Rating: 
Summary: One Year Later...
Review: I've just about past the one year mark... one year since purchasing and reading the book... one year since going on the diet... and one year definitely for the better... The fact is, you'll find two types of reviews for Dr. Atkins books : Those who are appalled *in concept* by the idea of a high fat/high animal protein diet, and those who've actually read the book, perhaps even done it and also know that in the long run the diet is far more nutritionally "conventional" than all the media and PR let on. (The big message is : go natural and unprocessed... carbs *are* o.k., junk carbs aren't !) The truth is, there's one and only one way to guage any diet... 1) Does it work (and is it practical and clearly presented) ? 2) How does it effect your overall health (*more important than weight loss!). - - In my case, I'm down almost 100lbs., no longer diabetic, and my cholesterol/tryglicerides number have been cut by more than half. Chronic gout is under control (*strangely on a high protein diet !) and liver enzymes are down to normal. - - Is this all because of Dr. Atkins' claims about the overall effect of his diet, or simply because I lost the weight by hook or crook ? - - honestly speaking, I wouldn't even try to answer that. I will say this : That if you actually read the book, you'll find out that many of the more "shocking" things you've probably been lead to believe about the diet ("eat all grease, no vegetables... no need to exercise... and lose weight !) aren't true... Healthy berries, nuts and green vegetables becomes the mainstay of your diet, as they replace JUNK carbs (like potatoe chips, french fries, fried chicken, etc.) - - and no, Atkins isn't a Fast Food diet either... actually most of those foods would border on the VERBOTTEN range - - Natural fats and oils are o.k. but the PROCESSED ONES (such as those commonly used in the deep fat frier) aren't... and chemically processed foods aren't allowed either. - - As you work your way through the varying stages of the diet, it actually goes from the shocking stuff down to common sense... I mean, don't you remember Grandma telling you if you want to lose weight lay off all the bread and pasta ??? - - All in all, I can only tell you the reason I like Dr. Atkins' diet and book : Its very practical... easy to follow, no calorie counting... and actually has you eating in a way to control your apetite... this isn't to say that I do know people who've tried it and dropped out because it didn't work for them (most simply refused to give up the foods they're not supposed to) but dispite the media sensation, the idea that its "dangerous" and "disturbing" seems like pure exploitation (often egged on by promoters of other diets, food industry interest groups or of course, so called "radical vegeterians") to me... (BE particularly suspicious when you read something bad about it on the web, and there's a link to a site affiliated with Atkin's rival Dean Ornish, for example !) - - *Yes*, if you eat all meat and *NO* carbohydrates you'll end up sick... VERY SICK (in addition to painfully constipated) - - but the Atkins Diet isn't about going NO CARB... its about choosing the RIGHT carbs... and when you read the book you'll learn how to, as well as engage in a program that helps you break your addiction to the bad ones. - - Read the book, get your blood checked before and a few weeks later (*as Dr. Atkins advised) and decide for yourself !
Rating:
Summary: It Really Works
Review: I am an athletic 25 year old male. So what am I doing on a "diet?" I had surgery in December 2003 which kept me out of the gym for about a month and drugged up on pain killers for three weeks, which, combined with the usual holiday season increase in eating, left me with an extra 10 pounds and feeling depressed. I found myself pigging out on all kinds of high carb junk...pizza, lots of chocolate, nutella on white bread, etc. I tried to stop but I couldn't. After eating extremely well and being in fantastic shape for years, I found myself getting fat.When I decided to give Atkins a shot, I was about 20 pounds too heavy. I followed phase I for three weeks and lost it ALL. After that I went straight to phase IV. After following the Atkins approach for about 2 months now, I have noticed the following: I am never hungry. The meals I now eat are completely filling. I am STRONGER when I lift weights. I run further and faster. I feel better and I have more energy. I eat more vegetables now than at any other point in my life. I more or less never eat any type of grain product. I eat about 1 fruit per day. I consume more fiber and omega-3's than at any other point in my life. I am, without question, consuming more healthy foods than prior to Atkins. I plan to eat like this for the rest of my life. This book costs very little. Even if you are doubtful, consider reading it. Atkins makes a very convincing (and well supported) argument in favor of his diet. Good luck to you all.
Rating:
Summary: Please read this before buying the book.
Review: An interesting diet plan as it has you eat a lot of fatty foods. Bottom line is that you can lose weight on this diet but its long-term safety is still in question. Be aware that it restricts calories (look at the menu plans) which contributes to weight loss as well. Overweight readers with knee pain may also be interested in "Treat Your Own Knees."
Rating:
Summary: The proof is in the pudding...
