how to stay on atkins

ive tried atkins but limiting yourself to 30 carbs a day is hard and there is no good tasting foods i know that have low carbs could someone list a few.Thanks.

I've heard that the atkins diet is actually really dangerous.. anyone else?  You kind of need carbs for your brain to function, you're best bet would be to get a good nutritional book teaching you when and what type of carbs you should be eating throughout the day.  Chris Aceto's book is excelent for all of this http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0966916808/103-6795312-7523853?v=glance
 
All I know is that I had a friend who was on the atkins diet and really stuck to it... he actually lost like 75lbs or so, but here's the catch... he used to crap his pants everyday.  Somehting about how it effected his digestive track or something.  And he eventually gained all the weight back...
 
That book actually teaches everything... about how you can actually gain fat even if your workouts are awesome, but your diet is lacking.  If you don't get that book, at the very least remember that your highest carb meals should be breakfast and after working out... all the other meals you can keep to a bare minumum if trying to loose weight.  But if you overlook the carbs during breakfast and after training... your body will use the existing muscle you have for energy causing you to have less muscle and more bodyfat.
 

Why would you do that?
Crapkins diest sucks for people doing weight training and/or cardio.

5' 11'' , 176 lbs, 10%BF

Bluenitro knows his stuff; is very right. You lose water weight and muscle on  the FATKINS diet,not much fat.If carbs are so bad,then why did obesity go up in the late  90's while carbs went down?In the 80's carbs where ,atleast, 50 % of  the diet.People weren't fat in the 80's like they are now!People usually hit  a plateau on the atkins diet because their thyroid turns off. Without your thyroid producing enough tsh,your metabolism slows down,really slows down. I've had thyroid trouble myself.It's not the final answer for weight loss-should I say fat loss.I almost had  a stroke due to almost avoiding carbs.My thyroid went out. I'm lucky to be  alive. I was on it for a  little over 2  weeks though,just to tone down for a dumb show.I only had to lose like ,maybe 2 pounds,haha! People thought I was crazy going on the diet when I was already in shape.Just take my word,it's not healthy.When people,who have weight problems,come off of the diet ,they gain fat and have  all this obtrusive extra skin! Why do you think body builders usually have a  high carb day after 4-5 days,or less,on a  no or low carb diet? Not just because they're muscle glycogen stores,but also their thyroid slows,so they need carbs to crank it up for  a  week. In fact,no stdies are starting to show over six million peope in america have thyroid health problems and 89% of them are fighting obesity! See a link here now don't we?Stay away from ANY diet that tells you fruits and vegetables  makes you fat. If they made you fat,then obesity would  of been born in the 1930's. Carbs are essential to your diet.Your body needs them.Just eat clean and right;workout hard and smart!

.When people,who have weight problems,come off of the diet ,they gain fat and have  all this obtrusive extra skin!

 
Wow!!  Well said... that would explain my firend as well, he had skin hanging everywhere.  It just looked all elastic like.  I never knew the details of the diet, thanks for the post.

If it grows out of the ground, or wandering around for you to butcher it, it's Natural to eat it. check out a book called Eating For Life @ amazon about $22, nice heavy duty book with lots of recipes in it. and has a very good outline to follow. and the e-book called BFFM is some straight forward reading have to download it for $40 and it gets into a lot more detail. Or just follow the governments Myprymid.
I've watched some of the low carb cooking stuff on fittv, YUK, some ok but french fries out of squash, no way

atkins diet is crap! you need carbs to function properly.  follow the glycemic index and you'll be set

You don't need carbs to function properly.  The body can make glucose from fat and protein.  It's called gluconeogenesis: "new formation of glucose".  If the diet is sufficiently high in fat (mostly unsaturated), you can satisy your body's glucose needs.  The problem is that people don't follow Atkins properly.  Eating hot dogs, bacon, and sausage all the time with no vegs is NOT Atkins, or any sound ketogenic diet. 
 
At least half of your meal in volume should be vegs.  A proper ratio for Atkins or a ketogenic diet is 65% fat, 30% protein and 5% carbs coming from vegs.  If you are weight training, you could do a carb refeed once a week to replenish glycogen for muscle growth and energy. 

