How do you survive on Atkins

[hboldno7]

Ive been on Atkins for about 4 months, Lost 17 pounds in the first two weeks and I have been losing a pound or two a week since. I am carefull of my carb intake now but not overly obsessive and the diet is still working. I also work out 3 or 4 days a week and have a ton of energy to spare. I picked up an atkins cook book at borders and Eat something new almost every night.

[bigq]

Originally posted by Kilrtoy
If your not lifting while on atkins you are waisting your time.
You will lose more muscle than anything......
This is a false statement. It is the total opposite. That is why you have a high protein intake. People that go on diets that limit protein and starv themselves are the ones lossing muscle tissue. This is why most go on a diet loose thw weight, stop a diet and gain back more fat then they had, because they never really lost any fat.
The human body will die with out fat and protein it is esential for life, if you never had another gram of carbos you would be quite healthy.
read a few books and you would be amazed at what carbs (sugar) does to the human body, more than just making you fat.
BTW, I followed a diet called the "Protein Diet" it is low carb. Been eating this way for 4 years and initial lose of 35 lbs. and have kept it off. The problem is people see this as a diet and you really need to change the way you eat for life not just a few months. Once you correct a health issue or loose the fat you want you can eat a few more carbs. I maintain on about 45grams a day, some may be less some may be able to have more.

[Boozer]

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So it's day 3 now and the cravings for sugar stuff are getting a little easier. I found a few things that seem to help out with the sugar cravings. Trident gum 1 gram per piece. Also found Atkins Ice Cream bars 3 grams per bar. These 2 things are definitely helping me out with the sugar cravings. Still haven't adjusted to diet coke but the diet Dr. Pepper is definitely helping me out a lot.
Still weird to think for dinner I ate a filet mignon covered in blue cheese, a salad covered in ceasar dressing and blue cheese and in the process I'm going to lose weight. Weird.

[HotRod Sprint]

Originally posted by FMluvswaterbabe
What about plumbing? Any adverse effects on the plumbing consuming all that protein? I really wanna know.
I can say, no adverse effects at all. If anything, when eating all the carbs tended to trot a lot more. When low or no carbs, all protein, everything flows very normal.
Rod <--------Really just weirded myself out here

[HotRod Sprint]

Originally posted by Boozer
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Still weird to think for dinner I ate a filet mignon covered in blue cheese, a salad covered in ceasar dressing and blue cheese and in the process I'm going to lose weight. Weird.
Boozer, you should consider looking at the carbs in the salad dressing. On my salads I always use a Balsamaic Vinagarette dressing, because of the low carb value. Some of those dressings are real high in carbs.
Rod

[Kilrtoy]

If your not lifting while on atkins you are waisting your time. You will lose more muscle than anything......
This is a false statement. It is the total opposite
Ok,
My buddy did the diet for 3 months before he got married(DUMB ASS)
Anyways he said it was great , BUT, he lost alot of his muscle tissue. He said he needed to work out.
So he began that and wha la,,, he continued to lose weight but was able to maintain his muscle tissue.

[Floatin']

For me the low carb diet is very easy. I BBQ 5-6 nights a week and it is either a hamburger patty with cheese, a steak, chicken, or baby back ribs, I'm not big on fish. For lunch I will stop at IN n Out and get a 3x3 Protein Style or El Pollo Loco I get 4 Pieces of chicken only no tortillas. I drink alot of water. For desert I have sugar free pudding with cool whip. Sometimes a spoon of Peanut Butter just to get through.
One thing I have not given up is drinking alcohol. I still drink Coors Light but I have cut that back to 3-4, now I also drink Vodka with diet 7up. In the first 2 months I lost 30 lbs. I put 10 of that back on over the holidays by eating pie and candy but took that back off in January.
I lift 1 on 1 off and I do abs everyday. I still need to shed the layer of fat around my gut area so I have more work to do but I like to enjoy life and to me that means having a few brews with my friends and eating a big fat steak.

[bigq]

Originally posted by Boozer
[COLOR=seagreen][FONT=courier new][B]
So it's day 3 now and the cravings for sugar stuff are getting a little easier. I found a few things that seem to help out with the sugar cravings. Trident gum 1 gram per piece. Also found Atkins Ice Cream bars 3 grams per bar. These 2 things are definitely helping me out with the sugar cravings. Still haven't adjusted to diet coke but the diet Dr. Pepper is definitely helping me out a lot.
Still weird to think for dinner I ate a filet mignon covered in blue cheese, a salad covered in ceasar dressing and blue cheese and in the process I'm going to lose weight. Weird.
Boozer just so you know my wife was reakin out the way I started to eat. She was a big fitness buff and was still stuck on the high card low fat crap. Anyway it does seem weird and just be forwarned that it was about 2.5 to 3 weeks before I noticed my body burning fat for energy. Some it takes less time just hang in there and remember this is really a change for life.

[Froggystyle]

Here is the rub... You will see a lot of people who say that they have limited or less than acceptable results with the program, and almost universally you will see that they are not going to ZERO carbs, or that they are trying to find all of the cheats and use them, up to and including Splenda, and "diet" whatevers.
The fact is, your body can, and will try to live on around 40 grams of carbs per day. You will be low on energy, and laxidaiscal going through the day, but your body will not switch energy sources. If you drop to zero carbs, or therabouts, you will switch sources (from carbs to body fat) almost immediately, and you will notice that you are back to full speed and such right away. This is evidenced by the Ketostix going to full dark red when used.
More than one person that is "on Atkins" and not seeing results has lost a bet to me by testing with the strips. People with slower metabolisms need to limit carbs even more than active people. People with a more sedentary lifestyle often need to reduce carb intake to below 20 grams to even begin the ketosis process.
The diet is pure speculation without the test strips. You will be able to tell whether your workout is able to offset any carb intake or if your "cheats" are taking you out of the fat burning zone.
Fact: If you drop your carb intake to zero, you will burn body fat at the same rate you were metabolizing carbohydrates before the diet.
It is physically impossible not to lose fat if you are full bore on Atkins. Do it, and lose fat. You can't mess around though. If you half do it, it won't work, and you are just torturing yourself for whatever period you are on it.
I lost all my weight in two weeks. After the two weeks, the thought of drinking 54 grams of carbs in a single coke was disgusting to me. I still eat carbs, just a far more normal amount of them. I totally stopped eating the crap I used to eat (lots of cookies, deserts etc...) My problem was, as a SEAL, I had such an active lifestyle that I could eat anything that wasn't bolted down or painted. Once I got hurt and retired, I went from running, swimming or working out every single day for two hours to sitting at a computer building a company all day. I went from 163 pounds in the teams to 198 in about 8 months, and not all of it was fat. I just grew into the size that my lifestyle had prevented me from becoming. I had some extra weight to lose though, and did so on Atkins.
Best of luck... it works.!

[HammerDown]

Where does one get these "Test strips"?
I find it hard to belive I'm taking in much if any carbs a day.
Eggs, Pork, Water , Beef, Poultry, Broccoli, Water, some chedder cheese, water, Lettuce, Diet Caffeine free Coke, Water... Thats about it...really.
Snack= Pork Rines.