# Atkins



## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Anyone here follow the Atkins diet?


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Not the Atkins diet, but have been leaning more towards the diet talked about by Eric Berg. It's basically a moderate protein, moderate fat, low carb and a LOT of non-starchy veggies kind of diet, plus, avoid sugar like the plague.

I've been in the area between 280 and 285 for close to a year. And I've been trying to eat like above for the last week. This morning I was 277. The jury is still out but I'm gonna keep going with this to see how it works out. I'm not as strict as I could be but have really done pretty well at removing the sugar and going a lot lighter on the starches. That's hard to do for someone who loves potatoes, pasta and bread. But I need to lose some pounds. I still eat and am not feeling starved. I do need to work out some variety in the things I eat, though.

Good luck! I hope you find what you're looking for.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Bellyman said:


> Not the Atkins diet, but have been leaning more towards the diet talked about by Eric Berg. It's basically a moderate protein, moderate fat, low carb and a LOT of non-starchy veggies kind of diet, plus, avoid sugar like the plague.
> 
> I've been in the area between 280 and 285 for close to a year. And I've been trying to eat like above for the last week. This morning I was 277. The jury is still out but I'm gonna keep going with this to see how it works out. I'm not as strict as I could be but have really done pretty well at removing the sugar and going a lot lighter on the starches. That's hard to do for someone who loves potatoes, pasta and bread. But I need to lose some pounds. I still eat and am not feeling starved. I do need to work out some variety in the things I eat, though.
> 
> Good luck! I hope you find what you're looking for.


Great job on loosing that few pounds. I need to loose a lot of weight but my short term goal is 50 lbs by Christmas. Are you eating a lot of proteins?


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

I eat r. LCHF. Moderate protein. Having trouble right now kicking the sugar. My biggest vice.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

painterswife said:


> I eat r. LCHF. Moderate protein. Having trouble right now kicking the sugar. My biggest vice.


Mountain dew is my biggest downfall


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Oregon1986 said:


> Great job on loosing that few pounds. I need to loose a lot of weight but my short term goal is 50 lbs by Christmas. Are you eating a lot of proteins?


I definitely try to get a reasonable serving of protein with most meals but I don't do a really large portion. A piece of chicken or beef or fish about the size of a deck of cards, maybe a bit more per meal. I try for decent quality. But that's me. Don't know if that's a lot for some people or a little for some people but that's about where I aim for.

Some is a bit "trial and error" for me but I'm wanting to stick with it, even if it's not a whole lot more than just reducing the sugar. 

At one time, I had thought that Dr. McDougall was onto a good diet with his high starch, low fat, thing. But I ate like that for a good while and really didn't feel like I was doing any better for it, and the weight certainly wasn't going anywhere. Sure, I was eating what I considered to be good quality food, but an abundance of starches just didn't seem right. And anyone who even leans towards diabetes would seem to have issues with a high starch diet, at least in my thinking. So I decided to look in a different direction and take those carbs way down. I've read that eliminating the fat from the diet doesn't equate to a loss of fat on the person and consuming fat while trying to lose fat seems to go better than low/no fat diets for weight loss. I don't go nuts with the fat, either. But I don't shy away from using some butter when making my eggs and using avocado on my salads. I still don't want to go too heavy on the cheese but I'm not exactly avoiding it either, it's generally used kinda like a condiment.

Like I said, I'm gonna see how things go. I'd like to lose a significant amount, maybe 75 pounds or so for starters. But I'm hoping that once I get a little closer to my target weight, I can relax just a bit with the starches and enjoy them in moderation, and maintain a healthy weight. Maybe a little sugar as a treat now and then, but not a staple in the diet. That's the goal, anyway. I have a long way to go but I'm not in any particular hurry to get there. It took me the last 13 or 14 years to get up to this area, taking even a year or two of it coming off is fine. I just want to be heading in the right direction.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Chocolate is my weakness. 

I only eat one meal a day. I feel more energetic and accomplish so much more. My brain is clearer as well.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Oregon1986 said:


> Mountain dew is my biggest downfall


That used to be me, too, well, that and the sweet tea.

I had moved to drinking mostly water with a little lemon in it lately, no sweetener at all. And I confess, my wife bought us a couple of drinks in the store today when we were taking a long drive. It was a peach flavored sweet tea, which I used to love. I found that I've lost some of my taste for it. It just wasn't all that good to me anymore. Maybe the last week of having pretty much no sugar had something to do with it. (Back on the bandwagon...)

