[oldngray]

Just had to get in on this discussion of the Atkins diet...

I started on it, after reading the paperback book, the week before Christmas. Not a good time to start, but it worked. I have lost about 7 lbs (that's all I can afford to lose) but feel wonderful. I have not had any blood work done but plan to do that in February sometime. I am looking for the tri-glycerides to go down and hi-lipids to go up. My BP yesterday was 128/68 (without BP meds).

The tough things for me were giving up the sugary things and breakfast cereals (lots of carbs and sugars).

BUT... in all this, I've learned to cook!!!

Learned to boil water first, then put an egg in it for a few minutes, then learned to put an egg in a cup and let it poach. Actually tried frying eggs... turned the heat up too high at first, took a couple of tries on the electric stove but it seems to work well with the dial between "2.5" and "3". Have no idea if those numbers relate to temps on the stove tops.

Breakfast this morning was 2 fried eggs, 4 strips of center cut bacon. Yesterday I had steak with the eggs. I use cheese for snacks. (Snacks are not permitted but I eat about an ounce every 4 hours between my meals).

I have found that during the induction phase, when I used the ketosis strips, my ketosis level never got higher than "small" (meaning the strip did not turn very dark).

Have also found that I can't get much above the 20 carbs a day before I go out of ketosis entirely. Eating a salad (about 2 cups) at lunch puts me out of ketosis.

The only questions I have about the plan deal with this idea of continuous eating on only about 30 carbs a day. I spoke to one MD who does not agree with the plan at all. Thinks Dr Atkins is crazy and will one day be sued by third parties whose family members have died as a result of the diet.

My main purpose in doing the diet was to get off my BP meds and get my blood work in better shape. When I have the blood work done next month I'll know the results of about 60 days on the diet. Not sure that is long enough to prove anything but I'll try it.

[lysie]

Good for you, ong.

I will try to find the study put out by Duke University giving Dr. Atkins much credit. Check back in a while if you can.

[Molly Pitcher]

ong, that is just excellent! My husband has never gone thru that induction phase either, just managed to lose weight slowly and gradually, but enough to keep him going.

After 2 months on it, his lab results were excellent! I'll look them up and get back to you in a few min.

He did hit a plateau for awhile, but has finally moved below that point.

His endocrinologist is sceptical, but can't really argue with the test results - the best in 10 years of taking meds. The dr. took him off tricor, but kept him on a small dose of bp Rx.

[lysie]

Duke University study of Atkins diet here. and here.

[Molly Pitcher]

This was the report:

HDL; 59
LDL: 98
Trigl.: 86
BP: 104/60

It had been years since these readings were so good.

[Mr. Mulliner]

Sounds like you have fairly high-resistance to ketosis, ONG. I never did get those ketosis strips so can't be sure, but I think I got into ketosis fairly easily. Perhaps not so easily this time as my starting weight was about 20-25 lbs less than last time.

I have improved my skill at making omelets on this diet. I make some pretty darned good 3-egg omelets, stuffed with all kinds of good things: olives, onions, mushrooms, sausage, cheese, etc.

I am not too worried about Atkins getting sued. He's been at it for about 40 years and if it hasn't happened yet, I really don't think it will. Frivolous lawsuits, of course, happen all the time. But I think he'd stand up in court pretty well to any charges.