Amen, sister, amen.

Hun, I so Feel you. I have been doing atkins diet for years and always get scrutiny for it, but ya know what.....5 years after highschool and I'm one of the few people that's been able to Stay a healthy weight while everyone gained....that's enough evidence for me lol

I think you should calm the hell down. When people ask for information about a diet they arent FORCING someone to give them information theyre just asking and maybe thats the kind of support they need. I think you need to be a little more considerate to the fact that not everyone needs support in the same ways.

You mentioned not being negative to people for there other means of getting support. I found you to be doing that exact thing.

I don't think we should calm down! This was prompted because a DS member asked for additional information on the Atkins diet. That information was provided in a kind and informing manner via the message inbox system in DS . There was NO pressure that this diet would be right for them...information about the principles and methodologies of the diet was all that was provided. Each person should absolutely discuss any diet plan with their doctor and determine the right course for themselves that will result in better health. That DS member then went and wrote a mean-spirited note about the Atkins diet (making it personal and negative toward the original DS member) on the journal page of the person who provided the information requested. We are here to support each other, not to be mean on people's journal pages. A journal is where we pour our hearts out and set our goals and be honest with ourselves about our days. When we make it available to "friends only" it is to receive support or kindness or even tough love. But never should someone be condescending and sarcastic and cruel. Remember we "do promise to be nice" and we will stand up for ourselves when someone is mean! Now I normally pick my battles and truly do not want to argue on DS. I am here just to give and to receive diet support in a positive manner.

Well I do agree with that.. I just think the way this was provided was rude and somewhat immature. The person who made this board cant run around and say whats 'unacceptable' about joining a support group. If DS really found it that unacceptable then they would delete or email the user.

If this was presented in the manner you just did then I might have replied differently. Thank you for re-wording it though. I think RANTS should be labelled as RANTS and not facts as this person stated it. Its an opinion not whats right or wrong.

Vonni, I'm sorry if you think I'm some immature rude person but actually the person who hurt my friend's feelings was the rude immature one....
This person asked for help and information, it was given and then for whatever reason, this person started talking shit to my friend not just about the diet but made it personal.
And you said I need to be considerate that people need support in different ways, oh I am dear....I'm very considerate, I don't judge like this particular person did.
This post is directed at negative people who are unsupportive and mean-spirited, if you're not one of them, then don't sit here and tell me to calm the hell down.
If I ever came across a page where you were writing something personal and someone commented with something MEAN and RUDE that hurt your feelings and got you down, I'd feel the same way. I don't like mean people, if you didnt get that message from my post, then I apologize for somehow offending you.

OH and one more thing, the only "facts" I posted were facts regarding Dr. Atkins and his health/death which was used as an attack towards my friend. The rest of what I wrote, you're absolutely right, it's my opinion. BUT I think most people would agree with me that when you join a SUPPORT group, you're defeating the purpose when you put another person down.

That's true. I don't know what happened in this situation.

More people need to speak up about the 800 calorie, 3 hour cardio a day, liquid diet, magic pills, etc. on here.

That's part of the whole concept of the board.

I think all of us are are different type diets and what works for me may not work for some one else. If you ask about a certain diet then read peoples thoughts on it and go ahead and make up your own mind on what you want to do. It is hard no matter which path you chose to lose weight in. Akins diet has worked for many people I know. Good luck to you all. and lets try and be a little nicer to each other.

Here Here Nina! I do get fed up when people poopoo my diet choice. I actually receive an email on here from a member I did not know warning me of the danger of this diet, and not once but twice!! Everyone is entitled to thier own opinion (on any subject) but I always say, please do not debate with me unless you are 100% informed in the first person. There is nothing worse that a reguritated opinion picked up on half fact repeated from a second person who didnt know anymore than the first. If you would like to comment on Atkins and it's safety, read the entire book, and take the entire online course.. then let's have at it! :o)

Here Here Nina! I do get fed up when people poopoo my diet choice. I actually receive an email on here from a member I did not know warning me of the danger of this diet, and not once but twice!! Everyone is entitled to thier own opinion (on any subject) but I always say, please do not debate with me unless you are 100% informed in the first person. There is nothing worse that a reguritated opinion picked up on half fact repeated from a second person who didnt know anymore than the first. If you would like to comment on Atkins and it's safety, read the entire book, and take the entire online course.. then let's have at it! :o)

NinaMG, what year medical student? Do you think the Adkins diet is a diet that you will recommend to your patients? (I apologize if the assumption is wrong that you would have the opportunity to speak directly with pt's regarding their diets) I'm a nurse working in a family medical practice, just curious on your thoughts. :-)

Pls. don't take offense to so many questions. It has been a long time since I read the book, but I remember it being okay to eat proteins such as bacon and sausage. I understand the whole concept of needing some fat to feel satisfied, protein for muscles,etc, but it still concerns me that the fat turns solid from these foods at room temp. I couldn't recall if Dr.Atkins recommended fish more, or if all meats were okay.

