Rating: 
Summary: joy of living out of it
Review: We are not machines ; we should be free to eat the whole spectrum that the good God allmigty created for us. Balance & moderation according to OUR inclination is the key in the use of all this God given bounty by which we ought to taste the joy of living every day of our lives ; the sinthetic pills the book offers along with its restrictions does not give us that.I rather live one day this way and not a1000 years the books way ! By the way i am 62 and still kicking,
Rating: 
Summary: Works well for me.
Review: I'll throw my data point into the mix for your consideration. I found truth to the claim that while on this diet, one experiences less hunger. I also found I had plenty of energy, even with exercising on a Stairmaster, burning upwards of 1000 cals per day. I lost from 225 to 214 within 10 days, eating reasonable portions, no cheating, and the exercise described above. I have a 6'2" frame, and am targeting 195 as my weight goal. Wish me luck! Hope it works as well for you.
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Summary: The Best Place to Start Your New Healthy Life
Review: This is the book everyone loves to hate! Every time I ask people what they didn't like about this book I hear one criticism after another. I'm sure you've heard them too. Next time you hear these criticisms, ask you friend some of the following questions:"Which of the Atkins diets did you disagree with? The Induction, Pre-Maintenance, or Maintenance phase?"
"Which of the 55 vegetables which Dr. Atkin's lists to include in your diet do you think is unhealthy?" You will almost always find THEY NEVER READ THE BOOK. And most people who have "tried" the Atkins Diet never read the book either. If you are heavy someone needs to tell you that YOU ARE DYING. Right now. Your weight is killing you faster then you know. It has long been recognized that obesity, heart disease, lipid disorders, diabetes, and a host of other degenerative conditions are in fact ONE DISEASE- Metabolic Syndrome (also known as insulin resistance, Syndrome X and a host of lesser used names). And insulin resistance is caused primarily by sugar and too many carbohydrates in our diet (also trans fats, but not natural saturated or unsaturated fat). If you want to save your life you must learn about sugars, simple carbohydrates, and how to avoid them, and, in my opinion, this book remains the best place to start. BUT YOU MUST READ THE BOOK. This book is a treasure box full of information, much of which is counter intuitive. And all the information is carefully documented and referenced in the back. Two years (and 40 pounds) ago, when I first read Dr. Atkins book, I was stunned by the level of information in it (and I am a physician). In fact, there is so much information in the book it is difficult to absorb the first time. Which, unfortunately, is where much of the confusion about the diet starts. If you are overweight, you have insulin resistance. And if you have insulin resistance, your metabolism IS NO LONGER NORMAL. You must TEMPORARILY restrict your eating from high carbohydrate foods to drag your metabolism back to where it should be. In my opinion, because Dr. Atkins diet is more strict initially (remember, you still should eat THREE servings of vegetables per day even during the strictest part of the diet) it allows you to progress faster to restore your metabolism back to where it should be. I now have literally COUNTLESS patients who have lost over 25 pounds, several who have lost over 100 pounds, and several diabetic patients who have been able to stop get off all diabetes medications. More criticisms you'll hear: "But what about my cholesterol?" It is now known (and, in fact, has been for some time) that well over 80% of your cholesterol is made by the liver and is not a reflection of the fat in your diet. Most will see their cholesterol drop dramatically on the diet. Almost all will see their HDL ("good cholesterol") go up significantly. A FEW patients will have their LDL ("bad cholesterol") go up- but here again, limited knowledge will hurt you. NOT ALL LDL IS BAD. LDL is in fact made of a variety of different particle sizes (LDL subclasses A and B) and only one of these (Type B LDL) is bad. MOST PEOPLE ON A LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIET LOWER THEIR PRODUCTION OF THE "BAD" TYPE B LDL EVEN IF THEIR TOTAL LDL INCREASES. Most community labs are not yet able to measure these different subtypes (requires a LDL-GGE test). Fortunately, if your LDL increases you can almost always tell whether the increase or decrease is "good" or "bad" by looking at your triglyceride levels. People who increase production of the bad LDL (which is rare) almost always increase their triglycerides as well. MOST PEOPLE, HOWEVER, WILL NOTICE A DRAMATIC DROP IN THEIR TRIGLYCERIDE LEVEL. "I just don't feel good without eating some sugar." Did you hear me? You ARE DYING FROM SUGAR! You will never feel good again if you don't get it out of your body. "I think complex carbohydrates are good for you." You are right. Complex carbohydrates are good for you. And Dr. Atkins strongly recommends that once you get your weight down to where it should be you add limited amounts of complex carbohydrates back in your diet. "I love fruit, and I know fruit is good for me." If you are at your appropriate weight, fruit is EXCELLENT for you. But it is full of sugar. AND YOU CAN'T HANDLE ANY SUGAR. Once you get your weight back down you should start incorporating fruit regularly in your diet. But if you don't cut out the fruit, you will never get your weight down." I do have some criticisms of the book:
(1) The book is TOO complete. Weighing in at 522 pages of intense material, most people just can't get through it. BUT TRY.
