posted on Jun, 29 2004 @ 12:19 PM
Of the almost 20 people, including a friend's heart doctor, who have "done Atkins", I can honestly say they all lost weight. And they weren't
skinny folks who wanted to take off that last annoying 5 lbs, but real weight. The book explains the thought process behind it and it makes sense.
It's not "all carbs out", it's just lowering the intake and adding exercise. It's keeping the healthy carbs. It's not "all the meat you can
eat" or "meat only". Trouble is, some folks listen long enough to get the gist of it, (they think), and decide that's how it is. I think it's
when all the low-carb claims start coming out that people get so annoyed, but why? Don't buy it/eat it/pay for it/etc if it's not your bag. The
marketplace will supply what people want to buy. It's how they continue making money.
Everybody wanted more for their money so there was SuperSize/Biggie et al. Then lots of folks wanted healthier choices, but still with fast food
convenience. Salads popped up. Then people wanted lower fat, so low fat and skim things showed up on the menus. Now people want low-carb, so here
it is. It's just a convenience for those who are into it and shouldn't be such a trauma for those who aren't. I don't think it has anything to
do with laziness because those I know who have been successful have gotten more active as their energy levels increased. So a diet says cut out all
refined sugar. What's wrong with that? I don't know a single health benefit that comes from eating refined sugar or processed food. And it shows
alternatives and suggestions for meals to people who are intimidated by An Official Eating Plan.
Something works for everyone. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, South Beach, Fasting, Cabbage Soup, whatever. For some it's a fad. For some it's the
plan that they could live with that finally worked. I knew a guy who developed his own diet and called it "Half the Man I Used To Be". On his
plan, he ate only half of what he'd normally eat without cutting out anything. Instead of two, he got one. Instead of the whole thing, he ate half.
It worked! Going by the book, he only cut calories and increased activity. But he ate fatty food, McDonald's, cookies, all of it... just not so
much. One man's fad is another man's answer.