A (small) Rant
A small rant because everywhere I go lately I seem to find this incorrect, ignorant assumption.
Atkins is NOT a no carbs, protein only diet!
If I read in one more place that Atkins is unhealthy because it recommends eating only protein I may have to absolutely explode into a huge rant, rather just this little one. That would be a terribly unhealthy diet. It would be incredibly unhealthy. Astonishingly, awfully unhealthy. I realise I may be one of only about 12 people on the entire planet who has actually read the book from cover to cover (or possibly at all) but how does low carb seem to have gotten so twisted into no carb?!!
Thankfully, that's not what Atkins is. If you're doing it as no carbs, then you're doing it all wrong and, yeah, risking your health... no wonder some people feel crap on it if that's what they're doing! At the very least, you should be having 20 grams of carbs a day. I'm doing around 35 grams but I don't keep an exact tab on it because counting to that level of minutia drives me nuts.
Plus, the more I think I about it, the more I feel that the word "diet" as used in this context has become stupid and should be thrown away entirely. Atkins is a method for creating a total lifestyle change where you cut down on carbs dramatically only whilst trying to lose weight. Carbs; they're essentially sugary things. It's basically saying "if you want to lose weight, eat less sugary things". It sounds less "dangerous" and "unhealthy" when you put it THAT way, doesn't it? The idea is to then gradually re-introduce more and more carbs until you find the balance point where you're not losing but not putting it back on. That balance is different for different people because the rate we each metabolise sugar is slightly different. It's about managing your bloody sugar intake (using protein as a comfort food instead) because sugar - not fat - is what makes us fat! And not all carbs are created equal. I eat carbs but mainly ones from the low end of the glycaemic index, so as not to trigger my insulin response. I have mainly just the one happy mood these days, rather than 15 moods in half an hour. I get my fibre and all my vitamins.
I wont be told that my diet - I'm following the book - is unhealthy when I eat good meat (ethically farmed), good fish, fresh organic fruit/vegetables, an amazing array of spices/herbs and almost all my meals are made by my own two hands. The things I'm not eating are biscuits, crisps, sweets, processed foods, junk food and other sugar-filled crap. I'm losing weight and feeling good... Unhealthy...? My ever-decreasing arse it is! *grin*
The article that annoyed me this particular time is even stupider as, after ignorantly slagging off Atkins, it then started on about how some foods can stop the ageing process! Because using a regulated method for changing your eating habits permanently is so much more idiotic and bad for you than believing avocados can make you look 25 when you're 50! Whatever!
Atkins is NOT a no carbs, protein only diet!
If I read in one more place that Atkins is unhealthy because it recommends eating only protein I may have to absolutely explode into a huge rant, rather just this little one. That would be a terribly unhealthy diet. It would be incredibly unhealthy. Astonishingly, awfully unhealthy. I realise I may be one of only about 12 people on the entire planet who has actually read the book from cover to cover (or possibly at all) but how does low carb seem to have gotten so twisted into no carb?!!
Thankfully, that's not what Atkins is. If you're doing it as no carbs, then you're doing it all wrong and, yeah, risking your health... no wonder some people feel crap on it if that's what they're doing! At the very least, you should be having 20 grams of carbs a day. I'm doing around 35 grams but I don't keep an exact tab on it because counting to that level of minutia drives me nuts.
Plus, the more I think I about it, the more I feel that the word "diet" as used in this context has become stupid and should be thrown away entirely. Atkins is a method for creating a total lifestyle change where you cut down on carbs dramatically only whilst trying to lose weight. Carbs; they're essentially sugary things. It's basically saying "if you want to lose weight, eat less sugary things". It sounds less "dangerous" and "unhealthy" when you put it THAT way, doesn't it? The idea is to then gradually re-introduce more and more carbs until you find the balance point where you're not losing but not putting it back on. That balance is different for different people because the rate we each metabolise sugar is slightly different. It's about managing your bloody sugar intake (using protein as a comfort food instead) because sugar - not fat - is what makes us fat! And not all carbs are created equal. I eat carbs but mainly ones from the low end of the glycaemic index, so as not to trigger my insulin response. I have mainly just the one happy mood these days, rather than 15 moods in half an hour. I get my fibre and all my vitamins.
I wont be told that my diet - I'm following the book - is unhealthy when I eat good meat (ethically farmed), good fish, fresh organic fruit/vegetables, an amazing array of spices/herbs and almost all my meals are made by my own two hands. The things I'm not eating are biscuits, crisps, sweets, processed foods, junk food and other sugar-filled crap. I'm losing weight and feeling good... Unhealthy...? My ever-decreasing arse it is! *grin*
The article that annoyed me this particular time is even stupider as, after ignorantly slagging off Atkins, it then started on about how some foods can stop the ageing process! Because using a regulated method for changing your eating habits permanently is so much more idiotic and bad for you than believing avocados can make you look 25 when you're 50! Whatever!