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21 pds, now and my slacks are actually a bit baggy. Oh I love baggy.
I went to the Dr. Bernstein health and diet clinic and it worked - I was supervised and lost 40 lbs in 3 months - they check your blood work regularly and nurses and doctors monitor your progress.
Pro: Lost weight quickly - no hunger pangs - my skin looks great and my hair grew very quickly - people commented on how healthy I looked
Con: You need to go in every Mon-Wed-Fri for a weigh in, a review of your diet sheet and a vitamine B injection - not fun but it helps rid the fat more effectively than just taking vitamine B tablets. Oh, and costly
Still very effective, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
is similar to Atkins when you research it. I have lost now 24 lbs on Atkins since July 27th. This diet suits me.
the South Beach Diet. From my research I understand that it is low fat-good carb diet.
I have tried Atkins so many times !! I always have some success and then fail. I feel 100% better on Bernstein, and it is a lot of the same principles as Atkins. You are hungry, but the vitamin injections help a lot. I have trouble as I am on mat leave and always making snacks for two kids !! Funny how delicious goldfish crackers can look !! I have lost 55lbs from baby weight and bernstein, and I have 40-50 more to lose. It is hard when you think of such a large amount that has to be lost, it can get discouraging. That is another reason I like Bernstein, you see results every time you get on the scale !! Anyway, I wish you lots of luck !
Kim
My friend lost lots on Bernstein too, but she said she was hungry lots of the time. So I decided to go with Atkins and I am never hungry. I too have 50+ pds. to lose.
I am doing the Dr. Bernstein diet. After having two kids and losing my Mum to cancer I have a lot of weight to lose. So far since starting the diet aft6er having my second baby I have lost 55lbs and am on track to lose another 35lbs by the end of Sept. This diet is very hard, but awesome results !! They guarantee that you will lose 5lbs a week and you do. Can't recommend it highly enough. I have tried Atkins numerous times and W.Watchers etc. Because you lose so fast on this diet you don't lose your motivation. You are completely medically supervised throughout and they really take care of you. Very safe !
Kim
15 pds now and I am exercising every day in the pool. Miss my fruit though. Oh well can't have everything. Lots of good fresh vegs in stores now to make up.
How long did it take? I think the first 10 is the hardest ...by now you have probably started feeling more energetic and noticeably successful! That should inspire you to continue even tho' the scale may not reflect it at the same rate..altho you will continue to lose inches rather than weight...muscle weighs more than fat...and you will be now converting fat to muscle at a faster rate, especially if you have increased the exercise. Congratulations to you!
good for u foxy - keep up the good work.. I've just taken out my old weight watchers book & have started AGAIN, today. Going for a walk before it rains. Keep us posted
Well 12 pds. have disappeared, hooray!
No kidding!!!!
there is no reason to be constipated on any diet or way of eating you choose. In this day and age there is so much info out there, you just have to read it to be informed. I am surprised your friend remained that way for 2 months as that is unhealthy. She could have contected her Dr. and had the problem righted.
yes I read the same thing re: calcium and to take it at bedtime as it absorbs better. I believe Atkins mentions calcium supplements. I drink so much milk and eat cheese & salmon I feel I am ok. If and when I need to I will think about the calcium. Thanks.
It sounds like you have done some research. I just read in a Prevention magazine that taking calcium supplements help to burn fat...They did a study with 2 groups, same diet and were surprised with the results! Your efforts are sure to be rewarded!
I am eating lean hamburger, ham, tuna and salmon, chicken and odd meal with lean well drained bacon and low fat cheeses. I am trying to eat raw vegs of different colours every day and salads. I am not hungry at all. I eat 4-5 times a day as I feel full very easily. A few blueberries is my fruit. Flax seed oil caps for cholesterol and multi-vitamin.
The Dr. has already lowered my med for blood pressure.