They say tastes change. I guess they do. At least they have for me. Now, will those homemade banana muffins taste good next time I make them? AARRGGHH!!!! I want to. But I know I shouldn't. So I won't.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

I did for a while and had great success with it. 

Then I went off it for a while, now every time I try to start back on it I just can't get it to stick.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I have mixed feelings about the Atkin's diet. On the one hand, I felt better and stronger when I increased the amount of protein in my diet. On the other hand, if I do not eat any carbs at all I am constantly hungry and feel deprived.

I compromised, in that I reduced the amount of carbs that I eat. So, for breakfast I eat only ONE slice of toast when I have eggs, and so forth and so on.


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

I did the Atkins thing years ago. It worked but it made me feel terrible while I was on it. I kept waiting for that rush of energy they said you'd get and waited and waited. LOL Instead it made me extremely low energy and it felt like my heart was beating out of my chest with any exertion at all. I didn't have much I needed to lose back then so by the time I decided to give it up I was down where I wanted to be. Boy howdy did the weight come back fast plus a bunch more. Funny thing is before Atkins I didn't avoid bread but it wasn't important either. Toast with eggs or an occasional sandwich was about the extent of my bread consumption. Potatoes was a whole different story. I loved them in any form and figured that would be the hardest part of the diet. Didn't really miss the potatoes and still don't eat them like I used to but BREAD...Man I couldn't stuff it in my face fast enough when I went off that diet. Weird huh?


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Forgot to add... I have better long term luck with portion control and getting my butt out of my recliner and moving, doesn't have to be formal exercise just up and moving. I think it's hard to stick to anything when you have to give up things you really enjoy.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

A friend of mine followed the Atkins diet faithfully to the letter for many years. Although he had no prior history of heart disease, he just had a 6-coronary bypass heart surgery two weeks ago.

Ironically, this diet was formulated by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins in the early 1970s. Because it restricts carbohydrates while emphasizing fats and protein, it is a freaking recipe for disaster. The medical industry is finally waking up to this idea as well. Many doctors and other professionals are sounding out warnings about the Atkins diet. For example, here is an article from CBS News:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-warning-to-atkins-dieters/


(Did Dr. Atkins get his medical degree out of a bubblegum machine at Walmart?)




.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

cfuhrer said:


> I did for a while and had great success with it.
> 
> Then I went off it for a while, now every time I try to start back on it I just can't get it to stick.


Motivation is the hardest part for me. It's hard doing it alone


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Terri said:


> I have mixed feelings about the Atkin's diet. On the one hand, I felt better and stronger when I increased the amount of protein in my diet. On the other hand, if I do not eat any carbs at all I am constantly hungry and feel deprived.
> 
> I compromised, in that I reduced the amount of carbs that I eat. So, for breakfast I eat only ONE slice of toast when I have eggs, and so forth and so on.


I'm the same way,and a hungry Tiffany is not nice to be around


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Teej said:


> Forgot to add... I have better long term luck with portion control and getting my butt out of my recliner and moving, doesn't have to be formal exercise just up and moving. I think it's hard to stick to anything when you have to give up things you really enjoy.


Boy is that the truth,giving up things is hard


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

Oregon1986 said:


> I'm the same way,and a hungry Tiffany is not nice to be around


There's a name for that kind of hunger: h*angry*!

.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

CajunSunshine said:


> There's a name for that kind of hunger: h*angry*!
> 
> .


Ha ha very fitting


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

CajunSunshine said:


> A friend of mine followed the Atkins diet faithfully to the letter for many years. Although he had no prior history of heart disease, he just had a 6-coronary bypass heart surgery two weeks ago.
> 
> Ironically, this diet was formulated by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins in the early 1970s. Because it restricts carbohydrates while emphasizing fats and protein, it is a freaking recipe for disaster. The medical industry is finally waking up to this idea as well. Many doctors and other professionals are sounding out warnings about the Atkins diet. For example, here is an article from CBS News:
> 
> ...


I got my my diabetes from eating a diet heavy in whole grains and beans with some veggies thrown in. I am not impressed with the AMA recommended high starch, low fat diet. I think the people recommending that got their degrees at Walmart too.

Similarly not impressed with high protein diets. You body will convert excess protein to glucose and mimic high starch diet. 

