Fifty Plus (50+) - Any Atkins Dieters here?

Not looking to start a debate on the pros and cons of the Atkins diet, just wondering if there are any 50+ers who have used it. Feel free to PM me if you'd rather.

I tried doing it a few years ago. I definitely lost weight but I bonked every time that I tried bicycling more than about 25 miles. I'd rather be fat.

Is it still around?

Atkins needs to be supplemented/changed for those doing a lot of exercise, i.e., bicycling.

Not Atkins, but I have tried Body for Life and South Beach (both less "radical"). I lost a fair amount of weight on Body for Life several years back(which includes cardio and strength training).

For me, Weight Watchers has been the best. Now down to 210 lbs from 221.5 8 weeks ago. A couple of years ago I was at 240. Lost down to 221.5 simply by eating less and exercising more.

You can't expect to bring up something as controversial as Atkins and have no discussion.:D

Geez.... Just stop eating pie!

THe horror! "Stop eating pie" :eek:

Who diets? Just RIDE!!!!

I thought it was "Atkins is dead, pass the bread"? No?

I'm going to have to read up on the South Beach Diet and Body for Life. Then, maybe I will have some idea what it is that everyone seems to think is so radical about the Atkins Diet.

Gary, read Atkins book. Read a couple of other books by writers with different opinions. Talk to your doctor. Only then can you make an INFORMED decision as to whether the Atkins Diet or any other 'Diet' is appropriate for you. I happen to think there is a lot of good solid information in Atkins' book. I read the book on the advice of my doctor.

Very little of the nutritional and dietary research cited by Atkins was actually performed by Atkins. Contrary to what seems to be a popular belief, yau can eat pie while on the Atkins diet. To paraphrase the Dalai Lama, reading Atkins and/or others will help you to learn the rules so you can break them properly, if and when you choose to do so.

Tried it about a year and a half ago and went from 198 to 172 in about three months. It works great for me while doing it because you get to eat plenty of satisfying food. As soon as you go off of it, the weight comes back on. Oops, that last observation was before I was riding regularly. I am riding about 80 to 100 miles a week now and losing about 1 to 2 pounds a week without any dieting.

No diet ever works long term, because people always have the attitude that they will go on and off the diet - diet till the lose X numbers of pounds, then stop! The diet fad of the month never works on a permanent basis! Never!
I've found just eat a well rounded diet (hate to use that word!) but less of it, and ride, and the weight goes down. I've lost about 25 pounds this summer just doing that, but now that the biking season is rounding up here in cold ND, some will go back on by spring! I absolutely HATE exercising in a Gym or on a bike, even in a pool! Boring!! Maybe if it snows I can get out the X country skiis.........

The only way to lose weight and to keep it off is to maintain a somewhat strenuous exercise regimen. I concur with bobkat -- make a long-term commitment to eating healthful food. I think fat restriction (particularly saturated fats) makes alot more sense than severe carbohydrate restriction for anyone who exercises regularly. The Atkins diet is a cyclic fad which re-emerges periodically, gets discredited, and fades away, only to re-emerge for a whole new generation.

Please tell me if this is Adkins.
Veggies and fish for lunch and dinner. Oatmeal for breakfast with fresh fruit. Substitute slimfast for some lunches and dinner.
The result of this ordeal? Lost 40 lbs and went from size 40 to 34. Only moderate biking and hiking was possible. I got off this diet with extreeme exercise and been able to keep my weight steady.

I tried doing it a few years ago. I definitely lost weight but I bonked every time that I tried bicycling more than about 25 miles. I'd rather be fat.

Rumor has it that one can ride a bike *and* lose weight, without resorting to radical diets like Atkins.

Most of the thin cyclists I know follow the "Eat Healthy Food in Moderate Quantities and Exercise Regularly" diet. It's not rocket science.

Somewhat off topic, my Doc talked me into an experiment: I would try South Beach for 8 weeks to see if it would raise my HDL. Well, the operation was a success and the patient died. The SB diet is unchanging if you are 150 or 250 pounds. It doesn't vary if you have frequent 2500 calory workouts or no workouts.

For those 8 weeks I got hypoglycemia (sp?) every time I went to the gym. It was a non-riding time in my life so I didn't kill myself.

If you want to ride or engage in any activity you need glycogens and they come from carbs.