Hi Foxxy ..I just wanted to add that generally I am not a fan of "dieting" but have always been weight conscious and crash dieted until my neice became annorexic. I realized what a stupid example I was for my daughter and took a different view to weight management. Good health should always be no. 1 priority. Logic tells me that to put yourself on a lifelong diet is asking for constant letdowns and for me, a periodic approach is best. I do know of people who have stayed on this for 8 months to a year and I don't believe that they have bothered to look at the overall risks of ignoring the percentage of fat when considering their protein choices and that is what the critics are all in a flap about. I am glad you are doing your homework and I hope you find it as effective and we did. Dr. Atkins' book sat on our kitchen table for a good 3-4 months. My sister has been on blood pressure and thyroid medication for years and after following this diet for 6 weeks, she had to have the dosage lowered for both conditions. My aunt has been given a similar diet by a surgeon who will be doing her knee replacement in the fall. Let me know how you do.
Norm that was interesting to here, thank you.
WW I have tried a number of times and for me it does not work. I am sure it is a great way to eat, it has been around for ages.
I have bought the Atkins book and have gotten much info on the Net.
Once I lose some (lots actually) I may think about WW. I have to go easy on too much bad fats though.
Hello,
Weight Watchers is the only one that worked for me and I have been a lifetime member for over 5 years.
Pros:
* Weekly fee is inexpensive
* Once you become a lifetime member you get to weigh in and attend the meetings for free
* The meetings over support
* You can do it on-line at www.weightwatchers.ca if you can't get out to meetings. The website also as forums to chat with other WW members and offers a recipe swap forum where people can port their great WW recipes
* It's a lifestyle change NOT a diet. A diet is a qucik fix and should never be used, you don't learn anything.
* You can eat whatever you want as long as you count it. I love Pizza so this is great.
* Easy to follow program
* All the leaders doing the meetings are lifetime members and have done the program too so they understand.
There are no cons.
Hope that helps.
Hi Foxxy, Besides the water (which I really don't enjoy that much) I drank diet pop, flavoured green tea (speeds up metabolism) and coffee- lots of coffee at first with half and half! Your only enemy here is sugar. The first 2 weeks is the most important (and inspiring!) After that you can set your own pace by counting (net) carbs as explained in his book. We actually teach our bodies to burn fat instead of sugar (glucose) for energy...and restricting carbs will allow the burning of our "stored fat". The book gives you plenty of recipes and substitutes for healthy eating and variety. If it helps, I should let you know that even while we followed this diet ..we went out for beer and wings... and a salad.
Yes I researched many diets as well.
There is more study done on Atkins now and with supplements is healthy. Hooray for you both who lost the weight you wanted too.
I may just start the Atkins diet as so may people I have talked to have had success and were never hungry. Any other hints you found useful would be appreciated. Besides water did you allow yourself diet soft drinks ?
I have read/researched about every named "diet" out there. My husband and I followed the Atkins diet...according to the book. My husband lost 25 lbs in about 3 months without feeling terribly deprived (means he stuck to it)...lots of water and raw veggies prevents constipation... we also started taking "greensplus" once a day...EFA capsules and increased calcium supplements...he walks 4-5 times a week. I, personally, have never felt better than doing without, the sugar, starches etc. We do not follow any particular diet now but I have learned and practice much healthier cooking and eating habits, I would not hesitate to follow this plan again...for maybe 2-3 months for substantial weight loss/lower blood pressure, increased metabolism and energy. I sleep a whole lot better, too. It takes 4 full days for food cravings to stop..(it is only your brain talking...no one should starve on this). Depending on how much weight you would like to lose, you might like my general "lose 5-15" in 2 weeks plan. I do it about every 3 months...Regardless there is a lot of good info in the Atkins book...but we are all different. Once you learn what works for you it is easy to modify any diet for a healthier lifestyle which is much easier to stick to..
I lost 40 pounds, and have maintained it for nearly 6 years now.