My take is you want a high fat diet (healthy fats like cold pressed oils or clean unprocessed animal fats) with boatload of non starchy veggies along with tree nuts and oily seeds. Use meat as a condiment if you so desire. No grains. You get enough calories via non processsed foods you will get enough protein.

Your body is going to be unhappy long term without either fat or carbs for energy. Fat is the better choice. You eat non starchy plants, you get plenty carbs for your body to function without grains. In other words high carb or high protein both not good.


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## IndyDave (Jul 17, 2017)

I tried it several years back. I actually gained weight while losing physical size, as in I shot up about 25 pounds while needing to buy new pants and/or suspenders.

You should also keep in mind that what we know as the Atkins diet is actually Atkins 2.0, with the original going straight after sugar rather than carbs. As it was explained to me by my dietary advisor (bearing in mind that Atkins released the diet before my time), another author (who happened to be an actress) beat Atkins to the punch going after sugar, and the sugar industry spent a ton of money to not only trash her diet and paint her as a complete moron but also destroy her entertainment career. Atkins saw what happened and largely rewrote his diet to avoid having the same head-on collision with such a rich and well-organized adversary, leaving his diet watered down albeit still reasonably effective. I have subsequently read that sugar (and substitutes) acts on our brains in the same basic way as drugs. I can also share that I was a really bad Diet Coke fiend (which is absolutely terrible for one's health) until being hospitalized for a week last year and being cut off from it for the duration. On my second day out, I felt the craving, bought a bottle, took one sip and couldn't stand the stuff, and haven't touched it since.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

IndyDave said:


> I tried it several years back. I actually gained weight while losing physical size, as in I shot up about 25 pounds while needing to buy new pants and/or suspenders.
> 
> You should also keep in mind that what we know as the Atkins diet is actually Atkins 2.0, with the original going straight after sugar rather than carbs. As it was explained to me by my dietary advisor (bearing in mind that Atkins released the diet before my time), another author (who happened to be an actress) beat Atkins to the punch going after sugar, and the sugar industry spent a ton of money to not only trash her diet and paint her as a complete moron but also destroy her entertainment career. Atkins saw what happened and largely rewrote his diet to avoid having the same head-on collision with such a rich and well-organized adversary, leaving his diet watered down albeit still reasonably effective. I have subsequently read that sugar (and substitutes) acts on our brains in the same basic way as drugs. I can also share that I was a really bad Diet Coke fiend (which is absolutely terrible for one's health) until being hospitalized for a week last year and being cut off from it for the duration. On my second day out, I felt the craving, bought a bottle, took one sip and couldn't stand the stuff, and haven't touched it since.


Maybe I need to be hospitalized to kick my soda addiction,jk


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## IndyDave (Jul 17, 2017)

Oregon1986 said:


> Maybe I need to be hospitalized to kick my soda addiction,jk


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

Oregon1986 said:


> Maybe I need to be hospitalized to kick my soda addiction,jk


 Eventually, you will be. Google it and be very afraid...

Spending a few hours learning how bad the stuff is for your body may be the motivation you need to avoid serious health consequences.



.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

HermitJohn said:


> I got my my diabetes from eating a diet heavy in whole grains and beans with some veggies thrown in. I am not impressed with the AMA recommended high starch, low fat diet. I think the people recommending that got their degrees at Walmart too.
> 
> Similarly not impressed with high protein diets. You body will convert excess protein to glucose and mimic high starch diet.
> 
> ...


HermitJohn, thank you for your post. Wow, it sounds like you were on the classic McDougall high starch, low fat diet. Interestingly, you're not the only one I've heard of that had similar results, though, yours was more dramatic. Others I've read about have typically just had their numbers heading in the wrong direction and not developed full-blown diabetes.

From what I've been reading, I tend to agree with your assessment of high protein diets as too much is definitely not a good thing.

I'm still trying to figure out how much fat is good. Being in the category of "obese", I need to be burning the fat I have stored and not just the fat I ingest. But I also know that I need to eat fat in order to lose fat. I'm not much into gratuitous fat, though, and would like to keep the quality levels up. I do like avocado on my salads, I'm sure that helps. (Lots of potassium, too.)

I'm working on figuring out some things that work well to substitute for some of my favorite foods. I have a recipe for cauliflower pizza crust I have yet to try. And I know of a recipe for a lasagna that uses zucchini instead of pasta that I have in mind for tomorrow. Bread and potatoes... those are the hard ones for me. And I miss my homemade pasta. Sweets, not so much. Soft drinks, don't miss them at all. Hidden sugars in things like salad dressings and condiments are a bugger.


