Atkins Diet

[impressive]

I don't wanna paint black clouds for y'all, but all I've heard from nutritionists about Atkins is that it's a "rubberband diet".

EVERY diet is a "rubberband diet" if you return to old eating habits once you reach your goal. *shrug*

 

[neonlyte]

<threadjack>Imp's - wonderful AV! I'm imagining... never mind, that's personal. This recent series of yours have been brilliant.</threadjack>

 

[matriarch]

Rubenesque is sexy as well.

Thank you. *curtsy*

 

[angelicminx]

Potatoes, pasta and glorious sweet tea. *sigh*

I did the "Atkins" diet about 3 years ago and I lost about 50 lbs. I kept it off until about July of last year. (Hmm, about the time I moved out and started divorce proceedings.) I've regained between 20 and 25 lbs. I need to lose about 65 lbs. for health reasons, but I'm having one hell of a time getting back on Atkins.

A couple of good things happened last time, beyond the weight loss that is. 1.) I switched from regular soft drinks to Diet Mountain Dew (now the regulars are just too sweet). 2.) My candy cravings disappeared... for good.

I need to locate my book.

 

[impressive]

<threadjack>Imp's - wonderful AV! I'm imagining... never mind, that's personal. This recent series of yours have been brilliant.</threadjack>

 

[R. Richard]

EVERY diet is a "rubberband diet" if you return to old eating habits once you reach your goal. *shrug*

All too true! The key thing to remember here is "intake minus burned equals fat." If you eat more calories than you burn, it goes to flab. You can adopt a life style where you eat less and/or exercise more and maintain or reduce weight. If you diet and then gorge, diet and then gorge, you will not only probably wind up weighing more, you will do bad things for your health.

Don't diet, change your lifestyle!

JMHO.

 

[Guest]

I can understand dieting for health, and I can understand, to a degree, dieting for vanity / fashion. Dating a girl dieting for fashion is pretty soul destroying - I think you girls should know this. Watching what you eat and drink on a perpetual basis with someone you are dating regularly (including husband/partners) is missing the point. There are things about you the other person enjoys that are not related to your figure. Counting calories everytime they want to buy or cook for you a meal detracts from their enjoyment of YOU.

Ok, there are guys out there who won't look at a girl under a size 8/10 (or equivalent), but they do not comprise the entire male universe. Looks are important, so is character.

Imagine: You've been starving yourself for months trying to catch the eye of 'that particular guy'. You get into conversation, you find you have a lot in common. You have a couple of dates and find you stimulate each other at all levels. You go back home and have the most mind blowing sex. In the morning you turn to him and say, "Whilst we are being honest, I haven't eaten for three months, I'm usually a size 14."

What are you going to do? Starve yourself forever because of some perception he likes skinny women? He likes you - size may matter, self-esteem and all that, but don't get it out of proportion.

I you, too.

Actually, I need to also lose weight because my current size - largest I have ever been, brought on by several events in the last 3 years -- is affecting my joints severely (which already have problems) and because high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes run prominently in my family. However, with no gallbladder and a limited ability to digest meat protein, I cannot do even a modified Adkins (Southbeach was tried, but lost momentum).

Mostly I hate the need to be obsessed with food -- the counting calories, the thinking "Yes this, no that", the whole THINKING about food. I've been heavy my whole life -- my first diet was physician prescribed and complete with amphetimine prescription at age 11 (although they'd have done better to actually see my problem wasn't so much food as other things...but that's another long story.)

*sigh* and I should take a walk, but my hip hurts from 3 hours of standing on stage the last 3 nights. Bitch bitch bitch bitch...

And I love my husband because he hugs me and says I'm cuddly.

 

[Aurora Black]

And I love my husband because he hugs me and says I'm cuddly.

Awww...

South Beach. *blows raspberry*

I was on that for a week and the resulting migraines were so excruciating that I had to have sugar to make them stop. That was the end of that.

