The Atkins Diet

[Participant]

Been on this for 24 hours so far and I'm planning to stay on this stage for 4 weeks in a bid to shed some pounds before starting a "normal" diet with training. I'm 5'11 and 183lb / 13 stone. It's the second time I've tried this diet - when I was 22 I did it for two weeks and saw some good results sticking to it rigorously.

Last night I had rosemary seasoned chicken breat and broccoli.

Breakfast today I had a cheddar cheese 2 egg omelette.

Lunch today I had a tuna and lettuce salad.

Dinner I've just had four rashers of bacon, 3 Herta frankfurters ( ) and a fried egg. Very nice and I haven't been hungry yet.

Has anyone else tried this or is anyone trying it now, and what do you think of it?

I'm well aware of two arguments against such diets:

- all that cholesterol can't be healthy
- such diets only shed weight in the short term and it all piles back on

I'm thinking that a) it's only for a month so there can't be too many health implications, plus I'm giving up bread and beer, and b) once the weight comes off to the level I want I'm going to start cardio and weights in earnest so it will hopefully stay off as long as I stay away from the crisps etc.

Would be interested to hear people's thoughts.

 

[NitrogenY3K]

All you have to do is have a well rounded balanced diet with adequete carbs, protein and EFA's, you don't need all these stupid diets.
So you said all that cholestrol cant be good for you, but you offset this by not eating bread? uh what? whats wrong with bread, as long as you have it in moderation it doesnt matter. Just be eating "carbs" does not make you fat, having a crappy diet and eating more calories than you require makes you fat.

All you have to do is be sensible with your diet, having a well rounded weights and cardio routine and you will lose weight. Really, you don't need the atkins diet

 

[Participant]

Everything you said is true but it doesn't take into account one factor - speed of results. This diet sheds the pounds in a big way and it's this rapidity of result that I'm after. I appreciate the input, keep it coming .

 

[kefkef]

As above. I used to yo-yo on/off the Atkins for quite some time. Lose the weight, put it back on, lose the weight, put it back on repeat ad infinitum! Ketosis breath, carb cravings, headaches etc just not worth it.

I'm now on a more balanced diet. Bought myself a juicer, so have fresh fruit/veggie juice each day, eat a healthy lunch and a healthly meat/2veg/rice or potatoes for tea. Exercise regularly and cut out the beer during the week and the weight should be dropping off you.

 

[NitrogenY3K]

Everything you said is true but it doesn't take into account one factor - speed of results. This diet sheds the pounds in a big way and it's this rapidity of result that I'm after. I appreciate the input, keep it coming .

Yes you maybe shedding your weight very fast, but what happens when you come off this atkins diet?

If you lose weight at a slower rate its easier to keep off, eat sensible, and you will be better off.

 

[Participant]

Yes you maybe shedding your weight very fast, but what happens when you come off this atkins diet?

Normal diet and training as I already said. As long as I continue the excercise and create a calorie deficit I can't see how I will put the weight back on, like any other regimen.

 

[Morba]

atkins is not about 4 weeks. its a controlled diet that over a longer period of time tapers out to a normal healthy eating diet.

do not do it purely for 4 weeks, if you want to start a proper diet, start one now.

 

[Chong Warrior]

I've been eating low-carb, high fat, medium protein for a few months now and I absolutely love it! It's not a fad diet, this is how I'm going to eat for the rest of my life, I think it's how our bodies have evolved over millions of years and I can tell. It feels natural and I've never felt as good, or strong, or looked as muscular.

I don't eat zero carb. I eat loads of green veg (broccoli, spinach, mange tout, beans, peppers, cucumber, celery) daily aswell as a large baked sweet potato everyday, carrots, tomato, onion and other colours of peppers. Lots of fruits especially all the berries, coconut, avacado, pineapple, kiwi and banana's but I only have it after I've worked out, think my glycogen stores might be low or just want something sweet.

I don't avoid much really. I no longer drink milk (use double cream in soups and coffee instead) zero sugar, bread, pasta, rice, potato, cereal, pizza and that's it really. As for meats I don't go eating rubbish like donna kebabs, sausages or processed meats like spam, pastrami or anything. I don't go daft on things like cheese either but I do eat it sometimes.

The beauty of this diet is bodyfat levels drop quickly without losing any muscle mass. Your body becomes efficient at burning it's preferred source of energy, fat. Think about it why has your body evolved to go to the trouble of converting excess energy into fat? Why not store it all as glycogen?

Once you're an efficient fat burner things are so much easier. No more watching the clock having to eat every 2-3 hours, no more energy spikes and drop offs as you ride the insulin waves, etc, etc. I could go on for ages. Bottom line is I can think of only one reason for eating a high carb diet, cost.

 

[A2Z]

snip

whats your view on it to gain mass though?

 

[wassap]

Atkins is usefull to control sugar cravings, i use it to give me a head start, some control on my diet, i have a terrible terrible sweet tooth.

That said, i dont go down to the uber low carb levels that atkins reccomends, i need some carbs for fuel, i just try and get it from good fresh carbs rather than processed carbs.

Most processed foods have lots and lots of carbs.

 

[Chong Warrior]

whats your view on it to gain mass though?

