Training & Nutrition - Atkins

ANYONE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH ATKINS DIETING AND CYCLING?

Yes, when you start putting out lots of energy you will!!!! have to have carbs.

My wife treid it, so I also was on it. They say you don't lose energy but I think that is because most people on it are pretty sedentary to begin with.
While I was on it, I didn't get tired but my max effort was lower like I had a rev limiter. My mile splits while running went from mid sevens to mid tens.
I did lose about ten pounds.

Dr. Atkins passed away last Winter .... no longer there
to support his diet, tragically. But at least he gave his
own unique opinion of dietary quality.

hmmm is it possible for one to excel in competitive cycling using the atkins diet?

Okay, look at this. I personally feel the Atkins diet is one of the most stupid thing ever. Who doesn't need carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are a important part of our lifes. It provides the surge of energy that you need in the morning to keep you awake throughout the rest of the day, that's why breakfast is important.

Secondly, there is something about Atkins diet. It helps to lose weight, definitely. Since you are going to stop the carbohydrates from entering your body, it will only be the fats burning during exercise. However, do remember that during the 1st 25 minutes of exercise, glycogen is the main source being burned. Therefore, no matter what, it is still vital to have carbohydrates, lots of it in fact. This diet doesn't help at all, there are people who immediately put back on the weight as soon as they stop the diet.

Lastly, about competitive cycling, it is tough to excel only by using the atkins diet. For the short sprints, glycogen is the MAIN source and fats play very insignificant roles. For long distance cycling, fats are the main source of energy. Now, hold on a second. Why do athletes like Lance Armstrong keep consuming food rich in carbohydrates? That is because no matter how much fat is being burned, glycogen is still burned. Also, glycogen remains the most effective energy source to be used during exercise. That is why there are recommendations of carbo-loading.

Originally posted by SniperX
hmmm is it possible for one to excel in competitive cycling using the atkins diet?

I'd have to say no. With that being said, if you have a weight problem that you cannot control with proper diet and exercise chances are good that you wouldn't be a competitive cyclist no matter what you ate.

Bike racers are a fairly lean & lightweight bunch in general. To put it in perspective, at 6'1" & 162 lbs, I wouldn't be considered a lightweight when compared to the other guys in my club. One of the faster guys I ride with regularly is 5’9” and tips the scales at 140 even.

I think the problem is the exercise and the diet.

I don't believe the diet is designed for active people. Mainely for couch potatoes, that don't do enough exercise to burn the calories they consume.

I do a modified version of this, when I'm not actively working out, where I try to reduce the carbs I bring in, then increase them according to the activitey that I'm going to do. (though I still take in too many carbs--I LOVE BEER :beer: )

Wow, RC, that's too many "quotes" for me to "follow" and see a "reason" for.

At any rate, I don't see a benefit of the Atkins diet for cyclists or any other endurance athletes. The people that are athletic that I see using it are weight lifters that try to lean up occasionally. The same folks that bulk up using weight gainers use Atkins as a good way to remove the unneccessary bulk. Well, not as a rule, but the few I know seem to like it occasionally. However, again, they're not doing much cardiovascular activity beyond a half hour three or four times a week.

I may be a convert. For years I have laughed at the Atkins diet. I took off 20 pounds over 2 years after picking up cycling again. I went from 215 to 195 lbs. But over the last year I have not lost any more weight because my carbohydrate input has gone up dramatically too. In fact I put on 5 pounds to climb to 200lbs. I use cycling as an excuse to eat more.

So to shake things up I went on the Atkins diet 3 weeks ago. Three things have happened.

1. I've lost 12 more pounds.

2. My appetite has gone down dramatically. I don't crave foods (carbohydrates) between meals or after dinner. This is really unique for me but they say cutting out the sugars does this.

3. I rode in my first longer ride of the season on Sunday. It was a 62.5 mile charity ride for diabetes. I did notice that possibly I didn't have the "explosive" energy for sprinting but I was shocked to see that my stamina was excellent. I had lots of energy left at the end of the ride.

