GOING for ATKINS

hiii alll...yess im going for atkins ... its been 5 days now

so far soo good...its not soo hard ...but i wanna ask if any of u all have tried it?

n if u have ,do tell me if a lil of  diet soda..like diet sprite is allowed or no...i am strictly following it.....no cheating....but i do have a few qs....even tho i kno its not balanced...but i wont be doing it for longer than 2 weeks.... just wanna get rid of the final 15 lbs.....which is wat ive been trying for the past 3-4 months now

ohh n one more thing....bar b q grilled meat with some yoghurt....is dat permitted by atkin?

tell me ur expreinces n the results....it mite help me alot

thnxxxx

You're not "going for Atkins" if you're not following the Atkins diet as described in his books.

Warning, you can not do Atkins for two weeks. You may lose the weight but, I promise you, you will gain it back +++ more.

Read the book. After induction, you need to slowly add your carbs by five net grams per week. Otherwise, you will gain the weight back, nearly instantly. Even with good carbs.

If you don't follow the Atkins diet the way it is intending, you'll really screw up your body, no lie!!

Tried it about 12 years ago, following the book closely.  After 3 months I got deathly ill with stomach and intestinal problems from lack of fiber, and then I gained back the 25 pounds I'd lost in 4 weeks.  It is a really bad diet.

Do this instead:  A Simple Diet Plan.  It works and it's healthy, and you can stay with it for life.

So... I think the previous posters cases are extreme. There are many people out there who live very healthy low-carb lives. There are even people who limit their refined carbs most of the time while still allowing themselves freedom of choice (such as a good friend of mine who had gastric bypass a few years ago).

Also, people like to say "I gained back xxxlbs & then some when I went off Atkins." I wonder what they're calorie intake was. It seems similar to when people "go off" any diet, or even stop calorie counting & eat on a mission because they've been depriving themselves for so long.

It's pretty impossible, for instance, to gain 25lbs by magic alone. That requires some eating. You know?

Anyway, get the books. Don't even think about "going low carb" or any specialized diet (vegetarian/vegan/whatever) without some serious research.

There is a wealth of low-carb information online:

http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com/

http://forum.lowcarber.org/

In my case, I was eating about 500 calories less when I added carbs back in (then on Atkins induction). Went from 20 net carbs to about 90. Poof, I gained all weight I lost, plus 7 pounds. In a very short period of time, too.

Eating low carb and Atkins induction are two different things. Currently, my carbs are only roughly 25-30% of my daily diet. I am still eating low carb, just jumped up my net carbs too quick.

Like I said, once you do Atkins induction, if you do not follow through, you will screw up your body.

i agree with sherea basically.  induction can be pretty rough.  i did induction for two weeks and got painful stomach cramps when i would cheat and eat a meal with carbs.  having said that, i still still to a low carb plan like sherea.  around 25-30% of my daily intake, which for me ends up being somewhere around 100g of carbs.  I feel great doing eating this way.

Jessicasbc, I think we are both in simular situations. PCOS too, right??

Original Post by sherea:

In my case, I was eating about 500 calories less when I added carbs back in (then on Atkins induction). Went from 20 net carbs to about 90. Poof, I gained all weight I lost, plus 7 pounds. In a very short period of time, too.

OP, all the more reason to do your research, right?

So, that said, I followed an extremely low carb MEDICAL ketogenic diet (<10g carbs) & I also take anti-epileptic medications that cause weight gain & metabolic syndrome. They make ya hungry like a horse, too. Awesome.

I did not magically gain weight upon resuming a normal diet. I also did not have stomach cramps or become deathly ill (however there are nasty long term implications of extremely high fat diets). My incentive not to "cheat" was my health, however I think that's THE reason why "diets" don't work.

I will gain weight immediately if I stop exercising & let myself go on food, but I'm also short & petite = low bmr, so I think that's normal. It doesn't matter what I overeat, if I overeat and don't exercise then I'll gain weight. I think that's pretty normal...

...but I guess everyone is different.

Original Post by sherea:

Jessicasbc, I think we are both in simular situations. PCOS too, right??

 yep and insulin resistance.

I'm back on Atkins again. It's the only diet that works for me. Yes, I know I gained the weight back but that's because I was eating the wrong foods and stopped exercising. This can happen with any diet lifestyle.

Moderation just does not work for me. If I eat some crackers, I want the whole box or I end up eating way too many. That's just how I am. At least with Atkins I can eat as many chicken nuggets, meat and vegetables as I want until I am content. And I also eat rice cakes which doesn't affect my weight loss. Sorry, but the whole "you can eat a slice of cake but only eat a small portion" has NEVER worked for me even as a kid. If I eat a small slice of cake, I'm going to watn seconds, no amount of willpower will stop me. The only way that I can lose weight is unless I eliminate all sweets, and unhealthy foods from my diet period.

Everyone has a negative opinion of  Atkins but it's not as bad as you think it is. You can incorporate fruits and vegetables.

Original Post by jaylamaria123:

I'm back on Atkins again. It's the only diet that works for me. Yes, I know I gained the weight back but that's because I was eating the wrong foods and stopped exercising. This can happen with any diet lifestyle.

Moderation just does not work for me. If I eat some crackers, I want the whole box or I end up eating way too many. That's just how I am. At least with Atkins I can eat as many chicken nuggets, meat and vegetables as I want until I am content. And I also eat rice cakes which doesn't affect my weight loss. Sorry, but the whole "you can eat a slice of cake but only eat a small portion" has NEVER worked for me even as a kid. If I eat a small slice of cake, I'm going to watn seconds, no amount of willpower will stop me. The only way that I can lose weight is unless I eliminate all sweets, and unhealthy foods from my diet period.

