Atkins anyone?

[The Outlaw]

I also agree about weight training. When I was a trimmer, I went to the gym daily and worked out. I had to keep my legs and back extra strong to sling around car seats and heavy boat canvas. You do work alternate muscle groups. Up until I was diagnosed with cancer, I was very healthy and though not cut, extremely strong. Frankly, I love free weight training. It really builds muscle quickly and more muscle burns more calories.

THE OUTLAW

[Tiki]

Actually I finally got hold of my friend in Sydney who is a personal trainer (she had been on a romantic holiday with her boyfriend) and she agrees with all of you about the alternate day training so that is the way to go. Although I think I will have my days off during the work week as I can train longer on a weekend. When I was a dancer I used to practice (almost) everyday but I was in much better shape then.

Laurie, I think the trick to keeping the weight off is to have a cut out point of say 5 pounds....if you gain that much you go back on induction until it's gone. How long are you guys doing induction? I'm going to try it for at least a couple months. The book says you can do it like that.

LOL, last week it took me an hour and a half to do the grocery shopping as I had to check everything carefully for how many carbs per portion how many portions per package, etc! Usually I blitz grocery shopping in 20-30 minutes! Anyway, I'll get used to which products are "safe"!

[TooLover]

Tiki,
I am going to stay on the induction phase for a while.
Hubby is having fits trying to figure out what I can and can't eat. I told him it is pretty simple; all meats are fine, just have to watch which veggies I eat! Bless his heart, he is trying to support me! His good cooking is what put half of this weight on me in the first place!

[SavvyMoon]

Laurie,

My own experience with the Atkins' plan was very good... until I cheated- big time. Carbs are my downfall. I don't eat a lot of junk, don't eat a lot of food at one time, don't even eat too many sweets or use sugar on things... but carbs like pasta, rice, breads, potatoes, etc... they do me in.

2 yrs ago or so, I stayed on the induction phase for 3 weeks, and lost 28 lbs! (I had lots more to go, believe me!) but as I moved into the second phase, I hit the holidays and lost control.
Once I started pumping the carbs into my sad self, I was a gonner... needing more and more like a Junkie.

Since that time I have tried TWICE to get back on it and let me tell you, it's like a smoker trying to quit a second, third or fourth time.
H-A-R-D-E-R each time you try.
So if this is your first go-round with Atkin's Laurie, Best of Luck and stick with it girl!
Once your metabolism balances out, and you keep a steady level of Ketosis, the weight will drop off easily, even AFTER you start adding (a little!) more carbs back into your daily meals each week. Exercising REALLY pumps up the weight loss too!

It was the ONLY diet plan that ever worked (so well & so fast) for me, but it was my own carb addiction that did me in... the plan didn't fail me, I failed me. I hope to get motivated and try another time, real soon.

Savvy*


Oh, and Laurie? please make sure you have bloodwork done ASAP, if you haven't done so in the last few months, to monitor your cholesterol level.
My Chol. level has always been excellent, (about 162 total with a Perfect good/bad ratio) and didn't change much at all during or after doing Atkins.
But everyone should monitor for changes that might put ya over the safe cholesterol limits.

[Sophiestkated2]

I have been doing "my" version of Adkins for 2 years now. It's very similar to the Dr. Phil diet too. Basically, no enriched flours, no hydrogenated oils, no sugars. ( Well, I cheat once a week with a favorite that I may be craving!) The biggest thing that I've found helpful, is to shop for only whole foods. I rarely go down the aisles in the grocery store. I shop the outside of the aisles. The fresh veggies, meats, dairy... I find that most of the high fat, highly processed foods are found within the aisles. It has helped me. I've stayed at my goal weight for 2 years now. A few fluctuations, sure, we all have to have our treats, but a few pounds are sure alot easier to lose than several!
Good luck!
I will be starting again too, as the holidays gave me few extra pounds..!
Jethica

[TooLover]

Savvy,
This is actually my second go around. Hubby knows I love potatoes and made stuffed ones tonight and then asked if I wanted a bite! Big no no and I let him know.
It really is about self discipline and I HAVE TO LOSE THIS WEIGHT........................... we are here for you if you want to try again - a support group is always good; I can give a good swift kick in the butt as good as anyone else!

