Atkins for Life: The Complete Controlled Carb Program for Permanent Weight Loss [Paperback]

The book "Atkins for Life" is an excellent resource book. It is filled with practical advice and tips on how to make your low carbohydrate weight loss a permanent success.

Over the years Atkins name has been maligned and sneered at as he pioneered the idea that its not the fat in our diet that makes us fat its the excessive amounts of carbohydrates we have been consuming. The low fat diet was presented to Americans as the best way and the healthiest way to lose weight. However, recent research has revealed the low fat diet to be a miserable failure. As the fat has been taken out of the diet carbohydrates have been added in their place and many Americans have become obese and unhealthy. Dr. Atkin's proposal that eating less carbs can lead to weight loss and better health has been vindicated.

The Atkins weight loss method is a 4 step approach. Phase 1 INDUCTION is where you limit your carbs to 20 grams per day to jump start your weight loss program. Phase 2 OWL or ONGOING WEIGHT LOSS allows you to slowly add back carbs until you discover the amount of carbs you can eat and still lose weight.
Phase 3 PRE-MAINTENANCE has you slow your weight loss by adding in more carbs so good eating habits become ingrained. And in Phase 4 LIFETIME MAINTENANCE you learn to enjoy a wider variety of foods and maintain your weight loss. This book "Atkins for Life" discusses each of the phases but is mainly concerned with Phase 4 LIFETIME MAINTENANCE.
You can learn what to do to lose weight with this book, but for in depth information, you would be better off selecting "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution".

This book covers in great detail how to maintain the weight you have lost. Part One: A Lifetime Plan recaps the Atkins program. It includes information on the diet, the effect on your body, putting it into practice and how to benefit from exercise. Part Two: Eating for Life teaches you how to get your kitchen in order, and gives thirty meal plans with carb counts. It includes twenty meal plans for special occasions. 125 recipes for success are also given.

YES you can eat carbohydrates. You can have bread, cake and pizza or even wine. The key of course is knowing how many carbohydrates your body can handle each day without gaining weight. And using techniques to get the most bang from your carbohydrate buck. These techniques are taught in the book. For example if you crave bread Atkins has several pages of information to help you make the best selection. Breads are ranked on their ability to effect your insulin levels. There are also tips on how to enjoy bread without overdoing it such as eating the crust only. Atkins shares techniques like this for a variety of foods.

Comfort foods are a big issue for many. Atkins tells you what to choose or what to substitute. Eating out is another area covered. Best choices at different restaurants is given in detail. Atkins also includes mental tips to help you avoid backsliding.

Key to the book is the detailed menu plans given for 4 ranges of carb levels at 45g, 60g, 80g and 100g . Just adjust up or down so you are at your level (which you learn from his diet). Meal plans are simple and include snacks. A sample day for a 60 g plan would include 1 slice lemon zucchini bread, with an egg and ricotta cheese for breakfast. Meat loaf with whole-grain bread and salad for lunch.
Jerk shrimp with pasta or collard greens for dinner and 1/2 cup of cantaloupe for a snack. Carb counts are given so you can substitute as desired.

Crab Deviled Eggs, Cherry Muffins, Mixed Berry Shortcakes, Pinwheel Cookies, Roasted Chicken and Feta Cheese Wrap, Chocolate Souffle and Southwestern Style Pork Fajitas are among the 125 recipes. Recipes include nutritional information, but are not pictured.

The 370 page book also includes self tests and quizzes to help you stay on task. My favorite part of "Atkins For Life" has to be the success stories. There are a number of remarkable stories in the book with black and white photos included! Very inspiring!

The book "Atkins For Life" makes living a low carb life in our high carb world easier and enjoyable! I highly recommend it!

Then a friend told me about Atkins. At first I scoffed, but I went out and bought the book anyway. I bought it and read it BEFORE reading the reviews on this site. I wish I had read the reviews first because that alone would have provided the motivation I needed to get going.

I went on the induction phase of the diet for two weeks and lost, I kid you not, 16 pounds! I then attempted, more or less successfully to stay on the induction for 8 months over which time I lost a total of 55 pounds.

I am still loosing and will stay on the diet until I reach my target weight of 175 - 180 pounds. Another 20 pounds or so.

I actually find being on the induction diet easier than trying to modulate my carb intake. I am a carboholic and am just more comfortable avoiding them altogether. It takes 7 - 14 days to rid yourself of your carb craving. BUT, don't cheat. Read the book carefully and adhere to it meticulously. You will loose weight.

Now there are those naysayers who whine that they can't stay on the diet or that they feel too deprived. And maybe the diet isn't for everyone. But if you love to eat, hate to count calories, and want an approach that WILL work and more importantly that you CAN do - this is the diet for you.

I've resigned myself that I must eat like this for the remainder of my life. Actually not quite as draconian, BUT if I want to stay fit I will have to cut down drastically on carbs.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention. I feel great. No more post meal energy crashes. And I feel 20 years younger. I honestly had forgotten how easily I used to move around.

I can't wait for the next 20 to come off. And I KNOW that it will. Don't listen to the nattering nabobs of negativity. Go for it. Just do it!

Good luck.

The Atkins Diet has worked for me. I've been on the diet for a year and have followed the rules to the letter. And you know, it's not all that hard. It was difficult at first to give up food products that are the norm in our culture: breads, cereals, bagles, and a host of sweets. But now that I've found alternative for these things, I really don't miss them.

As touted in the Atkins program (as well as the South Beach Diet), protein is the mainstay of this way of eating. But most importantly, this lifestyle change has taught me how to read labels -- how to identify what's good and what's not so good about the foods I used to consume. What's not so good is the amount of sugar and other empty calories that make up the majority of the food we eat. Stuff I used to ignore until I turned twenty-five and my metabolism decided to slow down a bit.

While the book may seem extreme at times, its message is that we've been brainwashed by corporations hat want to push their not-so-healthy products down your throat at the expense of your health and your pocket book. Heck, if you keep coming back for more, they'll keep making it. The addictive nature of these foods almost make them as unhealthy as cigarrettes. You'll also come to see that most low fat produts will have the reverse effect on you -- you might not have to worry about the fat as much as the sugar that's added to make the product palatable.

Now that I've been on the diet for a year, I've learned what my limitations are. While I do eat a lot of meat, I also eat a lot of vegetables, fruit, eggs and some whole grains. There's a balance I've come to maintain. As a result, I've lost and kept off a good twenty-five pounds. The jeans in the back of the closet fit again, my cholesterol has gone down, and I feel good.

I've found that the diet seems to be more effective for males than females. Just an observation, but that's the trend I've observed. I do see that it works. But it doesn't work for everyone. As the book says, I would definitely consult your doctor before doing anything like this. That is of the utmost importance. But I have seen positive results from this way of eating and I will probably maintain this lifestyle as long as I continue to feel good and benefit from it.

The key is to read the book first -- don't go by hearsay -- there are a lot of misconceptions about this way of eating out there. But look what it's done to the food industry. How many low carb alternatives are you seeing out there? And why are so many people adapting to this? Because it works. Read for yourself and see if it's for you.

We as a society have been gorging ourselves and getting fat on high carb, low nutrient foods. They're quick and easy, but they are so unhealthy. And sure, there are those rare individuals that can eat anything they want -- they're the exception. But the majority of us out there aren't like that. This book may be just the thing you're looking for to lose and keep off those years of extra pounds you've reluctantly accumulated.