Cons: None, he presents both sides but do your own research.
The Bottom Line: This book is a must have both to read and use for reference if you are going the low-carbohydrate route or just are interested in that way of eating.
jo.com's Full Review: Robert C. Atkins M.D. - Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolu...
This is a totally redone review of Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution first written in April 2000.
The New Diet Revolution became a best seller and Atkins' followers are adamant about his diet. I am not reviewing the diet having done that already. This is a review of the book. Having said that I do have to tell you that his book is based on a low carbohydrate diet and as it says on the cover “The amazing no-hunger weight loss plan that has helped millions lose weight and keep it off.”
The Contents:
The book is broken up into 5 parts. I will briefly talk about each one.
Part One which is broken into 7 chapter is called “Why the Diet Works.” In this section Dr. Atkins explains to us how the diet works and the physiology of why it does. He talks about the health changes you will see and how to maintain the diet. You will read some medical terminology such as “ketogenic, hyperinsulinism, metabolism, and glucose.
I am a personal trainer but not a nurse and I have never worked in the medical field. Dr. Atkins, in my opinion, does a fantastic job of making this book user friendly. He talks about these medical issues in a way that is understandable. Unlike, for example, The Zone, which I needed a map or Math 101 course to figure out, the terminology and happenings in your body are thoroughly explained and I doubt you will walk away not understanding why he thinks a low-carbohydrate is the way to go.
You will also find here and throughout the book anecdotal stories including in this section “Harry Kronberg’s Before And After Menu” – before being before the Atkins diet and after, obviously after.
Part Two has 4 chapters (and his chapters are consecutive. Part Two starts at #7 - #10; Part One was #1 - #6) is called “How to Do Your Fortnight Diet-14 Days to Dieting Success.” This is a very helpful section (As are all of them, truly, if you are going the Atkins way. If you are, this book is a must read.) discussing his induction phase, which lasts 14 days. He clearly plans out what can and cannot be eaten, what are free foods you can eat and mistakes to avoid. It is in this section that he brings up “lipolysis testing strips.” This is one of the most controversial aspects of his book since these strips test your urine to see if you are excreting ketones. He covers this many times throughout the book and does discuss the controversy around “being in ketosis.”
I like the end of this chapter because he has you ask yourself if you should go on with his way of eating, including a short quiz about how you have done.
Part Three has 6 chapters and is called “Why the Diet Makes You Healthy.” In this chapter Dr. Atkins talks about and maintains that his diet will make you healthier. I won’t go into the specifics such as bringing down your blood pressure. Suffice it to say, that using research and case histories, he does a fabulous job of convincing us that we will be healthier on the Atkins Diet. He talks about your heart, yeast infections and food intolerances.
A very good chapter within this section discusses fat and it is crucial for people who think they want to be on Atkins to read. Not everyone will agree with Dr. Atkins, but the information is presented in an easy to read way with material that he cites which does not agree with him. I like the fact he is able to see that not all will agree with his theory.
Part Four has 8 chapters and is called, “How to Do the Diet for Life” and in this one he discusses ongoing weight loss and the various “steps” (my word) that lead up to the goal which is maintenance. You will find a chart of desirable weights for men and women over 25 (but please talk with your doctor before going on this diet.), what happens when you get stuck – Dr. Atkins calls it “treating extreme metabolic resistance.“
He talks throughout the book about food addictions and he talks at length about reactivating them in this section. His premise is that if you eliminate some foods, your craving for the “bad” foods (obviously foods high in carbohydrates) will go away. It is in this section that he brings up exercise. Exercise is not really pushed until now and he spends 6 pages on the topic.
He discusses at length the benefits of nutritional supplements and it is here and at the end of the book that we learn about the many Atkins’ products including supplements, bars, shakes, ice cream and cheesecake. (You may not learn about all these products here, but they are all on his website. www.atkins.com). I have no problems with his promotion of his supplements and food. It is up to you to decide if that is the route you want to go if you go on the diet. I will tell you that there are dozens of websites that have information on low carbohydrate eating and you can find people who can offer support or the opposite, but that discussion is outside the scope of this review!
The last section is Part Five called “Menus and Recipes” and in it he includes a typical breakfast, lunch and dinner, a decent selection of recipes to start out with, and a carbohydrate gram counter that you won’t leave home without!
My thoughts
I have purposefully left out my own feelings about the diet and I intend to keep it that way. My thoughts on Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution are simple ones. If you plan to try his way of eating or are interested in learning about low-carbohydrate eating (There are many other books on the market obviously.) this is a must have. If you are just interested but not going to eat this way 100%, the book may come across as a bit extreme but I think the information presented in it is crucial to know.
Since Dr. Atkins does present what others have found to be the negatives, you will get the negatives from his book but I do urge you to visit forums and talk with your doctor. The book is a very easy read. It is easy to understand and you will be able to find topics easily either through the index or just by flipping though it because it is laid out very logically and in order.
If you have any questions about the book, feel free to ask.
And finally from http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2002/04/26/13059.php
“Dr. Robert Atkins, who promotes a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, said he’s recovering from cardiac arrest caused by a heart infection.
The 71-year-old doctor said Thursday his illness “is in no way related to diet.”
In a statement issued to the press and posted on his companies’ Web site, Atkins said his heart stopped beating during breakfast at his Manhattan home on April 18. He was revived by an associate, taken to a hospital and released Wednesday.
“This was not a heart attack but a cardiac arrest related to an infection of the heart he has been suffering from for a few years,” the statement said.”
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