Help: Atkins Diet and Training

[Chris Phillipo]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> By coincidence, as I ride the Web and watch the local TV news on my PIP, they are showing
> their "Health-Watch" segment, featuring the Atkins Diet. They show numerous interviews with
> those who are using or have previously tried this diet. Some educated nutritionists are also
> interviewed. The concensus is that many who use it, experience a 5 to 10-lb. weight loss in
> the first few weeks, mostly from reduced water and fiber in their systems. Then, most of them
> feel weak and slow down their activities, soon drifting back to their old eating habits or
> trying some other sort of diet.
>
> I went through the full routine wih this diet, some time ago.
> Then, ending up after a month with no benefit and having spent a lot of
> money on the more expensive foods prescribed by it, I discovered Nathan

There you have it, Atkin's
> Pritikin's dietary formula, which is almost an exact opposite of the Atkins Diet. I developed my
> own version of it, which calls for lots of foods with complex carbohydrates and fiber, moderate
> amounts of protein, low fat and very little simple carbohydrates. Whole-wheat pasta, beans and
> peas, fish, skinless poultry, fresh fruits and raw or steamed vegetables are the main foods I eat.
> It's important to understand the great difference between slow-digesting complex carbohydrates and
> quickly absorbed simple carbohydrates, as they affect your energy and fat-storing potential. I can
> follow this diet indefinitely, feel full and satisfied and can easily lose weight in a painless,
> although slow way. I also have lots of energy and have no problem with completing a hard workout,
> even if I'm gradually losing weight. Wholegrain rice, wheat and oats provide much better fiber and
> vitamins than refined grain products and they digest more slowly and enhance the sustained energy
> effect you get from their complex carbohydrates. White rice and bread made from refined flour
> break down and digest very quickly and don't give much in the way of energy over the whole day. My
> entire diet plan is 15 typed pages long and this is just the very short version. By the way, my
> diet costs much less than what I ate in the old days. Why do I have to lose weight, if my diet
> plan is so good? Because at times, I just eat too much of it-----I should say, way too much. But,
> if I stay even close to my daily maintenance amount of calories, I don't gain weight, especially
> when I ride a lot and cover several miles on foot every day. I generally weigh 40 lbs. less than
> before I started eating this way. Cut out the extra salt in your diet and lose 3 to 5 ugly and
> sluggish pounds, mostly of retained water, in 3 days.
>
>
> Steve McDonald
>
>

Sorry if I am starting to sound like a poster child but check out http://www.eatprotein.com. You
would probably get something out of reading the book even if you are happy with your current plan,
it is only $8 for the paper back, the FAQs on the site have alot of answers for free. It really
sounds to me like Atkins is all about selling unnecessary overpriced ****, if I wanted that I'd go
to weight watchers. The fact is that truly active people can get away with almost anything, it's
only when you stop burning large amounts of calories on a daily basis that we can really see what
effects diet are having vs. the effects of exercise. I would probably stay trim on your diet too
during cycling season, but I wouldn't be able to maintain the caloric intake to burn ratio during
the winter unless I was willing to eat celery and lettuce two meals day and then I'd be back where
I started.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com

 

[Chris Phillipo]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Greg Carbonneau" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I am an active cyclist also. I just went on Atkins last week, but stopped because my energy
> > level drooped overall. My average speed dropped 2 mph. I woke up feeling like I had a sleeping
> > pill hangover. I only did Atkins for 5 days before I quit. Maybe if I had given it longer I may
> > have gotten past this.
>
> I think one issue with Atkins diets is that they are aimed at sedentary people, and the idea is to
> give your body few carbs to burn.
>
> Cyclists like us burn a lot of calories during our workouts. I'm no nutritionist, but you might
> try modifying an Atkins diet so that you consume about as many carb calories as you burn during
> your rides. This should get you back to something close to Atkins-type dieting without causing
> perma-bonk.
>
>

Again this may not be covered in the Atkins book, but in "Protein Power", there is a method where by
you consume some carbs before exercise in order to prevent muscle glycogen depletion but still not
trigger an insulin reaction.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com

 