 

[SensualCealy]

Neon- If every man and woman in this world felt the way you do we would still be wearing loin clothes- not thats a bad thing, just a fact! lol
The fashion industry would hate you but hey they can join the crowd right? lmao
(I however adore you! )

A bit about myself:

At 16 I met my now husband I weighed 178lbs.
At 18, graduation from Highschool I weighed 180lbs.
At 20, when I married I weighed 220lbs.
At 23 when I gave birth to my son I weighed 285lbs.
At 24, after a year of Weight Watchers I weighed 215lbs.
Wavered a bit up and down.
At 25 when I had my daughter I weighed 265lbs.
Back to Weight Watchers.
Lost another 50lbs, down to 205lbs.
Doing quite well until my mom and dad were diagnosed with Cancer 2 weeks apart. Mom had to eat well during her radiation treatments, which meant I did too! I took her every day for 6 weeks- back to my post baby weight.
Speed up to last fall.
Working for someone that thinks a home cooked meal is a take out meal on real dishes and use silverware instead of plastic, is not a good thing!
I gained to my absolute highest, 316lbs!
I am only 5'5" and everyone says I look great for a larger person because Im not sloppy.
I am proud most of the time of how I look, but am quite aware of the huge rolls on my stomach, hips, thighs, ankles and oh lets not forget the hams I carry on the back of my arms!
Yes Im doing this because of my health and vanity. Going back to school with a bunch of skinny bitches isnt making my going back any easier.
And keeping up to them at my size will kill me if I dont do something.

Atkins is helping, Im on my third week, cravings are slightly there, the 'pains' of wanting food are gone, so are the headaches.
Life will continue, hopefully on a good foot this time!
Ari, I proud you are doing something about your 20lbs, its alot harder when you feel you have two people in one body!
Lots of Love
C

 

[arienette]

Neon- If every man and woman in this world felt the way you do we would still be wearing loin clothes- not thats a bad thing, just a fact! lol
The fashion industry would hate you but hey they can join the crowd right? lmao
(I however adore you! )

A bit about myself:

At 16 I met my now husband I weighed 178lbs.
At 18, graduation from Highschool I weighed 180lbs.
At 20, when I married I weighed 220lbs.
At 23 when I gave birth to my son I weighed 285lbs.
At 24, after a year of Weight Watchers I weighed 215lbs.
Wavered a bit up and down.
At 25 when I had my daughter I weighed 265lbs.
Back to Weight Watchers.
Lost another 50lbs, down to 205lbs.
Doing quite well until my mom and dad were diagnosed with Cancer 2 weeks apart. Mom had to eat well during her radiation treatments, which meant I did too! I took her every day for 6 weeks- back to my post baby weight.
Speed up to last fall.
Working for someone that thinks a home cooked meal is a take out meal on real dishes and use silverware instead of plastic, is not a good thing!
I gained to my absolute highest, 316lbs!
I am only 5'5" and everyone says I look great for a larger person because Im not sloppy.
I am proud most of the time of how I look, but am quite aware of the huge rolls on my stomach, hips, thighs, ankles and oh lets not forget the hams I carry on the back of my arms!
Yes Im doing this because of my health and vanity. Going back to school with a bunch of skinny bitches isnt making my going back any easier.
And keeping up to them at my size will kill me if I dont do something.

Atkins is helping, Im on my third week, cravings are slightly there, the 'pains' of wanting food are gone, so are the headaches.
Life will continue, hopefully on a good foot this time!
Ari, I proud you are doing something about your 20lbs, its alot harder when you feel you have two people in one body!
Lots of Love
C

Honestly, no, I'm not a "large" person by any means, and yes, I'm doing it mainly for vanity reasons, but I can control it and I'm not going to starve myself or anything and I am doing it so I can feel better about myself. So I can look at myself completely naked in the mirror (or on the internet. Heh) and say "Hey, I look hot."

By the way, I totally flaked and had some hot chocolate but I'm good now.

Good luck with it, I am so glad to hear it's going so well for you.

 

[Aurora Black]

Good luck, Cealy!

 

[ElizabethWest]

Atkins & Me

I'm on day 11 of Atkins right now. I've lost 11 pounds total thus far but find the loss slowing just as it did the last time I used this diet. I think the first week serves to diurese you so that no real fat is lost, it's just the water weight coming off.

Cealy, I haven't had your experience with the water retention. I'm just the opposite. That first week I was in the bathroom so much it drove me crazy.

The leg cramps are always the worst for me, more so than the headaches. I have to remember to take my vitamins and extra calcium so I can rest well at night.

I'm not looking at a long-term thing either, Ari. I just needed to jump-start my weight loss again after months of the weight creeping back on me. (I had lost about 50 pounds on Weight Watchers.) I don't think I can do Atkins for the duration. It's just good to get you going with quick results.

My advice: don't forget your vitamins and exercise!

