Hanna asks: I’ve been “dieting” for 22 days now. I’m not on any program, I’ve just cut out sodas and drink tons of water, eat salads for lunch, and about half of what I used to eat for dinner. I’m reading Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution and believe I will commit to it when I have finished the book, but would like to know any problems that you had while on it. Did it work well for you? Is it a waste of your time? What are potential pitfalls I should look out for? Thank you!
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I broke out, felt sick, gained 10 lbs, and just felt generally terrible. I called my doctor and she asked me if I was breaking out and I said yes-she said get off of it immediately and I did and lost 7 lbs in 2 days eating normally again. So it cost me gaining 3 lbs and about a month and a half to get my face back to normal.
My mother did Atkins and lost a mass amount of weight. The only downfall is it turns into more of a permanent lifestyle. Once you introduce carbs back into your diet you gain some of the weight back. You pretty much train yourself to avoid carbs for the rest of your life. It becomes harder for the body to digest carbs once you start eating them again.
It’s not healthy, does not teach you how to eat properly and everyone I know that was on it, gained all the weight back and more.
I have been told by nutritionist that the Atkins diet will only give you results for about 6 weeks. And the majority of people who have lost weight on the diet will gain it all back within 6 months. I did the diet for 5 weeks. It was brutal. I was very fatigued, cranky, and it makes you have BO and bad breath. But I segued it into a healthy diet and excersize plan after the 5 weeks so that I could continue to lose weight. It was good to help me control my urge for sugary sweets.
Be careful with this one. It does work, but remember, the brain uses carbs as its primary energy source. So while you will lose weight, you are starving your brain as well. So theorize that Atkins fell and hit his head because his brain was starved (not sure i believe it) I have found that many people lose weight quickly but gain it back. I recommend simply counting calories. Weight gain is caused simply by taking in more calories than you spend. Everyone is different but cut your calories and do a little more exercise and you will lose weight.
Diets don’t work since 99% gain weight back. Also this explains that Atkins not as safe as The Zone. Dr Atkins had high blood pressure and had heart attack. May he rest in peace.
Good carbs like celery and carrots will never make you fat. Bad carbs like cake will, but you don’t need to know the whole science of glycemic index and load. It is mostly NOT your fault, if you need to lose weight. The way we have been taught to eat is responsible for making obesity the number one health problem in the world (according to Atlantic Monthly magazine) replacing hunger and infectious disease. You need to re-learn how to eat so you can become thin. Not a diet, but diet lifestyle.
Find out about fastest way to lose weight, gradual ways to lose weight, most effective exercise, good and bad carbs and anti-water. Lose bodyfat and retained water which also makes you a lot fatter (bloated). Most important– make sure to read the last “fat loss tip”, first before anything else, to see the number one food that causes Americans to be fat.
It worked well. I lost 25 lbs, My husband close to 50 lbs. Our cholesterol count went way up though.
It is hard to commit to a lifetime of this lifestyle. Vacationing and dining out were big challenges at times.
We are off of Atkins now. Trying to still stay away from bread and sweets. We have not been exercising as much as we should, so we have gained some weight back. Exercise is the key!
I loved it. It did wonders for me. I lost so much weight (stones) and got really fit and healthy by adding exercise. I think it was because I was not taking in sugar that made it work. It took me some time (over a week) to start feeling better as when you start it you can feel yucky. I stayed on the induction for a couple of months and it changed my outlook- I didn’t have my usual moodswings, I didn’t have a need for sugar. I felt great and had never felt as good as when I did Atkins. It may not be for everyone, but it was the best for me.
Don’t even try it!
Never tried it for one simlpe reason………its crap. your brain functions on about 80% carbs. w/o them it doesnt function properly. just eat quality carbs like whole wheat, oatmeal, sweet potatoes. to lose weight figure out your daily calorie needs ( 15 X body weight = cals per day ). thats about what u need each day to do normal activity. then subtract 300 to 500 cals a day from your diet ( bad fat & bad carbs ) and burn 300 to 500 w/ exercise.should lose about 1 pound a week no more than 3.
I’ve done very well on it, lost 35 lbs so far. I’ve also found that most of my aches and pains have gone away, but they come back if I start back on high-carbs.
