Atkins Diet Review

Overall Rating

Works quickly and effectively

Expensive, potential health issues, repetitive menus

The Atkins Diet, if followed ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES IN THE BOOK, is a very very effective low-carb weight loss programme and can also help control blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. However, many people find it difficult to follow correctly as it is very restrictive and most people cannot be bothered to read the literature.

The first 2 weeks or so you are very limited as to what foods you can and cannot eat and most people will suffer side effects of removing most of the carbohydrate from their diet and will feel tired, sluggish, suffer headaches, constipation (or the opposite) and will generally feel awful. If you can get through the first 2 weeks, things do improve. You find your appetite decreases, you stop craving sweet food and starch and the weight will come off.

On the negative side, it is very expensive to stock a fridge full of meat and cheese. The blandness of what you're allowed in the early phases can be a turn off. Alcohol and caffeine are no-no's and if you slip up or come off the diet the weight does pile itself back on very very rapidly.

On the whole, if you feel this is a plan you can stick to long-term then go for it, but be very very careful to read the literature and follow Atkins' guidelines properly because otherwise you do risk damaging your health.

Members' Comments onMindy's Review

• colesmama on 19th Dec 2003

  The Atkins diet isn't about "stocking your fridge with meat and cheese". It may cost more at first to have to replenish your cupboards and fridge full of healthy whole foods, rather than all of the sugar filled junk, but its worth it.
  Yes the first 2 week phase may be a bit restrictive food wise, but the amount of weight that you lose is significant ( for most) and definately worth it. You get to add in different foods weekly, and with the "low carb craze", supermarkets are full of low carb substitutions for many favorites.
  All in all, it definately takes willpower, but if you want to lose weight this is a wonderful way to do it.

• Mindy on 19th Dec 2003

  You're right, it is an important point, that if you follow the diet correctly you only really limit the veg for a few weeks. Many people will find they eat MORE vegetables on Atkins. I did find, however, that rather than eating fully vegetarian meals we were having to buy twice the amounts of meat, cheese, eggs, etc. that we would normally purchase.
  
  It's also worth noting that many people make use of the various low-carb products to supplement the lack of carbs in their diets but these products are often just as unhealthy as the high-carb items they replace and don't deal with the issue of cravings at all.

• Kelly Sparey on 24th Aug 2004

  I agree with this review as well as the comments. Just wanted to add that in order for the Atkins 'Diet' to be truly successful long-term, as in for LIFE, the 'dieter' needs to be convicted that certain types of carbs are unhealthy, and view the 4th phase called "Lifetime Maintenance" as a way of eating for LIFE (as the phase title implies). In other words, if you want your weightloss with Atkins to be permanent, you need to be prepared to 'do Atkins' permanently.
  This may not be the most helpful comment, but this particular emphasis is really hitting home with me. I notice that I definitely feel better, have more energy, look better (hair, skin, complexion, weight) and eat healthier whole foods when doing Atkins. I gain weight quickly and feel bloated, depressed and sluggish when I go off Atkins. I know what I prefer...it just takes a real commitment to saying 'no' certain carbs.
  Oh, and I have a question about low carb alternatives to high carb foods: What low carb immitation brands do you trust to be healthy as well as low carb? (ie. Atkins, Ketogenics, Dietline, CarbRite, etc.)