Any negatives to Adkins Diet?

[shawv]

Can any Freepers give me info as to the good/bad aspects of the Adkins Diet?

[Scutter]

High fat, high cholesterol. HEart attack waiting to happen.

There are some low carb diets out there that are much better for you than Atkins.

[Nachum]

The main problem with any diet that stresses one type of food group over another is that it works against the fundamental way the body is supposed to work.

Instead of developing a new way to think and eat, one manipulates the body in potentially harmful ways.

[KQQL]

he is full of crap.

[cmsgop]

I heard some people get a very nasty case of Hemoroids as well.

[dawn53]

Good friend of mine, lost oodles of weight, but his cholesterol shot through the roof. His Dr. insisted he get off it.

[Orual]

Adkins Diet

Good for the whole family.

[FITZ]

Too much protein can be hard on your kidneys. Besides--for me it didn't work and a nurse I know did lose weight but her eyelashes fell out.

[OnAMission]

Adkins

I'm too tired to do the flames. I'm going to leave it to the rest.

At least you didn't put it under "Breaking News"

[abnegation]

For future reference the correct spelling is "hemorrhoids". (g)

[SupplySider]

body odor

[Mr.E]

IT worked for me! Don't eat the fat! Duhhhh!!! But it is not for life! It's just good for 6 weeks. An yo will pay a price, its a very Rough ride. Chicken breastand salads..Egg beaters... AAAHAAH

[StarFan]

Mixed reviews. One friend lost quite a bit of weight and boasts it is the easiest diet to maintain, especially with the Dr. Atkins cookbooks to guide him. Another friend tried it for one month without any success. I'd suggest you speak to your doctor and have your cholesterol tested before trying it.

[Ima Lurker]

Diets don't do anything but make you constantly think about food. Eat heathly, well balanced meals and exercise. You won't have to worry about your weight.

[veryconernedamerican]

i have a mom and aunt that are researchers, microbioligy, phd types. ADKINS DIET dangerous, change your eating habits, do exercise. go for high water content food, vegatables and fruits. TRUST ME, if you go on adkins diet you will end up getting sick. the other poster is right heart disease and heart attack waiting to happen.

[MadelineZapeezda]

he is full of crap.

You too will be full of crap if you eat all that cheese.

[pnz1]

Isn't there a "peanut butter diet"? I think I saw this book by the same ones who wrote the Atkins diet book.

[Walkin Man]

A friend of mine has been on it for about 4 months and lost about 30 pounds, she loves it. I cut back on calories and started a daily food diary at the same time and have lost 75 pounds so far. I wish she would change to my kind of diet, I just can't believe that it is good for your health in the long run to eat that way. It may be alright to start losing weight, make sure you take a good multivitamin if you do it.

The main thing is calories, what kind of food doesn't really matter that much, IMHO.

[JmyBryan]

I love the Atkins Diet. Had excellent results, lost 21 lbs in 3 weeks and ate like a pig.

Make sure you take good supplements. Drink lots of water. Don't go crazy on cheese or you'll pay during bowel movements.

The thing that is the most satisfying about low-carb is that you never are hungry in a craving way - very freeing. And ketosis is not dangerous - many will tell you this and they are uninformed.

[ladyinred]

Many people have died on this diet, as you might be aware already. My advice, eat the same foods you always do, just less. It works, I know, I lost 135lbs doing that in 1986 and it is still off!

[takenoprisoner]

If you stick to it, it works. I know...been there done that. For me, it wasn't the fat or the calories. I tried those and never lost. I saw one poster here who said "heart attack waiting to happen." Well a fat person is at high risk...and the fact is, the Atkins diet controls cholesterol. I don't know how, but it does at least for me. Mine is lower than ever at 180. Now, all you gotta do is try it and keep a check on yourself to see how you fair. If your cholesteral escalates, try another diet since this one may not be for you. Atkins is the only one that ever worked for me...and I'm still holding my desired weight after 2 years and my cholesterol is perfect and I feel great at 40 pounds lighter.

[MHGinTN]

Best way to lose weight?... Take one week and HONESTLY record everything that goes in your mouth and down the chute. Figure how many calories that adds up to each day --again, emphasis is being honest with yourself; it's your life. Odds are you consume more than 2000 calories per day. Take a look at which foods are highest in calories (it will be fatty junk foods), strike those off of your 'can eat' list, then devise a 200 calorie per day diet that allows you to eat three squares and two small snacks from the foods you like and will prepare (very important to stick with what's familiar). Stick to that calorie intake for one month. Then drop the diet to 1600 calories. After one year you will have lost 35 pounds comfortably and will have learned a whole new way to eat and thrive! When exertion requires extra calories, get them from foods in the diet list, not from fast foods. Lean beef is another great way to increase energy cals without fatty risks that add weight. Boxers use to train on lean steaks! Oh, and drink a minimum of sour 8oz glasses of water per day in addition to the fluids in your foods. If you steam broccoli, drink the fluid caught in the pan, for instance. Tastey way to get the H₂O.