[Chris Phillipo]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
> "Robin Hubert" . wrote > What makes you think that a low-fat diet leads to low blood-fat, and vice
> > versa? How about those Inuit types that exist primarily on fat and protein yet suffer little to
> > know such problems?
> >
> > Robin Hubert
> Aye, that is true but, when introduced(i.e. sold) snowmobiles, televisions, rifles,
> housetrailers, refrigeratators and LP gas. They caught up, in spades. Len
>
>
>

I think it was more do to the Fritos, Kraft Dinner and Pepsi than the dogless sleds.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com

 

[Smokey]

Mark Hickey <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (oldman) wrote:
>
> >Anyone familiar with effects of Atkins diet on active cyclist?
>
> I once went on the Atkins diet along with my wife. I really only needed to lose 5 pounds (2.3kg)
> or so, but had to prove to myself that you could actually lose weight while eating lots of fat
> and meat.
>
> I DID lose the weight, and pretty quickly. I continued to ride about 200 miles a week, and that
> went fine for a week or two. Then one day I was about 10 miles into a ride and BLAM. No energy.
> Total bonk. I crawled home at a much-reduced pace.
>
> The next day was the same way - I could go 6-10 miles before "hitting the wall". I figured out
> that half a candy bar would extend the mileage to about 20 miles (32km) before running out of gas.
>
> I started eating normally again - I had lost the weight I thought I should, and there was NO way I
> was going to be able to train at a reasonable level while on the diet.
>
> Others may have a different experience though - if your fat stores are greater, or your riding
> intensity is less than mine, you may not experience the same thing... but I'd still seriously
> recommend not planning any really long rides while on the Atkins diet.
>
> Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame

i agree with you on this subject, mark. i also tried the high protein/fat, very low carb diets, and
felt terrible whenever i was riding or doing other demanding physical activity. there are some
doctors who are now saying that high cholesterol is over-emphasized. when riding season arrives, i
always lose 10-20 lbs., even though i use a stationary trainer in the winter. it's just much easier
for me to put in a lot of miles outdoors. we have lots of hills around here, which helps burn the
calories, too. the main reason i ride is because i love it. the other reason is because i can
indulge in foods that i like. WORRYING about cholesterol may be the cause of heart problems! smokey

 

[Radioactive Man]

On 17 Feb 2003 23:17:17 -0800, [email protected] (oldman) wrote:

>Last week, my doctor threaten to put me on cholesterol control medication because of poor
>cholesterol profile. However, he suggested that I might try Atkin's Diet for 3 months before my
>next checkup. Atkin's diet says no/low carbo but no restriction of fat and protein.
>
>Anyone familiar with effects of Atkins diet on active cyclist? I cycled regularly (about 5
>hours/week) and take part in competitive cycling. My concerns are:
> 1. how will <20g carbo/daily (as recommended) affect my physical endurance?
> 2. how will the diet affect my strength and power?
> 3. how will it affect muscle glycogen?
> 4. effect on recovery?
>
>My profile:
>64.5 kg, 170 cm. Resting heartrate: 48-50 bpm. Threadmill test put me in the excellent category.
> Cholesterol LDL: 205 HDL: 80 Age: 39+.
>
>I have been very strict with my diet in accordance to AHA recommendation:
> 1. < 2eggs / week
> 2. lots of fish and vegetables
> 3. no red meat
> 4. don't smoke, occasional glass of red wine (once a month?)
> 5. don't snacks on cookies, sugar, etc.
> 6. but i eat lots of carbo (pasta, rice, bread, LOTS 'cos I have big appetite)
>
>Despite(Because of?) my diet, my cholesterol is still too high.
>
>
>cheers! king young lee

Nevermind the Atkins diet. It is a recipe for disaster. You might benifit by making most of the
rides shorter and more intense (you'll be less hungry than after a long easy ride) and also cut back
on the high-denisty carb sources, like pasta and bread. Just eat what you need of these things to
prevent a bonk. Keep on eating the fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, etc. If you've been on a long ride
and feel like devouring everything in site, just eat a bagel or something small and wait 30 minutes
or so before the main meal.

