The Atkins Diet

[Durzel]

Originally posted by Damini
Damn it Ch3tan, we want a miracle cure! NOW YOU BAST!

Joined the gym today I might even sign up for swimming lessons, which will be wholly degrading, but not quite as degrading as being the girl clinging to the inflatable ring for dear life when the wave pool in Greece got too much. I don't know if the swimming lessons will honestly do much good though, cos I had loads of swimming lessons when I was younger, and I think its just because I'm a bit broken and can't move my arms and legs at the same time in any sense of co-ordination. I don't so much swim as postpone drowning.

I took up swimming about 2 months ago, mainly because I didn't have the guts to join the gym, start up the treadmill and be gasping for breath after 0.01 km.

Swimming generally seems like a good way to build up to the gym (and is a decent enough form of exercise in itself). One thing I did find was that I'd actually forgotten how to do the breast-stroke, and even now I end up doing more work with my arms than my legs.

In short: I look like a spaz when swimming.

 

[Damini]

I've never been any good at swimming, even though I started having lessons as a baby. When I was at bognor school, I was in the shallow end with the kids that pissed themselves constantly and tried to eat the float, or would stick the armbands on their ankles to see what would happen

I'm not sure if it's something I just physically can't do (problems with co-ordination due to mild dyspraxia) or if I've never been fit enough to swim long distances (which would be odd because I used to be very fit yet still swam like I ate crayons when teacher wasn't looking) or if I've never been taught properly or what. It just pisses me off, especially as people seem to assume it's that I can't swim because I'm just not trying hard enough.

And Durzel, I can assure you that I look like far more of a spaz than you in the pool, frantically doing doggy paddle with all the grace of a one winged swan being stabbed with a high voltage spaz stick.

 

[(Shovel)]

12 stone-ish (6 foot-ish) after a summer of bugger all. Will try and do the gym thing back at uni

 

[Jupitus]

I know the swimming dilemma myself, and it just clicks eventually, I think, so try the lessons again Dam and see if you can get there.

As regards the Atkins (lo carb) diet... don't knock it until you've tried it. The bad breath thing is something which can happen, but if you are drinking sufficient water throughout it should be under control. Once your body is in a state of ketosis (burning fat rather then carbs) the resultant chemicals have to get out somewhere... drink enough water and it mostly flushes through your pee (yes you'll pee alot) rather than your saliva. If you get a breath problem from it then more water is the answer.

Whether it's good or bad for you is subject to debate and I can't comment. What I can say is that my wife tried all sorts of dieting for 4 years after our 2nd son was born simply to try to regain her weight before she fell pregnant with him. She was serious and dedicated about it but nothing worked until the lo carb diet. On that she managed to regain her weight and confidence with it. Now she diets normally and is slightly above that 'target' but happy and more confident because she got there. I have one person to thank for teaching me about it and those thanks are whole-hearted.

Read the book, find out more, then decide for yourself... don't assume the majority here are right... you will know what's right for you, noone else can tell you that.

 

[r32]

If you follow the Atkins diet you have to give up beer, chips, bacon sarnies and pringles. Thanks, but no thanks.

 

[Jupitus]

... oh, and 5'10" or so, 9 1/2 stone. Never had a weight issue and think myself lucky for it.

I should also say that my wife is in no way fat, in my view... just as sexy now as the day I met her

 

[Jupitus]

Originally posted by r32
If you follow the Atkins diet you have to give up beer, chips, bacon sarnies and pringles. Thanks, but no thanks.

I think that the carbs in alcohol are somehow chemically different... you can do the lo carb thing without giving up booze

 

[Jupitus]

Originally posted by Deadmanwalking.
Im 16 stone and 6'4 .. im also an alcoholi... oh sorry wrong thread.

well I am an alcoholic... beer rather than food is my plan, hence no weight problem

 

[Ekydus]

I saw some documentary on Channel 4 long before the hype in the Newspapers etc about the Atkins diet... to me it looked as if the guy was living in luxury. Imagine bacon and eggs for breakfast everyday. Although it must get very tiresome and restricting after a while. I have the book around my house somewhere, I haven't read it though. Apparently it's all about how it works etc.
I also saw something on the news about a negative side to the diet. This fat girl was using the diet and not benefiting from it or something. (If anyone could elaborate on this it would help because I can't remember myself.)
And no, before you ask I don't need the diet because if anything I am under-weight for my age and height, so hah!

Damn this thread is making me hungry TBH... No lie.

 

[old.[MPZ]Padwah]

If all you want to do is lose weight without worrying about the health issues the atkins diet is brilliant, a couple of my friends have tried it and lost a couple of stone each in as many weeks!

The only problem is, it's not exactly great for you! I'd give it a try myself, since giving up smoking my gut has been rapidly expanding, but I do a lot of mountain-bike riding and the lack of carbs would be really noticeable the next time I go out and hit the trails.

The secret to being fit is to have some will power, not snack so much and do a reasonable amount of exercise, if you're trying to lose weight then you want to ease yourself into the new diet and then ease yourself back into a normal diet, otherwise as soon as you stop dieting you'll put it all back on again.


