Rating: 
Summary: Review od Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution
Review: There are some fundemental good things about the Atkins Diet, and there are some problems. The basis of the diet is to cut way down on the carbohydrates(carbs) that you eat. Your body then will have to burn fat to do normal body functions. Think of a house that loses its gas or oil supply for its heating system. In order to stay warm, the inhabitant burns wood. You can't wiggle your little finger, without energy. This energy comes from burning carbs or fat.
The Atkins approach is to start the patient off with as little as 4 grams of carbs per day. "The rapid weight loss approach can leave you tired, and feeling washed out." These are Dr. Atkins words. You will need to eat, and that starts with much more protein than normally, and selected carbs, in controlled amounts.
Naming just a few problems with the diet includes bacon, which the medical comminity now identifies as unhealthy, and not eating certain carbs, such as sweet potatoes, which come from a different plant group as white potatoes, which are banned.
What happens to dieters is that when they return to their normal lifestyle, they develop their usual energy needs, eat off the diet, and regain much of the weight they lost. Some with great discipline, and/or a modified life-style, can remain slimmer.
What I found worked for me in ridding myself of diabetes, was integrating some of Dr.Atkins approach into a more healthy nutritional approach, adding specific supplements, and utilizing stress reduction techniques. Using your mind plays into this too. You need to only eat when you are hungry, and avoid the race by the food merchants to have the largest portion size to make you think you are getting a bargain.
Charles J. Masison, Author
Winning the Fight Against Diabetes
Rating: 
Summary: not for everyone
Review: Don't try this diet unless you are 30-40 pounds overweight. I much prefer Fit for Life by the Diamond family for a healthy way to loose weight.
Rating: 
Summary: It really really works..
Review: Dr. Atkins has just rehashed his old work. Same old thing. The diet doesn't even work. Ugh. Save your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Eczema disappeared
Review: First things first, the diet is amazing because anything that gets us away from the white bread, white sugar, white rice mentality has to be recommended. I suffered for years as a child from eczema and had NO idea that this might possibly have been linked to refined carbohydrates. Ok, I admit as I got older I realized that sugar played a huge role in this complaint and for the past few years have been careful of how much sugar I consumed, which really helped and have thus since then been virtually (90%) eczema free. However, I still suffered from very dry skin which a homeopath said would never go away. "We know how to cure eczema, but you have to live with the dry skin". I also suffered in the summer (due to the heat) of eczema in my elbows and backs of legs in the knee area. Well, I believed in thinking that this wouldn't go away went on to continue eating refined carbohydrates and had no idea that these basically reverted into sugar in our bodies. Also, whenever I tried to lose weight by going on a low fat diet (where I would eat a lot of bread), my skin became very scaly and powdery if I didn't use cream. I also suffered terribly from dandruff. But I somehow never linked these things. This was until I read this book. To be very honest, I really haven't lost as much weight as I would have expected, but this might be because two things 1) I only have about 15 pounds to lose and 2) my penchant for alcohol (i.e red wine). I have now cut back to just drinking white wine (lower sugar content) and am starting to see some results. However, this summer (2003) I have declared myself 100% eczema free. I have no dry skin, no patches of eczema this summer, and no dandruff. My skin tone is excellent and I put it all down to this way of eating. I can highly recommend it.
Also, being a flight attendant we all suffer from dry skin and I joked to a colleague (before I started this diet) that if I continued, I would end up looking like a raisin. That has all disappeared. Even on the longest flights I still have good skin tone and not a spot of dryness.
For me the weight-loss has now become secondary. It was a primary issue first off, but has now taken second place. Even if I modify the diet, which I will have to at a later stage because I cannot see myself sticking to it for life, then I will just banish refined carbs including all forms of sugar from my diet. I am extremely grateful to Dr. Atkins and it is a tragedy that he is not around to enjoy all the recognition his books are now getting. Well he can rest assured knowing that the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote can be attributed to him and that is "..to know that just one person has breathed easier because you have lived."
Rating:
Summary: My Husband Lost Weight - I gained
Review: For some reason this diet seems to work much better for men than women. My husband quickly lost 20 lbs. (but I am not convinced that a diet that high in protein and low in fruits and vegetables etc. is good for you for any length of time. I gained weight and many other women I know claimed the same result. I would have to say that for some of us, this diet just doesn't work. Counting my calories and eating from all food groups has worked much better for me.
Rating:
Summary: Easy! And effective!
Review: I began the Atkin's diet over a year ago and lost 30lbs in just over a month. I have kept the weight off too! My migraines disappeared and my depression is gone. My energy level is unbelieveable. Buy this book!!
