Atkins For Life - The Complete Controlled Carb Program For Permanent Weight Loss And Good Health, Book Club Edition

by Robert C. Atkins

It is bread and not butter that is the enemy in Dr. Atkins's popular and controversial low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet. In In Atkins for Life, he continues his decades-long crusade against low-fat eating. Atkins argues that low-fat meals are high-carbohydrate missiles, causing the body to produce excess insulin, which then produces fat, slows down metabolism, and tips the scale. Instead, he urges readers to stop counting calories and fat grams and start counting carbs to rev up their metabolism and burn fat as an energy source. The question of whether "ketosis," the fat meltdown he advocates, is healthy or harmful is a central question of this sequel to the bestselling Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. Packed with recipes, menus, carbohydrate counters, and strategies for staying with the plan, this book is less clear than its predecessor. It veers back and forth between how to begin and how to maintain "a controlled carbohydrate lifestyle." It is also more promotional, with photos of satisfied slim folks and pitches for the branded Atkins products. Still, with its pages of testimonials and studies about weight loss, lowered cholesterol, and increased energy, it is hard to argue with Atkins's results. He puts his proof in the pudding. --Barbara Mackoff

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Food, Diets, Reference, Nutrition

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Robert Coleman Atkins, MD was an American physician and cardiologist, best known for the Atkins Nutritional Approach (or "Atkins Diet"), a popular but controversial way of dieting that entails eating low-carbohydrate and high-protein foods, in addition to leaf vegetables and dietary supplements.

Reviews

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offers a great explanation of the fact that Atkins is really a permanent lifestyle... NOT just a diet you do until you reach your goal weight. For those starting out, you really need to read "New Diet Revolution" first... but "Atkins for Life" is great as you prepare to move through the phases.

[Daylene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I'm still fat, so apparently you have to APPLY the self-help book to your life in order to benefit from it. That sucks! LOL

[Thomas Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Atkins for Life, Robert C. Atkins, M.D., 2003, 370 pages, ISBN 0312315228, Dewey 613.25

Here he adds carbs back, presuming the weight has been lost.

OK: pp. 39-40
green leafy vegetables
asparagus
green beans
broccoli
brussels sprouts
butter beans
cabbage
cauliflower
celery
cucumber
eggplant
mushrooms
okra
pea pods/snow peas
peppers
radishes
water chestnuts
zucchini

OK: p. 42
almonds
brazil nuts
coconut
hazelnuts/filberts
macadamias
pecans
pine nuts
walnuts

OK: p. 43
chickpeas/garbanzos
hummus
kidney beans
lentils
minestrone soup
navy beans
peas, dried/split
soybeans
tofu

OK: pp. 42-44
berries
apple
cherries
grapefruit
kiwi
orange
peach
pear
plum
tangerine

Instead of ice cream: berries in heavy cream

Instead of a fruit smoothie: blend berries, ice, heavy cream, and Splenda

Indian restaurant: pp. 116-117
* shahi paneer (cheese in tomato sauce) instead of samosas (pastries)
* roasted eggplant instead of pakora (fritter)
* chicken soup instead of lentil soup
* korma (meat in cream sauce) instead of biryani (rice)
* tandoori instead of vindaloo
* curry or kebab instead of dal or saag

Fatty fish: p. 145
salmon, tuna, halibut, sardines

[Elizabeth A. Rochel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate diets but this isn't really a diet it's a game changer.

[Cecilia Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

its alright has recipes at the end of the book which I liked the most. which count calories a meal planner as well is included in this book ok read .

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Charlie Lake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read so many other books on keto/low carbohydrate eating I thought it sensible to read one by Robert Atkins who was one of the original proponents of the low carb diet. This one was written in 2004 prior to most of the other books on the topic were written. It was also published in and around the time of his death. Strangely nutrition seems to suffer from the same politics as contentious issues like Climate Change with the Low Fat, high fat and vegetarian lifestyles constantly sniping at each other. Far from this political discourse and rivalry being helpful it has left most of us confused as to what to eat. Even the Doctors and cardiologists are behind the times focusing more on intervention rather than prevention (good diet). Far from the scare stories we have heard in the media, that Atkins recommends that you exist on daily bacon and eggs.....this book focuses on just about the same approaches that all the other more recent Low carb books do and that is simply eating sensibly using protein as a tool to avoid hunger and including a wide variety of vegetables and fruits as the basis of a sensible diet. It also strongly recommends the avoidance of sugar, processed foods and white flour products which are highly glycemic and which are the the primary cause of disease.

