Atkins Diet - The pro's and con's

[Miss Bean]

Hello everyone,

I went on Lipotrim last year and lost 3 stones, I then didn't refeed and put it all back on again plus an extra stone.

I am now on Exante and have lost 8lbs in my first week. However I am finding TFR quite difficult this time around and have been having one chicken breast some nights to replace a shake/soup.

How expensive is the Atkins diet? Also what pro's and con's would you say there are to the diet?

All the food sounds so appealing right now I understand this diet is a lifestyle change which is what I need, I am just interested to know what people's personal experiences are of it away from the negative reviews and publicity.

Many thanks in advance,

Cherise x

 

[MissyMustDoIt]

i wouldnt say atkins is more expensive than a normal shop to be fair....

its meat, and greens, some cream and butter and scratchings for me lol

no takeouts, no crisps, no wine....

i think it weighs out

 

[kellylew]

i did CD SS for 4 months and lost 4 stone, now on atkins and i love it apart from some headaches here and there (which are only meant to last 2 wks max). i'm also finding it alot more afordable = more money 4 new clothes lol. but i think everyone is different and you got to find an eating plan that suits. you can only try. good luck x

 

[kellylew]

hi missy, do u know if theres a low carb peanut butter? didn't know you was allowed pork scratchings. mmmm gonna get me some lol x

 

[Yambabe]

If combining the 2 is working for you why not stick to that for now? It's not set in stone that you have to follow any diet plan to the letter, you are much more likely to be successful and maintain in the long-term if you can find something that works for YOU even if it's not strictly one particular diet.

Have your exante packs each day as normal but combine them with a high-protein very low carb meal too. Try and watch the calories though cos your exante packs will have more carbs than the proper Induction Atkins plan.

While you're doing that get the Atkins book and read it from cover to cover, get into your head exactly how Atkins works and why and start planning what you will eat when you change over.

Gradually reduce the number of packs per day over the coming weeks whilst upping your protein & calorie intake - you should hopefully be able to move smoothly from exante to Atkins eventually.

At this point you may need to go to Induction for a while or you may be able to move straight onto Phase 2 or even Phase 3.

This is kind of what I'm doing and why I sneak in here even though I'm not a "proper" Atkins dieter. I'm in the process of reintroducing food in a very gradual and controlled way, and my goal for long-term maintenance is to stick to a low-carb high-protein calorie controlled plan that will be very similar to Atkins Phase 4 (Maintenance). There's a lot of good info in here that is helping me to put my plans together....... so don't be afraid to ask lots of questions, everybody here seems to be very helpful!

Personally I have found Exante to be extremely cheap for me cos I haven't needed to buy the huge quantities of food I used to eat since I've been doing it. would say our weekly shopping bill used to easily top £150 (just for 2 of us and some pets!) and now I probably spend about £30-£40 plus the £25 for my packs so less than half. Loads of money to buy new smaller clothes with!

However, having done Atkins in the past (unsuccessfully, I did fine on Induction and lost well but couldn't maintain in the long term cos I don't think my head was ready then) I did find that again I was buying less quantity of food but I did tend to go for better quality which was sometimes a little more expensive on a per item basis so the overall bill didn't change much.

 

[Miss Bean]

Thanks Yambabe that really helped, I have no idea what I'm going to do...having the chicken helps, I had some lamb like one lamb chop done in the oven, without the fat, it was about 2 mouthfuls worth...it was flavourless and rank I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. My mum threw my favourite pair of tracksuit bottoms away - she was chasing me with a knife to cut them off (funnier than it sounds lol) because they wouldnt stay up properly Haha never mind.

Thanks for the advice, I hope everything's going well for you x

 

[StephenP]

Hello everyone,

I went on Lipotrim last year and lost 3 stones, I then didn't refeed and put it all back on again plus an extra stone.

I am now on Exante and have lost 8lbs in my first week. However I am finding TFR quite difficult this time around and have been having one chicken breast some nights to replace a shake/soup.

How expensive is the Atkins diet? Also what pro's and con's would you say there are to the diet?

All the food sounds so appealing right now I understand this diet is a lifestyle change which is what I need, I am just interested to know what people's personal experiences are of it away from the negative reviews and publicity.

