Well, I have had my band for a year and lost around 42 pounds - I hadn't expected to lose so little.

So, I started the Atkins diet today. I am having a whole roast chicken including all the skin today, 4 ounces of cheddar cheese, a couple of fried eggs, decaffeinated coffee made with full cream, and if I get peckish some burger patties....

I'll let you know how I get on. My goal is to get into ketosis. The gastric band makes it a little difficult - it is difficult to eat the skin of the chicken - but I cut it up small and had it bit by bit.

It was more of an "agree to disagree" sigh. "Long suffering" was your characterization of it, not mine.

We have had this disagreement before. You clearly you believe you are correct but chastise me and say my belief is illogical for feeling that I am correct.

True, Atkins isn't just a fad because some people start it an fail at it. It's a fad for other reasons too. I never said Atkins wasn't something that people can stick to for life. I said in my "PERSONAL EXPERIENCE" everyone I know that has done Atkins ended up quitting Atkins and gaining back weight plus some. I'm sure someone out there can do it - just like people can eat healthfully for the rest of their lives - I just don't know anyone who has.

I get that Atkins has worked for you. I am glad it has worked for you. I just feel that a diet that is 60% fat shouldn't be promoted as healthful. That is my personal opinion.

That's all I have to say.

I get that Atkins has worked for you. I am glad it has worked for you. I just feel that a diet that is 60% fat shouldn't be promoted as healthful. That is my personal opinion.

That's all I have to say.

My apologies then. We'll just have to disagree on whether or not a diet that is 60% fat and low carb is healthy. Only time will tell.

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For thos of you actually on Atkins, can you give me some advice, cause I'm in the exact same boat as the OP. I had surgery a year ago and have lost 44 pounds. I expected to be farther along than this. I really want to start atkins, but I'm not sure what to eat in the induction phase. Everything I read is geared towards higher portions. What do you eat each day?

if you're going to do low carb, please read schwarzbein principle or do south beach. atkins is super high in fat and kind of extreme IMHO. schwarzbein and south beach are low carb but stress health and balance (i.e. lean Proteins, not a pound of bacon a week).

http://www.amazon.com/Schwarzbein-Principle-Healthy-Feeling-Younger/dp/1558746803/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301496353&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/South-Beach-Diet-Delicious-Doctor-Designed/dp/031231521X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301496375&sr=1-4

if you're going to do low carb, please read schwarzbein principle or do south beach. atkins is super high in fat and kind of extreme IMHO. schwarzbein and south beach are low carb but stress health and balance (i.e. lean Proteins, not a pound of bacon a week).

<sigh> Please read Atkins before judging it. It is not 'super high' in fat, nor is it extreme, nor does he ever say that you can eat a pound of bacon a week. Which is not to say that there are people who do eat a pound or more of bacon a week and 'claim' they're doing Atkins. They've obviously never read the book either.

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<sigh> Please read Atkins before judging it. It is not 'super high' in fat, nor is it extreme, nor does he ever say that you can eat a pound of bacon a week. Which is not to say that there are people who do eat a pound or more of bacon a week and 'claim' they're doing Atkins. They've obviously never read the book either.

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i've read it and did it for several years. i know it well. on their diet is deep fried pork rinds and bacon. on schwarzbein and south beach are lean Proteins like skinless chicken breast.

all i'm saying is to check out those books/diets. i've been on all of them and read all the books and those 2 stress healthy fats (avocados) and lean proteins (chicken, fish).

look on line at a Nephrologist opinion (KIDNEY DR.) Hope I spelled that right.

I had someone it my house that was on a High Protein Diet, and it caused Kidney damage. The long run was Dialysis, then I'm sure you can figure the final outcome.

It was not pretty.

If your going to do this on your own

I AM NO DR........ BUT I WAS PUT ON A DIET BY MY SURGEON THAT I STILL STICK TOO.

That is 1200 cal. a day., A Little Carib is good, it's a kicker for the protein., and 60 G of Protein.

That works, plus throw in some walking and or exercise after you do a Protein Shake.

You will be glad to workout !

By the way,,, I had to wait 12 months before my ins. would o.k. me, and I lost over 100lbs. by doing what I am telling you. So I know it works.

Give it a thought. It's your life.

Shirley.

i've read it and did it for several years. i know it well. on their diet is deep fried pork rinds and bacon. on schwarzbein and south beach are lean Proteins like skinless chicken breast.

Interesting...I never eat pork rinds. I do eat bacon...*maybe* an ounce per day. I also eat full fat dressings on my salad, butter on my vegies and cream in my coffee. My fats usually come in about 50-60% depending on whether I have bacon and cream or whether I forego them...which depends on my mood.

My lab work is within normal range and I've lost a substantial amount of weight. My experience is similar to other *successful* long-term Atkins followers.

One new pilot study from Harvard found that when people on a low-fat regimen ate exactly the same number of calories as those on an Atkins-type diet, the latter group lost more weight. An additional low-carb group who ate 300 more calories per day still lost more than the low-fat dieters. Just something to consider.

If someone is happy on a low fat, low carb diet...more power to them, but there's just no evidence that the South Beach diet or any other lower fat diet is any healthier than Atkins.

Fat has gotten a bad rap. There's little difference between 50% fat on Atkins and the 30% that is considered 'normal'. People don't get fat from eating fat. They get fat from eating sugar and refined carbs. Some of us got fat eating the 'good for you carbs' (brown rice, etc.) because our metabolic systems couldn't handle it. Lots of references, but my favorites: "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes and "The Diabetes Solution" by Dr. Bernstein.