[Vankarhi]

I also did body building for a while until my legs got too muscley (spelt wrong), but have always tried to keep fit (until last few years) with bike riding, martial arts (am 1st degree black belt in Rhee Tae Kwon Do, aerobics and gym and dog obedience. Now I do dog obedience, gardening (mowing whiper snipering weeding etc), walking when I can and just heaps of running around after kids and husband - lol)

[Ingrid]

My husband was on a diet for 3 years and lost 80 lbs, then he heard of the atkins diet and decided to go it. well he was on the Atkins for 1 year and his health was not that good and he infact GAINED weight.(about 30lbs).
Eating meat constantly is not a good idea.......eating all the becon you can eat,eggs, peperoni,chicken,beef,ect.is not healthy.
Over the year that he was on it, he had colds, flus and did not feel that good.

Now that he is off the Atkins and on to his regular diet and excersise, he is doing very well and much healthier, and he is back to his weight. This diet may work for some people, but frankly it is not a healthy diet.
Lets face it all he was eating was mainly meats........very few veggies, no potatoes, no fruits............even bananas according to Atkins is not a good fruit.......anything with sugar in it. Including water melon,cherries ect.
Excersise is a key in maintaining the weight. We go out every Friday night to a resturant and he eats what ever he wants, including desert. I'm not saying that I'm an expert in Diet, but I just wanted to tell our story of what happened to him. Atkins may be good for some people. Personally I've never been on a diet, I excersise. but I have seen my husband go through this terrible, hard,and painful treatment to loose weight and it is very difficult.
JMHO
Ingrid

Originally Posted by elwoodblue

Just curious; there were a few of us going on diets for our New Year's resolutions. I am on my second week of Atkins and have lost a whopping 3 pounds! Anyone else out there doing Atkins or something similar? Am hoping to get a support group sort of thing going to keep us all in check! Don't be shy - heck, I have 50 pounds to lose!

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

I went on a low carb diet last year. It was a modified version of Atkins, as I couldn't ( and wouldn't) eat the way that has been touted on this plan. I went to the local book store and got a book that literally told you what you could eat, and what a serving was based upon your current size. Within 4 months I was down 22lbs and kept most of it off during the summer. The holidays were my downfall, and I've now got a few extra to lose, so I'm back on the modified plan. I would like to drop another 20 before the summer. I did it before, I can do it again. It just takes a little effort to get back on the wagon.. My hubby is a big help there.

Keep an eye out for low carb breads. They are actually pretty good, and the only breads I've been eating since last year. They really come in handy for lunches!! Some of the low carb ( I like Dannon lite and fit) yogurts aren't too bad, and you can even find them in the larger sizes.

The veggies we eat the most of now are zucchini and summer squash, peppers, onions, broccoli and cauliflower, spinach, and all the typical veggies you would find in salads. Some veggies may be higher in carbs, but they are GOOD carbs as opposed to other carbs you get from 'white' foods.

If you are looking for a good website, try www.3fatchicks.com It is a great site full of members trying different ways to lose weight. I got lots of support from them last year....

[Monica]

My mother has been to that '3 fat chicks' website as she and the roommate have been wanting to lose weight. They also bought a Gazelle (in the livingroom), and also a used treadmill (on the back porch holding up the errr roof... lol new sun roof! yay! errr wait all I see is snow... errr). My mother uses the Gazelle but hasn't been using it much lately and is trying to get back on track. The treadmill was being used by the roommate somewhat... As far as weightloss goes, she has lost about 4% of what she is trying to loose or about 9% of her body weight since last year. For her, this is a good improvement even though she has gained some back she's trying to get back on track.

She did this via eating healthy 6 days out of the week, and having a treat on the 7th day. She also worked out on the Gazelle, starting with 5-10 minutes a day, twice a day working up to 30 mins a day. Since December, maybe even November of last year though there was less healthy foods in the house and they got busy with holidays so now my mother has to work on building up on the Gazelle again, though I am not too sure about the food. The roommate was on the same diet plan untill she switched over to something similar to Atkins (if not the same) and I think that that has changed my mothers view over loosing weight possibly because she is now eating different foods than her friend and now they aren't really doing this together anymore...

Probably a great way to loose weight is to have a buddy that wants to loose weight and the both of you can keep eachother in track and not to stop as this seemed to help my mother untill the roommate changed diets as that is when it seemed as if she wasn't doing as great...