 

[neonlyte]

Neon- If every man and woman in this world felt the way you do we would still be wearing loin clothes- not thats a bad thing, just a fact! lol
The fashion industry would hate you but hey they can join the crowd right? lmao
(I however adore you! )

A bit about myself:

At 16 I met my now husband I weighed 178lbs.
At 18, graduation from Highschool I weighed 180lbs.
At 20, when I married I weighed 220lbs.
At 23 when I gave birth to my son I weighed 285lbs.
At 24, after a year of Weight Watchers I weighed 215lbs.
Wavered a bit up and down.
At 25 when I had my daughter I weighed 265lbs.
Back to Weight Watchers.
Lost another 50lbs, down to 205lbs.
Doing quite well until my mom and dad were diagnosed with Cancer 2 weeks apart. Mom had to eat well during her radiation treatments, which meant I did too! I took her every day for 6 weeks- back to my post baby weight.
Speed up to last fall.
Working for someone that thinks a home cooked meal is a take out meal on real dishes and use silverware instead of plastic, is not a good thing!
I gained to my absolute highest, 316lbs!
I am only 5'5" and everyone says I look great for a larger person because Im not sloppy.
I am proud most of the time of how I look, but am quite aware of the huge rolls on my stomach, hips, thighs, ankles and oh lets not forget the hams I carry on the back of my arms!
Yes Im doing this because of my health and vanity. Going back to school with a bunch of skinny bitches isnt making my going back any easier.
And keeping up to them at my size will kill me if I dont do something.

Atkins is helping, Im on my third week, cravings are slightly there, the 'pains' of wanting food are gone, so are the headaches.
Life will continue, hopefully on a good foot this time!
Ari, I proud you are doing something about your 20lbs, its alot harder when you feel you have two people in one body!
Lots of Love
C

Great post - I've highlighted the bit I think is important, the rest is up's and down's to some degree. We don't choose who we are, and we shouldn't choose to be someone we are not. Ok a little bit, but not to excess.

For the record, I have three sets (sizes) of trousers because my stomach increases and decreases by four inches every month. I weigh about 150 lbs. No medical explanation other than my digestive system seems to shut down and my stomach bloats. No amount of exercise seems to make any difference and I've tried just about every combination of food intake possible. It doesn't really bother me other than the occassion when I just cannot get into that pair of trousers I'd really like to wear. I have a modicum of vanity - like everyone else, but it seems I'm stuck with who I am.

The SO on the other hand is 55 this year and is routinely mistaken for someone in her thirties - she does nothing special, eats sensibly, but she is who she was born to be. Luck of the draw - I'm totally and utterly enamoured by by her, for who she is despite her giving me hell today because I'm away and she's had to deal with household paperwork

 

[R. Richard]

OK, if you are willing to exercise and eat sensibly, I have a magic cure for you.

There is a product called Metabolol II. I use it, although not for weight loss. Metabolol II is a type of product called a metabolic optimizer. There are several companies that make metabolic optimizer products, I just happen to use the one from Champion Nutirtion.

The idea of a metabolic optimizer comes out of the East German and Soviet sports programs of the 70s and 80s. The sports programs used steroids and nutrition. Metabolol II does not contain steroids or any other drug. What it does contain is a complete nutritional system with certain advantages. Metabolol II contains a sugar with an extra atom of oxygen. You can feel the extra atom of oxygen at the beginning of a hard workout, you can feel it at the end. Metabolol II contains the fat you need to digest your food. However, the fat is medium chain triglycerides which are giant fat molecules, too large to go through the walls of your intestines. Thus, medium chain triglycerides can't add fat to your system, but are available to digest food.

I use the chocolate (actually St. John's carob) Metabolol II. It has a deep, rich chocolate taste that you may not like. However, this is your health and you will just have to put up with the deep, rich chocolate taste!

 

[Honey123]

I did the Scarsdale...and it was very tough. But I stuck with it and lost 20lbs..

You'll be fine....just keep remembering why you are doing this and make sure it's for the right reasons.

Anytime you have the urge to eat something bad for you...go exercise. Even if it's just a few sit-ups...or leg lifts. Remember this too...1 cookie could be as much as 300 calories...and to burn that off you need to do at least 20 mins of exercise...(depending on the exercise) soooooo....if you want to add 300 calories, go eat that ONE cookie...but if you want to burn off at least 300 calories more...go exercise....

If you need me, send me a PM...

 

[arienette]

I did the Scarsdale...and it was very tough. But I stuck with it and lost 20lbs..

You'll be fine....just keep remembering why you are doing this and make sure it's for the right reasons.

Anytime you have the urge to eat something bad for you...go exercise. Even if it's just a few sit-ups...or leg lifts. Remember this too...1 cookie could be as much as 300 calories...and to burn that off you need to do at least 20 mins of exercise...(depending on the exercise) soooooo....if you want to add 300 calories, go eat that ONE cookie...but if you want to burn off at least 300 calories more...go exercise....

