My experience of Atkins

Hi!

I found this forum when looking for information about where to get Keto sticks. I found it really interesting and registered immediately. Can I share my experience/opinions of Atkins?

A brief intro: I'm 49 years old and need to shed about 30lbs to be happy, though I could settle for a bit less. In more obvious terms, I am 38" waist and I want to be size 32" again, though could live with 34" I have used Atkins before without the spectacular results that some people get, but never with disappointing results. I have managed 3 - 5lbs a week where some manage 7lbs. It certainly works.

These days I find it easier and less problematic to just say 'low carb diet' to most people. It is strange the strong emotions that the name 'Atkins' can elicit from some people. My experience of the diet means that I would not recommend a low-carb diet to anyone without their having first read extensively about it. This is partly for safety reasons (You do need to make sure that you get all the essentials and, as with any diet, you can make mistakes), but also because understanding the Atkins diet makes beautiful, illuminating, fabulous sense in a way that no other diet does. Eat less fat, we are told by the diet fascists, yet fat consumption in the western world has decreased at exactly the same time that carb consumption has gone through the roof. Diabetes has increased, just as fat consumption has gone down and carb consumption has gone up. Etc, etc, etc. Reading the Atkins book and grasping what he is saying has a revelatory feel on an almost religious scale.

Don't look for advice from health professionals either. An ex doctor of mine told me that if it worked for me to do it. I had borderline high blood pressure and no doubt he realised, as do I, that the risks of that outweighed any perceived risk from Atkins. A nurse at the same practice threw her hands up in horror at the mere mention of the diet. My blood pressure is still a tad above what I would like it to be, but hugely improved on what it was.

I tried Atkins a few years ago and lost a lot of weight, but I fell by the wayside and ended up a depressing 224lbs two years ago. About that time my wife left me and this freed me up to take control of my life, so since then I have lost a fair bit again and now tip the scales at 194lbs. I'm fairly fit. I cycle regularly, sometimes up to 30 miles in one day and I feel good on it.

Frustratingly though, this time on Atkins the weight is shifting VERY slowly. I think that I need to do a careful audit of my eating, to join a gym and, during the summer, to rack the cycling up to 150 miles a week.

Being overweight puts my life on hold. Sorry if this offends any larger ladies on here, but I want a slim girlfriend. I ain't going to get one while I look like this. Also, I refuse to buy new clothes for a tub of lard, so I exist with the minimum of clothes. Other than my work uniform I have one pair of jeans! I long for the day when I can go out and spend £££££££'s on lots of new size 32" trousers. lol

Anyway, that's where I am. A bit in limbo, but absolutely convinced that there is no better weight loss system known to man than the totally NATURAL method of eating like nature intended us to on a low carb diet.

Brian.
 
Welcome and best of luck. 3-5 lbs of FAT a week is quite spectacular IMO when we have low fat dieters struggling all week for a pound (probably not all fat).

As for the Atkins name causing problems, be proud of it. I love it when people start, they go through about 10 misguided points which we can easily answer before flustering 'yes but it MUST be unhealthy!'. At that point I raise my hand in victory and declare them a moron.

I know what you mean about life on hold! I'm only 23 and feel like i'm wasting mine. You're on your own with the slim gf comment though ;) I don't think there is a collective bunch of people on the net as nice as the people here and we're all (well mostly) overweight.
 
wow brian...thats a thread and a half lol

i took no offence to your 'larger lady' sentence....we all want to be slimmer for some reason....and for some...its to be attractive to the opposite sex :D

there is a hell of a lot of info in here and we all feel the same way you do about Atkins....

welcome to the forum....im sure we can help you lose that last 30lb :D
 
I don't think there is a collective bunch of people on the net as nice as the people here and we're all (well mostly) overweight.

:happy096:

Thx James, lovely thing to say :)

Brian - welcome, and I don't mind your comment either, you know what you like and how you are to achieve it, so go for it!
 
hI Brian I am new to atkins but I fel so much better i have been on this wol for two weeks and i feel so much better , i have been to the doctors and my cholestrol is down, so happy. x
 
Aww James, you're just fab.

I took offence. Really you're putting both your own personality and the personality of anyone you meet down with feeling that way - yes, I'll probably find a slim guy more instantly appealing (although not always) but for appeal that lasts more than a glance... well, I have 'weird crushes' on Si from the hairy bikers, David Mitchell and Michael Mcintyre, so there you go. It's just terribly depressing when someone won't give your personality a chance because of your appearance, especially someone in a similar situation. I find it near impossible to believe any nice comments about me are more than jokes because of people with that mindset.

Not to denigrate your wish to lose weight. I do too, and I do because it will make my life socially easier, hopefully. It's just a terrible shame things have to be that way.
 
Thanks!

Thanks for all your welcomes.

I should maybe qualify my statement about larger ladies. I'm not looking for a stick insect. But I would find it hard to be happy with someone who was size 18 or above. That's just my personal preference. I know it makes me sound shallow, but physical attraction has to play a part.

Anyway, the other thing that I like about Atkins is that you can indulge in a scotch or two :D

Brian.
 
Hi Brian and welcome :)
 
Hi Brian and welcome mate. You can do it, everyone here will help.
 
Welcome, great first post.
Im unsure what to say re the larger ladies thing. Is it not just like me saying I would prefer a taller bloke? One with dark hair? big wallet ;)

I can understand it being hurtful but then on the other hand arent we all a little choosy?
 
As an anthropologist I will back Brian up with an anthropological answer ;) It is in a mans nature (this goes for most male species across the board) to reproduce, to do this they need a healthy female. This is why men are more attracted to slimmer healthier looking women as they will be more likely to bear them children :)
This is also why, to some degree, women do things to make them look more "fertile" push up bras, dresses that show off curves etc and also why most of us women all strive to have a figure like Kelly Brook.

I like to use this as a comfort to myself when men are being poop ;)

James, just wanted to do, bless your heart for being so lovely
 
My degree is finally useful!!! haha ;)
 
Lol. Thats why i wear push up bras ;)
 
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