Any negatives to Adkins Diet?

[shawv]

Can any Freepers give me info as to the good/bad aspects of the Adkins Diet?

[ladyinred]

Many people have died on this diet, as you might be aware already. My advice, eat the same foods you always do, just less. It works, I know, I lost 135lbs doing that in 1986 and it is still off!

[takenoprisoner]

If you stick to it, it works. I know...been there done that. For me, it wasn't the fat or the calories. I tried those and never lost. I saw one poster here who said "heart attack waiting to happen." Well a fat person is at high risk...and the fact is, the Atkins diet controls cholesterol. I don't know how, but it does at least for me. Mine is lower than ever at 180. Now, all you gotta do is try it and keep a check on yourself to see how you fair. If your cholesteral escalates, try another diet since this one may not be for you. Atkins is the only one that ever worked for me...and I'm still holding my desired weight after 2 years and my cholesterol is perfect and I feel great at 40 pounds lighter.

[MHGinTN]

Best way to lose weight?... Take one week and HONESTLY record everything that goes in your mouth and down the chute. Figure how many calories that adds up to each day --again, emphasis is being honest with yourself; it's your life. Odds are you consume more than 2000 calories per day. Take a look at which foods are highest in calories (it will be fatty junk foods), strike those off of your 'can eat' list, then devise a 200 calorie per day diet that allows you to eat three squares and two small snacks from the foods you like and will prepare (very important to stick with what's familiar). Stick to that calorie intake for one month. Then drop the diet to 1600 calories. After one year you will have lost 35 pounds comfortably and will have learned a whole new way to eat and thrive! When exertion requires extra calories, get them from foods in the diet list, not from fast foods. Lean beef is another great way to increase energy cals without fatty risks that add weight. Boxers use to train on lean steaks! Oh, and drink a minimum of sour 8oz glasses of water per day in addition to the fluids in your foods. If you steam broccoli, drink the fluid caught in the pan, for instance. Tastey way to get the H₂O.

[PJ-Comix]

Sh*t Fits.

[FITZ]

I know some people who think the God's diet works a lot better and is easier to live with. The one by Dorothy Gault.

[cmsgop]

Thanks! I knew I messed that up.

[Smedley]

It works extremely well. It'll even lower your colesterol. I lost 30 pounds eating bacon, steak, hanburger, chicken, fish and lots of salad.

The down side -- no pasta and no beer.

I would suggest that you buy lots of sugar-free jello to soothe the sweet cravings.

[HP8753]

Try the "Budritos Diet">>>>Beer and Chips ;-)

[Zipporah]

ARE there any positives??

[MindBender26]

Lost 25 pounds. Put it all back as soon as left diet.

[hispanarepublicana]

I had an animal sciences professor in college who was an expert in animal nutrition. Twice yearly, once at the beginning of Fall and once at the beginning of Spring, he does a 3-week, carb-free, Atkins-type "cleansing" diet. He's done this since his graduate-school days (about 40 years ago). The rest of the year, he eats a well-balanced diet. He's very healthy and trim.

My doctor told me that it was best to do Atkins only if you could do it only for a short time, then eat a perfectly balanced 40-30-30 type of diet (Zone) the rest of the time. He says most people can't get the proper, strict, 40-30-30 balance, so the best thing for most folks is a 1500 or lower calorie diet.

[looney tune]

Constipation, continuous & serious bad breath, not to mention that it is close to impossible to keep the weight off for good once you resume normal eating. Your best bet would be to find a well-rounded diet that enables you to eat like a normal person (weight watchers or something similar), and get on an exercise program with an emphasis on cardio-vascular workout (20 - 30 minutes per session at least 3 days per week), and a little resistance training (like with light weights/dumbbells). I'm telling you, any diet that emphasizes eating only one of the food groups is going to be impossible adhere to for a long time. Better to find something you can live with and adapt into a lifestyle change than to continue the pattern of desperate diets with short term victories followed by more weight gain. (I used to be a personal trainer).

[HapaxLegamenon]

You have to live without Potatoes, pasta, rice, bread etc. Personally I could never live without potatoes

[Semper911]

You lose a noticable amount of weight in a short amount of time. Don't stay on it for more than, say 2 months. After that, switch to reasonable meals and exercise. The quick weight loss is very motivating. You will be thirsty all the time, and you will need to drink a lot of water. You will have a lot of energy and your head will be clearer than it has been in a long time. It is like being high (not that I know anything about that!)

I do the diet when I need to lose a size or so.

[foto]

Check out this link, lots of info by the guy who wrote zmodem protocol for those of us who remember the good old days of computing. Atkins is a very good diet. Freepers should know better then to trust alot of propaganda crap and a food pyramid based upon the highest paid lobbyists. For all the detractors, please name me one study which actually tested the atkins diet and found it to be unhealthy as instructed by Dr. Atkins. Search the world and you won't find it, so what were they actually basing their info on? I'd be happy if you could find one, and would like to read it. New to the free republic but very informative site. hope this helps. http://www.omen.com/adipos.html

[gunnut]

My feeling is that it is a matter of how overweight you are. If you only need to lose a few pounds, I would say it is not for you. If you have a lot of weight to lose then most likely all of the things people have commented on in this thread are already a problem for you. You already have a significantly higher risk of heart attack with just being overweight.

The diet works if you can get past the first two weeks of cravings for carbohydrates. If you read the book Dr. Adkins recommends that you have your cholesterol tested before and after and it will likely go down as your body changes the way it processes food. Many doctors and others have not done any research into this type of diet and respond only with what has been drilled into their heads since medical school. Try it and determine for yourself.

USDA recommends a diet high in carbohyrdrates and low in fat and protein but the percentage of overweight Americans just keeps going up.

Now our government wouldn't lie to us would they?

[TN Prof]

I have been on every diet known to man. The Adkins diet is VERY unhealthy. High fat. Weight is lost quickly, and gained back at the same rate. The new Weight Watchers point system diet is easy, safe, and it works. You don't need to go to meetings anymore. It is on-line at weightwatchers.com. I am losing 2-3 lbs per week eating a balanced diet (and very occassional desserts, too.) Good luck

[PISANO]

I personally think that diets should be "TAILORED" to the individual. I went on the Atkins Diet about two and 1/2 yrs ago. My Triglicerides were almost 500, my (C)cholestorol was around 240 and the ratio of good to bad C was very low. After 2 months of strict adherence to the plan I went to over a 5 to 1 ration good to bad. C was 175 and Tris were less than 50. I went from 220 to 188. I am 6'1". I cheat every so often. I like fruit and veggies and the only thing I stay away from is pasta and bread and of course sweets of any sort. It works for me. I am ALWAYS full and swear by it, others may think it bad. I have a checkup every 6 months and couldn't be healthier.

[tubebender]

lose weight with the cabbage soup diet.... google search shows 18000 sites. works for me.

[Shackman]

Just make sure you exercise. I think regular exercise is better then any diet. But im no doctor... or even a college grad...