 

[Radioactive Man]

On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 16:00:23 GMT, "Robin Hubert" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Steve McDonald" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> This is a non sequitor, being diagnosed as needing cholesterol control medication and then
>> being put on the Atkins Diet. I infer from your remarks that you have some question about the
>> sense of this. You might try the Pritikin Diet instead, which is largely based on complex
>> carbohydrates and high fiber foods and a low fat intake.
>
>What makes you think that a low-fat diet leads to low blood-fat, and vice versa? How about those
>Inuit types that exist primarily on fat and protein yet suffer little to know such problems?
>
> Robin Hubert
>

One would think that after many generations of subsisting on such a diet, the Inuit populations
would become better adapted to it than others. What works for them might not work for others and
vice versa.

 

[Mark Hickey]

Chris Phillipo <[email protected]> wrote:

>[email protected] says...

>> The next day was the same way - I could go 6-10 miles before "hitting the wall". I figured
>> out that half a candy bar would extend the mileage to about 20 miles (32km) before running
>> out of gas.
>
>Someone following the atkins plan and eating a candy bar to gain energy is analogous to an
>amphetamine addict trying to quit and using caffeine pills to get over the mid afternoon crash.
>What you should eat is some beef jerky or almonds, something with protein and/or fat but not carbs.
>At that point in the diet your body is running on protein and fat not straight glucose. Once you
>break that barrier in the first week that switches your body over to burning fat for fuel instead
>of waiting for constant sugar supply, sugar can actually give you a hang over just like you had
>been drinking all night, which is why it's so easy to stop eating it once you get through the
>initial withdrawal.

I suspect the problem was that I simply didn't have enough fat stores to stoke the engine room.
Then, as now, I was about 155 pounds (70kg) and 5'10" (1.78m), with just a few pounds in the classic
"spare tire" arrangement around the waist (I think it was a 23mm). ;-) I was also probably riding
with more intensity than most (a heart rate of 150 would have been a recovery ride), trading
intensity for distance for the 10-12 hours a week I could devote to riding at the time.

I have doubts I could have ever managed to maintain my normal training schedule without carbs as a
result. I WAS impressed with the weight loss in the first week or so, but was also afraid that
little old ladies on three wheelers were going to be dropping me on A1A... ;-)

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame

 

[Alan Hutchison]

oldman wrote:
> Last week, my doctor threaten to put me on cholesterol control medication because of poor
> cholesterol profile. However, he suggested that I might try Atkin's Diet for 3 months before my
> next checkup. Atkin's diet says no/low carbo but no restriction of fat and protein.
>
> Anyone familiar with effects of Atkins diet on active cyclist? I cycled regularly (about 5
> hours/week) and take part in competitive cycling. My concerns are:
> 1. how will <20g carbo/daily (as recommended) affect my physical endurance?
> 2. how will the diet affect my strength and power?
> 3. how will it affect muscle glycogen?
> 4. effect on recovery?
>
> My profile:
> 64.5 kg, 170 cm. Resting heartrate: 48-50 bpm. Threadmill test put me in the excellent category.
> Cholesterol LDL: 205 HDL: 80 Age: 39+.
>
> I have been very strict with my diet in accordance to AHA recommendation:
> 1. < 2eggs / week
> 2. lots of fish and vegetables
> 3. no red meat
> 4. don't smoke, occasional glass of red wine (once a month?)
> 5. don't snacks on cookies, sugar, etc.
> 6. but i eat lots of carbo (pasta, rice, bread, LOTS 'cos I have big appetite)
>
> Despite(Because of?) my diet, my cholesterol is still too high.
>
>
> cheers! king young lee

It would be a good idea to do some further research into this. I had a similar experience to yours,
with a doctor who said 5.5mmol/l (about
215) total cholesterol and you're out, onto statins. At age 60, I wasn't about to start taking drugs
without a very good reason.

The first thing I found was that my HDL reading was excellent, as is yours. The second was that with
a HDL of 80, according to some theories, 40 should be subtracted from your total reading, which
calls into question any need for medication.