One other good thing about this diet is that I don't count calories or measure anything. I eat as much as I care to whenever I want. But the key is I don't feel the cravings and don't think about eating all the time.

This probably wouldn't be a good diet for a competitive cyclist but so far it has helped this recreational cyclist to start taking off the weight again.

yeah i think the atkins diet would be a good diet for someone who's overweight.... but i think once your weight is down to normal levels, it would be a good idea to switch to a "normal" diet in order to increase glucose-dependent metabolism.

First off, I have not been on the Atkins diet, but I was on a high protein diet for a while to help build muscle.

I now have a cycling coach and he emphasized that I get off the diet immediately! He said that he has had others that he has coached and did not tell him that they were on the atkins diet and ended up passing out while riding.

Atkins is not entirely for couch potatoes.. induction is on 20 g carbs/day but maintenance on 100-150 g of carbs!

I am an endurance cyclist and overweight as well.
Since Oct I've been on a diet that could be called a modified Atkins-diet, but technically it is called: cyclical ketogenic diet.
You do 20 g carbs/day from Mo thru Fri while lifting weights and doing (moderate) cardio and then after a depletion workout on Fri or Sat, start carb loading (some do it strict, other go on a junk food diet for 1-2 days).

I felt great to be no longer a junk food junkie, but spinning lessons were compromised.. so I added back in some carbs around the spinning lessons.. the difference was dramatic: I had the energy needed for extra output for very strenuous exercise but was still low-carbing. I diminished the amt of extra carbs eaten in the weekend and no longer do a depletion WO for that one.. this approach is called: targeted ketogenic diet..

The carb-loading in the weekend though did me in, even when I tried to be fairly strict... I was yoyo-ing all the time..

From Feb thru April I've basically been abroad travelling. I had far less control over what and when I could eat.. it resulted in eating a lot less, but also a bit more carbs.. which was OK since I spent a lot of time cycling.
How detrimental carbs can be when NOT exercising proved my stay in Italy, instead of the usual 7-8 hrs I slept 10-11 hrs/day.. in carb coma indeed.

Now I'm still more or less on the same approach: eat enough carbs during & after strenuous exercise.. which means that since I do brevets, that I eat high-carb food for quite a while... the 600K ride is coming up this Saturday.
Also, I will carb load for the next 3 days (Wed thru Fri) to make sure my muscles are filled to the brim with glycogen.. this will again be done after a severe depletion WO... (both with weights and on the bike)..

So, to sum it up: low-carb as much as possible when NOT exercising, but switch 180 degrees when exercising, and if necessary, start carb-loading way in advance...

I've tried to do iso-caloric eating, but it is much more difficult to be a strict dieter then, due to the increased craving for 'junkfood"..
OTOH, it's often quite a chore to keep eating for such a long time as during a bevet.. esp at night, I have to set my alarm to remind myself to eat..

Biggest prob is that I'm an extremely picky eater now, I refuse to eat hydrogenated fatty acids and prefer health food.. I'll try something in the order of whey-maltodextrin-honey as well as health-food muesli bars , apricots as well as about 1 boiled egg/100K.

Ivana, getting anxious about the ride.. and quite enthusiastic about the ketogenic diet..

