Replies

I have been on Atkins since February. I have lost 50 pounds

Good for you. Seriously.

However, here's what my internist says about Atkins: It damages your kidneys. However, kidneys can repair themselves unless you go beyond the point of no return. Then, the kidney damage will appear at some later point in life.

He says Atkins is o.k. for around three months. During that three months, you need to be making other changes in your lifestyle, viz., exercise, compiling lower calorie menus, etc. Because you cannot stay on Atkins forever. Your body won't tolerate it.

Typically, what happens is that people start a diet and lose weight. Then they return to their former lifestyle and pick the weight back up.

My wife, a med student, just had a lecture on this very subject. The problem (with Atkins) is that the protein molecule is the hardest of all the molecules on the kidneys.

I'm not talking about you, because your post wasn't out of line, but, honestly, you'd think I just said that Ronald Reagan was not a nice person, from some of the posts I received.

I'm just looking at another side of the issue.

Please feel free to... I just had a check-up since I'm half-way to my goal. My doctor says keep going. My blood work looks good, I can see my collar bone again, and I feel great. And he says I can do the Atkins for Life plan if I want. So, from him, I hear the exact opposite of what your doctor says... Oh, well!

You can stay on Atkins forever. Atkins is a means to get to a "normal" diet, after the first 2 very strict weeks, you are supposed to slowly start adding carbs. When you're close to your goal, you add more carbs to see how many carbs you can eat and maintain your weight without gaining. The idea is to end up with a balanced diet of fruits, legumes, veggies, etc.

You can't stay on the INDUCTION phase of Atkins, which is the most strict, that I'd agree with.