Review: I followed the conventional thinking of the 80's and 90's and ate my fill of carbs but counted every gram of fat that I let myself eat. The result was that I slowly gained 50 pounds in the 25 years after high school. A friend of mine, who is a retired professional (pedal) International Bike Racer told me about the Dr. Atkins diet two weeks ago; about how he had lost 12 pounds in only 14 days while on this medically sound, but unconventional low carb diet! What a crock I said, starve yourself of carbs and let your body fall into Ketosis so you body has to burn your own body fat -- Ridiculous! But with his continued insistance, I took his copy of "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution" and after reading the first 50 - 60 pages I decided to start the diet as described in the book. Now, I have already lost 10 pounds in 9 days, only partway through the 14 day initial stage of the lifetime diet approach this book promotes. Well, I can honestly tell you I have not craved any foods, including my former daily addiction: chocolate. I have not gone hungry, or had any ill health. In fact, my mental sharpness has increased, especially my short term memory! Of note, I have the one of those nifty Tanita "Fat" Weight Scales that measures your weight and also your % of body fat. My lean body mass (weight - fat = lean body mass) has stayed within one pound of my before diet LBM, so the weight loss has all been fat! My weight and my % body fat have both decreased in direct proportion, so I am not losing water, nor am I scavaging muscle protein -- it's all been fat loss! The big bonus is that my muscle strength has increased, and my build looks more and more muscular as the fat disappears. Even the double chin that I inherited from my Mother's side of the family is getting smaller every day! (Now, if only my hair would stop receding and grow back...) I understand that I am just starting this diet, and I also understand that it runs against the current tide of low fat / high carb diets out there, but THIS DIET WORKS FOR ME! I have effortlessly lost 10 pounds in 9 days, and reduced my weight down to what it was 4 years ago. No low fat, high carb diet has done anything like that for me in one or two months, let alone in just 9 days! I now have no doubt that I will be able to lose 30 more pounds and stabilize my weight down at 200 pounds, and keep it there in the years to come! This diet is really worth trying, especially if you can't lose weight by restricting fats and replacing them with carbs. For many of us, "fat free" foods are not the answer, and Dr. Atkins explains why in this book. Honestly, for less than the cost of a good meal at a restaurant, what do you have to lose by buying this book and trying one more diet. I hope your success equals my own!
Rating: 
Summary: Guess who was clinically obese?
Review: That's right, you heard me, Dr. Atkins upon his death was clinically declared obese. Is this really the guy you want to be taking advice from? Well not me! I currently just watch what I eat and how much of it. I'm currently a 17 yr. old weighing in at 129 pounds. How did I get to be this weight? Cardiovascular exercise and calory reduction. That's all it took! And no I'm not short, I'm currently 5"9 and very happy with the state of my body. I workout at home three times a day including a once a day trip to the YMCA. Trust me if you really want results you have to always be pushing yourself, not relying on an obese man's advice. There's a reason he was obese and had physical problems! I hope you come to realize this, while working hard and staying away from this book.
Rating:
Summary: Very unhealthy and dangerous!
Review: This is one of the worst, most dangerous diet fads I have come across in recent years. If you want to completely ruin your health, there is no better way than to do it with the Dr.Atkins approach. This book actually states, in all seriousness, that eating things like red meat, butter, bacon and cheese in abundance are GOOD for you. The reason, as Dr.Atkins states, is that carbohydrates stimulate insulin, which makes people burn energy less effectively and ultimately makes them fat. If this sounds ridiculous, it's because it is. Dr.Atkins ignores studies which show that beef and cheese cause a far bigger release of insulin than pasta. Fish also releases a bigger insulin amount than eating popcorn. Carbohydrates don't make people fat. A sedentary lifestyle makes people fat. For example, the majority of the Asian population eats a diet that is FAR more abundant in carbohydrates (rice, noodles, vegetables), yet Asians do not suffer from even nearly as much of an obesity problem as Americans do. Places like KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, etc are what makes people overweight. The Atkins Diet will make you lose weight, but it's not the way you want to lose weight. By eating less than 20g of carbohydrates a day, after about 2-3 days the body begins a process called ketosis. Since there is such a low amount of blood sugar in your body, your brain will start to burn fat in order to gain that energy. Therefore, you do lose weight on the Atkins diet. However, remember that the food you are eating is incredibly loaded with saturated fats, cholesterol, and complex proteins. All of these things contribute to long term problems, especially with the heart. Eating red meat and a lot of saturated fats is a leading cause of colorectal cancer in America. This book actually tries to convince you that fat and cholesterol have nothing to do with heart problems!!! Nothing that Atkins has stated has EVER been published in any major health or science magazine. He funds only bogus research that doesn't even use any modern sociological or scientific procedures (such as the Duke University study). Folks, here's the bottom line. I understand your plight. I used to be overweight, with no muscles, I ate poorly and I was in terrible shape. I realized that the best way to lose weight, and KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF, was to exercise on a regular basis, eat properly and nutritiously, and to get a lot of rest. I know how appealing these diet fads are. They promise you quick results with minimal effort, which is the first sign that they are completely bogus. Attaining a great body type takes MONTHS and even YEARS, and takes a lot of work, dedication, and PATIENCE. If you don't believe me, just talk to your doctor.
