DaveD

Right, lots of people have been asking about losing weight/fat
and a lot of the time the answer seems to be the Atkins approach.

I've used this myself with success and a lot of people I know
have also produced some good results.

This is just a guide for those of you wanting to try eating in
a different way, and although its not comprehensive it should
get you eating in the right way for weight loss and also
preserve and maintain the right amounts of protein you
should be eating for your workouts.

The 'induction' phase lasts at least 2 weeks, in which time after
3 days your body will slip into ketosis. This is where your
body begins to reject Carbohydrates as its main energy source
and turns to your consumed and stored fat for energy. This is where
the weight loss comes in. It should be noted that exercise is not
vital in this diet, although it is heavily reccommended and it will
help the weight loss.

More 'units' are fat are required than carbohydrates to fuel the same
amount of energy. Thus, if your body has to resort to fat for energy
it WILL lose the weight quicker than a normal exercise/diet routine.

This can be illustrated by:

50 calories will be burnt with 2g of fat
50 calories would also be burnt with 1g of carbs

Obviously this isnt accurate but you get the idea.


The following foods may only be eaten in the first 2 weeks:

Eggs - scrambled, poached, fried, boiled, etc.
Meats - any but no processed foods (i.e. slices of chicken) Burgers are a no no unless you are 100% certain it is fresh 100% beef and no processed.
Cheeses - matures, blue cheese (although be careful, read the packaging)
Replace oil with butter
Drink only water and diet soft drinks like coke etc
Replace milk with cream

DEFINATELY stay off:

Milk
Fruit
Veg
Pastas
Bread
Rice
Junk food/sweets


Induction phase.

1) For the first two weeks EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT but stick to the above foods.
If working out you'll definately need a supplement for energy, and stick to a high amount
of it. Creatine is good. Although you are getting plenty of protein here, your energy WILL
go down. It is also reccommended you take plenty of vitamin supplements as all your vitamin
sources are now banned (fruits etc)

2) If you can't avoid eating carbs, do NOT consume more than 5g per day, ideally none.
Anymore than this, then the line of efficiency reduces and weight loss will take much longer

3) Try and eat at least 6 times a day. Drink PLENTY of water. You will find yourself very
dehydrated and thirsty with the high salt content.

4) After 5-6 days your body will become more used to this new way of eating, and because of this
you will find your hunger will reduce dramatically. It's vital however that
you still find time to eat the proteins and fats. There is no limit on the amount of fat you
consume

5) Check your urine. If its yellow after a few days, and stays that way, you know ketosis has
kicked in. It will (should) stay this colour until you decide to finish the diet.

6) This diet is extremely easy to stick to as its not a salad diet.

Maintenence phase.

1) After the 2 weeks, you will have lost quite a few pounds. If you havent lost as much weight as
you wanted, then continue the induction until you have. Please note nearly everyone reaches a 'plateau'
whereby weight loss is slower. But it will happen.

2) In the maintenence phase, increase your carb intake to 20g per day MAX. Eat small portions of fruit
and veg as well as your main meals.



Hope this helps any of you wondering about atkins and looking for a way to lose weight.

Trust me, THIS WORKS. I guarentee it.

hackskii

It does work.
But I have to disagree with the ground beef.
I dont know if it is because you live in the UK or I live in the States but burgers usually are 100 % ground beef.
So, I dont know why you mention that burger patties are a no no. I have some confusion here as it is again 100% meat.
The only diffrence is the amounts of fat in the meat like 30% fat 15% fat and 7% fat (ground sirloin).
Cheese is not bad and lets not re-write the Atkins book here. He suggests to not go over 20 grams MAX a day in the carbs.
That would equal 1 small apple (20 grams carbs) max a day. I am not saying to eat an apple a day but that is the equivalant to an apple (small).
Carbs are in everything, the creams in coffee, protein powders etc.
Look at the labels.
Some cheese might have a gram of carb per serving (slice) and this wont kill you but some cheese have zero carbs.
I was eating bacon and eggs everyday (yummy) and still lost weight and did not feel hungry.
Within about 4 days my energy was up and the weight was going down.
Good diet for the guy that wants to drop 10+ pounds within a couple or few weeks.

