Remember how everyone and their dog was on a carb watching diet last year..fast food joints were even catering to the fad..But recently Atkins Nutritionals filed for bankruptcy and all my co-workers who swore by carb counting gained all their weight back and are trying some new fad.

'Twas a fad that died out quickly.

I'm up to 180,872,292,643

All those people on a carb diet ate so much fat they all had heart attacks and died.   I'm still kicking doing the Weight Watchers thing, though.

People realized that Atkins made sense only if you were diabetic.

For everyone else, it limited yummy food and reduced consumption of other beneficial nutrients like vitamins and fiber.

1 gram of fat is 9 calories
1 gram of carbs is 4 cal.

why do people think carbs are so evil?

Low carb diets only work because people are making themselves sick.

Losing weight is not even that complicated - just don't eat as much and become more active. It's not a secret.

I don't know what happened, but I'm glad this fad is dead.  Low carb, no carb shit was everywhere.

I'm still on it ("low carb", not "no carb")

It is still working. Kept 40lbs off for 6 years.

I'm still on it as well.  Been 2 years now.  Not really counting the carbs anymore but not eating the hi-carb stuff or sweets like I used to.  So far I've dropped 175 lbs doing it.

Huh, it died when Atkin died.

1,2,3,4,5.......1999,2000

I'm guessing it all went Tango Uniform when the Atkins company declared bankruptcy earlier this year.

Counting carbs is a smart thing to do... Just keep the fat down too. I lost some weight a couple years ago on a modified Atkins diet (with exercise, I think the that was the most important part for my body) and have for the most part kept it off.

Quoted: Low carb diets only work because people are making themselves sick. Losing weight is not even that complicated - just don't eat as much and become more active. It's not a secret.

It's not a secret, but it seems like people have a hard time doing it.Want to be a millionaire. Think of a new diet o or a newr name for it, bam, instant best seller.

People eventually realized it was complete bullshit.

Quoted: People eventually realized it was complete bullshit.

Not true, I lost 80 pounds using the Atkins formula back in 98 before the "fad" started.


I blame the diets demise on the 2 second attention span of the sheeple.

Fad diet, just like every other bullshit diet that has come down the pipe over the last 30 years.

Wow, I dropped 25 lbs. in the last 9 months doing nothing more than eating less.

It's funny,

My mom was on the ATkins, and lost some weight, and she looked good.

Then she quit that at my urging and tried just eating less and healthier, as well as light cardio and work-outs.

She has lost more weight then on atkins, in less time!

I'm glad that fas is dying out, I was so sick of seeing lo-carb at hole in the wall chinese food places.

Your body NEEDS carbs to turn into glycogen for your muscles.

As with everything else, MODERATION and EXCERSIZE is the key to healthy living.

Nothing replaces exercise.  Counting carbs and such will help, but it not the total answer.

Low carb diets do work. The reason people gave up on low carb diets is because their heads can't stand not eating pasta, bread, potatoes and cake.

Carbohydrates are unnecesary for a healthy diet.
You get all the nutrients you need from meats and vegetables. There is not even one nutrient contained in grain or potatoes that is unavailable anywhere else. All carbs do is provide energy and convert into fat. You can get the energy from fat and protein without getting fat.

Just eat vegetables and meat, there is no need for anything else.

Quoted: Your body NEEDS carbs to turn into glycogen for your muscles.

No. Protein and fat convert as well.

Hey, don't be down on something just because you don't want to do it.  It works for alot of people.

I've been doing Atkins for a month and a half, I'm down 15 pounds, I feel great.  I have yet to feel hungry or deprived.   Those who have done it and wound up with cardio problems didn't do it right.  I mean, come on.  You can't eat bacon with every meal.  Just because protein is a free item, doesn't mean you can go "hog wild".  You still have to be smart, exercise regularly, drink water, and so on.

And it's not CARB FREE.  Carbs aren't just bread/rice/pasta.  Carbs are everywhere, you just have to select the ones that aren't BAD CARBS.

What's so unhealthy about eating tons of vegetables and protein?

i did my own version of the south beach diet.

it was only supposed to be no carbs for the first two weeks.  I only did LOW carbs for the first two weeks (<15 carbs/day), then I went up to 25 for the next two weeks, then 50, then 100.  Finally after about 2-3 months I lost the 30 pounds that was my goal.  PEOPLE WERE AMAZED.

Now its simply low carb still...under 200...on a good day.  The books say most people should have 300 or less a day.  Yes I still get the carbs, yes I lost weight...so WTF is the problem??????

I wonder how those low carb and no carb ONLY stores fared thru all this lately.

Quoted: What's so unhealthy about eating tons of vegetables and protein?

So, that's how you stay so pretty!

Quoted: The reason people gave up on low carb diets is because their heads can't stand not eating pasta, bread, potatoes and cake.