The second discovery was that the subject of blood cholesterol readings and their health
ramifications is not universally agreed upon. Type "cholesterol" into your search engine and you
will see what I mean.

The third discovery I made was that when I got a breadmaker machine and made all my own bread, my
LDL reading dropped and my doctor shot me out of his surgery with a disgusted snort, without any
drug prescription. Obviously the super healthy mixed grain wholemeal bread I had been buying was
wrongly labelled. I strongly suspect that the difference between it and my home baked loaves is that
mine really does contain canola oil.

Apart from the bread, my diet is more relaxed than yours and life is a (drug free) ball. My
suggestion is to do plenty of research of your own because it is your body and you are the one who
stands to lose if you take unnecessary drugs.

Good luck,

Alan.

 

[Preston Crawfor]

In article <[email protected]>, Pbwalther wrote:
>> This is a non sequitor, being diagnosed as needing cholesterol control medication and then being
>> put on the Atkins Diet. I infer from your remarks that you have some question about the sense of
>> this. You might try the Pritikin Diet instead, which is largely based on complex carbohydrates
>> and high fiber foods and a low fat intake.
>
>>Steve McDonald
>
> I thought that was strange too. If anything, I would think that the Atkins Diet would be a
> splendid way to INCREASE cholestrol levels considering the heroic levels of saturated fats you can
> get on that diet. I would think that if you want to lower cholestrol, going vegetarian would be
> the way to go.

Did it for me. Mine is 120. Plus I lost 150lbs. But the Atkins group seems to think that's the wrong
way to do things, science and experience, be damned. The sad thing is, I think they're onto
something. That being that the real culprit for obesity in this country isn't JUST the overabundance
of red meat which we eat. The real culprit is probably the highly processed foods. The refined
sugars and all the white breads we consume. I know I feel much better and my body reacts much better
when I'm doing a really good job keeping my system free of refined carbs. So I think there's a
nugget of truth there, but unfortunately it's been drown out by the noise. I guess it's easier that
way. Working hard to eat the right carbs, eating out less often, saying no to foods you shouldn't
eat is VERY VERY difficult. It takes some time and discipline to make it a lifestyle change. It's
much easier to eat the bacon double cheeseburger and ditch the bun.

Preston

 

[Chris Phillipo]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> Chris Phillipo <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >[email protected] says...
>
> >> The next day was the same way - I could go 6-10 miles before "hitting the wall". I figured
> >> out that half a candy bar would extend the mileage to about 20 miles (32km) before running
> >> out of gas.
> >
> >Someone following the atkins plan and eating a candy bar to gain energy is analogous to an
> >amphetamine addict trying to quit and using caffeine pills to get over the mid afternoon crash.
> >What you should eat is some beef jerky or almonds, something with protein and/or fat but not
> >carbs. At that point in the diet your body is running on protein and fat not straight glucose.
> >Once you break that barrier in the first week that switches your body over to burning fat for
> >fuel instead of waiting for constant sugar supply, sugar can actually give you a hang over just
> >like you had been drinking all night, which is why it's so easy to stop eating it once you get
> >through the initial withdrawal.
>
> I suspect the problem was that I simply didn't have enough fat stores to stoke the engine room.
> Then, as now, I was about 155 pounds (70kg) and 5'10" (1.78m), with just a few pounds in the
> classic "spare tire" arrangement around the waist (I think it was a 23mm). ;-) I was also probably
> riding with more intensity than most (a heart rate of 150 would have been a recovery ride),
> trading intensity for distance for the 10-12 hours a week I could devote to riding at the time.
>
> I have doubts I could have ever managed to maintain my normal training schedule without carbs as a
> result. I WAS impressed with the weight loss in the first week or so, but was also afraid that
> little old ladies on three wheelers were going to be dropping me on A1A... ;-)
>
> Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame
>

