Atkins products -- should I have them?

[Georgiana]

Lately, there have been many posts regarding Atkins products. These posts usually fall into two categories:

1. "I had a clean induction, but the scale won't budge. What am I doing wrong?!" When we ask for a typical menu, what we often see are Atkins bars and/or Atkins shakes.

2. Can I have Atkins bars/shakes in induction?


As one could read on the old website of the Atkins company, bars and shakes are known stallers for many people. In fact, while Dr. Atkins wrote on page 123 of his 2002 edition of DANDR

4. Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks. [...]
5. Eat nothing that is not on the acceptable foods list. And that means absolutely nothing! [...]

none of the products promoted by Atkins Nutritional respects these rules. In fact, not only are they not "legal" for induction, but most are not "legal" for the first 8 (!) rungs of OWL.

Although it is better to go for a bar than for a brownie if these were your only food options, such limited choices are rarely the reason for eating bars or drinking shakes. Instead of buying an Atkins bar, you can buy cheese sticks; in fact, for the same money, you can buy (at least) twice as many cheese sticks! Or you can buy sugar free beef jerky. Many stores are even selling boiled eggs, so instead of stopping for a bar, you can stop for an egg.

The excuse I often hear from people substituting their breakfast with a bar or a shake is time -- "I don't have time to cook something in the morning or to prepare a salad. Atkins bars are so convenient!" While planning is essential on Atkins, let's say you really had no time to plan your breakfast. However, any person doing Atkins has 2 eggs, some cream, a little cheese and butter in the fridge. Preparing microwaved scrambled eggs, just to give an example, takes max 2 minutes... you can dress and make yourself pretty while the eggs are in the microwave and while they are cooling... and then eat them on the spot or take them with you at work. It's very easy to find excuses, but it's just as easy to prepare a healthy, legal breakfast.

I have posted below a list of the Atkins products and linked each of them to an image of its nutritional label. The products are the ones found on www.atkins.com. It should be clear, if one looks at the ingredients, why these products are not allowed for the induction phase of Atkins.

[Georgiana]

ATKINS DAY BREAK BARS

Apple Crisp Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/4...91d4fb8cd2.jpg
Contains soy, milk and wheat.

Chocolate Chip Crisp Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/a...008f2c8074.jpg
Contains soy, milk, wheat, almonds and coconut.

Cinnamon Bun Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/3...f72102af24.jpg
Contains soy, milk, wheat and walnuts.

Cranberry Almond Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/5...b11e9d4959.jpg
Contains soy, milk, almonds and coconut.

Oatmeal Raisin Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/1...ed6757f1aa.jpg
Contains soy, milk, wheat and sulfites.

Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/4...f154255acf.jpg
Contains soy, peanuts, milk and wheat.

[Georgiana]

ATKINS ADVANTAGE BARS

Caramel Chocolate Peanut Nougat Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/b...c1830d0fec.jpg
Contains soy, milk and peanuts.

Caramel Cookie Dough Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/8...a64d440dc8.jpg
Contains soy, milk, coconut and sulfites.

Caramel Creme Coffee Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/a...d1eae204c2.jpg
Contains soy, almonds, milk and sulfites.

Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/8...17fb3f9106.jpg
Contains soy and milk.

Caramel Fudge Brownie Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/7...e53013789a.jpg
Contains soy, milk and almonds.

Chocolate Chip Granola Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/f...d44ee8a07f.jpg
Contains soy, milk, tree nuts, wheat and sulfites.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/e...c9abca0261.jpg
Contains soy, milk and peanuts.

Marshmallow Mudslide Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/f...d08b481d46.jpg
Contains soy, milk and pecans.

Mocha Crisp Coffee Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/6...f24feefdd0.jpg
Contains soy, almonds, milk, wheat and sulfites.

Peanut Butter Granola Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/a...ece2dab26c.jpg
Contains soy, milk, peanuts, wheat and sulfites.

Peanut Fudge Granola Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/9...cc4adb0f74.jpg
Contains soy, milk, peanuts and sulfites.

S'mores Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/8...edd4c6fe33.jpg
Contains soy, milk and sulfites.

[Georgiana]

ATKINS ADVANTAGE SHAKES

Cafe Caramel Shake
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/a...381ab399c8.jpg
Contains milk and soy.

Dark Chocolate Royale Shake
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/4...1e96d49a68.jpg
Contains milk and soy.

Milk Chocolate Delight Shake
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/9...7c974fc851.jpg
Contains milk and soy.

Mocha Latte Shake
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/e...f05ec1e97b.jpg
Contains milk and soy.

Strawberry Shake
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/f...5e5978bf4a.jpg
Contains milk and soy.

Vanilla Shake
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/5...85e60a751a.jpg
Contains milk and soy.

[Georgiana]

ATKINS ENDULGE BARS

Caramel Nut Chew Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/6...e057a007a7.jpg
Contains peanuts, soy and milk.

Chocolate Coconut Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/9...632a5c01e4.jpg
Contains coconut, soy, milk and sulfites.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/e...d10d081399.jpg
Contains peanuts, soy and milk.

Peanut Caramel Cluster Bar
http://www.atkins.com/files/Images/6...282c42bb0b.jpg
Contains peanuts, soy and milk.

[blueberrylady]

Great posts Georgiana! They will help alot of people who are confused about the appropriateness of using them.

Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to put it all together for us. hugs.

[kat7hy]

Thanks Georgiana - I completely agree personally for two reasons - one is what you stated that the ingredients are just not 'clean' and also for me, a certified sugar and carb addict - the flavor, texture, smell of products like "chocolate brownie" bars remind me too much of the real thing, the addictive substances that got me here in the first place. If I'm making a break and getting clean why would I want food products around that remind me of that addictive way of eating? It's all just IMO of course, but that's how I feel about it. Have a great day everybody!!

[kellymch2006]

Great post. Thanks. And the problem with excuses/convenience is that all of a sudden, I'm making excuses for everything. "Well, at least I'm not eating a REAL candy bar." (so, I'll just eat FOUR of the Atkins bars.)

[kat7hy]

Exactly! I used to use the same type of thinking with any sort of 'sugar free' candy and get SO sick and then end up eating the real thing. Like they say in 12 step groups, it's a 'slippery slope'. That really is how it is for me - I have to watch out for trigger foods and watch out for that little sabotaging voice that whispers to me....oh, it's sugar free, oh it's 'allowed'...lol - that voice is very clever. I probably sound like a crazy person right now....

[Georgiana]

You're welcome!

kat7hy -- I perfectly agree! I don't have any issues with the desserts I prepare (where I am able to control the amount of sweetener and the ingredients I use), but frankenfoods will always be a no-no... no matter how much I weigh or in which Atkins phase I am.

kellymch2006 -- It's easy to think of SF sweets or Atkins products as "free food". It's like being in the chocolate heaven, but without the sugar... how cool would that be! But since none of us gained weight for eating *one* candy, it's obvious we have a portion control issue... no matter if the "real" sugar is there or not.