(2) In fact, you need to read THREE books to really get the complete Atkins diet, this one, Dr. Atkins Age Defying Diet, and Dr. Atkins Vitamin book. ALL ARE EXCELLENT (but who other then a doctor will read them all).
(3) The section on Trans Fats in the new edition is still not enough (of course, adding more would make the book even bigger!) This man deserves a Nobel prize for standing up to ridicule for 30 YEARS. Now low carb diets are everywhere, and amazingly he is still criticized by people who know nothing about his diet. This book changed my life and the entire way I practice medicine. I have countless patients it has helped. If you want to lose weight and improve your health, read this book FIRST. Then read Sugar Blues. Then Protein Power LifePlan. P.S. Thank you, Dr. Atkins for saving my life.
Rating: 
Summary: Yech, but I admit to having tried it.
Review: Ah, what a great bunch of reviews: Atkins is the Best, Atkins will kill you...and that pattern repeated hundreds of times. I tried this diligently twice, once last year, and just recently, and I am just angry that I even spent that money on this. Atkins' scientific rationale is worrying and very suspect--it's one thing to eat less carb, it's another to eat too much animal fat. Sure, some point out that Gorillas eat bananas and cows eat grass...but take a look at their physiology-they were built for that kind of thing. I digress--what I really want to point out is that this diet is a lot of fun for the first day or so. Beyond that, you begin to have significant doubts about your health. I, for one, reacted very badly and broke out. I didn't last too long on this one. Any diet where you begin to look worse right off than you did before is probably one you should put away. For ever. I won't tell you to try this diet because I don't want anyone to put their lives in danger. But don't get me wrong, I am not an uninformed Atkins naysayer. I've tried many many diets, and this one is a weird one--it's that nagging sensation of logic that throws you off. Best of luck to all of you in dieting efforts.
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Summary: Dr. Atkins is telling the truth, but he's much too strict
Review: I had purchased this book almost 3 years ago. After having read it, I put it away and decided that this could not be true. About 2 years ago, I started hearing people talking about
hyperinsulinemia and how/why it causes weight gain. I had even heard some doctors discuss it in the hospital I work at. I had asked one of the doctors about it, and he suggested I attend a seminar about health and nutrition in order to learn more about it. At that seminar, I was astonished to learn that the very same things Dr. Atkins wrote about in his book, that FAT DOES NOT MAKE US FAT, BUT HIGHLY REFINED CARBOHYDRATES (SIMPLE SUGARS) DO INDEED MAKE US FAT, as well as SICK, were being discussed at large. Hyperinsulinism is caused by the refined carbohydrates we consume. Last year, I decided to give that diet a try. I did shed pounds, and quickly. Not only that, my HDL (good cholesterol) went up and my LDL (bad cholesterol) went down. I felt more energetic and less hungry. However, I could not tolerate the fact that I would have to give up my carbohydrates FOR GOOD. Also, I found it tough only eating 3 cups of vegetables a day. I found myself wanting more vegetables. Following the 2 week period, I began to crave fruits. By the third week, I simply had to have an orange. I, personally, cannot live without carbohydrates. I feel I must have some fruit, pasta, rice, etc. Don't get me wrong,
Dr. Atkins IS telling the truth, he's not a liar. Highly refined carbs are definitely the cause for cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary heart disease leading to Myocardial Infarction (heart attack). Needless to say, however, if one's fate is to die from a heart attack, then he WILL die of a heart attack, regardless of his good health, physical activity and daily nutrition. For those of you who find this diet easy enough to adhere to without fruit consumption, then I'd say go for it. You will lose weight -- FAST. Don't forget to drink LOTS of water. Those of you who, like me, cannot give up the carbs for good and find the limited quantity of vegetables, as well as abstaining from fruit difficult, then perhaps you should consider reading "The Carbohydrate Addicts Lifespan Program" by Drs. Richard & Rachael Heller. It's a great book (great program, too) and they also discuss hyperinsulinemia. Good luck in whatever you choose & good health.
