Having 2nd thoughts about Atkins = too restrictive?

[Enchilada81]

I've been thinking about my meal choices for the next two weeks (Atkins Induction) and I just don't see how I'm going to be able to do it.

It seems far too restrictive to be realistic when you're part of a family of 5. I mean, not even allowed milk or fruit??

So I was thinking of maybe trying a strict "very low carb" diet instead but just not as extreme as atkins. For instance still cutting out bread, cereal, pasta etc but allowing myself the little extras like milk.

Will I still lose weight or is it all or nothing?

I'm thinking of doing the same - mainly concentrating on avoiding wheat and sugar. I have just done a google of 'low carb diet' and the Atkins review gives a poor write up (muscle wastage leading to reduced metabolism in the long term etc). We too are a family of 5 and I don't think I have time to do any fancy meal planning or food avoidance.

You could try a vegan-type diet by cutting out all animal products. Don't worry too much about scrutinizing every last ingredient for small amounts of animal derived products, but if you skip all meat, eggs and dairy you should see weight loss.
Much healthier and sustainable long term than the evil Atkins or low carb hunger inducing diets.

I hated doing the Atkins - felt so headachey and very aware of the dog-breath side-affect Also massively restrictive and therefore hard to maintain with a 'normal' family life and mealtimes. I'm doing a straightforward low fat, low carb, nothing processed diet - feeling good on it and easy to manage meals that suit me, DH and DDs. Go for brown rice and pasta, oat cakes, Ryvitas etc rather than no carbs at all. Agree is good to cut bread out altogether for a while if you can. Milk is essential - skimmed or semi-skimmed - for bones, skin and hair. I also can't cope without fruit - got horribly constipated on the first stage Atkins. Just go for more berries, apples, citrus etc and moderate amounts of banana, mango, pineapple etc. How can things that are so good for your body be banned?!

I didn't cut out milk when I was doing induction, and I lost 1/2 stone in the first two weeks.

Don't forget that some veg is very high carb as well.

Do Low GI instead - you can eat a variety of things (including chocolate) instead of weirdo things that give you bad breath and make you pile it back on again as soon as you stop. I worked with a woman who lost lots of weight on Atkins, but she piled it all back on again as soon as she stopped. Atkins isn't sustainable in the long term - no fruit is madness! - but Low GI is.

The whole point of it, as with any good diet, is obviously to lose weight, but to learn about nutrition and change your eating habits fundamentally, for good. I lost lots of weight using this book - highly recommend it.