Atkins secret, MY Version of it.

[Guest guest]

Wayne - you are correct that Atkins never intended people to limit all carbs

indefinately. He is very clear about that in his books. Each person simply

needs to limit the carbs to the level they can lose weight. And then maintain.

In fact, Dr. Atkins strongly suggests that you increase your carb levels as high

as you are able to and still lose and later maintain your weight. And tells you

in what order to add back those carbs, the lower to higher glycemic ones, and

strongly suggesting to always avoid the high processed junk carbs.

 

Where I disagree with you Wayne is that this diet works only for very heavily

overweight people who eventually no longer need or want Atkins - that Atkins is

something to be outgrown, that it is not in itself a healthy way of eating for

life, IF followed as he wrote it, not as people like to think of it or portray

it. I am on Atkins, I am losing weight, I am eating

6-8 cups a day of raw vegetables. I am doing Atkins by the book. And I am

healthier than I ever was before, including years on a completely raw foods

diet, when I had a balanced nutrient intake according to traditional

nutritionist views, but not enough fat intake, and my immune system went to

hell. I guess what I'm trying to get across is that there is a huge huge

difference between doing Atkins " by the book " - literally, and doing " atkins "

according to popular perception of what that means. Please, anyone wanting to

belittle this way of life, go read the books first, really study them, don't go

by the media presentations of what atkins is about.

Thanks, Joy

-

Wayne Fugitt

Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:12 AM

Atkins secret, MY Version of it.

 

 

Evening Frank,

 

Great message. And.... I agree with virtually everything you said.

 

>For a lot of people, the Atkins diet could spell disaster. If someone had

>vitamin deficiencies and needed more fresh vegetables and fruits to get

>them an Atkins type diet might make the situation worse.

 

Often we think that people stick to a diet, any diet, 100%.

 

As hard as I try, I deviate from my chosen list of good foods a little, and

often. Still, 90% of my foods are from the good list I have compiled in my

mind.

 

Recently, I have started telling my friends, the often overlooked benefit

of being reasonably healthy, is that one can eat anything he wants, anytime

he wants to do so. However, if these " wants " are not controlled by the

power of mind over matter, pretty soon, he will no longer be healthy, and

will loose this ability.

 

We all wonder about this magic ratio of Fats, Proteins, and Carbs, if one

exists. Next we wonder about the essential amino acids, and are amazed

that many animals, and even humans can remain healthy eating incomplete

proteins. My idea is 40-40-20 from writings dating back into the 30's and

40's.

 

One very wise doctor stated, no matter what we do, only 3 things will

make us live longer.

There three things were, .... Eat less food, eat less protein, and sweat

like the devil.

 

During the winter months, I can't do this. During the spring and summer,

I find it easy to do.

I work a lot, sweat a lot, which releases energy from someplace, and I eat

much less food when this happens.

 

While I am a list owner of a small Atkins group, I am somewhat a

hippocrit. I don't eat the Atkins way.

 

Here is my view of Atkins. A very large percent of the people who need

ATKINS, are.....

very overweight, often very unhealthy, often feel bad, and often have low

energy which means they cannot exercise, or even do a hard days work. They

have aches, pains, headaches, and heaven only knows what all else.

 

The diet they had " before Atkins " was a disaster and void of decent

nutrition. After they start Atkins, they are eating 1000 times better than

ever before. They have eliminated most of the worthless and toxic foods.

 

Now they will work more, work longer, sweat more, and be much more active

in every respect.

 

Very soon, they don't need Atkins any more. Still, they have learned that

good food makes a difference, and should have formed many good eating habits.

 

To think that these people cannot eat raw fruit, vegetables, and nuts,

would be a mistake.

The serious, hard core atkins is really for people who have one foot in the

grave and the other on a banana peeling.

 

I don't think Dr. Atkins ever intended for anyone to continue limiting the

good Carbs. I think he has a program to loose weight and then, ..... a

maintenance program.

