A particular view of Atkins

[Labarum]

http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/highfat.htm

[liftinguru]

Hmm. Not sure what Atkins versus bicylcing means--one could do both? Also, one is a diet and the other is an exercise--sorta like comparing crayons to tires.

I'm not an Atkin's for lifer or a kool aid drinker so I take no offense to such articles. In fact I believe much of what the author wrote is probably true. However, my personal opinion is that Dr. Atkin's had a method of weight loss (there are many!), and as any author should do and does, he created a gimmick around it, including a psuedo science to back it up. A lot of people like that sort of thing, and what would a diet book be without it? The bottom line is, many people have lost weight on Atkin's, especially during induction. I believe the weight loss to be due to calorie restriction (others disagree and Atkin's claims calories don't matter, however ask anyone that has gulfed down 3000 calories worth of Atkin's suppliments per day if they lost weight). Calories, the principle element to any diet, is responsible for the weight loss regardless of what low-carb dieting does to the body and regardless of ketosis and all the rest of it. So if the diet works, and if it's appealing, it should be considered by anyone wanting to lose weight.

The sad truth of the matter is "diet for life" doesn't work for 99% of the population. Once the goal is attained, they go back to eating normally. In some cases they gain some (or all) their weight back. What's missing in the US that isn't missing elsewhere is daily activity. We have more gyms than any nation on earth, but we lack daily activity. We don't walk to work, we don't take the stairs, we don't get up and move. The life of convenience is one in which a "normal" diet will lead to weight gain.

[sallyseachange]

Afraid I can't really agree with you liftinguru, when you say that Dr Atkins claimed calories don't matter. He always stated that gorging will cause you to gain weight. No one can heartily overdo calories and get away with it. Dr A hoped to take the focus away from calories though, by stating that one should feed only ones hunger... and by taking "advantage" of the metabolic advantage that comes with low carbing, hence giving you more leeway calorie-wise.

As for the article... I'd query the author's dismissal of the "hunter-gatherer diet" theory. He talks of milk, honey and bread being eaten at the time of the pharoahs... which is incredibly recent in terms of man's total time on earth. Agriculture was in full swing by then, with all the dietary problems the advent of organised agriculture brought...

When I read this kind of article, I'm reminded that you can "prove" anything with statistics and studies... and to know where to give credence, one should really do ones own in depth research... no easy task for most busy people.

I'll be interested to hear the thoughts of some of our "dietary expert" members on this.

[julirama723]

Once again, this is evidence of another "expert" who thinks he knows all about Atkins.

I actually started laughing, reading this article, as I'm sitting here eating my piece of whole grain toast. No grains huh? No fruit either? Well shoot, looks like I haven't been doing this person's definition of Atkins. I'm just being so risky and dangerous with my health.

In fact, there were many points where I laughed outright. I laughed about what foods I'm "supposed" to eat. Perhaps I should let this fellow know that I eat mostly chicken, rarely eat red meat, and that I also eat beans and tofu for protein. Perhaps I should tell him that I generally eat at least 4 cups of veggies per day, and I generally eat 2-3 servings of fruit per day too. Oh, and it's also not uncommon for me to enjoy a piece of whole grain bread, or rye crackers, or a glass of wine.

It might be a good idea to let this "expert" know that I exercise 6x a week, and have never EVER been able to do so before in my life, especially when I was eating all of those glorious carbohydrates. I might need to tell him that I strength train 2-3x per week, and just to give him an example, I'll show him how I've increased the upper body weights from 15 pounds when I started, to 25 or 30 pounds now. And with my leg exercises, I've increased the weights from 20 pounds to about 35-40 pounds. Gee, and this whole time I thought I've been BUILDING muscle rather than burning it! Silly me.

I guess I should also let him know that I ran 8 miles this morning without carb-loading. But then I'm afraid that he will see the light and want to try Atkins for himself. That's just a risk I'm not willing to take.

[Kawispice]

Well, I read the article and my take on it is this:
the people who show unrelenting interest in the shape of their bodies are athletes and bodybuilders.

Bodybuilders invariably cut carbs drastically before competitions to show their "cuts" muscles shape under the skin. They take the BMI to 7% and some lower.
Just for 6 weeks before a competition. Then they load up on the fat again in their bodies. Most regular folks hate the way the buiders look because of their low body fat.

So if low carbs can get a bodybuilders silhouette, I'm all for it. (I know they work out in the gym too, twice a day for a couple of hours each time as well.)

A personal observation:

In my family my dad was always a high fat high protein eater. He hated vegetables, considered them "rabbit food".

My mother was the opposite low fat, lots of vegetables and fruit (mostly fresh). They almost never ate the same meal together.

They are both in their mid eighties and healthy still. Mom bikes 3 hours each day at her Florida house, Dad walks the same amount of time. They are both slim to regular weight.

A couple of times in her life, mom went on a diet to lose about 10 pounds. My father tried to gain about 5 pounds. Once he gained it, which took him forever, he tried never to lose it again. His weight has been the same over 60 years.

So.... I think there is more than one way to skin a cat.

[Alexa]

Originally Posted by julirama723

I actually started laughing, reading this article, as I'm sitting here eating my piece of whole grain toast. No grains huh? No fruit either? Well shoot, looks like I haven't been doing this person's definition of Atkins. I'm just being so risky and dangerous with my health.

In fact, there were many points where I laughed outright. I laughed about what foods I'm "supposed" to eat. Perhaps I should let this fellow know that I eat mostly chicken, rarely eat red meat, and that I also eat beans and tofu for protein. Perhaps I should tell him that I generally eat at least 4 cups of veggies per day, and I generally eat 2-3 servings of fruit per day too. Oh, and it's also not uncommon for me to enjoy a piece of whole grain bread, or rye crackers, or a glass of wine.

It might be a good idea to let this "expert" know that I exercise 6x a week, and have never EVER been able to do so before in my life, especially when I was eating all of those glorious carbohydrates. I might need to tell him that I strength train 2-3x per week, and just to give him an example, I'll show him how I've increased the upper body weights from 15 pounds when I started, to 25 or 30 pounds now. And with my leg exercises, I've increased the weights from 20 pounds to about 35-40 pounds. Gee, and this whole time I thought I've been BUILDING muscle rather than burning it! Silly me.

I guess I should also let him know that I ran 8 miles this morning without carb-loading. But then I'm afraid that he will see the light and want to try Atkins for himself. That's just a risk I'm not willing to take.

Lol, that is exactly right! If you could distill this into a T-shirt motto I'd get loads printed and wear them everyday! People have no clue about what you can eat on Atkins, particularly outside of induction. I'm sick of people thinking I gorge myself on red meat only.