If you need me, send me a PM...

Thank you so so much!

 

[Liar]

EVERY diet is a "rubberband diet" if you return to old eating habits once you reach your goal. *shrug*

*shrug* indeed. I'm just repeating what I've been told, that with some diets it's easier to keep a weight afterwards and with others, often the more effective ones for fast weightloss, it's harder.

 

[Honey123]

*shrug* indeed. I'm just repeating what I've been told, that with some diets it's easier to keep a weight afterwards and with others, often the more effective ones for fast weightloss, it's harder.

what most people have to do, is take the word "diet" out of their vocabulary.

Make it a change of eating habits...if you think "diet" it becomes disasterious...trust me.

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

When you think about it, the bun really doesn't have much taste. It's just a vehicle for the good stuff.

Indeed. That's why I'm not a Big Mac fan. Or White Castle, for that matter. Too much bread, not enough beef.

But I doubt I could pull off the Atkins diet. I love pizza too much.

 

[Guest]

what most people have to do, is take the word "diet" out of their vocabulary.

Make it a change of eating habits...if you think "diet" it becomes disasterious...trust me.

That's the thing I've always been told and am trying to live by. Doing a special eating plan -- unless it is for emergency weight loss, such as someone who is dangerously obese and in peril -- is a formula for problems. Three friends of mine, all male and all considerably overweight, did Adkins for 2 years. Of the three, all three, once they returned to "normal" (single male) eating, gained back at least half what they lost, or more. They did not adapt their "regular" eating habits for maintaining their current weight.

Also, let me repeat -- single men. Lots of eating out and fast food. Lots of social eating.

I know my own metabolism is wrecked from years of various diets and health problems. I now no longer get hungry on a regular basis, and have trouble sticking to a "regular" meal plan because of the conflict between "don't eat when you aren't hungry" and "eat regularly" and "emotional eating". Yay me. I am also at my heaviest weight ever, and I'm not particularly happy about it because it catches me in another nasty cycle -- weight aggravates my back, hip and joint problems, and the exercise I need to lose the weight aggravates my back, hip and joint problems. I can't even use the swimming pool options because I react to the chlorine or bromine used to clean the water (I can't even take long baths without itching madly).

What I'm trying to do is modify my eating permenently. I am working to get my body's natural signals working again, trying to watch the sugars and refined flours, eat more greens and protien I can digest, and eat a wide variety of foods. No more "miracle" foods or "you can't have this". If I want it, I eat it -- but in a smaller portion. When ABG and I go out, we now tend to share one desert if we get one, and we've started asking for the "doggie" bag as soon as we order, and putting half the meal away immediately (except for sushi. I think I could live on that if it wasn't so blasted pricey. Have to learn to make it).

I still have to increase my movement (got an easy stage yoga class lined up and a local gym has one of those "reclined" bikes -- the exercise bike I have does horrible things to my poor hips and spine), still have to drink MORE water, still have to cut down on the sugars more and balances my love of all things potato with more greens. Have to watch the fats more carefully (no gallbladder) and not let manufacturers sneak more sugar into food.

I'm lucky that my cholesterol is still good and my bloodpressure is reasonably healthy. The changes I'm trying to make should improve both of them, as well has helping me maintain my low blood sugar (diabetes runs in my family and my doctors have watched me for it since I was 13) The changes I make have to be forever changes, and their results will be slow. I have 100 pounds to lose.

 

[impressive]

I am also at my heaviest weight ever, and I'm not particularly happy about it because it catches me in another nasty cycle -- weight aggravates my back, hip and joint problems, and the exercise I need to lose the weight aggravates my back, hip and joint problems.

And the chronic pain influences sleep which influences depression.

I *so* know this wicked nasty cycle.

 

[FallingToFly]

Okay, I'm going to get yelled at for sticking my nose in here but...

I have the opposite end of the scale: I can't gain weight, even on birth control.

A couple years ago, my husband decided he wanted to go on the Atkins diet, which meant we all had to. He lost five pounds the first week- I lost ten, and our kids lost weight as well (not as much though, because I kept a huge bowl of fruit in the kitchen- they gorged themselves on it) and I put an end to it, yanked out my Adelle Davis, and wrote out a nutrition diet for him. He lost the thirty pounds he wanted to lose, felt better, had more energy, etc, etc, etc.. and ate every three to four hours at the least. He was never hungry, his metabolism shot into overdrive, and he actually felt like exercising.

Eating a sensibly balanced diet, and cutting large meals into three or four smaller snack-type meals greatly improves your chances of surviving a weight loss plan.

