# Atkins?



## MelodyGirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Any thoughts on just doing Atkins for two or three weeks to detox from sugar/carbs and to get over a hump?


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## BlackDog (Jan 6, 2012)

Atkins isn't really necessary, in my opinion. Your body detoxifies constantly. That being said, if weight loss is your goal, Atkins can really work, although I believe it is mostly from calorie restriction rather than carb restriction, despite being a ketogenic diet It is much harder to overconsume calories on Atkins, because it cuts out a lot of calorie dense filler foods. 

I don't think it's ever a bad idea to cut out refined sugar. I don't put sugar in anything, all my sugar comes from natural sources like fruit and vegetables, and if I do need to sweeten something I generally use raw local honey. Generally, you will not over or under consume sugar if you use this approach. I also think most bread and pastas are bad for you, but something like quinoa, starchy vegetables, or brown rice are good in moderation. 

So, I guess I am saying - why Atkins in particular? Are you trying to lose weight? Atkins has it's benefits, but it is a little extreme, in my opinion.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

BlackDog said:


> Atkins isn't really necessary, in my opinion. Your body detoxifies constantly. That being said, if weight loss is your goal, Atkins can really work, although I believe it is mostly from calorie restriction rather than carb restriction, despite being a ketogenic diet It is much harder to overconsume calories on Atkins, because it cuts out a lot of calorie dense filler foods.
> 
> I don't think it's ever a bad idea to cut out refined sugar. I don't put sugar in anything, all my sugar comes from natural sources like fruit and vegetables, and if I do need to sweeten something I generally use raw local honey. Generally, you will not over or under consume sugar if you use this approach. I also think most bread and pastas are bad for you, but something like quinoa, starchy vegetables, or brown rice are good in moderation.
> 
> So, I guess I am saying - why Atkins in particular? Are you trying to lose weight? Atkins has it's benefits, but it is a little extreme, in my opinion.


Current literature supports that all weight loss methods have the same results long-term. So, in Atkins you may lose more weight initially but it levels out in 6-12 months with usual calorie restriction diets, plus, an important amount of weight lost from Atkins is water which is added up again when you re-introduce carbs.
So it's mostly a matter of preference. Atkins can be very hard to keep up with, not sure it's worth the trouble.
I agree about the detox thing and I've said it many times. If some foods bother you, you just cut them out; no need to go on crazy diets to "restore balance".


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## BlackDog (Jan 6, 2012)

Red Panda said:


> Current literature supports that all weight loss methods have the same results long-term. So, in Atkins you may lose more weight initially but it levels out in 6-12 months with usual calorie restriction diets, plus, an important amount of weight lost from Atkins is water which is added up again when you re-introduce carbs.
> So it's mostly a matter of preference. Atkins can be very hard to keep up with, not sure it's worth the trouble.
> I agree about the detox thing and I've said it many times. If some foods bother you, you just cut them out; no need to go on crazy diets to "restore balance".


It's really calories in, calories out, no matter which way you turn it. Some people have a hard time with this though, so "rules" can be helpful, and that's where diets come in. Certain foods are more satisfying for less calories, so eating more of those and less processed or calorie-dense "filler" foods will elevate your chances of success. 

I agree that some foods ought to be cut out or, at minimum, enjoyed in moderation. There is far too much refined sugar and salt in the average person's diet. Eating purely whole foods, nothing packaged, pretty much guarantees you will not be eating those items in excess. Fresh meat, poultry, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds are all very nutrient rich and you'd have to eat a hell of a lot of them to overdose on just about anything. 

Our kidneys and liver are detoxifiers and they are excellent at what they do. All they really need is adequate water and decent enough nutrition to keep them in top shape. All those juice diet fads are nonsense, and often damaging.


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## the_natrix (Aug 10, 2011)

MelodyGirl said:


> Any thoughts on just doing Atkins for two or three weeks to detox from sugar/carbs and to get over a hump?


With such a short term plan I recommend not going full blown Atkins. Instead I suggest adding some protein and fat in the place of some of the lower protein carb sources. Personally I'd get a meal in your day with great northern beans (or peas if you like) with some eggs.


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## MelodyGirl (Dec 18, 2010)

I've worked really hard for two years - after two pregnancies close together - and I only have 5-8 pounds left to lose. It's killing me to be so close, yet not there. I've plateaued for a while. Many weeks I workout 6x a week, and I eat very few calories, but it hit me that most of the calories were sugar/carbs. So I was just trying to kickstart my body into losing the last five, right before a wedding where I'm a bridesmaid, and then slowly add better whole grain carbs back into my diet while continuing to restrict the sugar.


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## BlackDog (Jan 6, 2012)

Just out of curiosity, how many calories have you been at while restricting?


