Replies

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?

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?

Actually, I recently chatted with a nutrionist, and she handed me a copy of the "food pyramid"...(you know, the one that says 5-11 servings of grains, 2-3 servings of meat/dairy, etc.)

I was actually surprised to read in the bottom of the page that it was produced in part by the U.S. Cattlemen's Association, and the Beef Farmers.
FWIW

The key to weight loss is simple, calories burned must be greater than calories taken in. Atkins and other low carb diets do nothing to help a person "eat for life" as they say. It may work for you, it may not, I know people in both camps that have tried it.. .but one thing Atkins does not do, is teach you how to eat healthy fof life. The minute you leave such a diet, you will gain weight, because you have not learned how to eat a healthy diet.

I don't view fat as a defacto evil (this is I guess one of Atkins selling points, you can eat fat!!) But fat does have a high caloric count per gram relative to other foods. Which is why it should be reduced generally in the diet. I don't advocate no-fat diets either.

Biggest problem with weight in general (and yes there are exceptions) is too many calories in, and not enough out. Or Fast Food/No Exercise = obesity. Some people are fortunate to have a fast metablism, a lot are not. If you are not, you need to watch your total caloric intake, and increase the number you burn. The safest way to lose weight is to adjust your eating habbits, cut out high calorie foods (high fat foods generally have the highest calories) Instead of chips, snack on veggies, instead of a candy bar, have an apple...

It does take time, and the first few weeks can be tough, especially if you ate whatever you felt like and as much as you wanted... going from the double whopper with cheese, and a jumbo fry and a jumbo coke, to a ham and cheese sandwhich, carrots and a water or diet soda is a change, but it is a change for the better, going from a single meal that contains nearly an etire days worth of calories if not more to one that is proper and reasonable is a good thing. It will take a few weeks for the new habbits to set in... I have fallen off the horse from time to time, and when I have, the first 2 weeks were the toughest to get back on. The nice part however is, once those new habbits set in, the craivings for that other food will indeed subside, and not only that, but you will get to the point that even when you do splurge and go have the fast food, you will find you don't want or can't eat as much as you once did.

I highly recommend WW program to anyone, it is safe, sane and very easy to follow. It not only will help you lose weight, especially if you are highly over weight, but it teaches you how to eat properly, something that quite honestly many adults in america don't know how to do, and were never taught either. It does go from being a diet to just being life, it becomes second nature, and honestly NOTHING is off the table, you can ideed eat anything if you want.

Also EXERCISE people this is the other half of the equation, burn more calories... it doesn't matter how out of shape you are, make an effort to get some exercise every day, even if it is only a walk around the neighborhood.. do it. A 20 minute walk is not hard for all but the most chronicly obese, and it will help to boost your caloric burn. And as you get in better shape, you will find you can do more exercise, the more you do the better, but you don't have to be a gym rat either.

Keep caloric intake down, and increase exercise and you can and will lose weight consistently. On average I lose 2-3 lbs a week when I have been on it. And I can still have pizza, or chicken wings or beer when I want as well...