[Angel26519]

hello all!

I dont think atkins diet is very healthy.... but I don think it works for some....

If this is the type of diet you are looking for maybe look into the South Beach Diet.... it is a twist of the atkins.... it encourages higher protein but uses healthy protein (come on we really didnt think eating a pound of greasy bacon for breakfast is healthy did we???) it also uses healhty carbs (no sugar or white stuff)... check it out.... it may be one that is better for you.

Good Luck in whatever you do!

[NicoleNYC]

First, read the book before you form an opinion. A two paragraph blurb in a magazine at the grocery store checkout does not count.

Second, and this is important so pay attention NO MATTER HOW YOU LOSE WEIGHT, YOU WILL ALWAYS GAIN IT BACK IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR FORMER WAY OF EATING. Duh. It's what GOT you fat in the first place. Why on earth do you think it won't get you fat again.

Third, Atkins, as any good weight loss plan, is a life time committment. You may slip up from time to time, but it's a long term plan. There is no "going back to normal" eating. Just like if you lost weight eating very low fat and then went to your old habits - of COURSE you'd gain weight.

Atkins works for so many people. For everyone? Certainly not. We're all different. But if you look at a typical day for someone on Atkins, what you're going to see is no processed food, TONS of high fiber fruit and veg (even on induction you're required to have MORE than the standard 3 - 5 servings. A standard "serving size" is half a cup. Atkins requires THREE cups), some healthy fat, lean meats, enough dairy, and a lot of water. What is so unhealthy about that?

Most people judge Atkins by the first two week bit (it's the most "sensational" and radically different from the old low fat standard so it's the part most often covered by the media) - it's induction, 20 carbs. That is ONLY there to help people get past their carb and sugar cravings. Yes, you're probably going to feel pretty cruddy at first when giving up garbage your body is used to. But then you'll most likely feel amazing. I've never had so much energy, my skin has never looked so good. I've never been able to do this much exercise, sleep so well, go without heartburn and indigestion meds, actually spend most of my day NOT thinking about food. I'm full. I don't have a desire to over eat or eat emotionally. I don't have that miserable 2 pm dip where I feel like death and can't think straight. When I get hungry, it's just hungry - it's not that low blood sugar, can't think, feeling faint, passing out, stomach cramping hunger. I don't think Atkins is killing me. I think it's changing my life in the best way possible.

I would never suggest that one eating plan will work for everyone but THIS ONE works for me. If you haven't actually read the book and talked to people who have been on Atkins LONG TERM (and not someone who started after reading a two paragraph blurb and didn't put in any research) then don't judge.

[bicker]

That's the real problem -- not so much isolated individuals making judgements about an approach based on inadequate understanding -- that only affects that one individual. Rather, the problem is doctors -- the medical establishment in general, but doctors in particular -- who are responsible for providing informed, fact-based guidance on matters of health to their patients, making judgements about approaches based on inadequate understanding.

This came up in another online forum earlier today. This is what I said there...

If the option isn't presented at all, then the patient may remain obese (as I did, resulting in several manifestations of undiagnosed degenerative disc disease). ... I believe the only ethical approach is to present the option to morbidly obese patients WITH [appropriate] warnings, made as forcefully as I feel necessary, rather than not presenting the option at all.

I greatly distrust the doctors who failed to present the option before I [damaged] my back, and even failed to support the option when I decided to pursue it -- this was even after my back surgery. I consider that malpractice, though I'm not willing to pursue the issue in the courts.

[amyyy]

Thank you all for your input. I agree with angel and have really studied several diets. I have read the atkins book and did induction. It was terrible for about 3 days I didn't realize I was addicted to something but I had terrible headaches. Then I started feeling a lot better. Had more energy, didn't crave sweet and wasn't really even hungry. Needless to say I realized I couldn't eat like this the rest of my life. So I am doing my own diet. It will be a lot like the south beach. . . watching my carbs and fat. I have been losing weight steadly and slowly. The atkins did teach me about carbs and so I am glad I read the book. I don't want to gain the weight back so I decided to do something that takes the weight off more slowly. . . and I can do the rest of my life.

Thanks again to everyone. You have been very helpful!

Amy