My personal experience on the Atkins Diet
I suppose that the
critics are correct when they suggest that the diet,
as they have presented it in atkins diet, is bad for you. But, as in all things, there is another side to the story.
First of all, when I speak about the Atkins diet, I speak from the perspective of someone who has had an overwhelmingly positive experience on the diet. Over the course of the last 9 months, I've lost nearly 50 pounds. I did have carb cravings for the first month. But mostly, it's been easy for me. I've done it eating foods I enjoy, and I haven't had to
count calories, measure portions, or feel like
I'm starving myself.
Secondly, to the many noders here who say the diet is bad for you, I say 'Worse that what?' Let's do a quick examination of just what I've given up:
1. Bread, pastries, buns
Hmm... these products are made with
white flour. Now I'm not a nutritionist, but it's my understanding that white flour is a really
highly processed foodstuff with little
nutritional value. Some people suggest that it's actually bad for you.
2. French fries
I think there are few people here that would argue against the idea that giving up
french fries is a good idea. And, when I'm faced with french fries as a side dish, I always ask the server to substitute steamed veggies. So not only have I eliminated something that most would agree is exceedingly bad for you, but I have substituted something that is exceedingly good for you. I'm eating more
broccoli,
cauliflower, and
carrots then I ever have in the past.
3. Candy, Desert, Sugar, Ice Cream
Foods made with processed
sugar are yet another
really bad for youtm thing that I've given up on the diet. 'Nuff said about that one.
What else have I done?
The diet suggests that drinking a lot of water on the diet is crucial, so I drink about 80 oz. a day now. I take a high quality vitamin supplement. I feel great, I look great, I have more energy and I've started exercising on a regular basis. As I approach my goal, I will also begin to add 'good' carbs back in, like pasta and fruit. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the changes I've made are in fact very positive, healthy choices. My diet before Atkins was just awful. I'm a health nut now, by comparison.