ORIGINAL: rocky0808

ive tried atkins but limiting yourself to 30 carbs a day is hard and there is no good tasting foods i know that have low carbs could someone list a few.Thanks.

 
Low carb tasty foods:
Broccoli, spinach, and all green vegs sauteed in olive oil and or butter or steamed and dressed with olive oil and/or butter and Mrs. Dash or other seasonings.  Add some grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese.
 
A Florentine omelet: eggs, spinach, white cheese (feta, provolone, mozzarella, etc.).
 
Beanless chili w/vegs: brown ground beef then add canned tomatoes, seasonings, olive oil, frozen vegs, simmer it.
 
Grilled or pan fried salmon with steamed or sauteed green vegs and seasonings.
 
What's not tasty?

ORIGINAL: The_Grim_Reaper

Bluenitro knows his stuff; is very right. You lose water weight and muscle on  the FATKINS diet,not much fat.If carbs are so bad,then why did obesity go up in the late  90's while carbs went down?In the 80's carbs where ,atleast, 50 % of  the diet.People weren't fat in the 80's like they are now!People usually hit  a plateau on the atkins diet because their thyroid turns off. Without your thyroid producing enough tsh,your metabolism slows down,really slows down. I've had thyroid trouble myself.It's not the final answer for weight loss-should I say fat loss.I almost had  a stroke due to almost avoiding carbs.My thyroid went out. I'm lucky to be  alive. I was on it for a  little over 2  weeks though,just to tone down for a dumb show.I only had to lose like ,maybe 2 pounds,haha! People thought I was crazy going on the diet when I was already in shape.Just take my word,it's not healthy.When people,who have weight problems,come off of the diet ,they gain fat and have  all this obtrusive extra skin! Why do you think body builders usually have a  high carb day after 4-5 days,or less,on a  no or low carb diet? Not just because they're muscle glycogen stores,but also their thyroid slows,so they need carbs to crank it up for  a  week. In fact,no stdies are starting to show over six million peope in america have thyroid health problems and 89% of them are fighting obesity! See a link here now don't we?Stay away from ANY diet that tells you fruits and vegetables  makes you fat. If they made you fat,then obesity would  of been born in the 1930's. Carbs are essential to your diet.Your body needs them.Just eat clean and right;workout hard and smart!

 
All of this is so incorrect, I don't know where to begin.
 
First, consumption of carbs in the 90s went up on the advice of nutritionists and the USDA Food Pyramid.  The problem is that no distinction was made between white starchy carbs and rough whole grains with a low gi.  People thought they could eat a ton of white bagels or hard rolls and satisfy their carb "requirements". 
 
Then the exercise craze died off.  With all these people eating starchy white carbs and not exercising, obesity and insulin resistance (pre-diabetes) set in.  It was definitely a backlash.
 
The thyroid does not shut down from Atkins.  The thyroid downregulates from too severe calorie restriction.  Moreover, the thyroid does not produce TSH.  TSH is produced by the pituitary and signals the thyroid to produce T4 and T3, among its other hormones (T1, T2, calcitonin et al).
 
When people gain weight "going off" Atkins it is because they add back the very foods that caused them to get fat in the first place, namely starchy white carbs.  Atkins recommends slowly adding back in more low gi carbs, stopping when it appears that weight gain is occurring.  You don't "do Atkins" to lose weight, and then go back to eating your old way.
 
Finally, Atkins does not say to stay away from fruits and vegs.  That is only in the first two weeks' induction stage.  Vegs are a BIG part of the Atkins diet.  And anyone who says otherwise or doesn't know that does not know what Atkins is about.
 

ORIGINAL: Minotaur

You don't need carbs to function properly. 

 
this is not true at all. the main fuel for your brain is carbs, that is the first thing that is burned for fuel by the brain. yes it will burn proteins / fats and sugars for fuel but it is not the best.  if you need more info from this i will post it.

Age - 24
5'6
Weight- 145
bf % - 9.9
Bench - 250 max
Bench during training 210
leg press - 340
deadlift - 225

I don't try anything, i just do it

The main fuel for the brain is not "carbs", it is glucose.  Yes, glucose is technically a carb, but you DON'T need to ingest carbs.  I never said you don't need glucose; the body can synthesize all the glucose it needs from fat or protein.  And the brain CAN use fat for fuel.  I have all the info I need, thank you. 

