Hi

[xalos]

I am sorta getting ready to start low-carbing (or I have already started depending on how you look at it :) )

I am going to go buy the Atkin's book during my break and for lunch I had 2 hamburger patties w/ 2 slices of american cheese and 2 slices of tomato and ketchup and mustard. But, I drank a Dr. Pepper this morning before I thought about starting the Atkins diet so the lunch thing was just a trial I guess.

I created a fitday profile and filled it out. It's a pretty nifty tool :)

I have been searching on the net all day about Atkin's diet and I have been reading this board and I have a ton of questions to ask but I figure the book will be able to answer most of them.


So, I guess I will be making some posts and getting to know you guys really soon.

[RCFletcher]

Hi xalos!

Welcome to the board...and congratulations on deciding on this way of eating to enhance your life.

Read the book well and stick to what it says.

You can really enjoy this way of eating, get thin and never be hungry. It's great.

You'll find tons of friendship, help and support...and someone will always try to answer your questions.

This board has helped keep me on the straight and narrow.

I see you want to loose a hundred pounds. There is a special section for people with 100lbs to loose. You might like to look into it. I've lost 44lbs so far and another 22 to go!

Warmest greetings fron a very cold Belarus.

Robert :wave:

[xalos]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I want to lose between 80 -100 lbs. But, Mom always said "Aim for the moon and even if you miss your still a shooting star" so I figured I would go for the 100 and be thin.

I do have 3 questions that I would like to kinda get answered from a person.

1. Do calories really not matter in the Atkin's Diet? ( ie: eat all you want as long as you stay under 20g of Carbs)

2. Will the diet increase your chances of heart disease?

3. Is Diet Coke ok?


I have heard all of these questions answered as Yes: but I just want to make sure.

Thanks!

[McRumi]

Good questions.

My response would be:
1) No.
2) No.
3) No.

But by now you have purchased the latest version of Dr Atkin's book (unless your break is in the middle of the night), which will answer those questions in proper context.

After reading the book, come back, as this is a great place to come for help and to contribute from your own experience.

Best wishes.
Mark

[intanzania]

Hey Mark...

Question:

Why do you say calories do matter? In DANDR Atkins dedicates several pages to the bogusnus of calorie theory... he describes one of his patients that was eating up to 3000 calories on DANDR (an increase from his previous caloric intake) and lost steadily... Did I miss something?

Hope you can answer this one for me.

Thanks.

[McRumi]

Calories matter for two reasons:

1) if you eat too few calories, you may trigger "starvation" mode, wherein the body hangs onto fat.

2) If you eat too many calories via protein, the excessive protein will convert to glucose (then to body fat).

Atkins was not supporting unlimited or excessive calories; he was debunking the reliance upon calorie counting alone as method of weight loss.

If you read the book carefully, the key message is one of MODERATION. Moderation in diet, in exercise, in lifestyle.

Fortunately, it is rare to eat too many calories while low-carbing because the correct balance of fat/protein contains a natural appetite supressant.

I do not count calories, but I am aware that I cannot eat unlimited calories. That's crucial.

Hope that helps.
Best,
Mark

[intanzania]

Spank you :D