I'd bet a small amount of money that 50% or more of the carbs consumed by ARFCOM members is in the form of beer.

Quoted: Quoted: What's so unhealthy about eating tons of vegetables and protein? So, that's how you stay so pretty!

 Why, thank you kind Sir!

Quoted: Low carb diets do work. The reason people gave up on low carb diets is because their heads can't stand not eating pasta, bread, potatoes and cake. Carbohydrates are unnecesary for a healthy diet. You get all the nutrients you need from meats and vegetables. There is not even one nutrient contained in grain or potatoes that is unavailable anywhere else. All carbs do is provide energy and convert into fat. You can get the energy from fat and protein without getting fat. Just eat vegetables and meat, there is no need for anything else.

BINGO...

That is the truth.

There is a whole lot of ignorance in this thread. All the Atkins does is take modern junk out of the diet. The Adkins diet gets rid of most of the processed sugar that was not in the human diet before the last half of the 20th Century.

Atkins diet is high fat only if you want to make it high fat… you can do the Atkins diet low fat if you want.

Quoted: There is a whole lot of ignorance in this thread.

That's for sure.


Losing or gaining weight is about one thing, and one thing only.  Are you burning more fuel than you are taking in, or are you taking in more fuel than you are burning.


All of the diet fads try to obscure this with bullshit that might have some TINY effect on the margin, but is completely irrelevant to the overall balance between intake and consumption.


You can LOSE weight eating ANYTHING you want - ice cream, lard, nothing but potatoes, etc. - just make sure you are burning up more calories than you are taking in.  The FORM of the calories is largely irrelevant, but on the margin it might make a difference to some people.

The fact that Atkins-type diets have "worked" for some people does not mean it makes any sense or there is any validity to it.  

Quoted: I'm still on it ("low carb", not "no carb") It is still working. Kept 40lbs off for 6 years.

+1.  most dieticians agree that limiting sugars and other carbs would be an effective part of any diet program.

I say go with works for you -- people are different  and some diet plans are easier to maintain for some than others.

I count them on the way out...or should I say measure them.

Quoted: it was only supposed to be no carbs for the first two weeks.  I only did LOW carbs for the first two weeks (<15 carbs/day), then I went up to 25 for the next two weeks, then 50, then 100.  Finally after about 2-3 months I lost the 30 pounds that was my goal.  PEOPLE WERE AMAZED.

That is EXACTLY what I did. Good job!

Asked the doctor - apparently many people who don't drink enough water on Atkins develop kidney stones.  Definately take calcium supplements if you don't drink milk.

Quoted: Asked the doctor - apparently many people who don't drink enough water on Atkins develop kidney stones.  Definately take calcium supplements if you don't drink milk.

Or just eat the right vegetables, and eat the cheese.  Broccoli, cabbage, Spinach, Cauliflower...they're all full of calcium.

Quoted: Quoted: There is a whole lot of ignorance in this thread. That's for sure. Losing or gaining weight is about one thing, and one thing only.  Are you burning more fuel than you are taking in, or are you taking in more fuel than you are burning. All of the diet fads try to obscure this with bullshit that might have some TINY effect on the margin, but is completely irrelevant to the overall balance between intake and consumption. You can LOSE weight eating ANYTHING you want - ice cream, lard, nothing but potatoes, etc. - just make sure you are burning up more calories than you are taking in.  The FORM of the calories is largely irrelevant, but on the margin it might make a difference to some people. The fact that Atkins-type diets have "worked" for some people does not mean it makes any sense or there is any validity to it.

Bullshit.

Its based on a chemical principle  and it works.  Like any diet though, if you go back to your bad habits, you will simply gain the weight back.

Saying that it simply comes down to calories in and calories out ignores the fact that metabolic rates vary per person and based upon diet.   Low carb eating gives a metabolic increase. that is a fact and if you want to dispute it then go ahead.  

Other diets use other methods to generate a metabolic increase.    The atkins is the simplest method that I have seen though.

Why are people so down on this diet?  Because it's restrictive?  It's a heck of alot easier to stick to this diet than anything else I've ever done.

It's unhealthy?  Yeah...it sure is.
take today, for instance.  I had an egg white omelet with cheddar cheese and 2 turkey sausage links.  For lunch I had a salad with grilled chicken.
For a snack I have prepared a small bag of 1oz. of pumpkin seeds.
I've already drunk 4 16 oz bottles of water.
And for dinner I'm having pork tenderloin and sauteed spinach.

MAN.  I can see why so many people are down on this diet.  That DOES sound bad for me.

<shaking head...people put down that which they know nothing about>

If carbs didn't taste so good I wouldn't have so much of a problem giving them up.  

I love French - I mean Freedom bread, pancakes, pizza crust, pasta...