Well everyone is different and there are a lot of variables to consider, that's why I read the book
cover to cover before doing anything. You may have simply been potassium deficient, Protein Power
stresses the importance of taking potassium supplements because you lose so much of it in the excess
fluid you drop. I don't know if Atkin's even mentions this. In your case, it's also possible that
not having a lot of fat to use, you would have to practice the TKD or CKD method, where by you do
eat a measured amount of carbs before exercise that do not trigger an insulin reaction (provided you
don't eat and then decide to go watch TV instead!) but to keep your body from cannibalizing all your
muscle glycogen. Where you were training every day you might have exhausted your muscle glycogen
stores and were running on a deficite with each day that followed, since it might take a full day or
more of rest to replenish them by fat alone you would be getting deeper into the hole with each
successive day of training. Once I lost the weight I went to this method, it seems pretty
complicated but it's all second nature to me now, I don't have a scale or a calculator out measuring
portions or anything like that any more, you just won't find crackers or cereal in my cupboards
these days.

Of course once you get in shape and are riding all the time you can pick any diet of the month off
Oprah or go on the Subway diet minus the endorsement checks and you'll still stay looking trim,
probably a lok trimmer than Jarod, even if your cholesterol and insulin levels are off the chart,
but the only way to keep healthy when not exercising that I have found for me, is low carb.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com

 

[Chris Phillipo]

> Did it for me. Mine is 120. Plus I lost 150lbs. But the Atkins group seems to think that's the
> wrong way to do things, science and experience, be damned. The sad thing is, I think they're onto
> something. That being that the real culprit for obesity in this country isn't JUST the
> overabundance of red meat which we eat. The real culprit is probably the highly processed foods.
> The refined sugars and all the white breads we consume. I know I feel much better and my body
> reacts much better when I'm doing a really good job keeping my system free of refined carbs. So I
> think there's a nugget of truth there, but unfortunately it's been drown out by the noise. I guess
> it's easier that way. Working hard to eat the right carbs, eating out less often, saying no to
> foods you shouldn't eat is VERY VERY difficult. It takes some time and discipline to make it a
> lifestyle change. It's much easier to eat the bacon double cheeseburger and ditch the bun.
>
> Preston
>

Have you been sick at all since you started? My sick days have gone unused 2 years running now
even when half the staff here has the flu during winter. I think people are stating to wonder if
I'm a carrier.

--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com

 

[Matt O'Toole]

Preston Crawford wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>, Pbwalther wrote:
>>> This is a non sequitor, being diagnosed as needing cholesterol control medication and then being
>>> put on the Atkins Diet. I infer from your remarks that you have some question about the sense of
>>> this. You might try the Pritikin Diet instead, which is largely based on complex carbohydrates
>>> and high fiber foods and a low fat intake.
>>
>>>Steve McDonald
>>
>> I thought that was strange too. If anything, I would think that the Atkins Diet would be a
>> splendid way to INCREASE cholestrol levels considering the heroic levels of saturated fats you
>> can get on that diet. I would think that if you want to lower cholestrol, going vegetarian would
>> be the way to go.
>
> Did it for me. Mine is 120. Plus I lost 150lbs. But the Atkins group seems to think that's the
> wrong way to do things, science and experience, be damned. The sad thing is, I think they're onto
> something. That being that the real culprit for obesity in this country isn't JUST the
> overabundance of red meat which we eat. The real culprit is probably the highly processed foods.
> The refined sugars and all the white breads we consume.

I think so too.

> I know I feel much better and my body reacts much better when I'm doing a really good job keeping
> my system free of refined carbs. So I think there's a nugget of truth there, but unfortunately
> it's been drown out by the noise. I guess it's easier that way. Working hard to eat the right
> carbs, eating out less often, saying no to foods you shouldn't eat is VERY VERY difficult. It
> takes some time and discipline to make it a lifestyle change. It's much easier to eat the bacon
> double cheeseburger and ditch the bun.

Have you looked at the Zone Diet? It isn't really a low-carb (or high carb) diet. Its focus is
exactly what you allude to -- eliminating refined sugars and starches, and the problems caused by
insulin response to these foods. While I take all the pseudo-science in these books with a grain of
salt, I do think the Zone guy is on to something.

While I'm by no means a Zone convert, I've taken some of its basics to heart. Basically, that means
I order restaurant meals with double vegetables instead of the starch, and I try to lay off the
bread. While at home, I try to eat a little protein and even fat with each serving of carbohydrates.
And it seems to work -- I do feel better than when I was eating a lot of pasta, bread, etc.

