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The Atkins Diet

Larspeart

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Okay, 2 questions really.

1st: What is the science behind it.

2nd: Is it for real/does it work?
 
Larspeart said:
Okay, 2 questions really.

1st: What is the science behind it.

2nd: Is it for real/does it work?
Click to expand...

This is a topic that has come up here a number of times. Try doing a search on these forums for Atkins. You'll get a whole bunch of threads.

Some more recommended reading would be to go to Google Groups and search the group misc.fitness.weights for Atkins and Lyle McDonald, or ketogenic diet and Lyle McDonald. Here's one thread that might be a good starting point. There's other threads that are better, but I can't be bothered to read through and find them, because I am a lazy, lazy person.

Lyle is an extremely abrasive guy, but he's also an expert on low carb diets and has actually read all the relevant studies. He's worth paying attention to.
 
Larspeart said:
2nd: Is it for real/does it work?
Click to expand...
It's working for me. In a month, I've lost about 15 lbs. and at least a couple of inches off of most of my measurements and 7 inches off my chest.

The key is to make sure you read the book, eat the vegitables, and take the vitamins.
 
I would stay away from it. The most recent studies show, as has been reported anecdotally, that it results in greater weight loss short term but does not hold up over longer periods. This study published last month in NEJM compared it to a conventional low calorie diet and found a greater loss at 6 months but no significant difference at 1 year:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12761365&dopt=Abstract

Another was published the same time that showed similar results. In both trials, with very obese subjects, neither diet was very effective and resulted in minimal losses after 1 year. Both also had compliance issues. IMO the Atkins is not a safe diet long-term.

If you're looking for a healthy diet, check out the Mediterranean diet as advocated by Dr. Willett at Harvard. A recent study also in NEJM showed significant reductions in major disease and death with compliance to this diet.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12826634&dopt=Abstract
 
It works to lose weight, but the fundamental questions of long-term risks to health haven't been answered.

I read the NEJM article too but the study size was too damn small (132) with a HUGE dropout rate and included only the morbidly obese (BMI >40). They looked at glycemic control, lipid profiles, weight loss, and blood pressure.

The significant differences (low-carb vs. low-fat, respectively)found were:

1. Triglycerides declined at average 38 vs 7 mg/dl.

2. Insulin sensitivity (in the non-diabetic patients only) declined by an index value of 0.02 vs increase of 0.01. I think this outcome should be taken with extra grains of salt.

3. Glucose levels (I think this must be random glucose levels) declined by 26 vs 5 mg/dl. This is not bolstered by a significantly different decline in HbA1c levels.

4. Insulin levels were as expected lower in low-carb dieters.

All the rest of the factors are more or less the same. Again, I wish more studies of a wider range of patients could be conducted. I think that the inclusion of other types of diets (e.g., calorie-restricted but not calorie-type restricted) should be included. Larger study size, more diverse study population, and longer study times are needed to determine long-term outcomes (e.g. Colon cancer risk, glomerular filtration rate trends). Again, good randomization and stratification models need to be applied. I sit on my hands and wait.
 
It apparently makes you breath stinky too.

I'm curious about the eggs.... don't they stop you going poo-poo?
 
Everyone past the age of 18 should eat psylium husks.

Good stuff. It's really cut-back on my reading time though.
 
I wonder if the whole point of a diet is just to make you think more about what you eat.

Until recently I ate anything. About 3 months ago, I started off on Adkins for about 2 or 3 weeks, and really began to pay attention to what and how much I was eating. Then I permanently cut out soft drinks, candy bars, and donuts. I cut back on milk, pasta, potatoes, and bread. I reduced the size of my lunch and added more fruits and vegetables as snacks. All this is easy when paying attention to what you eat.

Anyway - I went from 200 lbs to 185 over the last 3 months. Gradual and sustained fat loss and I have not gone hungry once.
 
I recently cut soda out as my primary source of liquid. I was drinking 3-6 cans of Coke a day. Bad ju-ju.

Now I just drink it over lunch, and drink water the rest of the day.

Haven't lost much weight, I don't need to, I only weight 185, but I feel much better.
 
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