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## Skamp (Apr 26, 2014)

I'm kinda sorta laughing.

Destroy the system and pay the price. You're choices lead to these blood levels. 

A balanced plate could cure most. It certainly could prevent most.


Myplate.org.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

Skamp said:


> Myplate.org.


Dictated by big farming and directed by big government.

HSPH Chair of the Department of Nutrition, Walter Willett, criticized MyPlate, saying: "unfortunately, like the earlier U.S. Department of Agriculture pyramids, MyPlate mixes science with the influence of powerful agricultural interests, which is not the recipe for healthy eating"


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Skamp said:


> I'm kinda sorta laughing.
> 
> Destroy the system and pay the price. You're choices lead to these blood levels.
> 
> ...


The problem is, "balanced" according to who? There are so many people and organizations that claim to be the ultimate authority on healthful diet and they are varied so widely that it leads to a lot of confusion. 

Though I will admit that one size may not fit all, I do appreciate the actual experience of actual people with actual ways of eating and the results they've experienced by eating that way. If you are just fine with the myplate.org suggestions, I'm truly happy for you. If eating that way caused you difficulty, I would hope you'd explore alternatives to find out what would work for you beyond the latest pill that you can take for the rest of your life.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Bellyman said:


> HermitJohn, thank you for your post. Wow, it sounds like you were on the classic McDougall high starch, low fat diet. Interestingly, you're not the only one I've heard of that had similar results, though, yours was more dramatic. Others I've read about have typically just had their numbers heading in the wrong direction and not developed full-blown diabetes.
> 
> From what I've been reading, I tend to agree with your assessment of high protein diets as too much is definitely not a good thing.
> 
> ...


Yes, I used to even watch McDougal tv show long time ago. Guess I am just stubborn and stuck with it longer than most. It "sounds" like a clean efficient way to eat. And it worked ok for while though back then I did lot more physical labor. 

But hey I have some age on me. Lot folk eating standard American diet with diabetes at my age too. And doc was amazed at my low cholesterol and lack of blocked arteries. The grain diet is a relatively clean one in that respect. Most type two have high cholesterol and heart problems, doc said AMA tells docs to immediately put newly diagnosed type 2 patients on statins even before testing. Its that usual. 

Whats scary is kids are now getting type 2. Used to be you had the small percentage genetically disposed to type 1, but you never heard of a kid with type 2. That was old man diabetes or at worst some unlucky middle agers.

I am actually thinking the diabetes was a good thing for me, big wake up call. Still mostly veggie diet, but cut way back on carbs and no grains. Oh I can have like half cup grain or beans (ones with low glycemic load) without bumping my blood sugar much, especially as my body has much improved blood sugar control since the diabetes diagnosis, but its just not worth it. I feel lot better eating this way than I did with the heavy grain diet. Though it is lot more hassle especially since I live alone so cooking for one! I never did have any inclination of eating boatload of meat. Thats kinda like eating a bowling ball, sits heavy on stomach and a bowel movement twice a month just like clockwork..... Though I have known some older folk eating heavy meat diet that lived into 90s. 

My take on fat, you simply arent going to overeat on fat. Toss back a shot glass of olive oil, do you really want another? Now eat a donut, do you want another? Carbs, unless your body is immediately able to use the glucose they convert into, will convert them to body fat quickly and automagically. Well until your body cant process excess glucose to fat efficiently anymore and you have diabetes.... Takes your body lot more effort to break down dietary fat. Given same amount calories of carbs as dietary fat. The carbs will put on more body fat. Grain is what they fatten livestock with, not oils.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Bellyman said:


> HermitJohn, thank you for your post. Wow, it sounds like you were on the classic McDougall high starch, low fat diet. Interestingly, you're not the only one I've heard of that had similar results, though, yours was more dramatic. Others I've read about have typically just had their numbers heading in the wrong direction and not developed full-blown diabetes.


I got diabetes from it also.

As you say, "my numbers were heading I the wrong direction", so my doctor told me I could NOT be staying on my diet because my numbers were getting worse, but I was staying on the diet. For my next appointment a year later they sort of hit the panic button with meds called in for my now-high triglycerides and the whole 10 yards. You know, the diabetic diet has its flaws also, but I sure felt better when I quit eating so many carbs!


