How would I pull off Atkins as a vegetarian?

So, recently I have been reading amazing things about doing the 1st two weeks of the Atkins plan to give a little boost to your weight loss regimen.  Sounds fantastic. Problem is, I am a vegetarian, which means I would have to live off of eggs, cheese, and salad for 2 weeks. Um.....?  I am afraid I would get bored out of my mind!  I also feel like I would be missing some vital nutrients, given that I could have no fruit for 2 weeks!  Really?  How is fresh, God-given fruit a diet sin? I eat blueberries every morning and strawberries every evening.  Do I need to take supplements for the missing vitamins and antioxidants? I am beginning to think that this is just a bad idea... any thoughts or experience?

Doing Atkins as a vegetarian just sounds like a bad idea. I'm also a vegetarian, and I would be so bored and malnourished eating eggs dipped in blue cheese dressing or something else ridiculous. Keep in mind that the two week "jump start" is actually counterproductive since once you reintroduce carbs you'll probably regain everything you lost.

It's a better idea to eat a balanced diet with healthy amounts of carbs, protein and fat.

It's a bad idea for vegetarians...  I've seen it done but it was a really restricted menu.   And yes, any 'diet' where fresh fruit suddenly becomes the bad-guy but heavily-engineered, fake 'low-carb' products & supplements are A-OK has got to be suspect.  Go with your instincts...

Atkins is just a ketogenic diet. Because you are not eating carbs, your body does not have access to carbohydrates and therefore uses the fat stored in your body to generate ketones, a chemical made when fat is metabolized. These are normal chemicals that are generated in your body at all times anyways, they are not dangerous in and of themselves - some of your organs prefer this molecule as their primary energy source, like your brain and your heart and kidneys.

Where Atkins had gotten some flak was that his original diet was high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Now though, there are diets that you can do that are low enough to get you into ketosis but incorporate fruits and vegetables. I invented my own diet based on this (I'm just a normal person not some crazy crackpot with an internet scam). I have been on it since April 6th and I am down 16.6 pounds. The problem for me with weight loss is that I have a job that requires me to go on a lot of business lunch and dinners, so while I lost a lot of weight initally with this diet, it slowly crept up on me over the long term and I ended up where I started. That's the problem with these diets - they don't last in the long term. That's why I incorporated calorie counting into it, to ensure that even if I'm not in ketosis, I won't still gain weight.

So, I don't know where you live but the diet I mostly follow is largely based on the Dr Bernstein medical weight loss program. I am from canada. In the states there are also these kinds of clinics. It's a good idea to go to their clinic, because they make sure that you are getting enough potassium, which is very important.I have found that if I modify the diet enough I am ok with not taking potassium supplements, but new people should at least consult their own physicians.

In essence, you need to aim for 50 carbs or less a day but some people can go as high as 100. Atkins suggests 10 a day which is impossible if you are eating vegetables. I would suggest you try out the medical weight loss centers since their diets are not usually readily available on the internet. as for the meat you will have to at least eat eggs, if not seafood. it's imperative you get enough protein.

im in the atkins is a bad idea camp.

a few years ago, i did it for several weeks, until i felt awful. i wasn't getting enough whole grains, which my body loves as fuel. sure, i lost weight, but then it all came back plus some as soon as i stopped. 

much more successful has been counting calories and working out to get larger deficits through exercise. its healthy. it feels good. there are no health risks besides the occasional over worked muscle. 

plus im learning to eat in sustainable ways, i can eat this way forever without gaining weight and without denying myself healthy foods. ive found a sensible, healthy life style in relation to food. now, i cant imagine anything better. 

my two cents. 

Just say no.

