[Senator Pardek]

LOL - I gotta laugh at these hucksters like Atkins.

Sure, his diet works, if you can "stomach" shoving fat down your gullet all day, but how healthy is that? People lost weight on low-carb diets in concentration camps, too.

The only effective and healthful "weigh" to lose weight is to engage in moderate aerobic excercise, and moderate weight training (and to limit fat intake).

[csmusaret]

Sorry but you are just flat assed wrong. If you eliminated all protein from your diet you would die. If you eliminated all fat from your diet you would die. If you eliminated all carbohydrates from your diet you would live a long, healthy life.

[slowhandluke]

Aitkins worked for me.

I've a bad back, and other problems that limit the amount of exercise I can do. Yet, with a slightly modified Aitkins diet I've lost and kept off about 20 lbs for the last 18 months. This is after about 20 years of being about 20-30 lbs overweight.

I used to need to eat something every two hours, but now can skip lunch without noticing it when work gets busy.

I've gone through a complete physical lately and no flags like a jump in cholesterol were noted.

Now, I also didn't see where there was any line in the Aitkins method that suggested shoving fat down your throat. It did say that when hungry, fat was a 'free' food, not subject to any limits. If someone has reached the point where they can't eat any more, but are still stuffing their mouth, maybe a diet change isn't all that is needed and a shrink should be called.

[Irene Adler]

"People lost weight on low-carb diets in concentration camps, too."

Actually, in concentration camps (at least Western ones), prisoners typically lost weight on LOW PROTEIN diets; they were continually fed bread as nearly their only food in most such situations. In Asian concentration camps, victims were fed steady diets of rice and very little else, which is quite similar to the bread in Western concentration camps.

[TJFLSTRAT]

My own experience as well as many others is quite simple, Carbs make you hungry, if one eats two bagles for breakfast,or a large bowl of pasta for dinner, they can expect to be hungry in about three hours. Limit carbs, and sugar, and get at least 10 hours of arobic excercise a week is the key to keeping the pounds off.

[chilepepper]

You haven't a clue. I've been on EVERY SINGLE DIET you can imagine, EVERY SINGLE EXERCISE program you can imagine. I have been obese for 50 YEARS

What worked?

ATKINS WORKED. Stop being a sheep a wake up. The article is SPOT ON.

Your cognitive dissonance has kicked in...

[FreeperinRATcage]

One point of the article, as I read it, was that emphasizing low fat/hi carb diets has worsened our physical condition.

Atkins does highly recomend exercise as part of his diet, and a lot of what he says does make sense from a physiological point of view.

[FreedomFriend]

Weight training is not necessary. I lost 35 pounds in five months by simply limiting my fat intake and by walking four miles every other day.

[FreedomFriend]

Currently, my brother is on the Low carb diet. He has lost 25 pounds within a month.

However, on my low fat/exercise diet, I lost fifteen pounts my first month.

The problem with the Atkins diet is that if you get off it, you're very likely to gain your weight back rather quickly.

[ghostrider]

The only effective and healthful "weigh" to lose weight is to engage in moderate aerobic excercise, and moderate weight training (and to limit fat intake).

I was told by one who was on the Adkins Diet that they could lose the weight because the body can't efficiently metabolize the fat calories without the Carbohydrates. I don't know if that is true, but I have seen a lot of folks lose weight on the Adkins diet.

For me, the issue is not losing the weight. The issue is keeping my arteries clear. For that we need to severely limit the saturated fat. Monounsaturated fat found in canola and olive actually lead to a Higher HDL and a lower LDL (very, very good). Pig fat is very bad. Olive fat is very good. Limiting saturated fat is only half the battle. As you said, exercise is required to burn the carbohydrate calories. The answer is a combination of exercise, moderate eating and low saturated fat. We will lose weight, and we can slow, stop or occasionally reverse artery disease.

[mercy]

Did you read the article?

[muggs]

I agree, I lost 36 pounds in 10 weeks, beginning last July. I didn't try to lose weight, I was just too stressed to eat anything. Once I felt better, I was concerned I would gain the weight back. I started an intense program of arobics and weigth training, 5-6 days a week. I have gained 3 pounds back but am smaller than I was before I stated working out. I also consume between 3000- and 4000 calories a day, many (most?) from carbs. I do need to eat something with fat (usually peanut butter) in it before bedtime though, or I can't sleep well.

[Nov3]

Sure, his diet works, if you can "stomach" shoving fat down your gullet all day, but how healthy is that?

Wake Up and stop listening to McGovern's select comittee and peta. I don't shovel fat. I eat real food.

[KirkandBurke]

The real way to control your weight, is to find out how your body works. Metabolisms vary per individual. Seek your own equilibrium. It take work, but it's worth it.

BTW, moderate excercise is for the geriatric. Work up to it, but exercise vigorously. Push yourself to your limits. LIVE. Moderates have no soul.

[Zon]

You're right about aerobic fitness and dead wrong about low carb/high protein diet. Caffeine-alcohol-sugar free diet; low carbohydrate intake; high protein intake (read meat, milk, cheese, eggs and most dairy products are good), gallon of water evenly spaced over the day; aerobic fitness of at least twenty minutes each day.

[glory]

I agree. My dh and I tried Atkins and we felt terrible. There was little to no energy to exercise on this diet. We found we needed a certain amount of carbs to make exercise a reality(for energy). Worked out great for us. Together we lost about 90lbs on a reasonable diet including carbs. I have never tried it, but Weight Watchers imo seems like a reasonable diet that can be carried on for a lifetime. My best friend did this one and lost 75lbs and she's kept it off for nearly 10 years using the maintanence program now which is second nature at this point and includes a regular healthy variety of ALL foods!
I'm not saying that the diet doesn't work for some. I've seen successes on it as well, but my guess it really depends what is "making" you overweight. If it's a true insulin resistance than that diet is probably for you. If it's because you overeat and don't exercise, than a weight watchers diet and exercise will probably be just fine.