New to this --- Atkins Diet and Rowing Question

[Dale_R]

Well, I just got back from a trip to Disneyworld for a conference I was putting on.

We had a medical emergency with the wife (non serious, but seriously freaked out the flight attendants, the passengers beside us, the doctor on the plane, the pilot, the other pilots who had to circle the runway, the paramedics, the gate staff, etc. You haven't lived till you have had a medical emergency declared in flight) and my 4 year old daughter had a 104 fever off and on all week.

Needless to say, it wasn't a good week for exercising. I did get in two sessions on an eliptical, and was able to walk the disney parks for about 3 hours 3 times.

I now need a vacation....

Anyway, even though I was hosting the event, with plenty of free booze and great food, I kept to the diet, and didn't drink.

I'm down to 185 now. That means I've lost 32 lbs. My target is still to have a BMI in the normal range, so that means I am about halfway there...

I added nuts into my diet this week as a snack and immediately noticed a decrease in my weight loss. Boy those little buggers pack a lot of calories in them, don't they!

After being off the rowing machine for a week, it was hard to jump right back on. The first day back I sat on the machine, started rowing for a few minutes, and was interrupted by family matters. I couldn't bring myself to get back on again and the next day I made another excuse not to start up.

I smacked myself silly though, and for the last three days got back into the training routine. It's easy how to rationalize the I'm to busy, tired, to do it now. Or I'll skip today since I've already missed the last week, and start back up tomorrow. That's probably how most people fall off the rowing boat, so to speak.

As for the recent conversations concerning low-fat vs vegan diets, the Atkins diet seems to be working for me. I'm still not hungry during the day, meals that I prepare or purchase that I would ordinarily eat the entire serving I find that I am satisfied or even feel full halfway through and I don't finish it. That's a good feeling.

[larkl]

As for the recent conversations concerning low-fat vs vegan diets, the Atkins diet seems to be working for me. I'm still not hungry during the day, meals that I prepare or purchase that I would ordinarily eat the entire serving I find that I am satisfied or even feel full halfway through and I don't finish it. That's a good feeling.

Somehow I grok (relate to) things I've read where people said they felt satisfied after having just a hamburger patty for lunch. Even though I don't eat that way. So I can sympathize with that.

You mention fatigue and finding it hard to row - that may be because of the atkins diet - a high carb diet is better for energy.

Another consideration with the Atkins diet is whether it's healthy for the length of time you'd likely be on it. People on weight loss diets, even when they stick with them, don't generally lose more than about half a pound per week. That's what the average long-term weight loss has been in studies comparing different diets. Over a year people lose about 25 pounds.

Laura

[Dale_R]

Well, my weight loss has definitly slowed down to about a lb a week. I'm currently at 181 lbs. I'm off tommorow to another convention in Phoenix, so I'll probably not be able to row. Maybe I can find a YMCA with a rower.

I think one of my problems is that by purchasing the nuts, I find I eat them. Go figure. And it is not when I am hungry, only that they are available and they taste good. So no more Costco runs for those wasabi flavored almonds.

I also "broke" the ketosis last week for the first time since I started the diet. My little girl turned 5 and I had to make a Bday cake from scratch. That wasn't so bad. What killed me was the fresh strawberry icing I made. Made a big batch and had lots of left over. Along with the strawberrys. It made a good combination to dip the fresh berry into the strawberry flavored icing. Yum.

Just as the Atkin's diet manual said, according to the ketosis test strips, I stopped the fat metabolism and went back to a carb metabolism for three days. The interesting point was that I know I didn't take in enough carbs for three days, so I wonder where the body got the energy until it fired up the fat burning metobolic pathway again? Probably muscle as that pathway is alwasy available.

I've lost enough weight now that I am going to start adding in weights and walking/running. While my erg times are getting better, I think it just a matter of improved cardio, as opposed to getting stronger. I did about two to three weeks of core strength training, but stopped. I'll try to start that back up again.

[thomaspinckney]

You will lose weight on the Atkins diet. Trouble is, rather than adding carbohydrate back into your diet (as his book says) a little bit at a time, I've found that most people try to keep their carbs too low (figuring it's already worked at zero carbs, so stay there). I've been on the diet and I lost a ton of weight. However, it all came back eventually because you cannot stay on a "diet" forever. Ketosis? Why do that to your body at all?

Why be on a diet at all? Why not just eat properly, exercise (weights/aerobics) and get plenty of rest.

I am a controlled diatbetic. That means it WILL come back unless I eat properly (test my blood daily) and keep my glucose levels in a normal range. I can eat just about anything, but am careful. There are no bad foods, just too many of them that all added up do very bad things to your arteries, etc.

My normal weight is approximately 190-200 pounds with a large frame. At one point I weighed 288 pounds and am presently at about 230. When all the blood tests showed "bad things" I started exercising and eating properly. I went to classes for diabetics. This meant I went to dieticians for about 10 hours (four sessions) and they taught me how to eat properly. Basically, all I have to do is control my carb intake (I can eat 205 grams per day) and fat and exercise. I can do this for the rest of my life.

