Hey just curious if any members are also "inducted" into the Atkins way of life?

I am starting my induction on Monday, after hearing a couple of success stories from friends and friend's friends. My brother started Atkins about two months ago and has loss 20+ lbs.

Any comments/stories/words of wisdom from those already on the program would be greatly appreciated....and for anyone thinking about joining if you are looking for an Atkins buddie I am here for ya! My boss is also starting Atkins and I am his buddie, and since he has a problem actually reading the materials, I am the one stopping him from eating the no-no foods!

With any luck in a few months I will shead those love handles and be ready for my honeymoon over New Years! :wink:

Not to be judgemental or negative, but have you read everything you can about this way of eatting, including studies last year linking the diet to heart attacks? Eat well, excersise and be health, no diet required.

P.S.
No I don't eat well, but I do excersise alot I am still overweight. I have considered atkins but Men's Health printed a study last year that scared me away from it.

Just an opinion.

boneheadz

There are also plenty of recent studies about Atkin's that have been quite positive, including one done at Duke University. I think it is not a bad diet if you don't intend on doing it forever. Some people just go a little overboard. However, if you have any renal problems at all you might want to reconsider. The Atkins diet is very tough on the kidneys. And of course it is always best to discuss any diet/new exercise programs with your physician.

I did the induction diet and it was hard for a few days then it became easy. After 2 weeks I did cut back and just managed my carb intake. I'd say i'm on the diet about halfway right now and I can live with that. Lost about 5-10 lbs and seem to be losing more slowly now. Try it for youself, the induction diet part is good to get going at first. I don't pay any attention to all the negative comments about it, there are just as many good things to say. I had a coworker lose 60 lbs in about 6 months on this. The main point is to just watch your carb intake, that's all.

I have been on Atkins since March and I cant imagine feeling better.
I spoke to a friend of mine who is a cardiologist and he told me its perfectly safe AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW IT!!! Most people cheat and think they can jump back on...not the case. First of all, doing this causes it to stop working for you. Secondly, this is what is dangerous about the diet, eating high fat and protein in combination with EXCESSIVE carbohydrate intake. I bet that 90% of the people you talk to are not following it to the letter. If you drink coffee or diet soda, you are not following it. NO caffeine, no aspartame. Some people think they can just eat all the bacon and eggs they want and lose weight. It won't happen. My advice is to read the book, and follow it, otherwise all of the doubters in the world will be able to say "I told you so!"
And good luck, not only have I lost 35 pounds, my body never looked better 8)

Woah....didn't think a simple question could insite such heated responses....

First of all thank you for your concern for my health and well being, I have spoken to my doctor (had a full physical last week) and read two of the Atkins books....I eat pretty well and I exercise 3 to 5 times a week. Through proper diet and exercise I have lost a great deal of weight, but after 5 years of changing my eating and exercise habits I have maintained my weight, not gaining, not losing.....and I still have a few more pounds to lose that won't budge.

I plan to see my doctor often and I am "in-touch" with my body enough to know if I am being too radical with my eating habits.

I have had several friends and my oldest brother tell me and show me their results while doing Atkins the right way.

Thank you again for voicing your concerns....glad to know that my "E Family" is looking out for me and thanks for sharing your thought and happy results!

[quote:809d749c5f="StLouisPenguin"]Through proper diet and exercise I have lost a great deal of weight, but after 5 years of changing my eating and exercise habits I have maintained my weight, not gaining, not losing.....and I still have a few more pounds to lose that won't budge. [/quote:809d749c5f]

Congrats! I'm no expert on the latest diets/weight loss things, but it sounds to me like you've gone about your decision to take a somewhat more drastic dietary step in just the right way. It takes sincere dedication to stick to a regular exercise regimen! It does sound like considering what you put in the above paragraph that ramping down the carb intake is the right next step for you. That mixed with continued regular cardio exersize should do exactly what you want.

Once you reach a certain level of cardiovascular fitness (barring genetics of course), your resting heart rate will start to ramp lower, along with blood pressure, etc. At that point, your metabolism will be burning its carb intake at a rate great enough that cutting carb intake further wont be as effective. Any number of great effects will take place, with the biggest positive being a longer life expectancy.

