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Anybody been on the Atkins diet?

loan sharkloan shark Member Posts: 130 ✭✭
edited July 2002 in General Discussion
Last weekend after discovering that some of my clothes didn't fit like the used to, Mrs. Shark talked me in to dieting. Now, I would just as soon eat NO food and starve than have to eat some of that crap on other diets. I am one who would rather eat no meal than a crappy one.

The Atkins diet sounded ok because you could eat all you want as long as you eat the stuff on the list of ok foods. Didn't sound too bad to get to eat meat, chicken, fish, green beans, jello with real whipped cream.

Now here I sit 6 days later and would kill for one bite of mashed potatos, cornbread, pinto beans, and of all things...a can of beer!

I am irritable, hungry, and have not lost a pound because I have not had a visit to "the library" since last Monday. For all the food I have eaten last week, when the time finally comes, you guys had better be out of Texas, because I'm gonna lose about 10 pounds in one sitting.

For all you guys sitting there reading this with a can of your favorite beverage, please have one for me.

Shark

Comments

  • 218Beekeep218Beekeep Member Posts: 3,033
    edited November -1
    Hey shark,I lost 24 pounds on Adkins,a couple years ago.
    It takes a couple weeks before you start loosing the weight,but it starts coming of fast.Then when my wife went off the diet(she didn`t need to be on it anyway,maybe 5 lbs),she started cooking differently,and that blew it for me,gained it all back.

    I do believe it`s a good diet though!

    .218
  • .250Savage.250Savage Member Posts: 812 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Used the Atkins' diet for a while, admit it works, and well. GREAT to be able to eat as much as you want, but as you noted, soon you would KILL for a potato or piece of bread. Too, it gives you the "runs", and I (at least) had trouble with the loss of calcium from not drinking milk. Still, have to give Atkins' credit: Eskimos don't have a lot of bread or greens, and they seem to survive just fine on a diet of pure protein.

    I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.--Voltaire~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~
  • odesskiyodesskiy Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    loan shark,

    I've stayed on Atkins diet with great success before. However, what you are doing is really dangerous. Not going to "the library" for several days can be dangerous - the contents will start becoming toxic. You need to make sure you take a good multivatimin, or at least vitamin C - it will help you solve this problem. Also, you have to drink lots and LOTS of water (at least 2-2.5 liters a day) - lowcarb diets put a lot of stress on your kidneys and water is absolutely crucial. If you haven't lost any weight in a week that means you've been doing it wrong. And not loosing weight would not be the worst of your problems. Atkins diet can be a great weightloss tool, but you have to become really educated before attempting it. I suggest you visit http://www.lowcarbfriends.com for advice and great recipes.


    Ed Kagan
    Los Angeles, CA
  • kaliforniankalifornian Member Posts: 475 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Been on a diet for two and a half weeks.
    http://www.medifast.net/
    I wanted to drop 30lbs as exercise alone wasn't doing it. Asked my doctor for advice and he sold me on his version of a Medifast diet. He put me on Medifast 55 (the woman's version even though I'm a big guy), because the lower calorie content lets me eat more of them. He has me eat 3 shakes throughout the day (breakast, lunch and an afternoon snack), a piece of fruit as a snack in between each shake, and then whatever I want for dinner (within reason, preferrably not a huge plate of fat and carbs). The chocolate shakes don't taste half bad, eating 5 times a day plus a real dinner keeps you from starving, and the real dinner lets you have a normal meal at home with family. Sundays I eat whatever I want all day (within reason of course). If you are really active and need more energy, you can make the shakes with milk instead of water. Lost 16 pounds so far (in under 20 days). Nice thing about this versus Atkins is the shakes are balanced with vitamins in addition to the proteins, the fresh fruit gives you energy and nutrients, and you can have a normal dinner. Some people have gotten pretty sick on all proteint/zero carb diets. The idea behind mine is lots of small meals fires up your metabolism yet you don't starve and don't have to completely give up anything you like.

    Good luck!



    So many guns, so little money . . .
  • kaliforniankalifornian Member Posts: 475 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    One last thing about medifast. My doctor gives it to me for half of what the website charges: only $15 a box (a box = 1 week supply). Thus, I wouldn't order from the site if you can help it.

    So many guns, so little money . . .
  • MercuryMercury Member Posts: 7,842 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Atkins will kill you..........check it out with any legit (someone who IS NOT SELLING THEIR OWN PRODUCTS!!!!!!) doctor.

    Very hard on the kidneys, too.

    I know a couple people on it.......a few who had horrible problems with it.

    Bad news.

    If you want to lose weight, cut out the sweets and fats. Go strict vegetarian, and the pounds will drop off.

    Merc



    NO! You may not have my guns! Now go crawl back into your hole!

    ****************************************

    "Tolerating things you may not necessarily like is part of being free" - Larry Flynt
  • budmottbudmott Member Posts: 155 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Using the low carb diet,less than 20 carbs per day,
    I have gone from using 200 units of insulin a day to
    25 units per day. My cholesterol and tryglyerides have
    been cut in half. You will get over the cravings.
    Just drink the WATER and take VITAMINS.
    IMHO.
    bud

    "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. Democracy is the worst form of government, aside from all the other forms of government."
    - Winston Churchill
  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000
    edited November -1
    As 218 said, it will take about two weeks for the ketosis to set in. after that the weight will start to drop off. If you are on the Atkins diet too long, you will probably have kidney stones later. It is very hard on the kidneys.

    Save, research, then buy the best.Join the NRA, NOW!Teach them young, teach them safe, teach them forever, but most of all, teach them to VOTE!
  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mercury said it right!

    What you're doing on a low-carbohydrate diet is starving your brain.

    After your brain is starved from carbohydrates for a while (for most people it's about 5 days), it concludes that you are starving and starting burning its stored energy (your fat and muscle tissue).

    It "sounds good on paper" as a diet plan, but when your body is in "starvation mode" it also starts other processes--like desolving your bones for their mineral content!

    Your body is designed to burn carbohydrates, it can break-down consumed or stored fat and protein and use it as fuel, but it's not as efficient and puts a strain on your whole system--your body has to deal with a lot of "toxic stuff" when it is forced to use fat and protein as fuel.

    The best "diet" to follow is a low fat, low protein, high complex carbohydrate type--something like the Pritikin diet is the healthy way to eat (not to say that I follow it myself!).
  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was on a high protein diet in the 60s & 70s which enabled me to lose the excess and maintain a normal weight for many years, with no side effects apparent to date. From what I can see, it was essentially identical to the Atkins. I did drink a ton of water and take multivitamins. Still do. Biggest issue is to have an MD involved and not believe everything you see in self-help books or discussion boards slanted toward firearms! Calcium is not an issue today. You can buy calcium - fortified OJ. I do because I've developed a lactose tolerance. I can eat milk products, but no one will want to be in an enclosed space with me later! But the MD is critical for any significant life style change which affects someone physically - especially for those of us over 25.
  • twinstwins Member Posts: 647 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Like my DR. said, weight loss is simple, burn more calories than you take in.

    I know people who have used the Atkins' diet and have become very sick from the lack of carbs and at the same time, had no energy.

    Most people can eat what they want, not necessarily the amount they want, and lose or maintain weight if they would just exercise.
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