Hi everyone,

I just started the Atkins diet today and am wondering if anybody here has had any experience with it, good or bad. My brother is currently on it and it has done wonders for him so far (lost 17 pounds in 21 days). I realize that there is quite the restriction in the foods you can eat due to the lack of carbohydrates you can have. However, I have heard good & bad things.

How has the diet made you feel? Did it help you to lose weight? How long were you on it?

Thanks for taking the time to read.

[Yoda]

I was on the diet for six months and lost fifty pounds. I ate a small meal every three hours or so and I never got too hungry. I also drank lots of water.

[Indie'sOK]

I'm on a weight loss site that has an individual forum for most popular diets, including Atkins. It helps me immensly...here

[Oakrun]

I'm on a low carb diet, which I suppose would be very similar to Atkins low carb. Have been eating this way for a little over 4 years. I feel great! Most of the low carb eating information I learned from the sights:

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/
&
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/

I saw Dr Eades had a neat article yesterday on his Twitter sight about comedian Drew Carey and his massive weight loss when eating Atkins like, no carbs.

http://twitter.com/DrEades

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

I am currently experiencing some bad side effects from this diet...weakness, tiredness, constipation (due to the lack of fiber in this diet), and just a bit of nausea. I hope I can stick it out!

[Yoda]

Lack of fiber? What kinds of things are you eating? My fiber intake actually increased when I was on Atkins. Their protein shakes and bars have a lot of fiber. Are you eating many vegetables? Complex carbs are okay so you can get more fiber with whole grains, brown rice, beans,...

The South Beach diet is pretty much the same as Atkins. I bought a South Beach recipe book but didn't join the online group because I thought it was too expensive.

Thanks for the ideas. I've been eating mostly meat, fish, cheese, and salad. We also bought eggs so I'll be eating those too. As for their protein shakes and bars, we cannot afford to buy those. :/ So we'll have to get by with things we can buy at our small grocery store.

[Rhiannonsmoon]

Hello melissa,

My dad was on this diet and he did quite well losing excess body fat. He was quite a sick man (kidney & heart disease Diabetes), he had a kidney transplant and he had to lose weight before the surgery...

[Oakrun]

Originally Posted by melissa.recovering

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

I am currently experiencing some bad side effects from this diet...weakness, tiredness, constipation (due to the lack of fiber in this diet), and just a bit of nausea. I hope I can stick it out!

Sorry about the troubles you are going through on the diet. I guess some people can have withdrawal symptoms for a week or more, from what I've read. It gets better. For constipation you might try adding magnesium to your diet. The two low carb doctors I follow recommend it. (Magnesium is the active ingredient in the over the counter laxative Milk of Magnesia.) I take 200mgs in the morning and 200mgs at night. If taken all at once, it will cause stomach cramping for many, and basically can clean you out. Dr Eades also recommends potassium for new low carb followers, I believe, but I'm not sure how much.

Here are some articles on the health benefits of magnesium.

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/se...abel/Magnesium
&
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/u...-inflammation/

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by melissa.recovering

Thanks for the ideas. I've been eating mostly meat, fish, cheese, and salad. We also bought eggs so I'll be eating those too. As for their protein shakes and bars, we cannot afford to buy those. :/ So we'll have to get by with things we can buy at our small grocery store.

How about dropping the salad and adding other vegetables high in fiber? In general the darker the color of fruits and vegetables the higher the nutrients. If you can get fresh fruits and vegetables that is best. Canned fruits are usually higher in sugar and canned vegetables are usually higher in sodium. Frozen is usually a better choice than canned.

Is there a farmers' market nearby? They often have better prices than a grocer.

Go easy on the cheese because it often causes constipation.

Oatmeal is a good choice high in fiber and inexpensive. Don't get the "instant" kind though. Steel cut are the best choice; you can cook a batch and eat some and refrigerate the rest for another day. Add just a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon and a few raisins or a small bit of blueberries or whatever fruit you like. You don't want to cut carbs out completely but instead choose carbs that have lots of nutrients like berries instead of "empty" carbs like soda/pop or sugar.

[lorna]

I haven't been on the exact akins diet however when i was exercising a lot and was on a low carb diet, i lost a lot of weight. I hope you do the same, but in a healthy way. best wishes Lorna