Atkins/low carb anyone??

[debm]

Hi. I just wondered if anyone was "in the same boat" I am right now. Wanting a snack tonight but knowing it is going to have to be bacon or hard boiled eggs? I have been needing to lose weight for about 6 years but I finally put my mind to it. I used to exercise quite a bit and 2 years ago I trained and ran a couple of 1/2 marathons and other races. But I never really lost the weight. (I love to eat!) Atkins always does well for me but I had only ever done it for a couple of days, lost 5 pounds, and then put it all back on. This time I have lost about 20 pounds so far. I took a week off and ate fairly normal when we were in FL this month and then I just took the weekend off for Memorial Day. It is hard to get going again but I feel so good when I know I am getting thinner. I have 30 more that I would like to lose. It actually has seemed too easy at this point. I'm a pretty active person but I've done no exercise at this point. I know eventually I want to start again so that I can get some more Disney races under my belt. I'm hoping it continues to come off this easily. I'm terrible with diets where I have to portion control. I need to know that I can eat until I feel full and eat when I want to. I'm not sure why though. So....anyone else eating virtually no carbs too?? Want to share your story? Thanks!

 

[eeyore65]

I am doing South Beach. It is not as restrictive as Atkins and less bacon and red meat. I am in Phase 2 which allows complex carbs but no simple carbs. However, I find it easier to avoid most carbs. I have lost 23 lbs since March. I have been exercising inconsistently - but I just got my wii fit and have been really good. The wii has got me off a plateau and I lost 2 lbs this week! I have 38 more lbs to go. I am so happy to be under the 40 mark. 38 seems more doable.

 

[debm]

So good to hear from another in my position! I also find it easier to avoid most carbs. The carbs I get are in vegetables and an occasional bowl of chips and dip. I was just so excited to hit the "lost 20 pounds" mark. We went to 6 Flags yesterday and I made it without breaking down. But oh those Dippin' dots and funnel cakes looked so good! But I feel so much better when I know I am sticking to the diet!

 

[alstroemeria]

I've studied a lot of diets. I have one prayer to you: don't do extremes. Don't deplete yourselves of a normal nutrition. Take care that your daily intake is balanced, otherwise you lose your health AND you gain more weight after dieting. Atkins is highly unhealthy. My advice would be stay away! South Beach is somehow more balanced, but the phases in the beginning are a little unbalanced. Well, once you go over these phases, it's pretty OK.
What I can say is:
1. Don't starve yourselves but don't overeat. Never fill full after a meal. Eat slowly so the brain has the time to process the information that you are full (about 20 mins).
2. Get ALL the nutrient principles, with an accent on fresh fruit and veggies.
3. Get plenty of water.
4. Of course, avoid processed foods and ban sweets.
5. Exercise plenty!

 

[alstroemeria]

Also, I forgot, the carbs stuff... Your body needs carbs. Only see that you don't overdo it and make them ONLY complex carbs - wholegrain cereals, breads and all that stuff - and not refined products (by no means refined pastry, bread and pastas!).

 

[alstroemeria]

One more thing I remembered. A nutritionist said that if we don't mix carbs and protein at the same meal the digestive system works better, the transit and all that are better.

Good bowel movement is essential for health, especially if you wanna lose weight. Also for a good bowel movement it's very important to get as much fiber as you can. Another doctor said that fiber is never enough and asked what was the food he'd recommend to be supplemented he answered that fiber rich food, by all means.

 

[NWPrincess]

I am also on the Atkins diet. I have lost about 7 pounds in the 30 days I have been on it, but I've also backslid a couple of times (WAY too much eating out/carbs on my birthday, etc.).

I tried the South Beach diet for about a year, but could never quite cut it.

The thing about Atkins is that, yes, the first two weeks of Induction are restrictive and it is debatable whether they are unhealthy, but it's only two weeks. After that you go into Ongoing Weight Loss where you slowly add back in good carbs (nuts, beans, fruit, more veggies, whole wheat products, etc.). What's dangerous in my opinion are the people that stay in Induction for months and months.

