What did you eat today? 09/28

Yea.. Jerz.. In my first post I said 58%.. in my second I said "excess".  I'm pretty confident in this... or I'd be in a coma by morning.  Instead of a 150 bs, I'd see a 700.  That's also why I said some diabetics find a "fat snack" beneficial instead of protein.  We tell our bodies that there's NO fast by having the snack... but if we trip up and eat too much protein, the spike will be even higher.

Yup saw that later after I posted.  Was reading backwards on recent posts.

The dangers of Atkins IMHO are bubkiss.  The perception of the dangers are simply caused by misinformation.  Take a look at my blog.  I've pulled every study I could find to support my decision.  Besides the fact that it's the only thing effective for me, I wanted to know I was doing best by my body.  Since I'm in the healthcare sciences, I pulled the studies for my own knowledge, but they're out there.  More than likely, those who talk about the perception of dangers are just ingrained into a single belief and frankly, missing a huge boat.

I don't think we can generalize.  Atkins diet helped put my brother in his grave by shutting down his kidneys according to the doctors.  No.. that didn't scare me off!  I know his chemistry was different than mine although we are blood related.  I also saw obesity and both types of diabetes ravage my family in many different ways -  from blindness to TB and heart failure.. and everthing in between so I know we just "react" differently.. even within the same blood line - nevermind no relation what so ever.  Can we agree that for SOME folks, it's not the best way to go while for people like you and I it is a great way of getting nutrition and achievieving weight loss and other health goals?

Well, we can agree to disagree. 

I just don't believe that it is hard on the kidneys because...generally speaking...it's not a high protein diet...it's a high fat diet.  If you do it right, you're likely getting just the amount of protein your body needs, not more...and isn't it the protein issue that is related to the kidneys?  Anyway, I can only speak for myself.  My weight won't move on the same calories, massive exercise and low fat.  ANd I also think those who think poorly of Atkins think of it only as its misperception.  It's not about bacon and eggs and butter and steak and hollaindaise sauce and wings and pepperoni.  It's about proteins and fats and veggies.  If you're not getting in your veggies, your not doing Atkins, but your own version of it.  KWIM? 

My diet is not much different than my trainer's, just a little more veggies and different carbs.  I get carbs, from veggies, I eat bread--only it's flax bread, I eat jicama instead of potatoes, etc., etc.  I mean like today's meals, who can find fault?  HB eggs, chicken salad over lettuce, broccoli and seafood salad, steak and veggies for dinner.  Sounds quite healthy....

Frankly, it's like any ketogenic diet and there's a reason body builders do it to cut. 

BTW, I hit a new high, er low today--am in the high 250s.  How I've wanted this.  I'm wearing a 14 top and a 16/18 bottom.  Cool, huh?  I'm now a runner, boxer, weight lifter, kettle bell-er, etc.  I'm loving what I'm becoming--this "athlete".  I can give the 20 year olds heart attacks trying to keep up with me, too funny.  My trainer is 20 and we do the same workouts (only I'm stronger)--go figure!  THe heatlhy nutrition of Atkins and the exercises I do--got me there and are taking me further....  Love it.

You study health sciences.... you don't agree that people with compromised organ functions and various disorders should be more well rounded with their nutrition?  I can guarantee you.. my brother is dead and buried and the kidneys didn't go south until he hit the fats and proteins.  Oh.. he lost 140 lbs.. but it did him no good without kidneys and people with diabetes MUST have fully functional kidneys in order to tolerate this way of eating.  When a loved one dies, we tend to dig as deep as we can to find out why... so the digging was SO there!  Now.. what I choose to do with that information is up to me.  I choose to say - it's a GREAT way of eating.. but it isn't for everyone... just like another way of eating isn't for you yet is GREAT for someone else.  It can't be that you really feel that your way is the only way for everyone?  Is it?  There are so many successful WW folks that I choose to accept that my way isn't the only way.. just the only way for me!  :)

I think even ATKINS himself cautions people to seek advice before beginning this way of eating.  I don't think that's a stretch in the least to advise people to ... by all means... proceed.. but proceed with caution.  I don't guess.. I get function tests... I strongly recommend this to everyone for their own health and safety in no matter WHAT program they choose. 

I'll agree to disagree because it just makes good sense that we're not all made the very same.

Oh, you miss my point.  I do agree different bodies, different needs, but what I disagree with is that Atkins is hard on the kidneys.  How can it be when it's not high protein unless the person does their own version?

I think we have to consider our own histories when we think of the level of protein.  Let's say from a little kid you filled up on a lot of bread and pasta.. common in big families - it's cheap.. goes a long way, and keeps everyone from being hungry.  Some people do ok with this, but a percentage of people (greater than what we suspect) are vvvvvverrrry sensitive to it.  So.. later in life we drop all of that and start hittin' the chicken and eggs and whole foods rather than the processed...... the protein intake is certainly increased.  I can say it was a HELL of a jump in my protein intake.  I'm shocked I still had hair and fingernails when I looked back on it.  Fortunately my kidneys were healthy when I started this so I believe it actually helped with a deficiency.. now..  I'm not so sure - I'm getting a kidney study.  If my kidneys can't handle that increase in protein.....  I gotta go back to hittin' the salads, cut the eggs, all that good chicken and so forth to help them function more efficiently.

For some people.. it puts a strain on their kidneys.. it certainly does.  I'm not going to say "well, that's THEIR fault their kidneys aren't in the greatest shape to begin with".. that's plain ol' silly.  I definitely believe that our organs start their conditioning in the womb.. starting with the nutrition of the mother.............  so there could be a number of reasons why some people just can't the increase in PROTEIN and FAT in their daily diet.

I know I replaced a hell of a lot of carbs but I didn't go hungry at all!  I replaced them with fats and proteins and reduced the number of calories overall that I take in because of it.  It's a beautiful thing.. well. you already know this, I don't have to rave to you - but for some folks it could be dangerous.  Hell, if I knew THIS STUFF ahead of time, I would have never agreed with my bro when he started this.. so I say to all - better to be safe.. know what you're dealing with.. accept what your body likes and dislikes and just do your do babycakes!

interesting.

I have logged my intake from when I did other diets to Atkins.  Other than when i tried to build muscle, my protein was the same.  ((shrug))

And for it to definitively lead to kidney problems, there would be a whole host of folks dealing with that--bodybuilders for example.

I will say, if there's already disease, then sure, it's not right for them.

But ultimately, Atkins is high fat, not high protein, so the concept of kidney problems from Atkins is IMHO primarily tied to the misperception that it's a high protein diet.

Opinion shared as food for thought, not to diminish your personal loss or feelings on it.

Hey.. I like this diet... and I'm happy you're so into it.. but I'm not going to close my mind to the possibilities of health issues.. especially  having seen them first hand.