Atkins

Question: atkins.......? i have ten lbs to lose, and have been on atkins for almost 3 weeks,but havent lost alot. since 10lbs isnt alot, will it take like 2 months? how long did it take you to lose 10?

Answer: The deal is that atkins is a diet that requires one to cut out most carbs and sugars in order for your body to concentrate on breaking down fats that are stored in your body. It normally takes about a week or two for most carbs to exit your system. After another week your body will start breaking down fat. Give it time and make sure to stay eating protein and away from carbs. If you want to lose a pound or two a day, you need to be in a state of zero carbs known as ketosis. This is a very strict atkins diet where you eat proteins such as plain butter and flax seed oil all day long. The food you must eat to be in ketosis has to be only protein with enough sugar just to keep your body functioning. In order to keep your body functioning with the right levels of sugar, you need a Keto Stick. This is a stick you urinate onto to test the amount of ketosis you are in and the amount of blood sugar you have. You can get these Keto Sticks at any drug store, but it is recommended you are supervised by a doctor. This is the fastest way to lose pounds. However, if you do not keep your blood sugar up along with being in ketosis (a state when your body converts fats into fatty acids that produce ketone bodies that are used for energy) you can damage your body indefinately. A person in Ketosis can suffer from liver damage, low blood sugar, and other conditions if the diet is used incorrectly. However, being in Ketosis can and will help you lose weight each day. It is a condition that has not only cured obesity, but epilepsy. Good Luck.

Question: ATKINS ? im starting the atkins diet tommorow anyone been through this ? how quick was weight loss ?any tips ? thanx<3

Answer: It definitely works if you stick to it completely by the book. When it says no carbs, it means it. Its been a while for me, about 4 years, but I think it allows you about 20 good carbs per day ? Anyway, instead of 2 weeks, I did the first part for 3 weeks and lost 12 lbs. My husband lost 25 lbs. The biggest loss for both of us though was inches - I went down 2 sizes ! We ate a lot of steak, grilled chicken, cheese, spinach salads with grated cheese, blue cheese dressing and bacon bits, and absolutely no alcohol ! I increased my water intake but I had to cut out coffee for that first few weeks. That was hard ! What is difficult though is sticking to the low carb thing after you get to your goal. I now do a modified version of the Atkins and whenever I exceed about 5-7 lbs, I watch those carbs and it works every time. Good luck !

Question: How effective is the Atkins diet in the long run? I'm trying to lose some weight and someone told me to go on the atkins diet. Personally I'm a little concerned about it. My younger brother playes football for his high school and whenever he needs to lose weight in a hurry he goes the atkins route. The problem is he never stays on it and his weight jumps right back up. I want to lose some weight but, I don't want to go up and down like that. Does anyone know if the atkins diet is safe or is my brother just unable to stay on the diet?

Answer: Your awareness of the need to be fit is commendable. My answer comes from my experience as a professional health care provider (holistic), as well as my success in Weight Watchers. I've worked with thousands of patients, and witnessed people trying different "diets." That's the key: A diet doesn't work (is also unsafe), because it's not conducive to daily living. While your brother is probably too young to be interested in Weight Watchers, I recommend it over any diet. With Atkins in particular, I've known patients long enough who started enthused (given the advertising and success stories, after all), but ended up disillusioned. You might start with Weight Watchers, which teaches us how to live wisely, in a way that's enjoyable and doable. Your brother might be inspired by you. My husband and I each dropped 35 pounds in 6 months (7 years ago). Despite wobbles, we've kept most of it off. We followed the program, though, including attending meetings until we met our goal (although you can continue longer), for support and healing emotions that inevitably surface as fat ceases to cover them. I've included a blog about my experience, in case that might help you. Best wishes (and let us know how you do).

Question: How much weight have you lost on Atkins during the Induction phase? I recently started the Atkins diet two weeks ago, before that I had been low calorie dieting as opposed to low carb. So far, in the induction phase of Atkins, (which is 14 days), I have already lost 14 pounds. I would like to know how this compares with other people who are also doing induction. This is my first time on Atkins, and I need to lose a lot of weight permanently.

