Doctors' group urges Atkins diet ban

Washinton Times ^ | August 22, 2003 | UPI

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Nutritionists are urging the top 10 U.S. hospitals to ban the Atkins diet, reports said Friday.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine announced Friday in Washington it hopes the hospitals will emulate England's Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, which is eliminating the controversial diet from its menus, fearing a link to kidney damage.

[Miss Marple]

You know, I think I read somewhere that animal protein is necessary for the brain. Seriously!

[SamAdams76]

Congratulations on your success! My experience mirrored yours. I'm 6'3" and I weight 300 pounds on April 1st of this year.

I wore size 48/50 pants and 3XL shirts. I wore sweatpants with the elastic bands most of the time when I was home because they were comfortable. Of course, they allowed me to "stretch" at big meals.

That was when I went low-carb. I now walk 7-10 miles a day, verified by a pedometer that I wear daily for that purpose. I have dropped 70 pounds to 230 and now wear size 38/40 pants and Large shirts. The 3XL shirts look like dresses on me now and I had to get rid of them!

Of course, I'm not stopping here. I'm going to keep going until I can wear size 34 pants. That's the size I wore when I came out of the Marine Corps.

Like you, I've never felt better. At least not since I was 18 or 19 years old. I feel (and look) 10 years younger.

I urge all other Freepers who have a weight problem to check out low-carbing. It works.

[Agnes Heep]

When my kids were young, Uriah and I weren't too well off. But the money we had we chose to spend on good eating, rather than luxurious housing or new cars. I always had plenty of meats and dairy products in the kids' diets. Between the three of them I think we might have had two ear infections and a few minor colds in the entire course of their growing up. Seeing a doctor was a novelty to them. It's the same way with just the two of us now. I haven't had a cold in eighteen months; Uriah hasn't had one since heaven knows when. I attribute it largely to the diet. Perhaps it's not that excess protein does excess good, but simply that insufficient protein causes positive harm.

[Revolting cat!]

Northern Europe! Harsh climate, hence the high fat diet. Didn't see many signs of obesity on the streets and in the coutryside; the portions were huge, bread always thickly buttered before you loaded it with cheese and fat meat slices for breakfast and for supper, the hosts encouraged you to get meat slices with the most fat as if that was perfectly natural, and healthier; delicious, creamy desserts with egg custard and whipped cream, and only ice cream was less creamy than ours (and better tasting too), but the hosts would allow you to order a serving smaller than 3 scoops! Had a ball!

[SamAdams76]

Here's the point...on the Adkins diet, can you sustain a vigorous exercise regime? Does the lack of carbs restrict your glygogen production/stores?

BTW, it Atkins, not Adkins (that common mispelling of his name puzzles me).

First of all, if you are 150 pounds, you are perfect for your height and need not worry that your diet is 60% carb, especially since you are physically active.

Speaking as an overweight person who went to a low-carb diet, I can tell you that I have had no difficult with a vigorous exercise regime while on it. In fact, I think the low-carb diet has actually given me the energy to sustain it. On traditional low-fat diets, I just never had the energy.

Now maybe when I get to my target weight and remain physically active (I currently walk at least 7-10 miles a day), I can handle as many carbs as you.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

Atkins is already dead

Slipped on ice, cracked his head...

[Revolting cat!]

BTW, it Atkins, not Adkins (that common mispelling of his name puzzles me).

Probly getting confused with this skinny fella of Chicken Walk fame:

[USMA83]

Thanks for the response (Miss Marple, you too) I plan on turning my pedals for years to come, but there may come a time when I can't. I have thought that a transition to ATKINS (sorry) may be the way to go. I don't want to go back to where I was.

Congratualtions to y'all on your weight loss. Keep goin'!

[templar]

... I'll quit smoking and deny the ruling class their tax source

I did that 20 years ago. I immagine I'd be dead today if I hadn't. Cold turkeyed a 3 1/2 pack a day habit of many, many years. It was difficult (understatement) but well worth it. There are a lot of new ways that make it easier to quit now days, and I don't generally reccomend cold turkey (don't reccomend against it either) as the only way to quit. Whatever works for you. Good luck.

[Revolting cat!]

I've started getting pop ups related to diets since coming on this thread. Now I don't suspect that JimRob is selling pop up ad services, but do you think that my ISP (Comcast) is intercepting the contents of the pages I download, searching for certain keywords and selling ad space to the highest bidder?

[T Wayne]

I have the goal of the 34" waist also. When I left 'Nam in 1970, I weighted 185 lbs on the bagage scale at the DaNang airport.

I want to get back to that, preferably with a similar distribution of muscle and fat.

[B Knotts]

PCRM is an arm of PETA, the terrorist organization that funds ELF, which bombed car dealerships in California today.

[tubebender]

As I said on another thread...I have lost 15 pounds but I feel and act 15 years younger.

[Savage Beast]

I'm in a similar situation to yours.

I've had to modify the diet. I have been a strict vegetarian. When I went on the diet, I had to begin eating fish. I haven't eaten any other flesh. I've lost l4 lb and still have 8 to go. I feel better than I have in years.

I was one of those who are metabolically resistant; so I've stayed on the induction diet for 4 weeks and am still on it.

I have also been exercizing regularly. Today I spent 3 hours on the treadmill, burned up about 2,500 calories, and then lifted weights.

The combination of no carbohydrates and regular vigorous exercize has me feeling great! I look good, and I'm not hungry. I never have to fight with myself to keep from eating, and I don't have any craving for foods that I can't have.

I was one of the main ones who disagreed with Atkins. I tried it as a last resort. So far it's working for me; nothing else did.

I am still concerned about the effects of a diet high in saturated fats over a long period of time. I don't think it's a good idea. In maintanence, it would be a good idea, I think, to try to concentrate on foods that are low in saturated fats, such as fish, tofu, olive oil, etc.

[HamiltonJay]

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Why can't the press ever call this group what it really is, its just an animal rights front group, its not any sort of serious physicians group.

I am not a fan of Atkins, but portraying anything this group says as legitimate physicians taking a scientifically based stand is the height of ignorance.... Wake up press, this group is a liberal animal rights front, nothing more.

[Savage Beast]

I went to a dinner party this week. I ate the salmon and passed up the vegetables, dessert, and even the wine! When the host offered me more salmon, I didn't want it. I was amazed.

[RJayneJ]

They went through all of this 30 years ago and as far as I can see the sour grapes is right. I know all kinds of people on it and not one has reported kidney problems 30 years ago or now, as I sit here eating my shrimp cocktail. I have lost 30 pounds now and with the keto sticks there is no guess work. You know right away where your carb tolerance is.

[Servant of the Nine]

on the Adkins diet, can you sustain a vigorous exercise regime? Does the lack of carbs restrict your glygogen production/stores?

Lots of us haven't the time, the joints or the inclination to exercize vigerously for a dozen hours a week, that is the whole point.

So9

[Sloth]

And UPI should be ashamed for running this story without bothering to research this organization first. No wonder today's UPI is but a tiny shell of the proud wire service it once was.

Are you suggesting that a former employer of Helen Thomas could be lacking in journalistic standards? I think not!

[Savage Beast]

When I went on the diet, I joined a gym; I've been exercizing regularly since then. (I used to exercize regularly, but I've been sitting around getting lazy and fat for several years.) However my appetite has definitely been cut. The day before yesterday, I did the treadmill for 2 hours. Yesterday, I had so little appetite that I didn't eat anything all day. I didn't particularly want it; so I figured, why eat it? I also feel very good, slightly euphoric, and I feel that I think more clearly.