BJ - you got it all right!!!! Yea - I'm not a terror cyclist BUT IMHO fat is worse than injesting fewer carbos. I read ATKINS and was very skeptical. Carol forced me on the diet for the first two weeks. Well - I did lose 10#. To date I've lost 25# and I credit my success totally to the ATKINS philosophy. But now I eat what I feel like and would not say that I'm any longer on any diet. ATKINS caused me to be exremely skeptical of the Federal Guide Lines - which incidently are over 40 years old - and the rules that all the Nutritionists use to teach fat Americans how and what to eat. And the Feds are in the process of revising them, because they are in error. Look around you - look at all the jaws moving at CostCo. Chewing away like fatted cows!
The most incredible thing about injesting fewer carbs is the waste products your body DOESN"T produce. No farts, no squishy poo. My cholesterol tests for the first time in 10 years all are below the maximums. When I was 50, I could eat anything I wanted and never gained weight. But things change. Like your body metabilism. And your brain.
What I've cut out: Potatoes in any form, Pasta, Rice, Bread, most things WHITE. I'm not fanatical about most things anymore: Religion, Politics, yo Mamma, anything BUT fat folks.
There is no reason to be fat if you just take charge of yourself. Worst things:read the label on Gatorade - it's pure sugar water and you're paying dearly for the product. Maybe you extreme riders can drink it up and wear the effects off. But there is no reason to take it at all. Water did human kind just fine until Marketing got your attention. It's profit!!!!
I'm not Lance or Tiger or Vanessa and don't want to be. I do want to be presentable in a T-Shirt, and ride 40 miles a day. So fewer carbs is doing it for me and I am not suffering at all. I'll go to any restaurant any day and eat. It's just that I pay attention to what I take in - and am not suckered by some Federally trained Nutritionist - who reads books for experience and gets paid to pass the words on to unsuspecting juvenile minds.

So "bonker off unless you've put your feet in my mocassins"

Hey tlippy - 25 pounds! That's great! I've got about 15 more to go. 170 is going to be a lot better than the 215 I was 3 years ago.

That is the only diet I ever tried. And hey I hated it and would never diet again. It's easier to ride 100 mi then put up with that crap. Now don't get me wrong I don't over eat and I watch when I eat, but that's how I have always been when I was riding. My body craves carbs when I am riding a lot. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Personally I prefer the opinions of the federal nutritionists who are not trying to sell me anything over the opinions of Atkins, Inc. who want my money for their diet products.

Originally posted by supcom
Personally I prefer the opinions of the federal nutritionists who are not trying to sell me anything over the opinions of Atkins, Inc. who want my money for their diet products.

Instead they are biased towards the supplement and drug companies supplying the federal food and drug the money they need. The gov't also doesn't want to spend the money into developing different guidelines for different groups of people (aka athletes requirements vs the sedendary which is what the guidelines are based on withs its incredible lack of protein)

Sorry but there is absolutely NO unbiased opinion on nutrition let it be me, the gov't or Atkins or people have used various nutritional recommendations. Nutrition is a personal thing and not something that can be dictated. YOU have to learn what YOUR body likes, no one can tell you 100% for sure what works. That is the only thing I believe when it comes to nutrition. The sooned gov't and 'nutritionists' realize this the happier people in general will be with how they eat. :)

BTW the only product I know of Atkins is trying to sell is his book. Otherwise eat what you want exept carbs...pretty simple actually :)

Gee, I've been reading articles at healthierus.gov and nutrition.gov and the message I get is eat less fat and more fruits and vegetables. They also recommend getting more exercise.

Although there is information about dietary supplements, that info is neutral for the most part and, if anything, cautions consumers to be wary of claims made by supplement manufacturers.

These are hardly indications of bias toward supplement and drug companies. In fact, it was the dietart supplement act of congress that has tied the federal government's hands with regard to regulating the dietary supplement industry. As a result we see all kind of wild claims about one herb or another guaranteed to make us thinner, stronger, more 'potent', and more alert.

If you want to see all the opportunities to give Atkins, Inc. your money, try going to atkinscenter.com. The Atkins company will be happy to sell you food, supplements, and information. There are 65 separate 'nutritional' products alone available on their website.

On Yahoo News just now....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=570&ncid=753&e=1&u=/nm/20030521/sc_nm/health_diet_dc

Here's the thing I think when it comes to the Atkins diet one- no athlete I can find endorses it. Two it was around some twenty years ago and was very popular and then it faded into the wood work why several reasons people were noticing a lack of energy and were constipated all the time there are no Atkins vets from that period that are endorsing the diet. They are blaming the wrong carbs if you want to cut out carbs cut out the bad ones that are created by eating high sugar items stuff with a lot of empty calories (like wonder bread and such donuts all the bad carbs. But do not cut out carbs you get from veggies and whole grains or complex carbs they are packed full of vitamins and nutrients as well as the benefits mentioned above. I lost 60 pounds by doing that getting off my a$$ and exercising eating a balanced diet paying attention to what I needed for fuel (carbs and fat) and drinking tons of water.

