Atkins Diet: What To Know Before You Start

How easy is it to follow? How much do you love sweet and starchy foods? Would you miss crusty French bread? Diets that severely limit entire food groups for months and years tend to have lower success rates than less-restrictive diets do. One study showed higher percentages of Atkins dieters dropping out at three, six, 12 and 24 months than others did on a low-fat diet, but the differences were not significant.

Two other studies that included low-carb dieters concluded diet type wasn't connected to dropout rate. Convenience: At home, building variety into meals is a little harder than usual. Eating out takes more effort. Alcohol is limited. Company products and online resources may be helpful. In 2013, Atkins launched a frozen-food line, which the company says is the first low-carb frozen-food line on the market.

Recipes: Atkins provides meal plans, recipes with ingredient lists and food carb counts, all in print-friendly format. There is at least a smattering of recipes across a range of cuisines from American to Middle Eastern to French to Asian. Eating out: Restaurants and dinners with friends are doable if you've read Atkins' list of approved fast-food and cuisine-specific options before heading out (and if you're not bashful about asking lots of questions about meal preparation).

Alcohol: If you like to kick back with a beer or a glass of wine, you might be a little cranky for the first couple of weeks, when alcohol is forbidden. You are allowed to work it back in during phase two, to perhaps one drink a day. But even carb-free spirits will slow down fat-burning, according to Atkins.

10 for 2 pounds). Extras: On its website, Atkins offers a free meal planner, carb counter, two-week meal plan, forums and interactive goal-setting tools. Fullness: Nutrition experts emphasize the importance of satiety, the satisfied feeling that you've had enough. Hunger shouldn't be a problem on this diet. Protein and fat generally take longer than carbs to digest; the hunger center in your brain won't be sending out "Feed me" messages two hours after a meal. Taste: What's not to like about juicy burgers topped with melting cheddar? Still, bun-less burgers and dips without chips could get old in the long haul.

So far I have lost 6.5 lbs and have been exercising anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes 5 days a week. Off on weekends. Looking forward to cycle 2, 3 and 4. Try it, you'll love it too. Thank you for your input on this book/diet. My daughter and I have been considering doing this so I was doing some research on it.

I need to lose about 10-15 lbs, and she needs about 20 lbs. I really appreciate reading your pro's and con's and also the feedback from others who have tried it. I am really interesed in hearing from someone who has been on it longer, since many of the experts are saying it's okay for short term. Has it been out long enough to get any 3-4 month reviews? Congratulations on the weight loss you and your husband have experienced. I ordered the book over the holidays and received it in about a week.

My husband and I have been on the diet for 1 week and have lost 5 - 7 lbs. We are happy with the diet and the recipes included in the book. I'm glad to hear that you received your book in quick time, and that you didn't let the little weight gain stop you continuing with the plan. Good luck with the rest of your weight loss progress. I ordered the book from the web site during the holidays and still had it in 4 days. Also been on the program for a week and love it.

The first couple days the scale showed a weight gain of 2 pounds. Thank for your comment. Congratulations on getting your diabetes under control without eating carbs. I truly understand where you are coming from because I am also a diabetic. Any endocrinologist will tell you that carbs are to be eaten to give you fuel and energy, it is just a case of choosing the right type of carbs to consume.

Before bread and pasta became staples, man would eat protein in the form of meat and get their carbs from nuts, berries, seeds and roots vegetables, which is probably the best type of diet to follow! If we needed carbohydrates, (1)I would be dead since for a year I ate no carbohydrates in an attempt to control severe diabetes, and (2) there would be no Eskimos since they have only had carbohydrates available in recent history.

In addition, what do you think man ate before we became farmers? Not bread or pasta! Many, many studies have been done that show that carbohydrates are not only not necessary, but that there are health benefits to cutting out all but the carbs available in fruits and vegetables. Thanks for your comment. You are quite fortunate that you got the book so quickly. They have obviously sorted out delivery problems as some people have complained of waiting up to 2 months to receive the book after purchase. Congratulations on your weight loss.

Nevertheless I have placed that Con in the Pro section where is it more appropriate. Thanks for highlighting the point. Disagree with most of the cons. Ordered the book from the 17 day diet website and had it within 2 days. Lost 5 pounds in a week. Have never ate such healthy food in my life.

Eating like this is WAY more regular than the crap I lived on before. If eating fruits, vegetables and protein doesn't teach the body to crave nourishment, nothing will! Thanks Lee. However,many people have been waiting as long as 2 months from purchase to receive their book. So it appears the service is not very good.

While it may take as long as three months to drop the last few pounds and clearly establish your ACE, this leisurely pace is critical to your ultimate success. In this phase, as long as you are not skipping meals and are continuing to lose weight, you are controlling your blood sugar and burning fat, so your appetite should not be out of control.

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