[OT] Atkin's Diet

[jester47]

My Four (formerly 3) suggestions to loose weight without exercise:

1) Stop drinking soda (this includes diet versions), drink water instead. Heres why: your body is mostly water, it uses a lot of water to get stuff done. When you are dehydrated, your body cannot operate as well. You become inefficient and that causes fat build up. Soda compunds the problem because you dont get hydrated and you build up the extra sugar in your system. This gets stored as fat. If you need caffine drink coffee or tea. Tea is great becuase it can come as iced tea or warm like coffee.

EDIT: Also, drinking water surpresses your appitite and most people in the states go around in a state of semi dehydration.

2) Avoid alcohol. (you can probably make an exception for special occasions, like somthing where a toast will be given) but all in all dont drink beer or hard a. If you must drink, drink red wine. The reasons are largely the same as above.

3) Avoid snack food. This is like chips (of any kind) cookies, candy. Replace this stuff with fruits and veggies. They amke great snacks.

4) Take a multivitamin. This will fill in those spots your regular food intake misses, further decreasing food cravings.

Do this and you will probably loose some weight. Combine this with a regular exercise routine and you will loose a lot of weight.

A word about exercise: A sport is a lot easier to do than just a work out routine. A sport ussually involves a team and a lot of positive peer preasure that will get you to work out. There are lots of teams that are not so serious but provide some physical activity.

Aaron.

 

[Pielorinho]

A few years ago, in my mid-twenties, my metabolism suddenly slowed down and my appetite grew. I started getting a pot belly, started being able to eat a full restaurant-sized portion of food. I started paying attention, therefore, to my diet.

I'm doing pretty much what Eric's doing: eating complex carbs, easing up on the sugars and refined starches, not relying on oils in my cooking to make things tasty. And I've joined a gym.

The Atkins diet sets of my cult alarms: the Atkins Web site smacks of pseudoscience to me, and the dietary suggestions fly in the face of what I'm hearing from peer-reviewed nutritional sources. I know it works for some people, at least in the short-term, but I'm staying away from it for myself.

I do think the key to healthful eating is to eat a variety of foods, focusing on unrefined foods (brown rice, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats); eat small portions (most American restaurants give you enough food for two or three meals); and exercise.

Daniel

 

[SemperJase]

The myth about Atkins

About 5 years ago I tried that Atkins diet and lost 30 lbs. Its not a lifestyle I could live with though. I got to the point where I would have mugged someone for a bag of Doritos . I ended up gaining 40 lbs back. It is just not a maintainable lifestyle.

American food portions have gotten larger over the last 30 years. The key to a weight loss plan is taking in fewer calories than you expend, cutting your portions in half generally. In reality, the Atkins diet does this by cutting down the foods you eat, not the portions of each food. If you track your calories on the Atkins diet, you will find they are about half of what you ate before.

Atkins does make some noteworthy observations, but came to the wrong conclusion. Processed carbs (sugar, white flour) are not good for you. But the answer is not to cut out all carbs. Eat whole grains and cut out the empty calories of sugar (cut out the soft drinks).

I did find a sustainable lifestyle - Weight Watchers. I have lost 48 lbs and so far have kept it off. I do not feel deprived of anything like I did on Atkins. I am eating a balanced diet and feeling great and I'm not hungry all the time. Lowfat popcorn (sprinkled with ranch seasoning) instead of grease laden chips. Water instead of pop (I really don't miss it). More chicken, less beef and more vegetables (seasoned) in general (many of which Atkins prohibits).

As for Atkins lowering triglicerides, it turns out there is no concrete scientific evidence that it does that. From my reading, I've found that the studies that Atkins cited are scientifically flawed or inconclusive. Finally, Atkins is very hard on the kidneys. I also develeped gout in my ankle after the diet (which can result from a high protein diet, a reason it has been called the "rich man's disease" as in centuries past when they were the ones who ate the most protein).

Good luck.

 

[Umbran]

I don't know what Atkins is pushing now, but the original Atkins diet was an odd bird. It relied on forcing your body to slip into the metabolic state it uses when you are starving. You got it, it's designed to starve you while you are still eating full meals

This isn't exactly the safest thing to do - which is why the Atkins diet calls for strict regimens of timing. If you stay in the starvation state for too long, you hurt yourself. Even if you keep to the timing, the Atkins diet can be hazardous, especially for middle-aged, overweight folks - anyone who might be an uncontrolled diabetic. The starvation state is really, really not good for an uncontrolled diabetic.