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

CajunSunshine said:


> A friend of mine followed the Atkins diet faithfully to the letter for many years. Although he had no prior history of heart disease, he just had a 6-coronary bypass heart surgery two weeks ago.
> 
> Ironically, this diet was formulated by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins in the early 1970s. Because it restricts carbohydrates while emphasizing fats and protein, it is a freaking recipe for disaster. The medical industry is finally waking up to this idea as well. Many doctors and other professionals are sounding out warnings about the Atkins diet. For example, here is an article from CBS News:
> 
> ...


If your friend followed the Atkins diet as it is supposed to be followed, there is no way his heart disease was related to the diet. When "climbing" the ladder, a person adds carbs each week in a specific fashion and once the weight loss slows down or stops, a person will be taking in over 60 grams of carb a day. That is plenty for a body's needs. 
Most people equate "Atkins Diet" to a no carb high fat diet, and that is not true except for the first two weeks of induction. 

As to doctors "sounding out warnings" about low carb diets, the opposite is actually true. Low carb is becoming more and more mainstream as the health professionals realise what they've been preaching for the last 30 years (high carb/low fat) has brought on the current epidemic of diabetes and heart disease. The SAD is almost identical to the diet fed cattle to fatten them up. 

I follow a modified version of Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution diet. His diet is low carb, moderate protein and fat. Most people who stick to his diet not only lose weight, their blood sugars drop to normal levels, cholesterol goes down, and if they've been experiencing neuropathy, it usually goes away. Can't argue about those results, although sadly many will.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Terri said:


> I got diabetes from it also.
> 
> As you say, "my numbers were heading I the wrong direction", so my doctor told me I could NOT be staying on my diet because my numbers were getting worse, but I was staying on the diet. For my next appointment a year later they sort of hit the panic button with meds called in for my now-high triglycerides and the whole 10 yards. You know, *the diabetic diet has its flaws also*, but I sure felt better when I quit eating so many carbs!


Terri, thank you for sharing!

If you would, I'd be very interested to hear about the flaws of the diabetic diet. Though I had been leaning in that direction, I hadn't gotten to full crisis state yet, and for that I am thankful. It may make changing the way I eat a little less dramatic and traumatic but I am definitely making efforts at moving away from heavy carbs.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Belfrybat said:


> ...
> 
> I follow a modified version of Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution diet. His diet is low carb, moderate protein and fat. Most people who stick to his diet not only lose weight, their blood sugars drop to normal levels, cholesterol goes down, and if they've been experiencing neuropathy, it usually goes away. Can't argue about those results, although sadly many will.


If the low carb, moderate protein and moderate fat diet includes plenty of non-starchy veggies, that sounds a lot like where I'm trying to go. I'll have to look up Dr. Bernstein's diet to get more details.

P.S. To the OP, I hope I haven't hijacked the thread in directions you didn't intend. I find this all quite interesting and am appreciating the conversation very much! Thanks to all who are posting! ... even though I'm not the one who started the thread.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Skamp said:


> I'm kinda sorta laughing.
> 
> Destroy the system and pay the price. You're choices lead to these blood levels.
> 
> ...


I don't see what's funny


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Bellyman said:


> The problem is, "balanced" according to who? There are so many people and organizations that claim to be the ultimate authority on healthful diet and they are varied so widely that it leads to a lot of confusion.
> 
> Though I will admit that one size may not fit all, I do appreciate the actual experience of actual people with actual ways of eating and the results they've experienced by eating that way. If you are just fine with the myplate.org suggestions, I'm truly happy for you. If eating that way caused you difficulty, I would hope you'd explore alternatives to find out what would work for you beyond the latest pill that you can take for the rest of your life.


Couldn't of said it better! Different things work for different people. I have seen the great success my in-laws have had on Atkins,that's why I decided to give it a shot


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Bellyman said:


> If the low carb, moderate protein and moderate fat diet includes plenty of non-starchy veggies, that sounds a lot like where I'm trying to go. I'll have to look up Dr. Bernstein's diet to get more details.
> 
> P.S. To the OP, I hope I haven't hijacked the thread in directions you didn't intend. I find this all quite interesting and am appreciating the conversation very much! Thanks to all who are posting! ... even though I'm not the one who started the thread.


Doesn't bother me any,I love hearing everyones views and experiences


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

Belfrybat said:


> As to doctors "sounding out warnings" about low carb diets, the opposite is actually true. Low carb is becoming more and more mainstream as the health professionals realise what they've been preaching for the last 30 years (high carb/low fat) has brought on the current epidemic of diabetes and heart disease.