Another book some might find interesting is "The Great Cholesterol Con" by Dr. Malcolm Kendrik. It's a bit horrifying to learn how much of our physician's advice is given based on less than scientific studies.

Bottom line - Atkins is no less healthy than South Beach except in the minds of those who believe that low fat is the only truth.

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I had someone it my house that was on a High Protein Diet, and it caused Kidney damage. The long run was Dialysis, then I'm sure you can figure the final outcome.

High protein diets do not cause damage to healthy kidneys.

From the Oxford Medical Journal's Nephrology papers. Here are a few excerpts:

• There is certainly no scientific evidence that the high-protein diets are hazardous for healthy kidneys. Furthermore, real world examples support this contention since protein-related kidney problems are essentially non-existent in the body-building community in which extremely high-protein intake has been the norm for over half a century.
• Thus, Walser concluded that it is clear that protein restriction does not prevent decline in renal function with age, and, in fact, is the major cause of that decline. According to Walser, a better way to prevent the decline would be to increase protein intake.
• The authors concluded that high protein intake does not seem to be associated with renal function decline in women with normal renal function.
• In summary, for individuals with normal renal function, the risks of high-protein weight loss diets are minimal and must be balanced against the real and established risk of continued obesity.

And I've also lost over 100 pounds on Atkins with no help from the band. What all of this proves is that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Oh...and I should mention that Atkins is not high protein either. It is moderate protein. I eat 60 grams per day of protein.

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Ive bought two books - the Atkins New Diet Revolution and the Atkins Shopping Guide. Should be here next week. I'll read before I start. Long long ago I lost a lot of weight on Atkins and it made me feel great. No big excuse why I stopped and I wish I never had.

High Protein diets do not cause damage to healthy kidneys.

From the Oxford Medical Journal's Nephrology papers. Here are a few excerpts:

• There is certainly no scientific evidence that the high-protein diets are hazardous for healthy kidneys. Furthermore, real world examples support this contention since protein-related kidney problems are essentially non-existent in the body-building community in which extremely high-protein intake has been the norm for over half a century.
• Thus, Walser concluded that it is clear that protein restriction does not prevent decline in renal function with age, and, in fact, is the major cause of that decline. According to Walser, a better way to prevent the decline would be to increase protein intake.
• The authors concluded that high protein intake does not seem to be associated with renal function decline in women with normal renal function.
• In summary, for individuals with normal renal function, the risks of high-protein weight loss diets are minimal and must be balanced against the real and established risk of continued obesity.

And I've also lost over 100 pounds on Atkins with no help from the band. What all of this proves is that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Oh...and I should mention that Atkins is not high protein either. It is moderate protein. I eat 60 grams per day of protein.

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I eat 60 G of Protein Daily.

I asked abut the diet, and he explained that to much protein is very hard on the Kidneys. It's best if left alone. Everything in Moderation.

That's from a specialist. If you disagree, that's up to you...

All I did was post this because of the outcome.

I eat 60 G of Protein Daily.

I asked abut the diet, and he explained that to much protein is very hard on the Kidneys. It's best if left alone. Everything in Moderation.

That's from a specialist. If you disagree, that's up to you...

All I did was post this because of the outcome.

Shirley,

This isn't just my opinion and personal disagreement. What I posted came directly from the Oxford Nephrology site...specialists as well who agree that there just is no evidence to show that healthy kidneys are damaged by too much protein. Which strongly suggests that the person you know who died of kidney failure from a high protein diet already had compromised kidneys. While the high protein diet most likely did advance the problem, it did not cause the initial failure. That is an important distinction. Moderation would not have helped this person either. My father has impaired kidneys. He can't even eat moderate protein because his kidneys can't handle it.

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Shirley,

This isn't just my opinion and personal disagreement. What I posted came directly from the Oxford Nephrology site...specialists as well who agree that there just is no evidence to show that healthy kidneys are damaged by too much Protein. Which strongly suggests that the person you know who died of kidney failure from a high protein diet already had compromised kidneys. While the high protein diet most likely did advance the problem, it did not cause the initial failure. That is an important distinction. Moderation would not have helped this person either. My father has impaired kidneys. He can't even eat moderate protein because his kidneys can't handle it.

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Well she was a quote "MEAT EATER" and time went on, she got sick and had organ failure. If she lived, a kidney Dr. was to be brought in, because now the organ failure would scar or infect the Kidneys.

It did, and that's how this started.

So when I talked to him. That's where he gave me the info at.

I'm not saying I'M RIGHT !,and YOUR WRONG. or visa versa. I'm saying that it happened that way.

To our knowledge she never had Kidney problems, "I KNEW HER WELL"

"ALSO DROVE HER TO ALL HER DR.'s VISITS." But after the Organ failure

she sure did. As to which they said was brought on by to much red meat.

Now could this be something that was never picked up on? Possibly..

But she always had a lot of blood work done, you would think they could have found a high level of protein, or a BUN problem.

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Now could this be something that was never picked up on? Possibly..

But she always had a lot of blood work done' date=' you would think they could have found a high level of Protein, or a BUN problem.[/quote']

I've given up on high expectations from doctors. The only reason my dad is still alive is because we'd research (thank God for the internet) various discrepancies we found on his lab work and which his doctors (he had a team of them) didn't think were worrisome...like a slightly elevated creatinine level. They just *assumed* that it was due to the fact that he was so muscular, but when combined with other 'slightly off' results, and the fact that he was elderly, should have been a red flag.

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I totally understand that, and agree wit the use of the Internet.

I am getting older, I seen what they did to her, and for her.

You can bet that my Doc already knows that I am not going threw all that B.S....