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Old 01-15-2010, 11:50 AM   #1  
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Lightbulb Common Misconceptions Regarding Atkins

There are so many people out there with the wrong idea's about Atkins, I just wanted to take the time to clarify the many misconceptions I've run across. I hope anyone considering Atkins or who knows someone who is considering Atkins, will read this. A little knowledge goes a long way

#1. "I Can Do Atkins Without Reading The Book First"
To ensure you are doing Atkins correctly, reading the book is critical. If you want to do Atkins, it is impairative you understand exactly how & exactly why this program works. I also highly recommend you read Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes and The Protein Power Lifeplan by Dr's Michael & Mary Dan Eades.

#2. "Atkins = Unhealthy"
Most people believe Atkins is the all you can eat bacon, butter & red meat diet. NOT TRUE! To many people's surprise, the Atkins Lifestyle consists of lean protein, veggies & fruits, good fats and whole grains. Atkins discourages sugar, trans fats and processed high carbohydrate laden, unhealthy foods.

#3. "Atkins Is All Bacon, Butter, Eggs & Red Meat And No Veggies Or Fruits"
During the 1st phase of Atkins (there are 4 total phases), larger amounts of lean protein are encouraged to get the body into Ketosis (fat burning mode) and jump start weight loss. That being said, Atkins can be done successfully without doing Induction. Induction is for a 2 week period (but, it can be safely done longer). During this phase, you are allowed 20 net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) per day. Keep in mind, 12-15 of your 20 carbs need to be coming from veggies & salads on the acceptable foods list. On Induction, fruit is not permitted but, it is slowly added back.

#4. "Atkins Is No Carb"
From day 1, if you are doing Atkins correctly, you should be eating 20 net carbs per day with 12-15 carbs coming from veggies & salads. Obviously NOT no carb.

#5. "You Can Eat All The Eggs & Bacon You'd Like"
Atkins encourages moderation & portion control. Just because a food may be low carb, that does not give you a license to eat as much of it as you like. During the Induction phase, larger amounts of fats are encouraged to get your body into a fat buring mode. After Induction, you gradually increase your amount of carbs per day until you find your personal carb level for either losing weight or maintaining weight. Lean meats, more veggies, nuts, legumes, fruits and whole grains are then slowly incorporated into your eating.

#6. "Atkins Is Extremely Restrictive"
Some may find the 2 week Induction period "restrictive" because only foods on the acceptable foods list are permitted. When you progress to the 2nd phase of Atkins, known as OWL (On Going Weight Loss), you begin adding a variety of foods back into your diet.

#7. "Atkins Is A Fad Diet"
The original version of the Atkins diet originated in 1972. Many people are still doing Atkins 72 as well as the newer versions of Atkins. It is not some "here today gone tomorrow" program.

#8. "Dr. Atkins Died Of His Own Diet"
Dr. Atkins passed away in 2003 from complications of a head injury he sustained from a fall. He did not make it a secret he was suffering from cardiomyopathy near the end of his life. This is a progressive as well as serious condition that is caused by a viral infection. The infection did weaken Dr. Atkins heart and it was evident it was not due to his diet. Unfortunately, the media likes to blow situations entirely out of proportion for their profit but, the truth is, he died from a serious head injury.

#9. "Low Carb Causes Lack Of Energy"
Our bodies are designed to get engery from 2 sources....carbohydrates & fat. When carbohydrates are restricted to a low level, the body will begin burning fat, this process is called Ketosis. Despite what you may have heard, ketosis is not dangerous. Many confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis which is a serious condition that can occur with diabetes. Some may experience what we in Atkins circle's refer to as "Atkins Flu" when they first begin Induction but, once your body has become accustomed to burning fat for fuel rather than sugar laden carbohydrates (typically 3-5 days), your energy will return and you will feel better than you've probably felt in years!

#10. "Atkins Causes High Cholesterol"
The common belief is that Atkins encourages high fat foods. While this is true in the first 2 weeks of the plan, it is not the criteria for the remaining phases. Lean meats, fish & poultry as well as eggs. egg whites, dairy products, olive oil, nuts, seeds and whole grains are all components of the lifestyle that makes Atkins healthy. For many, Atkins has lowered total cholesterol as well as LDL ("bad cholesterol") & triglycerides.

