Don't get me wrong. I love the Atkins WOE and have decided that this is it for me, for the rest of my life. I've lost 15 lb. without ever feeling hungry! But I do have one main criticism of Atkins and that is the fact that fruit, although permitted in small quantities, must be restricted. Yes, I understand the science behind it -- that fruit sugars, in the end, are metabolized just like the Krispy Kreme donut. But from a gut point of view it just doesn't make sense. I have always loved fresh fruit, esp. in the summer, and it seems contrary to common sense to me that I am going to have to limit my fruit intake to, say, a half an apple a day when I am on maintenance. Certain fruits like pineapple just seem off limits forever. Yet these fruits pack an incredible nutrient punch, and they aren't calorie dense. I am willing to give up pasta, bread, rice, beans, table sugar and refined flour forever -- don't miss 'em at all -- but the fresh fruit is another question.

For me it's the beans. As a vegetarian, it's just proven to be too dificult to go without beans as main source of protein. I guess if I wasn't pregnant it wouldn't be such a problem. Keeping protein, fats, calories, carbs all in the right proportions for pregnancy while being veggie is near impossible for me. Hopefully things will work out though. My CCLL was very high thankfully. I don't know what I would have done if I had been stuck at 20 to 30 carbs for life like some people seem to be. I never plan on returning to my old ways of eating. But in the end I had to decide between jacking up my calories with nutritionally void fats or to go with the vitamin rich good carbs.

Jenn

i honestly have no complaints.

For me it is fresh fruit. I have serious issues with the Atkins plan regarding fruit. I've also acknowledged that I have to give up pineapple, bananas, figs and such for ever. As to the domestic fruits grown right here, in the heart of the fruit belt where I live in Michigan, those are not negotiable.

I've not had a single nutrition or chocolate bar. I avoid frankenfoods. I avoid the low carb traps at the supermarket. My "cheats" have always been with fruit. That's not going to change.

I agree with comments on fresh fruit. I never ever thought I'd consider fruit to be a "treat" until I couldn't have them and would crave them! Once I eased up a bit and allowed some back in, it was amazing how wonderful they tasted and how much I appreciate fruit now (so this was a good lesson I guess). But I do miss the types of fruit I used to eat as well as the quantity. The worst part of the fruit restriction phase is how GUILTY I'd feel for having an apple or grapes. Sheesh, we shouldn't be punishing ourselves for eating something healthy like fruit. I'm still in a weird place with this one.

Lily

There isn't much to complain about here. After 20 years of low-fat diets doing nothing but messing up my blood sugar and gaining 100lbs, Atkins works, plus I'm exercising every day for over an hour, I finally found something that works and I feel great! My only complaint would be society's death-grip on the mentality that low-fat and low-calorie works, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. I look at the food pyramid and cringe, thinking of all those kids stuffing their faces with 6-11 servings of bread.............

I don't like having to defend this WOL to anyone, many who've asked are still in the dark ages when it comes to Atkins...........which is why I love being here, everyone gets it that this works

LL

No real gripes here, but wanted to comment on the fruit issue.

Prior to reaching my goal, I started eating fruit early in OWL, and by the time I lost all my weight I was eating and still am 3 serings of fruit a day.

The key is to not eat the whole thing, a serving is equal to any of the following.

1/2 apple,
1/2 Oranage
1/2 gratefruit
1/3 of a banana
2/3 cup of grapes
1/2 pear
1/2 cup any berries ( I have blueberries or blackberries every day)
small Kiwi
plum
1/2 peach
Apricot
2/3 cup of any melon

I don't touch canned fruit.
The first thing in my mouth in the morning is fruit and knowing that as long as I don't abuse it it's fine with Atkins and my weight.
I could not ever see myself going without it and there is no reason too

Sadly many people skip OWL, big mistake, it's there for a reason, when one follows it, the plan overall is much easier to live with.

If the natural sugar in the fruit starts cravings, have a bit of protien with it.

Cheers Kathy

I miss the fruit too. Yesterday my In Laws served fresh pineapple, and I was dying just looking at it Sooo I gave in and had two small pieces, they were very good, and it did not make me gain, thank goodness. I will be continuing to limit fruits, but it would be great to endulge daily on whatever fruits I want

I also miss fruits. I have always loved fruit and have a hard time believing that they are not good for me when I know that are loaded with nutrition. I do occaisionally eat them but try to stick with the low GI ones. When I am no maintenance I will enjoy them a bit more.

The fruit issue is a major reason I gave up following Atkins. I spent a year without more than a sprinkling of berries for my fruit "serving". I couldn't stand it anymore.

Definitelly fruit. I am not into chocolate unless it's wrapped around fruit. I can eat 3lbs of cherries or a whole pineapple at a sitting. Summer is especially hard for me doing Atkins because of all that fresh and juicey fruit around. Man, I miss it!

I have to agree with Kathy - fruit being forbidden on Atkins is a misconception just like the 'only eggs and lots of fat' - rant.

The problem is that many people stay too long on Induction levels, get bored with it and jump from 20g carbs to 50 by adding sweet fruits. No wonder the cravings come back!
As for me - after 3 weeks on induction I started adding kiwi, avocado and berries. Not every day and not huge amounts of course. Apart from banana and other very sweet fruits that seem disgusting to me now, I eat fruit whenever I want to. But NOT in huge amounts. I don't eat fruit primarly for nutrients, can get those from other sources, but for the taste.....

Alina

I miss my bananas and chili with beans.

This is not always true...even adding fruits back in small amounts (5 grams of carbs) at a time and starting lower-GI fruits first, I found that fruit woke up cravings that almost derailed me. And I've seen a few posts from others who have the same problem. Some of us just can't handle the additional sugar, even if it is coming from a natural source.