Atkins = Stronger/Longer Hair?

[Lorraine]

For those ladies on Atkins or any restrictive diet where you're consuming a lot of protein and little or no sugar do you notice a considerable difference hair-wise? I'm on Atkins and since I stopped surviving on chocolate and sugar I feel good all over and my hair looks better, too.

I think it's just as important to track what you're putting in your mouth just as much as we track what we're putting on our hair.

 

[aregee]

seems like a protein rich diet would benefit the hair. i'm curious to see the responses to your question...

 

[Neroli]

Been on a "modified" atkins for over 6 years and I noticed differece in my hair (and skin) within months, much much stronger hair and my skin color became more even-tone and smoother (my nails also started getting looooong because no longer breaks and I don't do anything to them, no polish, no manicure but they grow to the point where I have to cut them back every couple of weeks -- that toes and fingers). I have only started really focusing on haircare within the last couple of years, but I think the combo of more protein, better hair regime & techniques, reduced heat, no blow drying, etc. has been as awesome combination.

 

[Lorraine]

Neroli, my hair and nails improved a lot. As I said I have always had a very poor diet but when I looked at my hair journal and compared photos taken only one month apart even I was

. It's not even confined to Atkins. A lot of ladies who regularly watch what they eat and have a lot of steak or fish seem to have a nice shine to their hair too. Hmmm...

Any other ladies see this?

 

[Poohbear]

Is there a set breakfast/lunch/dinner plan for the Atkin's diet or do u just eat more meats and proteins? Can someone post an example Atkin's diet???

 

[Lorraine]

[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Is there a set breakfast/lunch/dinner plan for the Atkin's diet or do u just eat more meats and proteins? Can someone post an example Atkin's diet???

[/ QUOTE ]

Poohbear,
I am not sure about the other ladies but here is my average meal plan. Keep in mind there are four phases in Atkins. The first phase (which is what I am on) is the strictest in terms of no sugar, no caffeine, bread, nuts, etc. OT - I dropped eight pounds in the first week.

Breakfast - high protein shake

Lunch - small chix caesar salad

Snack - high protein/low carb chocolate bar

Dinner - baked chicken or steak, broccoli

 

[rowandaP]

Hey, come to think of it I have noticed a difference.

I just thought it was time for my summer growth spurt.

 

[Poohbear]

[ QUOTE ]
LorraineG said:
[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Is there a set breakfast/lunch/dinner plan for the Atkin's diet or do u just eat more meats and proteins? Can someone post an example Atkin's diet???

[/ QUOTE ]

Poohbear,
I am not sure about the other ladies but here is my average meal plan. Keep in mind there are four phases in Atkins. The first phase (which is what I am on) is the strictest in terms of no sugar, no caffeine, bread, nuts, etc. OT - I dropped eight pounds in the first week.

Breakfast - high protein shake

Lunch - small chix caesar salad

Snack - high protein/low carb chocolate bar

Dinner - baked chicken or steak, broccoli

[/ QUOTE ]

WHAT?

You lost 8 lbs in one week with this above diet??? Amazing!!!

Did u exercise??? I exercise for 30 minutes every other day. If I do this diet and exercise, could I lose even more lbs.!?!?!! Maybe I'll see a difference in my hair as well! Awesome! I know everyone's body is different but Im gonna give it a try!

 

[Neroli]

[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Is there a set breakfast/lunch/dinner plan for the Atkin's diet or do u just eat more meats and proteins? Can someone post an example Atkin's diet???

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont' use any "set" foods when I started -- I just kept eating what was already in my kitchen, but cut down significantly on the carbs such as, rice, pasta, breads, potatoes, etc. I DO NOT exercise (just can't work it into my lifestye, too darn lazy!) and lost 15 lbs the first couple of weeks because I drastically (practically eliminated) all carbs from my diet. I slowly re-introduced carbs after 2 weeks but eat them in much smaller quantities and at separate times from proteins. I have maintained my ideal weight for the last 6 years doing this. I also take the following supplements to help my system handle the proteins:

-chromium
-digestive enzymes (contains bromelain, papain, pancreatin and other stuff to help breakdown proteins)

I DO occasionally indulge in eating what I crave, particularly around holidays when just can't get away from ice cream, cakes and cookies, but that's occasionally and every "diet" should be flexible enough to allow you to have the stuff you like or it won't last. So, I have ice cream, donuts, cakes, potatoes, rice, etc., but in small quantities and only ocassionally.

Please note: The low carb thing works for me precisely because I'm a couch potato and don't have a regular exercise plan. For those who workout regularly, low carbs may not be best because the body needs carbs to burn when working out. See couch potatoes don't "burn" carbs, we "store" it. Thus, over eating carbs and NOT burning it equals FAT. So my lazy solution is to cut carbs and my Dr. keeps giving my an "excellent" each time I good for checkup; I feel great and can wear stuff in my closet from when I was 18 -- it's absolutely works for me . . .

