I thought I´d start a new thread about this topic, and give you my firsthand experience. Tony, consider this as a reply to your previous post. First, let me say that the Atkins diet has been around a long time.It used to be called "The drinking man´s diet", because it allowed you to drink red wine.(very low carbohydrate content). I personally have used this diet all my adult life with great success. At it´s core, it is nothing more than a high protein, low carb diet. The theory is that your body cannot store carbohydrates that you need for energy, but can store fat, to be used for energy at a later date. Therefore, if you limit your carbohydrate intake,(eating less carbs than you need for your body´s energy demands) your body has to burn the accumlated fat stores, and thus you lose weight. The first part of the diet tells you to get to as close to zero carbs as you can for the first two weeks to change the body´s metabolism, and then to limit that intake to no more than 20 grams a day thereafter, until you get down to your desired weight. Then go on the maintenance diet where you can eat what you like in moderation, just keeping an eye on your weight, and going back to the diet if you gain 2-5 lbs.YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK TO YOUR OLD EATING HABITS!! EVER!!, OR YOU WILL GAIN IT ALL BACK AND THEN SOME! But, when you achieve your desired weight, you can enjoy all your favorite foods. In the many times I have used the diet, I lost about 10-12 lbs. a month consistently, with less monthly loss as I got closer to my goal. I went back to my "fat weight" several times, because I didn´t change my habits, but over the last 3 years I finally got it through my head that I had to change , and the diet is working like it should. I weighed a high of 210 lbs. when I should weigh around 175 lbs. where I am now. It took me 4 months to get it off. My basic diet is eggs, melted cheese, sausage or ham for breakfast (no bread, as refined flour is a killer, and you should never eat bread while losing). I eat my big meal around 3 o´clock, and usually it´s a large chef salad, loaded with cheese, meat and some type of low carb dressing (bleu cheese). In between meal snacks are cheese (white, hard cheeses are the best...any kind, cheddar, mozzeralla etc.)and a weenie, or a meat snack. Bottom line is that I never am really hungry on the diet, as all the foods I can eat are filling.Yes, I miss sweets, but I drink diet drinks to "curb that urge", and my wife makes a mean pudding with cream cheese and artificial sweetner, and diet jello. Also there are the Atkins products, that are low carb, to help you in that area. All the cravings get less and less as your body adjusts. If you combine physical excercise with the diet, you´ll lose even faster.I hope it works for those of you that use it, as well as it works for me. And one more note, READ THE LABELS ON FOODS, SUGAR IN ANY FORM IS A NO-NO.
ne thing to keep in mind, is that this diet is a natural diuretic, so there will be nights when you will think your whizzing more than sleeping. That´s good, because that´s all that grease leaving your body. So good luck to all those that give it a try! I hope you reach your goal!