Main Difference between Atkins and Protein Power?
 

Hi,

I have been noticing that most of the dieters on this GREAT web site are on either Atkins or Protein Power or both!

Can someone tell me what the main difference is between the 2 diets? Or are they exactly the same?

I have the Dr. ATkins book, but don't know much about the Protein Power book.

I am curious ! I am trying to decide which of the low carb diets to begin the first of the year.

Any help would be appreciated! :D

:wave: :wave: Jo Ann in TEXAS trying to decide which one to choose :q: :q:

From memory only, so take this with a grain of salt:

Protein Power Phase I - 30 g carb, subtracting fibre

Atkins Induction - 20 g carb, not subtracting fibre

PP: minimum protein requirements, based on size, sex, and activity level

Atkins: none

PP on fat: advocates consumption of unsaturated fats and focuses somewhat on eiconsanoids

Atkins: no suggestions on fat

PP: strongly advocates weightlifting

Atkins: encourages exercise such as walking

HTH

Joanne - check out the low carb comparisons link on the right hand side of the screen.
Some of the differences I've found are that PP doesn't put caffeine off limits - (as long as it doesn't effect your weight loss). PP also starts you out at a higher carb count, I think it is 30 as opposed to Atkins' 20. But, if you followed Atkins' OWL, within a couple of weeks you would be at the PP 30 grams of carb per day. Both plans allow you to deduct fiber from carb counts.

I went from Atkins to Protein Power and, for me, there were two big differences: Protein Power MAKES you eat a certain amount of protein per meal. for me, it's quite high -- 6 ounces. (It's based on weight, height and gender.) Why does this matter? Because, on Atkins, it was NOT eating carbs that was the emphasis. So you could have a low protein meal. One of mine, when I was in the "I can't stand meat anymore!" phase was to saute zucchini slices and cover them with mozzarella cheese. I miss that on Protein Power.

On the other hand (in addition to what's already been said) Protein Power allows more carbs. I THINK we got a raise up to 40 a day in the new book (Protein Power Lifetime Plan). There's no Ongoing Weight Loss Program and no Induction. You do the same thing from day one to goal. AND you are allowed small amounts of fruit. You just can't go over 10 carbs in a meal.

Thanks for your replies!
 

Hi Razzle , Atriana, and Alto

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my questiond concerning the differences between Atkins and PP.

What I might do is.....do the Atkins for the first 2 weeks, strickly, then begin doing the Protein Power. Do ya'll think that might work ok?

Also, how do you subtract for Fiber? If something has 7 grms of carbs and 1 gram of Fiber..........it really only has 6 grams of Carbs. Is that correct????? :q: :q:

Thank you!
Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

Hi Jo Ann,
I have read all three books (atkins, PP and PP lifeplan) and I think that protein power explains everything much, much better in terms of the science aspect of things. I also think that the PP books explain more clearly how to really implement this lifestyle on a daily basis. I just found the PP books to be more reader-friendly and accessible, so I would advise that you read them even if you do eventually decide to go Atkins.
Susan

Reading up on the diets!
 

:D Hi Susan,
Yes, I am reading everything I can get my hands on. However, I don't basically understand the medical scientific information found in any of the books. The main thing is that most people's blood work improves drastically after being on a low carb diet! Why? I couldn't tell you and really don't care, if I can get my blood work to look good! :D :D Don't you agree?

Could you explain the subracting for Fiber? I am not sure what that means?

Have you read the book "How I Got Off of My Low Fat Diet and Lost 40 Pounds! by Dana Carpender. I have been told by several people it is one of the best down to earth low carb diet books. However, the library doesn't have it. It is on Amazon........you might want to check it out there. There is about 9 samples pages for you to read there. I think you will enjoy it. :p

Thanks again for your response!

Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

If an item has a total carb count of 7grams and lists fiber as 2 grams that item has an effective carb count (ECC) of 5 grams, (7-2=5)This is the number you use.