Rating: 
Summary: Keep an open mind and a closed mouth
Review: First off, it seems that the Atkins diet usually elicits strong emotional feelings in people who have bought into the AMA's version of the healthy diet. Added to this, since we were children, we have been brainwashed into thinking that the daily food requirements triangle chart was the last word. Keep in mind that this body of learned professionals have constantly reversed and re-reversed their positions on what is actually healthy to eat (i.e. Don't drink. Do drink. No fat. Some fat. Lots of carbs, no so many carbs. Eat meat. Don't eat meat. ad nauseum) In response to the nay sayers of this diet, keep an open mind. Experts once thought the world was flat and the earth was at the center of the universe. Maybe, just maybe, you are wrong about your assumptions of the Atkins diet too. Ok. Getting off of the soap box and getting to the actual review. :) Atkins challenges the common wisdom of the times and gives solid facts and clinical medical studies from around the world to prove that the low carb/high protein diet works better than any diet. He also proposes the premise that people who go on this diet are actually healthier than those who are on the standard issue diets. I must admit, that this all sounded like Atkins was either delusional or crazy. But the more I read about the case studies and research done in the Unitied States and Europe, I decided to give it a try. In trying it, I can say the diet works. I have lost approximately 30 pounds on this diet since I started four months ago. Once you get over the initial shock of not having bread, pasta, cookies and other junk food in your diet, the Atkins regimin gets easier to follow. What Atkins is trying to do is to re-educate and retrain your eating habits. The diet is broken down into three phases: The Induction Diet (two weeks), The Ongoing Weight Loss plan, and finally the Maintainance plan. Atkins gives you practical advice on how to stay on the diet and keep the weight off. The book contains many helpful charts and menus for the low carb life style. Self control is at the heart of most diets. Atkins makes it achievable by satiating the hunger and opening up the "forbidden" foods that we have all been so accustomed to avoiding. Yes, the diet goes against common logic, but as you read through the book, the physiological explainations of how your body works will convince you that it can work for you too.
Rating:
Summary: A diet that is healthy and fun to do
Review: Five weeks ago i got the diagnosis diabetes 2 at the age of 28. I needed to change my eating habits, and decided that the Atkins diet is the the only approach I would be able to live with. Four weeks ago I started. My fasting bloodsugarlevel was 7.8. In two weeks it had dropped to 5.2 and now I have lost 22 pounds. I feel better than I have done in years. I have lots of energy and my need to sleep has decreased radically. My health has improved all because of this book, and I heartily reccomend it to anyone who is overweight. One reviewer claims that dr. Atkins died from heart disease. This is a false claim. He died because he fell and hit his head. There are some who claim this diet isn't healthy. I don't really care about such nonsense. I _feel_ great, as opposed to what I felt like when I ate a lot of carbohydrates, and my doctor tells my I am healthier than ever. Because of the Atkins nutritional approach I may never have to use medication for my diabetes. Why not give the diet a try? Get the book and try the two week induction. If it doesn't make you feel better then just quit. If you are like millions of others who have decided to live with this nutritional approach, you will feel better and loose weight while eating satisfying and tasty food.
Rating:
Summary: A DIET FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DIE EARLY.
Review: The author of this book died from heart disease! What a joke!.He is probably spinning in his grave pissing himself laughing at all the half wits who still follow this ridiculous diet.
Does this diet make some people lose weight? Maybe some. But at what cost? Weight loss doesnt always mean health now does it ? The author is proof that this diet is dangerous ,and should not be considered ,unless you are a sucker.
Common sense will tell you that to be healthy and maintain a good weight all you need to do is cut back on all animal products ,increase the amount of fruits and vegetables ,exercise regularly ,drink lots of water and develop a life that is satisfying on all levels.ITS THAT SIMPLE FOLKS!!.
If you want great books on health ,try anything by HARVEY DIAMOND ( FIT FOR LIFE SERIES ) OR DEEPAK CHOPRA ( PERFECT HEALTH , CREATING HEALTH , AGELESS BODY ,TIMELESS MIND.).These brilliant authors have shown how to achieve health through safe natural means ......and they are both still alive and healthy!!!.
Rating:
Summary: Not persuasive
Review: My sense of innate logic finds the whole "carb-watching" movement to be unfounded; something that sprang into life on 1 January 2004 and won't seem to go away. I've lost 50 pounds over the last 2 years, simply because my life became less difficult and I was not heading to the comfort cuisine like I used to. But hey, this is a free country, and I'm sure the endocrinologists are licking their chops in anticipation of their future growing case-loads, while folks lick their own chops over big plates of bun-less burgers. I would be investing now in health care providers that will need to send out diabetic supplies and pacemakers by the truckload. I am old enough to remember "liquid protein". Alas, there is nothing new under the sun.
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