Penguin, I'm sure your research has taken you in the same direction, but I thought I'd share for the benefit of other readers in the forum who might be considering ways to lose weight. A diet plan not paired with a cardiovascular fitness program usually will not work, can be harmful, and even end up (within months of cessation of the diet) causing more weight gain and other serious health problems.

Thats my soap box. Hope that helps some of you, or at least is a fun and exciting read. I'm quite passionate about getting what I consider truth out there, and dispelling hype and myths that are sometimes associated with diets/magical pills/etc.

Feel free to refute one or more of my points if you feel the need. Thanks!

I have numerous friends who have gone on the Atkins diet. Those few who stuck with it lost weight. Of those few, all but one gained it back over time.

If you are interested in healthy eating, I recommend the book 'Eat Drink and Be Healthy' by Dr. Walter Willet of Harvard Med. It's advice is contrary to the Atkins plan, but is an alternative for those concerned about the possible negative effects of the Atkin diet.

Exercise is an important part of weight control, but there aren't enough hours in the day to exercise away the results of a really bad diet. As you age your metabolism slows and adds to the challange of weight maintenance. It's tough!

oooh dont get me started on people who say "there arent enough hours in the day..." ;)

good stuff!

My uncle went on that diet and his body failed after something like 60 lbs in a little over a month. He missed all the warning signs, his immune system was low, he caught some rare disease and he died of renal failure in the hospital while we all stood there and watched the fear in his eyes as he crossed over. There was no peace at the end, there was no reckoning with god. Yeah, g'head, great diet. Not me. Excersize, eat sensibly. It's not a quick fix folks, it's a complete lifestyle change that's required.

Sorry to hear about that, Dan.

I'm actually doing the South Beach diet now, but I honestly think I'll end up incorporating some of it along with my standard low-fat, low-cal diet that I've been able to do from time to time.

I'm seriously craving a bowl of ice cream right now, so that's why I'm online again to distract myself. :lol:

My sympathies, Dan.

Quick Update - five pounds in six days... and I've had two small bowls of that ice cream! ;)

Go South Beach! hehe :lol:

Hey T Mac, what's the South Beach diet?

Atkins is evil - ketosis is bad and it is possible to damage your kidneys. IMHO - The Zone (and excersize) is the only way to go. :D I lost 45 pounds and I don't even think about it anymore I just keep losing it - just think of it as a lifestyle change and not a diet. :D

What's The Zone?

Check out the zone here:

http://www.zonediet.com/

I just got an Atkins book last night...Looking for a diet.

Can you all spell out your daily meals, on all of the diets? What do you eat?

Actually, there is nothing wrong with ketosis, no matter when you lose weight or what diet you are on you are in it. ON the other hand, KETOACIDOSIS is bad, but that happens when you are a diabetic, and diabetics should not be on Atkins, nor should anyone with any type of kidney disease. The reason is people with kidney damage cannot handle that type of diet is they cannot process the protein through their kidneys. If you know someone who is diabetic, you know this is a fact. Atkins is not for everyone. Low fat diets are great, if you can find low fat foods that are also low in sugar. There are plenty of studies that show sugar, and no exercise, causes obesity, take a look at the population under 10. We are raising a bunch of fat kids!

My doctor (well the last one that I had any relationship with) actually recommended Atkins to me. I face less risk with Atkins than I do with the excess weight on my body.

IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. Everyone on any kind of diet or exercise plan should talk with their doctor. Atkins basically tricks your metabolism and triggers ketosis, which is not itself a bad thing but should be watched.

I believe that many people who have a serious weight problem (not just a little pudge around the middle) have a metabolism problem - that's definitely been my case as I've been diagnosed with Pituitary microadenoma, thyoid deficiency, borderline PCOS, and subnormal HGH. Most people would think I eat a whole box of doughnuts daily to be as heavy as I am. I do overeat sometimes, but probably far far less than people would believe. Lousy metabolism and a sedentary lifestyle have worked against me in my pursuit of health.

South Beach, a version of Atkins, may be the way I ultimately go. Im' a big protein craver so I don't really see this as a problem. I want to get the book on this to read when I get home.

As for T Mac: big raspberry to you! Men drop weight so dang easily! Grrr! :twisted: :P (Just kidding, friend!)

