I have ran into some optimistic friends of the Atkins / low carbing.
They insist I will get cancer at a early age and even age prematurely, killing the earth, creating to much waste in the world, the list goes on and on...
I know the possibilities of Atkins, but I feel it out ways what I face now.
I binge on junk and am addicted to foods.
I have pcos and want a baby and I heard Atkins can help; atlest it says in his book.
I feel Dr.Atkins lived a long life. He was 70 +when he died. If I could live to be 70 I would feel my life was complete. However if I eat like I do now I may die at 56 like my mom or even sooner!

What do you tell people like this?

Have any of you faced people like this?

Well, let's see -- I've been doing this for six years and I'm not dead yet! I weigh 145 pounds less which means that I've improved my health and my life expectancy.

By eating meat and veggies, how am I creating too much waste in the world? Meat comes from an animal and veggies grow in the ground? It's people who eat Twinkies and Ho-Ho's and all those things that will still be around after a nuclear blast that are polluting the earth with the manufacturing process.

I'm eating all natural foods -- last time I checked, that is way better for me than all the chemicals in the other crap and that's going to make me look better, not prematurely age.

Tell your friends to go pound sand and do what you want and what you think is best for you.

I also have a bad habit as I'm eating chicken and veggies of telling them how much fat and calories is in their fried food and junk food.

Unfortunately, Atkins has received some bad press. Everyone thinks we constantly eat induction level carbs. Or worse they think we eat a pound of bacon and a dozen eggs for breakfast followed by a pound of steak with cheese for lunch and dinner. (old myth of the MAYO clinic diet)
I tell people I'm doing smart carbs. A nice catch phrase and when they see positive changes and ask for help then you can explain it to them. If they see what you are eating then they see it is healthier than they thought.
Really it is a very misunderstood diet.
And really it is your body, your health and none of their business. Do what is right for yourself. For me it is Atkins. And I feel so much better. Words can not express how much better I feel.
They are truly just rude and misinformed.

You know when I first started Atkins over 2 years ago now,My family almost all of them, I thought were going to die of a stroke. Well I'm still here, and healthy. I know you want to get the approval of your friends, but maybe right now you are going to have to take your own life and well being in consideration. You have to know that you are worth alot, and you deserve to be healthy. There is nothing dangerous about Atkins or low carbing. I convinced my husband to low carb with me and his heart arithmia has disappeared, and so has his acid reflux. My mood swings and hypoglycemia has never returned. Also my Arthritis is under control and I was able to take up running again. Your friiends are speaking out of ignorance so you have to try and educate them. I did so with my family and about three of them have joined the ranks of low carbers. It's not going to be easy, but anything worthwhile is never easy. You are making the right decision, you know why you need to do this thing. You can get your support from us, we're here for you. I know where you are coming from the first 18 months that I did this thing I got nothing but grief from everyone. I'll bet alot of the people on this board can say the same. You have to stick with your convictions and get your life and weight under control. You can do it we'll help you succeed if you want us to. Judy

Usually when I get bombarded with naysayers, I really get my back up, and fire right back at them with the facts....and if they read the book they would know better what they were talking about! Those ppl get me so fired up I could spit!

If they want to go on about killing animals and whatever, check to see if they own any leather....do they eat chicken etc etc etc....usually shuts them up pretty quick. Just dont take their crap!!!!!!!!!!!

As for the pcos........I also have it. I was told I couldnt have kids. I have a beautiful 9yr old dd, that took 7yrs to get. My pcos kicked into overdrive after my dd was born, and I gained and went up and over 300lbs. The atkins(and protein power) diet got my periods regular for the first time in my life. I was pregnant again after my dd, with my current husband, but it just wasnt meant to be. We have since made some major decisions about it. But I fully believe it will help. With getting pregnant, getting healthy, and for looking your absolute best too.

So......dont pay attention to those "others" or fire right back at them with the knowledge you have!!

K, Im going to get off my now
I hope this helped you somewhat.

Thank you all very much!
It is so encouraging!

Dont ever give up on having children. Out of 6 trys I have 2. They are growen and have made me a gran ma and great gran ma. So just keep the faith and keep trying. There are so many things you can do now days that werent in use when I was going through it.

When I started Atkins, my family thought it would surely kill me. My doctor thought it would be great for me. He was the one that was right. With 80 lbs. gone now, my family keeps their mouth shut now. I am an intelligent, informed person and knew what I was doing. Many people who think Atkins is bad, don't have the least idea of what the program really contains. Your friends will "see the light" when they see how healthy you are becoming. Good luck and know that YOU know what is best for YOU.