Many thanks in advance,

Cherise x

no neg from me its the best

 

[BlackRose]

I did Lipotrim a while ago and I think Atkins is cheaper. Especially if you're buying for a family. Even if not the way I've started to think about it is this: Eventually you're going to have to be eating regularly - why not start your new lifestyle now? Yeah with Exante or any VLCD you'll lose weight that little but quicker but it is sooo hard! With Atkins you can eat, relax, have fun AND lose weight at a good pace. I know folks have really enjoyed their time of those diets, and for a while I did too, but it always felt like I was putting off hte inevitable. I need to re-train myself NOW and eat better NOW.

But, I do agree with Yambabe and think it's always best to work out what works for YOU if it's a mix of diets then go for it and don't get bogged down by the rules and regulations if you've educated yourself to know what's good and what's bad. Either way I wish you the very best of luck!!

 

[Miss Bean]

black rose i totally agree with you, I'm young and I have only ever done healthy eating and LT before. I suspect I can find a way of somehow working things out, it just seems really difficult to understand all the concepts and things.

How are you feeling on Atkins now ? I know I put the weight back on, I didn't refeed and I went straight back to the carbs without thinking.

I will have to sit down and work out a plan of action to help me

Thank you so much for your advice, the support on this place is immense. Everyone is so kind and helpful. x

 

[MissyMustDoIt]

as for peanut butter hun, nuts and seeds are not part of induction....as you progess from induction to OQL you up your carb intake.....i have peanut butter in the cupboard and on occasion eat it with celery but as long as you count your carbs you can eat it on OWL xx

 

[kellylew]

thanks missy hun. And your allowed pork scratchings on induction? x

 

[BlackRose]

black rose i totally agree with you, I'm young and I have only ever done healthy eating and LT before. I suspect I can find a way of somehow working things out, it just seems really difficult to understand all the concepts and things.

How are you feeling on Atkins now ? I know I put the weight back on, I didn't refeed and I went straight back to the carbs without thinking.

I will have to sit down and work out a plan of action to help me

Thank you so much for your advice, the support on this place is immense. Everyone is so kind and helpful. x

I am loving it right now babes. Just because I'm ready for it I suppose. After a successful go 9 yrs ago, and like you went straight to loadsa carbs and piled it back on again -I've tried since and failed numerous times. This time I'm sticking to it come hell or high water!

Go to the Atkins website for the list of foods allowed on each phase and you'll be flying. If you can do it properly and combine a little exercise you'll see results in absolutely no time!

My biggest word of advixe right now would be this; Do not give up! If you stumble and eat outside the guidelines -put it behind you and don't focus on it. Don't think'I've blown it now -sure I'll eat bla bla bla and start again tomorrow, just carry on with Atkins in your mind. Because we all know how long tomorrow takes to come in the end don't we? NO MORE LAST SUPPERS!! We all stumble and we all make mistakes the trick is to dust it off as soon as possible. And that's what I'm trying to do this time too.

GOOD LUCK AND HEALTH TO US ALL! WOOP WOOP!!

 

[Miss Bean]

Black rose, I'm going to stay with Exante for two weeks slowly adding the food, so today im having a chicken salad for lunch instead of a soup (which I hate), and then hopefully be on to Atkins after reading the book I ordered this morning. I am alot happier and very excited about being able to eat and enjoy myself. It means if we go to the beach and they have fish and chips at least I can have a sausage I find the powdered diets so socially restricting, I found it alot easier in the winter...less functions and things i suppose.

I'm so pleased for you that you love it and that you are back on track.

I'm definitely determined to do something about my weight at the moment and to change the way I treat food and things, I need to do it for me and my health and mind. I also dont want to be a fat bride in a few years Plus not now but in the long term future if I was to have children or whatever I would want to be healthy and I would hate for someone to look at me and think....is she pregnant or is she just fat. I would be gutted and hide myself for a long time.

Anyway enough of my rubbish, good luck with your journey. Thank you so much for your help.

Cherise xxx

 

[BlackRose]

Any reason to get healthy and slim is a good reason. I have my own bridal concerns too so I completely get it!

I agree on how socially restricting the shakes are (and the soups!! BOKE!!) but good on ya for sticking out for another while and introducing food in gradually. You're a wise woman.

 

[Jim]

It's the only diet that ever worked for me Cherise.

 

[Miss Bean]

Jim I am amazed at your pictures and your maintenance and you are the only person I have known on any of these forums to have maintained for a long period of time. It gives others hope. I can also see from some of your other posts that you do still have potatoes and bread and things just not over the top It really gives me inspiration to see that it does work. I know so many people that have done so many diets and none work and yet here you are still the same It's fantastic. xx

 

[Jim]

Thanks love, I won't say it's been easy, but I have managed to mainly get over the temptations.