Atkins
Sugar busters
Keto
Paleo
"Clean" eating

All different stops on the same continuum. I do Atkins (when I'm watching what I eat), my sister does Paleo, my husband does Keto.

Neither of them will admit the similarities and swear Atkins is going to kill me.

I just laugh.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

cfuhrer said:


> Atkins
> Sugar busters
> Keto
> Paleo
> ...


Oh I see the similarities! I lost 83 pounds on Paleo 3 years ago. I loved the "diet" but decided to try Atkins this time to see faster results


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Belfrybat said:


> If your friend followed the Atkins diet as it is supposed to be followed, there is no way his heart disease was related to the diet. When "climbing" the ladder, a person adds carbs each week in a specific fashion and once the weight loss slows down or stops, a person will be taking in over 60 grams of carb a day. That is plenty for a body's needs.
> Most people equate "Atkins Diet" to a no carb high fat diet, and that is not true except for the first two weeks of induction.
> 
> As to doctors "sounding out warnings" about low carb diets, the opposite is actually true. Low carb is becoming more and more mainstream as the health professionals realise what they've been preaching for the last 30 years (high carb/low fat) has brought on the current epidemic of diabetes and heart disease. The SAD is almost identical to the diet fed cattle to fatten them up.
> ...


I agree. I noticed the article provided in the post you are responding to is actually 14 years old!


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

I think any diet you just want to do short term (to slim down for the big dance...) is a bad one. You should be looking for a diet you can live with the rest of your life. Thats why the calorie counting stuff doesnt work long term. You are constantly fighting your own body.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Bellyman said:


> If the low carb, moderate protein and moderate fat diet includes plenty of non-starchy veggies, that sounds a lot like where I'm trying to go. I'll have to look up Dr. Bernstein's diet to get more details.
> 
> P.S. To the OP, I hope I haven't hijacked the thread in directions you didn't intend. I find this all quite interesting and am appreciating the conversation very much! Thanks to all who are posting! ... even though I'm not the one who started the thread.


Dr. Bernstein's diet and exercise program is pretty rigorous. Also pretty meat heavy IMHO. He also likes artificial sweeteners. But you cant argue with success. He walks the walk and as he points out, has outlived his contemporaries with type 1 diabetes and still in good health. All type 1's need injected insulin, but his regimen has minimalized the need as much as possible. 

Probably not for casual dieter, but I'd highly recommend any diabetic read it, for inspiration if nothing else. Especially type 1 diabetics.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

I'm definitely NOT a fan of artificial sweeteners. I'm not really much of a fan of artificial anything. So that's not been all that difficult.

The most difficult stuff has been, a slice of bread under my eggs in the morning, mashed and creamed potatoes that go so well with just about any other vegetable, starchy beans, and now that peaches are coming in season, peaches. We put a few in the freezer for the potential of some treats at some time in the future but right now, I know they're real big sugar bombs.  

On the upside, I noticed my pants weren't as hard to put on this morning. Guess that's a good thing.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

HermitJohn said:


> Dr. Bernstein's diet and exercise program is pretty rigorous. Also pretty meat heavy IMHO. He also likes artificial sweeteners. But you cant argue with success. He walks the walk and as he points out, has outlived his contemporaries with type 1 diabetes and still in good health. All type 1's need injected insulin, but his regimen has minimalized the need as much as possible.
> 
> Probably not for casual dieter, but I'd highly recommend any diabetic read it, for inspiration if nothing else. Especially type 1 diabetics.


I agree that in it's pure form it is strict. But a definite life saver for Type 1s and very beneficial for Type 2s. I'm Type 2 so I modified his diet to include low carb - low glycemic veggies and fruits. I take in around 60 - 70 grams of carb a day (when I'm behaving myself) and have reduced meds by more than half. I've been diabetic going on 15 years and have not experienced any neuropathy. I can't say the same for three of my friends who continue to eat SAD and take meds to cover their meals. All three have developed complications, and can't figure out why since "they are following the prescribed diabetic diet". Unfortunately they all believed the bad press about low carb diets. 