Answer: I lost about 50 pounds on Atkins in roughly 4 months and I have to disagree with the statement that Atkins is not for long-term weight loss. If you read the book, or at least understand the 4 phases of Atkins, you will learn that it is not a diet, it is a permanent lifestyle change in the way that you eat. By phase four, "maintenance", you have reached your target goal and will adjust your carb intake appropriately so that you stay within your weight range. My goal was 145, however since I did not do the phase 4 correctly I lost and additional 20 pounds that I did not want to lose! It took me 2 years to pick my weight back up to 145 because my eating habits had completely changed. I eat a lot of baked and broiled fish and chicken. I also enjoy steaks and pork on the grill. I eat green veggies with butter (no margarine), or fresh meat broth. I limit my fruit and fruit juice intake. I also lost the taste for bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta... which really made it hard to pick my weight back up. All that said, I just wanted to say I disagree and that Atkins is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

Question: How do I transition from Atkins to the raw food lifestyle without gaining weight? *I recently went on Atkins and lost 35 pounds. *While on Atkins I found out the benefits of the raw food lifestlye and would like to experience good health.

Answer: Don't eat more calories than you burn. The primary reason Atkins works is calorie reduction. People who go on Atkins cut out whole swaths of calorie-laden foods from their diet. They stop snacking on chips and sugary snacks (carbs), they stop eating bread (carbs), the stop eating potatos (carbs), etc. It's unusual for someone on Atkins to replace all the calories they cut out of their diets, so they lose weight. What makes people gain weight when they go back off of Atkins, is that they revert to their previous overeating. They start drinkin beer again (carbs), and they start eating all the bread and potatos again, so they gain weight. If you go to a raw food diet, you will likely be eating mostly vegetables. There is nothing wrong with that. Measure your calories as you make the transition, and be sure not to overeat. You may lose even more weight. I love raw foods and juices -- take a look at www.vitamix.com.... fantastic product.

Question: How do you feel about Susan Atkins being released to die as a free women? Susan Atkins has brain cancer and is one of the Manson Family murderers, she is actually the person who stabbed Sharon Tate and her unborn son to death. They are considering letting her out to die in a hospice setting.

Answer: She does not deserve any consideration,she should have been executed.She did not give her victims any mercy,so why should she expect any?

Question: Day 4 on Atkins Induction, When does it start to get a little easier? I just started atkins this past wednesday, to lose some weight and kick my sugar habit. When does the diet start leveling out? When will my sugar cravings go away? When will my energy come alive? p.s.I am NOT interested in anyone's opinion on how bad they think the Atkins diet is, this question is for pro atkins, and/or current/past atkins dieters who have a positive view on it. Thanks!

Answer: Depends on the individual, but generally by the end of the first week you should be starting to feel better. Good luck! Atkins rocks.

Question: Is the Atkins Diet supposed to be done high in calories in order to work? Do you have to eat alot of fat? Also, are the calories mostly coming from fat or protein? Im new to the Atkins world.

