Hi everyone

Has anyone tried the Atkins Diet, and if you have, what did you think of it? Most importantly, did it work?!!! I bought the book yesterday and am going to read it, very soon! Then I will think about starting the diet :D

Lesley

Friend of mine tried it,to support her husband!She had severe leg cramps after 2 weeks on it and had lost only couple of pounds,but he is doing o.k. seems you have to be very careful that you drink lots of fluids to metabolise(?sp) your system,or you could get problems.
All the 'stars' seem to be on it,but I considered it and thought that the high fat/protein content seemed unhealthy,only my opinion.
I have found a wheat free/dairy free diet suits me best,my downfall though is chocolate!:D

My husband is on it, has been for the past 8 weeks, he's lost 45lbs!! Say's he's never hungry, infact I have trouble getting him to eat a meal! No side effects, seems to agree with him 100%, he is being closely watched by our GP and nurse, he has weekly weigh-ins and BP checked, also every 6 months he has the full blood works checked. But going by his progress I would say it's really good.

I think it is great if you are not silly with it. I lost over a stone in two weeks and am now losing a bit each week. I did NOT eat egg and bacon or fry ups and I did get a bit of cramp in the second week but drank more water and am fine now. I also ate salad lunch time and evenings (or veggies - no potatoes) the first two weeks and still lost a stone. After the initial "shock" of very little carbos the first 2 weeks if you read the diet properly you will find it is not bad at all afterwards. And I never felt tired - in fact I feel great :D

May be not for all but thought I would give you my experience as it is working for me. :p :p

Gina

PS Salad like rocket and spinach are good as lots of iron. Fish with a cheese topping is nice too LOL :) :)

Thanks ladies for your comments! A colleague at work is doing it and she says she feels great, but a friend tried it not so long ago and gave up after 3 days because she felt so bad! I am definitely going to give it a try though, but am psyching myself up for doing without pasta and lovely fresh crusty bread, oh, and chocolate too :D

Lesley

Its pasta and crusty bread that I'd miss too :( I know two people who tried it, one could not get along with it at all - felt really ill. The other feels great, had no problems and has lost loads of weight. I guess its a case of try it and see.

hi Lesley
I tried it a while ago
I lost just under a stone in three weeks . You can eat loads but as I am not a big meat eater I found it quite difficult to think of meals after a while .
In the short term for a quick loss i would defo recommend it but would imagine it to be personally difficult to stick to in the long term
Lel

It's not too bad actually, first two weeks are the hardest then you gradually introduce 'normal' foods, I must admit hubby does eat lots of cheese and meat, I think I have the biggest mouse in Britain

Lesley if you think of bread and are tempted (and you will be :p ) stick a piece of strong cheese in your mouth - takes the craving away LOL - it did with me!!

Gina

Hey,the book is great but didn't taste of very much,kinda cardboardy,only kidding,wish I could stick to it but I LOVE bread and tatties!!

Thanks ladies! I'm definitely going to try it - as soon as we finish the Asda Tiger breads in the freezer!!!

Lesley

I did it for a couple of weeks and lost 3/4stone. Then things went pear shaped at home with The Small One being sick etc & I've fallen off it. But I'm going back on just as soon as all is calm again. Didn't feel hungry, didn't have any problems.

Just remember that the diet does quite clearly say that you should take a good vitamin tablet every day to ensure that you are getting everything you need, particularly potassium.

Does it really work.

Want to be able to get into at least one size less dress for xmas.

If your aways on the go (hence reason diets not worked in past) what are the best foods on this diet that can cook quickly, nibble on if bit hungry.

The odd doughnut doesn't harm either ;) :p :p

hi lf
i couldn't go with out carbohydrates for a day as i'm a chocoholic:D so i've been on a similar diet called carbohydrate addicts diet,its great
you have three meals a day.
1.breakfast carbohydrate free
2.dinner carbohydrate free (chicken salad)
3.1hr of a healthy carbohdrate stuffed meal and anything else you want with that,pudding,chocolate ect;):D
BUT you have a time limit of one hour
it sounds easy stuffing you face with everything that you've craved in the day in one hour but it actully isn't!!!
AND YOU STILL LOSE WEIGHT
i've lost half a stone in 2 and 1/5 weeks

I did it for a month and lost a stone and a half which was great, but my family all want to eat the same as me IN ADDITION to what they normally eat and I can't afford to buy all the food they will eat!! They want cornflakes, toast AND the cooked breakfast!! . I thought I was running a B+B! The same thing at lunch and dinner!! - Of course, if the same food was available and I wasn't cooking it they wouldn't cook it for themselves :rolleyes: so I've had to give it up but really want to get going again as it is really effective.

I actully put a stone on . and i stuck to the diet you have to be really careful if your going to do it and see ur puttin it on. stop straight away . it dosent work for everyone/

Oh blimey, Lovelylady, that would be all I need - putting weight on!!!! I'll keep a watch then when I start it. I suppose it must depend on the individual's metabolism. Thanks for telling me that, its best to go into it knowing all the pros and cons.