Drawbacks: First of all, not everyone will lose weight as fast as he indicates. It’s common for people to stall on the 3rd or 4th week. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you will probably find it goes in fits and starts. I personally tend to lose a bunch, then stay at the same weight for a long time, then lose a bunch more. However, I feel that this is my body adapting to it’s new composition and shape. Give it time and stick to the plan, the weight will eventually come off.
The first week you will probably go through “induction flu” which is withdrawal from sugar. I was exhausted and my arm and legs felt like they weighed a ton. Once I got past that I was fine. Others experience actual flu-like symptoms.
The general consensus is to stick to real foods and avoid low-carb “products” as much as possible. Atkins is about learning a healthy new lifestyle, not substituting one kind of crap for another. Most of your carbs should be coming from veggies.
When you are in ketosis, you may have a funny taste/odor on your breath and odor in your urine from the ketones. You get used to it, many people suck on sugar free mints or chew sugarless gum to offset it. Personally, when I get that funny taste I’m happy because I know I’m burning fat.
The main thing is to make it a lifestyle. If you think of it as a “diet” that you’re going to end, it becomes tedious - especially during those times when you are not losing. I now concentrate on eating in a healthy fashion and doing my exercise, I feel that in the long run my body will eventually settle at a weight that it is best for it.
I’m a member of a low-carb forum which I’ve found very helpful. The people there are really supportive, and it’s motivating for me to go there regularly. There’s lots of recipes too. They have a section devoted strictly to Atkins.
Good luck on your weight-loss/health journey!
It is not a safe diet in my opinion. Please do not try fad diets that rarely work in the long run and consider a healthy life style change.
The following healthy living recommendations will help you if you’re trying to lose weight, tone up your muscles, have aspirations of building lean muscle mass, are attempting to get a wash board stomach, or just want to feel better:
*1) Burn more calories then you’re consuming everyday and measure your results using the following formula: Calories Consumed minus Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) minus Physical Activity minus the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). A website that explains this formula in more detail and will help you determine how many calories you need to reach or maintain a certain weight is at
Get an online, desktop, or cell phone diet and fitness calculator. This will allow you to easily calculate the above formula, set goals, log your daily calorie consumption, and register your physical activities.
Set realistic goals for your ideal body weight. Here are two websites that will calculate a suggested body weight:
Adults:
Teens/Children:
It is difficult and unhealthy to lose more than one or two pounds per week. There are 3,500 calories in a pound. If you eat 500 fewer calories per day for a week you will lose one pound. If you burn through exercise 500 more calories per day for a week you will lose one pound.
Here are two articles on how to break through a weight loss plateau:
*2) Eat natural and organic foods found on earth versus something created by a corporation to make money. Eat meals in small portions throughout the day and take a good multi-vitamin supplement.
Do not try fad diets or diet pills. Avoid “High Glycemic Load Carbs” (sugar, pastries, desserts, refined starches such as breads, pasta, refined grains like white rice; high starch vegetables such as potatoes) and drink lots of water. Read this article for more information on high GL Carbs:
The following are food pyramids and several articles on what you should eat everyday:
Food Pyramids:
Antioxidant Superstars - Vegetables and Beans:
Antioxidant Loaded Fruits:
Good Carbs Mean Better Weight:
The Benefits of Protein:
Some Fats Are Good For You:
Antioxidants in Green and Black Tea:
What You Should Eat Daily:
Best Foods to Fight off Disease and Keep You Healthy:
*3) Perform cardiovascular, core, and/or strength training on most days. Read a book or find a certified trainer to make sure you’re doing all exercises correctly.
The following is a website and numerous articles on cardiovascular, core, and strength training:
Exercise Prescription on the Net
Starting an Exercise Program:
Strength Training Basics:
Cardiovascular Machine Workouts:
Balance Your Way to a Stronger Body:
Understanding Your Training Heart Rate:
Exercise Errors:
Getting a Flat Stomach:
Weight Lifting - Does Order Matter:
Encouraging Exercise in Your Kids:
Strength Training Safe and Effective for Kids:
*4) Get plenty of sleep. Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health, and safety.
*5) Educate yourself continually on health issues and make a life long commitment to good health. A great free publication is “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005”. A reputable test you can take to measure your biological age is at
Look at all areas where you can enhance your health. For example, make improvements in the quality of the air you breathe. Review outdoor air quality forecasts where you live and get an indoor air purifier.
Send me an email or yahoo instant message to “gainbetterhealth” if you have any questions and good luck!
*Click on all the source links below to get the full benefit of the recommendations. The answers presented to your health questions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.