Edit: one last thing the beauty of the "diet" I went on is no body got rich off of me when I did it. If you really want to lose weight and do it healthy and want the motivational help to do it believe it or not Richard Simmons programs are healthy and they work he has helped a lot of folks lose weight

Originally posted by Lady Jane
On Yahoo News just now....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=570&ncid=753&e=1&u=/nm/20030521/sc_nm/health_diet_dc

The most significant line from the article:

"Ware also noted that the weight lost in each study was relatively tiny compared with the volunteers' size."

What do you want to bet that neither the low fat nor low carb group incorporated any significant exercise program along with the selected diet?

You can't regain that girlish figure you never had by sitting in front of the Tee Vee munching on beef jerky.

Originally posted by ngateguy
...it was around some twenty years ago and was very popular and then it faded into the wood work...

Actually, the Atkins Memorial diet was originally sold to the public in 1972 - 31 years ago.

Originally posted by supcom
Actually, the Atkins Memorial diet was originally sold to the public in 1972 - 31 years ago.

Boy time sure shoots by way to fast. And I ride bike just so I can sit in front of the tee vee , eat beef jerky and still maintain my girlish figure :p

Here is a nice synopsis

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/65/72694.htm?z=1728_00000_1000_pk_03


Basically, studies done on mostly inactive patients and no long term studies.
The article raieses the issue of osteoperosis etc. Even more interesting, after 6 months those on regular low fat diet vs. atkins had similar overall wt loss. There is no doubt it causes quick weight loss but it doesn't have long term results apparantly.

I think in both studies low carb lost at least twice as much weight after 6mos(plus had improved markers for chronic disease). On the study that went one year both groups rebounded to similar levels of weight loss.However this could be explained by the fact in first study participants averaged 286lbs. at the start while in the second (that went a year) the starting avg. was 217lbs.Thus the rebound that occured after 6months (for both groups)occured as they were approaching 200lbs.a level that could have been close enough to their genetic set points(ideal weight for body frame/type)that they would start having problems with a slowing metabolism and need to adjust strategy to higher calorie/higher activity approach.I have said all along low carb can be effective for those with alot of weight to lose but as their fat levels decrease they will have to adjust their approach and these studies seem to confirm that. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=534&ncid=534&e=3&u=/ap/20030522/ap_on_he_me/atkins_diet

I have purchased the original ATKINs paperback at $8 and the ATKINs Cookbook for $15. In 200 low carb recipes there is no mention of any ingredient that is ATKINS proprietary. All items are off the shelf at your local grocery. Because ATKINs makes available on a WEB site low carb specific products means I have to buy them? Or the message is tainted? That's the mentality that buys Gatorade because some extreme athlete flys thru the air with a bottle of it in his hand. The same person that buys dietary supplements and thinks they can put into their mouths anything they want.
What's wrong with a dinner of Steak and Broccoli with a cheese sauce? Just eliminate the potato and bread.
The message that I got from ATKINs is that the Federal base guidline of 300g of carbos/day is incorrect. You are aware that the food pyramid is in the process of being revised? And that the guidelines are 40 years old. And that America has fatted up following those guidlines. And that a 'nutritionist' is nothing more than someone who has decided to make a living by reading a book. Anyone can take the 2000 calory pyramid and tell someone that is fat to reduce all the items proportionately in order to lose weight. Sounds real good doesn't it? What if the pyramid is wrong?
What really gets in my craw are people giving advice as if gospel by reading some book - with no personal experience. Do you really think the author of the book that offers their opinion is any less tainted than ATKINs and his offerings? If that's how you choose to walk thru the valley - it surely is your business - but don't offer advice because you read some book.
I'm an engineer by trade and I need proof - not opinion - to make decisions. I need something other than a printed article. That ingesting less carbs FOR ME is proof. It worked - and is working - is proof. I will admit that I have no clue what the long term ramifications are. BUT my cholesterol is within limit - for the first time in 10 years.
OH - and the ATKINs diet is very similar to a diabetic's diet.

