Low Carb / Atkins

[Tommo]

There is only one thing that makes me more annoyed than fad diets and that is people who own 4x4s but can't drive them. This has been well covered elsewhere. This is only because the latter is dangerous to me, while the former is simply disgusting to me.

My advice is that if you are thinking about a diet that doesn't consist of around about 60% carbs, 20% fat, 20% protein, stop thinking about it right away and stick your head in a bucket of ice cold water to knock these foolish thoughts right out of you.

If you are overweight then it is sensible to want to lose weight, but the reason why fat people tend to remain fat is that they try to do it too quickly with a quick-fix diet and can't hack it. People who take their time over it, change their diet for the better rather than focus on dramatic weight-loss, and most of all get more exercise are much more likely to keep the weight off.

The main question to ask is 'do you want to be skinny of healthy?' because the two don't go hand in hand as some people appear to assume.


Eat sensibly (avoid sugars, eat vegetables - rocket-science see), get plenty of exercise. In time you will find your perfect weight. Just be patient.


Or try the only diet crazier than the Atkins diet, I don't remeber the name but it was big in LA a few years back and involved eating 10 pieces of fruit per day and not a great deal else. No prizes for guessing how the weight was lost. Be surprised if nobody died on this one.

[Tommo]

A good idea for dieting or general health is to visit www.patrickholford.com and join. The optimum nutrition bible is a weighty tome, but opens your eyes and there is always some new piece of info on there to get you thinking.


Now I have read this I start thinking about skinny celebs and people that take dieting too far. Makes me actually feel ill, very ill.

[dbrunner]

Tommo - thanks for the link to Holford, but I really dislike the patronising website and the general feel of "OK suckers - I'm the expert and I'll share my expertise with you... at a price".

If he were doing it because he feels he should assist folks by providing good advice, then I could accept it. But buying into it at £50 a time before you know what you are getting? I don't think so, you'd be better off at weight-watchers.

Seminar: "Sharpen your mind, improve your mood and concentration, beat depression" and "join and get a free book..." err, to my mind if you are paying money then it ain't free. If he were to say, get my free book then join if you wish, that would be another matter.

I'll pass the snake-oil thanks.

Dave

PS Great ride home, 22 miles through Michelmersh, Kimbridge, Awbridge and West Wellow. What a beautiful evening to be riding.

[AndyB]

Check out Ben Goldacre's Bad Science website http://www.badscience.net/ for more on Patrick Holford (a search for Holford brings up a fair bit) - I'd be wary I were you, and certainly not give him money; good quality free nutrition advice is around, if you can distinguish it from the pseudo-scientific nonsense.

Andy

[squeaker]

IMHO, one should be thinking about one's diet, not "going on a diet", otherwise it will all end in tears...

[thirdcrank]

I've not looked at this thread before because I'm an 'eat what you like man'. My wife is no fitness fanatic, to put it mildly but has been 'figure conscious'. In the 1970's (her late twenties) she followed a high protein diet, a version of what has been discussed here. She began to suffer severe abdominal pains which went undiagnosed for several years. Around her 32nd birthday she was belatedly diagnosed as having gall-stones and had her gall bladder removed, in those days quite major surgery. Undiagnosed because gallstones is for the fair fat and forty; she was dark, slim and only just 32. Attributed with hindsight by the doctors to the diet.

[Tommo]

Truth is there is a lot of people expounding a lot of science about diets, but how do we know what they say is true? Well, we don't but the main thing is that they get you thinking. I read a fair bit of the aforementioned book, but have forgotten much of it and I have trawled through a fair few websites, most of which I don't really recall. While the deep dark recesses of science are still foreign to me I have picked up one or two logical and sensible ideas that pop up consistently and more to the point all this researching makes me think about what I eat and consider the ramifications. As a result I make an effort to eat a varied and healthy diet. While none of this is rocket-science it does amaze me how many people effectively ignore all this info, eat rubbish or go on stupid fad diets, then wonder why they are ill, fat or depressed.

As for Patrick Holford I don't know if he is a genius or a charlatan, but he does raise questions in your mind and I expect you would be better off buying his stuff or any book with the words 'weight-loss' on them.

I have no idea how to make quinoa taste edible though, maybe it's on the website somewhere.....................

[reohn2]

Ncutler wrote add the hour or so of cycling whenever weather conditions are ok ( 5 days a week approx. ),

Whaaat do you mean "whenever weather conditions are ok",weather conditions are always ok for cycling.

[vernon]

Atkins was Obese when he died, having suffered heart attacks some 10 years earlier...

Makes you wonder doesn't it?

Here is a link to a reliable source:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_a ... 016437.ece

Nick - agree with the feel good factor, when I get into the office I may be knackered but I 'feel' really good!

BTW, other benifits include seeing my resting pulse rate drop from 65 to 45 since beginning the long road to fitness.

Dave - (IT Lecturer)

Even a journey of 1000Km begins with but a single pedal rotation.

A recent study actually places the Atkins diet at the top of the tree for efficacy

The diet does work - I speak from prsonal experience of using it.

The transcript from an Horizon programme dealing with the diet can be founds here http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2004/atkinstrans.shtml

A report on efficacy can be found here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6422619.stm

There are some caveats though I think that dismissing the diet out of hand based on hearsay is unwarranted.

FWIW - I couldn't cope with Atkins and vigorous exercise. I'm slowly losing weight by reducing calorie intake and increasing exercise though I don't skimp on the calories when Audaxing as bonking is not a very pleasant experience and recovering from bonking is long and slow.

[ncutler]

Whaaat do you mean "whenever weather conditions are ok",weather conditions are always ok for cycling.

Got me bank to rights there, revealed as a fair-weather cyclist. I am truly humbled: will I ever be allowed to post again ?

;-(

Nick

[reohn2]

Whaaat do you mean "whenever weather conditions are ok",weather conditions are always ok for cycling.

Got me bank to rights there, revealed as a fair-weather cyclist. I am truly humbled: will I ever be allowed to post again ?

;-(

Nick

Err go on then we'll let you off :0)

[dbrunner]

I have to say that I disagree with the efficacy claim for the Atkins diet. For many reasons, but primarily for the sample size and demographic. For a balanced view from a company that has a vested interest in keeping people healthy (BUPA) read the following, well balanced article into the current research.

http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_informatio ... 3diet.html

In a nutshell, eat a healthy balanced diet and exercise.

What amazes me is that portion control seems to have gone out of the window. Do you have any real idea of how many calories you consume in a day?

Here is a little experiment for you.. put your normal amount of breakfast cereal in a bowl, then measure out what the rda should be (need accurate scales). You may be surprised!

Dave

[peter236uk]

Well I am mad as badger and never been on atkins and have real trouble losing weight funny is think i am pretty fit cycle to and from work daily 12 miles each way about twice a week then train and 3 mile cycle each way other days
also referee rugby twice a week in season guess must be the food and wine but i am happy

[ransos]

What about the GI diest? Seems quite sensible to me - basically healthy eating with a twist.

[crazyace]

I often used Low Carb diets when I was bodybuilding with good results, as you can see in this link http://www.crazyace.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/3a.html But those workout in the gym were short and intense. I don't feel that I could reccomend it for cycling though. as cycling workout last a whole lot longer and a good supply of complex carbs. are essencial.