Next question...Critism.

[plsparties]

Ok, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. The worst I got was from my own mother. When I lost 7 lbs in the first week. "Be careful! You could get Heart failure!" Umm...Heart Failure??? Tell me that doesn't sound scary. People call Atkins a "fad diet" and this and that. Honestly, I'm a little worried about my arteries. I do love the low-carb diet and being that Atkins is the most reputible, I've gone with this one. In the past I went with a similar diet (from the Curves book). It allowed for more veggies and leniency. (like South Beach). I did lose 11 lbs in a week and half, but had to stop because I was breastfeeding. (I didn't know!)

I chose to put my faith into this diet and I did read the book. I trust Dr. Atkins in otherwords. His stories of reduced cholesterol and such are amazing. If this diet is that good, why isn't the FDA or whoever the powers that be are doing something?? Look at these breads! http://www.fda.gov/diabetes/pyramid.gif

So, question is... what can I say to people who critisize me and say that Atkins is unhealthy?

[artgirl7]

Greetings!

You will hear so many comments about Aktins from friends and family. After awhile, I got tired of hearing all the negative comments from uninformed and uneducated people.

If an individual made comment about the new me, I just said thank you. If they asked how I did it, I tell the I changed my lifestyle to include healthy eating habits and a regular, intense workout regime.

When you lose loads of weight, everyone feels like it is okay to ask you very personal questions all of a sudden and I don't know why. How much did you weigh, what size were you, how is your life, side effects etc etc. I stopped answering them because they always seem to turn it around and make it negative.

Do whatever you need to do, but I just feel it is easier to tell folks that I changed my lifestyle-end of story.

[Brook]

Hey there again, pls!



My first question is always, "When you hear "Atkins", what does it mean to you?" The answers range from generally comical to outrageously ignorant.

I generally follow that with something along the lines of, "Well, let me give you an example of an Atkins diet day for me.

Breakfast was a 2 egg omelette with turkey, tomatoes, onion, celery, green pepper and a slice of provolone cheese in it. I had some celery and cream cheese for a snack. Lunch was a salad of baby spinach, romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, diced broiled chicken seasoned with montreal, and ranch dressing. I had a couple of slices of fresh roast beef for a snack, and dinner was broiled, seasoned porkchops with steamed broccoli and butter with a small salad.

Where's the unhealthy part?"

This is usually followed by someone telling me that all those veggies aren't part of the Atkins way of eating and that's when I tell them to read Chapter 11 of DANDR because not only are they part of the Atkins WOE, but they're part of the backbone.



When I ask them what's healthier about a Big Mac meal or ask them to give me an example of what they ate yesterday or today, it's generally met with a mumble - cuz they know I ate WAY healthier than they did.

Why doesn't the FDA do something? When you investigate who's paying their bills and paying for the research they base their pyramid and stuff on, it's pretty enlightening. The flour and sugar food-stuffs industries are amazingly powerful and do tons of lobbying and funding. As we all know....the $$ gets the results, and farmers don't pay as well

Tossing in the conversation facts like Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist who based a huge portion of his practice on vita-nutrient therapy doesn't hurt. That ketogenic diets are a preferred method of treatment for things like epilepsy is fun. That grains aren't a natural part of the human diet and weren't until the Egyptians started cultivating grains is fruitful too.

Hope that helps a little!
~Brook

[artgirl7]

I also recommend to folks to watch the indie film "Supersize Me" by Morgan Spurlock. If you don't already know, this filmmaker documented him and his body, for one month, while he ate only McDonalds foods.

It was unbelieveable what happened to him and his organs after digesting this "food". The film also speaks about the FDA, regulations and some of the topics Brook just brought up.

I always recommend that film to folks who question what is/ is not healthy and who question the foods the Atkins program recommends.

Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

[ttdriver]

So, question is... what can I say to people who critisize me and say that Atkins is unhealthy?

READ THE BOOK!

Betty

[cleochatra]

If anyone tells you that Weight Watcher is healthy and Atkins is not, you have my permission to use this comparison I put together yesterday using information gleaned from a site which educates nutritionists. It will save you a lot of effort and wasted breath. The proof is in the menu. Feel free to tweak it any way you wish. I did my calculations for the Atkins menu in fit day.

Weight Watchers Sample Menu:

Breakfast:
1 cup light nonfat vanilla yogurt
1.5 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup low-fat granola

Lunch:
Ham and Cheese tortilla-
6-inch tortilla
1.5 ounces reduced-fat Swiss cheese
2 ounces lean ham
12 cherry tomatoes
1 cup broccoli florets

Dinner:
6 ounces steamed flounder
1 cup steamed green beans with lemon
1 cup linguine topped with 1/4 cup marinara sauce

Snack:
1 banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter
16 ounces cappuccino made with nonfat milk


Nutrition Analysis of Sample Menu:*

1491 calories
202 carbohydrates


Atkins Maintenance Sample Menu


Breakfast:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/8 cup flax seed meal
1 packet splenda

Lunch:
Ham and Cheese tortilla-
6-inch low-carb tortilla
1.5 ounces cheddar cheese
2 ounces lean ham
12 cherry tomatoes
1 cup broccoli florets

Dinner:
6 ounces steamed flounder
1 cup steamed green beans with lemon
1 cup spaghetti squash topped with 1/4 cup alfredo sauce with pignoli

Snack:
1 Wasa crisp bread
1/2 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon peanut butter
16 ounces herbal tea with 2 Tbsp cream


According to fitday totals, this would equal

1311 calories
50 carbohydrates

[2big4mysize]

you can usually quiet them down with two things first when you are just beginging ask them to tell you where they found that medical study cause you are really interested in reading it since you must have missed it when you were researching the safety of Atkins before you started. That usualy shuts them up cause they can't find it nor did they read a stude just heard it from somebody who heard it from somebody.

Next as you progress on your Atkins and keep adding more and more healthy low GI veggies and fruits to your eating plan ( you do know folk at goal are eating 6-8 cups of those things a day right) and you keep shrinking before their eyse getting healthier and smaller you will be come a walking talking Atkins WOL billboard and they will only be asking you for help doing theirs.

Happy low carbing.

[slimndown]

I'm actually having that battle with my mom right now. I love my mother but she kind of a pea brain who think she knows it all. She has high cholesterol and really has no idea how to treat it and won't listen to reason. She's fat, so she is watching me like a hawk while I'm on Atkins. I do tell her how healthy it is and I gave her the book 2 years ago (she has never read it - has no idea about the diet except what she hears). So anyways, she was just telling me yesterday morning that she could never do the Atkins diet because she shouldn't eat all that meat do to the cholesterol. Not like she makes a big deal out of eating all the candy, butter, potatoes and starches she does ( they are not even low fat). In fact, I doubt if she even knows what hydrodgenated oil is. So she tells me that she sees what I eat and she doesn't think it's healthy for her. I've only had salads and maybe a burger patty......go figure.

[yemenitegreen]

Originally Posted by artgirl7

I also recommend to folks to watch the indie film "Supersize Me" by Morgan Spurlock.

That movie is a winner - everybody should see it.

yemenitegreen

[yemenitegreen]

Originally Posted by plsparties

I chose to put my faith into this diet and I did read the book. I trust Dr. Atkins in otherwords. His stories of reduced cholesterol and such are amazing. If this diet is that good, why isn't the FDA or whoever the powers that be are doing something?? Look at these breads! http://www.fda.gov/diabetes/pyramid.gif

While the guys at Harvard have developed their own food pyramid which ist still far from low-carb, their website on food pyramids may give you a general idea about what's wrong with the FDA pyramid:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritio.../pyramids.html

yemenitegreen