/longest post from me ever!

 

[Ekydus]

Diets = torment for a lot of people. It's a shame that people force themselves to go without. Personally, never have had been on a diet I don't know what you all go through but I know it is hard. Gotta admit though, this diet sounds very fun.

<Wanders off to make a sandwich>

 

[Xtro 2.0]

Originally posted by Omniscieous
I'm about 9 stone
But also a shortass (5'4")

Jesus, you and Jup are skinny.

5ft 9" and 15 stone. Stepped up training and added an inch to my biceps and chest recently. No I don't use steroids.

/edit: The only diet I recommend is brunettes and adrenaline baby.

 

[Sir Frizz]

I can eat all i want, and those pounds never touch me!

edit://

5"11
11.5 stone

 

[Ekydus]

Exactly, you eat all you want to. That could mean that you just have no urge to eat?

No urge to eat = No weight being put on = Healthy n' happy.

 

[PR.]

5'10" and I am 15.5stone

I used to be 12-13 and I was happy, then I went mad after stopping doing my warehouse work and put 3-4stone on and haven't really lost it since :/

 

[Sir Frizz]

Originally posted by Ekydus
Exactly, you eat all you want to. That could mean that you just have no urge to eat?

No urge to eat = No weight being put on = Healthy n' happy.

That's the thing, i eat and eat. Binge mostly.

 

[Ekydus]

Then worry you've spent too much time eating and run 3 miles to work?

 

[Sir Frizz]

I play football once a week?

 

[Bym]

I was on the Atkins diet for a few weeks and I can't believe I lost weight from eating pepperami, pork scratchings, bacon and sausages....it was wonderful

I ate more carbs than the normal overweight person (30g a day), because I wasn't overweight (don't ask why I was trying to lose weight).....but I still lost 5lbs in 2 weeks and kept it off or once. I dread to think how much I'd have lost if I wasn't eating that 15g.

On the downside, I felt very weak and hungry all the time, and I got postural hypotension (when your blood pressure drops when you stand up and it makes you feel pretty ill).

One way to lose weight that always worked for me - nice healthy meals, smaller portions, no snacking on junk food during the day, and make sure you eat the biggest meal in the morning, smaller at lunch, and smallest at night. Oh, and if you're hungry between meals, don't bother with the snacking and split your 3 meals into 5 meals a day instead. I don't think we were designed to have to wait hours to eat, it just makes me grumpy anyway.

Oh, and alcohol (especially beer) is unbelievably fattening, you have no idea how much weight you can lose if you are a drinker by cutting it out for a few weeks! I haven't been able to drink for weeks, and need to put a few pounds on really, and I've struggled to gain weight despite eating tons.

Oh, and I'm afraid exercise works too, hehe. Not that I do any at the mo......unless playing Jedi Knight Academy counts?

Caroline (a former obsessive dieter, I blame it on the cruel boys when I was at school!)

 

[CAC]

well in 6ft3 and 13 stone and basically eat as much shite as i like when i like

how do i do it?

i have a very physically intensive job

 

[Sawtooth]

I think its well known that the "diet" and I use the term loosely works in the short term. The problem really seems to be that people can't sustain it as a long term change in their pattern of eating so invariably they return to normal food and the pounds miraculously return. I did read a little into it and the fact that the result is ketosis and the high increase in the likelyhood of gall stones / constipation , weakness, badbreath etc rang warning bells very loudly in my head.

I reached 17stone (and just turned 40) early this year so I decided to just eat sensibly (low fat). I really just have an average breakfast (toast or musili / orange juice and a cup of tea, a salad for lunch and a low fat meal in the evening. The biggest help was def the gym. I lost 2.5 stone in 4 months which I think is about right in terms of pounds lost per week, but better than that the diet is easily changed to include a coulple of goodies now and again without falling down the old road to fat.

I would recommend trying this and having a balanced diet.

 

[Ch3tan]

5'7" 8 1/2 stone (give or take a quarter) between 6-8% body fat.

I need to join the AA and have a DVD buying problem

Seriously though, its a lot harder to put on weight when youve got a stupidly fast metabolism. I could eat what I like and not put on any weight, but I'd rather not clog up my arteries and have high blood pressure by the time I'm 25.

 

[madcow]

If you looking for a good diet and exersize plan then go and get yourself a book called body for life. Unlike the atkins diet you exersize and get to eat carb I lost 5 stone and gained over 1 stone of lean mass (not lose it like most diets). It really is a good way to eat and works are all planed for you so you at least look like you know what your doing when you goto the gym. Also the best bit and most important bit as far as weigth lose is concened you get 1 day a week off to do what you want eg. fry ups/ice cream/bread/beer/wine/whatever.

Good luck

 

[Teh Krypt]

Best diet would be to bring down BW servers so we can't post

 

[Neural Network]

I'm just too lazy to eat while sitting at home in front of the comp. A lot of water keeps the hunger for sweets away.
It's a problem though going to work or at school because I instantly get unbelievable hungry.