For anyone thinking about starting the Atkins' low-carb diet:

[smibbo]

If you are going the Atkin's route, PLEASE read at least one of his books and go see a doctor FIRST.

Atkins is a doctor and he stresses that you must understand how/why the diet works for some people. It does not work for everyone and for some people (like myself) it can be dangerous. I see too many people taking the idea and running with it, which is something Atkins urges people NOT to do.

Comments

[sichernde-seele.livejournal.com]

When I started looking into it, I knew that just totally NO carbs would not work for me. Not because I want them, so much as my body needs a little bit.

When unable to introduce a little bread or starch of some kind, I feel kinda ill. Matter of fact, it usually feels a little like a blood-sugar crash, but isn't.

I just decided that what I needed to do was stop drinking an ENTIRE 12 pack of Dew a day. I was doing great till they re-introduced LiveWire. *cry* It's my crack. I can't help myself. *grabs another*.

I have cut WAY back on my carbs, but I don't think induction works really well for me.

Anyone who ever starts a new diet really needs to talk to a physician first. People's body have different needs and I know I don't want to see any of my friends to find out after the fact that the diet wasn't right for them. Find out first, I want everyone to stay around a while. :)

[ex-ilk.livejournal.com]

Good advice. I went. She DID discourage me, but not on medical grounds, oddly enough. She thought I should try a low fat, lower calorie diet first. Yeah. I said..

"You mean like my first 5 years of dieting? When I gained 30 lbs instead of losing?"

Still, you should always see a Doc before going on any extreme diet or even excercise program.

It's working for me, but is not for everyone.

Just as a side note, the Doc I visited had no idea what to look for in regard to me going on or not going on induction and even mentioned ketoacidosis (not a side effect of induction). When I pointed out that induction causes ketosis ( a natural state we all go into during sleep, all of us) and not ketoacidosis, she shrugged and said "sometimes a little information can be a dangerous thing".

wtf? (they like us dumb and sick, period)

So if you DO see a doctor, make sure he or she is aware of what to look for in relation to induction and make him or her spell out to you why YOU as an individual are not medically suited to induction, as opposed to the rest of the population. If your doctor gets a puzzled look when you ask for this, chances are he or she is stuck on the ketoacidosis/ketosis mix-up and has not kept up with the medical journals.

It could get expensive.

[flyswatter.livejournal.com]

It certainly wouldn't work for me. I am a vegetarian. Dr. Atkins himself said the diet is not one a vegetarian could follow with any success, and he fortunately never dissed vegetarians. Because of that, I don't know what PETA's problem with him is. I never thought a vegetarian diet was for everybody either. I just don't handle meat or dairy well.

[not-hothead-yet.livejournal.com]

I would assume it's because his diet requires you to eat massive amounts of meat. He advocates a meat-centered diet so i guess they don't like him for that.

*shrug*

I don't especially go with PETA. They took a great idea and went nutso with it.

I have gone through vegetarianism many times and I wish I had the time, money and fortitude to do it again. I do it because I just think it's healthier and tastier. It takes a lot more time and energy though. Especially when you're feeding 6 adults and three children.

BTW

[not-hothead-yet.livejournal.com]

dunno where you got your icon but I would swear that Ice Cube is one of the faces in there!

Re: BTW

[flyswatter.livejournal.com]

Come to think of it, you're right!

I found a much larger version of this on some idiotic website that some conspiracy theorist set up dealing with government coverups of alien abductions. The site was forgetable but the animated gif was to die for. I stole it and modified it so that it would fit the parameters of live journal.