I look atthe Atkins diet as a great, revolutionary idea that spearheaded how the medical and nutrition establishments look at carbohydrate/protein proportions in our diet. Long term studies will show it will be fraught with side effects (kidney stones, osteoperosis etc.) but Atkins was completely right about how quickly it worked (in the relatively sedentary sub populaiton). With that said, however, let's not forget that most of the world's population consumes little to no meat (India and China and most of the Far East) and does not have the obesity epidemic it's western counterparts face. (However, they also have the largest per capital usage of bicycles as anyone who has been or lived there will attest!.)

Originally posted by tlippy
OH - and the ATKINs diet is very similar to a diabetic's diet.

Coming from a long line of diabetics, yes it is close to a diabetics diet but remember a diabetic processes there food differently and since carbs produce insulin and such they need to watch their intake. The danger here is what is good for them may not be good for you.

It is also very similar to a Ketogenic Diet for epileptics.

And most of the world's population consumes little to no food at all with the resultant malnutrition and stunted growth.Actually I think people evolved to survive on foods native to their region.Thus those native to extreme northern climates do well on largely meat and fat while those native to tropical regions do well on largely vegetarian diets.However with the mobile/melting pot nature of most industrial nations there is no longer one diet that everyone does best on .The only thing that is certain is noone does well on overly processed and manmade junk foods.
As far as the Atkins diet I don't think anyone is advocating using it as a long term diet or as a diet for maximum athletic performance though I am sure some people may tend to abuse it as they do everything else so I guess the repeated warnings have some purpose.As I have said before even with such diets I think people could make smarter choices as to the fats they chose to balance out the types and not overconsume saturated fats high levels of which are not historically native to meat and dairy products.

Originally posted by tlippy
You are aware that the food pyramid is in the process of being revised? And that the guidelines are 40 years old. And that America has fatted up following those guidlines. And that a 'nutritionist' is nothing more than someone who has decided to make a living by reading a book.

As an engineer, I'm sure you're experience is that products are revised all the time. Seldome do companies throw everything away and start from scratch. The fact that a product is revised is NOT a repudiation of the original product, right?

Just because the food pyramid was developed 40 years ago (10 years before the Atkins Memorial Diet) does not mean that it is obsolete today. The fact that it has been around that long, if anything, speaks well for it. It is also hight unlikely that the food pyramid will be turned upside down in the revision to reflect the Atkins Memorial Diet. If anything, it is likely to show increased recommendations for fruits and vegetables. It may also address additional things that the original pyramid did not like unsaturated vs. saturated fats, choleterol, etc.

Also, stating that a nutritionist is just someone who read a book and equating that to the many fine researchers (many of whom are doctors) at organizations like the FDA, USDA, CDC, etc. as well as the many, many universities conducting research into diet and nutrition. There are plenty of quacks out there calling themselves nutritioninst trying to get your money for one product or another but they aren't the ones developing the food pyramid.

Your assertion that Americans have fatted up using the current food pyramid may have a faulty premise. From what I see, Americans generally are not following the food pyramid. By and large, we are eating out more often, living increasingly sedentary lives and snacking on high fat, high calorie foods. 40 years ago Americans walked more, performed more physical labor, didn't have video games, VCRs, internet, etc. to keep us immobile. 40 years ago the term 'couch potato' was unknown. But you don't have to go back 40 years. Americans have fatted up primarily in the last 10 years, after the food pyramid had been around for 30 years. Ask yourself what has changed?

If you like a low carb diet, great. all power to you. If you think that the late Dr. Atkins was right and the rest of the medical community was wrong, good for you. If the Atkins Memorial Diet works for you, then it works for you.

