Atkins - Grand Prairie,TX

Atkins has been shown to cause certain medical issues, as well as the fact that the weight is likely to come back. The South Beach Diet was recommended by my cardiologist - it is a modified version of Atkins. You may have carbs after the first week or two and there is an excellent book and website explaining the whole program.

Could I suggest taking more of a subtle approach to it?
Atkins, in theory, promotes no carbs and high protein. And it works. While you do it.
However, the no-carb lifestyle is not healthy OR sustainable. I've seen so many friends go on it, lose 30-40lbs and put it RIGHT back on once they gave up the diet or lost the weight. It's just not realistic.

Try following a modified version of it, which is really just a healthier approach to food overall. You're much less likely to burn out on it, and will still enjoy the results.

Eat healthy carbs (whole wheat - check to make sure that's the first ingredient in your bread. NOT whole grain. Not the same.)
Whole wheat pasta, chips, crackers, etc... These are healthy carbs that your body processes differently and does not convert to sugar in the same way as "white" carbs.

Protein should be LEAN protein: turkey, chicken, pork loin, salmon...

Cut out sauces that are cream based or high in calories.

Mayo is evil. Season with vegetables or mustards.

Salsa is fine! Great on baked potatoes! Check to make sure it's not too high in sugar (not over 10g). Eat whole GRAIN tortilla chips with it, or pita.

The South Beach Diet is close to Atkins, but allows for the carbs above. Check out the meals and recipes that it promotes after Phase 2.

Good luck!

Spagetti squash is awesome for carb eaters.... all you do is cut the squash in half, put an ounce of water in each half, and microwave for about 15 minutes. The squash can be pulled away from and out of the shell with a fork. Top with your favorite veggie sauce, and wallah, you have spagetti without the carbs. My kids never even noticed it wasn't spagetti, they just thought it was a different flavored pasta.
Best of all, squash is a free food, you can eat tons of it, and depending on the sauce you use, it can be relatively fat free meal. I like Classico spinach sauce and I add ground lean turkey. TASTY!!!

i have had a family member that had kidney problems bc of that. so be careful. it's really best to use natural ways to lose weight, calories in vs. calories out. exercise and eat more fruits and vegetables. nothing else works or is healthy. you can't keep up a special diet forever, but just working towards eating right can be forever. there is nothing wrong with chips and salsa.

I did Atkins about 9 years ago and I lost 30 lbs over the course of a summer. It was NOT a good way to do it! I was constantly fatigued. I would come home from work every day completely exhausted and would sleep from about 7pm to 6 am. My body was telling me to stop it, but I didn't listen. When I met my husband that year, he was a med student, and showed me the research on Atkins and how it can harm both your kidneys and your heart. It was enough to convince me to stop. I did regain all the weight that I lost, and then some.

What doctors DO recommend is a more South-Beach style eating plan (even THAT is not without its own cavaets). Do NOT view all carbs as evil, but be selective about which ones you choose. The best way to do this is by cutting down on added sugar products, and by opting for whole grains whenever possible. You can buy whole grain chips, and salsa is almost always a healthy option (as long as there hasn't been much salt added to it.)

Bottom line-Atkins is a quick-fix remedy for a lifelong problem of unhealthy eating patterns, but is not maintainable nor should it be.

I tried atkins a couple of times in the past and I did lose a lot of weight but I felt crappy most of the time. Honestly, I don't consider it to be a healthy diet because your body does need carbs to function; it just doesn't need processed carbs. Stick to small servings of whole grains and eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Fruits get a bad rap on the atkins diet but I think they are important to eat because of all the enzymes, vitamins and fiber they provide the body. I think a better diet to try, if you are inclined to go that route, is possibly the Zone Diet. It seems to be more balanced and doable as a lifestyle type of diet.

Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

Hi T.,

Melissa's right. It works while your on it but the weight comes back with a vengeance. Good nutrition and activity provide the best weight loss. My husband tried everything to lose weight and then I told him I was just going to get him healthy. I put him on an absorbable multivitamin (didn't change his eating or his activity) and he dropped 60 pounds. When he added a little activity to his routine he lost 50 more. He has kept it off for five years now. Balanced nutrition is the key.

Since then I have recommended the vitamin to his best friend (lost 50 pounds), my sister-in-law (lost 15 pounds) and a terribly underweight friend (gained10 pounds). Nutrition balances our body. With all the processed foods and their chemical makeups our body doesn't have a chance to do what it's supposed to.

God bless,

M.

Sorry I didn't hold this back as requested, but the Atkins diet gave me an ulcer followed by gall bladder surgery!! Scary......

If you want to do the Adkins, you need lots of proteins (cottage cheese, egg whites, lean turkey) and when eating carbs make them the healthiest option (blueberries, red bell pepper). For the time being, bread, chips, cereal, tortillas, potatoes, pasta, rice...are all your nemesis. I did include sweet potatoes in my diet (easy to bake and top with spray butter, serve with lean turkey). Drink LOTS of water and you will want to look into protein drinks (like myoplex) to help keep you filling full. This works for a quick weight loss, but all the other posters recommended, this is a poor choice for a permanent lifestyle. A good book to check into is Body for Life by Bill Phillips, its diet and exercise combined, his website has some ketosis type recipies that you may find helpful. Good Luck!

okay I want to address your question but I also want to share where I'm coming from, I compete in beauty pageants and often have to "lean up" for a pageant or event, so there can be some quick dietary fixes that will work (like what you are trying to do with Atkins) and although I think there are some better ways to accomplish you goal without Atkins, I can still give you some tips to follow if you want to follow Atkins, first of all add A LOT of fiber foods to your Atkins plan (or a So. Beach plan if you switch to that, but not a fan of that plan either) most diets don't have enough fiber!!!!

and as far as Chips and Salsa!!! my favorite trick is to eat home made salsa with Carrots and Celery, (i've even ordered this at mexican restaurants) it give you the crunchy sensation along with the salsa taste and you can eat as much as you want and it isn't bad for you, (just watch the salt or you will have water weight gain) for sweet cravings, eat berries, fruit, or almonds, salt cravings eat a few olives, crunchy craving go for the salsa with veggies or grape tomatos, I also highly recommend a sweet potato or regular potato (small to medium size) everyday so you don't have a serotonin drop, (or the "blues," serotonin drops are associated with migraines and depression)

one of my diet problems is that I like to graze (eat constantly) so I will sub, my veggies and salsa so I can graze all I want while my hubby is eating chips. if I just switch to grazing on the right things I can lean up pretty quick! but I certainly don't eat that way all year long! if you need anymore ideas or tricks let me know I have several tricks that work very well but are not a part of the Atkins plan, and are all very healthy for you, no crazy weird stuff (and no tuna and dr pepper shakes either!)