Newly diagnosed and IR - anyone trying Atkins here??

singadiva · 01-01-2009, 02:00 AM

Hi all,

I'm a newbie (Kiwi girl in Sydney) with PCOS and now have been diagnosed with Insulin Resistance.

All the research I've done points to Atkins having the greatest effect on IR (and thereby PCOS).

Is anyone here doing Atkins at all? I also know PCOS/IR women will find it particularly difficult to get any quick weightloss result like others do so I'm looking for support and motivation! I've been doing Induction for a month now but Xmas/New Year caught me out and I've had to start over as weightloss stalled.

Cheers,

Diva

Christy Gray · 01-01-2009, 06:32 AM

Hi Diva

I've tried Atkins years ago, when trying to loose weight to have kids. I didn't like it myself, I just didn't 'feel' right doing it.

In the back of my mind i've always got the healthy food pyramid we were taught in health at school. So whenever I see a diet that excludes a particular food group almost exclusively it just sets of alarm bells.

I've been diagnosed as pre-diabetes by my doctor, which I guess you can just translate into IR. She put me onto a chronic management plan with her that involves going to see her every 3 months (bulk billed) so that she can monitor my medication, weight, etc. She also got me into this program for diabetes education.

It would be worth asking your GP if this is a national program or only state based for VIC. It's helped me ENORMOUSLY. I, surprisingly, learnt a lot I didn't already know, and it also gave me a lot of motivation because I saw people with diabetes in the group and it was a real eye opener.

It's always helpful to get your GP on board with your weight loss when you have PCOS. There's a lot of different options with medication etc that you would have available to you otherwise.

Mine actually let me go on Reductil for awhile to kick start some weight loss and it worked well for me. I lost 12kg doing.

Anyways, i am starting to ramble. Sorry. lol.

singadiva · 01-02-2009, 03:27 AM

Hi Christie,

The first time I tried Atkins I lost so much weight people begged me to stop and I felt fantastic! The problem was all the hysteria about it then and looking back I wasn't doing it properly - I was really almost doing the fat fast which caused a very rapid weightloss which was too much so I caved in to pressure.

I wish I hadn't now because new research is backing up Atkins all the time, in fact the American Diabetes Association just recanted it's stance against low-carb diets and is now beginning to endorse them as results are showing they REVERSE diabetes!

I've done so much more research this time and I've got to say Atkins is spot on for IR and Diabetes. There is an Aussie site calle apinchofhealth.com moderated by an Atkins-friendly doctor which has been a great help to me.

The problem for me this time around is that I am now firmly diagnosed as IR whereas the first time I was just PCOS. While my doctor has referred me to a hospital dietician, I just don't want to be told to start eating Low GI - that food pyramid pushes grains and things I haven't touched in years because I know darn well they bloat me and make me fat!

I guess I know in my heart I can never touch high carb anything ever again and I am looking to Atkins to make that final cut. I also have to say that in doing Induction I have NEVER eaten so much veg in my LIFE. Anyone who says Atkins is a high protein no carb diet clearly has not read the book! My lord, I struggle most days to eat the 12-15grams of Induction friendly veg!

Diva

bjsubritzky · 01-17-2009, 06:02 AM

I've just been diagnosed at IR as well and put onto Metformin by my doctor. He recommended South Beach diet, but basic rules he gave me were no potatoes, rice, wheat, pasta, bread, juice. Just protein, fruit and veg, trim dairy. Average weight loss for me has been between 0.5kg to 0.75kg per week. And, if I break the rules, I know it and the weight goes straight on just as quick!!

singadiva · 01-18-2009, 02:12 AM

Hi BJ,

That sounds pretty much just like Atkins but we have full fat everything so the dairy has to be double cream etc. Fat burns fat! I'm finding it very hard to lose weight at ALL so you are lucky. I'm now having my thyroid checked because the weight just won't shift.....Atkins chapter on Metabolic Resistance is truly frightening. Good luck with South Beach!

Diva