Answer: The higher the ratio of fat calories, the easier the weight loss. If you eat excess protein, a fat ration of greater than 80% of total calories will ensure that excess protein is not converted to glucose & is converted to muscle tissues. You can lose more body fat eating protein & fat (don't eat protein alone) than not eating AT ALL. To lose weight fast, eat all you want, but nothing but meat, eggs, healthy oils, mayo, butter & half an avocado a day (for added potassium). Keep the calories high & the fat percentage high, at least 65% of calories. Green vegetables & some cheese will continue weight loss but at a slower pace. The first 2 weeks eat several cups a day of (mostly) lettuce & celery, cucumbers, radishes, mushrooms, peppers & more variety of vegetables thereafter - add 5 grams per day additional every week (20 grams day first 2 weeks, 25grams 3rd week, 30grams 4th week etc) til you gain weight, then subtract 10grams. That will be your personal carb level (everyone is different & depends on how active you are.) Start with meat, fats & salads for 2 weeks and then slowly add in more green veg, wk4 fresh cheeses, wk5 nuts & seeds, wk6 berries, wk7 legumes, wk8 other fruits, wk9 starchy veg, wk10 whole grains. You will learn how your body reacts to different foods. The first week is just water weight but fat is lost thereafter if you keep your calories high enough. Otherwise the body will strip it's own lean tissue for nutrition. Although that may look great on a scale it will make it MUCH easier to accumulate fat in the future (since all that pesky lean tissue burning up calories will be gone). The body won't release fat stores if you lower calories below what it needs. It will slow metabolism to compensate & store every spare ounce as fat. If you continue lowering calories, it will continue lowering the set point, til it can survive off nothing & store fat on anything. The body will only release it's fat stores if it knows there is plenty of nutritious food. Eating carbs while trying to lose body fat is terribly inefficient. When in glycolysis (burning glucose as fuel) you have to lower your calories (which slows your metabolism) & exercise heavily to deplete your glycogen stores before burning body fat. The core of Atkins program is converting the body from glycolysis (burning glucose as fuel) to ketosis (burning fat as fuel). Dietary fat levels need to be at >65% of total calories, if not, the body will still remain in glycolysis by converting 58% of excess protein into glucose (via gluconeogenesis). It takes minimum of 3 days to convert a body to ketosis, (but only one bite to convert back to glycolysis). People feel sluggish the first week but most feel better than ever thereafter. Carbohydrates (sugar, flour, bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes, rice) trigger insulin which can store the calories eaten into fat. The more protein the more the fat burning hormone glucagon is released. The more carbohydrate the more the fat storage hormone insulin is released. Simple carbs are addictive & can be disastrous to health. The best way to break the addiction is NO carbs for 3 days. Make a huge batch of deviled eggs, eat one every time you want "something" - have huge omelets with bacon, sausage, peppers, mushrooms & cheese. Pork chops smothered with peppers, mushrooms & cheese - pork rinds & dip or tuna/chicken/turkey/egg salad - steaks - a huge sugar free cheese cake. Eat so much you won't feel deprived of anything. By the 4th day, the addiction will be gone & you can start making healthy choices. High insulin levels promote inflammation, weight gain, hunger & unbalance other hormones. Controlling insulin levels will balance out other hormones & allow human growth hormone (HGH) to be produced naturally so lean muscle will be gained even without exercise. Any exercise will greatly increase muscle mass with high HGH levels. Ground flax seed (4 Tbsp) 1/4 cup water, artificial sweetener, mix in a raw egg - let sit 10 min. to absorb liquid, put some cream cheese in the middle & nuke 2 minutes. Suggested for daily fiber needs. As long as you have <9grams carbs per hour, you will maintain insulin control & shouldn't gain weight, no matter the calories because insulin, the fat storage hormone is not activated. Many people gain weight on high carb, do low carb to lose weight & then are shocked when they return to high carb & gain weight. Many people can return to moderate carb levels but very few can really eat all they want of sugar & maintain weight or health. I am adamantly opposed to low calorie dieting because most people lose a good portion of lean tissue (including vital organs like the heart) along with fat stores. There is no nutrition in fat stores, only energy.

Question: Will the atkins diet help you to lose weight if you have an underactive thyroid? I recently found out my thyroid is underactive and that is why I have struggled with my weight for so long. Does anyone know if the atkins diet will work with and underactive thyroid? I am already on meds for my thyroid and it seems to be normal at times when they check it and others off a little. I have only had blood work done twice though.

Answer: I also have an under active thyroid and have tried a low calorie diet, and have lost weight. My aunt does the Atkins diet and she seem to loose weight on it ( and she also has an under active thyroid). I hope it helps. I think once you are stable at a normal level, then you will just have to try a little hard then other to loose the weight. Good Luck.

Question: Will the Atkins diet work for a person who is a normal weight? I have a 20 BMI but I'd like to lose just a few pounds, and it's really hard. I want to restrict calories to 1400 a day and exercise. I was just wondering if the Atkins diet is likely to work for someone who isn't overweight. NO OPINIONS ON THE DIET OR ANYTHING PLEASE. JUST THE FACTS :) Thanks! 10 pts!

Answer: Yes it actually will because I am actually underweight and I went on that diet because at the time my Chiropractor suggested it for my Fibromylagia and Chronic Fatigue. I felt better on it, but couldn't eat enough calories to help me keep on my weight. I had lost over 10 pounds in a short amount of time.

Question: Is the atkins diet good for building muscle? I'm 5'10" 170 pounds, I'm in good physical shape I'd just like to get more ripped but still keep my weight relatively low (180 pounds at the most) but look much more ripped than I am now. Would the atkins diet be good for this?

Answer: The Atkins diet is a disaster for someone with your intentions of building lean muscle. It can sap your strength big time and cut into any gains in size that you are trying to make right now. Try to avoid cutting carbs very much when you are trying to build muscle.

Question: What is the difference between the atkins diet and the suzanne somers diet? I feel like the Atkins diet and the Suzanne Somers Diet are alot alike. Her's is more combining than the Atkins....does anyone know which one is better or have any advice??

Answer: Atkins is now dead, Suzanne is still alive.

Question: How safe and effective is the Atkins diet? I`ve been on the Atkins low carb diet now for 4 days. I`ve lost 8lbs already (I`m on the induction phase) I understand that the initial weight loss will mostly be due to water loss but how can I be sure that my continued weight loss will be fat and not water. Atkins has been around for so many years and although I feel a bit nauseous from all the fat and protein consumption its basically the only diet I don't feel hungry on.

