I'm curious. I bout the original Atkins Diet Revolution by mistake. It was written in 1973. He never mentioned anything about effective carbs at all.

My question is, "Did Atkins cave in to the money bug with the new book by introducing 'effective carbs'?" This effectively slows the weight loss and encourages the purchase of very expensive low carb food substitutes.

Seems to me that many people who use the effective carb foods are stalling on their weight loss and end up back on induction, or losing the LC additive foods, to get back on track.

Any thoughts on this?

Hi JVonBaden,

Don't forget there is 30yrs of research beyond that 1st book...and yes some people stall on lc bars or such that state the effective carbs...but that is not just in those types of food...its with everything that has fiber as well as sugar alcohol that takes away from tho original carb count and gives us the effective count...this accuracy makes for better eating and better choices...and the research done on effects of bloodsugar and finding that no carbs are equal, have made this diet even more of a success, because there is science behind it......as for wheter or not you want to indulge in the sugar alcohols is up to you...but at least now there are more choices than there were 30 yrs ago.............maybe thats why it has grown in such popularity the last few years, because it is a little more doable for some people.

My thoughts,

Tashi

Gee, that must be a real old book, LOL better buy the new one, as a number of things have changed, not just the phoney food market,LOL
Cheers Kathy

I personally think a lot of the LC choices on the market (low-carb candy bars, shakes, etc.) are there because it's what the 'dieting' community of people seem to be in tune with. Since I'm still in induction I haven't been buying that kind of stuff, but from what I've read I really doubt I will be buying it anytime soon. Shoot, for almost two bucks a candy bar, I'd rather pop into the closest burger joint and grab a cheap burger-without-a-bun. Then if I hit one of those chocolate cravings that just won't leave, some sugar-free candies will do just fine.

I feel the 'effective' carbs have a very good use, especially when it comes to our vegetables. There are some out there that end up with quite a low carb rate by the time you subtract the fiber. And considering my carb/fiber rate varies from day to day and I don't see a lot of difference in the amount I'm losing and/or the way those carbs affect my blood sugar I'm thinking it's right on the money.

I eat a lot of lc "candy" bars and candy and I consistently lose between 4-6 lbs per month. I would have great difficulty sticking to a lc diet if I wasn't able to munch on a chocolate toffee stick or peppermint pattie from Russell Stover. All I can say is thank goodness for net effective carbs - they have helped me lose 20 lbs so far!

Maybe I would have lost more weight if I didn't eat them but I doubt I would still be on this woe if I didn't have "candy" to appease my sweet tooth.

I read somewhere that what he disovered after a number of years was, that it didn't have to be zero carbs - from 0 to 20 makes no difference for most people. Induction used to be all meat all the time, and now it's meat and veg.

As for the convenience foods, consumers simply demand them. Everyone knows it's better to eat wholesome foods and cook everything yourself. But people don't have the time or the inclination for that, so if your diet plan is to "kill and butcher the meat yourself, grow your own vegetables, etc." it'll never catch on.

But the Atkins foundation at least pays for more research with some of the profits, so look on the bright side. Let those who want them buy the bars. Personally if I feel the need for portable bars I make my own, using a recipe from these boards.

I've always wished I could cook, ysabella! My kids always know when dinner's ready -- the smoke alarm usually prefaces mealtimes in our house!

I'm not familiar with how long Polyols have been in common use, but I'd guess there weren't so many LC Candies back when he wrote the original book. So, that pretty much leaves Fiber. We know now that Fiber has no effect on Blood Sugar and is not absorbed...That is why Atkins now says you can deduct it.

Actually I did the same thing ... I read the book from the 70's first and I noticed several changes. One in particular that I wanted to ask folks about. In the first book he is very adamant about eating what you need to feel comfortable and NOT counting calories, in this new one he seems to be advocating 10 x your body weight as what you should be taking in. Newer diet is more restrictive with cheese and he definitely hops on the exercise wagon, which is fine but different.

I ended up feeling like he was trying to make it more like other diets to make it more palatable (sp?)

Thoughts?

SHaron

With the Atkins diet, following it by the book, you shouldn't have to count calories, and you should only be getting adiquet protien

However after 30 years of people following the diet I think the clinic found a high percentage gorging after they rea dliberaly, and having around 3,000 or more cals a day of pure protien.

In the new book and on his web site he still says you don't have to count cals in induciton, but if you feel you must (alot of people are so programmed after years of dieting they refused to not count) then go by the 10-12x current weight rule.

In DANDR he also states that as you raise carbs you should lower fat and protien should remain at adiquet. In Atkins for life he takes into account those over eating on protien and changes the statement to as carbs rise, fat and protien will lower.

I think that's why it's important to buy the latest edition. Not only is there 30 more years of medical research into it, but also 30 years of studying humans and the many wonderful ways we can take something simple and over complicate it

I love your last paragraph! It's in our nature to make things more complicated than they need to be.

I appreciate all of your comments and the important points you made. It seems that either way works well, and I am certain that as time goes by I will complicate my diet for the shear need of diversity.

But for now I will keep it simple as much as possible. I have a lot to lose, and I don't like the idea of making it harder on myself. Particularly since I am not a great cook, and dislike making complicated meals.

Still, I welcome more discussion on this subject. It's very instructional for me, and interesting to see the different perspectives.

Thanks!

My thoughts? When Dr. Atkins wrote his first book back in the 70's, he had only been using it on his patients for a few years. 30 years (and thousands of patients) later, I think the good doctor learned a few things about what works and what doesn't work as well as better ways to apply the low carb approach to make it more of a "Way of life" instead of just another diet. Perhaps he didn't address or focus on exercise in his earlier books because it was a given at that point that you needed to exercise or because his focus at that point was on getting out the "too many carbs are not good and fat is not evil" message. Dr. Atkins isn't the first person to start out with a good idea and then improve on it as they applied it and learned more.
Ask any doctor that treats overweight patients and they will likely tell you that one of the largest obstacles in weight loss is compliance with the diet or menu; if patient's can't or won't stick with it, it does them no good to tell them they need to do it.
As someone already mentioned the "effective carb" principle applies to more than just glycerin and sugar alcohols found in low carb foods and candies, it also applies to the amount of fiber found in natural foods such as berries and vegetables. Since we cannot digest the fiber found in these foods (only ruminents can), there is no real reason to count them and restrict your amounts and choices in that way. More variety, greater quantity = more satisfied (and therefore more compliant) patients. Besides...being allowed to eat a few more veggies isn't likely to slow too many people down. How many of us got to where we are by eating too much lettuce or broccoli? Low carb bars and candies, OTOH, are another matter. I personally feel that using half your daily carb allowance on what basically amounts to low carb junk food isn't exactly what Dr. Atkins had in mind. Used as an occasional treat or in a situation where there are no other good low carb choices available? Absolutely! Eating them every day or sometimes even several times a day instead of veggies, nuts or fruit? Not a good idea, IMHO.