Originally posted by cbhungry
I look atthe Atkins diet as a great, revolutionary idea that spearheaded how the medical and nutrition establishments look at carbohydrate/protein proportions in our diet. Long term studies will show it will be fraught with side effects (kidney stones, osteoperosis etc.) but Atkins was completely right about how quickly it worked (in the relatively sedentary sub populaiton). With that said, however, let's not forget that most of the world's population consumes little to no meat (India and China and most of the Far East) and does not have the obesity epidemic it's western counterparts face. (However, they also have the largest per capital usage of bicycles as anyone who has been or lived there will attest!.)

Atkins proponents like to state that the 'traditional' diet people ate 100+ years ago was far more meat oriented. What they fail to point out is that the average lifespan 100+ years ago was about 45 years. While there were many factors other than diet that certainly influenced that lifespan, as shirt as it is, some issues, like congestive heart failure would typically not appear prior to death from other causes.

Of course, 100 years ago, our activity levels were far higher than today as most labor was actually laborious.

And most of the world's population consumes little to no food at all with the resultant malnutrition and stunted growth.

Oops, probably should have clarified that even taking into account poverty levels, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan etc. (which are succesfuland relatively wealthy Asian nations) still consume less meat and have the same end result.....less obesity. RTWD and SUPcom are right in that there is an overall loss of sensible eating pattern with respect to activity. This country's relationship with food is downright unhealthy. Common sense and learning what is best for your body with some utilization of outsid e resources will help anyone who trys( along with the realization that activity is important.)

It is interesting that the new recommendations by the government (the new food pyramid) also stipulates at least an hour of exercise five days a week. Don't think alot of Americans meet that minimum requirement.


The only thing that is certain is noone does well on overly processed and manmade junk foods.
Perhaps this may be America's ultimate downfall.

I agree about the not being able to sprint but have a longer stamina... I could go on empty for over 100k without bonking .. in fact my first true bonk was after I converted to a high carb plan.. and also i feel hungry all the time goin the high carb way ... is there really no way to train on atkins /keto to be competitive?

I was a naysayer for years but finally tried the diet. I'm down 15 pounds now and my stamina is better than ever. I rode into work this morning. I have a longer commute of 23 miles each way and I felt like I was flying. My legs are stronger than ever. After I cleaned up I went accross the street to the local diner and had a bacon, egg and cheese omelet. Forgive me if I offended anyone.

Congratulations BJ,
Even 30 for me now. Since all the rag on this subject I no longer tell anyone I'm on the ATKINs plan. When someone asks "Man you look good. How'd you lose all that weight" I reply "I no longer eat white carbohydrates." Which is about true. Last night I had a 1/2# Rubin hamburger. Traded the FF's for Tomatoes and threw away the bun top. Easy to do and consumed a total of 15 carbs. The other Jaws around my table consumed 350carbs.

I'm currently on the Atkins Diet. So far I've lost about 25 pounds. Riding has helped too. It does work.

But you have to stick to it. You can not go back to consuming your original amount of carbs. that you used to. If you do you will put the weight back on. Or at the very least stall your weight loss.

So if you decide to use the Atkins diet to lose weight be sure you are ready to stick with it or else it won't work at all.

Ive been on Atkins for about a month. Ive gone from 205 to 189. Ive been riding 4 or 5 times a week to help burn faster. The exercise helps the Atkins plan a ton. It is amazing how your cravings go away once you lower your carb intake. I eat alot of peanuts for my carbs now.

N_C & LR
Right On !!!!!!!!!!
No White Carbs is a way of life for me - forever. Really - French Fries, potatoes, rice, white bread, sugar drinks, chips, low-fat junk, were not hard to eliminate from my diet. The only thing I really miss is PASTA. And I do eat PASTA but cut the quantity down to 1/4# dry. "Before ATKINS" I was proud that I could comsume a whole # of dry pasta. BUT as I say, "I'm not on ATKINS - I just don't eat white carbs".
Congratulations to you guys.........