I'm going to continue on Atkins because it works well for me (I lost 30 pounds on it about four years ago and kept it off until I entered law school and (for that first year at least--I've just completed my second year now) all diets had gone out the window. I feel better now that I am on Atkins and yes I exercise and drink lots of water. I also take fiber supplements and other supplements. Atkins is a hot topic, but I think it is just a matter of what works well for your body (they have done recent studies to suggest a low carb diet significantly decreases chances of getting diabetes, certain types of cancer, etc.).

 

[komondorok]

I've studied a lot of diets. Atkins is highly unhealthy.

Studies by the American Medical Association say differently. In fact, a few years ago, they begrudgingly said it was one of the better diets out there.

My favorite snack is a cup of hot decaf with cream and some splenda. Gives me that creamy, sweet snack without many carbs.

 

[debm]

Yes, I know I've heard it all about Atkins. And I had vowed that I would never do it. BUT it WORKS for me. My chiropractor who is very health conscience said that it obviously works for my body. I feel very good while I am on it---and yes, I am just a continual induction person that only gets carbs from veggies. Yes, I miss my fiber drinks and other nutrition bars I'm used to ---but I will go back to them. I really think that if I can lose all the weight I need to that I am committed mentally to not overeating again. I want to be able to have stuff in moderation with an occasional splurge. I've noticed with my digestive system that I don't "get gas." Strange, but what made me realize it is one day when I splurged and had some carbs (bread) I was feeling pretty bloated and gassy. They say that when you stay away from something and then introduce it back to your diet you get the reaction that you don't realize that you always have. Did that make sense?

I have SUCH a hard time with calorie counting, small portion diets. I think if I weren't seeing success with Atkins, I would still have 25 extra pounds on me. I figure it is better to lose the unhealthy weight then to not do it. I hope this works out in the end for me. I had so much extra weight I really couldn't exercise comfortably. Now I hope I can get back into running and start feeling truly fit again. I am a bit hesitant to add the heavy exercise without the carbs though. I will work into it gradually as I taper off the Atkins diet. Good luck to all of us out there!

 

[eeyore65]

It is hard to get people to accept the new science. the American heart Association and the Diabetes association both endorse an Atkins/SoBe type diet. The original low fat diet didn't work.

I also feel much better on low carb. I get sick less, and I have terrible sinus problems, but not on low/no carb.

I now "crave" ricotta cheese with vanilla extract and splenda as my splurge food. amazing!

My diet is really healthy - sample day - yesterday
veggie omelet, mozz string cheese, black bean salad with diced chicken, edamame snack, chicken fajitas with peppers and onions and salsa wrapped in a lettuce leaf (family will eat with tortillas), my ricotta dessert. If you count that up - I ate 5 or 6 servings of veggies, adequate calcium and lots of lean protein. I was not hungry all day. And I ran/walk 3 miles.

 

[MD DisneyFreaks]

I've lost about 26lbs. since the beginning of April on low carb. I was very strict at first and now I try to only get my carbs from whole grains ans fruits & veggies.

On another note...I also think it's important that every once in a while to have something you really want! If you want a piece of cake or some ice cream....EAT IT! I think it's better in the long run so you're not constantly deprived of everything you shouldn't eat. I think long periods of deprivation are what cause people to fall off the wagon long term.

 

[NWPrincess]

I've lost about 26lbs. since the beginning of April on low carb. I was very strict at first and now I try to only get my carbs from whole grains ans fruits & veggies.

On another note...I also think it's important that every once in a while to have something you really want! If you want a piece of cake or some ice cream....EAT IT! I think it's better in the long run so you're not constantly deprived of everything you shouldn't eat. I think long periods of deprivation are what cause people to fall off the wagon long term.

I've been thinking about this a lot since I am going to DL in September and I there is so much food I want to eat that is not on my diet, but I know I will be miserable depriving myself.

I set September 12--when I leave for DL--as an arbitrary goal date for my weight loss BUT DL is the only time I really, really want to enjoy some of the non-low carb foods.

Here is my plan:
1. For sugary treats, I'll take a bite and pass it on to DBF or other family member. All I want is a taste.
2. For carb-loaded entrees, I'll split it with my mom. I really want to try a Monte Cristco, but I'm splitting it with my mom.
3. I'll walk a lot (obviously) and see if I have enough stamina to exercise in the morning at the hotel's fitness facilities.