So I'm a biochemistry graduate student, and while I don't directly study metabolism, I've taken many classes about it.  The atkins diet is a BAD idea.  Ketosis is a mode where you have so little blood glucose that your body must make emergency ketones (compounds made from body fat) to provide enough food for your brain.  Ketosis slows down your metabolism and it slows down your ability to think and function as a normal human being.  Yes the carb intake of the average american could stand to be lower, but the extreme levels that the atkins diet recommends are much too low.  Pay attention to your body, if it needs carbs, give them to it.  Especially if you're exercising routinely.  Aim for good carbs, like wheat berries (they make fantastic salads if you add a little vinegar and other veggies) or brown rice.  Also, whole grains are a good source of iron and if you're not eating any meat than they're one of the few sources you do have.  Anemia is not a fun experience and I would caution you against cutting any additional iron sources you have.  Anyways, those are my two cents, I just get all worked up anytime someone mentions Mr. Atkins.

If you don't mind my asking, what is your reason for being a vegetarian? If it's a concern for animal welfare, you're completely defeating the purpose by trying to live on eggs and dairy, especially if they're not free-range and organic (and even if they are, it's doubtful the cows and chickens are really living in pastoral bliss).

I agree that it's a bad idea to elimiate fruit, even for a short period. Instead of trying Atkins, I'd try lower glycemic foods -- beans and lentils, vegetables (and especially green veggies such as broccoli and spinach), berries, oatmeal, 100% whole grain pasta, whole-grain rye bread, nuts and seeds, and free-range eggs are great. I'd avoid any refined carbohydrates (white bread, anything with added sugar, most cold cereals, fruit juices) and limit my intake of higher GI fruits and veggies such as bananas and white potatoes (no need to eliminate them completely -- just control your portions; 1/2 large banana is a serving, for instance). If you're craving something sweet, try a small sweet potato or a few squares of very dark (70% or higher) chocolate.

Not only do lower GI plant foods help keep your blood sugar in check, but they're usually high in fiber, which will keep you feeling full longer, and vitamins. Good luck to you!

Excellent point about the iron -- beans and wheat germ are great sources, while milk has none!

Kate-

      What you recommended is actually exactly how I eat right now!  :)  Glad to know I am on the right track!  I am a vegetarian for animal welfare... I only do soy milk, cheese made from organic milk, and normally don't do eggs.  On the rare occasion that I do, I buy free-range eggs from local sources that I know treat their hens well. I practically live off of green veggies, berries, oatmeal, nuts, peanut butter, sweet potatoes, and whole grain pastas and breads.

     The reason that I was contemplating trying it is because I'm doing good at losing poundage but still have pockets of fat that I am quite unhappy about!  I am 5'5", hovering between 129-131, and would like to be down to 115-120.  Before anyone gets all uppity about how 130 is perfectly healthy for my height and my goal range may be getting too low to be able to maintain, I have a tiny frame (my fingers way overlap when I put them around my wrist) and this weight on me does not quite look as trim as I would desire.  I still have decent amounts of fat on my stomach, hips, and lovehandles that I would like to get rid of.  I had heard that Atkins was a great way to get your body to eat into its fat reserves more quickly, and that is why I was wanting to experiment with it.  Especially after everyone's helpful feedback, I am thinking that it is more and more of a bad idea, so I will just keep counting, jogging, and waiting!  :)

      Thanks everyone!  :)

jogging is the most effective belly fat reducing method i have yet found! and im not even good at it. i sprint between fast walks. . . .

also, im finding that mixing up my exercise routine is really helpful in inspiring my body to burn fat from the regions it usually ignores. so maybe add some variety to your activities for a few months and see if it makes a difference in your measurements. sounds like there are two issues. pounds are one. physique is the other, and the tape measurer, and how cloths fit, seem to be better indicator of the second, muscles weighing more than fat but taking up much less space. 

your diet sounds really strong. the weight will come off, eventually. keep up the good work! be patient! sounds like you are treating yourself well. just keep giving your body that good healthy loving, and it will reward you. its ok if it takes a while. i think that indicates a true transformation, less likely to reverse to the old than any quick fix.