Fiber count
 

Hi Atriana,

Thank you so much for that information! That is coming from the Protein Power book. Right? I didn't remember the Atkins allowing that? So, I will take advantage of the foods with more fiber. :thup:

Thanks!
Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

Actually it comes from both books. PP makes a big point about subtracting the fiber. The DANDR book has one paragraph. In the paperback version it is on page 285. The newly released Atkins book makes a bigger deal about subtracting the fiber. In fact the recipes at the back of the new one give you a total carb count along with a "digestible" carb count. The digestible is total - fiber.

Hello Atriana.........

That is good information concerning that the Fiber is helpful in lowering the count of the carbohydrates! :roll:

Thanks so much for informing me!

:wave: Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

One of the reasons that I've stuck with Atkins rather than change over to PP after hearing that fruit was allowed is that I'm afraid that fruit will set off cravings for me. I used to eat 6-8 fruits a day (BeforeLC). Fruit was my sugar fix. I have absolutely NO cravings on Atkins and this is for the first time in my adult life.

I think that there is a relationship between having difficulties with cravings and doing other than Atkins.

Just MHO.

Marlaine

Atkins VS Protein Power
 

Hi Marlaine,

My weaknesses are the BREADS, CRACKERS, PASTAS, those kind of carbs. The fruit would not bother me, I don't think.

How long have you been on the Atkins? Do you get tired of the same foods? Or are you able to be creative? :q:

I was on it for about 2 1/2 months and I must say I did fine while I was on it, but the minute I felt I was off of it.............I ate every loaf of bread I could get my hands on. THAT IS MY BIGGEST FEAR! I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN!

Does anyone have suggestions to keep me from doing this again? :q:

Those who are maintaining their weight............are you sticking with the maintenance program in the book? I pray I will be able to do that this time. :rolleyes:

Any suggestions that I can get my mind set that I will not follow the same pattern which I did before, will be very much appreciative!!! HELP! :rolleyes:

Thank you for your responses!
Jo Ann in TEXAS scared to try again!

Don't be scared!
 

I've been doing Atkins since September 12, 2001. Yes, I have times that I'm tired of what I'm eating and then I usually realize that I've been eating the same thing over and over so I go looking through the recipes here for inspiration. I have 'easy' meals that I do and I have meals that require more work and preparation. Some days I just want to grab food and run and others I want sit down meals with a place mat and the whole nine yards. Yes, I think the secret is taking time to be creative and remembering most important of all: <b> I'm worth it. </b>

If you take the time to read through some journals in the forum, you will find lots of success stories. Every lifestyle change and every pound off count as successes. Don't wait for goal weight to call yourself a success!!

Marlaine

Thanks Marlaine
 

You are so right! I am worth it and I must tell myself that!

Marlaine, have you had a doctor approve this diet for you?

Mine said NO WAY ! When I told him I wanted to go on the low carb. So, it does concern me.

Do you have any thoughts or have you heard anyone say that their doctor actually recommended them to go on the LOW CARB WOE ?

Your comments, as well as anyone else who might read this post, will be very much appreciated!

Thank you!

Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

Hey JoAnne!

Yes, as a matter of fact it was my Doc that recommended Atkins for me. I visited her once a week for about the first 6 weeks and now I'm going once a month to check in. I invite you to read my journal where you will get all of the details of my progress.

My X-husband is an MD and I put him through school, so I know that he only had two weeks of training on nutrition. Unfortunately it's not considered very important in the big scheme of things in the medical world. WHEN will the medical community wake up?

I think you can find all of the proof you need about this WOE right here in this forum. Just keep reading!! :daze:

Marlaine

Thanks Marlaine
 

I am so glad you told me your doctor advise you to go on it. How often do we need to get our blood work done to be sure we are doing the right thing to our body?

You are so right about doctors! Very few take the time out to learn anything above what they learned in school other than which BMW to buy or which golf course to join. LOL LOL

I don't suppose they are all like that............but with my experience with doctors........that is my opinon! LOL LOL

Thanks again for your help!
Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

Blood Work
 

JoAnn...
My Doc did mine last June and then at the end of November, because I asked her to. She'd going to do it again in three months to make sure that everything is still going along as well.