Lesley

It is a fantastic diet for losing weight quickly, but be warned as SOON as you start eating normally you will pile all the weight back on.

I found it easy for two or so weeks but after that the cravings for carbs just got too bad

People who react badly to it tend to be those who have a lot of tea and coffee, as they react to immediate caffiene withdrawl.

I've been doing weightwatchers and I have to say for me its easier as I can still have a few treats every day. I can have a packet of crisps, a packet of tic tacs and a crunchie and 3 niceish meals and still stay within my points.

Its not as fast but I have lost half a stone in 2 weeks.

I dont actully drink any coffee or tea. just juice so just keep a eye out and make sure you stick to it like mad if your going to do it :)

My husband is now on week 9 and this week he lost 5lbs, so that's a total of 50lbs! The weight doesn't go straight back on, after the first two weeks you start gradually introducing back the 'normal' foods which you stopped to start with - just cutting out junk foods and most carbohydrates.....seems to suit him fine, his BP is now lower than before so his GP has stopped his medication.......so I've only got good things to say about the Atkins diet, but I suppose it's different for everybody.

But you are not suppose to go back to eating "normally" again.

The whole idea is to retrain you eating habits. And anyway, you add back the carbohydrates very gradually, so that as soo as you start to gain weight, you can drop a few out again.

The only downside I noticed was the cost.

Just a thought! what will happen to all the redundant bread making machines with this Atkins diet?;)

ops poor breadmaking manifautures or even bakers:D ive herd many good reports on the atkins diet. it just dident work for me. and at the end of it i was feeling very sick , i dont think its very healthy anyway. good luck on it thou :)

There's to be a TV programme on Channel 4, Monday 9pm about it, which is supposedly going to give the pros and cons of it, so I'll watch that. I've started reading the book, and it seems to be making sense. Hubby suggested that I wait until the New Year until starting it, probably cos he doesn't fancy spending the festive season with me going "aaaarrgggghh, I can't eat that" all the time :D

Lesley

PS Have discovered vodka has no carbohydrates so am very very happy ;)

am watching the program as typing- wish i'd seen the post earlier- only just switched over!!!!
Must say atkins is fantastic, have been doing it off and on for four months- am now 3 stone lighter!!!!!!!!
Only another three stone to go!!!!!!!!!
I must admit i have cheated lots- have almost every other weekend off (other half works away alot so don't stick to it when he's home!!) But I feel great with it!!
Apparently I look better- people who I wouldn't expect to otice keep asking me how i've done it, and every time they i ask i feel my self more inspired to stick to it better!
I have tried almost every other diet going and nothing ever works for me- okay it doesn't help that i'm lazy and greedy!!!!!!!!
But, the best thing is the things you can actually eat!!!!! butter, cream in coffee!!! What a fantastic excuse for a bit of luxury - even when visiting family it doesn't cause a fuss- just leave the potatoes of the plate thanks mum!!!!
Does take a bit of getting used to at first but if like me your extremely unhealthy (I was 16 1/2 stone at 23yrs old) the small things you sacrifice are more than made up for the difference in the way you feel and look!!

The only expensive thing I've had to deal with is all the new clothes I keep having to buy!!! Can't seem to buy a pair of trousers that don't look ridiculously big on me within a fw weeks!!!!! (Have gone from wearing size 42" waist jeans to stealing boyf's size 34"!!!!!!!!

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Kayleya1,well done !i have just watched the same program,and still cant make my mind up !,allthough my friend and her husband (like you )are losing a lot of weight ,she says its important to get organised though (i wish i could get organised ....i would not have weight to lose if i could) i have joined a gym recently and feel so much better ,just have to find the right eating plan !! keep up the good work Bye Sue & Lola xx

I watched it too and to be honest didn't see anything that would put me off trying it. Most of those against it talked as if you had to give up all carbohydrates forever, which is just not true. I also liked the doctor who pointed out that there were a whole lot of big industries, the grain industry, the low fat slimming industry and the pharmaceutical industry, who had a vested interest in discrediting the Atkins diet!! I'm definitely going to try it now, just have to get myself organised :)

Lesley

I am not for or against it, but did see the show. Good luck to anyone doing it. :-)

The only thing I did see and think that the obvious thing that jumped out at me was that we all know that fat and protein by the goverments recomendations are only supposed to make up max 50% of your diet.

I think being honest you would possibly need to supplement as am I right is saying you cannot eat fruit or for a certain time which is a big no no. Fruit and Veg is vital I think.

At the end of the day we all know why we are over weight and I think when you are over weight especially if quite a bit the diet you use should not put anymore stress on you than being over weight all ready is. regardless how you do it.

I am now 27.5 lbs lighter in 11 weeks no fad diets just eating a balanced food plan with loads of fruit and veggies, brown bread, good cuts of meat but less fat and junk. In fact I am eating more than when I was not on it just better food. For once I feel I am educating myself and making a point of really learning how to eat healthly because if and when you get to a target weight the battle begins there or at least the biggest battle.

just another angle folks but as I say good luck to anyone doing it..

Pam