Perhaps this may be America's ultimate downfall.

I was just listening to a newsmagazine on the radio, and they were saying that 50% of Americans are considered overweight.... 50%!!!

If we go any further down in the downfall, we'll be digging a hole to hell already!

In order to look at the diet you have to look at the actual "diet"/weight loss stage and then what they call the maintenance stage. During the weight loss stage yes, you are forcing your body into a state that is not "normal", and with it you up your risk of certain problems (kidney stones, etc), but even that is minimal at best (as long as you follow the guidelines in the diet) and is relatively short term in the whole sense of everything.

Long term and keeping a steady weight you are getting pretty close to a "normal" balanced diet (maybe still a tad carb lite), as mentioned you are going to move up to around 100-150 g carbs a day, that's 30-50g per meal, that gives you lots of room for plenty of greens, bread, regular food, etc. And to stay away from the junk (which sounds just like every other diet in the world).

There's just a ton of mis-information about the diet out there based on lots of stuff, the whole heart disease stuff has been debunked so many times, ask anybody who has truly followed the diet how their BP and Cholesterol levels are. Gaining weight back? Sure, I can say that about EVERY diet out there, if somebody isn't willing to change their lifestyle then no diet is going to work. I can starve myself for 2 months and loose an incredible amount of weight, if I go back to super-sized junk food chased with a bag of potato chips, the weight will come back.

I've been on the diet for 3 weeks now and have dropped 18lbs, I've just started a more religious workout plan to the mix. I've read the book, studied everything I can find on the net about it, and consulted a Dr about it, it's all good. I've cut back my caffiene intake by about 90% with no ill effects (replaced with water), I have more energy now than I can remember in recent times, I no longer crave "junk" food like I used to. My BP has already started to drop (albeit slightly at this point), and I have none of the other "evil side-effects" that everybody always warns about.

What's more unhealthy? The unknown long term effects of doing Atkins for a year (again, you are being harder on your body for a short time) or a lifetime of being obese and eating poorly?

Andrew

I agree. The diet isnt that abnormal. If I have a day where Im not feeling right, I add more carbs. I havent completely cut carbs. I eat alot of peanuts, and vegetables. Im not big on alot of red meat. I eat mostly broiled chicken. I eat alot of salads, with low fat Italian dressing. It has a couple grams of carbs too. The exercise is the key to making the diet work well.

You people want a diet that will help you do it all? Lose weight, gain weight, increase endurance? Try The Zone Diet. www.drsears.com. One of the foundations of The Zone Diet is that you get adequate, but high quality carbs. And protien, and fat. What it breaks down to is this: proper nutrition. It's all you need to know.

Gary

I just graduated with a BS in Kinesiology and we spent quite a bit of time in my various classes discussing the Atkins/Ketogenic diet. There is no doubt that it does work for sedentary people and that most people on it will lose a large amount of weight very fast. One thing to remeber when you lose this weight is that in order for your body to store on gram on carbs it must store three grams of water. Therefore its not surprising that when you rapidly deplete your carb reserves you will lose weight very quickly. My personal conclusion is that you definately need carbs to perform in endurance sports, however most people eat too many carbs and tend to eat way too many refined simple carbs. There is nothing wrong with eating a balanced diet with most of your carbs coming from complex carbs and exercising. While you may not see the dramatic initial weight loss you see on Atkins/Ketogenic diets recent studies have shown that the long term weight loss results. Additionally for me personally it is a lot easier to stay on a balanced diet which is the most important factor, no diet works if you can't stick to it, it is interesting to note that the recent studies on the Atkins diets had drop out rates of around 40% in the Atkins group and that these studies were done on subjects that qualified as obese, it might be hard therefore to generalize the results to an active athletic population.
Scott - Sorry for the essay :)

Originally posted by Scottgo
My personal conclusion is that you definately need carbs to perform in endurance sports, however most people eat too many carbs and tend to eat way too many refined simple carbs. There is nothing wrong with eating a balanced diet with most of your carbs coming from complex carbs and exercising. While you may not see the dramatic initial weight loss you see on Atkins/Ketogenic diets recent studies have shown that the long term weight loss results.

