Atkins Diet

Any fans of the good late Dr. Atkins?

I must admit I've used this diet in various forms when I have had to lose weight.

Steak and eggs for breakfast - gotta love it.

What's your general opinion of it?

Not an easy one to answer. I've known people who've lost plenty of weight on the Atkins diet. But, what it did to their cholesterol, etc., is another matter. Few kept the weight off, but then again, few people on any kind of diets endure.
IMO (and this opinion is from a guy with a constant weight problem), the reason you gain weight is because you're eating more than you should. The way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat less of everything--not to find a diet that lets you continue to overeat only certain foods, as per Atkins.

Isn't it supposed to give you horrid breath, too?

Wiseguy, why would you need to lose weight? Are you a boxer or something?

No No No! Not a good diet at all! Yes, you will lose weight very rapidly while eating all the meat, bacon, cheeses, etc. that you want!

But what happens is that 1) Your health will eventually deteriorate and 2) You are not learning proper eating habits which eventually, when you get tired of eating all that Meat, etc. and start eating starches and high carb foods, you'll put on double the weight that you originally lost.

I know several people who did this Atkins diet and wound up with various health problems from the bad eating habits that this diet causes you to have.

Everything in moderation. The body needs some starches, needs some fats, and needs some carbs. Again all in moderation. But to cut one of them out eventually leads to a different health problem.

Dangerous Diet.


Don Cardi

I too have known several people who went on Atkins and yes, they did lose weight noticeably but they also said that the wicked glory of steak&eggs/ham&eggs/bacon&eggs every morning for breakfast wears off rather quickly. And from at least one pal of mine was the revelation that you just begin get the gnawing feeling that this kind've eating just can't be good for you!

Sure...cut out the bread & butter at dinner (Dr. Tarnower once said it's the single worst eating habit of the American people). Cut the donuts, cereal and/or toast to a few times a week. But the Atkins approach is simply too drastic. Like others have said, everything in moderation.

Something else alot of people won't get through thieir heads is that reasonable excercise, even if it's a brisk walk several times a week...does WONDERS.

Apple

If I recall, Partagas is our resident low-carb eater, and he has (successfully) been doing it for some time. It does work. But again, people go overboard and eat like 5 hamburgers and a whole pack of bacon, which is retarded in itself.

With diet and exercise, and portion control, a low-carb diet isn't necessarily bad.

Double J, you hit the nail on the head. Diet, exercise and portion control. Without aerobic exercise as part of your diet, you are doomed to regain the weight. Here is why"

When you diet, your fat cells empty, and you lose weight. When you also exercise aerobically (walking, treadmill, stairmaster, etc.), the fat cells shrink. Unless you shrink them, they just wait around, begging to be refilled. Hence the yo-yo syndrome of losing and regaining.

Count your calories, limit your sweets, fats and carbs, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, exercise, and you will see results.

Now, if I could only put that into practice.

I walk quite a fair bit, at least a few miles a day. As I'm young, I walk quite briskly, too. Good job, since I eat a lot. The pleasures of puberty.

I told you, you can't count wine as a fruit. :p


Don Cardi

The best diet is to eat small portions of food three times a day, and take your time eating them. You can eat pretty much anything you like (but not many processed carbs) so long as the protions are small and you dont gulp it down in 10 minutes. A couple og glasses of wine dont hurt either. If you must eat between meals it should be something like a piece of fruit, but in general avoid all between meal snacks. Also drink copious amounts of water, and then get exercise. Make this a lifestyle thing and you will be fine.

Atkins wieghed 250 pounds when he died of his heart attack. So much for that.

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Originally posted by Sicilian Babe:
Now, if I could only put that into practice.