I hope this clears up any confusion associated with Atkins.

Remember, Atkins is a lifestyle, its not just some "diet" you do to lose the weight and then go back to your old ways. If you want successful & permanant weightloss and maintenance, you must change your eating habits for the rest of your life!

You CAN do this!!!

Last edited by JerseyGyrl; 01-15-2010 at 11:56 AM.
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Old 01-15-2010, 06:22 PM   #2  
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Thanks kim! Thats some good info
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Old 01-15-2010, 06:31 PM   #3  
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Yes, that was good info. It was a good refresher for me. I was at the doctor today getting my iron levels checked and talked to her about my diet. She felt this was a good option for me since I will be eating foods with lots of iron in them as well as still being able to lose weight. She was perfectly happy with my choice to do Atkins.
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Old 01-16-2010, 09:04 AM   #4  
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Old 01-16-2010, 08:03 PM   #5  
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Kim ,

This sounds like the same as Metabolic research center menu is this true ? I m just curious bcs I have spent so much money on that program and to think I could have just bought a book to help me I feel like a fool ;(
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Old 01-18-2010, 04:03 AM   #6  
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Great post, Kim, thanks a lot!
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Old 01-19-2010, 11:12 AM   #7  
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Kim...excellent post/thread. You hit all the relevant points and explained them in simple terms.

Bianca...I will go and check out the metabolic research center plan and let you know my opinion regarding the comparison to Atkins.
And of course, it's unfortunate when these places charge so much, esp. for something you could do on your own with a little guidance. They really appeal to people who are desperate and take advantage of them at times, IMO. Don't get me wrong, I'm in favor of free enterprise and capitalism, but there are times when the line is crossed into taking advantage, IMO....especially when it involves desperate people.

I'll get back to you after I find out what the metabolic research center plan is.

deena
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Old 01-19-2010, 11:22 AM   #8  
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Wow, this is great info! I guess I AM doing the Atkins diet, after all - I'm just doing the OWL phase rather than the initial two week phase, because I am not restricting myself as to what fruits and vegetables I choose. But I am absolutely concentrating on lean protein, complex carbs like beans, and veggies and fruits. I'm allowing myself some fat (like cooking with a bit of olive oil) but trying not to overdo it too much because the calories do add up. So I guess I really am doing the Atkins diet after all! Cool!
PS. I did read the Atkins book and I tried the first phase of the diet, but it's been years now. I should probably get the book and read it again. I do still have the Atkins cookbook though - good recipes! I remember I did lose weight and felt super (good energy, actually felt almost insanely good, way better than normal in fact) but the carb cravings eventually got me. So I learned that there is no way I could stay on the most restrictive phase of the diet indefinitely. I kind of just have to work within my own limitations. So what I'm trying this time is basically the OWL phase I guess. Although I should get the book and read it again. I know I totally agreed with his theories, they made sense to me.
PPS - You know I bet I'm in ketosis anyhow this week, in spite of not being overly careful about the carbs, because my breath smells the same as it did when I did the initial two week phase. You know, that kind of icky breath you get, hard to describe...?

Last edited by HealthierLori; 01-19-2010 at 11:45 AM. Reason: PS then PPS
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Old 01-19-2010, 12:57 PM   #9  
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Bianca Gutierrez,

Listen, I don't want to keep hi-jacking Kim's wonderful thread here so what I'm going to do is to start a thread and title it with your name (Bianca Gutierrez) ON the "ATKINS" forum here but in the area below the "stickies" section, okay? And then I will post my opinion regarding the comparison between MRC and Atkins there.

Lori...boy, that's gonna be amazing if you're already in ketosis even without doing induction AND eating beans! And fruit! That would never happen for me...I have to be really strict now (possibly a combo of my age and having a medication negatively affect my metabolism a few years ago).

deena

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Old 01-19-2010, 01:11 PM   #10  
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Hi, Deena! Hope you are having a great day!

I know, I know, it seems impossible that I could be in ketosis given that I've been having some (not a lot, just some) hummus. But then I thought - I've only eaten two apples this week...really limited my hummus (calorie counting)....and the only veggie I ate this week that was really relatively high carb was baby carrots. Which actually I could give up. I also had half a cup of brown rice one day. Which I could also actually give up without really worrying about it.