My assumption would to encourage the proteins to come from fish, as it would be more heart healthy? (omega-3's). Thanks for any input that you have. :-)

Hi Nina:
THANK You! You are absolutely right, you should not have been blasted for someones opinion on information they requested and you supplied. People can be asses, its that simple. I recently had a similar situation. On another board we were discussing anxiety and anxiety medication. I mentioned that I was on a certain drug that was the topic and had no side effects from it. Another member came back and asked, "how much do you take each day, maybe you dont have side effects because you are on a low dose" and I answered the question. The next thing I now, I was BLASTED by someone for "giving medical advice" The person accused me of telling someone how much meds they should take, rather than having them go to their doctor. WTF! all I did is say what I took, I did not tell anyone what to take. Anyway, I can relate and you wrote what I felt when it happened to me. With regards to Atkins, I did it years ago and it was great, my only regret is not sticking with it. I dont have the book anymore, but would love to do it again. Can you send me the info? I promice not to attack you in my journal over it :) Keep up the good work.
Lisa

Hi sunygrl!! No offense taken by your questions at all!! :)
I'm currently a 3rd year medical student and actually read to take the board exam next month so I spend the majority of my day studying so I will give you information that I can recall right now to answer your questions and maybe later I can do more research and get back to you in greater detail through messages...
As far as which meats the Atkins diet recommends, the book makes it clear that almost no kind of meat is off-limits BUT he writes about the benefits of omega-fats found in fish and has made it clear in his book that you are to eat 3 normal sized meals per day or several smaller meals. When people just hear about the diet, get a quick summary of the rules, they might think they're allowed to have a steak so big it could feed a family but that's not allowed at all on this diet. If a person eats an appropriate amount of animal meat on the diet, they are not getting anymore saturated fat or protein for that matter than anybody else. Atkins is not meant to be a high protein diet, it's focus is on the carbohydrates as you already know but people themselves have turned it into whatever they want. Also, saturated fat, as bad of a rep as it has, has not been proven with scientific fact that it is bad for you. I have read reports of people with diets moderate or high in saturated fats that have healthy cholesterol levels and no evidence of atherosclerotic disease. I even had this discussion with my biochemistry teacher a couple years ago who told me that reports on saturated fat is unclear but that his best hypothesis on the health value or risk of sat. fats is that it is either neutral or beneficial. I remember him telling me that some sat fats raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good cholesterol (HDL) and that some do nothing. I'm just a student, no expert...I can't give you the information a cardiologist could give you so I'm not going to claim that it's good or bad to eat saturated fats. I can just tell you that as far as this diet is concerned, Dr. Atkins in his book even tells you to go get blood work done before you start and again I emphasize that eating a normal portion is a rule of the diet.
Now the fat you're talking about that turns to solid that is artery clogging BIG TIME and I can tell you with 100% confidence is proven to be dangerous is trans fats and for that reason, for example margarine is not allowed on the diet. Trans fats lower HDL levels and raises LDL levels.
You asked if I would recommend this diet to my patients....because there is so much evidence that people come out of this diet with higher HDL levels and lower LDL levels which is so important in preventing future heart attack, I'm going to say YES but any doctor that sends their patient off on a diet should be following up with blood work regularly to make sure the diet is right for them and in fact improving their health.

Peace to everyone.

I hope we can all spur each other on with our mutual efforts. In a way, we are all on the same journey.

I will never judge another person's healthy eating and exercise plan unless I think it's dire (like the woman who posted that she forced herself to eat less than 100 calories a day.)

I have heard of many people who lost a lot on Atkins. Unfortunately, of those, I heard of several who eventually gained that weight back. Each to their own, I say.

It's not for everyone, but if it's working for you then you go, sister!

On an unrelated note, NinaMG must have the prettiest pic on DS. You should be in movies or TV. Maybe you will be a TV doc like Sanjay Gupta.

Cheers1

Beth