I eat what I want and when I want to, regardless of whether it's healthy or not. I don't diet, and never plan on it. I'm happy with my eating life/drinking life. If my unhealthy eating habits/drinking habits kill me one day at least I'll be able to say I was happy while I was alive.

That's my basic attitude toward diets. They suck.

While on the Atkins Diet you might be interested in some of these links about ketosis (never having read his books, I don't know if it's mentioned):

http://www.survivediabetes.com/ketosis.htm

http://www.ketosis-ketoacidosis-difference.com/

I've known people through the years that have used variations on the Atkins diet. The most common complaint I heard were headaches and constant hunger. I've read the headaches are caused by imbalanced blood sugar (eat a little more carbs or fatty foods) and my friends that stuck with the diet eventually curbed their hunger.

I'll be interested to read more about your progress.

Being close to Paul for 15+ years - more specifically - breathing the air around him after he's consumed copious amounts of greasy foods (ie. 4.30AM White Castle & Greys Papaya), I worry less for his health on this diet than the rest of the world. Global Warming indeed!

Think: The Klumps in a Turkish Steambath after $7 Pizza Hut Buffet.

I couldn't hack this diet. I couldn't live with the limited amounts of fruits and vegetables you're allowed. Plus, just how much roast beef can you eat?

I used the Atkins diet after having my daughter and I was amazed how much weight I was able to drop in such a short period of time. My advice to you is to stick with it. If you are serious about losing the weight, this is the way to do it. Good luck!

Just be prepared to be constipated for the first couple days.

I have a friend who has dropped some serious weight doing the South Beach diet. Doctors seem to like it a lot more than Atkins. Downside: still have to give up beer.

Eating nothing but nails will help you lose weight too but that doesn't mean it's a viable diet plan. I looked into this myself. Yes, the diet helps you lose weight, but it doesn't mean it's healthy. The enormous amounts of protien added to your body can cause serious damage to your kidneys.

I've lost 25 pounds on South Beach over the past 2.5 months. Not as severe as Atkins, but you still have to give up beer, which will put a serious crimp in your social life. You are allowed red wine after a while. However, it cured me of my daily candybar and bag of pretzels habit. Easiest diet I ever tried. You also eventually get fruit back. Basically, eggs and bacon for brekkie, salad for lunch and protein and green veggies for dinner. So, if you can hack that I recommend it.

I planned to go with Atkins over South Beach because the book was cheaper. Can anyone tell me the main differences between the two?

I think there will be some gruesome long-term affects associated with this diet. Mass quantities of meat with no vegetables can't be good for you. Time will tell.

Also, the only people I know going on this diet are fat, lazy sheep-like followers. I personally have found that the quickest route to success in virtually any arena is to find the fat, lazy sheep in the world and go the other direction.

Good luck. Keep us posted on your decisions.

Thanks,
mac

just be careful - my aunt was on it - lost a little bit of weight but wound up in the hospital with kidney problems... then she tried weight watchers and lost 167lbs in a year...

with weight watchers.... you can STILL drink beer (guinness, even!)

I say eat what you want and exercise regularly so you don't have to worry about it. It will make you feel better about yourself, and you can enjoy your food at the same time.

South Beach allows more fruit, more veggies, red wine and encourages you to eat lots of fish.

South Beach is only available in hardback at this time, not paperback like Atkins. You can buy it for $20 at Barnes and Noble (30% of NY Times Best Sellers) or you can by it used on Ebay even cheaper.

South Beach was created by a cardiologist so it is much better for you than Atkins. It is much easier on your heart and kidneys, then Atkins.

Most importantly, whenever anyone decides to change their daily eating habits so drastically (by going on any diet) it is so important to remember to take a daily vitamin, drink TONS of water and try to avoid caffeine. You should always take your vitamins, anyway. Should you feel that you are getting leg cramps, that means you are lacking potassium. You should drink a product called "Smart Water" which is distilled water w/ electrolytes. You should also try to get a massage at least once a week because it helps you release toxins, as well as helps you relax.

Robert Atkins was a cardiologist, too. I don't consume fruit, veggies or red wine anyway. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Atkins did NOT create his proclaimed diet all by himself. Back in the 50's/60's the US Air Force had the exact same diet as Atkins--known as the Air Force Diet- which is the exactly the same EXCEPT the Air Force Diet allowed any and all alcohol EXCEPT for beer. The original Air Force Diet book tells you to consume one cocktail w/lunch...my kind of diet.

Paul, I don't understand why you are going to put yourself through this, when you don't need to.

I just realized that everything you do not eat is exactly what I live on.

this atkins crap is for lazy people who want quick answers. you want to lose weight? eat less and exercise more. it's that simple. carbs don't make you fat. protein doesn't make you fat. fat doesn't even make you fat. too many calories, no matter what form they take, makes you fat. i know what i'm talking about - i lost 30 pounds in 18 months. i didn't even change what i ate - just how much.

Why are Atkins people lazy? Exercise is part of the plan. It's not a crash diet; it's a lifestyle. And so are 1,000 different health plans promoted in the bookstore. They all work for at least some people. I'm just going to give this a try because the people I know who have tried it — people who are not lazy or dumb — have no regrets.