 

[Tracy]

You guys obviously don't have a sweet tooth of any kind.

 

[Neroli]

[ QUOTE ]
Tracy said:
You guys obviously don't have a sweet tooth of any kind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, girl, I do, I do! That is why I NEEDED to do something about my weight! Let me say that my advent into low carbs was precipated by the fact that during my first year of law school, I was over-snacking waaay too much on candies, specifically Almond Joy, during those hours and hours of sitting and reading those hundreds of pages! It was a real challenge at first, but the mineral chromium helps to cut sugar cravings by regulating insulin/sugar spikes in the blood (or something like that).

My father has been a diabetic all his life and my brother, a doctor, got him to start taking chromium supplements along with his other stuff to help keep his blood sugar balanced -- my dad is now managing the disease better today than ever. My brother also urged the rest us siblings to supplement a minimum of 200 mcg of chromium per day in order to help keep OUR blood sugar balanced and perhaps even prevent the onset of the disease. Diabetes is highly genetic and children of diabetics are prone to the disease. None of us, thank God, has manifested the disease yet.

Anywho, in researching this mineral, I found that it controls suger by suppressing the cravings in addition to moving it quickly and efficiently throught the blood. BTW, carbs, such as potatoes, rice, breads, pasta, etc. are broken down into SUGAR in the blood. When I finally understood that, it was like AHA! Another thing I found, chromium is almost eliminated in the American diet because of our agricultural proceses and practices which deprives the soil of this vital mineral, as a result, we don't get enough in our regular diets and thus we end up with a double whammy -- we eat too much carbs AND insufficient chromium in the diet to help the body handle the carb overload.

This is just one woman's understanding . . .

 

[Xena]

I have been on atkins for about 6 weeks and my skin is great with an even tone (less spots). My nails don't stop growing and my hair does seem stonger. I am also very anemic so I have also been consistent with my iron pills.
The combination has made a huge difference.

 

[Foxycus02]

This might burts some peoples bubbles but its the truth. I was on atkins n it worked, but it was hard to stick to. I follow my own modified version, including the carbs which your body needs such as Fruits, whole grains, low fat dairy. The rapid weight loss is true but its primarily for the first 2 weeks. Like any fast, short bolt diet the rapid weight loss is due to water weight. The truth is that the body cannot survive on such a low amt of carbohydrates and the effects could be very detrimental to your kidneys, liver, and BRAIN. The human brain requires a minimun of 130 carbohydrates to perform its daily functions, Such high consumption of protein releases very high levels of potassium & other minerals which over work the kidneys and liver, and though your hair & nail thrives at first from the extra protein, many who have followed the diet for years have reported severe hair loss, o and not to mention that horrible bad breath. Also many individuals stay on the induction phase because the diet is very restricting and hard to stick to, they fall off & start again,the diet was not intended to be a one-phase thing, And last but not least, Dr Atkins was overweight himself, he died of a heart attack. To many of us with a severe sweet tooth, the only way to maintain a healthy weight is a reduction in carbs. But if youre gonna do it, do it the right way. Look into the South beach diet or search it on the internet, there are many articles available. I mean Logically does it make sense that consuming pounds of bacon, butter, and other unhealthy fats could possibly be good for your body on a long term basis?

 

[Tracy]

I've been researching this for some time now - beyond the diet books....looking at medical journals etc. And the truth is theres nothing radical about Atkins.

Diabetics have been "cutting carbs" or controlling them in some fashion for YEARS. Before the turn of the century when rice, potatoes, table sugar etc became readily available this is how people lived almost exclusively. More diseases have thrived and proliferated in the low fat low cal era than ever before.

It is true that the body needs some carbs, but it doesn't need NEARLY the amount we give it today. The whole starving your brain scare tactic is just that...a tactic. Atkins may not be the plan for everyone, but the body can certainly survive without the daily overdose of carbs we give it. I havent checked out the South Beach Diet in detail but my understanding is that the two diets are not that much different. Theres a period of restriction and then you add some back in so you control your consumption...and your wieght.

 

[Neroli]

[ QUOTE ]
Tracy said:
I've been researching this for some time now - beyond the diet books....looking at medical journals etc. And the truth is theres nothing radical about Atkins.

Diabetics have been "cutting carbs" or controlling them in some fashion for YEARS. Before the turn of the century when rice, potatoes, table sugar etc became readily available this is how people lived almost exclusively. More diseases have thrived and proliferated in the low fat low cal era than ever before.

It is true that the body needs some carbs, but it doesn't need NEARLY the amount we give it today. The whole starving your brain scare tactic is just that...a tactic. Atkins may not be the plan for everyone, but the body can certainly survive without the daily overdose of carbs we give it. I havent checked out the South Beach Diet in detail but my understanding is that the two diets are not that much different. Theres a period of restriction and then you add some back in so you control your consumption...and your wieght.