[PJ-Comix]

Sh*t Fits.

[FITZ]

I know some people who think the God's diet works a lot better and is easier to live with. The one by Dorothy Gault.

[cmsgop]

Thanks! I knew I messed that up.

[Smedley]

It works extremely well. It'll even lower your colesterol. I lost 30 pounds eating bacon, steak, hanburger, chicken, fish and lots of salad.

The down side -- no pasta and no beer.

I would suggest that you buy lots of sugar-free jello to soothe the sweet cravings.

[HP8753]

Try the "Budritos Diet">>>>Beer and Chips ;-)

[Zipporah]

ARE there any positives??

[MindBender26]

Lost 25 pounds. Put it all back as soon as left diet.

[hispanarepublicana]

I had an animal sciences professor in college who was an expert in animal nutrition. Twice yearly, once at the beginning of Fall and once at the beginning of Spring, he does a 3-week, carb-free, Atkins-type "cleansing" diet. He's done this since his graduate-school days (about 40 years ago). The rest of the year, he eats a well-balanced diet. He's very healthy and trim.

My doctor told me that it was best to do Atkins only if you could do it only for a short time, then eat a perfectly balanced 40-30-30 type of diet (Zone) the rest of the time. He says most people can't get the proper, strict, 40-30-30 balance, so the best thing for most folks is a 1500 or lower calorie diet.

[looney tune]

Constipation, continuous & serious bad breath, not to mention that it is close to impossible to keep the weight off for good once you resume normal eating. Your best bet would be to find a well-rounded diet that enables you to eat like a normal person (weight watchers or something similar), and get on an exercise program with an emphasis on cardio-vascular workout (20 - 30 minutes per session at least 3 days per week), and a little resistance training (like with light weights/dumbbells). I'm telling you, any diet that emphasizes eating only one of the food groups is going to be impossible adhere to for a long time. Better to find something you can live with and adapt into a lifestyle change than to continue the pattern of desperate diets with short term victories followed by more weight gain. (I used to be a personal trainer).

[HapaxLegamenon]

You have to live without Potatoes, pasta, rice, bread etc. Personally I could never live without potatoes

[Semper911]

You lose a noticable amount of weight in a short amount of time. Don't stay on it for more than, say 2 months. After that, switch to reasonable meals and exercise. The quick weight loss is very motivating. You will be thirsty all the time, and you will need to drink a lot of water. You will have a lot of energy and your head will be clearer than it has been in a long time. It is like being high (not that I know anything about that!)

I do the diet when I need to lose a size or so.

[foto]

Check out this link, lots of info by the guy who wrote zmodem protocol for those of us who remember the good old days of computing. Atkins is a very good diet. Freepers should know better then to trust alot of propaganda crap and a food pyramid based upon the highest paid lobbyists. For all the detractors, please name me one study which actually tested the atkins diet and found it to be unhealthy as instructed by Dr. Atkins. Search the world and you won't find it, so what were they actually basing their info on? I'd be happy if you could find one, and would like to read it. New to the free republic but very informative site. hope this helps. http://www.omen.com/adipos.html

[gunnut]

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?

[TN Prof]

I have been on every diet known to man. The Adkins diet is VERY unhealthy. High fat. Weight is lost quickly, and gained back at the same rate. The new Weight Watchers point system diet is easy, safe, and it works. You don't need to go to meetings anymore. It is on-line at weightwatchers.com. I am losing 2-3 lbs per week eating a balanced diet (and very occassional desserts, too.) Good luck

[PISANO]

I personally think that diets should be "TAILORED" to the individual. I went on the Atkins Diet about two and 1/2 yrs ago. My Triglicerides were almost 500, my (C)cholestorol was around 240 and the ratio of good to bad C was very low. After 2 months of strict adherence to the plan I went to over a 5 to 1 ration good to bad. C was 175 and Tris were less than 50. I went from 220 to 188. I am 6'1". I cheat every so often. I like fruit and veggies and the only thing I stay away from is pasta and bread and of course sweets of any sort. It works for me. I am ALWAYS full and swear by it, others may think it bad. I have a checkup every 6 months and couldn't be healthier.

[tubebender]

lose weight with the cabbage soup diet.... google search shows 18000 sites. works for me.

[Shackman]

Just make sure you exercise. I think regular exercise is better then any diet. But im no doctor... or even a college grad...

