Have to laugh at all these Atkins threads......

Most people have put weight on over the course of several years - perhaps 1-2 stone over a few years (or more).

Yet, they expect to lose 1-2 stone in 1-2 months using faddy diets??????

Get real. By doing regular exercise, it'll come off eventually, but it may take a year or so (or more). However, this is SURELY the MOST healthy way of reducing weight. If it took years to put on, it is surely unhealthy to take it away so quickly.....

Change your lifestyle, and DON'T adapt to some fad diet.
There's no easy answer - just sheer effort in a good exercise plan.


[Edited by imlach - 8/19/2003 11:50:18 AM]

It's about motivation.

Quite simply, it's easier to stick with something that you can see working than something that works so slowly you can't be sure it's doing any good.

Without evidence that what they are doing is having an effect, most people are inclined to think 'why am I bothering to do this?' fairly quickly. Bearing in mind that most people don't enjoy dieting, and regard exercise as a chore they only do in order to get the end result, it's no wonder they need to see results in order to stay committed.


IMO, Atkins is not a sensible long-term option and is not sustainable for life, but if it gives anyone with a lot of weight to lose enough of a boost to get them started in the first place, I can't see that it's a bad thing. That's with the proviso that they work towards becoming more active and eating more healthily.

[Edited by TurboKitty - 8/19/2003 11:59:43 AM]

It's a social disease. If I could convince people I had Atkins in pill form, I'd make a mint :)

There's no argument that low-carb diets will reduce weight rapidly, but if people can't adjust their diet and activity levels from day one, what do they expect in a couple of months time - that they'll be super slim, toned and fit as fook.

Forget the diets, stopping eating sh!t food and get yer @rse outside for some fresh air and exercise.

This is what happens when you become the largest predator. Set some wild lions and tigers free and we might start seeing some more slimmer people :D:D

Stefan

Yeah, but are people so STUPID that they can't see that if it took years to put the weight on, it will take years to take it off again sensibly...........

Fast results are all very well, but we all know it tails off after the excess water gain is shed.........

..then they get depressed again. Exercise makes you happy!

People need to change their attitude towards exercising. It doesn't have to be boring or a laborious if you actually enjoy it.

Are people on Atkins seriously telling me they don't enjoy any sport or activity that takes some effort???

My m8 who sits next to me @ work's always on about needing to lose weight. He brings in fresh fruit and a healthy lunch, then constantly snacks through the day on chocolate. People need a good kick up the @rse and a strong mind to break away from comfort foods.

The Sun's shining outside, so am I gonna go for a nice jog around the forest next to my work or am I gonna sit here on my @rse eating another pie ;)

See you folks in an hour or so........

Stefan

im with you imlach.

change the way you eat for good...not the way you eat for a few months.

I have put 1 stone on since last month, mainly due to 15 days honeymoon in NYC and Hawaii :D:D

Will lose it within the next month though - low fat, low calorie and exercise.

Spookily that is almost verbatim what the good Dr says in his preface. You guys with definative opinions crack me up especially when you adopt the anti low carb stance without reading the full blurb and then use arguments that are entirely consistent with what you think you are arguing against :D :D

Joni - this was NOT an atkins discussion thread!

I am merely saying that ALL quick-fix diets seem to be a bad substitute for lots of exercise......and timescale expectations for weight loss are too short.

The Atkins plan sounds fine AFTER the first month - ie, healthy diet from then on.....
Why do we need the first bit of rapid weight loss?

[Edited by imlach - 8/19/2003 12:24:53 PM]

Suppose im the same putting weight on, I get very impatient

Si

My mistake ;)

Which part of my comments on motivation were unclear?

Besides, some people who have a lot of weight to lose can suffer from joint pain, mobility problems etc. that make it difficult to exercise.

I have a friend who's 26 stone, and she'd dearly love to lose weight, but trying to go for a jog round the forest would probably kill her. She just doesn't know where to start, so she hasn't. And all the people that point, stare and make rude comments when she does go to the gym, or swimming do not help matters. It's all very well to say that fat people need to exercise more, but try being a fat person who's just started trying to be more active and see just how socially acceptable it is.

Well said TK!