But getting back to the OP -- according to Dr. Mike Eades (Protein Power), a low carb diet of between 30 - 60 grams of carb a day will promote weight loss plus reduce cholesterol and heart disease. And he has years of experience eating this way himself plus tons of data showing it works. He does not believe one needs to go lower than 30 grams a day, but also says there's no danger in doing so for healthy people. When you subtract fiber, his recommendation equates to 40 - 80 grams of whole carbs.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

HermitJohn said:


> I think any diet you just want to do short term (to slim down for the big dance...) is a bad one. You should be looking for a diet you can live with the rest of your life. Thats why the calorie counting stuff doesnt work long term. You are constantly fighting your own body.


This for me is a long term plan.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Bellyman said:


> I'm definitely NOT a fan of artificial sweeteners. I'm not really much of a fan of artificial anything. So that's not been all that difficult.
> 
> The most difficult stuff has been, a slice of bread under my eggs in the morning, mashed and creamed potatoes that go so well with just about any other vegetable, starchy beans, and now that peaches are coming in season, peaches. We put a few in the freezer for the potential of some treats at some time in the future but right now, I know they're real big sugar bombs.
> 
> On the upside, I noticed my pants weren't as hard to put on this morning. Guess that's a good thing.


I'm same way,no artificial sweeteners for me. I rather go without


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

I'm thinking more in terms of making good food choices a habit rather than "putting myself on a diet." I spent 50+ years eating potatoes at nearly every meal. I spent 50+ years eating bread at nearly every meal. Over the past few years, I've become quite a good baker. And I was taught that this was healthy. (I was taught from a young age that eating fake meat was a good thing, too, they even called it "health food.") Uugh!!

I had come to the point some years ago that I finally woke up and took a good hard look at the ingredients list on the fake meat stuff and said, "Stop the insanity!" 

That said, I suspect that for me, I will come to a point where I can have a few potatoes from time to time or a slice of bread from time to time and be just fine with that, maybe even a sweet dessert on a special occasion. But those things don't need to be habitual daily go-to items anymore. And I think if I spend enough time away from them, developing my taste for other things to eat, it won't be a "diet" so much as a way of eating that will become habit. Had a wonderful supper last night of a piece of wild caught salmon, some steamed broccoli, some grilled zucchini, and a mixed green salad, and that was some good eats, and very satisfying! I just gotta keep finding meals that are really good that leave the less desirable stuff behind. 

That's my take, anyway.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Bellyman said:


> I'm thinking more in terms of making good food choices a habit rather than "putting myself on a diet." I spent 50+ years eating potatoes at nearly every meal. I spent 50+ years eating bread at nearly every meal. Over the past few years, I've become quite a good baker. And I was taught that this was healthy. (I was taught from a young age that eating fake meat was a good thing, too, they even called it "health food.") Uugh!!
> 
> I had come to the point some years ago that I finally woke up and took a good hard look at the ingredients list on the fake meat stuff and said, "Stop the insanity!"
> 
> ...


It amazes me what food we grow up eating and have no clue how bad it really is for us


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Bellyman said:


> I'm definitely NOT a fan of artificial sweeteners. I'm not really much of a fan of artificial anything. So that's not been all that difficult.
> 
> The most difficult stuff has been, a slice of bread under my eggs in the morning, mashed and creamed potatoes that go so well with just about any other vegetable, starchy beans, and now that peaches are coming in season, peaches. We put a few in the freezer for the potential of some treats at some time in the future but right now, I know they're real big sugar bombs.
> 
> On the upside, I noticed my pants weren't as hard to put on this morning. Guess that's a good thing.


Actually peaches are one of those amazing exceptions for diabetic. I was amazed I could eat a fresh ripe peach without affecting my blood sugar much at all. Blueberries and blackberries same. I assume they have lot fiber. Grapes and bananas and tomatoes a big no-no, they have little fiber.

I suspect unsweetened beans be ok for non-diabetic, unlikely you will overeat on them. For diabetic there some have much lower glycemic load than others. Soybeans being lowest. But mung, garbonzo, and black beans not bad. I dont bother, cooking beans in such tiny quantity not worth it. I suppose maybe lentils if it was really important to me somehow, but it isnt.


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## Elffriend (Mar 2, 2003)

CajunSunshine, that link is 14 years old. It also refers to Atkins as a high protein diet. It isn't. It's high fat, moderate protein and low carb. So much more research has been done in the last 14 years.

I follow the old Atkins approach, before the ladder. I've been doing it for years and no heart problems here. I eat about 30 grams of carbs/day. I am no longer losing weight, but my blood sugar numbers are much better. I still need meds, just not a lot of them.


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