To all who seek a healthier weight and better health: blessings and good luck to you.

[quote:025cf0bd92="TheLusciousHellcat"]As for T Mac: big raspberry to you! Men drop weight so dang easily! [/quote:025cf0bd92]

My wife is keeping pace with me and she's ALL female! ;) It's a great diet and taking the country by storm in some areas.

www.southbeachdiet.com

It was developed by a cardiologist to help w/ heart stuff like cholesterol but a side effect was significant, safe weight loss.

My wife & I went on Atkins (cross-bred with "Protein Power") the same day I bought my E (April 26)! Since then, My SOP has GAINED 8,900 miles -- and I've LOST almost 30 lbs...I guess were moving in opposite directions!

But right now I'm craving Atkins Endulge ice cream (I was fine until I read this thread... :cry: )

First off, my sympathies to Dan and his family.






To the others who have been on Atkins (with great results) I have a few questions about Induction (which I started on Saturday)....

How long did you stay on the 20g carb Induction plan? The minimum 2 weeks or more? What did you add first to your carb count after leaving Induction? Also, if you stayed on Induction past the two weeks did you maintain the Induction only foods to achieve 20g of carbs a day, or after two weeks did you add nuts, low carb "muffins" and "breads"? I am just very curious about this. If you would feel more comfortable talking about your Atkins experience via email or PM, please do not hesitate.

Like I said I began Induction on Saturday and have noticed after the first two kick my arse days that I am feeling more energetic and I don't get those "I'm Starving" feelings....I have to make myself have a low carb mini lunch, because breakfast is so filling, and before Atkins by 9am I was "starving" and would often snack in between meals. I also notice, that since I have more energy I am getting more out of my workout!

I will keep you all posted on results, I am forcing myself to just weigh myself every Saturday. On previous nutrional kicks I would obsess and weigh myself constantly, this way I will look forward to Saturday, and try to forget about it the rest of the week.

My boss who started Atkins about two weeks ago (who is about to go on to step two) has lost 12.5 pounds in Induction.

Oh....and one last question, has anyone ordered the Atkins Gum or Mints?? 12.99 and 13.99 seems a bit pricey, but being a former Altoids addict not having gum or mints is driving me a bit crazy, especially while sitting in traffic. Reviews please!

Can you guys post up EXACTLY what you have been eating on induction?

I am about to start Atkins on Monday...god willing, I will lose weight.

Also...those of you who have done Atkins for a while...what are your energy levels like? I am also about to join a Wing Chun Kung Fu class. I need martial arts, I have been in it for 9 years, and I have chosen Kung Fu as my next form. I need to shed the weight rapidly though, so I have to do Atkins.

HELP!!!

Mat-

I am in my first week on induction and this is what I have been eating...


Breakfasts:
Day One: Eggs and Bacon
Day Two: Eggs and Sausage
Day Three: Atkins Cafe Au Lait Shake
Day Four: Egg, Sausage, Black Olive Omelet
Day Five: Atkins Morning Bar

Lunch:

So far just about everyday for lunch I have had a 2 cup salad green salad with olives, bacon, hard boiled egg and chicken or tuna.

One day for lunch I had Egg Salad and sausage and cheese slices

Dinners:

Most nights I have grilled things like chicken breasts, steak, hamburgers, steak kabobs, etc.

Then had 1 cup of veggies....asparagus, brocolli, cauliflower, etc.


Snacks:

Atkins Bars are yummie....you just have to find what flavors you like
Atkins Shakes are also good and filling
Celery and Blue Cheese Dressing is a crunchy tasty snack
String Cheese
Olives are a salty treat


Drinks:
Water and LOTS of it
Decaf Iced Tea with Splenda and Lemon Juice
Snapple Diet Lime Green Tea....made with splenda and yummie!
Diet Rite Soda is made with splenda....good when you need that sweet cola taste....they also have grape soda and other flavors.

The first two days are horrible, but by the end of the second day I felt great and super charged :lol:

Good Luck! And if you have any questions or just want to chat about the program let me know!

Starting tomorrow...just got back from Maggiano's...hehe, had to get the last bit of Italian food before I dive in. :oops:

My mom is doing it too, so we went to smart and final today and bought an assload of zero carb foods. I'll be fine on it, I'm not worried at all. I am supplementing with Mega Man pills to make sure I get all of the vitamins I will need on the side. My goal is 70lbs...so between Atkins and Kung Fu, I'm there.