Looking back at it....my total net carbs really have not been bad over the last ten days...I haven't figure it out exactly but it's possible I actually kept my net carbs within the allowed limits for induction....?

All I know is I remember that funny taste/smell very well, and it's not like regular bad breath, there is something else...it's very distinctive and I have been having that again. But you know what? I don't have that this morning. And last night was when I ate some brown rice. Might have gone over the limit last night...but I think I might have been okay with net carbs the other days....
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Old 02-20-2010, 04:38 PM   #11  
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Just thought I'd share. On a website called Livestrong.com (which relates to dieting, fitness, etc.) I found this:

2. Avoid Too Much Protein
Some diets, like the Atkins diet, recommend high amounts of protein and low amounts of carbs. These diets can be good for some people as long as they are eating high quality protein and stick to healthy carbs like whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Totally eliminating carbohydrates from the diet is not a good idea, because high levels of protein strain the kidneys, and you lose the essential nutrients that only plant foods and grains can provide.


But then I found another section that sounded much more accurate about the actual Atkins diet...until I got to this:

4. Make Simpler Atkins Food Choices
Due to the popularity of the Atkins diet, prepared snacks, beverages and entrees with the Atkins stamp of approval can be purchased. Use the snack bars and shakes as meal replacements or eat them while on the go. You don't need to worry about the nutritional values of these products since they follow the diet plan's recommendations. All of the Atkins Advantage food products contain plenty of fiber and protein while keeping the sugar and carb count extremely low.


Hehe....I just KNOW that Kim is gonna love this particular one.

There is also this very bizarre section on the site where you can post recipes...I think it's connected to the "food diaries" section. So I was reading the various recipes people had posted (I love recipes in general)....and it was really funny. Some of them were tallied at something like 44,000 calories and others, that were clearly very high-calorie, were tallied at around 170 calories. I couldn't figure out how they tallied them...and then when I checked the recipes closely, there were multiple problems with them...including how the specific amounts of the ingredients came out and how they were listed....for instance, there were things like "22 cups of milk" or "4 servings of eggs" or "3 tsp. of vanilla cake", etc. Not sure if decimal points were in the wrong place and/or if some of the listed ingredients had been partially cut off/left off or what in the heck was going on. Really baffled me. Maybe it makes more sense if you actually register there.

deena

Last edited by Deena52; 02-20-2010 at 04:39 PM.
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Old 02-21-2010, 10:41 AM   #12  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deena52 View Post

4. Make Simpler Atkins Food Choices
Due to the popularity of the Atkins diet, prepared snacks, beverages and entrees with the Atkins stamp of approval can be purchased. Use the snack bars and shakes as meal replacements or eat them while on the go. You don't need to worry about the nutritional values of these products since they follow the diet plan's recommendations. All of the Atkins Advantage food products contain plenty of fiber and protein while keeping the sugar and carb count extremely low.


Hehe....I just KNOW that Kim is gonna love this particular one.
Are these people in cahoots with Atkins Nutritionals Inc.
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Old 03-24-2010, 09:08 AM   #13  
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Jerseygirl, would you mind if I copied and emailed your "Common Misconceptions Regarding Atkins" post to my mom? You do a very detailed, clear explanation, much better than I ever could.
Thank you.
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Old 03-24-2010, 09:09 PM   #14  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LisaSue View Post
Jerseygirl, would you mind if I copied and emailed your "Common Misconceptions Regarding Atkins" post to my mom? You do a very detailed, clear explanation, much better than I ever could.
Thank you.
Sure LisaSue, I'd be honored
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Old 03-25-2010, 08:07 AM   #15  
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Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
I read your posts/comments over and over again until it' "clicks". I'm sure it will help her too. She's been talking about this one diet she saw on the news. Practically 0 fat in the diet, no meat. I'm not 100% sure, I think it's Dr. Ornishes diet, and the news channel said it works. So, now she's considering that.
I know I had a hard time wrapping my brain around Fat is allowed part of Atkins, went against so much that I was taught, but I did. It still sometimes makes me stop and think to myself, "I'm really allowed this?" More in a pleasant disbelief.
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