Atkins Diet - Lets Discuss Pros/Cons/Experiences

[C-Dog]

I did the Atkins diet for about 4 Months, and I lost about 50 pounds. I felt great while I was on the diet. I was working out w/ weights 4 days a week for approx 1.5-2 hours each day. In addition I was playing pick up basketball 6 days a week anywhere from 1 - 4 hours a day.

I was 300 pounds when I started though, and I imagine with as much exercise as I was getting I probably would have lost weight on any diet.

As for the ketosis thing, after the first week I always felt like I had great energy. Pretty much just like guids said for me.

C-Dog

[TomBulanski]

I am a recent college graduate who was a runner during high school. During college, I put on about 35 pounds in 4 years from lack of running and excercise, and too much partying. I plan on doing a marathon in October, and had a few questions.

The catch is that I am a vegetarian. Have been for about 2 years. Would it be beneficial for me to do the atkins diet for about 6 weeks, get a jump start on the weight loss (goal is around 15-20 pounds) so I start training for my marathon more effectively? The catch is that after weight loss kicks in, I have to go back to eating vegetarian. I understand a lifestyle change is need to keep the weight off, which is why I am only eating things that are organic after the 6 weeks.

[heater]

It's like any diet. It works for some people and not for others. Some people love it, some hate it. Different people's bodies react differently to any kind of diet. All you can do is try it out and see how it goes. It won't be the first or last time you change your diet, anyway, so give it a shot.

My experience is more or less the same as guids. I cut out carbs for ~3 weeks or so when I want to cut a little fat.
It works great for me.

That's my 2 cents but the real reason I want to post in this thread is to post a recipe. It's called wilted lettuce. It's awesome when you're eating low carb and you're tired of eating grilled chicken, feta, and olive oil salads but you need to get some fiber.

One dozen eggs
One pound of bacon
One head of lettuce
Mayonnaise

Hardboil the eggs.
Chop up the head of lettuce in a big mixing bowl.
Chop up the pound of bacon.
Put the eggs in cold water for about ten minutes.
Start cooking bacon while the eggs are cooling off.
Peel the eggs, chop them up and throw them in with the lettuce.
Throw in three heaping scoops of mayo with a serving spoon. I don't know the exact measurement but the spoon is maybe 1 1/2-2x the size of a tablespoon. Start with two scoops if you're not sure. You don't want too much mayo.
Finish cooking the bacon and drain it VERY well.
Throw the bacon in and mix it all together and it's done.

This stuff might sound a little strange but trust me, it's awesome. I make at least one batch every time I cut out carbs for a few weeks.

[quickfetus]

I know this sounds silly, coming from somebody with no specific expertise in the area, but:

Every nutritionist/heatlh buff/etc. worth his salt knows that there is a massive problem with the Atkins diet: It involves eating all the things which are fundamentally bad for you. Bacon? Sausage? Just don't eat bread! Come on. The guy died of a heart attack for a reason. The way to eat healthy is to eat like a heart healthy fitness nut: Whole grains, fruits and vegetables, no fatty foods, some lean meat, etc.

[heater]

[ QUOTE ]
I know this sounds silly, coming from somebody with no specific expertise in the area, but:

Every nutritionist/heatlh buff/etc. worth his salt knows that there is a massive problem with the Atkins diet: It involves eating all the things which are fundamentally bad for you. Bacon? Sausage? Just don't eat bread! Come on. The guy died of a heart attack for a reason. The way to eat healthy is to eat like a heart healthy fitness nut: Whole grains, fruits and vegetables, no fatty foods, some lean meat, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

He died of kidney failure.

[Packard]

I have done the Atkins before. A few changes if I did it again:

1. I would hit carb+protein drinks anyways before during and after hard weight training workouts and do atkins at other times of the day.

I would hit less saturated fats like bacon and saussages and eat more eggs, whole turkeys and chickens and add in healthly fats like olive oil and flaxseeds milled.

If my friend(s) offered me beer and pizza at a party for a few hours, I would just do it and dont be all serious about standing up for the atkins ideal during those few hours a month it might happen.

[mattnxtc]

I think the concept of a high protein diet is good...but as most said, keeping saturated fats and trans fats low is something that neesd to be watched. Eating stuff like bacon dripping in grease and fat isnt healthy

[FatTony]

I would suggest reading T. Colin Campbell's "The China Study" for an alternative view. I am certainly no expert in the field, but the evidence and arguments put forth in this book make offer a much-needed alternative perspective to Atkins.