 

While I was overweight for several years, I never worried about

it. Loosing weight and hitting the weight on the charts is no guarantee

that one is healthy.

 

I took Adelle Davis's advice. Get on a diet to build health. I had been

trying to do that for many years. About 6 years ago, I became more

hardheaded about my eating and drinking.

 

I was at a doctors office for a physical and blood reports. I was not sick

of course.

 

When the scales spoke REAL LOUD and reported 218 pounds, I was pleasantly

surprised.

 

Then week after week, I lost a pound or two. When my weight reached 198

pounds it stopped changing. I was drinking lots of water, eating lots of

high quality trail mix, protein drinks, raw eggs, and anything else I

wanted to eat, often even a whole pecan pie, tons of watermelons and raw

produce.

 

The only problem I have is that I hate to sleep. I virtually never get

tired or run out of mental energy. Once I decide to go to sleep, I am

asleep within minutes and sleep like a rock.

 

Over the years, I have never slept enough, often working from Monday

morning until Thurs night without going to bed. I can easily go 24, 30 or

40 hours without sleep.

When I was in my 20's, in an MP company, I did a 36 hour tour of duty

guarding a gate.

Most of the other MP's were drunk.

 

So, once I passed 60 years, I started forcing myself to sleep more, heaven

forbid!

I studied sleep patterns, the three kinds of sleep, and decided that,

considering the cost and the benefits ( like sunshine ) I better take

advantage or it and rebuild the dying cells.

 

The Atkins plan definitely helped many sick, over weigh, and dying people.

 

For many people, it is the best way to get them quickly on the road to good

health. Then...

they can begin to live again, eat more carbs because they will need them

for energy due to greater activity and a faster metabolism rate.

 

How they handle all the other details of health and nutrition will be the

determining factor if they reach the plateau of health that many only dream

about. Some will and some won't.

 

I did in fact read the complete article.

 

==============

>> With no long term studies on the diet, any possible health risks of the

diet are, so far, unproven.

===========

 

I suppose this writer does not consider 200 to 250 years, " A long term

study " . The Atkins concept is nothing new. It is the way people ate in the

1700's, 1800's and early 1900's,

UNTIL, the food industry, the AMA, and the medical profession started

specializing about 1930 and 1940.

 

Ever since then, man's mind has been warped and poisoned by

misinformation, lies, and phony foods.

 

All in All, I consider that article to be NEGATIVE, an effort to compare

the human body with a test tube, which is impossible, and of little value

to anyone who is searching for truth and trying to achieve health. All it

does is add to the confusion, and create doubt about everything that a poor

soul may know. ...... But..... It ain't warping my mind. <grin>

 

Wayne

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I fully agree Sara.

I lost 44 lbs on Atkins (193 down to 153lbs) and I certainly wasn't grossly

overweight.

That was in 2000 and the majority of the weight has stayed off.

His way of eating has turned my life around completely and I am now

healthier than I have ever been. (I'm 51).

After reading Weston Prices excellent book (the most important book of the

20th Century as far as I am concerned) and Atkin's diet book, it is hard to

be swayed any other way. The proof is there and to me it's logical.

Regards

Graeme Ellis

The Goldfields

Western Australia

 

 

-

" Sara Mandal-Joy " <sarajoy

 

Friday, January 23, 2004 12:35 AM

Re: Atkins secret, MY Version of it.

 

 

> Wayne - you are correct that Atkins never intended people to limit all

carbs indefinately. He is very clear about that in his books. Each person

simply needs to limit the carbs to the level they can lose weight. And then

maintain. In fact, Dr. Atkins strongly suggests that you increase your carb

levels as high as you are able to and still lose and later maintain your

weight. And tells you in what order to add back those carbs, the lower to

higher glycemic ones, and strongly suggesting to always avoid the high

processed junk carbs.

