pogomom's Full Review: Robert C. Atkins M.D. - Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolu...
Wimpy! Wimpy! Wimpy!
Subtitle: I’ll Gladly Pay You Tuesday for a Sugar Cube Today
Revolution is the keyword around this household. Not mentioned in “Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution”: dealing with the up rise and revolt of family members which goes part and parcel with this diet plan. I consider the time spent counteracting the subterfuge and roadblocks, placed by my better half, a portion of my thirty minutes scheduled each day for vigorous physical exercise. Just this morning, I used a six-pack of contraband Lenders® Onion Bagels, discovered hidden behind the salami and corned beef, instead of a handball. My fury showed no bounds as I repeatedly smashed the once-beloved, former breakfast mainstay into our garage walls before making the perfect shot into the garbage can with the finesse of Michael Jordan.
I believe Dr. Atkins missed the mark in titling this revised and updated guide to his low carbohydrate diet. Where is the subtitle or disclaimer proclaiming, “This Diet Plan Is Not For Wimps!” My personal success utilizing this restrictive regimen, I attribute to the combined adherence and support of both members of this household. Stuck on a weight-loss plateau, my better half decided to fall off the low-carb wagon with a resounding thump. Until his change of heart, our morning routine included stepping happily upon our overpriced and painfully accurate Health-O-Meter followed by sharing the glad tidings. Nothing beats the reinforcement of seeing the numbers decrease from week to week. Each pound dropped serves as the benchmark for future success in reaching attainable goals. Tandem efforts turn dieting into a comfortable lifestyle; soloing for the first time makes life difficult at best.
In early September, I purchased the suggested trio of Dr. Atkins’ diet books from Amazon.com. Not one to test the water before diving in head first, I decided to take the advice of the rich and famous frequenting the talk show circuit that month. When evaluating the various carbohydrate-restricted programs touting their benefits across the media, one fact became clear. The only regimen with years of documented success was Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. As the daughter of a woman whose dieting experience spans decades; Dr. Atkins’ name evoked a positive memory from the distant past. Never having problems maintaining a healthy weight before reaching my mid-forties, I paid little attention to my mother’s discussions of her diet of the year. Looking back, I now realize my off-handed dismissal of her personal battle was folly. My size, shape and propensity towards chunkiness in mid-life is traceable to genetic make-up more than an addiction to Rum Raisin ice cream, Mocha Almond Fudge pie and Junior’s Cheesecake.
The logical approach detailed in “Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution” sold me on the weight-loss plan. The good doctor takes an adversary’s stand against the “Food Pyramid” used as the optimal guide for healthy eating. The number of people following that highly recommended method corresponds directly to the percentage of our population jumping from ‘normal’ or ‘healthy’ weight classes to the group labeled ‘obese’ (twenty percent or above beyond ideal weight) during the last two decades. Many of those adhering to the Food Pyramid’s structured determinations for a healthy diet discovered more than weight gain as a side effect. Dr. Atkins attests that metabolic disorders such as hypoglycemia and a slow metabolism are aggravated by the accelerated intake of carbohydrates and highly processed foods.
Dr. Atkins not only advises the reader but also educates through example, case histories and research compiled during more than twenty years. His specialized practice caters to those patients having a history of yo-yo dieting and failure attributed to unrealistic approaches to lifestyle changes. He offers no band-aid or temporary resolution to the weight problems brought to his attention. The Atkins diet becomes a way of life, hopefully second nature to those subscribing to his techniques, or the dieter eventually is faced with failure.
Several chapters, in this common sense approach to regaining health, deal with the often diagnosed disorder, hypoglycemia. Through a series of glucose tolerance tests and additional laboratory procedures, my diagnosis of hypoglycemia occurred twelve years ago. My physician offered nothing more than a few photocopied pages listing a wide variety of foods in two distinct categories. The long list contained those foods I should avoid. The shorter index listed those permitted consumables I should opt for when preparing my six daily small meals as prescribed for my particular disorder. With strict adherence to the new diet, I received the promise of relief from the myriad of those symptoms that initially brought me into the doctor’s care. For a dozen years I walked the tightrope, on a daily basis, in a very real attempt to keep the migraines, sweats, dizziness, palpitations, weakness and sudden pain behind my ear (warning of worse things to come) under control using the prescribed method with minimal success. Dr. Atkins addressed my personal battle directly with a concise description of the cause and offered a viable solution. After years of mediocre results with my physician’s plan, I decided to try the Atkins’ Diet.
I do not go into anything without personally researching all the angles and certainly not something this drastic without medical supervision. Dr. Atkins encourages everyone to start on the right foot by taking two very important steps. To quote the doctor:
“The Pre-Diet Steps:
Now, let’s look at those pre-diet steps. They’re both important. You should not do the diet without considering these questions carefully:
1. Stop taking unnecessary medications.
2. Arrange to have a medical check-up so you can determine your general state of health – and so you will be aware of your levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, insulin and uric acid before you start the diet. These are the blood tests that often change with drastic dietary change. Since these levels are at the center of controversy about what constitutes a healthy diet, you may regret not having a “before” level to compare with the “after” level.”