That's about it. Any other suggestions?

 

[eeyore65]

I think your idea of a bite of sugary treats is a good one. It was my birthday this week and I ordered dessert out. It was a berry cobbler. It tasted soooo sweet to me that a bite would have been fine. I also felt kind of weird after eating it - almost like a glucose tolerence test. So I don't feel like I miss that too much.

The other 'treat" I allow myself which is on south beach is wine. I would feel greatly deprived without that.

I also have found many places have sugar free ice cream (carvel.) They may have that at disney. While it is not strictly allowed, it is fairly low in carbs and allows for a nice treat.

I have also found that most restaurants and I'm sure all at Disney - will accomodate some special requests. Like no starch extra veggies. I ask for extra lettuce with a hamburger and remove the bun and eat with my normal condiments (assuming it is leaf lettuce and not shredded.)

I do find these small treats allow me to stay on the diet long term and hopefully will turn in to a way of life. As I know if I get to goal and go back to my old ways, I will just gain it all back.

Good luck in DL!

 

[NWPrincess]

I think your idea of a bite of sugary treats is a good one. It was my birthday this week and I ordered dessert out. It was a berry cobbler. It tasted soooo sweet to me that a bite would have been fine. I also felt kind of weird after eating it - almost like a glucose tolerence test. So I don't feel like I miss that too much.

The other 'treat" I allow myself which is on south beach is wine. I would feel greatly deprived without that.

I also have found many places have sugar free ice cream (carvel.) They may have that at disney. While it is not strictly allowed, it is fairly low in carbs and allows for a nice treat.

I have also found that most restaurants and I'm sure all at Disney - will accomodate some special requests. Like no starch extra veggies. I ask for extra lettuce with a hamburger and remove the bun and eat with my normal condiments (assuming it is leaf lettuce and not shredded.)

I do find these small treats allow me to stay on the diet long term and hopefully will turn in to a way of life. As I know if I get to goal and go back to my old ways, I will just gain it all back.

Good luck in DL!

Thanks! Yeah, I plan on ordering salads some of the time at DL, but there are a few things I HAVE to try (Baked Potato Soup at Carnation Cafe and the Monte Cristcoe at the Blue Bayou--I'll probably just split these high-carb foods with my mom so I don't eat as much).

 

[JudyS]

I have had serious problems with my weight all my life. Even while eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, I was 100 pounds above what the BMI charts said I should be, which put me in the "morbidly obese" range.

I find that following a low-carb diet has helped me lose weight, although I still get hungry quite a bit, and I'm still technically obese. In my case, I'm diabetic, and a low-carb diet has cut my blood sugar levels just about in half, from dangerously out-of-control to well within the normal range. Eating low carb is tough for me, since I've been a vegetarian my entire adult life, but I've come up with a bunch of good low-carb veggie recipes.

Prior to going low-carb, nothing helped me lose weight, including a very, very strict no-refined food, low-fat vegan diet. (This was back in the 1980s when almost everyone though low-fat diets were best for weight loss.) This low-fat vegan diet had less than 30 grams of fat in it a day, and allowed me to eat only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. I couldn't even eat oats, corn, and soy, because they had too much fat! I didn't lose much weight and my diabetes got worse on this low-fat diet. My cholesterol even went up a bit, even though the diet contained no cholesterol (vegan diets are cholesterol-free), and hardly any saturated fat!

Also, I forgot, the carbs stuff... Your body needs carbs. Only see that you don't overdo it and make them ONLY complex carbs - wholegrain cereals, breads and all that stuff - and not refined products (by no means refined pastry, bread and pastas!).

It's probably true that many people need grains, but I find that all grains, even whole grains, make my blood sugar soar. (I test it with a home glucose meter.) It seems that many diabetics just do better with fewer carbs.

One more thing I remembered. A nutritionist said that if we don't mix carbs and protein at the same meal the digestive system works better, the transit and all that are better. ....

This doesn't seem plausible to me. Mother's milk contains both lots of protein and lots of carbs (some fat, too) -- why would that be, if people weren't meant to have both at one meal?

