Anunnaki

I`ve never heard the medical community say anything good about this diet,but <a href="http://partners.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/07FAT.html?8hpist?Partner=AOL&amp;RefId=U8ZEutttnN Nul3eB" target="_blank">this</a> 8 page article from the New York Times seems to be suggesting that opinions might be changing.
(I have a splitting headache right now so I haven`t been able to read all 8 pages yet.)

I tried this diet a couple years ago,but can`t say if it worked or not since after a week I got sick of eating hamburgers with no bun and piles of eggs and sausage.
I also had to put an air freshener by the toilet.

Corwin

That and as I understand it the Atkins diet is a fast track to cardiac arrest. It's hellishly stressful on the heart.

simian

And, I would assume the kidneys. High protein implies (to me) that protein will be used as an energy source. That means more nitrogen going through the kidneys. That does not say good things to me.

Here's my take on the diet thing: eat a balanced diet (some of everything). If you want to lose weight, make sure the calorie intake is less than calories used.

Basic rundown of calories:

9 calories/gram FAT
4 calories/gram PROTEIN
4 calories/gram SUGARS/CARBOHYDRATES


Simian

wildernesse

I enjoyed the article too--maybe those of you who "understand" low-carb diets should take a look. It really challenged my negative view of the Atkin's plan, and I'm looking forward to learning more about the role insulin plays in weight loss/hunger and what not. The article also shored up my idea that medicine is not necessarily science. haha.

--tiba

The Other Michael

tiba,

We tried that diet for over a year. It seems to work some at first, but the effects tapered off (gradual climb in weight again).

Personally, I like having lots of bacon/eggs/meat/butter/cheese! A friend who tried it was also trying to exercise a fair amount and he found that he had less endurance with the Atkins and went back off of it.

You will be amazed at how much your grocery bill spikes - meat/eggs/cheese 3X/day gets expensive. We'd have a lot of egg salad with crumbled bacon and cheese for a "fixed ahead" breakfast or lunch, and were going through 2 pounds of bacon a week for the two of us.

But we had very glossy coats!

Basically, I think the Atkins, like the no fat or no protein diets is just a somewhat controlled malnutrition. You can lose weight on ANY of those diets for awhile.

I fear that eating moderate amounts of a balanced diet and exercise are the only way you'll really end up losing weight and keeping it off. As is often the case, there is no "magic bullet".

cheers,
Michael

Starspun

Didn't ole Atkins go into cardiac arrest a few months ago? I'll look for the story.

shinobi909

It strikes me as the most absurd "diet" I've ever seen. Suicidal by the looks of it. That diet is a one way ticket to heart attack, stroke, cancer, obesity city.

Asha'man

Forget the Atkins diet, it is an extreme over-reaction to a partial understanding of the carbohydrate-insulin link.

However, some of the concepts behind the Atkins diet are valid, and are largely ignored by many nutritionists. I’ve had good results from the Zone diet, by Dr. Barry Sears. It is really a diet of moderation and sensible choices. He advocates a 40/30/30 balance, which is 40% of calories from carbohydrates, and 30% each from fat and protein. He also advocates limiting your calories based on your level of exercise. Lean meats and lots of fruits and vegetables form the core of the food choices. Even without complex biochemical explanations, this diet has always seemed reasonable to me.

wordsmyth

Just my $.02

The Atkins diet is a marketing sham. I've heard of far more negative results from people who have tried the Atkins diet than I have positive. Reduced endurance and even mood swings seem to be common side effects of the Atkins diet.

IMO, if you want an excellent diet/exercise plan, I highly recommend "Body For Life" by Bill Phillips. I personally know several people who have had great success with the "Body For Life" plan... in fact I used the plan myself for awhile and was able to reduce my bodyfat from 12% to 8% in about 4 months.

The Other Michael

I forgot to mention jars of mayo on the Atkins diet (to make the egg salad).

Why do so many tasty things prove to be bad, bad, bad???

I have a general suspicion of any diet/health thing that seems to exist to sell supplements, "good" food bars, etc, and you can certainly find that stuff on Atkin's web site (and those of many other diet gurus).

cheers,
Michael