Last anaysis of dieting that I saw had a very simple conclusion - it probably doesn't matter much which diet you are on. The real function of an "offical" diet is to focus your will on the task of controlling your eating habits. If you put as much willpower and attention to following the normal "eat sensibly, get exercise" diet, you'd generaly get the same or better results, weight loss wise.

 

[ladyofdragons]

I've found a great diet recently: Acid Reflux. Now that I have it, in order to repair the damage to my esophagus I need to stop eating/cut waaay back on any of the following:

Coffee, Tea, Cola, Lemon-lime soda, fruit juice, milk products, anything fried or fatty, chocolate, tomato products, high-sugar items, and just about anything else that has historically given me indigestion.

oh, and I have had to cut back on my portions of food. basically, I've had to stop following my basic american eating patterns. 4 weeks now, and I've lost 10 pounds. Though the cutback on chocolate and tea are the most painful parts of the eating plan.

 

[Mystic Eye]

I'd strongly recommend the Body-for-LIFE program created by Bill Phillips.

- Six meals a day --- protein, complex carbs, unsaturated fat
- Three sessions of cardio per week -- 20 minutes, high intensity
- Three sessions of weights per week --- no more than an hour
- One free day a week

I've been on the program for over three years now. It's a good way to live.

I am 100% behind you on this JPL. Body for Life is by far the best program for people. It is reasonable, ultimately asks you to give up very little and IS NOT A DIET! It is a lifestyle change which is far better than a diet.

Using body for life I lost 50 lbs, gained 12-14 lbs of muscle mass and went from 31% body fat to 10% body fat in about 12 weeks. I still havea goal of 5%-6% body fat for this year but it is a hard mark to hit for me.

Ah, the all important free day! I still use the body for life methods today after almost 4 years of doing it.

 

[Mystic Eye]

I've found a great diet recently: Acid Reflux. Now that I have it, in order to repair the damage to my esophagus I need to stop eating/cut waaay back on any of the following:

Coffee, Tea, Cola, Lemon-lime soda, fruit juice, milk products, anything fried or fatty, chocolate, tomato products, high-sugar items, and just about anything else that has historically given me indigestion.

oh, and I have had to cut back on my portions of food. basically, I've had to stop following my basic american eating patterns. 4 weeks now, and I've lost 10 pounds. Though the cutback on chocolate and tea are the most painful parts of the eating plan.

lady of Dragons, I have severe acid reflux caused by a few stomach related issues. I have to take Prevacid still on a daily basis but with being a "body for lifer" I no longer have any real problems with my condition. My doctor is amazed because they were originally going to double dose me on pills and no longer need to.
Even on my "free day' When I DO have caffine or chocolate or mexican food or even McDonalds, I am fine.
Seriously look into this, it will make your life and ability to deal with this condition much easier.

 

[Mystic Eye]

^^ I agree with alsih2o. It is really easy to lose weight if you just run for 30 minutes a day (its how long you run when you start not how fast) 6 days a week and drink only water or juices (as opposed to sodapops). After 3 weeks you will see visible results assuming you dont like, eat a bus or something. I used to think it was a hard regiment to keep up with but it isnt! The hardest part i would say is keeping yourself from making excuses not to do those two things.

jake

Hey Jake, this is OK advice but not the best. It depends on your goals. Hi intesity cardio is better than running in many ways. This can take many forms, for me it is Tae-Bo, sprint cardio, working on a heavy bag, and a few other fast paced activities. I lift weights, which is also key to increasing your metabolic rate since it takes your body much more energy with the denser muscles.

In regards to running, you will lose weight but you will be in better shape if you increase the intensity and do something like this.
Three minute warm up jog.
Sprint: 40 seconds
jog/ fast walk: 20 seconds
Reapeat eight times: You will need to work up to this even if you are an expert runner, it is tough.
Cool down: 3 minutes jog/fast walk.
Yup, only 15 VERY intense minutes but trust me, this works.
However, You will need to have good shoes, a good surface (a good track that is built for running), etc. Bad knees are a killer. One of the reasons I am not a jogger/ runner is because I have a leg that has former serious injuries and running. jogging on cement or asphault as many runners are want to do WILL ruin your knees as you get older. Regardless of your health.
Of course, this all depends on your current state of health and you should consult a doctor if you are at high risk before starting any regular program (srroy, the trainer in me makes me say that).

Have you ever noticed the difference between the body of a sprinter and a long distance runner. runners are extremeley lean with low body fat and wirey muscles. Sprinters are lean but with a larger more muscular and powerful build. There are a number of reasons for this. One is, hi intesity work like sprinting increases HGH out put (HUman Growth Hormone) by 20% ot more over running. Another is, hi intesity burns fat and increases your metobolic rate for another hour or so after you stop.

