Granted, I started this in full force on or about March 1st and so it remains to be decided whether the weight stays off but for the first time in my life, I am having to buy new clothes because the ones I have are getting too big!
I agree with Atkins that cakes, pies, cookies, donuts, and other heavily processed foods, are about the worst things you can eat. While I was not willing to adopt the Atkins plan as written, I have taken the general principles of it to heart. That is, I avoid most processed foods and only eat bread sparingly - usually as a hamburger bun (whole-wheat). I definitely don't eat supermarket bread anymore though once in a while, I might make an exception for a fresh slice of bread or maybe a roll in a restaurant (usually rub it in olive oil).
Since early March, I have ceased eating virtually all processed foods. I eat only meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, rice (a Dr. Atkins no-no), nuts and olive oil. It's not as hard to do as you might think. I simply avoid the junk and eat just whole foods. For instance, this weekend, I had grilled swordfish on Saturday with jalapenos, Spanish rice and corn. On Sunday, I had T-bone steak with mushrooms, onions and cous-cous (a form of Mediterranean rice). For breakfast, I'll have a banana and lunch will be either a tin of sardines or a small bag of unsalted peanuts. So I'm not going hungry or counting calories. I'm just eating better.
I also walk 6-8 miles a day. I get up at 5AM and walk three miles in my neighborhood. During lunch at work, I walk about 3-4 miles on a bike path near my work. I carry a pedometer with me to ensure that I get my miles in. For example, today, I couldn't walk my normal bike path at lunch because I had an appointment in downtown Boston. So when my appt. was over, I went back to my car to put on my sneakers and I walked 3 miles around Castle Island.
Since March 1st, I've been dropping an average of 3 pounds per week. I don't feel hungry like I thought I would. I think the walking makes you less hungry. I don't miss the cakes, pies, cookies, crackers, etc., either. I'm not even tempted by them. I just don't put that crap in my system anymore. And yes, I still have my couple of stout beers everynight!
I post all this only because I have been a critic of Atkins in the past. While his diet is not for me, I adopted many of his ideas and as a result I am losing weight for the first time in my life and feeling pretty good. I haven't been in this good shape since I was in the Marines.
Now I have for the past two years eaten in a more "Mediterranean style" with lots of pasta, bread, nuts, fish, olive oil, etc., and I stopped gaining weight. But I never lost weight either. It wasn't until I cut out the pasta and bread (and processed supermarket food) that the pounds started slipping off. So my hat is off to the late Dr. Atkins for putting me in the right direction.
6-8 miles is fantastic - few adults could do that.
And the walking does not take away your appetite, only your appetite for garbage. When I'm exercising (I've been lazy lately), healthful food tastes incredible.
If you want a READABLE dissertation on the mechanism that makes the mediteranean diet work check out the eicosanoid section of "Protein Power". It is an excellent READABLE discussion. The implications of the mediteranean fat balance goes farther than just heart related. It also has other powerful physical and psychological implications. It is a very interesting subject and will be the basis for some true wonder medicines in the future. It is truly exciting. Go to pubmed and do a search on PGE series one and three. (ProstGlandin Eicosanoid).
The fats our forefathers ate are what we are supposed to eat. Give me butter, fish oils, olive oil and lard. Keep the hydrogenated BS, oleos and SOYBEAN OILS. < tinfoil>I, and I am all alone here, even on the internet, believe soybean oils and foods are responsible for the spate of auto immune diseases we have seen surge since 1980. (Coincident with the rise of soy products). < /tinfoil>