FWIW, CNN has some kind of diet week thing going on this week with their evening programming. Larry
King and Connie Chung will have all these diet hucksters on to duke it out, Atkins, Sears, Ornish,
etc. Now, if only they'd get someone on to tell people to ride a bicycle to work!

Matt O.

 

[Trog-Dor]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> Last week, my doctor threaten to put me on cholesterol control medication because of poor
> cholesterol profile. However, he suggested that I might try Atkin's Diet for 3 months before my
> next checkup. Atkin's diet says no/low carbo but no restriction of fat and protein.
>
first of all, Kudos to your doctor for actually doing his own research and not blindly following the
NIH/AHA ********. Do your research, A low carb diet (there are others besides atkins) is a very
effective way of improving your cholesterol profile without medication (it has many other health
benefits as well). The most recent studies done by Duke and Harvard showed low carbing to be
signifigantly more effective than a "low fat/AHA style diet" in reducing cholesterol. (there is
plenty of other research, but those have been getting the most attention recently) One caveat though
is that you will have to deal with plenty of uninformed people telling you how you are "killing
yourself" with your diet. Just ignore them, they don't know any better

> Anyone familiar with effects of Atkins diet on active cyclist? I cycled regularly (about 5
> hours/week) and take part in competitive cycling. My concerns are:
> 1. how will <20g carbo/daily (as recommended) affect my physical endurance?

first of all, before you do anything else, read the atkins book. it amazes me how many
people spout off about low carb lifestyles without knowing ANYTHING about them . I would
also recommend a book called "the ketogenic diet" by Lyle McDonald. he gives a very unbiased
analysis of low carb diets (both pro and con) along with the scientific research everything
is based on (not just the unfounded claims of the mass media) WRT atkins, <20g of carbos a
week is ONLY for the first 2weeks, until your body gets adjusted to a ketone based
metabolism. After that, you significantly increase carbs in the form of veggies, fruits, and
even whole grains later on. as to affecting endurance/energy, the first of week or two on
low carb will be HELL. you will be tired, weak, lethargic and generally feel crappy. Don't
worry, this is TEMPORARY- you body is just adjusting. essentially you are going through
"carb withdrawal" (yes they are a drug) and your body is "detoxing" after a week or two
though, you will find you have more energy that you EVER did before. (there are several
technical reasons for this- again, read the book as to endurance, you will probably find
a dip at first, but you can build it back up with little trouble as your body adjusts. I
regularly do 50-60mile rides without "bonking" and feel fine.

> 2. how will the diet affect my strength and power?

I noticed a small dip in strength when I first started low carbing, but it quickly went away.

> 3. how will it affect muscle glycogen?
the point of any low carb diet is to deplete glycogen, since in the absence of glycogen, your body
will get energy from ketones, generated by breaking down fatty acid chains. (eg burning fat). (note,
do not confuse this with Ketoacidosis which is a dangerous diabetic condition- they are NOT the same
thing at all) if you are concerned with glycogen, you can look into a TKD or CKD (targeted ketogenic
diet or cyclic ketogenic diet) which both entail a controlled "carb up" to replenish muscle glycogen
for workouts. (they are both still low carb diets though, and have the same health/cholesterol
benefits) I personally follow a CKD while doing very heavy training (either weights or cycling)

> 4. effect on recovery?
if anything I think my recovery is better than it used to be partly because I have SO much more
energy on a low carb diet.

I have been on a low carb (not Atkins, but similar) diet for several years now (partly because I
wanted to lose weight and partly because of problems with high BP and cholesterol) during this time,
I've gained close to 15lbs of muscle (without even trying particularly hard) and my Bodyfat% has
gone from around 38% to around 10%. also my cholesterol and blood pressure have gone from markedly
high to textbook perfect, much to the disappointment of all the naysayers who though I was eating
myself into an early grave (the irony is now many of them are on low carb themselves, and have
markedly improved their health as well.)

the bottom line is: a low carb diet is very effective and healthy way of living IF DONE PROPERLY.
this means read your books, and do your research before starting anything. I've been living low carb
and cycling for years,and I've never been happier (or healthier)

Finally, check out alt.support.diet.low-carb, there is lots of good information and resources there
about atkins and low carb in general. you might also want to look at misc.fitness.weights, as Lyle
McDonald posts there regularly and he is extremely knowledgeable about the science and effects of
low carbing.