[/ QUOTE ]

Tracy: Well said!

I am on a "modified" akins, which means I do NOT consume pounds of bacon and butter, that would be simply dumb. But I DO try to eat healthy by eating raw/fresh foods whenever possible, nuts/seeds for snacking (rather than candy bars) and fish/chicken, instead of pounds of pork/beef.

The central theme of atkins is to get people to cut down of the massive over-consumption of carbs, period. Doesn't mean totally eliminate carbs, it means CUT DOWN. Each may find a different way to do that, but that is the central idea, especially if you don't exercise regularly. You are correct, south beach ain't much different from atkins, its a knock-off with basically the same general guidelines -- cut the carbs and if you do eat carbs, eat the good ones.

My understanding is atkins did not die of a heart attack, but from a fall when he landed on his head (at least that's what the papers reported at the time).

 

[MizK9]

The facts into Dr. Atkins death was distorted. Her are some facts:

Atkins died in April at age 72 after slipping and falling on an icy street and suffering a severe head injury. He remained in a coma until taken off life support.

The Wall Street Journal said that the medical report listed Atkins' weight at the time of his death as 258 pounds. The 6-foot-tall Atkins would have been considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's body-mass index calculator.

The newspaper also said Atkins had a history of heart disease and heart attacks.

The weight cited in the medical report was added between the time of Atkins' accident and his death. Atkins weighed less than 200 pounds at the time he was injured. "During his coma, as he deteriorated and his major organs failed, fluid retention and bloating dramatically distorted his body and left him at 258 pounds at the time of his death, a documented weight gain of over 60 pounds," the doctor said in a written statement.

Veronica Atkins said her "husband's medical records have been reviewed by knowledgeable doctors and his medical condition discussed with cardiac specialists."

She said her husband had developed a condition called cardiomyopathy about three years before his death and did suffer a heart attack in April 2002, which he discussed openly in interviews. In an interview on CNN's "Larry King Live" in January 2003, Dr. Atkins said the heart attack may have been related to the cardiomyopathy -- a serious disease of the heart muscle.

He said his condition came from a viral infection, a common cause of cardiomyopathy. The problems were not connected to his diet, he said.
"Let me state emphatically that I have been assured by my husband's physicians that my husband's health problems late in life were completely unrelated to his diet or any diet," she said in a statement.

The New York City medical examiner said that Atkins died from the head injury.

********************************

So thats the story into Atkins death. It was NOT the diet.

 

[Integrity]

in the 4 weeks i did it i noticed 8 weeks worth of growth in four weeks!!!

 

[Valerie]

I myself found the Atkins diet hard to stick to. After the first two days, I was getting very dizzy, I myself started a modified Atkins diet. I eat more fruit, vegetables and I have pasta and rice very rarely now. The only thing I have is bread, I stick to two slices and I have more tofu, turkey, load fat beef(Weight watchers) more fish, Kippers, Salmon, Mackeral and I try to do more stretching, also I drink more water and try to drink warm water or cold water depending how hot the day is with lemon. In order to flush out my system.

 

[Foxycus02]

Clarification for those that might not of understood correctly what I was trying to relay. First of all I myself lead a "low-carb" diet. My main point is heed to how you go about it because alot of people are going about it the wrong way. The main reason why low carb diets work so well is because they keep you satisfied longer, n therefore there is a reduction in a caloric intake. Yet alot, of low carb eaters live off fatty steaks & grease, which we should all know the effect that can have on your system. As far the brain "tactic" a study done w/ 600 individuals in massachussetss proved that after a 4 yr study in which half the study group followed a lowcarb diet and the other half followed a low calorie diet the results were that at first the lowcarb dieters showed a significant weight decrease than the low calorie dieters but on a long term scale both weight loss rates were comparable, meaning relatively the same. Yet at the end of the study the individuals on the low carb diet had a great difficulty completing a a low complexity cognitive problem.That was taken from an article in June's SHAPE magazine. I do agree that on the average Americans consume much more carbohydrates than are required, I believe its on the 1000's when the body only requires 130. At that rate you can still lose weight. I dont even count carbs anymore, I just make conscious food choices. The constant thought of food calculations sometimes makes a diet harder to stick to because youre mind is always on food.

 

[Tracy]

I understood your point. I just disagree with the rationale and have read come across articles in medical journals that draw opposite conclusions from the ones you cited on issues like health, brain function and overall wellness when comparisons of lo carb and lo fat, reduced calorie diets were made by clinical studies. But to each his own. As we know well, theres research to support any point one wants to make. Mine, yours, and evetrything in between.

But were way off topic anyway.....

I do notice, Lorriane, that many women have mentioned better hair, nails and skin after leaving the carbs alone and taking in adequate amounts of protein. I think it has to do with the fact that the metabolism changes and causes the body to use the nutrients we ingest more efficiently.