I just started Atkins this week. I figure its a healthy diet since the whole world is in a carb craze. The only thing that bothered me was the part about ketosis and it starving your metabolism. I have issues with this because I used to restrict allot and I feel like even though im eating that im abusing my body somehow. What do you think? Ideas about atkins?

[mj14]

I have read that Atkins is going out of fashion...companies are starting to cut their "low carb" food lines, and polls are showing fewer people on low carb diets this year compared at a year ago. I don't think nutritionists ever really got on the no carb bandwagon.

One thing I can tell you is, ketosis is bad for you. It is very hard on your kidneys, and long term ketosis can be fatal. Years of restricting can wreak havoc on your system, so I can't believe that it's a good thing to subject your body to another unnatural state (ketosis).

I've heard a lot of people modifying the "no carb" mantra to "no bad carbs." That means limiting refined sugar and processed flour, but still including whole grains and lots of fruit and vegetables.

You know, I think pretty much all popular diets aren't particularly healthy ways to live long term. Because telling people to eat a little bit of a whole lot of different things isn't sensational enough to sell books.

The USDA just released their dietary guidelines, which I was very impressed with. I think they give a decent blueprint for a healthy lifestyle. You can find them at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2005pres/20050112.html

Well, I've rambled on a bit, but that's my two (maybe more like four) cents.

Jo

[kimmydawn]

esthersvirtue,

the only thing about the no/low carb diets...i couldn't do it cause i have constant minor depression and then sometimes deep vallies. i have to have carbs...it a natural way to release seritonin and some other depression fighting things in the brain. when i'm depressed, i crave them and always feel better on own. i'd noticed that and mentioned it to p'doc and he told me that. t also told me that, so i gotta have my carbs

i need to not eat so many tho! this last depression, i thought i was gonna turn into a doughball! but then i started feeling better...

gl. let us know what you do.

kd