It worked before it didn’t work
Posted by Ron Coleman on March 8, 2007
William Saletan explains that despite the spin, a recent study demonstrates that the Atkins Diet really does work.
What was the spin? That no one stays on it.
Saletan’s right: Okay, so it works until you go off it. You can’t blame the diet for that. Now, saying it works is not the same as saying, “Go ahead and do it.” Because the latter is an overall recommendation that includes a prediction of success… and….
The likelihood of success on Atkins is, I would say, not high. Because everyone I know who has ever been on it has lost a lot of weight — a lot. And gained it back. A lot more. They’ve done nothing to learn how to eat less which is, let’s face it, what it’s really all about, long-term. And now they’re not only fat, or fatter, they’re mean. But a jolly mean.
So yes, Atkins works. Until it doesn’t.
Jack said
“It worked before it didn’t work”
A lot of things work out like that.
Or, maybe they don’t.
Ron Coleman said
Well, they did, but then they didn’t.
Ara Rubyan said
“I was for it before I was against it.”
FIAR said
That’s because it’s a deprivation diet. Physiologically it works, but then it takes it’s toll on the dieter who eventually caves in to the desire to eat all those delicious “forbidden” foods.
The problem is, you can’t do a deprivation diet in moderation. If you “cheat” the diet fails 100%. It’s all or nothing.