I love with WW how you can eat anything you want - it's all in moderation. I also really appreciate how they teach you portion sizes, etc. I would often eat as much as my husband, which is silly, because as a woman, I'm smaller, so my body doesn't need as much.
As far as Atkins, I'm not too thrilled with what I've heard either. My co-worker's sister used to be a long distance runner. Because of an injury she was unable to run for about 6 weeks. During this time, she gained weight. After the 6 weeks she tried Atkins to lose the weight quickly, but now she can't even run around the block without dying for breath. It was only 6 weeks that she didn't run, but you'd think it was years with the way she can't do it now. The doctor's are attributing this to Atkins because she lost many valuable nutrients, etc through the Atkins diet. Carbs are our main source of energy - we need them!
PS - I LOVE carbs, and ate many of them through my whole weight loss (and still eat them!). I lost my weight with no problems, and all my tests, etc at my annual physical come out great.
I'm a WW fan. Lifetime member, although my weight is not really under control right now - I am about 15 pounds heavier than I was last summer at this time, and it's really disappointing. My mother passed away in October, and it's as if I let things get away from me. But I am conscious of what I should do - just need to do it!
I can say that WW has really changed over the years. My original membership was from the mid-70's and it was a very restrictive diet (and I can honestly say it was a diet) at that time. It's not at all the same now - very flexible and I feel really good when I follow the principles of WW.
Exercise also helps. Again, I basically stopped going to my club the last year, but I've started back and hopefully it'll show!
Best of luck.
yes I heard that was a problem with some people but psyllium hulls in a capsule form solves the problem for some and it is good for your bowels to take anyway according to my doctor.
A co-worker went on the Atkins diet for 2 months. She lost alot of weight but was constipated for the entire time. There is no way that I'm going to be "packed with my waste for 2 months!!! I don't care how much weight I lose. I wish people would just take a minute and shake their heads!!! Well,,, maybe not, who knows what might come out!!
Atkins can't be a good diet. There's no way eating steak and eggs and bacon and cheese and avoiding carbs and fruits & veggies every day can be good for you in the long run.
Another diet to avoid is the Bernstein diet. (Here's a very informative article) It's really, really strict, there's almost 0 room for the inevitable cheats, and the after-effects aren't pleasant. One person I know lost a ton of weight in a short amount of time -- but she was always hungry, wasn't allowed to eat any sugar, and wasn't allowed to exercise. That makes NO sense. And top of that, she now has gallstones from the rapid weight loss that need to be removed. Not to mention the regular injections you need to take.
Of course, the appeal of these diets is that you lose weight fast. And on the Atkins one, you get to eat lots of what are typically thought of as forbidden foods. But a major disadvantage to both these diets (and any other diet that requires you to radically change your eating habits) is that once you get to your goal weight and go back to eating "normal" food, you're more likely to put weight right back on.
In my opinion, the best approach to weight loss is to eat everything in moderation, make sensible food choices, and get lots of exercise. If you deny yourself certain foods, you'll just crave them until you give into your craving, and then you'll get mad at yourself for "ruining" your diet. Much better to eat a chocolate bar now and then than to inhale one of those 10 pound Toblerones in one shot ;)
Now I'm off to eat my very un-Atkins and un-Bernstein canteloupe & pineapple & grapes :)
i have only negative thoughts towards atkins. any diet that severely limits the foods you are allowed to eat is not maintainable in the long term.
friends who have done atkins did lose weight. they have since gained it all back.
atkins is probably fine for losing 10lbs, but for major weight loss, you are better off learning how to eat properly and how to balance an active lifestyle with your food consumption.
I was wondering if anyone has had success with Atkins diet ?
Pros ? Cons ?
lost 89lbs. you can eat anything you want. all food has points based on the nutrition info. it is easy to do, easy to figure out points - even for restaurant food.
you can earn more points by being active.
i would definitely recommend it. i have been maintaining my weight for almost 2 years now.