Everyone has a negative opinion of  Atkins but it's not as bad as you think it is. You can incorporate fruits and vegetables.

 I just want to say I know how you feel. I am a sufferer of the excessive eating disease and it has taken me about 10 months to undo my horrible habit. Until the day I die I will never understand how someone can have just one slice of pizza or cake...never, and that is ok. What I DO know is since it is a lifestyle change and habits need to be broken, I figured out what my trigger foods are e.g. pizza, cupcakes, cakes, doughnuts, chips, etc. pretty much anything I can have multiples of because I feel like I have to eat the entire thing. Once I figured that out things became a lot easier.

To the Atkins diet: I did that a few years ago for about 4 months. I was miserable because all I could eat was protien, now don't get me wrong I loved that I could eat as many hamburger patties as I wanted but I realized the diet isn't a permanent LIFESTYLE CHANGE. It is a diet. period. The best and most successful way to lose weight is counting calories and eating a BALANCED meal. Yes, it is hard. Yes, it takes some willpower but it is ultimately the best way to go.

I do not recommend the Atkins Diet.

yes i know....BUT DONT WORY....im followin the induction phase quite properly.

and yes.....i am having cramps...and on the other hand...for a couple of days now im on a loose or soft motions..(soft stool)........maybe thats because of the herbal tea that im having....it states it has a mild form of laxative.

and yes JAYLAMARIA and topanga....even i have that problem...i wanna fill me up..i wanna be able to eat weneva i want as much as i want.... thats why im finally happy with this diet...but i am scared?....for how many of u did IT WORK?

i dont wanna gain...im scared to gain....(im still surprised how one can eat all fat in this diet ..n so much protien but not gain weight)..but still i thot of just tryin the induction phase... many of u have done it rite?...but i havent ... is there anything i shud watch out for?

Topanga1485,

I totally understand you too. I also suffer from the "can't just have one" in moderation. That is why I have to go low carb and low sugar. Keeps my cravings in check.

Jessica,

Insulin resistance here too.

heyy...i just read that lentil n chickpeas also dont have carbs..(some selective mayo n cream...and around 5-10 olives are too)..is this true?

so later on after induction i guess we can add those too????....im getting more n more happy with the choices of stuff im allowed to eat.....past few months ive been on a strict fruit vege diet with very lil bread rice or meat...i use to be hungry n i wud end up cheating and binging...havent cheated yet here on atkins diet.....is it cuz its soo filling?

come on ppl...it cant be dat bad?....dont u agree?

Your best bet is to go buy the Atkins book. It is very informative and will tell you how to correctly go through all phases of Atkins.

Original Post by ayeshasaleh:

heyy...i just read that lentil n chickpeas also dont have carbs..(some selective mayo n cream...and around 5-10 olives are too)..is this true?

so later on after induction i guess we can add those too????....im getting more n more happy with the choices of stuff im allowed to eat.....past few months ive been on a strict fruit vege diet with very lil bread rice or meat...i use to be hungry n i wud end up cheating and binging...havent cheated yet here on atkins diet.....is it cuz its soo filling?

come on ppl...it cant be dat bad?....dont u agree?

First of all, if you log calories here, you can find out what foods have carbs - we aren't going to be able to check on every food for you.

Second of all, I like my "diet" which I can never cheat on, because there is no such thing as cheating. I eat what I like, in moderation, I make healthy choices, and if I end up eating something that was less healthy, I work it into my plan.

Third of all, you were on a strict fruit and vegetable diet (which I doubt had enough calories or protein unless you were very careful) and now you are going to a strict low carb (or carb free?) diet. My question to you... how are these "strict diets" working for you? My guess, not very good, especially since you aren't really sure what you are supposed to be avoiding, or why.

Losing weight doesn't have to be like this - you can lose weight without following these plans - just a simple plan of eating 500 calories LESS than you burn (from living, not just exercise) is going to work for most people. Yes, some people eventually find that they do better with a little lower carbs or a little less fat, but in general, a balanced, slightly* reduced calorie diet with a reasonable amount of exercise is going to do a lot more for you than strict plans that you'll eventually "cheat" on.

*I say slightly reduced because if you reduce TOO much, you'll do as much harm as eating too much.

The lastest study from the Harvard School of Public Health, shows that it's calories that count, not the proportion of macronutrients in a diet.  People on Atkins lose because they are eating fewer calories.  That's one of the most prestigious research institutions, not some bogus "research institute" trying to sell a book and products and skewing the results. 

In my opinion, it's a horrible diet.  My gall bladder has been on the verge of failure ever since I tried it.  I wish I'd never read that miserable book.  I feel sorry for anybody who buys into it, but it's your choice.

I tried Atkin's for 1 week and was miserable. I ended up buying one of those big soft pretzels and gorging on it like some sort of feind. = )

I recently purchased Suzanne Somer's book on Somersizing (on her web site) and have been succesfully following her plan for 3 weeks now. She allows good carbs and fruit and veggies. The recipes are great, my husband loves it too. I have lost 14 lbs since I started and will never try another diet. This is awsome. I stongly recommend it.  

Oh, forgot to mention the best part... I havent been hungry not even once, and I was allowed to have chocolate pie made from her recipe with her wonderful sweetener (Somersweet).

I have felt wonderful since starting her plan as well. I hope everyone has the same success that I have.

Original Post by ayeshasaleh:

heyy...i just read that lentil n chickpeas also dont have carbs..(some selective mayo n cream...and around 5-10 olives are too)..is this true?

 All plant foods are carbohydrates.  Lentils and chickpeas included.  Also olives.   That's why the very low-carbohydrate plans such as Atkins are discouraged by most doctors.  You lose pretty much every source of fibre along with many important vitamins and minerals.  

If you don't feel hungry it's because protein and fat are appetite suppressants.