Debt Free & Fat Free Wannabees??

freebird65

Hmmmmmm....Amos has got me all interested in doing Atkins again - did it once before and it was fab. I lost weight fast which was very motivating and never felt "deprived" food wise. Trouble is it's not a long-term eating plan for me as I like carbs too much....

So come on.....Atkins or Weight Watchers???

Batfink

Weight watchers for sure. I'm still not convinced of the long term health issues with Atkins. Dieting needs to be a lifestyle change imo, or it'll end up being up and down forever.

Phil

Batfink

amosworks wrote:

Keep it up you guys!! (And for all those who sinned last night in front of ER - and you know who you are - drop and give me 20!) Hehe

I've got my ashamed face on.

Phil

amosworks

freebird65 wrote:

Trouble is it's not a long-term eating plan for me as I like carbs too much....

?? You can eat carbs on Atkins. There are 4 stages to the diet, Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance then Lifetime Maintenance.

Atkins is suposed to be a life-long eating system so you've only "done" Atkins when you're in a cold, cold (and small) hole I think what you mean is that you went on Induction for a bit and had some great results, as everybody who goes on it will. I've been on Induction for 3 years, lost over 10 stone (in my first year alone) and my cholesterol level dropped to 3.9 (in just 1 year)!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

But if you stay on Induction for 2 weeks then move on to the other stages, you find your carb tolerance which lets you know how many carbs you can eat in a day. Eventually you'll know that you can eat so much pasta, this many potatoes and 10 chocolate bars a day etc. etc. without gaining weight. Whatever floats your boat

Callisto

freebird65 wrote:

Hmmmmmm....Amos has got me all interested in doing Atkins again - did it once before and it was fab. I lost weight fast which was very motivating and never felt "deprived" food wise. Trouble is it's not a long-term eating plan for me as I like carbs too much....

So come on.....Atkins or Weight Watchers???

You've answered your own question there freebird! If you like carbs, then cutting them out will make you feel deprived, therefore putting you at more risk of binging on them...

I love carbs, so I'm on the low GI eating plan... can have bread, pasta, rice etc as long as it's wholemeal.

I also agree with batfink. I think there are long term health implications for people on the Atkins diet... carbohydrates are the 'building blocks' of energy, cutting them out long term CANNOT be healthy.

EDIT: Just read amosworks post above, but still believe the Atkins diet is too restrictive!

amosworks

Callisto wrote:

I think there are long term health implications for people on the Atkins diet... carbohydrates are the 'building blocks' of energy, cutting them out long term CANNOT be healthy.

May I point out that potatoes , pasta and rice are NOT native to this land and we've only been growing crops for the last 10,000 years. This is opposed to the millions of years we've been eating other animals which are made of fat and protein On Atkins you do consume carbs on all stages through vegetables, seeds, nuts and berries which are also high in nutrients, essential fatty acids and other "goodness"

Glucose (from carbs) are very similar to ketones in size and function. They both have the ability to enter cells and are a source of energy. The difference is eating glucose causes an insulin spike which gets the unused carbs stored as fat stores (and is what makes you feel tired after a big meal), ketones have no such reaction or effect. To use an analogy, ketones are the 4 star unleaded petrol and glucose is the own brand alternative.

Edit to your edit Mother nature, in her infinite wisdom, decided that we (being the dominant species on the planet) are highly adaptable eaters a.k.a. omnivoures. But I don't think she intended us to start importing food all over the world on big ships. It's natural to eat what's available locally and is in season.

Batfink

I must admit Amos, you do put forward the best reasoned and thought out case for atkins that I've read.

Phil

freebird65

Sorry Amos, I stand corrected. You're quite right - you can eat carbs - I should have been more specific and said "unhealthy" refined carbs and not the healthy ones found in veg etc. Having said that, my 3 months stint on Atkins did make me cut right back on the amount of pasta etc that I eat, so it had some long-term benefits. And I never stuck to it strictly - I devised my own version which suited me nicely. To be blatantly honest, I think my biggest problem is lack of exercise and my, quite frankly, shocking drinking habits! I'm working hard to get out of some bad habits - like a bottle of red with dinner!

freebird65

Batfink - he certainly does......I still have the book and it does make a LOT of sense! Well worth a read even if you don't do the diet!

Callisto

Amosworks, very well worded post, but I don't agree that the Atkins diet is good for anyone and I never will.

Let's just agree to disagree. If it's working for you, then great... but I don't want to get caught up in the 'politics' of which 'diet' is the best. Everyone's gotta do whichever diet and exercise they feel most comfortable with.