Please tell me if this is Adkins.
Veggies and fish for lunch and dinner. Oatmeal for breakfast with fresh fruit. Substitute slimfast for some lunches and dinner. . .


Nope.

It has been my observation that most of the people who bash Atkins have never read his book nor actually seriously tried the diet. I lost 54 pounds in four months following the Atkins diet. Someone above this post hit the nail on the head . . . most dieters think once you lose the amount of weight you are satisfied with you can go back to your bad diet habits.

I've followed the basic Atkins approach for 3+ years now. Originally lost about 20 lbs., I stabilzed there. Never had a problem with bonking or cycling in general. I average about 6000 miles a year. Also took my cholesterol down 20 points and lowered my triglycerides to "the level of an elite athlete" in the words of my doctor.

Atkins for me meant nothing more than dropping cereal, bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, soda, cookies, cakes and other white flour based foodstuffs. Breakfast is eggs 3 days a week, oatmeal 2. Lunch is some microwave thing with less than 40g carbs. Dinner = fish, chicken, pork and the occasional beef with a vegetable or salad.

Doesn't sound super unhealthy, does it?

Weekends I eat a pop tart or yogury and a couple of pieces of sausage prior to my 30-60 mile rides. I use slow carb power bars during the ride and I never drink "sports drinks." Water only.

You simply need to make sure you prepare properly for rides. The rest of the time, eat sensibly.

If you want to ride or engage in any activity you need glycogens and they come from carbs.

after having gastric bypass I eat a diet high in protein and very few carbs (20 grams per day or less) most days. This is a diet very similar to the SB, Atkins, etc. We call it a "protein foward" diet. Even if there are carbs in a meal I will eat only the protein first until I have reached my daily goal of at least 60-70 grams of protein. Then if I have room to eat some carbs I will but protein is always first. I can only eat about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food so I make sure the proteinis are first.

I have never bonked on a ride since surgery. Average speed has increased from 15 mph to 19 mph+ on 30+ mile rides (our average ride). My blood sugars have been fantastic. Just got my blood work back from the Dr and after 4 months my total cholesterol went from 300 to 130. And I do not take any medicaion for the cholesterol.

I have to cast my vote for the high protein low carb diet. Yes we do need some carbs but carbs are highly over-rated by the good folks that make sports food like Power Bars, Gels etc... Hey but the marketing of the carbs does sell the stuff, so...

Linda

It has been my observation that most of the people who bash Atkins have never read his book nor actually seriously tried the diet.


I couldn't agree more. As I told DigitalGee earlier, read the book. Read a book with an opposing view. Then make an informed decision and/or comment.



Someone above this post hit the nail on the head . . . most dieters think once you lose the amount of weight you are satisfied with you can go back to your bad diet habits.


+1 Just by following the basic principles of the Atkins diet, which is not that mch different from any other reduced carb diet, I lowered my triglyceride level, my LDL and I no longer need to take any meds for acid reflux. Weight control is not my primary reason for trying to follow a reduced carb diet. Make no mistake about it, I still consume carbs (think Irma's). I am much more selective about the source and level of processing of those carbs than I had been in the past.

after having gastric bypass I eat a diet high in protein and very few carbs (20 grams per day or less) most days. This is a diet very similar to the SB, Atkins, etc. We call it a "protein foward" diet. Even if there are carbs in a meal I will eat only the protein first until I have reached my daily goal of at least 60-70 grams of protein. Then if I have room to eat some carbs I will but protein is always first. I can only eat about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food so I make sure the proteinis are first.

I have never bonked on a ride since surgery. Average speed has increased from 15 mph to 19 mph+ on 30+ mile rides (our average ride). My blood sugars have been fantastic. Just got my blood work back from the Dr and after 4 months my total cholesterol went from 300 to 130. And I do not take any medicaion for the cholesterol.

I have to cast my vote for the high protein low carb diet. Yes we do need some carbs but carbs are highly over-rated by the good folks that make sports food like Power Bars, Gels etc... Hey but the marketing of the carbs does sell the stuff, so...

Linda

I'm glad that it works for you. The SB diet has portions that do not vary for any reason. I guess that my non-exercise days use something like 2,000 calories. A hard ride will consume >2,000 calories according to my computer. If I don't consume 4,000 I don't see how I won't bonk. While I followed the SB diet, to the letter (which may have been stupid, but I can follow instructions!) I was eating well less than half of what I usually eat. I wasn't tested but I believe that I was in ketosis.