Expensive

I'm not that experienced with this kind of diet yet mate but I think it'll be great. I'm thinking it will be much easier to stay anabolic and out of catabolism with this kind of diet as the body will more readily turn to bodyfat for energy if required. Though that's not really a problem with ANY diet when in a calorie surplus to be honest.
What I'm really hopefull for is the body will also be less inclined to store excess energy as bodyfat and more willing to use it to build new muscle with the abundance of energy and proteins at it's disposal.

The fats should also lead to a more favourable hormone environment with increased testosterone, HGH, etc. Less tubby fat gain and more lean muscle mass

 

[amaru]

Expensive

I'm not that experienced with this kind of diet yet mate but I think it'll be great. I'm thinking it will be much easier to stay anabolic and out of catabolism with this kind of diet as the body will more readily turn to bodyfat for energy if required. Though that's not really a problem with ANY diet when in a calorie surplus to be honest.
What I'm really hopefull for is the body will also be less inclined to store excess energy as bodyfat and more willing to use it to build new muscle with the abundance of energy and proteins at it's disposal.

The fats should also lead to a more favourable hormone environment with increased testosterone, HGH, etc. Less tubby fat gain and more lean muscle mass

How long have you been on this diet Chong Warrior? I have been doing a lower carb diet (Around 50g, is that ok?) for around 10 days and have noticed a good drop in weight and im also feeling like i have a lot more energy. How long can you do this kind of diet?

 

[alexthecheese]

Sounds good, personally I think I'd struggle to find anything to eat if I stopped eating carbs though.

In fact, the majority of my diet is probably carbs - bread, rice, pasta etc.

Can you give an example of what you'd eat for dinner Chong that the bulk of which isnt carbs?

 

[amaru]

Sounds good, personally I think I'd struggle to find anything to eat if I stopped eating carbs though.

In fact, the majority of my diet is probably carbs - bread, rice, pasta etc.

Can you give an example of what you'd eat for dinner Chong that the bulk of which isnt carbs?

Ye some meal ideas would be good? all i have had is meat, chicken, vegtables and loads of eggs

 

[wassap]

You have lots more energy once you get over the initial period when your body switches to using its own internal fat stores.

I ended up keeping my weiht controlled for a good 2 years, but then i got lazy again and stopped exercising and started eating crap.If im honest, im a bit of a binge eater.

 

[MTA99]

Think about it why has your body evolved to go to the trouble of converting excess energy into fat? Why not store it all as glycogen?

CW have you had your account hacked?! As you well know the body will always restore glycogen levels first but there's a limit to the amount you can store (~2000cals iirc). After that its protein/fat. You might question why we evolved to only store 2000cals but the answer is that fat has a higher specific energy, double in fact (as well as being unlimited in terms of amount stored and its a good insulator). Why carry round 2lbs of "sugar" when 1lb of fat will suffice?

Clearly fat isn't the preferred energy source, never has been. Why do we bother eating high protein diets if your body will burn fat preferentially over protein?

You're not making sense..........i'm worried.......perhaps you need to increase your carb intake

 

[Duff-Man]

The beauty of this diet is bodyfat levels drop quickly without losing any muscle mass. Your body becomes efficient at burning it's preferred source of energy, fat.

I've seen you say this before. What evidence do you have to suggest that eating more of a particular nutrient (carb, fat, protein) will cause the body to take more of that nutrient in preference as an energy source? From a biochemical and physiological perspective it seems highly counter-intuitive to me.

You suggested before that eating a high-protein diet would cause the body to break down muscle tissue for energy due to developing a 'preference' of obtaining energy through protein. Do you have any evidence for this whatsoever?

The chemical reactions which break all three major nutrients down to recharge ATP (the only energy source which is used at a cellular level) are not something which can be "trained" in the sense that you train muscular development.

Think about it why has your body evolved to go to the trouble of converting excess energy into fat? Why not store it all as glycogen?

Err.... because fat has the largest energy value per unit volume
It also has useful insulation and protection properties. It is nothing to do with the ease of metabolisation. We have glycogen stores for precisely that purpose.

 

[MTA99]

because fat has the largest energy value per unit volume

Also known as "specific energy"

EDIT: just being pedantic but its energy per unit mass not volume but i knew what you meant

 

[Chong Warrior]

How long have you been on this diet Chong Warrior? I have been doing a lower carb diet (Around 50g, is that ok?) for around 10 days and have noticed a good drop in weight and im also feeling like i have a lot more energy. How long can you do this kind of diet?

It's been a gradual thing. I've been reading and researching for over a year before deciding to really go for it as it's such a change it's like a lifestyle choice, similar to being a veggie.

As I've already said I'm not that experienced yet and still have a lot to learn. What I'm still trying to find out a the right balance of carbs without knocking myself out of ketosis. At 50g a day or less I've found I get carb cravings and a headache after about 2 weeks.

How long? This is how I'll be eating from now on I hope.

Can you give an example of what you'd eat for dinner Chong that the bulk of which isnt carbs?

Steak, egg, broccoli, mange tout and green beans

You have lots more energy once you get over the initial period when your body switches to using its own internal fat stores.

Yeah I've found energy levels to be higher and much more stable.

 

[Bakedgoods]

Surely it can't be healthy though eating so much fat? I understand not all fat is bad, but still? Consistently eating high levels? I'll go do some readong on ketosis diets now, but thought i'd ask...

My diet is pretty generally low fat, medium carbs and high protein.