I'm very pleased that this is her attitude because I really feel that at my age I need to be closely monitored. I have high blood pressure and both of my parents do. My father had his first stroke in his early forties and has had many since. I try to take care of my health. Getting my weight under control is the final step.

Marlaine

Blood Tests?
 

:wave: Hi Marlaine,
Have you seen any improvement on your blood tests? I have been doing the WW for the past 3 months and just wasnt' losing well at all. I just had the blood work and my cholestrol is up to 204. So, you see the BAD Carbs that I was eating on the WW was not helping my cholestrol. That is high for me!

So, I am surely hoping this low carbing will inprove my blood work. And I hope it does for you also. I will ask for more blood work when I get some of this weight off in a few months. :D

Marlaine, what supplements do you take for this particular diet. I take the normal One a Day Vitamin, C, Calcium, and E. What else do I need to add to this for this particular diet? I have been hearing Potassium?

Any suggestions will be helpful????? :q: :q:

Thank you very much!
Jo Ann in TEXAS

Jo Ann in Texas,
Unless you have a medical condition (like gout) I think this diet is the greatest. I really would not worry about what your DR. thinks. Most Dr's are afraid of change anyway. Which really makes me wonder why they choose the medical profession in the first place, there is always a new and exciting medical breakthrough. Anyway, my reason for trying Atkins came from my experience as a child. When I was in 6th grade my doctor put me on a LC diet. I had awful PMS and always had a yeast infection.

I lost a lot of weight and kept it off even after eventually adding carb foods again. (I remember loosing 20 lbs in a month.)

I was a child, no one could expect me to stay on it forever! That's a lot for anyone, especially a child!

My point being, if it was safe for a 6th grader, I think as an adult, you'll be fine.

Thanks for the reassurance!
 

Hello Liddle,

Thank you for your post. I completely agree with you about the physicians. Very few take the time to study up on new medical findings unless it is thrown right in their faces. :D LOL

I hope I can lose this 40 pounds and then maintain that weight.

Liddle, from the looks of your stats.........you have done very well. How long have you been on the Atkins? :q:

:wave: Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

Re: Thanks Marlaine
 

Yes, my doctor was the one who brought up the idea that I consider a LC diet. She had been on Atkins herself -- after trying it to prove to a friend how it WOULDN'T work. She prefaced her recommendation with a CYA "I know the AMA doesn't recommend this, but ..." She suggested I read any of the the LC books, do the research and decide for myself before starting. It took me 6 months of thinking about it before I gave it a try.

We did the bloodwork right away ... and then again after 3 or 4 months. I have to say that I lost 40 pounds (in a little less than four months -- closer to 50 now), my blood sugar dropped, my blood pressure droped, but my bad cholesterol did rise dramatically ... At that time, I thought she'd tell me to change the diet ... she didn't ... the weight loss was such an advantage that the risk of high cholesterol was worth it. Instead she counseled me on choosing better fats to eat ... I'm not good at following it yet, but if I'm going to live this way forever, I will need to get healthier about the types of fats I'm eating.

By the way ... I'm also in Texas ... not too far away. At least I know where Conroe is ...

Jo Ann,
I started Atkins July of 2001. I've been stalled for months now. I just focus on how well I've done so far. At least that is what everyone in a stall is suppose to do. :rolleyes: But really, what is my alternative? This is the only diet that has ever worked like this. Last time I had to loose 30 lbs. it took me a yr! It only took 4 months to loose it this time (and I added another 9 lbs.)

Good Luck to you and your decision.
Heather

Adkins vs PP
 

Hey, I just wanted to say that another difference is that PP says alcohol and caffeine are allowable in moderation. I don't think I would go the rest of my life without a bit of either of these so that's something I like!

Thank all of ya'll!
 