The Atkins diet is almost as retarded as scientology.

Blab on all you want, most people with 1/2 a brain know that Atkins sucks the big one.

Do you see Ronnie Coleman or Jessica Alba doing the Atkins diet?
- Hell no!

Want to know why?
- Because they have nutritionalists that actually know what they're talking about!

Dr. Cox - "Shower shorts?" J.D. - "For the man who has nothing to hide... but still wants to."

Ronnie

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Dr. Cox - "Shower shorts?" J.D. - "For the man who has nothing to hide... but still wants to."

Jessica

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Dr. Cox - "Shower shorts?" J.D. - "For the man who has nothing to hide... but still wants to."

Yeah OK, whatever. 
 
What do you actually know about Atkins or doing a ketogenic diet properly that DOESN'T come from hearing other people?  What do you know about it from first hand experience or actually READING?
 
And I would not hold up Ronnie Coleman or Jessica Alba as paragons of health and fitness.  Ronnie is so bloated from growth hormone; that gut is probably deep visceral fat from insulin resistance caused by massive doses of gh (go read PubMed to see the link between high doses of hgh and insulin resistance/pre-diabetes).
 
And Jessica is not the picture of female fitness.  Just because she's sleek and curvy doesn't mean she's fit.  Btw, send me a sample of her menu when you talk to her, would you?  Thanks. 
 

blah blah blah

Dr. Cox - "Shower shorts?" J.D. - "For the man who has nothing to hide... but still wants to."

ORIGINAL: Minotaur

You don't need carbs to function properly. 

wrong bud.  you might not need carbs to function, but your body and BRAIN do need them to function PROPERLY!!can you live off a diet with no carbs?  of course!!  healthy? hell no.  yes your body can convert fats to glucose as well as protein.  does it want to? NO!  your body and BRAIN wants carbs!!  You must not have gone long enough with no carbs to experience this.  and yes, i do agree that ppl ruin the diet by eating bacon and sausage and sh!t loads of saturated fat.  this is true, yes.

Well, that showed the depth of your knowledge, maturity and debating skills. 

I think you should tell the millions of Inuit and Plains Indians who have lived over the millennia that they were not healthy.  In case you didn't know it... these two groups, not to mention millions of other people in other cultures have lived for millenia without touching a grain-based carb.
 
And in case you further missed it, carbs are not limited to grains and starches.  As I said before and will say for the last time, neither Atkins nor any other ketogenic diet done properly says to eliminate vegs.  You can get all the carbs you need from vegs.  You further get glucose from fats and protein.
 
Now please stop parroting internet rhetoric and DO some reading and research! 

Now please stop parroting internet rhetoric and DO some reading and research!

We have done our reading and we are 100% sure that Atkins sucks the big one.

Atkins is for lazy people who don't do have real training programs and are too stupid to figure out how to diet properly.

I'd like to see you try to get Lance Armstrong on the Atkins diet.  He would probably die on the first or second day of the Tour De France.

This is what Ronnie Coleman would look like if he was on the Atkins diet...

http://www.tedgoas.com/linked/diff23.jpg

Dr. Cox - "Shower shorts?" J.D. - "For the man who has nothing to hide... but still wants to."

WOW 5% Carbs, is that what Atkins is? I sure blew it tonight then had some Bean Chile Black & Kidney Beans with Elk meat, I went over my avg. of 50% Carbs for the day but I'll just restrict them a little tomorrow maybe as low as 40% but no way going lower then that. You know one of these days there will be a Scientist that will say all we need is in the pill we pop today, then sure there will be people that will take that as gospel.

Read Venuto's BFFM, screw Atkins and other ketogenic diets (unless for short periods of time for very specific reasons, e.g., preparing for a show).  I've tried them all, even when I knew better, and the classic results have happened:  lose lots of weight . . . gain it back (the only positive is that I've managed to keep what little muscle I have, so in that way I'm unusual). I can tell you from personal experience that nothing beats eating a healthy diet heavy on non-processed foods, vegetables, FRUITS (which Atkins forbirds, and our hunter-gatherer forebears ate) and seafood.  Time the carbs if you must, but keep them healthy (as unrefined) and stay away from large quantities of White Death (sucrose) and corn syrup (good luck).  And drink water.  Let's put this debate to bed. 