__________________
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - George Carlin


Scott


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

balzak

I have a question. Wouldn't you gain weight in the first 2-3 days? and also, wouldn't you gain some weight back when you reinstate those carbs?

hackskii

Question #1 answer is NO!
Question #2 answer is YES!

The reason for question #1 is when cutting carbs the first thing to go is water. Man, you will lose alot of the bloated feeling too.
But this will all slowdown and even go into a stand still at about week 3.
Modifications in diet and some cardio will end up solving this problem for lets say the next plateau.

__________________
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - George Carlin


Scott


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jock

Atkins what a joke, I work with a guy who is very overweight (20+st) and has just started Atkins.

I took him aside and asked him what he ate in a day, it was utter sh1te and worked out to about 500g+ of carbs everything that is bad (lots of white bread, chinese take-aways, rice, chips etc)

Now he is eating pure saturated fat, fried foods (bacon, eggs, burgers, beef) he is a walking heart attack, I feel sorry for him because he is a naturally big boy and he obviously likes his food but his eating habits have clearly been fcuking awful from a young age.

Now he is down to about 20g of carbs a day and is crashing bigtime, I told him not to avoid carbs but to get better quality ones from vegetables/fruit and cut down on starchy foods.

Yet he sits next to this woman who thinks she knows everything about nutrition and she keeps talking up the Atkins diet like it's some kind of miracle.

The way he is going he will probably be dead in 10-15 years time and Atkins is doing him no favours.

Jock

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

winger

It sounds like he will be dead from being overweight in the first place. All those bad fats are ok on the Atkins diet. Sorry to say but if you stick to it, it does work. At first the cholesterol will go up a bit but after a while it will drop below were it was. Dont knock it till you have tried it! I dont eat many carbs and I am the most hyper guy you will ever meet. He just needs to get used to taking in less carbs and the crash will reverse. He can add good carbs to his meal after the 14 day induction. Actually you can eat carbs on the Atkins just not more than 20 grams for the first 14 days. After that I would stick to the low glysimic carbs like we all should unless you are trying to gain.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jock

I don't dispute the fact that it works mate, but how someone can justify a diet that gives more emphasis on appearance than health needs help IMO.

The trouble is Atkins does work and that is all people seem to care about, carbs are now the enemy of society just like fat and calories have been in the past.

I'm losing fat on 100-140g of carbs a day simply because I'm choosing quality instead on quantity.

It's about time people started realising that carbs are not the enemy, but consuming the wrong ones at the wrong times is.

Jock

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

winger

You wont get an argument from me I agree with you. All I am saying is the health issues are not there. Atkins has been big in the States for decades. Burgers are bad because of the bread not the meat. Actually on the Atkins you can eat fruits and veggies, just the right ones.
They have a diet called the South Beach diet and the funny thing is. It is the Atkins diet without the induction part. No were in the Atkins book does it say that you cant eat fruits and veggies.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jock

Yes I agree with you mate, but Atkins does nothing for society's knowledge of nutrition. Generally I find people are almost TOTALLY ignorant about correct nutrition and they will believe any half-truths or false information that the media throws at them.

Give them a diet like Atkins that promotes the "carbs make you fat" propaganda campaign people and people will (stupidly listen) and pay big $$$$'s for low carb this and low carb that products.

Jeez I'm like a yank with all these consipracy theories!!!

Jock

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Panthro

WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO I wish everyone could understand this concept. Thank you jock.

The public viewed fat as public enemy #1 for years, now it is carbs and everything is 'low carb this low carb that' - it does my fooking head in!!

I want to scream.

lol

__________________
"looking at picutres of half naked men dont get you strong. Lets get down to business and go to the gym" - Svend Karlson. 'Viking Power'

powerU

what time of day can I eat my chip butty???

Panthro

Id recommend just before bed for maximum effect mate. ;)

__________________
"looking at picutres of half naked men dont get you strong. Lets get down to business and go to the gym" - Svend Karlson. 'Viking Power'

powerU

but that's when I have my chips, curry and fried rice

Panthro

beakfast then mate. it will set you up for the day like nothing else. buyt make sure you spread your butty with dripping before inserting the chips and mayo.

__________________
"looking at picutres of half naked men dont get you strong. Lets get down to business and go to the gym" - Svend Karlson. 'Viking Power'

powerU

LOL - ah the good old days - I remember when pubs put bread and dripping and roast potatoes on the bar on Sunday afternoons.