Not knowing too much about Adkins, the predominant thing I've noticed is that people on that diet have to swear off carbs. I'm a whole-grain nut. With exception to meals that are difficult to control (airplane, Sunday lunches at relatives, and such) I only eat whole-grain carbos. I have Shredded Wheat & bran with skim milk, raisins, and a packet of Splenda almost every morning. We buy only whole wheat bread - paying specific attention to the fiber content. We're very fiber-conscious. Big into leafy green and brightly colored veggies. Try very hard to minimize brown veggies - except beans - and we try to avoid processed stuff.

So I have to wonder, isn't the Adkins plan kinda tossing out the baby with the bathwater? Or have I just oversimplified the whole thing?

I don't really have the time or lifestyle to cook bacon & eggs for breakfast. heck, we eat eggs so seldom - once or twice a month - that I never bother buying them at the grocery store.

So I have to wonder, isn't the Adkins plan kinda tossing out the baby with the bathwater? Or have I just oversimplified the whole thing?
Yes, you have.
there is science behind the diet, and anyone who is interested in trying it should read the book first. this clears up confusion. The carbs you can have are all from grain and green veggies. it doesn't say carbs are evil, and this diet is certainly not for everyone. If anyone finds something else that works for them, great! Those of us who follow Atkins feel the way you do about your diets.

Ok I will will throw my 2 cents in on this topic. My wife has tried all kinds of things except the Atkins diet. I wouldn't let her. I just don't think it is a healthy way to lose and maintain weight loss.

What has worked for her? Weight Watchers. She loses between a 1-1.8 pounds per week. Some weeks she gains a pound or two but that has been rare. She gets to eat what she wants for the most part and it is all about managing what you eat and helping your natural metabolism work. I am very impressed. You have a calculated point total and just have to keep track of this. It isn't that difficult and WW has a book that has most restaurant meals on it.

We have spent lots of money on other things and I am sold on what Weight Watchers offers. Is it is a slow process? Yes, but she has lost 20 lbs so far and if she stays with it I am sure she could lose a total of 40-50 pounds over the course of a year.

Ok, how long does it take to fall into ketosis, and how do you know when you do so?

[quote:d7315f1c36="rodaniel"] I'm a whole-grain nut. With exception to meals that are difficult to control (airplane, Sunday lunches at relatives, and such) I only eat whole-grain carbos. I have Shredded Wheat & bran with skim milk, raisins, and a packet of Splenda almost every morning. We buy only whole wheat bread - paying specific attention to the fiber content. We're very fiber-conscious. Big into leafy green and brightly colored veggies. Try very hard to minimize brown veggies - except beans - and we try to avoid processed stuff.

So I have to wonder, isn't the Adkins plan kinda tossing out the baby with the bathwater? Or have I just oversimplified the whole thing?
[/quote:d7315f1c36]

I agree wholeheartedly. Sure I could lose a bit of weight but doing it at the cost of stripping your body of precious nutrients is not for me. For some odd reason, several people who work and live close to me have cancer. Several have been life long poor eaters, no whole grains and leafy green and brightly colored veggies, I am here to tell you that I am going to be a healthy old old old lady who still needs to lose a few pounds.

I do stay very active and my doc says that I am in perfect health.

I've been on Atkins for one week now. I last weighed myself about 3 weeks ago at the gym. I hadn't been back to the gym since then, and my diet hadn't changed since Atkins. I have lost 10lbs so far. :D

Tomorrow, I am going back to the gym every day. In about 1 month, I am starting up martial arts again.

WooHoo Mat!!! How is your Mom doing on the program? I just completed my first 2 weeks of Induction and lost 7 lbs! I am psyched, and I feel great! As soon as I am done doing this overnight remodel for my job (3 weeks) I plan on stepping up my workout schedule...maybe I will be able to keep up with my husband's workout schedule!

sheesh...looks like i am doing 1lb - 1.5lbs per day here...i've lost about 15lbs now...