[bluedevil]

You wouldn't be related to the infamous FITS (Fly In The Stall) who buzzes around Chapel Hill to keep us loyal Dukies informed, would you?

Cordially,

Tom

[gunnut]

I would like to see where it is document that a lot of people have died on this diet.

[glm]

There are so many people that do not understand low carb diets. Instead of asking us - do research. If you want alot of positive info on low carb diets check out www.lowcarbluxury.com - negative info is everywhere.

I eat fish, chicken, beef, some cheese, salads, vegetables. I also eat Breads, Bagels, PASTA, CANDY, CHIPs that I order online.

[hispanarepublicana]

I have a history of diabetes in my family (what hispanic doesn't--my heritage is beautiful eyes and diabetes), so a couple of years ago, I started eating the Sugar Busters way. You still eat starches and carbs, just not certain ones (white rice, white potatoes, sugar, refined, bleached flour). You can still eat pinto beans, sweet potatoes (we eat TONS of sweet potatoes). Get the book--it's worth the read. Since I started eating this way, I don't get hunger pangs just before meal time, my meals stay with me providing sustained energy longer, and I never get the hypoglycemic shakes/weakness anymore. I also no longer crave sugar, bread, or potatoes.

[rebelskid]

I did it a few years ago and ripped off 75 lbs. did great.....however....I should have been taking my vitamins. I started to have some problems after several months..Take the recommended suppliments !!!! Also awhile back I stumbled onto http:\\www.watercure2.com and started their plan.. that did more good for my overall health than the low carbing..freepmail if you want to pick my brain ... Goodluck

[oldsalt]

It has been 15 years since I retired from the Navy. I was 6'2" and 202 lbs when I retired. Since then I've probably lost 350 lbs! I gain, I lose, I gain back more, I lose more....it's a vicious cycle.

I've tried every known diet and they all work. The trouble is that not many of them are sustainable for any long period of time. I used Redux for 6 months when I was trying to come down from 275 lbs and it worked great, 'til they pulled it off the market and I had to quit it cold turkey.....and I was back down to 210 at the time.

My last upward spiral took me to 298!!! That's when I went back to good ol' Weight Watchers. I've tried Atkins a number of times, and it works for a while, but it isn't healthy and I start to get cravings you wouldn't believe....for bread, pasta,anything with carbs. That and my cholesterol went to 290.

I'm now under a cardiologists care for two blockages in the same blood vessel that he doesn't want to do surgically yet. I'm on Weight Watchers' regimen and have lost 25 lbs in 2 months without any cravings, my cholesterol is down to 230, with the help of Pravachol, and I'm starting to feel good about being able to keep the weight off if I stick to Weight Watchers.

I don't know if I'll ever get6 back to 200 again, but I think I MIGHT by sticking with this.

[FITZ]

No that's not me.

[takenoprisoner]

The down side -- no pasta and no beer.

Well you can have beer once you have met your goal. Miller lite has about 3 grams of carbs...the lowest on the market to my knowledge. Once on maintenance, you can have up to 60 carbs per day...hey, that's twenty beers if you go carbless the rest of the day. But yes,in the beginning, to get into ketosis to burn away that fat, no alcohol period. But once on maintenance some wine and miller lite are fine...in moderation of course. And when in ketosis and burning fat, you'll feel so great and have so much energy you won't care about the alcohol anyway.

[FITZ]

That one sounds similar to the God's diet, with that one you don't have to measure anything or count calories and I've heard of people losing over 100 pounds on it and they say it's easy because they can have completely balanced meals and lose weight. On this diet you can have anything found in nature, meat, butter, fish, vegetables, fruits but nothing man-made. The simple rule is if God didn't make it, then don't eat it so no breads, pastas, gravies, soda pops. But at least you can have butter and certain salad dressings and you don't end up craving anything because it's balanced.

[PianoMan]

I agree with you. I've been on the Atkins diet for about two years. It's one of the best things I've ever done for myself. I have never had a weight problem. I do it for energy and health. Most people equate the Atkins diet with its first two weeks. It's not nearly as strict after that. Basically you just keep your _refined_ carbohydrates very low and eat according to your appetite.

The Atkins diet cuts against conventional wisdom. But if you read carefully and judiciously you will see that science is on the side of the low-card diets. Most general-practitioner doctors, who will advise you against Atkins, are about ten years behind the research on cholesterol science. The data is there and if you read the studies on both sides of the argument you will see the low-carbers are right. If you want to see the science for the low-carb diet I would look not only at the Atkins books but also Diana Schwarzbein's "The Schwarzbein Principle".

When people do their own research, many of them come to the same conclusions I did. This is one of the reasons low-carb diets are sweeping NYC. I hope this helps you.