Atkins was a cardiologist who died at the age of 72 when he hit his head in a fall and not from a heart attack as anti low carb proponents reported.

Certainly I can testify to the efficiency of this diet and how helpful it has been for me. I have lost 56 pounds in six months. It is also easy to keep the weight off while eating pretty well anything I want with the exception of sugar or white flour and vegetable oil infused foods. His diet advice as of 2004 is actually milder and easier to follow that many of the more recent ketogenic book recommendations.

Definitely recommended.

[Meran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent guide to eating lighter, especially when the carbs need to be less, because of medical reasons, as in diabetes.

[Teri Stich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recently, this book can across my desk as a donation. I, as with most of the people I know, need to lose a couple of pounds the winter has added to my frame, so thought I’d give it a read. I have not read the previous Atkins, so I don’t know if this continues where they left off (as it seems) or whether the premise has changed. This “Diet” actually makes sense in many ways. The focus is on reducing/eliminating processed foods, extra sugar and other things we all know are not good things. While I have heard “Atkins” was all about eating lots and lots of meat, according to what I read in this book that’s not true. Protein is important but not excessive, and it is mentioned many times throughout, this can be accomplished by vegetarian means as well. The early stages for the program has you eating more but as you go through the program and slowly add more carbs, the amount drops. One of my problems with this “diet” is I do not believe vegetables should be limited. There is nothing better for you than lots of vegis!
My other issue is with the pushing of “Special Foods and Supplements”, of course, sold by them. Really!?! On one hand it promotes eating “real food” but, well, not sugar, you should use “Artificial Sweeteners” instead? How does that make sense? Oh well they all have their angles.

[Jostalady]

I gave it a full two weeks. I was melting away fat, I loved what I was eating, I felt great and then I tried to cheat and have my favorite Starbuck's mocha. It did not taste at all like it should, it was awful! To make sure it was the new diet and not a barista in training, I bought a quality controlled liter of Moutain Dew with the same awful results. Is life worth living if you can't cheat on your diet and enjoy it? It took a few weeks before chocolate tasted good again and I never looked back.

[Lyndsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did the Atkins diet several years back & lost over 50 pounds on it. It really does work. However, it is not something I could do for the rest of my life and once I went off, I gained everything back. I'm now on Weight Watchers & lost 45 pounds on that (then got pregnant and am now starting over). But, I can do WW for the rest of my life and not feel deprived, I couldn't say the same for Atkins.

[Martin Bihl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tolerably well explained introduction to the diet

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Works if you FEEL like STARVING to death! Horrible Way to live!!!!!!!! Unhealthy!

[Gita · Rating 3 out of 5]

It really works, but it made my groceries bill sooo expensive. I haven't been able to do it again, I love CARBS : sangu panas jeung sambel jeung lauk asin.. YUM!!

[Faizah Roslaini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tentang diet Atkins:

http://ohpocet.blogspot.com/2010/10/w...

[Paul Stonge · Rating 5 out of 5]

good information about controll carb living ,helped alot with fitness goals

[Mary Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the information and tips to be very helpful. The recipes, generally speaking, didn't appeal to me. I'll try some of them again, though.

[Kaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

good information about controll carb living Atkins comes and go's but is all way's around , good to revisit .

[Kathy McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A significant amount of information about a healthy lifestyle. Not nearly as "scary" as his early books. "Low carbs" didn't sound quite as negative and depressing as it seemed.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new here. I have read most of the Atkins books and I think they are now just recycling the same information. Not worth the price.

[Subject900 · Rating 2 out of 5]

nothing new. same stuff from previous books repackaged.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative and helpful book. Everything is explained in a way that makes it very easy to understand.

[Roxane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am not sure the program is do-able for me (at least for a life time) - but does provide a lot of common sense info re: eating healthy...

[J Crossley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Dr. Atkins expands the Atkins Diet to a permanent lifestyle. The first half is a recap of the diet, and the second half is filled with recipes.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never actually finished this one. I don't want to do low carb forever.

[Rose]

613.2 Atk

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

read first part and need to do this. life depends on it.