Marathon runners and athletes eat high protein or low carb/no carb diet. I run and/or work out every day, I am in great shape and my lifestyle eating habit is high protein (like Atkins). I am hardly dumb and far from lazy, "Timmy". I do not have to follow a diet for weight loss, but if I did I would definitely go the South Beach or Atkins route.

Atkins & South Beach are all lifestyle eating changes for a healthy life that will also contribute to weight loss. Eating everything you want, regardless of your size, is not healthy for anyone. "Timmy" may have lost 30 lbs but is he healthy? Even though he says that he cut back on what he ate to lose weight--how healthy was the food you were consuming if it caused you to gain that extra 30? You can still lose weight eating junk, but it doesn't mean that it is good for you. Atkins & South Beach are proven to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and eliminate diabetic medication dependency. They promote healthy eating, which is most important. There is nothing lazy or dumb about that.

I find it upseting when people knock others for how they lose weight. "Timmy" should be sympathetic and encouraging--not negative.

Only real negatives I hve seen in other people are nauciousness (sp?) after a few days b/c the body hasn't adjusted. Dad went on it and lost 45 lbs. and has maintained about 30lbs of the loss (ie. he put 15 back on). Boss did it and is down 50 and still moving.

Problems can be with kidneys so lots and lots and lots and lots of water.

I tried it and didn't like it. I feel I only need to drop about 10 any way so I'm just going to eat less and move more.

Good luck! Is SPAM allowable? MMmmmm, SPAM!

marathon runners eat low carb? cass, you could not be more wrong. read this snippet from runner's world,

"When athletic performance and endurance are at stake, carbohydrates win hands down over fat. Any runner worth his or her weight in bananas and bagels (whole wheat, of course) knows that carbohydrate is the fuel of choice for running. And to continually replenish your carbohydrate stores, you need to take in a steady supply of carbs. Neither protein nor fat can be converted into carbohydrate for storage as muscle glycogen." taken from http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,1-53-86-5004-3-3,00.html

and am i healthy? i think so. is 15% body fat healthy? i regularly compete in adventure races that are 20 miles long.

Timmy,
I am a runner, and I have also run in competitions/marathons. I also have a personal trainer, and we survive on protein. The only carbs I get in my diet are from fruit, vegetables, and PowerBars. Atkins and South Beach allow you to have 20 grams of carbs a day, and on average that is what I consume daily.

As far as you being healthy, I am sure your BMI was not 15% and you were not running adventure races when you were carrying around that extra 30lbs. I think it is great that you changed your lifestyle so you could be healthy. With that said, you shouldn't knock people who are trying to do the same. Everyone is different and just because you did something different then them doesn't mean that they are fat and lazy. I think it is shitty of you to judge others on their health choices.

Instead of losing weight, maybe you should work on losing your negative attitude. That will be good for your health, as well.

Yo Paul! You're still the man! Congrats on embracing this whole Atkins thing. I've been doing it since March of this year and have lost 80 lbs. It's fun, convenient and easy! Go Paul Go!!!

I have been on the Atkins diet since June and have lost 50 lbs. I am not hungary or tired like other diets I have tried. I have read several of the books written by Dr. Atkins and I cleaned out my cabinets before starting the diet of all carbs. I maintain a 20 carb day and will until I reach my goal of 30 more lbs off. My goal is to be at the weight I was about 35 years ago by Mid Jan. I eat all the meat, cheese, eggs I want and enjoy butter, cream, green veg., and salads. The only product I buy is a low carb bar for an occasional treat. I went on a 2 week vacation which included a 4 night cruise and enjoyed several things not on the diet (I gained 5 lbs and have since lost all 5 in the week back home). For the first time I control my body and that is a good thing. My husband is not on the diet except for the fact that I cook with out carbs (potatoes, rice, noodles & etc). He has lost 20 lbs and didn't even realize he was on a diet. His blood pressure is lower and his cholestrol count is also down. Do you still question where or not to try it? One friend tried it but said she couldn't give up the fruit. For 80 lbs less weigh and my old life back as well as my husbands, I can do without fruit which I also love for a few months to a year. Then in moderation all things are possible.
I love the Atkins Diet!!!

I don't follow Atkins per se, or any other particular low-carb diet. But 8 months ago, on a whim, really, I simply decided to try cutting down sharply on carbs. I've eaten unlimited protein and vegetables--even those Atkins dismisses like beans and carrots. Bottom line: In the 8 months I've followed this diet, I've lost 73 pounds thus far, losing 12 inches from my waist, dropping from a size 54 suit to a size 44, and shrinking from a size 21 neck to a size 17. I have 7 more pounds to go from my original goal, though I am now thinking I'll probably aim to lose another 8 or so. So, yes, this works. It's fast, easy to follow (after the first few days of adjustment), and you don't get hungry. Further, my cholesterol dropped from high normal to low normal, with now very good levels of HDL to LDL and low triglycerides--(as predicted by Atkins).

Hey, I have lost 50 lbs on Atkins in 6 months I was 210 now I am 160

Help, I am a runner and do lots of weight training also. I have 7 kilo left to lose (I have before on weight watchers but always manage to put it back on). I want to try Atkins and am in day two of induction and am finding it really really tough any suggestions.