Ughhh....

[TheDogAteMyName]

This morning I was at breakfast with a very good friend. She knows I am on Atkins, but I haven't talked at length with her about it. We order...she gets the Fit on the Farm at Bob Evans and I order a three egg omelet. She said she talked to another lady who is in her 30's that had a heart attack about Atkins. The lady told her that you can't do that and it's not safe and to follow a low-fat diet. Afterall, it's recommended by the American Heart Association. Then she went on about how Dr. Atkins died of heart disease and how unhealthy the diet is. Where on earth do these false statements come from? Dr. Atkins died to an unfortunate head injury - it's in the public autopsy report. Why is everyone so against Atkins? It makes me almost not want to tell anyone that I'm doing this WOL because of how negative they are. She said she dropped 6 pounds this week. I'm happy for her, but I'd also like for her to get her numbers checked in 6 more months. Her triglycerides and cholesterol were high and that's why she's now eating low fat. She asked me what I thought and I gave her my opinion of low fat. I'm sick of the stigma that surrounds Atkins. While my numbers weren't up, I did have blood pressure of 135/90. I can almost guarantee the next time I go to the doctor's office that it won't be.

How do you explain to people that this WOE is actually ok? I simply asked her to compare her foods to mine. How could you say that Fage Total is worse than Dannon Light? Read the ingredients list and that's only yogurt. I can post my menu that my nutritionist gave me, it's full of high fructose corn syrup foods. I could lose weight following other diets, but if it's not going to get me healthier than why even try. That's the whole point I was trying to make.

[Sandi76]

You can't convince people, just like she can't convince YOU that low fat is ok you know? Sometimes I think that people see Atkins as like a cheaters way to "win". My sister who watched my dad lose a ton of weight, STILL thinks Atkins is bad for you. Which I just don't get. She counts her calories and moans about it all.the.time. Then she binges on McDonalds, and has to start all over again. If she just GAVE her body the fat it craves to begin with, she wouln't binge on the McDonalds for the fat you know?

[oceandiva]

I've tried them all but after my counts went up on a low-cal diet, I've gone back to Atkins. I feel better, I sleep better and I'm losing weight. Since there is a prejudice against Atkins, I just say to people that because of medical condition, I am eating low carb. That tends to quiet them.

[cleochatra]

I tell people I follow a whole-foods, organic way of eating, chock full of vegetables, fruit, organic meats, cheeses and good fats.

Who can argue with that?

Welcome to the board, BTW!

[2big4mysize]

Ask then to share a copy of the medical study they got their Atkins info from and you will never hear from them again. I listen to folk who think they know what the atkins plan is but when i mention the 3-5 servings of veggies that are mandated on induction and increase to 6-10 in OWL they are shocked and stop talking about Atkins being bad.

[TheDogAteMyName]

Thank you so much for your responses. You're such a help to me

2Big - People are so misinformed. They seriously think we sit around eating bunless cheeseburgers all day. It's sad

Cleochatra - Good thinking! I actually do eat whole foods and organic so that fits the bill.

[scandalouslyglam]

I am in nursing school and the crazy nutrition info we are taught is ridiculous. There were pages and Pages of info on the NEW food pyramid. There was a small paragraph on Low carb. Even the Diabetic "diets" aren't that carb controlled anymore.

For homework we had to make a food pyramid based on our eating. HOW we truly ate. While everyone elses looked identical to USDA's (HA! I see how much $$ goes in the vending machines at school) Mine was Heavy on fats, meats, eggs, No refined sugars, Berries, Nuts/seeds, and lots and lots of Vegetables.

Sure there was eye rolling. Whatever. I know what works for my body. And I got an A+!!

[suzanneyea]

I rarely tell people I follow Atkins. Only if they really push me and seem like they really want to make a change in their lives, otherwise it is my little secret.

[vicki71]

I just started, and oddly enough, I'm more likely to tell people I don't know, or at least don't know really well that I am on Atkins. My friends know I did it 3 years ago, and after I fell off the wagon, had some health problems and couldn't get back onto Atkins (long story...I think it was related to a Splenda allergy), I told anyone and everyone how horrible Atkins is, how it ruined my health, how I would never do it again...yadda, yadda, yadda!

Now, three years later, I was fat and depressed and decided to give Atkins one last try. I don't tell many people about being on it, but when I do, I start out by saying that I have cut out sugars and white flour and eat a lot of healthy fats, meats, and veggies. If the conversation goes on and they want to know more, I usually end up telling them it's Atkins.

It is frustrating that so many out there have no idea what Atkins really is. But it is nice to be one of the ones who knows and knows it will work and NOT kill you! lol

[flourchild]

Originally Posted by TheDogAteMyName

How do you explain to people that this WOE is actually ok?

You can only explain to people who are willing to listen. If they just want to regurgitate inaccuracies, you're wasting your ketone breath on 'em.

Your good example and success will do the talking anyhow. But really, nothing takes the place of doing your own homework. You'll find people's attempts to derail you downright amusing, once you're armed with a little science.

Love your moniker, by the way.

[whatjelly]

This is one thing that we all go round and round with... unfortuneately...

I say that I simply took sugar and starches out of my diet, and leave it at that. If somebody wants to get into a deep discussion about it, I may throw the term "Atkins" out there...

It's really hard for most people to wrap their mind around this WOE and for them to "unlearn" what has been drilled in for all these years is tough.

One of the arguments I might bring up [only to those who are at least half listening] is for one; cave men. Their diets were mostly meat. And eskimos... mostly fat. A lot of our problems started popping up when we figured out how to till the earth and grow things... like grains... Before that, there wasn't really an obesity epidemic that there is today.

Also, butter has been around for centuries... Once man invented margarine, that is all chemicals, things started going 'down-hill' then too...

Oh, I could go on and on...

When you don't want to go into a deep discussion, just say that you've eliminated sugar from your diet... When the word "bread" or "potato" come up, and they ask "why not?" then tell them that when those things hit your blood-stream, they instantly morf into sugar... And since you don't eat sugar anymore... ... ... ...

[Hot Tamale]

I don't try to convince anyone about low-carb. When asked recently by my gyn what I did to lose 80 pounds in the last year I meekly told him I tried not to eat "white" foods (flour, sugar, rice, pasta, etc...). He told me that was excellent and he looked forward to seeing me in a year to see where I would be then. My BP used to be 140/90. On that day it was 120/80... My cholesterol is up a bit (206 from 174), but generally I am doing a lot better.

Ladies at work talk down low-carb to me - mostly saying they just can't do that - its too hard... All I can do is tell them it can be difficult at times, but I'm mostly just passing up donuts, cake, and cookies - just like anyone who is trying to lose weight. I have lost, they have all remained the same or gained... There's no secret; you just have to make whatever you decide to do food-wise a habit.