Hi everyone!

I just wanted to get a consensus about what you think about low carb fast food (Atkins bars / drinks etc). DO you eat them, use them as treats or not at all?

I can't get them here so it is a moot point, but when I go home to London I could buy them I think. They seem very expensive in comparison to normal chocolate bars etc.

In combination with Atkins, i've been trying to buy organic meat that doesn't have antibiotics etc in, and obviously I'm not consuming any chocolate bars at the moment, and was thinking last night how I could take this further. I'm going to try not to buy anything from big multinational companies (Atkins included, also Nestle etc) but instead try to buy less of the best quality I can afford. I'm going to try and promote small businesses by buying single chocolate pralines as a treat when I'm at goal, rather than giving money to multinational companies to make me fat and exploit people (ahem, this is why my mum calls me the little lefty).

What do you all think about it? Do you find weight loss is quicker with or without these products? Do they stop you falling off the wagon? Has the time away from mass produced things on Atkins pricked your social conscience too?

Claire

I do not follow the Atkin diet but your post is general as far as food choices are concerned. I do not buy processed food anymore. I prefer to control what goes into my mouth. I have notice a big difference such as sodium intake and chemical like nitrate, etc.

Ready to eat food is convenient but also expensive, I rather put my money on fresh food. I tend to buy organic food and even within that category you need to make wise choices because unhealthy comes in organic for also, potato chips are just that regardless how the potatoes were grown.

If all the produits were that good for us, would we be chubby, nah.....keeping it simple is for me.

Exactly my opinion!

I struggle to think of a KitKat as a treat, because I used to buy them whenever I wanted one and they are basically full of weird ingredients. Although I crave them sometimes, the logical part of my brain knows I am kidding myself if I think that is something special. A single chocolate from a cute little Amelie style chocolate shop, however, I would see as a treat. I have just made it my retrospective New Year's resolution to focus on high quality foods, even if it means eating less of them.

I try to avoid most processed food, but I do eat Atkins brand bars and shakes on occasion. I have a huge box of 200+ Atkins items brand items coming that was a gift, and I definitely plan on it lasting me a LONG time. I don't see anything wrong with keeping a bar in my purse for "emergencies" or a quick meal if I don't have time for something else. It's definitely not something to have daily though. I feel the same way about fast food restaurants. It's not something to eat every day, but if you're in a pinch or REALLY don't want to cook, then grabbing a low-carb lettuce wrapped burger from Carl's Jr. probably won't hurt anything. (Those burgers are actually really good by the way. They're much more "real" and meaty than most flavorless rubbery fast food burgers. I don't think there's any out of the states, though.)

However, a lot of people go the strictly whole non-processed foods route, and it's probably much better for your body. I just don't find it completely sustainable for me.

I do not eat/drink the Atkins bars/shakes because they stall my weight loss BIG TIME during induction. I follow the original "New Diet Revolution" Atkins book - not the latest version that apparently has the Atkins bars/shakes and whatever else in it just for a marketing pitch. I've found that it's best to stick STRICTLY on the allowed induction food list that is located in Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution...and those bars/shakes are definitely not on his list!!!

Soooo, when I snack...I stick to cheese sticks, pork rinds, pickles, meat & cheese roll ups or veggie sticks and ranch dressing. If you have a sweet tooth, just get some sugar free jello WITH SPLENDA. That'll be your best bet!!!

I also lose best when I stick to the strict Induction foods list. As I've mentioned in other threads, I was having a big time stall for a month or so. As soon as I cut out aspartame, I started losing again. If I added the bars/shakes (which I also haven't had) I'd probably stall again as well.

Linsy, I do agree with you too. It is good to have the guiding principle to eat only unprocessed things, we all know they are better for us. Sometimes needs must and you have to eat something like that, and low carb chocolate is better than normal processed chocolate! I have a bar of 90% Lindt in the cupboard for such occasions!

Hi Jerseygirl,

Thanks for the link. Really interesting, i'm never buying anything from the Atkins company again, the thieving, lying greed monsters!

I'll stick with my 90% chocolate and try to beat my cravings rather than feed them!

JG, thanks for posting that article it is extremely helpful and informative.

I agree with everyone here. Eating whole, real food is always the right way to go. And if it originates from somewhere near where you live, even better.

I do sometimes supplement with Atkins Advantage bars, though (though I may now reconsider this! ) They don't stall my weight loss, and I don't eat them too often. I travel a lot for work, and spend copious amounts of time in airplanes and airports. Since they don't need refrigeration and can replace an entire meal, I have these bars on hand.

I've read about the sugar alcohol controversy and think it's just awful what the Atkins company has become since Dr. Atkins died. Totally taking advantage of the decades of work the Dr had invested in his brand and misleading people. Ugh. DANDR 2002 is the only way to go... the new Atkins scheme is just an extended marketing treatise.

I see nothing wrong with convenience food per se as long as it's done right. The Atkins bars IMHO are not done right. I mean, I count string cheese and babybel and pork rinds as convenience food...

Someone on another board I visit was talking about the sugar alcohols in the Atkins bars, and another poster recommended these: http://questproteinbar.com/ They are similar but do not have sugar alcohols and have pronounceable ingredients. I have not tried them, only read the website. Thought I'd pass it along. I'm not going to order any until I get to the appropriate OWL rungs (they all have nuts, it looks like), but maybe someone else will want to try them out and report back.