 

[NWPrincess]

I have had serious problems with my weight all my life. Even while eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, I was 100 pounds above what the BMI charts said I should be, which put me in the "morbidly obese" range.

I find that following a low-carb diet has helped me lose weight, although I still get hungry quite a bit, and I'm still technically obese. In my case, I'm diabetic, and a low-carb diet has cut my blood sugar levels just about in half, from dangerously out-of-control to well within the normal range. Eating low carb is tough for me, since I've been a vegetarian my entire adult life, but I've come up with a bunch of good low-carb veggie recipes.

Prior to going low-carb, nothing helped me lose weight, including a very, very strict no-refined food, low-fat vegan diet. (This was back in the 1980s when almost everyone though low-fat diets were best for weight loss.) This low-fat vegan diet had less than 30 grams of fat in it a day, and allowed me to eat only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. I couldn't even eat oats, corn, and soy, because they had too much fat! I didn't lose much weight and my diabetes got worse on this low-fat diet. My cholesterol even went up a bit, even though the diet contained no cholesterol (vegan diets are cholesterol-free), and hardly any saturated fat!

It's probably true that many people need grains, but I find that all grains, even whole grains, make my blood sugar soar. (I test it with a home glucose meter.) It seems that many diabetics just do better with fewer carbs.

This doesn't seem plausible to me. Mother's milk contains both lots of protein and lots of carbs (some fat, too) -- why would that be, if people weren't meant to have both at one meal?

First, congrats on your weight loss! I've met very few people who are low carb and veggie! That's great.

I think that low carb is best for diabetes too. I don't have it, but my mom does and low carb is the only way to keep her blood sugar in control. If you think about it, ridding your blood of glucose from what you eat in carbs and sugar makes sense--especially if you have Type II diabetes.

I've finally convinced my mom (and her doctor) that restrictive calories diets are not working for her and, although she lost some weight on low carb before, the doctor told her know and put her on the riduclous American Diabetes Association diet which did NOTHING for her!

So far, I've lost 10 pounds on Atkins with about 27 to go to reach my goal weight. I know my risk factors are high for getting diabetes (runs on both sides of the family), so I'm hoping to prevent it by eating low carb.

 

[Kaler131]

So, is there anyone still out there doing the low carb diets?? I was on a low carb diet a few years ago and lost 40 pounds. I have since gone back to my old eating habits and gained it all back.
So....I am commiting myself to trying it again and doing it right this time!!
I'm hoping that there are other Disers that are also doing this kind of diet so that maybe we can help support each other!!

 

[CinRell]

Once I motivate myself I"m going to start the protein sparing modified fast. I have PCOS and my doctor had me on this 3 years ago. I'd lost 45 lbs in 4 months. And it was frustrating but easy. NO carbs. Just meat. SOME veggies.

I got too comfy and went off of it and BAM the weight came back tenfold. I never got to the part of the diet that you maintain so I didn't know how....

I NEED to lose this weight again as I weigh my highest now and am VERY uncomfy and tired and feel very unattractive and sick a lot lately.

It's time.. but SUCH a big life change I have to just dive in.

I suppose I should go back to my Dr too (with head down) as his weighing me every other week is great motivation. You have to take lots of vitamins too.... but those doctor visits really add up and with my income being decreased.. perhaps motivating one another here would keep me on track?

 

[Mommy2ArmyBrat]

I'm doing Low Carb right now. I'm 180 and would love to be 155 when when we go to Disney late June. Do you think it's possible? I'm going for it! Good Luck on your low carb diets!

 

[junebugTN]

I have tried every diet imaginable for the last few years, and the scale just wouldn't budge. At my last doctor's appointment, my physician recommended the South Beach diet. She explained that, due to my PCOS/insulin resistance, that diets high in carbs wouldn't work as well for me. Well, as a die-hard carb addict, I was skeptical, but I gave it a try. This is the FIRST time in ages when the scale has consistently moved in the right direction for me. My doctor was right -- lower carb is the right thing for my body. (Anyone else's mileage may vary. )

My diet plan is a combination of low carb/South Beach, and I'm just starting on week #3. I'd love to have the support of other DISers in the same situation... count me in!

June