Rating:
Summary: Bottom line: IT WORKS!
Review: This is a common sense diet that has worked for me. My choice was possibly die early from being too fat, or loose weight. I choose to loose the extra pounds. I laughed at a previous review calling this a death sentence. Try reading the book first before you condem it. In about 5-months I have lost 42 pounds and feel great and I am staying on it. The nice thing is this diet is easy to do and I am NEVER hungry!
Rating:
Summary: Worse low carb diet on the market, Protein Power is better
Review: Low carb diets work period. BUT atkins is the worse low carb program there is. My doctor suggested to me a low carb diet, but NOT atkins. Atkins forbids fruit and grain products on his diet while telling us to take massive amounts of vitamins. Why? becuase his diet is so restrictive you lose vital nutrients that our bodies require. I was told to use protein power, and from reading the book I can see why. Atkins is so busy selling his vitamins which can be found at dollar stores under generic labels, and horrible tasting food products at horrific prices. protein power tells us how the diet works in a way anyone can understand. Protein Power is a much better program.
Rating:
Summary: Healthier, more energetic and loosing fat fast !!!
Review: I started Atkins way of eating a month ago. I am 178 cm (5.8 ft)I was 106 kg (234 pounds) when I started. Now, I weigh 96 (211 pounds)and I continue loosing fat everyday. I feel more energetic, healthy. I have had indigestion problems for almost 15 years. Now, all my heartburn, numbness disappeared. I strongly suggest this to anyone who cannot tolerate high carbs. The best thing about this is proably that I have NEVER felt any hunger during this past month (I mean it). I eat all those proteins, fat plus good healthy carbs (lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, tomatoes). Stay away from all bread, pasta, rice, cookies, juices and also high carb veggies and fruits. Take your vitamin supplement daily and enjoy loosing fat every day.. You may feel dizziness in the first 3 days or so, it disapperaed in a few days. I plan to continue this radically till I reach my ideal weight (80 kg) and then stick to low carb eating lifetime..
Rating:
Summary: You will have to decide for yourself
Review: I got on this diet as a result of my personal doctor telling me it was the only thing that would help me from not becoming a diabetic. So far, I'm not sure I have succeeded, but I certainly have lost some 12 pounds (lowest weight I've had in several years) and going (I've been on it for approx. 2 months). There are several things you should bear in mind about it:
* This is NOT an easy fix for nutritional disorders. It works, but it takes TIME.
* This is NOT a balanced diet, because by repressing carbs (or maintaining them under 20 g per day in the begginning) it's aimed at getting your body in a state called ketosis. In such a state the body starts to use its stored fat as a source of energy, as opposed to expecting it from carbs. There are very diverse points of view about ketosis: being such a delicate topic, I invite you to make your own mind about it, but based on what I've read about it, it seems to not be tied to the heart or kidney-related problems that are attibuted to it.
* It's not a static diet either, because your menu evolves as your weight does: as you begin to get to your ideal weight, the amount of carbs you're allowed increases as well.
* This diet requires vitamin supplements and exercise along with it, in order to work well.
* Most important of ALL, please check with your doctor before you begin this diet. Long story short, read this book and decice for yourself. So far, I'm with it, but not too fond of the total lack of fruits that it has during its early stages. I'm combining its concepts with those of the "Omega Diet."
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Summary: This is literally a death sentence!
