Does anyone do Atkins?

[gerri-e]

I have had luck with it b4 and was thinking of trying it again since I've seen ads recently the reflect changes in the program that allow more variety in the diet while still low carb.

[dmk2015]

I have never done Atkins, but am interested in discussing diets that might be helpful.  I don't find diets that eliminate an entire food group helpful because they don't seem reasonable to maintain long term. 

[waze]

I have used numerous diets, and the one that has worked for me is Weight Watchers. I have probably lost and gained my weight several times over. With WW, I took the weight off and have maintained that loss for over two years. Very happy with their program.

[davidz]

I love the Trim Healthy Mama diet. I loose weight and feel more energetic.

[carl669]

i do low carb (< 30g carbs per day) high fat in general, but not specifically Atkins.  meaning, i don't buy the Atkins products.  have you ever seen the ingredient list on those things?

i wrote a post in here (see 5th one down) that gives some general information:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Weight-Loss/Carbs-vs-Calories/m-p/261942

this site also give a good intro to low carbing:

http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

i'd highly recommend staying away from the atkins stuff for now.  for one, they're very expensive.  do you really want to be paying that much?  secondly, if you're buying processed products, you're not adjusting to eating whole foods.  there's not a single thing Atkins makes that can compare to a perfectly cooked steak with a pat of butter on top.   next, Atkins has a lot of sweets.  if you already have a sweet tooth, it's not going to help you learn to control your cravings.  

tl;dr - low carb good, Atkins not so much (just my opinion).

[PaleoCrossfit]

I'd have to agree with Carl. There's absolutely nothing wrong with going low carb, however consuming Atkins products isn't any healthier than eating all of those carbs. You're trading one bad thing for another.

Whole food will always be better than chemically altered crap.

[josephz2va]

Be sure you read the warnings when starting Atkins. One concern is if you're consuming animal.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/atkins-diet-what-it-is

If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, or high cholesterol, this diet may not be for you because of the focus on animal fat and protein. Talk to your doctor about finding a healthy diet you can stick with to get the weight off.

You also need to be sure you don't go overboard on the "Net Carbs" while watching how many calories are consumed. That doesn't always work for people such as myself who need to exercise self control like not allowed Starbucks, McDonald's, etc no matter how low their carbs are in some sandwiches.

[gerri-e]

I agree that low carb is good, at least it works for me. I don't buy Atkins products except for an occasional snack bar when I really need a treat.  I  use their program for general guidelines and some good recipe ideas. I don't eat red meat at all so I'm always looking for new protein ideas. Also I don't agree that fresh produce is bad for me, even tho it is higher carb, I cook from scratch whenever possible, I'm definitely a label reader, shocking sometimes to see whats in those packages. 

[Lambie]

I'm doing atkins 🙂  I would like to see a Net Carbs column so I don't have to figure it out.

Carbs - Fiber = Net Carbs

[msfarkee]

Atkins is  the granddaddy of Low Carb. 

And there is no reason to buy Atkin's meals and other products if you are doing Atkins.   You can stick to fresh vegetables, proteins, etc  and prepare everything yourself.     That diet has been around for 40 years ,  long before these products came about.    I believe the latest edition has been modified somewhat as well.         

(Just like you don't have to buy WW  frozen meals to do  the WW program. )

I just ordered the book THE BIG FAT  SURPRISE by Teicholz that apparently vindicates Adkins thinking on dietary fat ( including the benefits of keeping saturated fats in your diet).    (I  have no connection with the book or author.)     Other low carb books have also cited the benefits of dietary fat.   

Eggs have already been 'redeemed' and now considered healthy again after scaring the public with their cholesterol content.    Now it looks like it is butter, cheese, and fat  (except the still bad trans fat)  time for a makeover.  Amazing how researchers are always saying something is bad ,   new diet restrictions pop up,  and then it is -- oops,  people are fatter than ever  following our advice ,  we got it wrong.    

[Anna17Faith]

I love Atkins! 

I'm 34, and I have three children- all carried (and gained!) to term.  I was on Atkins a couple years ago, and lost about 10 pounds, then I started going to the gym and bulking up a little.  Started Atkins again just 2 months ago now- there are a ton of great low-carb recipes!!  I've lost 15 pounds and 10 inches in those two months 🙂  Definitely motivation to keep going!  I only have 5 more pounds to lose to get back to pre-baby weight-- all three babies, from more than 10 years ago now!  So excited to see the results. 

I also workout with different Beachbody programs so that I'm not losing muscle mass.

Love to talk Atkins- let me know if you wanna chat anytime 🙂

[gerri-e]

I love Atkins, I keep a couple of meals in the freezer for emergencies but cooking on the plan is easy and I prefer fresh food prepared by my own standards.

[SunsetRunner]

http://www.webmd.com/diet/high-protein-low-carbohydrate-diets

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/high-protein-di...

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/High-Protein-Diets_UCM_305989_Article.j...

[Proudpatriot]

I have been on Atkins since Sept and have lost around 40 lb so far.  I follow the 2002 version and I do not eat any processed foods.  I am not a fan of processed foods whether they are low carb or not. 

[RivalDealer]

---

@yarddog wrote:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/high-protein-low-carbohydrate-diets

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/high-protein-di...

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/High-Protein-Diets_UCM_305989_Article.j...

---

I don't think people here are talking about high protein diets, rather low carb, moderate amounts of protein and eating fats until satiety. 

[gerri-e]

That's the key, u can't eat  a 16oz steak dripping with butter every day and expect to lose weight and be healthy. Good healthy carbs are part of the plan.

[chefpaulette]

I am doing Atkins now, and have lost 23 pounds in 12 weeks!  I would like the Atkins app to integrate with the fitbit and Health Data so all my information is in one place. 

[cauliflowerhead]

Hi Anna17Faith, I've just started Atkins this week would love your advice on any little tricks you've learned along the way. I've heard a few people say you have to avoid eating too much cheese or too many of their snacks as this can cause weight stalls. I'm a vegetarian so i'm finding it hard to eat pure protein that doesn't come from animals! Any tips?

[Proudpatriot]

I have found that too much dairy stalls me.  I can eat some dairy but not a lot.  You have to see what works for you.  I have also found that any of the artificial sweeteners stall me so I don't eat Atkins or other products that have sweeteners.

Eggs are a good non animal protein. 

[dancingdeer]

Last time I checked, eggs came from chickens??!!!    Anyway - eggs are a great protein source, if you're not a vegan.