My knees hurt! 20 years of playing competitive squash, the last 10 at a far too high weight, have caused me problems. Initial weight loss for me will be the encouragement I need, being a "stupid" fatty who "can't see" that I put most of my excess weight on over a 3 year period... :rolleyes

Oi - buzz, I'm no thinny! Under 20 stone, but not hugely!
Doesn't stop me cycling 30 miles every day - but I'm realistic - I know it will take a year or so doing this to shed 3-4 stone.......

I've lost weight before and ALWAYS done it thru exercise....best way.


[Edited by imlach - 8/19/2003 1:46:50 PM]

Agreed but surely its part of human nature to find the easiest path to anything, (slightly off topic) why do you think there is so much crime and dishonesty? You can work your ar*e for 10 years or do something illicit to bring large quantities of cash quickly in a matter of days/weeks greed and impatience my friend, greed and impatience....

And yes I did go on atkins and yes i was looking for fast loss :D

Gary

do the anti atkins people have to take their passports when they travel so far from the point in order to miss it by a huge margin.

atkins allows you to loose weight quickly.....my car is not the safest form of transport but while it lets me get home quick i'll not hand in my license just yet.

T

Imlach, how do you have the time to cycle 30 miles a day, and work, and eat, and read, and come on here??? :D:D:D

Argh! I'm not anti-atkins - just think diets in general are bad. Most people regain the weight they lost once they have reached their "target" and stop.

I cycle to work....45 mins in morning and evening.......

For a given value of "stop" then ys, thats obviously true.

If I were to "stop" and go back to pints of beer every night and takeaway 5 times a week, then I'd put weight back on.

But if I just "stop" eating only meat and salad, and start eating meat, salad, bread, fruit etc etc in sensible amounts then I hopefully won't pile it back on.

And I echo the question how the heck do you find time to cycle 30 miles a day?? I'm sure my wife and son would not be amused if daddy came ome from work only to clear off out on his bike for 3 hours every night..

I see your reply now about your cycling :)

Fine for you, but my work today has taken me 200 miles.Thursday takes me to Sidcup and then Poole...

I have a company car and we work nationally, so I can't cycle to work :)

Driving to work takes 45 mins in rush hour - cycling to work takes same time!


...so kill 2 birds with one stone - cycle 30 miles, and no loss of time in day!

I realise we can't all do this, but if you can, try it.

[Edited by imlach - 8/19/2003 2:13:35 PM]

I could leave my car at work and bike home I suppose, then back in the morning, but it's less than 2 miles.

Hardly worth it I suppose, but then I guess thats exactly the wrong attitude to take about it - any extra exercise is worth while.

I think 30-45 mins is optimum exercise.......

So, you could briskly WALK the 2 miles? That'd be 30 minutes?

Erm....

So, if losing weight gradually and through exercise is the way to keep it off, which seems to be what you are saying, why are you having to do it again?

Turbokitty - I knew someone would ask that!

I had a few years "off" from exercise I guess - too much nice food and beers.......

Got back into cycling last year again.......

Buzz,

Stop making excuses ;)

Tiggs,

My passport photo would scare the dead, so no I don't take it with me :p

I'm against all of these fad diets simple because the exploit peoples weaknesses. Give the average fat person a 8 week lose weight regime and they'll climb over their dying mother to try it.

I'm not arguing with you that you'll lose weight quickly on it, but it's not the long term answer. Out of all the people I know who want to lose weight 90% of them want a quick fix and won't exercise regulalry.

So they'll be a stone lighter at the end of it, but I'd put money against them actually exercising regularly week-in, week-out.

If anyone on here wants to try the diet short-term, then I'm still gonna stand on my soap box and tell that the answer to all their weight problems is exercise. You'll not just lose weight, you'll actually become healthier.

Now there's a radical idea ;)

Stefan

Yup! Regular exercise is the key! I left school weighing over 18 stone, and had a size 44" waist!!! Started out exercising little but often (running in the dark!!) Few years on, am now 11 stone 10, and have size 32" waist! ... and love nothing better than headin off into the country for a 15 mile run! It is deffo worth all the effort! Now get loads of wolf-whistles, rather than have people point and laugh! And the confidence I now have is unbelievable! So, be realistic, be patient, and the results are well worth the wait!

Think thats more to do with going 'cold turkey' from carbs, and forcing the body to switch from burning carbs for energy to using fat