[SamAdams76]

I’m now used to the looks of admiration and surprise at my success turning, when I mention Atkins, to sneering. It’s usually followed by a variation on the theme of “well, it isn’t a proper diet”, as if the only acceptable form of weight loss is one which involves much suffering (let’s leave aside the low-carb muffins for a moment).

That was the reaction I had also to my 100+ weight loss over the past year. Some were very happy for me but some were "very upset" because I was damaging my health over this very "unhealthy diet." Despite the fact that I was walking 5-7 miles (or more) every single day and that I felt like I was in my 20s again (I am 41 years old).

This low-carb (I call it normal-carb) way of eating changed my entire life. It was not that fat that was making me fat but the carbs.

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[cyborg]

awesome thread... I am getting back with Atkins because it works. Whoever said it wasn't healthy must be jealous and fat. Some people rather be sloppy and ugly than slim and healthy.

[wizardoz]

I've dropped 25 lbs on Atkins. It's funny how people's reaction, when I answer the question "How?" turns from "Wow! to "oh..."

[bob_esb]

wow - how long have you been on this program? Do you follow the program absolutely? Do you ever slip off, and how do you get back on track?

[Billthedrill]

My congratulations. I have seen too many of my friends who consider themselves overweight (some of whom weren't, IMHO) torture themselves with dietary obsessions, and I can't really criticize because they are, at least, taking control of their lives instead of whining that it's the fast food industry's fault or their genes's fault or whatever. But good Lord, they do suffer, and it behooves their skinnier counterparts not to dismiss it as a bunch of fatties getting what they somehow deserve. And believe me, there's an element of that in it.

Hang in there. I'll be risking Mad Cow disease myself in another few minutes...

[JRandomFreeper]

FoodTV is doing a special on low-carb diets. As a culinary professional, I support my clientele eating fewer highly processed carbs. Although, bread is good, if made correctly, with a long, cool, proofing time, and moderation is observed.

/john

[11B3]

I'm turning to the diet as well. (At 42, and looking to lose 20-30 pounds.) Congrats on your loss - that's excellent.

[11B3]

One question about the diet: I can't imagine getting by without the caffeine. Is there a way to stay on the plan with that addition? (Or should I say addiction?)

[annyokie]

I app;aud you for your efforts, Sam, but it truly has nothing to do with intelligence.

I know many skinny folk who are dumber than a sack of hammers.

[squidly]

More than one way to skin a cat. There are healthier weight loss diets than Atkins IMO, but I'm not on some anti-Atkins crusade.

Exercise is key with or without a diet.

[Keith in Iowa]

>>Sara Lee, is attempting to revive its fortunes with a low-carbohydrate brand — Delightful Bakery Breads

This is available in my area right now. It is by far the best low-carb bread I have tasted. 9 carbs a slice, 45 calories, and no transfats.

[jwh_Denver]

That was the reaction I had also to my 100+ weight loss over the past year.

Good for you. 100 LBS off. Very nice. I betcha you feel a whole lot better. I lost 25 Lbs on a separation diet from my wife who is a an excellent cook. That is going to end soon but I'll need to gain weight. Dad gum pants will fall to my knees if I don't.

[GeekDejure]

Opinion: I eat my (low carb) words - thin people are more intelligent than fatties

Yeah... Butt Fat Pee Pull Arm Orin Ven Tive !!! ;-))

.

[MarkL]

low-carb, high-fat Atkins diet

Is it just me, or does this phrase keep repeating itself? Why? Maybe to try to discredit the Atkins diet...

While the plan does call for you to eat fats, they're typically the "healthy" fats. And it does NOT have to be a "high fat" diet.

For instance, when I make eggs in the morning, I'll use olive oil, with just a touch of butter for extra flavor. My favorite dinner is garlic encrusted boneless chicken breasts, which is simply fresh garlic sauteed in olive oil, which is then encrusted on the chicken. And I'll have a side dish of broccolli and cauliflower, steamed.

And I practicly live on tuna. I LOVE tuna... I can make it with a little bit of miracle whip, or just with a little bit of balsamic or champagne vinegar.

Not exactly a "high fat" diet.

Mark

[Alouette]

I started the Atkins program the day before Thanksgiving (yes that's right). I lost 7 lbs. in the beginning, but I'm in a "plateau" right now. I have been on "induction" for 6 weeks. I am afraid to go to the next stage because I'm afraid I will gain back the weight I lost, which is worse than just not losing.

But the amazing thing is, I'm not constantly hungry, and I don't crave sweets the way I did when I was on the Weight Watchers program a few years ago. I can live with this program so I guess I can tough it out for a while longer to see if the scale goes anywhere.

[Delta 21]

Fresh pumpkin pie from the jack-o-lanterns we picked about 20 miles out in the country.

Pecan pie from nuts I picked from the backyard.

..and for those of you on "diets" there is pineapple upside-down cake (with pecans).

Hell, its probably high in bandwidth too!

[Rennes Templar]

I hate to say this to all you folks. I've been trying to gain weight for years. I'm going to throw out all my fats and creams and cheeses and load up on bread, cakes, pies, fast foods, pasta! YUM!

[Danette]

Where are the recipes?

[Yaelle]

Well, since going off Atkins I have gained all my weight and inches back. Sigh. However, I don't dare do Atkins again; I am going to do South Beach this time.

I started the phase 2 of Atkins (skipped induction because I was nursing a newborn) last April and stayed on it 6 months. But after 3 months, I began bruising very easily. I lost 11 lbs total and many inches, but the bruising was weird. When I began eating some carbs again other than berries (I ate berries and nuts all along), the bruising stopped.

I felt much better on the low carb diet but I despised all the fake sugar things. They taste weird and they have bad side effects. Most people use the Atkins substitutes and thus do get sweetness now and again. If I were on Atkins, I wouldn't get any sweetness. I think all Atkins people who say "I don't ever crave sugar!" as they down Atkins syrups, bars, pastas, shakes... are phonies. I was doing it with nothing sweeter than frozen berries. You really DO miss sweets even if you don't crave them. South Beach calls it part of the diet to go ahead and eat a dessert now and then as long as you realize what it may cost you the next day in catching up, cravings or pound wise.

Another thing -- this is kind of scary -- my beautiful 10 month old baby is wonderfully healthy, and filled out with cheeks and thighs and all, but he is INCREDIBLY UNDERWEIGHT. He is bright, advanced in his behaviors, and he is at the 5th %ile in height, but WAYYY off the charts below the norm in weight. He weighs what a 5 month old would. 13.5 lbs. He is healthy and loves to eat, but I wonder if my diet affected him. How I hope not. My other two kids were normal to upper weights at his age.

Anyway, I love the low carb way of life, but maybe Atkins wasn't right for me as a nursing mom.

Another weird thing? On Atkins I used to use heavy cream as a dessert, either whipped or simply poured onto berries with a sprinkling of chopped nuts. I used to buy a LOT of that cream and I loved it. My treat! Once I started eating carbs, I couldn't stand to THINK about that cream! I had a half-gallon of it (you can find it at Smart and Final stores) that I just let rot in the fridge. When I think of that cream I shudder now. I don't know why. The desserts I made with it were pretty yummy.

The South Beach diet ricotta dessert is awesome. Low fat ricotta cheese, mixed with a tiny bit of fake sugar (I can only use stevia) and a small amount of cocoa powder (Dutch process, not chocolate milk powder). Yum. Like tiramisu.

[nutmeg]

read later bump