 

[George Beinhorn]

Before trying Atkins, I'd review the article about that diet on www.drfuhrman.com.

I've been on Fuhrman's "Eat to Live" diet for a couple months (age 61, minor chest pains, uh-oh,
time to wake up). I cycle and run (up to 3 hours on mountainous terrain). I ran into a couple of
problems I suspect might be a concern on any diet:

1. Adequate carbohydrate. Friends, the brain and muscles LIKE carbs. Skimp on them (to lose weight),
and you'll feel suddenly like a very old person. Despite my age, I'm not used to that.

2. Adequate protein. I don't believe humans can thrive and make health and strength gains on a
purely vegetable diet, such as Fuhrman recommends. When I began taking small amounts of whey
protein (16g in morning, 16g in evening), I immediately felt MUCH better. And before you vegans
start shouting, hey, I've been a vegan for up to five years. Each body is highly individual; if
you can improve fitness and have glowing well-being on a vegan diet, I say hurrah. But if you
find yourself feeling kind of wan and wimpy, and you're eating only veggies and a few nuts, try
and little whey protein and see if that doesn't make you feel better. I use the Solgar brand.

3. Vitamin B. Similar to the protein thing--I simply am not able to get sufficient B on a vegan
diet. Same also goes for essential fatty acids. I take primrose oil daily and feel much better.

4. Furhman recommends eating a handful of nuts every day during the weight-loss phase. DO NOT
think this is trivial, or omit it in order to lose more weight. You'll feel much better when
you eat de nuts.

g

 

[Gary German]

"George Beinhorn" <blablah@blahblahblah> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Before trying Atkins, I'd review the article about that diet on www.drfuhrman.com.
>
> I've been on Fuhrman's "Eat to Live" diet for a couple months (age 61,
minor
> chest pains, uh-oh, time to wake up). I cycle and run (up to 3 hours on mountainous terrain). I
> ran into a couple of problems I suspect might be a concern on any diet:
>
> 1. Adequate carbohydrate. Friends, the brain and muscles LIKE carbs. Skimp on them (to lose
> weight), and you'll feel suddenly like a very old person. Despite my age, I'm not used to that.
>
> 2. Adequate protein. I don't believe humans can thrive and make health and strength gains on a
> purely vegetable diet, such as Fuhrman recommends.
When
> I began taking small amounts of whey protein (16g in morning, 16g in evening), I immediately felt
> MUCH better. And before you vegans start shouting, hey, I've been a vegan for up to five years.
> Each body is highly individual; if you can improve fitness and have glowing well-being on a vegan
> diet, I say hurrah. But if you find yourself feeling kind of wan and wimpy, and you're eating only
> veggies and a few nuts, try and little whey protein and see if that doesn't make you feel better.
> I use the Solgar brand.
>

I too use whey protein, for reasons similar to yours. I've had very good dealings with Nutrition
Express (www.nutritionexpress.com). My orders are processed and delivered very quickly, and they're
some of the best prices I've found anywhere (LOTS better than GNC). Their 5 lb. whey containers are
the best buy, at:

http://www.nutritionexpress.com/pls/ne/nut_exp?ID=&treq=h1&mid=5wp&sub=&itm= &dgp=&pg=1&ent=1002

Note: I have nothing whatsoever to do with the company...just a satisfied customer.

> 3. Vitamin B. Similar to the protein thing--I simply am not able to get sufficient B on a vegan
> diet. Same also goes for essential fatty acids. I take primrose oil daily and feel much better.
>
> 4. Furhman recommends eating a handful of nuts every day during the weight-loss phase. DO NOT
> think this is trivial, or omit it in order to
lose
> more weight. You'll feel much better when you eat de nuts.
>
> g