I would like so much to thank all of ya'll for responding. It makes me feel so much NIT ALONE! :roll:

I am beginning either the between Christmas and Jan. 1! I am buying up on my foods.

What do you guys use for coffee cream if you cannot drink it black? Half and Half? That is the lowest I could find. Is that correct?

Thanks again for all of your help!
Jo Ann in TEXAS

Doc's OK
 

Hi!

I was at my doctor about a month ago and asked him his opinion of going vegetarian for weight loss. He's young and as my kids say "really cool" (teen daughters) and he suggested low carbing instead. I was doing great for a couple of weeks and then along came the holidays and I have really blown it. All the goodies and wine. I was concerned about Atkins and PP because my blood pressure was up and the other WOL is so ingrained in me I figured low carb would raise it. I had my blood pressure checked a couple of weeks into induction and it had gone down some. Tomorrow I go back to the doc and we shall see. I'm back on induction again and this time I intend to stay with it, besides I think I managed to finish all the cookies and fudge. Boy, it has made me feel sluggish too. Hope that helps make you feel a little more secure with low carbing.

Happy New Year!
Eleanor

Howdy Eleanor!!!!!!!!!!
 

Your post really uplifted me! :D I hope my blood pressure will eventually come down. I am on 2 medications now for it. \
My doctor is not "cool" and doesn't want to take the time to become "cool" by studying a little on this WOE.
You know as popular as the Atkins etc are, that every doctor would take the time to really make his decision about it. Even maybe try it himself?
Those doctors who just bluntly say NO don't do the Atkins, they have not studied up on it, in my opinon. I told my doctor I was doing it anyway and hopefully he will run more blood test in a few months, if my insurance allows?
Thanks again Eleanor for your helpful comment. I do feel more reassured!
By the way, I have been on the induction for 3 full days and I have lost 4.5 pounds, and I am already feeling more energy! Isn't that GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When you begin to see results, even though I know that is water, it still makes you want to KEEP TRUCKING as we say here in TEXAS . :roll: :roll: :roll:

Jo Ann in TEXAS

Way to go!
 

All right Joann!

When I was faithful on induction the first two weeks I lost 8 1/2 lbs. I sure felt great!

I lived in Houston for eight years a while back. There's some really good eating down your way! But when we lived there I was at my skinniest...also much, much younger and pre-kid days.

Keep up the good work. I did have my blood work done before I started this, but my doctor said we'd check it again next year. By then I hope there will be a lot less of me and I won't be quite so nervous about it, my cholesterol was also elevated but not dangerously so. We'll just have to wait and see.

My doctor I had before we moved here (Traverse City, MI from the Detroit area, a year ago) also recommended Atkins. He was trying it himself, and really excited about it.

If you come up with a low carb bbq sauce let me know! It's something I've been craving.

Eleanor

ELEANOR!
 

I wish you all the luck in the world! I was at my wits end. I had done the Atkins two years ago and lost the weight but didn't follow the plan for maintanence and of course, gained the 25 pounds all back.
Thinking it was the fault of the Atkin's Diet, I went to WW, lost 25 pounds (starving by the way) and stopped going and quit following the maintanence plan and of course, gained that 25 all back and then some. :mad:
I realized then, it was not the particular diet I was on, it was me! I must learn to follow whatever maintanence plan that is provided with whatever Diet I choose to be on.
The one thing I remember about Atkins is the energy I felt on it which I DID NOT have on the WW plan. It was a good feeling to have energy to want to clean my house! :D
I hope and PRAY with God's help I can stay on this program, meet my goal, and then the main thing is to follow and stay on the maintanence program. I know that will be the hardest is the last thing..........the Maintanence program.
But, from all of the success stories here, I see others are doing it, SO I PLAN TO DO IT TOO! :D :thup:
Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

Hello to the Texas Ladies
 

Just had to poke my head in and say hello to all of the ladies from Texas. I love that state and have visited Houston several times when I owned a quilt supply store and always had a wonderful time there. Sending a warm virtual hug to all of you!!

Marlaine