That is how I lost all my weight was not by diet but by life style change, which is the base for most of the successful weight programs out there. I have never seen one of these quick fix that had any kind of real success rates, stick around for any real time or that didn't cause any kind of health issue (Atkins still has plenty besides the heart issue) . A good weight program consists of three things first a good healthy balanced diet, exercise, and changing your attitude! Being positive about yourself and knowing from the onset that you can achieve any goal that you set, you will lose weight and gain energy, and no one will really make any money off of you doing it!

I was on the Atkins diet for about 3 weeks while I was in high school. I lost my goal of 10 pounds and was going to try for a few more (I guess so I could be anorexic looking) when my mother forced me off the diet. She informed me that my personality had changed dramatically while I was on the diet, and NOT for the better. I have no idea why this happened, but years later when I tried the diet, the same personality change happened again!

My doctor's motto is "Carbs are crack", so I went to the good old health food store and got a certain vitamin that decreases carb cravings. Seems to be working. But I don't think my family could handle the Atkins diet again if I wanted to try it now!

The thing that no one has mentioned, doesn't know, or fail to realize is that Dr. Atkins is/was NOT a nutritionalists. He was a Cardiologist. He created this diet for the OVERWEIGHT (not active) patients, not to loose weight, but reduce their cholesterol. The benefits of weight loss were just a bonus!

I am overweight and have been on and off the diet for years. I have an incredible weakness for drinking Mountain Dews. When I'm on the diet and not drinking the sodas, I loose weight. The moment I start drink them again, I blow up like a balloon. (Don't preach to me of the dangers, I know already!) Call it a lack of motivation or commitment or whatever! I yo-yo like crazy.

Regardless, a few years ago, during my physical, the Dr. said that genetically I'm healthy, strong heart, relatively low bad cholesterol...etc., just that I'm overweight. I mentioned the Dr. Atkins and the Dr. was opposed to it.

Two years later and a different Dr., same thing, good physical shape, just too much of me. The difference was this time the Dr. suggested the Dr. Atkins diet to me. I asked him why the 180 switch in philosophy in the medical community. (My Dad's a Dr., so I know of the trends). He said it was due to the significant increase in diabetes in young children and teens. There is such a significant jump in cases of diabetes that the Dr.'s took notice. In part to a junk food diet and a sedentary lifestyle of today's youth.

There is now a study to determine the long term affects of a high protein/low carb diet.

Now, another thing I heard somewhere (***Disclaimer****can't substantiate this, so assume it as heresay), that the food pyramid was established during a time of govermental subsidies to farmers and the farmers lobbyist where in turn putting pressure on the government to increase demand for grains and high carb foods.

All that aside, there is proof in the puddin. For me, the diet works (when I give up the sodas). For my wife who is thin to begin with, the diet didn't work!

It's not a cure all for everyone, but it does help those who are significantly overweight.

Another sidenote: I was telling my buddy, who has been 160 lbs since high school, about my success with the diet and explaining to him what I eat and the whole philosophy of the diet. He states, "I've been on that diet my whole life!". "You've just explained my entire way I eat!" He's one of the healthiest 34 year old Army Chief Warrant Officer's I know!

Check out the "Body-For-Life" diet.....

*MUCH* more healthy for you than Atkins....(IMHO)

And sure, the Atkins is the current "popular" diet - yet *EVERY SINGLE PERSON* I know who has used it, and then somewhat didn't focus on it - gained their weight back....

Body for Life is more of a 'lifechange' than a diet - but sure does the diet stuff too, yet focuses on changing the life, not focusing on eating certain stuff.....

My wife uses the Body for Life - and loves it, me, I am a lanky sort, so when I ride, my diet consists of see-food - if I see it, I can eat it!

(that's just me, though).....

My buddy just sent me the link for that one! He's lost like 30lbs and looks good!

L8R