The Atkins Diet
You know how some people just have to try to make your life miserable? It was obvious to everyone that I looked and felt healthier, but some people just had to try to spoil it. I was told that 'lots of people have died of kidney or liver failure' after being on Atkins I read it in a magazine; you will have a heart attack because it's not natural; your cholesterol will go through the roof and you will need your toes amputated or you will have a stroke; it will affect your eyesight. All sorts of exaggerations. So, I went to see my local doctor, who admitted that he had no knowledge of the Atkins diet, but he also said that he had heard nothing bad about it either. He sent me for a series of tests at the hospital and the results were all OK. He was happy that I'd lost 18 lbs and so was I. Six weeks later, I went for another cholesterol check-up, because of the high fat levels inherent in the diet and, although my cholesterol level was up very slightly, they said there was no cause for concern.
The Atkins diet warns that you might develop halitosis (bad breath). I don't know whether I did or not - no-one said anything, but I started brushing my teeth four-five times a day just in case. I suppose that that's another benefit of 'doing Atkins' - increased oral hygiene. It also warns of constipation. I didn't get that either, although I didn't give up black coffee, which has always been a laxative for me. But surely you can't suffer from constipation if you eat about a 1lb of greens a day? I hadn't been eating that amount of roughage before starting the Atkins diet! So my two main concerns did not exist.
After a couple of weeks I was getting bored. Not with the diet, but because I'm single and am used to going to the pub (and drinking beer). So, I decided to treat this scientifically. One day, after work, I had three pints of Guinness and felt great. Before the diet, I would have drunk five or six to feel the same. To my delight, the next morning the ketone sticks told me that I was still 'on the diet'. Over the following weeks, I thoroughly enjoyed checking out what would 'work' and what would not. I found that cider is a complete no-no. Some beers and some lagers are OK. Red and white wine are OK. Consuming alcohol does not knock you off the diet, but it slows your rate of progress. But even slow progress is progress, I say. Better than giving up the diet.
Don't listen to people who say 'go on, just try a little bit'. They don't understand or don't want to understand how much they are setting you back. A body can hold two days worth of carbohydrates: one square of chocolate, one slice of bread, a bowl of cornflakes or one sugar in your coffee will cost you TWO days to clear out of your system. Just don't let them do it to you. This is not a diet for stopping and starting whenever you you like. In fact I think that it probably could be dangerous to allow your ketone and other levels to fluctuate wildly. There are also high fat levels in the content of the Atkins diet, which is not dangerous if you stick to it, because you body consumes fat and cholesterol in the absence of carbohydrates.
The story ends at this point, with me having got down to under 16 stone and keeping it there, until very recently when I moved to the Far East to live. Once I get used to the food and have my own house and own kitchen, I will get down to 15 stone, I'm sure I will " with very little effort.
Anyway, thank you, Mr. Blackwell, wherever you are, you changed my life and my understanding of food and thank you, Mr. Atkins too.
The Atkins diet warns that you might develop halitosis (bad breath). I don't know whether I did or not - no-one said anything, but I started brushing my teeth four-five times a day just in case. I suppose that that's another benefit of 'doing Atkins' - increased oral hygiene. It also warns of constipation. I didn't get that either, although I didn't give up black coffee, which has always been a laxative for me. But surely you can't suffer from constipation if you eat about a 1lb of greens a day? I hadn't been eating that amount of roughage before starting the Atkins diet! So my two main concerns did not exist.
After a couple of weeks I was getting bored. Not with the diet, but because I'm single and am used to going to the pub (and drinking beer). So, I decided to treat this scientifically. One day, after work, I had three pints of Guinness and felt great. Before the diet, I would have drunk five or six to feel the same. To my delight, the next morning the ketone sticks told me that I was still 'on the diet'. Over the following weeks, I thoroughly enjoyed checking out what would 'work' and what would not. I found that cider is a complete no-no. Some beers and some lagers are OK. Red and white wine are OK. Consuming alcohol does not knock you off the diet, but it slows your rate of progress. But even slow progress is progress, I say. Better than giving up the diet.
Don't listen to people who say 'go on, just try a little bit'. They don't understand or don't want to understand how much they are setting you back. A body can hold two days worth of carbohydrates: one square of chocolate, one slice of bread, a bowl of cornflakes or one sugar in your coffee will cost you TWO days to clear out of your system. Just don't let them do it to you. This is not a diet for stopping and starting whenever you you like. In fact I think that it probably could be dangerous to allow your ketone and other levels to fluctuate wildly. There are also high fat levels in the content of the Atkins diet, which is not dangerous if you stick to it, because you body consumes fat and cholesterol in the absence of carbohydrates.
The story ends at this point, with me having got down to under 16 stone and keeping it there, until very recently when I moved to the Far East to live. Once I get used to the food and have my own house and own kitchen, I will get down to 15 stone, I'm sure I will " with very little effort.
Anyway, thank you, Mr. Blackwell, wherever you are, you changed my life and my understanding of food and thank you, Mr. Atkins too.
About the Author:
Do you want to know more about the Atkins Diet? Visit our site on Atkins dieting at: Atkins Dieting. Also published at The Atkins Diet.
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