Dr. Atkins continues with definitions of which medications inhibit weight loss and what drugs combined with the diet may produce a dangerous overdose (diuretics fall into this category as the diet itself is a potent diuretic.) There are specific comments pertaining to anti-diabetes medications addressed in that chapter which I feel need to be discussed with one’s personal physician prior to the onset of any dietary changes.
Each of the specific blood chemistry tests, listed in the pre-diet discussion, is explained in layman’s terms. Other considerations, such as those foods and substances that directly contribute to the failure of this diet are covered in this and other chapters. Being a stickler for details, I followed Dr. Atkins suggestions regarding the laboratory tests and the omission of caffeine as preparatory measures. In addition, the suggestion of specific dietary supplements is something I considered mandatory to my success.
The diet consists of three distinct stages, the first of which is the fourteen-day “Induction Diet.” For two weeks, intake of carbohydrates is restricted to 20 grams per day coupled with the advised minimum consumption of 64 ounces of water. There are no other dietary restrictions in place during this period. While some report lethargy and extreme cravings during the induction process, my experience was the opposite. I felt renewed and energetic within two days of putting the diet into action. I happily noted that the cravings I expected did not materialize.
Once the Induction Diet phase ended, I was faced with determining the amount of success achieved. I progressed to the OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss) program with a new level of carbohydrate restriction not to exceed 40 grams. After several days the realization took hold that this was not adequate for sustaining weight loss and so, adjusted my diet accordingly. I make these adjustments periodically and find the diet is now second nature to me. When I reach my personal ideal weight, the progression to the “maintenance” level will seem natural and not like a holiday extravagance. The guidance provided by Dr. Atkins’s book permits great variety in my diet and affords no real desire to return to old habits.
The glorious side effect of implementing Dr. Atkins’ Diet is evident in my laboratory test results. I am not ‘cured’ of the aforementioned low blood sugar disorder; I simply have it under control. All previous symptoms no longer plague me when I fastidiously follow the simple plan. For that benefit, alone, I would continue with the major changes made in my eating habits. The secondary boon has been a slow, but steady weight loss over the past four months. I did not gain the pounds and inches overnight and so do not expect to lose them at a rapid pace.
I find the combination of “Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution” and “Dr. Atkins’ New Carbohydrate Gram Counter” essential tools for success in this endeavor. “Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Cookbook” served to assist in making my initial efforts more palatable. I find the book contains several great recipes and an equal number that do not appeal to my tastes. The cookbook provided a basis for substituting those ingredients in my own recipes that certainly would make those dishes non-Atkins approved in their original form. Most of the meals prepared in my kitchen, these days, are the same ones that helped add girth to our bodies. The appropriate substitutions permit our continued ability to enjoy the same recipes with only minor changes in the preparation process. Our diet includes fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs, nuts, fish, seafood, chicken and a very limited amount of beef and pork. The biggest dietary change has been in omitting processed foods such as breads, pasta and rice. In truth, on occasion, I miss pizza and the scent of hot breads baking in our oven but the beneficial attributes of this lifestyle makes any craving of those particular delicacies rapidly diminish.
While I highly recommend the Atkins’ Diet and the two necessary publications as tools for success, I must admit that this is only my third attempt at weight loss. Previous attempts include an ill-advised and entirely unsuccessful diet aided by Phen-Fen which may have caused permanent reoccurring health problems in the 28 days I ingested that medicinal cocktail. The other diet consisted of calorie counting and consuming only low-fat or no-fat items with the result of my gaining slightly less than ten pounds. I admit “Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution” is no walk in the park and in no way considered an enjoyable weekend’s reading matter. I advise devoting time into reading the background and history of the diet and carrying through the chapters relating to the ‘Induction Diet.” If you get that far, the rest of the book serves as a good reference tool to help guide through those plateau days and ease through to the next and final steps to successfully reaching the goal.
At the combined price I paid for both the New Diet book and the carbohydrate counter of less than ten dollars, including shipping costs, this diet is something to consider discussing with a trusted physician. Do your own research and come to your own decision; you have complete control of your health and well-being. As for this long-winded reviewer, at thirty-two pounds lighter, my goal is within reach and this week I graduate to the “maintenance” level. My remorseful husband is back on track and Lenders® Bagels can survive without us, I hope. Good luck in whatever avenue you take to reach your goals in life, I wish you happiness and success.
Weight loss, weight maintenance, good health and disease prevention through the Atkins nutritional approach.Dr. Atkins' original Diet Revolution helpe...More at HotBookSale
The phenomenal New York Times bestseller on this program for weight loss and maintenance, conceived by the #1 diet guru Dr. Robert C. Atkins, is revis...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.