Almost every person I have told I am doing atkins, the very first thing they say to me isn't "Oh good, I'm so proud of you!". It's usually "Atkins is bad for you, you know that right!?" This is beginning to frustrate me to no end...I am seriously to the point where I want to slap the next person who says that crap to me! ESPECIALLY because even if it is unhealthy, it is MUCH more healthy than eating fast food every single day! So why do people criticize so much? I don't get it...and these people aren't on any kind of diets...THEY don't know what works...THEY don't even eat healthy! Why do people always feel they must take the high road and act like they know about something they dont?
sorry /vent. lol

I just don't mention that I am on any particular plan. Try not to get sucked into the negativity of others and don't let it get to you. Everyone has to find the plan that works for them.

I think we all know exactly what you're going through. The people that say those things are likely uneducated about Atkins and think it is only a "meat and cheese" diet. Just ask the people that say that to you: "What is so wrong with cutting out sugar and white flour?" "NOTHING!" should be their response.

it's just annoying I guess more than anything...people are so quick to judge something they know nothing about...granted I know there has been some studies and news broadcasts that have shown atkins in a negative light, so most people probably WOULD think it is unhealthy if they hadn't read the book. I used to think it was unhealthy at one time. My brother has a kidney disease called IGA Nephropathy, and he tried atkins last summer...I had heard about possible kidney complications and liver damage and kind of just waited in the wings to see what would happen to him...it is not my place to preach to him about it when he had read the book and I had not...WELL GUESS WHAT! He used to take about 20 pills a day...now he takes maybe half that, and his kidneys are functioning better than they have in 10 years! The only thing he has to watch are his creatine levels, and his Dr. monitors everything for him and supplements any areas he has problems with...but I really don't think atkins has done anything to cause any problems with him.

I agree -- it is very frustrating.

I usually say "I've given up refined carbs -- sugar, flour, white rice -- and potatoes. Instead, I eat 3 - 5 servings of vegetables a day, plus healthy fats, sufficient protein, and some berries and fruit, and a minimum of 64oz of water every day." The response to that is usually "Oh, that's so healthy." Then I say "Yes, it's the plan that Dr. Atkins published in his well-known diet book." They are usually shocked when their misconceptions about the diet are shattered.

Breakfast-people are so uneducated about this and much of it is the media's fault. I'm a physician and I'm on a low carb diet-that's how much I believe it is a healthy lifestyle. There have been several studies published in the last few years that show that it is at least as good for weight loss as low fat diets and usually a little better in the short run and it doesn't do anything bad to your lipid profiles which is what everyone was so worried about. I can actually give you medical journal articles to look at if you are interested. A lot of doctors are now recommending low carb/good carb diets to their patients. For some particular medical problems, these would be the nutritional program of choice. Try not to let it get to you.

I usually say "oh, so it'd be better for me to get sick and die on fattening foods like candy and soda than eat meat and salads. Ok, I'll try that, thanks."
Yup, can't let them frustrate you on this one. Wait until you hear "well, you can't eat like THAT for the rest of your life."

People tend to mock what they don't understand.

Just do whats right for you

I almost think they are jealous sometimes....they see any diet that allows QUICK weightloss and they automatically condemn it to be a "fad" diet or a bad diet without knowing anything about it. They are jealous because they think the low-fat diets are the only way to go, and they see how easy it is for us Low-carbers to lose weight, and not cheat. I mean some of us cheat, but of all the diets I have been on, this one has been by far the easiest to stay clean on and not cheat.

Not sure what my problem is...but I'm proving them right when they say "you can't eat that way forever". I just have to find some LEGAL things to eat!!!