 

[Honey123]

Okay, I'm going to get yelled at for sticking my nose in here but...

I have the opposite end of the scale: I can't gain weight, even on birth control.

Bitch!!!



Just joking. It just some people's metabolism. You can have 4 in a family and one might be exactly like that. It happens.


But as for setting up a sensible eating plan that worked...bravo!!!

 

[Honey123]

That's the thing I've always been told and am trying to live by. Doing a special eating plan -- unless it is for emergency weight loss, such as someone who is dangerously obese and in peril -- is a formula for problems. Three friends of mine, all male and all considerably overweight, did Adkins for 2 years. Of the three, all three, once they returned to "normal" (single male) eating, gained back at least half what they lost, or more. They did not adapt their "regular" eating habits for maintaining their current weight.

Also, let me repeat -- single men. Lots of eating out and fast food. Lots of social eating.

I know my own metabolism is wrecked from years of various diets and health problems. I now no longer get hungry on a regular basis, and have trouble sticking to a "regular" meal plan because of the conflict between "don't eat when you aren't hungry" and "eat regularly" and "emotional eating". Yay me. I am also at my heaviest weight ever, and I'm not particularly happy about it because it catches me in another nasty cycle -- weight aggravates my back, hip and joint problems, and the exercise I need to lose the weight aggravates my back, hip and joint problems. I can't even use the swimming pool options because I react to the chlorine or bromine used to clean the water (I can't even take long baths without itching madly).

What I'm trying to do is modify my eating permenently. I am working to get my body's natural signals working again, trying to watch the sugars and refined flours, eat more greens and protien I can digest, and eat a wide variety of foods. No more "miracle" foods or "you can't have this". If I want it, I eat it -- but in a smaller portion. When ABG and I go out, we now tend to share one desert if we get one, and we've started asking for the "doggie" bag as soon as we order, and putting half the meal away immediately (except for sushi. I think I could live on that if it wasn't so blasted pricey. Have to learn to make it).

I still have to increase my movement (got an easy stage yoga class lined up and a local gym has one of those "reclined" bikes -- the exercise bike I have does horrible things to my poor hips and spine), still have to drink MORE water, still have to cut down on the sugars more and balances my love of all things potato with more greens. Have to watch the fats more carefully (no gallbladder) and not let manufacturers sneak more sugar into food.

I'm lucky that my cholesterol is still good and my bloodpressure is reasonably healthy. The changes I'm trying to make should improve both of them, as well has helping me maintain my low blood sugar (diabetes runs in my family and my doctors have watched me for it since I was 13) The changes I make have to be forever changes, and their results will be slow. I have 100 pounds to lose.

If you know your strong points work on them...soon the weak ones will fade!

Medications are the killer when it comes to trying to slenderize the body. Which makes people give up!

If you think about what you've accomplished...100 lbs is nothing to lose. Remember anything white turns to sugar...and sugar is a no-no. (Starches turn to sugar too)

Moderation is the best. I personally feel that if you give up what you love, your battle is never a win win situation. You are setting yourself up to hate your new sensible eating plan and will sabatoge it.

Limit the goodies. But feel good about the goodies you eat...and savor them.

 

[Guest]

Okay, I'm going to get yelled at for sticking my nose in here but...

I have the opposite end of the scale: I can't gain weight, even on birth control.

A couple years ago, my husband decided he wanted to go on the Atkins diet, which meant we all had to. He lost five pounds the first week- I lost ten, and our kids lost weight as well (not as much though, because I kept a huge bowl of fruit in the kitchen- they gorged themselves on it) and I put an end to it, yanked out my Adelle Davis, and wrote out a nutrition diet for him. He lost the thirty pounds he wanted to lose, felt better, had more energy, etc, etc, etc.. and ate every three to four hours at the least. He was never hungry, his metabolism shot into overdrive, and he actually felt like exercising.

Eating a sensibly balanced diet, and cutting large meals into three or four smaller snack-type meals greatly improves your chances of surviving a weight loss plan.

Hehheh, I have a friend who is like you. She has diabetes but it is diet controlled. She eats EVERYTHING (carefully) and is a skinny pole...very athletic (she teaches teenagers and coaches swimming among other things.)

Until she turned 31. The day before yesterday she announced that she had GAINED 10 pounds. Her doctor said her high speed metabolism had finally given up and now she'd have to be a little more careful about what she ate.

She might even develop an ass. She's never had one before. She's not sure what she'll do with it.

She's sort of excited and sort of bummed. She likes the idea of not being a stick, but she thinks she might not like having to pay more attention to her eating.