Oh well. I wouldn't mind losing 10-15 but I'm in a good place right now. Namely, eating tasty, tasty carbs in moderation and working out a bit in the morning.

Quoted: Losing or gaining weight is about one thing, and one thing only.  Are you burning more fuel than you are taking in, or are you taking in more fuel than you are burning.

Academically, yes. In practice, not so true.  As usual, real world details intrude.

The goal is really not just to lose weight, the goal is to lose excess fat. Wouldn't you like a diet that lost you no weight because you burnt off the fat and put on muscle for a net of zero body weight? Low-carb diets are the closest thing to that ideal that is possible. As a lifestyle, consuming your normal level of calories (consistent with the desired BMI), that is what low carb diets do.

You can LOSE weight eating ANYTHING you want - ice cream, lard, nothing but potatoes, etc. - just make sure you are burning up more calories than you are taking in.  The FORM of the calories is largely irrelevant, but on the margin it might make a difference to some people. The fact that Atkins-type diets have "worked" for some people does not mean it makes any sense or there is any validity to it.

Yes, if you ate only a teaspoon of sugar per day, you would lose weight. I've seen a lot of people who do these traditional "cut calories to the bone" diets. What they often end up being is skinny and fat at the same time. Have you ever seen a 5'5" 110 woman that is fat? Can you say "cottage cheese"?

Atkins works for me also. I lost 40lbs in 8 weeks..... it is "LOW carb" not "NO carb" .. all these people that insist "Atkins is crap, you NEED carbs!" ... duh, like I said, they don't tell you not to eat carbs, just reduce the carbs. I think it is a great kickoff diet. Loose some weight then get into a more sociably acceptable routine I guess....

and another thing is...once you get to losing weight....your metabolism has a much easier time burning up what you do get.  Once you start getting skinnier, you start having more energy which means you want and are able to do more.  Once you are doing more...you burn more calories/weight and enhance the process.  Once you get to a target weight (and you should have one)...you really feel great and may even start exercising alot.  Then in turn you start losing more weight until you don't exist any more.

Giving up carbs is easy.  Just have the Dr. tell you that you're a diabetic, and that you have to start testing your blood glucose level 4 times a day & that if the meds don't work, you'll have to take shots the rest of your life.  

I've gotten my A1C down to a 6.0, lost 30 pounds and still losing.  Low carb diets & loads of exercise is the key to weight loss.  Keeping it off will be another story I guess.

Rick

Quoted: People realized that Atkins made sense only if you were diabetic. For everyone else, it limited yummy food and reduced consumption of other beneficial nutrients like vitamins and fiber. 1 gram of fat is 9 calories 1 gram of carbs is 4 cal. why do people think carbs are so evil?

Mostly because... they are, maybe? Not ALL carbs. But a LOT of carbs that we consume on a REGULAR basis ARE. Adkins went bankrupt because they were charging $5 for something that could be MADE for $.50 - people figured out how to utilize stevia (natural sweetener) and the carbs they're consuming are those normally found in fruits and veggies. We SURVIVED and sometimes even THRIVED on what amounts to the paleolithic diet. It's madness to suggest we HAVE to have grains - at least in as significant quantities as we consume them today! And the "new" food pyramid? It's even WORSE than the OLD one, IMO.

I STILL don't "do" bread unless I'm REALLY craving it, but that's REALLY more because of the gluten than the carbs. I still do Coke - NOT Diet, as that shit will kill you, but like 1 or 2 cans/day MAX. And really, the Coke and on RARE occasion, Basmatti rice (I REALLY love Basmatti, and it's pretty low on the glycemic index) is USUALLY all the carbs I get. And I have energy to spare! (If I remember my flax, anyway). Or like tonight - I was craving egg salad. I'm dipping it out w/celery - so no bread, and it's great! BUT! I "cheat" by adding miracle whip (though not much at all) which I'm pretty sure has some bad carbs, and french dressing (again, not much, maybe a teaspoon) which I'm sure has some carbs - but they're not all that.... enough, but not TOO bad. I USUALLY like sweet relish in it, but sometimes I like dill relish - that's the way I went tonight.

The problem is Adkins only had it about 1/2 right... he needed to REALLY emphasize the GOOD fats, and push THOSE while being REASONABLE about the sat fat (not eat as damn much as you want!) that's, IMO irresponsible. But 99% of "snack foods" (if it can REALLY be called "food" )

The issue is we are the ADD country - we stick to NOTHING for long - whether it works or NOT. Nothing (much) holds our attention, and on we move to the next "fad". Been that way as long as I can recall, likely to be that way the rest of my (and your) days.

Not NECESSARIALLY a "bad" thing... but neither, IMO is it a GOOD thing. <shrug>

Quoted: I'm still on it ("low carb", not "no carb") It is still working. Kept 40lbs off for 6 years.

Me too.  Lost 25 in a year, and have kept it off for two.