The best "diet" of all is a diabetic diet. There is a book called the "sugar solution." It's a very good one that explains things. It will help EVERYONE to eat properly. Eating like a person with diabetes is not a diet at all - just a change in lifestyle. Throw away the diet books, change your lifestyle and you can succeed permanently. Keep things simple.

[PJM]

You will lose weight on the Atkins diet. Trouble is, rather than adding carbohydrate back into your diet (as his book says) a little bit at a time, I've found that most people try to keep their carbs too low (figuring it's already worked at zero carbs, so stay there). I've been on the diet and I lost a ton of weight. However, it all came back eventually because you cannot stay on a "diet" forever. Ketosis? Why do that to your body at all?

Why be on a diet at all? Why not just eat properly, exercise (weights/aerobics) and get plenty of rest.

I am a controlled diatbetic. That means it WILL come back unless I eat properly (test my blood daily) and keep my glucose levels in a normal range. I can eat just about anything, but am careful. There are no bad foods, just too many of them that all added up do very bad things to your arteries, etc.

My normal weight is approximately 190-200 pounds with a large frame. At one point I weighed 288 pounds and am presently at about 230. When all the blood tests showed "bad things" I started exercising and eating properly. I went to classes for diabetics. This meant I went to dieticians for about 10 hours (four sessions) and they taught me how to eat properly. Basically, all I have to do is control my carb intake (I can eat 205 grams per day) and fat and exercise. I can do this for the rest of my life.

The best "diet" of all is a diabetic diet. There is a book called the "sugar solution." It's a very good one that explains things. It will help EVERYONE to eat properly. Eating like a person with diabetes is not a diet at all - just a change in lifestyle. Throw away the diet books, change your lifestyle and you can succeed permanently. Keep things simple.

Listen to this rower!! He knows his "stuff".
The Atkins diet is great and does work but it needs to be followed and carbs do need to be added.There are good carbs and bad carbs.I find that a combo of Dr.Atkins and the South Beach diet are good.We need carbs..just good ones.The bad ones affect our glucose tolerance.Going by glycemic index is very effective too.Our bodies should not be in a constant ketosis...it is not normal.The induction phase will get us started.Then we need to add good carbs and find an amount that will keep us in check.I was around when Dr.Atkins first introduced his diet plan.In the 70's.I worked with fellow nurses who went on this diet in such a hard core way they ended up sick..heart problems etc.They lost weight but not in a healthy way.Then Dr.Atkins sort of went away..and then re surfaced.He has a wonderful program if followed as a lifestyle behavior modification way of life.
Sugar, white foods, processed foods are the villain.Not ALL carbs.


Pat

[Dale_R]

Well, I've still kept in the nuts, added other carbs back in like veggies and and berries, while still following the atkins in the OWL phase. I've also added back in the occasional drink, hard liquor and not beer. And once a week or so I've had a bowl of ice cream.

The weight loss is now averaging about 1 lb per week, I'm down to 177 and this feels pretty sustainable and healthy.

Everyone around me has been dropping like flies with the flu, but I think with the combination of exercise, eating right, and taking the vitamins, I hope to get through the season okay.

I've been using RowPro to prepare for a PB on the 2000 meter and havei been following that pretty religiously, except for the days I am out of town. Those days, it's the hotel equipment which is pretty much limited to stair machines or elipticals.

I've also added twice a week the Core exercises found here http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/a ... icleid=486

and added a 20 minute walk after my erg workout. I'm only going to walk for a while because I always develop shin splints when I jog/run. Maybe I can strengthen up my joints and muscle connection points so I can run without hurting myself. Having the shin muscle seperate all along the shin bone hurts!

The above comments about Atkins are interesting and have valid points. My belief is that one should choose a strategy of weight loss that they can follow. For me and my tastes, lifestyle, and goals, the Atkins seems to fit and it IS working. As always, YMMV.

[Cazneau]

I love carbs, and eat almost no meat. So the Atkins diet is not a great option for me. I lost sixty pounds--and kept it off for six years--with a high-carb, low-fat diet combined with strength and cardio exercise (six days a week cardio, three days a week strength.) The key is make your carbs count. They should be complex, high in fiber and high in other nutrients. Stay away from high fructose corn syrup, which is in even quite a lot of "whole wheat" breads. Most of my fats come from high protein foods like dairy and nuts.

After a bad year of running injuries, inconsistent exercise caused by an overscheduled life, and bad eating habits I've crept back up to 25 pounds over my healthy weight. I'm a month into my old plan, and I can tell the difference in muscle tone and muscle mass, but the weight is not yet coming off. If I stick with it, it should start coming off steadily about 2 pounds a week. The key to sticking with the "diet" for me is never letting myself go hungry. If it feels too much like deprivation, there is a high risk of failing discipline.

I'm convinced there is no magic one-size-fits-all plan. You've got to sort it out for yourself, based on your lifestyle and food preferences.