>

[Guest guest]

Evening Joy,

 

>Where I disagree with you Wayne is that this diet works only for very

>heavily overweight people who eventually no longer need or want Atkins -

>that Atkins is something to be outgrown, that it is not in itself a

>healthy way of eating for life,

 

Maybe I said that wrong. What I intended to say, was that after a

time, one can migrate from the

early stage and religious method of eating.

 

I have said many times, the atkins methods are virtually the way

early settlers and even city people ate back in the 17 and 1800's.

 

After a year of two of disciplined eating based on the Atkins

principles, one should migrate to their own methods with variations which

suit their needs. I agree that his principles will work for a lifetime.

 

The biggest problem we have is getting enough good foods to have on

hand at all times. Of course if we get hungry, feel the need for food and

energy, we will eat whatever we can get our hands on.

 

Keeping those great raw foods, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruit ....

on hand, especially during winter can be a full time job. I find I have to

make two to three trips to the store each week.

 

 

>IF followed as he wrote it, not as people like to think of it or portray

>it. I am on Atkins, I am losing weight, I am eating

>6-8 cups a day of raw vegetables. I am doing Atkins by the book.

 

You must be one in a million. Don't you think, after two years or so,

you will modify this regime to something less religious?

 

 

> And I am healthier than I ever was before, including years on a

> completely raw foods diet, when I had a balanced nutrient intake

> according to traditional nutritionist views, but not enough fat intake,

> and my immune system went to hell.

 

Now you summarize the world health problem in a nutshell. I love the

term, " Traditional Nutritionist Views " .

 

Recently I stated, on one of the list, that about 80 percent of

everything we have ever read is half truths, incomplete truths, or outright

lies. So, You, like me, after many years of study and being a guinea

pig, finally sorted it out.

 

Only within the last two or three years, did I really sort it out and

become hardheaded. Now everyone thinks I am a nut and crazy for

sure. Many of the traditional foods, I simply do not eat.

 

I also believe that " what we don't eat " and " what we don't drink " may be

more important than what we do consume.

 

 

> I guess what I'm trying to get across is that there is a huge huge

> difference between doing Atkins " by the book " - literally, and doing

> " atkins " according to popular perception of what that means.

 

There must be tens of thousands of documents and articles floating

around that mis state the Atkins principles.

 

Only a small per cent of the people will understand it and practice

it daily as you are doing.

Heck, I don't even do that myself. For a time, before Dr. Atkins quit

writing his newsletter, I was d to it. Likely I have a box full

of them someplace. It may be time to dig them out and scan a few articles.

I know he would like for us to do that. I wonder how many years he

actually published that newsletter.

 

Wayne

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Wayne -

 

I always leave room for my body telling me it needs something different or more

or less. Doing so is what led me to Atkins. However, my sense is that whatever

evolutions may occur, they are likely to remain within the guidelines of Atkins,

not because I'm " doing " Atkins correctly, but because Atkins found the

scientific principles to what ancient peoples

needed to live in a healthy way. At this point in time I simply can't imagine

that I would choose to live any other way. And of course I will be adding

things as my body size continues to gradually evolve in response to my way of

eating, and resultant detoxification and health.

What people don't get is, that is also part of " the plan " in regards to Atkins.

Frank's stress on bioindividuality is actually one of Atkins cornerpins in his

books - everyone IS different, and you have to determine what works for you.

Yes, he does believe there are general guidelines that are true for most of us -

ie, high processed foods are not healthy, high glycemic foods eaten often will

make weight loss difficult, moderate exercise is a needed part of a healthy

lifestyle, etc. Within those guidelines, he strongly encourages a listening to

your own body, your own appetite, and your own needs and evolving your diet

and way of life around those. So, from within those parameters, I can't imagine

not " doing " Atkins no matter how my way of eating evolves over the years. Joy

 

You must be one in a million. Don't you think, after two years or so,

you will modify this regime to something less religious?