Active Low-Carber Forums - confused but don't tell me to READ THE BOOK & here's why!

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- Atkins Diet (http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?f=98)

- - confused but don't tell me to READ THE BOOK & here's why! (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=161519)

I honestly do not know how my post got changed around into being about "frankenfoods." First of all the real meaning of "frankenfoods" are genetically altered foods. Second, I haven't been eating any processed foods at all except for the Atkin's Bake Mix which is allowed according to the edition of DANDR that I was going by and by the Atkins website. Even then I only made one batch of bread and ate a couple of tiny slices. The main thing that I was complaining about was that there are inconsistancies and contradictions between the varous versions of Dr. Atkin's books and the website. I have not ordered anything fromt he Atkins Direct Catalog, although I do have one. My question is, how is a person to know who or what to believe is allowed on Atkins' esp. during the induction period when different editions of the book say different things and the Atkin's website says something different and then the people who are on Atkins say something different.

Nobody was assuming that you ate all frankenfoods, it's just a general bit of advise that's given to everyone that might be confused as a lot of the info IS conflicting and many think it's ok based on info they've recieved. That's why you hear "simple" and "whole" reiterated so much.

As a guide, go by the latest book. Read up on this & other websites to learn about the latest research and studies, as well as what people have found to work or not work for them in their own experience. Things change as technologies change and more research is done. People are always tweaking or fine-tuning the way they low-carb.

I really understand your frustration, but conflicting information does not devalue this basic way of life.

It's really great that you are this into the different ways of looking at or applying this way of eating and I think it will serve you well. The basic gist of it is, the information you find in various editions of the book, or on the website, or what experienced Atkins-ers say, is not the law or the bible. Find what works for YOU. That is how the people that have done the best on this have succeeded. And if you are ever unsure of a particular thing, or have questions, don't hesitate to ask for other opinions or input!

Best of luck to you!

I lost 9 lbs on induction. I did it for 2 weeks. I got my info from the Atkinscenter web site. The important thing is to achieve balance and consistantcy on this diet. Choose one book or site and stick with that. The important thing is being able to define what works for you. Too much information leads to the confusion. But, you must have information. You must have knowledge. After using the site, I bought the book. Getting a good idea from one will help to siphon out info that you need.

Black57

I must have the same edition book as you

fluffybear...I think I must have the same edition book as you do because mine also lists cottage cheese as an acceptable food for induction. However....more important than what's on the "free" food list is the actual number of carbs you eat each day. My book also says to eat LESS than 20 grams per day. I chose NOT to eat cottage cheese because it has what I consider a high carb count. I have not eaten cottage cheese since I started Atkins in May 2003. I also try to keep my carb count at about 15 when I'm doing induction. (I'm back to it after splurging over the holidays and only gaining 2 lbs.) "Free" does not mean you don't have to count the carbs in them...it means those are the foods you are allowed to eat the most of. You still must count the carbs. The free foods are all protein rich foods and since cottage cheese is protein rich it was included on the list. If it's not on the list any more it's probably because other people were confused like you.

You're doing fine...all you need to do is use Fitday.com and keep close track of your carbs. I use it every day (I took a break during the holidays) and put in anything that goes in my mouth - including what is listed on the "free" food list in my book. I don't limit my cheese intake, I eat lc barbeque sauce, and I drink an lc shake most mornings for breakfast. Some would say that I'm not on induction...but I keep my carbs under 15 and none of these things have affected my weight loss. As a matter of fact, the book I have also says that there are other combinations of foods you could eat and stay under 20 grams carbs per day - including the lc foods sold by Atkins Nutritionals.

Anyway...hope this helps some. Five lbs. the first week is good!

I too was misled by all the Atkins products. It seems the only thing I lost was money.
-RoseMarie

I also have the older edition of the Atkins Book... I figured if he wrote a new one it must have changes in it. Other wise why write it? SO I bought the new one, and realized that some things were different, and that is, I'm sure because of new research, and new ways to improve the diet. My old Atkins book is on the shelf collecting dust, and I now go by the new book. I am going to give The South Beach Diet a look, and see what that has to offer...but untill I am ready to do it I will keep doing Atkins according to the new book.

I think the most important thing is obvious.... keep carbs under 20 and no starches or sugars.... :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluffybear

...The main thing that I was complaining about was that there are inconsistancies and contradictions between the varous versions of Dr. Atkin's books and the website.

Absolutely. I agree with you 100%. You could even take it a step further by actually CALLING the Atkins help number. Talk to one person, get some information, call back sometime later and get someone else who will tell you something different (it HAS happened, believe me!). The reason why is because there are MANY people (with their own opinions) involved in the ANA now. In the beginning, there was only Dr. Atkins. Now, there's a panel of people involved in the book editing process.

So what does this mean for you, and what should you do? Take responsibility for YOUR OWN health and well-being. Make the best choices you can, choosing the most nutrient-rich foods available. Experiment. Find out what makes you lose faster, what slows you down. And believe it or not, the answers for you may not be the same answers for the next person.

I dunno. I could be wrong, but it seems that you're looking for the one correct universal formula in dieting that applies to everyone. Unfortunately, that answer does not exist, nor can it ever exist, because the only universality that exists in human physiology is the fact that NO TWO BODIES ARE ALIKE.

The best thing for you to do, right now, is to keep close track of your foods and ESPECIALLY the amount of carbs you're consuming. Always keep your carb count to around 20g for at least 2 weeks. Eat a variety of fats and proteins, and try to derive most of your carbs from vegetables. Go to fitday.com, get a free account and start logging everything that goes into your mouth. Also, track your weight, all the losses and gains, and look the correlation of food to weightloss.

It's quite a process, but you will learn so much about your own body, and how it responds to foods.

Good luck to you!