Customer Reviews

Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I started the Atkins diet on my own, based on the guiding principles described on the book "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution". I have steadily and comfortably reduced inches off my waist by using the "Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter" as a guide to food selection. If it were not for its reduced, concise listing of foods (carbs, proteins, fat) I could not have understood the method I was supposed to follow to achieve weight loss. It is not a comprehensive guide, so don't even think of it as the ultimate compilation of your diet choices. Yet, its tiny size made it perfect to carry it in a handbag, in a glove compartment, every time I need help to navigate through the supermarket maze in search for low-carb foods, and yes, to elegantly cover my tracks when I cheated the diet.

I purchased two carb counter books and found the other, more extensive book to be difficult to use. This simple, little book contains most ingredients used in recipes. It is a great tool in helping to create good meals while keeping within the limits of the Atkins Diet.

If you've started the Atkins diet, or at least read the diet book, then you already realize the importance of counting the carbohydrate grams you consume. Please allow me to clear up some FAQ's:

1. This book will not teach you how to do the Atkins diet - for that, read Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution.

2. This book will show you total carbohydrate, fat, and protein gram counts for standard portion sizes of general or common foods. For instance, there is a general listing for "fig" but not "Kadota fig" or "Mission". If you are into more exotic fare than the standard American foods listed - say for instance that you like obscure asian fruits like or you're a oeniphile who is interested in the carb count of 60 different varieties of French wine- then you will have to do research for the carbs in your special interest on your own.

3. This book will not make specific recommendations as to which ones to avoid, eat more of, etc. - that's not its job. Instead, you are allowed to make those decisions for yourself based on the information presented and your individual allowance of daily carbs.

4. This book does not list calories because the Atkins diet is qualitative, not quantitative.

5. This book will, however, be a quick on-the-spot reference guide for Atkins dieters. It is designed to be portable and easy to understand at a glance when you need information in a hurry.

Are there any flaws? Yes. For one thing, IMHO, the price could come down a bit considering that this book is a very small, almost the size of those supermarket pocket books at the checkout counter that cost only 99 cents or so. Also, it would have been helpful if Dr. Atkins had included the fiber content along with the fats, carbs and protein so that one could calculate total impact carb grams and make more educated decisions. Still, I believe this is the best carb gram counter out there for low-carb dieting purposes. I find myself consulting it quite often.

Despite complaints that the book is small, I found that it was very helpful to be able to carry the book with me and refer to it whenever needed. A 500-page tome would be a little bothersome when sitting at a table in a restaurant...I would definitely recommend this book as a companion to the "New Diet Revolution" book, and strongly urge anyone thinking about starting the Induction Diet for the first time to purchase the "New Carbohydrate Gram Counter" before they start. Why 4 stars instead of 5? A hard cover or spiral bound cover, and laminated pages, would make it easier to carry the book in purse or briefcase and use it in restaurants without worrying about ruining it.

It is astonishing to read the slam pieces here about Dr. Atkins so-called obesity and overweight condition at the time of his death. Here are the facts:
* He previously had a heart condition called cardiomyopathy -- a serious disease of the heart muscle which is unrelated to diet.
* He died of a head injury because of an accident falling on slippery ice and not of being overweight.
* His actual weight was 200 pounds when he was admitted to the hospital at the time of his accident. The erroneous reports of him weight 258 lbs was based on his weight at the time of his death. The extra weight was not fat, but an accumulation of body fluids linked to organ failure during his coma.
* His previous reported heart attack was due to a viral infection and not diet related. He spoke openly of his condition on various national news programs.
* The report that was released about him being overweight was leaked to the press by a group named "Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine", which is an ardent opponent of the Atkins diet. In short, they distorted his weight by reporting the weight at the time of death - 258 lbs, and not at the time of his admittance - 200 lbs...an obvious attempt to discredit and distort the facts surrounding Dr. Atkins death.
* A formal complaint has been filed by the Medical Examiner of New York regarding the suspicious leak of this information to the public by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine."
* The disinformation surrounding Dr.Atkins untimely death is politically driven by the AMA and other detractors of the diet.

Dr. Atkins book, New Diet Revolution has turned the AMA and other nutritional views upside down and has created a furor over the standard edicts of the medical profession. What is not said among the detractors of the Diet is that it is safe and it works. The information contained in this book will not only help you lose weight, it could save your life. The food industry, especially the bread and pasta industry have lost hundreds of millions of dollars because of the low carb revolution. Is it any wonder that this diet is under so much fire? Keep an open mind and read the book.

As a side note, ignor the mumbo-jumbo rantings and ravings of the "Elixir Diet" system (see below). The hatred and mis-information spread by the reviewer is evidence enough that the Elixir system is phony as a three cent penny. Nuff said. The guy hasn't even read the Atkins book!

very small - but filled with almost every product you can think of - take it with me everywhere - just wish some things didn't have so many darn carbs! I'm still trying to not go over 30 grams per day but it can be difficult.

Don't bother with this book! It isn't wrong or inaccurate, understand, it is simply woefully small. I highly recommend Corrinne Netzer's Carb Counter book--almost 500 pages of listings, broken down in almost unbelievable detail. