Atkins or Medi-fast Anyone?

I need to lose weight too!  A couple of years ago I went on the Atkins and lost 20 pounds, well, I'm back on Atkins but a modified version (my version).  Just eating proteins and NO BREAD or CARBS!

I remember that after about 2 weeks I did lose my craving for bread..  So I am on day 2 of this diet.  I am eating veggies though and if I remember some veggies were not allowed.   I hate being overweight!!

Denise

Alone&Scared- my Dr actually has me on a diet with no "bready" things at all- no breads, cereals, pastas, or anything made with flour or wheat. And no sugar. As long as you eat the right things, you don't get an upset stomach. Unfortunately, it is expensive (though not as much as a diet plan), because bread and cereal is cheap, while veggies and meat are not.

Agreed, Nicky -- these (high protein) diets are costly. But, Alone, Atkins does work -- you will lose weight w/o getting weak or hungry.  And you can lose weight quicker than a lot of other diets.  I think it's been shown that ketosis (sp) is dangerous, but years ago while doing a modified kind of Atkins, I learned that you do not need to go into ketosis to lose weight quickly. If exercising, you can also firm up a little quicker than usual. AND you will not be hungry.

1 big point goes against Atkins: If you are having a hey day w/ the butter, sour cream, beef, other meats, cheese, real mayo, all the bacon you can handle (Y.U.M.) you will lose weight UNLESS you CHEAT and fall prey to some heavy carbs and/or sugar. If you do this, then all those calories and fat in the Atkins diet will then go AGAINST you. I don't know why, but I know it, cause it's happened to me.  More than several times.

btw, Sugar Busters is a great, healthy modified Atkins type program. Just buy the paperback book on it. It's an excellent diet, not too difficult to adhere. It allows more fruits and vegs, but they must be certain ones. It also allows you 2 pieces of whole grain or rye bread.

I have 2 friends who tried everything and failed til they tried Sugar Busters.

Just putting in my 2 cents. Altho I have never been more than 15-20 overweight (which is plenty bad enough), I have dieted on and off since I was a teen (now mid 50's). Betcha I've gained and lost more weight than most.

right now, my thyroid, which I suspect has been attacked by Lyme, is causing me great difficulty. I get too weak (hypoglycemia) if I eat too little, and following some of my past successful diets, I cannot get the pounds off!

Atkins works but is tough to stick with. Once you start eating low carb ice cream, low carb chocolate, and other low carb junk food, you stop losing weight. Like +Lyme said, if you cheat, you gain a lot. Atkins is a good way to start because you eat so much and feel full yet you still lose weight if you follow the rules. After you lose some weight, I suggest you slowly change your eating habits to something that you can stick with forever.

I believe that a lower carb eating style works best for many of us. Getting protein and non-starchy vegetables with every meal is a healthy way to eat. Adding in small amounts of starchy vegetables, low glycemic fruit, and whole grains makes it an eating style you can live with instead of a diet you eventually want to stop. Eat normal amounts of good quality protein, not tons of high fat bacon. There are even low carb diets for vegetarians that can give you ideas to expand your menu.

Plan one time a week where you will eat chocolate, cake, brownies, ice cream, or whatever you crave. Making it allowable instead of taboo gets rid of the guilt you feel when you cheat. You can freeze many of the goodies that you are tempted with on the non-cheat days and save them for your cheat day.

I know people that swear by Sugar Busters and Southbeach, they are both easier to stick with than Adkins.

MediFast may help with weight loss but what happens when you stop? It doesn't seem like something you can do forever so you will need to transition to regular food. From what I've read, that's when most people fail. Any diet that you eventually stop results in weight gain when you start eating regular food again. People that have successfully lost weight and kept it off usually don't diet. They completely change the way they eat and stick with that the rest of their life.

It is REALLY hard to change the way you eat. Whatever you choose, it has to fit your lifestyle and budget. Planning meals and snacks in advance cuts out impulse and binge eating. Taking food with you wherever you go removes the need to eat fast food. Carrying snacks that fit your plan makes it easier to skip the cake that magically appears when you are tired or stressed at work.

It is hard work but worth it. Design a plan and if it doesn't work, try something else. Unless you sign a contract or prepay for a plan, you can always change and try something else. Give it time, change doesn't happen overnight.

Good luck!!

I went on a "liquid diet" for a few months, lost 30 pounds. diet direct dot com has the shakes i drank, they are 100 calories each and i drank like 7 - 10 a day with 8 oz LEAN meat and a salad.

If you decide to do the protein, you can get sugar free snakcs that taste just as good as the regular snacks. I find that I feel better eating protein and I stay full longer too. Just a FYI:)

rcenters,
The Southbeach diet may meet your needs better. It allows more fruit & vegetables than Atkins. It's pretty strict for the first two weeks but then you can eat a greater variety of foods.