eggs and cannot live without pasta, potatoes, desserts and bread....I'd say probably not. And if you watch the Lustig and Taubes videos and still don't think it's worth it to alter the way you eat....well, what can I say?
But if it's worth it to change the way you eat, you will definitely lose weight and have to suffer very little hunger while you do it. It all depends on whether it's worth it to you or not.
Is Atkins Right For Me?