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## MelodyGirl (Dec 18, 2010)

It's greatly varied, but usually around 1000. *wince*


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## OberonHuxley (Jun 2, 2013)

I would not do the atkins diet...instead I would eat so much broccoli every day and drink a few gallons of water...while eating enough carbs to stay mentally happy....and doing cardio for 40 minutes a day at a slow and easy pace mixed with bodyweight exercises..


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## haephestia (May 13, 2013)

Stop focusing on weight, it is the shittiest measure of fitness and progress toward an ideal body size and muscle mass. Focus on body fat and strength and you will be much further ahead.


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## MelodyGirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Okay, then I have a little bit left of a stomach I want to get rid of. 
I *am* much stronger than I've ever been in my life. At least there's that!


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## WillyT (Jul 22, 2013)

I started low-carb dieting to combat blood sugar problems about ten years ago. It's worked quite well. I still keep my carb count under about 100g/day. All health indicators are very good.


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## Devin87 (May 15, 2011)

It really depends on your body. FTR, calories in, calories out is BS. The human body is much, MUCH more complex than that. Some people could starve themselves and not lose a pound depending on what they're eating and what their body does with it. Others (think the rail thin skeletor guy whose entire existence is sitting on his parents' couch eating Doritos and playing video games) could eat 1000s of calories a day over what they should-- all of it complete junk-- and not be able to gain a pound if they wanted to. We have this perception as a society (including most doctors) that if someone's limiting their calories and exercise and they're not losing any weight (an extremely common, extremely frustrating problem) they must secretly be sneaking full pints of Ben and Jerry's every night before bed or something. Aka-- they're just a fat, lazy slob and only putting on a show of diet and exercise and the fact that they're not losing weight is a direct indicator of their underlying poor character. After years of that mental abuse and degradation without any results, why even bother any more?

In reality, the type of calories you put into your body and the type of exercise matter a whole heck of a lot. If this person has tried low fat diets or just plain low calorie diets and they haven't worked, low carb may very well be the right diet for them. For many people with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance problems (a good chunk of overweight people), low carb really is the best solution as it limits your blood sugar and your body's production of insulin which stops it from storing too many calories as fat. Atkins is good to start with (for that initial junk start), but it's hard to live with long term. I'd look into something like Primal or Paleo (depending on how your body does with diary). Really it's just a matter of trying things until something works for you and then listening to your body and tweaking as you go.


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## MelodyGirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Good thoughts!


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## William I am (May 20, 2011)

MelodyGirl said:


> Any thoughts on just doing Atkins for two or three weeks to detox from sugar/carbs and to get over a hump?


Sugars might be a bit unhealthy (depending on their source), but carbs are in no way whatsoever bad for you, especially complex carbs.

I did go on a very restricted diet a couple summers ago to help me start losing weight, and it helped. 
There's nothing to detox from, and Atkins is only useful if you have intractible seizures or follow the diet of "eat everything I feel like all the time".


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## General Lee Awesome (Sep 28, 2014)

the term detox does not make sense what so ever. its a gimmicky word used by wackjobs in order to sell stuff to people. if you want to "detox" yourself, there is nothing you need to do except to drink water, and your kidneys will filter your blood out. its a natural process. no i also do not recommand the fab diets. its not really what you eat that matters, its how much you eat. the truth about atkin dieting, is not the loss of carbs that make you lose weight, its still because of portion sizes. in the end everything turn into energy and stored as fat, it doesnt matter if its fat or protein or carb to begin with. oh btw, eating pure protein and no carb is very harmful to your body and can cause protein poisoning. its actually more toxic for you.


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## Friday (Jun 1, 2012)

The only way to diet is to eat till you're full and exercise. You may lose 100 lbs. doing some diet, but you wont be able to keep it off unless you eat till you're full and exercise.

The problem with dieting for "cutting" is that unless you're a body builder going to show, or an athlete trying to make weight, you're really not going to accomplish anything.

Learn to eat healthy. You can eat till you're full and never gain a pound. For example, if you learn to love broccoli, you can eat that till you're ready to barf, and still be under your caloric goal. Or, you can eat one cheese burger, go hungry, and be over your goal.

Secondly, you dont want to be skinny and out of shape. You need to exercise. Also, exercising will make you not as hungry vs. sitting on your ass. You know when I cram myself full of junk? When I sit around and look for stuff to eat. I'll eat a whole pizza, two boxes of mac n cheese, ect. The only reason why im 150 lbs. and in decent shape is because the other 6 days a week I eat healthy, and are physically active.

Thirdly, dont even "subscribe" to diet food. It's expensive, and wont develop the self-control you need for after you come off the system.

Chicken and broccoli is my go-to meal. Brown rice in the microwave. Take pre-cooked frozen chicken breast out from the freezer and hit it up in the frying pan with some EVOO. While that is warming up, prep broccoli. Once the chicken is warm add a little bit of water for steam and add broccoli. Put lid on to steam. 5 mins. you have a healthy meal. You can add any jarred sauce you like if that doesnt have enough flavor at the same time the chicken is about done.


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