Rating:
Summary: Lower Cholesterol & Triglycerides!
Review: I had bloodwork done before starting the diet. In 3 months, my cholesterol went from 208 to 145 and my Triglycerides dropped from a dangerous 670 to 204. My appetite decreased, I had lost 20 pounds and had more energy! Now after another 3 months, my triglycerides are in the normal range. This happened while I ate all the protein I wanted, up to 90 grams of fat per day and lots of vegetables. People think you continue to eat that way forever. If you read the book, you find that you gradually move back into a more liberal diet that meets your own needs. As I added back the fruit and milk, I ate less fat and now am on a healthy well-balanced diet. My weight has stayed off and I expect to continue maintaining by eating sensibly.
Rating:
Summary: The Man Should Be Canonized!!!
Review: I have been through everything.... low fat, Optifast, cabbage soup, the Dean Ornish plan, and I can say unequivocally, that Dr. Atkins' diet is the only one that has given me such dramatic results, with a minimum of pain and suffering. I started Atkins about two months ago, weighing a huge amount (I'll never tell how much, but it was serious). I have stayed on induction for the past two months, pretty much without falling off. It's not that I have such great will power...I don't. But I really have absolutely no craving for carbohydrates or sweets, this from a convinced dessertophile. The net result is that in two months, I've shed about 34 lbs and gone down four pant sizes. My goal weight is still far off, but I feel better than I have in years. For Atkins to work, you have to be pretty religious about it I think. I have not found induction at all restrictive, except that I do miss fruit, especially apples. I also have found that exercise is not an option with this diet...it's essential, as the Dr. claims. The combination is more effective than diet or exercise is alone. Between the two, the health benefits of this lifestyle have been enormous. I had a blood workup done about 6 weeks into the program and it was excellent. My cholesterol was down fewer than 200 for the first time in 12 years, my heart rate was a healthy 72, and my cardio health was excellent. There are things to watch out for on this diet. The water-drinking requirement should not be taken lightly. It flushes out the kidneys, which is pretty important in a low carb diet. Also, forcing yourself not to cheat is also pretty important. The yoyo effect of a dessert on the weekend can be pretty tough...it's as if you are starting and stopping a diet over and over again and that's tough on your body. Supplements should be taken, especially vitamin D and C since the induction phase is particularly light in these vitamins. A fiber drink is essential for maintaining good bowel health. But if you can follow all of this, the plan is not too hard, nor is it too extreme...Dean Ornish...now THAT'S extreme! (I had good results on that as well, but it was too extreme for me to follow forever.) One note about the food...the recipes in the book and on the Atkins website are excellent, truly gourmet. And there's a nice blend of fast meals and fancier meals. The desserts though are disappointing. I find that it's better for me just to avoid dessert altogether than to try a low carb substitute. There's still enough delicious food without the need for sweets, and if I get even a little hankering for something sweet, there's always sugar free jello. All in all, this has been, for me, an almost painless diet and one that I highly recommend people consider, with advice of course from a medical professional.
Rating:
Summary: Dr. Atkins Two Thumbs Up!!
Review: I have had the Atkins diet book for over a year and I just started my new way of eating 11 days ago. I have lost 6 pounds so far and feel great.My best friend and her husband have both lost 10 pounds each over the past 11 days. At first I thouhght this program would be hard but it really isn't, who thought you could lose weight eating bacon cheese burgers. I was very skeptical at first and didn't believe I'd lose a pound let alone go into ketosis, but I did after 3 days. I recommend all skeptics to try the diet for the 14 days and I bet after you see the results you will continue. Finally after many diets and diet pills I feel confident that I will reach my weight lose goals. THANK YOU DR. ATKINS
Rating:
Summary: This diet works
Review: I purchased this book in 1999. I have lived on this diet for the last two-three years. Within the first two months I dropped 30 pounds and as long as I follow the principles that this book taught, I keep it off. I have learned how to control my body from this in a way that I never could before. From age 12 on my sizes increased with my age until I was 21 (although technically at 21 I was a 22W). I was huge and miserable. This book changed my life. I wish the whole world could learn what I have learned about the way our bodies work. It would make for happier people. I am now a size 10 which is where I want to be. I recommend this to anyone who wants to change their life for the better. It is not a diet in the traditional sense, it is a way of life that can lead to healthful happiness. You have to try and you have to follow it and you have to let go of all the nonsense that the FDA has been trying to cram down our throats for years, but you will have results.
|