Answer: There is no better way to bring the body to the state of optimal health than with a low carb way of eating. Low carb doesn't cause high blood pressure, high blood sugar or high cholesterol, it cures it. It is actually dangerous to take meds that lower these levels and do low carb at the same time because the levels will become dangerously low. Carbohydrates trigger insulin. High insulin levels unbalance other hormones. Anything less that 9 grams of carbs per hour controls insulin and is considered low carb (up to 144 grams per day). U.S. government guidelines were changed 35 years ago to suggest we lower our fat intake & increase our carb intake. American society followed these recommendations & lowered their fat intake by 11% & increased their carb consumption. In this same time frame obesity, diabetes, heart disease are all at epidemic levels. Through their direct effects on insulin & blood sugar, refined carbohydrates are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease & diabetes. A low carbohydrate diet is a high fat diet. The protein should only be a little higher than adequate. Although it is completely possible to live on a fat/protein only diet for long term (as proven by research done in a hospital setting) it becomes boring fairly quickly. Luckily many vegetables & some fruits, nuts & seeds are low in carbs & greatly expand the diet. Most long term low carbers eat as many, if not more non starchy vegetables than vegetarians. Glucose is the bodies preferred fuel (if you want to get technical, it actually burns alcohol most efficiently, but that doesn't make it any healthier for the body than carbs), the body can convert 100% of carbs, 58% of protein & 10% of dietary fat into glucose. The body can also be fueled by fat (dietary fat & fat cells) but only in the absence of carbs. The brain actually prefers* to be fueled by ketones (part of the fat burning process), it does require glucose also, but glucose can be easily converted from excess protein if needed or dietary fat. Fatty acids are the preferred substrate for the heart muscle. Plaque build up in the arteries is more attributable to carb consumption than dietary fats, which seems to be the conclusion of the following study. Carb consumption raises triglycerides & VLDL (bad cholesterol). Fats raise the HDL (good cholesterol). High triglyceride levels & low HDL levels are an indicator of plaque & glycation - the precursors to a heart attack & heart disease. http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/after-eating-effects-carbohydrates-vs.html study from the Oxford group examining the postprandial (after-eating) effects of a low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate diet. (Roberts R et al, 2008) Postprandial lipoproteins, you'd think, would be plentiful after ingesting a large quantity of fat, since fat must be absorbed via chylomicrons into the bloodstream. But it's carbohydrates that figure most prominently in determining the pattern and magnitude of postprandial triglycerides and lipoproteins. Much of this effect develops by way of de novo lipogenesis, the generation of new lipoproteins like VLDL after carbohydrate ingestion. Gary Taubes who wrote "Good Calories, Bad Calories" spent 7 years going through all the studies over the last century & dividing up the real science from the faulty science & concluded that low carb was the best way to control insulin levels which balances out other hormones & allows the body to function properly. His main points are: 1. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease or any other chronic disease. 2. The problem is refined carbs in diet, their effect on insulin secretion & the hormonal regulation of homeostasis. 3. Sugars - sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup specifically - are particularly harmful, the combination of fructose & glucose simultaneously elevates insulin levels & overload liver with carbs. 4. Through their direct effects on insulin & blood sugar, refined carbs, starches, sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease & diabetes. They are likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer's & other diseases. 5. Obesity is a disorder of excess fat accumulation, not overeating. 6. Consuming excess calories does not cause us to grow fatter. 7. Fattening & obesity are caused by an imbalance in the hormonal regulation of adipose tissue & fat metabolism. Fat synthesis & storage exceed the mobilization of fat from adipose tissue & its subsequent oxidation. 8. Insulin is the primary regulator of fat storage. When insulin levels fall, we release fat from fat tissue. 9. By stimulating insulin secretion, carbs make us fat. 10. By driving fat accumulation, carbs also increase hunger & decrease the amount of energy we expend in metabolism & physical activity.

Question: What's the weight loss average on the Atkins during the induction period of say 2wks? Would only like to hear from those who have actually done Atkins.

