[SamAdams76]

For years, I was a low-carb skeptic. I just couldn't believe that increasing your fats and protein would cause you to lose weight. It went against everything that the medical community had been saying for years. So I continued eating my oatmeal and pancakes for breakfast (instead of eggs and bacon) and my bowls of pasta instead of what I really wanted, a good juicy steak. As well, I ate bagels for lunch and snacked on all kinds of high-carb snacks, avoiding the fat whenever I could.

Well I figured I'd give this low-carb thing a try. So I went low-carb on April 1 and have lost 51 pounds since. If anybody out there was a skeptic like me, I urge you to give it a try. I never did the Atkins plan with the ketosis and all. But I did cut carbs out of my diet as much as I could as well as all junk and processed foods (which are loaded with carbs). I now have eggs every morning for breakfast and lots of steak and other meats. What a difference. Wish I'd done this 10 years ago.

[EggsAckley]

You, Sir, are my inspiration! You've proven that it CAN work, and also that it's EASY. Just keep the carbs down. Count carbs like you count the change in your pocket.

[Jeff Chandler]

My family switched to a low-carb diet five weeks ago. We have a list of high-carb foods taken from the Atkins list, and determined what a "portion" of high carb food would be. For instance, a slice of bread would be a portion. We allow ourselves three high carb portions a day. That's all we do-no counting carbs or calories, no deal-a-meal, no low-fat worries-just restrict the very high carb foods. The idea is to change our eating habits in a way that is so simple that we can actually follow through.

I have lost 10 pounds, my daughter has lost 10 pounds, and my wife has lost 25 pounds. Five weeks, during which none of us suffered or went hungry. We just cut down on the bread, potatoes, rice, soda, etc..

Oh, yeah, we allow ourselves one meal a week where we eat anything we want(in moderation) so that we can enjoy holidays and special occasions.

[texasbluebell]

I never did the Atkins plan with the ketosis and all. But I did cut carbs out of my diet as much as I could as well as all junk and processed foods (which are loaded with carbs). I now have eggs every morning for breakfast and lots of steak and other meats. What a difference. Wish I'd done this 10 years ago.

My own doctor convinced me to just cut out "white foods" as he calls them, most of the breads, pastas, rice, and potatoes--we can really do without most of that. He said he'd rather see someone eating a big steak than a pasta dinner.

[Ancesthntr]

Congrats on your amazing progress, and good luck getting to your goal. But tell me, how have the eggs and steak been for your cholesterol and, more specifically, your HDL/LDL balance? I have a sneaking suspicion that you're going to tell me that they're much improved, but I need to see it. I would also presume that your triglycerides dropped like a rock.

I was (and still am, thanks to the conditioning of the AMA and the various "health" publications) also a low -carb skeptic, but the more that studies show that it works, the more that I want to give it a serious try (I don't have THAT much to lose, maybe 15-20 lbs., but I LOVE my pasta, cereal, lowfat popcorn, etc).

BTW, several years ago I tried a "diet" pushed by some guy at Vanderbilt University (while I attended), who pushed a high complex carb diet for weight loss because "your body has to burn more calories to digest them than fat or simple carbs. I religiously ate spaghetti at least 4x/week for several months, plus lots of other similar stuff (all low fat, of course), and wondered why I not only didn't lose weight, but had a triglyceride level of over 600. Now I know.

[Hinoki Cypress]

Bravo, Sam! I also have lost 51 lbs since April on the Atkins Diet, and enjoy the heck out of filet mignon, eggs, bacon etc, 3x day. When I do eat pastas, I can drop the weight from them quickly, and continue on with my weight loss regimen. Dang, I do still miss some of those carbs.

The only downside: my cholesterol has jumped from 212 to 248. My doc wants a "lipid panel" done to see what's up with HDL and LDL quantities. Smalll price to pay, actually, and it's easily controlled with food changes and meds, I hear.

[jennyp]

Well I figured I'd give this low-carb thing a try. So I went low-carb on April 1 and have lost 51 pounds since. If anybody out there was a skeptic like me, I urge you to give it a try. I never did the Atkins plan with the ketosis and all. But I did cut carbs out of my diet as much as I could as well as all junk and processed foods (which are loaded with carbs). I now have eggs every morning for breakfast and lots of steak and other meats. What a difference. Wish I'd done this 10 years ago.

Whoa, Sam! Weren't you one of the naysayers on the Atkins threads a few months back? But - that would mean you changed your mind about something due to FR threads. That's not allowed, is it? :-D

[Dubya]

Can you eat a small amount of wheat bread with it?
Thanks
Dub

[afraidfortherepublic]

Well, you've encouraged me to start today, and I'd appreciate any further tips you all can give me along the way.

I bought 2 Atkins books this morning before work, and the first thing I noticed was the link that Dr. Atkins notes between weight gain and certain medications -- especially Hormone Replacement Therapy and blood pressure medications. No other doctor recognizes that fact.

I worked for Weight WAtchers for many years and was successful with keeping my weight down until HRT, and then it went out of control. I no longer take those pills, but it is awfully hard to get the weight off once it's on. The new WW doesn't seem to heop -- it's too liberal.