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

ORIGINAL: Justincredible

We have done our reading and we are 100% sure that Atkins sucks the big one.

Atkins is for lazy people who don't do have real training programs and are too stupid to figure out how to diet properly.

I'd like to see you try to get Lance Armstrong on the Atkins diet.  He would probably die on the first or second day of the Tour De France.

 
Oh! you are SURE that Atkins sucks the big one.  Uh huh... so you know all about it.  Not.
 
Even Dr. Atkins himself said that his diet IS NOT for endurance athletes.  If you are an endurance athlete, you will burn the carbs... if you are an endurance athlete you need the carbs.  If you knew anything about the diet, you would know that.  Again, the depth of your ignorance on the matter is bottomless.
 
Don't do the diet... no one has a gun to your head.  But before you go running your mouth and talking ****, learn something.
 
Done with you.

ORIGINAL: Minotaur

ORIGINAL: Justincredible

We have done our reading and we are 100% sure that Atkins sucks the big one.

Atkins is for lazy people who don't do have real training programs and are too stupid to figure out how to diet properly.

I'd like to see you try to get Lance Armstrong on the Atkins diet.  He would probably die on the first or second day of the Tour De France.

Oh! you are SURE that Atkins sucks the big one.  Uh huh... so you know all about it.  Not.

Even Dr. Atkins himself said that his diet IS NOT for endurance athletes.  If you are an endurance athlete, you will burn the carbs... if you are an endurance athlete you need the carbs.  If you knew anything about the diet, you would know that.  Again, the depth of your ignorance on the matter is bottomless.

Don't do the diet... no one has a gun to your head.  But before you go running your mouth and talking ****, learn something.

Done with you.

Minotaur, i sincerely appologize for questioning your extensive depth of knowledge and cognition.  I (obviously) have no clue what i'm talking about.  I can barely read anyway.  I'm just a 12 yr old avoirdupois longing to know the truth.  Maybe one day i can achieve such great stature as yourself. 
Carbs are out!  Atkins is in everyone!

awesome, Im going to change my diet to consist of nuttin but bacon! thanx for the help

ORIGINAL: BigSwole

awesome, Im going to change my diet to consist of nuttin but bacon! thanx for the help

no problem mang,  throw some fatty steak in there with some pork lard and watch your belly fat literally turn to pure muscle!!!  for only 4 easy payments of $19.99!!!  (operators are standing by)
 
what up, what we doing for your birthday?  gonna hafta celebrate it a couple days earlier cause i gotta go back sunday afternoon (28th)

lol..............dont no yet bout my birfday, its that gurl Misty Iveys on sat 26th, might though summin wif her, know how Im talkin bout

ORIGINAL: BigSwole

lol..............dont no yet bout my birfday, its that gurl Misty Iveys on sat 26th, might though summin wif her, know how Im talkin bout

yes yes, i know this girl of which you speak.  wutn Crawford tryin to get in them jeans a while back?  unsucessful im sure haha!  yeah yall need to plan somethin for friday or sat nite so we can all hang out.  Oh i saw this dude that looked JUST LIKE copeland last night!  his effin twin i tell ya!!  hmmmm.....I heart bacon

Oh! you are SURE that Atkins sucks the big one. Uh huh... so you know all about it. Not.

Even Dr. Atkins himself said that his diet IS NOT for endurance athletes. If you are an endurance athlete, you will burn the carbs... if you are an endurance athlete you need the carbs. If you knew anything about the diet, you would know that. Again, the depth of your ignorance on the matter is bottomless.

Don't do the diet... no one has a gun to your head. But before you go running your mouth and talking ****, learn something.

Done with you.

Go ahead with your fad diet.  I obviously cannot sway your faith away from the evil Atkins diet.  But I guess some people were born for the dark side.

I'm arrogant, yes... but not ignorant.  I'm merely using the Armstrong example to illustrate how the human body needs carbs to function properly.  I may not know all the facts about the Atkins diet... but you know what... I just don't care.  But I, as well as many other bodybuilders, know from experience that it's far better to just stick to the low-glycemic carbs.

I shall wish you luck with your diet anyway.

Dr. Cox - "Shower shorts?" J.D. - "For the man who has nothing to hide... but still wants to."