Answer: Weight loss depends on metabolic resistance. If your body has a low metabolic resistance you will lose more weight in 14 days than if your body has a high metabolic resistance. You can determine your metabolic resistance either being high, average, or low after 14 days of following the Induction Phase. Here is a list of the Degrees of Metabolic Resistance: Pounds you have to lose: - High Average Low Resistance Less than 20lbs: -------------- 2lbs - 4lbs - 6lbs 20 - 50lbs: ----------------------- 3lbs - 6lbs - 9lbs Over 50lbs: ---------------------- 4lbs - 8lbs -12lbs The first week's weight loss is just water weight. It takes 3 days to deplete glycogen stores & they hold 3x their weight in water, so it's like wringing out a sponge. If you refill glycogen stores in one day, you will regain this water & look like you gained 5# overnight. People do low carb for a week lose 5#, go eat pizza & regain the weight overnight & say Atkins doesn't work lol. You can lose more body fat eating protein & fat (don't eat protein alone) than not eating AT ALL. To lose weight fast, eat all you want, but nothing but meat, eggs, healthy oils, mayo, butter & half an avocado a day (for added potassium). Keep the calories high & the fat percentage high, at least 65% of calories. Green vegetables & some cheese will continue weight loss but at a slower pace. The first 2 weeks eat several cups a day of (mostly) lettuce & celery, cucumbers, radishes, mushrooms, peppers & more variety of vegetables thereafter - add 5 grams per day additional every week (20 grams day first 2 weeks, 25grams 3rd week, 30grams 4th week etc) til you gain weight, then subtract 10grams. That will be your personal carb level (everyone is different & depends on how active you are.) Start with meat, fats & salads for 2 weeks and then slowly add in more green veg, wk4 fresh cheeses, wk5 nuts & seeds, wk6 berries, wk7 legumes, wk8 other fruits, wk9 starchy veg, wk10 whole grains. You will learn how your body reacts to different foods. The body won't release fat stores if you lower calories below what it needs. It will slow metabolism to compensate & store every spare ounce as fat. If you continue lowering calories, it will continue lowering the set point, til it can survive off nothing & store fat on anything. The body will only release it's fat stores if it knows there is plenty of nutritious food. Eating carbs while trying to lose body fat is terribly inefficient. When in glycolysis (burning glucose as fuel) you have to lower your calories (which slows your metabolism) & exercise heavily to deplete your glycogen stores before burning body fat. The core of Atkins program is converting the body from glycolysis (burning glucose as fuel) to ketosis (burning fat as fuel). Dietary fat levels need to be at >65% of total calories, if not, the body will still remain in glycolysis by converting 58% of excess protein into glucose (via gluconeogenesis). It takes minimum of 3 days to convert a body to ketosis, (but only one bite to convert back to glycolysis). People feel sluggish the first week but most feel better than ever thereafter. Carbohydrates trigger insulin (the ONLY fat storage hormone). Protein triggers the fat burning hormone glucagon. Simple carbs are addictive & can be disastrous to health. The best way to break the addiction is NO carbs for 3 days. Make a huge batch of deviled eggs, eat one every time you want "something" - have huge omelets with bacon, sausage, peppers, mushrooms & cheese. Pork chops smothered with peppers, mushrooms & cheese - pork rinds & dip or tuna/chicken/turkey/egg salad - steaks - a huge sugar free cheese cake. Eat so much you won't feel deprived of anything. By the 4th day, the addiction will be gone & you can start making healthy choices. High insulin levels unbalance other hormones. Controlling insulin levels will balance out other hormones & allow human growth hormone (HGH) to be produced naturally so lean muscle will be gained even without exercise. Ground flax seed (2 Tbsp) 1/4 cup water, artificial sweetener, mix in a raw egg - let sit 10 min. to absorb liquid, put some cream cheese in the middle & nuke 2 min for daily fiber needs. As long as you have <9grams carbs per hour, you will maintain insulin control & shouldn't gain weight, no matter the calories because insulin, the fat storage hormone is not activated. Many people gain weight on high carb, do low carb to lose weight & then are shocked when they return to high carb & gain weight. Many people can return to moderate carb levels but very few can really eat all they want of sugar & maintain weight or health.

Question: Why do you stop counting calories when your on the atkins diet? It says in his book that you stop counting calories when your on the atkins diet. Why is this?

Answer: This diet has worked wonders with people and taking out almost all carbs would i guess give you the freedom to not have to watch other nutrition's that go into your body.I don't know if I gave you an answer but I did talk to a lot of people who have been on this diet and they have never counted calories and the pounds are falling off,it's amazing.Just read his book and do what he says and you too will lose weight.

Question: How much weight should I lose on Induction phase of Atkins diet? I hope to lose about 40 lbs. Will the induction phase of Atkins help to jump start my weight loss?

Answer: I lost 85 lbs in under 3 months