I want to be a healthy Hellcat. I'd like to be a slimmer Hellcat, because it looks better, yes, but mostly because it feels better. If we're going to move to the Pacific Northwest there are thousands of miles of bike paths and hiking trails there that I want to see, and doing that at my weight right now would simply not be possible. Plus, Lucy and Henry (my doggy) said they'd like to camp a bit.

It's my life. It's my body. So, Atkins, just as my doc recommended.

I took the plunge. I got the Atkins book, read it, understood how it makes sense for me, know what to look for, got the program laid out for me from eDiets ($5 a week), got my groceries (they prepare a list for you) and started yesterday.

Breakfast was eggs with salsa and cheese, lunch was shrimp salad with tomato and greens, and dinner was a turkey burger with avocado on a slice of wheat/fiber bread toast for supper.

I wasn't perfect. Like an idiot I popped up some Kettle Korn after supper and had about 6 handfuls. Then I tossed the rest out for the birds, squirrels and possums. That was a stumble, not a fatal fall. Solution coming up today: get all that stuff out of the house. Don't bring it in the house.

I wasn't hungry during the day and I felt pretty good. I did very well in drinking a lot of water - but then I do that anyway. I fill up my big white trash Big Gulp superbig mug with water, ice, and a small squirt of lemon juice and I'll have one, maybe 2 of those a day.

I confess to not being able to wean myself off caffeine immediately - 2 daily morning cans of Diet Vanilla Coke must be pumped into my body because it's as necessary as oxygen. The caffeine will have to be cut down then out.

eDiets has a support group BB and all manner of information. The Atkins site also has a ton of good info.

Here's to health, willpower, and reinventing my body and relationship with food. Hugs to all!

Kim....I am very proud of you....I have battled my weight my whole life, as a teen I was very overweight and when I was 20 I decided I couldn't be like that and live the life I wanted to, so I started eating healthy (cut out a lot of fat and calories) and lost 100 pounds....put for some reason I get a weight loss wall for the last 6 years. I haven't lost any weight and over the last year I actually started to gain a bit back.

So, what I was doing was no longer working. I decided to try the Atkins plan, after seeing my brother have great success with it.

So I have been on Atkins for 3 weeks as of today and have lost 8.5 pounds. This past week was a bit discouraging, I only lost 1.5 pounds, but it is better than not losing any! I have been very good and have stuck to the plan with no slips, so I will keep pluging along and hopefully by my 28th birthday finally reach my goal weight that I set for myself back when I was 20!

Atkins is not easy, especially because food is such a social thing. Last weekend at a dinner party it was very hard not to nibble on all the goodies, and was even harder not to have a glass of wine, but will power is a wonderful thing!

So, Kim, keep up the plan! And if you need a ear I am here! I am sure Henry and Lucy are very proud of you, and can't wait to go camping! :lol:

Just over two weeks, 20lbs.

Doing Atkins here as well. My weight loss isn' as pronounced as some of you are seeing, but I'd rather have a gradual loss. Being hypothyroid probably has some to do with it.

Also, caffiene 'can' drop sugar levels, in excess amounts. Of course, the Atkins web site ( http://atkins.com/helpatkins/faqs/faqWhyiscaffeineunacceptableintheAtkinsNutritional Approach.html ) doesn't define 'excess amount' so it's easier for them to just say 'no caffiene' :\
I gave up pasta, most breads (the O So Lo rolls are good, BTW) and rice. My coffee is my only vice, and I've reduced intake from 4-6 cups (and 2 Diet Cokes) a day to 2 cups of coffee, and usually I have only one before I switch to decaf.

-Jim

Hey everyone!!

I have been on Atkins for about 2 months now. I have lost about 11 pounds and feel great! I have the Ketosis test strips and stay in moderate ketosis most of the time.

Here is a great food to eat that will help satisfy your "crunchy" cravings. Take a slice of American Cheese (low sodium tastes better) and microwave it on high for about 40 seconds (this time will vary depending on your microwave in my friends microwave it takes about 1 1/2 minutes) just watch the cheese until it looks like it's getting a little brown around the edges... then take it out, let it cool and 'presto' it's like a cracker, (if it is soft you didn't microwave it long enough, stick it back in and cook a little longer. you can use it in sour cream and onion dip or use it with chicken salad or even make a sandwich with it.

I've got lots of other tips too if anyone wants more let me know.