Do cardio early before you eat. three times or more a week. You burn callories while you sleep and have nothing to burn but body fat when you first wake up. It is the optimal time to do cardio.

Foods: Juices are OK, you should drink some BUT they are hi in sugar and calories. Water is best. Try to drink 80 ounces a day so you stay hidrated. The sugar from juices helps to form a pocket of fat at the base of your belly (on women, this is called a pooch) so don' over do it but do take in some juice.
Take a good mulit-vitamin.
Eat 5 to 6 smaller meals a day. Portions no bigger than your fist with a mix of carbs, protiens, etc. Have veggies with every meal if possible (fresh).
Also, eat fish (tuna or salmon) 2-3 times a week for your essential fatty acids. If you can't then supplement with an Omega 3 supp or something similar like fish oil pills.
If your doctor OKs it, take thermogenics in safe recommended portions before cardio. It will increase your metobolic rate.

Lift weights three times a week or so. It is critical. Muscle is dense and take twice the calories of fat. More muscle, higher burn. It is simple.

Do this and you will get AMAZING results but it does take some dicipline.

 

[JPL]

I am 100% behind you on this JPL. Body for Life is by far the best program for people. It is reasonable, ultimately asks you to give up very little and IS NOT A DIET! It is a lifestyle change which is far better than a diet.

Using body for life I lost 50 lbs, gained 12-14 lbs of muscle mass and went from 31% body fat to 10% body fat in about 12 weeks. I still havea goal of 5%-6% body fat for this year but it is a hard mark to hit for me.

Ah, the all important free day! I still use the body for life methods today after almost 4 years of doing it.

Those are some great results. Good man. And I only game on free days, so I can eat Oatmeal Cream Pies with the rest of the boys.

The weight training intimidates some people. Don't let it. Anyone can do it. I don't have an ounce of natural athletic ability, but I'm still it there doing deadlifts and squats and bench press three days a week.

I believe that there is no finer way for brainy types like us EnWorlders to develop character and become well-rounded human beings than to devote ourselves to a steady program of physical development.

And the ladies love it, too.

 

[mirzabah]

Thanks everyone! Though I could stand to loose a few (15-20) pounds, weight loss isn't the reason for the diet. My triglycerides are high and my Dr. wants me to get them back to a reasonable level quickly so he recommended I try this diet and then to something a bit more healthy (ie lower carb), so I thought I'd see if anyone else has any experience with it.

Since being diagnosed with diabetes recently, I've been doing a lot of research into diets. Dr Atkins' claim that carbs are responsible for high triglycerides is nonsense. There is substantial, peer-reviewed evidence that proves that a diet high in complex carbohydrates and low in fat leads to a reduction in triglyceride levels.

Whether the Atkins diet can also result in a lowering of triglyceride levels remains to be seen. Certainly a lot of experts find it highly unlikely, though there is no reliable evidence one way or the other.

Personally I'd suggest a diet that is high in complex carbohydrates, high in fibre and low in saturated fat. And get plenty of exercise. Exercise alone can improve triglyceride levels dramatically.

Before going on the Atkins diet, I would strongly recommend you talk about it with another doctor and/or a qualified dietitian. The American Heart Association has this to say about high protein diets.

For those interested in weight loss, the inescapable fact is that the only way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you expend. There are no magic tricks. The reason the Atkins diet can work for some people is faith - they believe in it more than other diets and therefore are more likely to follow it. However, if you research the claims underpinning the Atkins diet (and others), you find that they are all hokum. Human biology is extraordinarily complex (and remarkably efficient) and claims such as "insulin is the fat producing hormone" (for example) are overly simplistic and horribly misleading.

A recently completed CSIRO study here in Australia shows that low-carb diets are no better than moderate- or high-carb diets in regard to short-term weight loss outcomes. Other studies are fairly damning of the long-term weight loss outcomes of low carb diets in general; they don't work.

Here are some useful links:

• Do Insulin or Carbohydrates make us fat? (Colorado State University)
• Low carb, high protein diets: evidence (Healthy Eating Club)
• High Protein Diets (Apex Fitness Group)
• Insulin, Diet, Disease and Athletes (Mark A. Jenkins, M.D.)
• Point/Counterpoint 09-17-01 (Physician's Weekly)
• NAASO Press Release (North American Association for the Study of the Obese)
• What's your opinion on low carb diets? (Oxygen)