Review: Robert Atkins' books, as well as other authors, advocating high-protein weight loss plans, recommend diets for health and weight loss with significantly more animal protein than is usually consumed by the average American. Americans already eat almost 50% of calories from animal products, and as a result of such nutritional extravagance we have seen a tragic skyrocketing in cancer rates and heart disease rates in the last 50 years. In spite of the hokum and hoopla, as a result of hundreds of scientific studies, the link between animal protein and various cancers is as solid now as the link between smoking and lung cancer. This is not to say that animal foods are the sole cause of cancer, but clearly it is the increased consumption of animal product and the decreased consumption of fresh produce that has the most powerful effect on cancer risks. These recent books aren't new, just a rehash of the same diets advocated years ago. They are just as dangerous today. Unfortunately, the lay public has always been a sucker for a quick, painless way to achieve results so they can continue their love affair with rich and dangerous foods. Dr. Atkins' book actually recommends such foods as fried pork rinds and bacon cheeseburgers. It states on the first page: "Imagine losing weight with a diet that lets you have bacon and eggs for breakfast, heavy cream in your coffee, plenty of meat and even salad with dressing for lunch and dinner!" No wonder Dr. Atkins calls it a "diet revolution." There are numerous ways to lose weight. However effective they may be, some are just not safe. We certainly would not advocate smoking cigarettes or snorting cocaine for weight loss (even though they may be effective) as both these methods sharply increase one's risk of a heart attack. We should not advocate weight loss via drugs, or high-protein, high-fat diets for the same reason; you may pay a substantial price: your life! A meat-based, low fiber diet like Atkins advocates with no fruit, or starchy vegetables, will almost double your risk of certain cancers, especially of meat-sensitive cancers, such as colon cancer. Stomach and esophageal cancer, for example are linked to populations that do not consume sufficient fruit. Atkins' menus average 60-75% of calories from fat and contain no fruit. One reason he gets support is that the diet does work to cause weight loss and the conventional diet is so unhealthy and fattening that people need to do something that works. Being overweight is such a health risk that there are some real health benefits one receives from losing weight, even if the mode of weight loss places the person at increased risk. Losing weight, even by a high-protein, high-fat, low-fiber diet will lower triglycerides, decrease insulin resistance, and lower blood pressure, for example. Since these high-protein diets strongly forbid refined carbohydrates and junk food and the nutritionally depleted white pasta and bread most Americans live on, and recommend the dieter consume hundreds of dollars of nutritional supplements each month; they may offer more micronutrient density than the diet the person was on prior. However, no matter how much supplements and psyllium fiber are prescribed, it is simply impossible to make up for the destructive effects of so much animal products and so little fibrous produce. It is indeed difficult to believe so many people can't see through this insanity, and actually take everything we know about cancer prevention and longevity, and do the exact opposite. The diet is completely opposed to our primate heritage, with almost no fiber, utilizing the precise foods labeled as the primary causes of cancer and heart attacks. The foods that have been shown to prevent cancer such as, fruit, yellow and orange vegetables and beans have been specifically excluded from the diet. Then they are told to take supplements to make up for the deficiencies. Does this make sense to you? So how does this diet work? How can you eat all the fat and grease that you want and still lose weight? When the body can't find enough carbohydrates to properly run its machinery, it produces ketones, an emergency fuel that can be utilized in times of crisis or fasting. Built into our genetic code is the ability to survive periods of time without food, such as periods of food scarcity, or natural disasters. Since we are primates, designed by nature to survive on a plant-based diet, rich in carbohydrates; when our cells realize they are not receiving sufficient fuel (glucose), the body receives messages to dip into its fat reserves to produce ketones as an emergency fuel in such rough times. Ketones rise in our bloodstream and the body begins to lose fat in spite of a large consumption of high fat animal foods. One pays a substantial price from such a diet which generates a chronic ketosis. Besides the increased cancer risk, the kidneys are placed under increased stress and will age more rapidly. It can take many, many years for such damage to be detected by blood tests and by the time it is detected irreversible damage might have already occurred. The blood tests that monitor kidney function do not begin to increase until more than 80% of the kidneys have been destroyed. It is the extra weight, the fat on the body, that causes the insulin resistance. As long as one successfully loses weight, carbohydrates are not a problem to the diabetic. Remember, losing weight healthfully is the key.
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