I keep hearing good and bad about the Atkins diet. I started it a month ago not really to lose weight, but, I had heard that Atkins eliminates sluggishness during the day and insomnia at night. What was startling was the amount of energy I gained. But I keep hearing stories about colon cancer and, ironically diabetes resulting from this diet. Is this true? Have any documented studies been done by non-biased parties?
Atkins - good or bad?
by zenpunk 19 Replies latest social physical
-
-
Scarlet
I don't know about studies done but I am surprised you have more energy. Without carbs you generally have less that is why my friend had to go off of it. When you diet you should eat vegtables and exercise. The Atkins diet is not the healthiest diet out there. My personal trainer (and I saw this happen to my uncle and his wife) says that your body needs carbs for energy and after you are on the diet awhile your body starts turning the protein into energy. When you go off the diet and start eating carbs again it is using the carbs and the protein for energy and then you have too much and it turns everything into sugars which causes you to gain weight twice as fast. My uncle and his wife lost 15lbs and went off the diet and gained back 30 in a matter of weeks. Balance is the key to anything. As long as you are burning more calories than you are intaking in a given day then you will lose weight.
-
Soledad
I have done the Atkins plan on and off for 5 years and now I have chronic kidney problems because of it, in addition to having gained back twice the amount of weight I lost. I definitely do not recommend this way of eating at all.
-
Mulan
Our oldest son has lost about 40 pounds on this diet and feels great.
I went to the doctor a week ago because I had a urinary tract infection. The first thing they asked me after testing my "sample" was "Are you on the Atkin's diet?" The reason they asked is that the sample showed too many ketones in it. She said it means I was burning fat without carbs. The next question was "Have you eaten today?" Gulp. I hadn't. It was 3 in the afternoon. I left with a prescription and an order to go eat. They said the Atkin's diet is especially hard on women, and not good for kidneys.
I don't know. I saw Dr. Atkins on TV the other night, and his diet is gaining more and more acceptance because he does not ban fats. Since this country has gotten the "fat fear" people are fatter than ever. Something is wrong.
-
zenpunk
The more I think of it, maybe the problem isn't carbs as much as it is all this processed food. Maybe our only carbs should come from vegetables and whole grains.
-
Jim_TX
I know several people who are on that diet. One is my ex-wife. Another is a good friend.
The ex-wife - she has been on it for over a couple of years. Yes, she has lost weight... but if she even _thinks_ about food not on her 'diet' she gains a pound or two.
Her 'meat' diet made it difficult on me. I got tired of meat, meat, meat, every day for supper. Plus, it wasn't just the meat. It was the meat dripping with fat that bothered me.
If you have loved ones and are considering this 'diet' please consider them, too. Many times they are forgotten - or dragged along - whether or not they want to be on a diet.
Personally, I feel that less intake - and exercise will assist in the loss of weight.
As an example - if you go and get a burger - resist the temptation - or sales pressure - to 'up-size' the fries or soda. Only buy the small burger and fries.
The problem with our society is that we have been 'programmed' over the years to feel that 'more is better' - especially if we are getting a bargain in the deal.
The downside to this is that we wind up eating more... hence gain a few extra pounds in the process.
(It is okay to 'feel' hungry ever so often.)
Just my .02 worth.
Regards,
Jim TX
-
MegaDude
You can lose a lot of weight on this diet, but it made me feel bad constantly. But everyone in my office who went on it felt bad and had a short temper. Still, it does work. It might be excellent for quickly losing the weight you wish to drop. Then when you are ready to add carbs back into your diet, use a modified carbohydrate/high protein eating plan like The Zone or Lean Bodies.
-
TresHappy
My sis/brother-in-law have lost quite a bit of weight on it. They are touting it in our family as if it were Amway. They really love it, believe in it. I personally counted fat grams to lose weight.
-
Trauma_Hound
I think what this shows, is that there is no, one diet fits all.
-
meadow77
I agree with TH, I have been on the atkins diet before, and lost weight and felt great. HOO WEE that rymed. I think that people refer to it as a no carb diet, but it actually is more restrictive of sugar, and frowns upon processed food. Their are plenty of alternatives in the protein dept, from steaks and other red meat. I think alot of people are cranky when they start a new diet routine, I know I am. Plus he explains in the book how the initial two weeks sometimes makes you sluggish because your body is in effect detoxing. Personally once I got through the two week period I felt fabulous. I found I had way more energy than ever before too. Really a person can eat however many carbs they want, the diet just suggest that every person has a limit to which if they start exceeding that amount of carbs on a daily basis, they will gain weight. I think you can find a doctor who will agree or disagree with just about anything. The Atkins diet goes against everything that doctors and "experts" have been saying for years. It's no wonder that some want to critisize it and blame the diet for every sort of ill. I think if you follow the diet in moderation, maintaining a healthy number of carbs, just not an overabundance, than it can be a good and healthy experiance. But the diet can be difficult to execute, and costly, so I guess it's not for everyone, but I have had good experiances with it.