Do what mrinertia has suggested. It's good sound advice. The problem with atkins and running is the lack of carbs. You absolutley need carbs for running. So beware of any diet that is low on carbs.

Well I think you people harping on the word "diet" should realize that "The Abs Diet" is a very misnamed book (no doubt some idiot at Mens Health marketing thought it would sell better if it had that name).

It's not really a diet program, in that he doesn't tell you: you can do this, you can't do this. You should eat X number of Y per day, etc.

What he does is goes through a laundry list of foods that are great for you (nuts, fruit, berries, seeds, veggies, eggs, lean meat, dairy, peanut butter, whole grain products, olive oil, basically anything you could want), and then a shorter list of foods that aren't so great for you (basically just HFCS and trans fats and enriched flour).

He also is a big advocate of eating one "off the record" meal per week of whatever you want.

Then he spends the rest of the book on workouts, which he advocates heavy compound lifting (squats (real barbell ones), deadlifts, bench, military press, etc).

If you workout like this, and eat reasonably well, you will drop body fat like nothing.

One critique I have on it is he is a bit heavy on the protein, even reccomending whey supplements.

I used it as a resource (one out of many), and not as a bible, so I can't say I was "on the abs diet", so take my endorsement with a grain of salt. But I do agree with most of what he says and I do reccomend reading the book.

I've only lost 175 lbs so far, still have 75 more to go. It's been a long journey, and what I have found is that as I have progressed, my diet has gotten simpler, not more complex.

I can fully describe my current diet plan with two words "eat sensibly."

However, I needed the experience that I have now to understand what "sensibly" meant. When I weighed 425 lbs, and ate mcdonalds for breakfast, chinese buffett for lunch, and a frozen pizza for dinner every day, "sensibly" meant skipping my daily venti frap at Starbucks.

If I had adopted the mantra of "eat sensibly" when I started, it would have been an exercise in frustration.

Instead I started out with very strict dieting, that most people would say is unsustainable. While it was unsustainable, it gave me experience to learn about nutrition, and learn about what is reasonable and what isn't.

Nowadays I live with no rules. I largely eat what I want. I don't count calories, figure out carb/fat/protein ratios, or restrict certain foods. I have a beer every night, oftentimes I swap it for ice cream or a brownie. And I'm still dropping weight at a rate that I'm happy with. But it took a lot of work to get there.

http://This message has been edited by kponds (edited May-14-2007).

quote:<HR>Originally posted by cgerber:
Losing weight, while extremely hard to do, is very simple math and there's no magic bullet, pill, or diet, no matter what the billions of dollars diet industry would suggest.<HR>

I have to admit, the nail was struck squarely on the head on this one... It really comes down to a simple formula known as "calories in-calories out". Do more of the latter and less of the former, get off your duff, and things will, albeit slowly perhaps, take care of themselves...

Remember, folks, while a calorie is still a calorie, not all calories are made equal. I have done my best to eat whole foods (i.e. as unprocessed as possible), and it has worked very well for me over time.

I can run on a low carb diet too, but not fast. Some people break through and train their bodies to perform on fat or other fuel, but there is no better way to replenish glycogen stores that with carbs. There is no way I could do the volume I do at the intensity I run without carbs nor could anyone else. Atkins is great for losing a lot of weight quickly. A 200 pound weight loss will produce way faster times on its own. I admire your weight loss efforts. That takes a lot of self discipline and strength to do what you have done. Once you get closer to your goal weight though you will have to turn to carbs again or you will not have the energy to train properly for improvement.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by bowulf:
The question is what is "properly for improvement." I am doing 35 mpw and have been at goal for nearly 2 years. My half marathon PR dropped recently 6 minutes from previous one. I may never be fast or win my age group -- even when in Basic Training my best 2 mile time was 13:45. I am fortunate enough to be at that time now seventeen years later at age 35. My glycogen stores have been depleted for nearly 3.5 years now, and I personally appreciate that I never have to worry about bonking after my stores are gone and having to switch to burning fat. I am by no means an expert about running, but it is certainly a myth that one needs carbs to run or do cardio (Dr Stephen Phinney proved that -- http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/1/1/2).[/URL" target="_blank">


<HR>

You never have to worry about bonking after your glycogen stores are gone? That is the medical description of what bonking is. You don't mention your marathon times. Half marathons aren't long enough to run out of glycogen stores, even if on a low carb diet. Most people can run 18 to 20 miles on stores. Once your glycogen stores are depleted, however, you will slow down, guaranteed. Go out and run 30 miles on nothing but water and electrolytes and let us know how it goes for you.

As for the original topic...for me it was:

1. Accepting that fact that I needed a lifestyle change. Not one thing, but many small things adding up to a healthier "self".
2. Eating more fruits and veggies. A lot more.
3. Eating smaller portions, yet more frequently. I am very rarely "stuffed" anymore.
4. Less fast and fried food. A lot less, really.
5. Running a few thousand miles in the last year.

Btw, congratulations to each and every one of you.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Brian McN:
It's all about balance.

http://www.nismat.org/hot/highfat.html[/URL" target="_blank"><HR>

Although I am not at all a fan of the low-carb thing, just seems wrong to me, there is no question "It's all about balance" is SPOT ON wisdom.

With everything in life, if taken to extreme is bad. Maybe not at first, but eventually it will. So finding a nice balance that works for you is great. Just make sure it is SUSTAINABLE plan, so once it's off, it stays off

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Docster:
You never have to worry about bonking after your glycogen stores are gone? That is the medical description of what bonking is. You don't mention your marathon times. Half marathons aren't long enough to run out of glycogen stores, even if on a low carb diet. <HR>

My point is that in the first two weeks of the Atkins Diet you deplete your glycogen stores. This depletion brings about the Induction flu symptoms which essentially mimics bonking over a prolonged period of time. Depending on the amount of carbs you bring back into your system raises or lowers your glycogen stores.

I agree pcsrondo - you have to find out what works for you. What works for me is obviously not for others.