Ok, well... I agree with everyone here. I believe that Atkins IS a very healthy way to eat, that it does improve cholesterol, that it improves health in general. I believe that eating green veggys, dairy, fish, chicken, beef, pork, lamb etc, and berries has got to be a very healthy way to eat.

On the other hand I think that there are people who do Atkins in an unhealthy way. (I think I myself have done it at times in an unhealthy way). I think if you go overboard and consume too many fats, that probably isn't healthy OR what he meant when he wrote the book. I remember reading once on his website about a lady who couldn't understand why she wasn't losing weight and she was eating a cube of butter every day! NOT what he intended at all!

I also think that the low carb products aren't all that healthy. I think we should avoid them as much as possible. BUT once I've been doing Atkins for any length of time I have more difficulty doing that because I tend to want something sweet, and I honestly don't think the artificial sweeteners are good for us. I really think it would probably be better to have a small amount of sugar or some healthy fruit, than that "junk" stuff.

But if you are informed, intelligent and careful, I don't think Atkins will "kill" you.

But having said that, I do believe that there have been cases (at least one that I heard of) where Atkins HAS killed someone. The girl I'm talking about was a teenager, and she probably didn't read the book or do the diet correctly or look out for the dangers, and there ARE a few dangers if you are making radical changes in your diet suddenly. She just started doing low carb and her electrolytes went out of balance and she kept it up and it killed her. During the early stage of Atkins there is a danger of electrolyte imbalance. For most of us it isn't a problem, but the book warns of potassium depletion. You can lose potassium during the early part of the diet when you start losing a lot of water weight. All the peeing causes your mineral balance to go out of whack for awhile. It is important to take a potassium supplement (and probably magnesium and calcium too) at the beginning of the diet and to take a good multivitamin. Drink lots of water and watch how you feel. If you start to feel wrong, then maybe increase carbs a little until you get past the point of feeling rotten and to where your body has made the transition.

All things that anyone attempts should be done with maturity, carefulness and the spirit of a sound mind. No one should jump into anything and then listen to no counsel about how to improve the situation if it isn't feeling right. Once the transition is made, once the body is used to the new way of eating and has passed from using primarily carbs as its fuel source to using primarily ketones, the danger period is over. I honestly believe that too low of carbs may be a little dangerous for some people (at the beginning anyway). After that early start, after the body has adapted, I believe it is a VERY healthy way to live and eat. But people SHOULD be cautious and should listen to their own bodies and give themselves the opportunity to do whatever they do in the most healthy way possible.

I look at the way I eat when I'm not on Atkins and THAT isn't healthy. What's not healthy about eating meat (small portions) and veggies (large portions) compared to huge portions of french fries, chocolate bars and chips? Don't listen to them. As Sherry said...when done correctly it's healthy. There are diets out there NOT healthy. Skipping meals isn't healthy. So just go for it

I have been on Atkins for almost 7 weeks now and I feel great. My Dr told me to try it. It works (for me anyhow). I am no longer depressed, I have energy, I don't crave the junk food and I have a more positive outlook. I have hypoglycemia however that has calmed down so much that I don't get my little fits anymore. Everyone is a critic for something. Do what makes you feel good and what works for you. I have heard the issues with many diets. Yep and you can get hit by a bus tomorrow too, not going to stop me from walking.

I started Atkins Nov 1 2010.... and was so concerned that I dropped 14 lbs in 9 days I went to see my family doctor about this....

He said....COMMON SENSE.... you stop eating sugar,starch,etc. and lower your carb intake ... the pounds will melt away no matter if you go to the gym or not.. ( I had told him I started going to the YMCA).......

I asked him if it would harm/hurt me.... I was 293 (starting weight),now 277 he said not just don't starve it off.

I used to say these things.

then the new book came out and my bff was on it.
i started having issues with pcos, and everywhere i heard low carb helps people with pcos.
so i bought the book (i always do my research before starting any diet/lifestyle change)

when i got done reading it i realized it isn't as bad as everyone "claims"
i did it for a month and lost 20lbs.

but some issues came up in my life and the diet dropped to the background.

so now I'm ready to try again.

but i know there will always be someone that disputes the health benifits.
i mean really am i healthier at 275 than i would be eating more protien and some fats for the first 2 weeks.
rediculous i tell ya.

According to the nay sayers, I have lost 80 pounds of WATER! lol

I don't tell people I am on low carb. It just invites weird conversations. I just say I am eating a natural diet, meat, veggies, nuts, cheese, eggs and seeds if pressed. When you stress foods people know, then they don't get hung up on the foods I don't eat. When someone tries to feed me foods I don;t eat, I just say no thanks. Picky, fussy eaters don't eat whatever they don't like....why should I? I am now officially a picky eater!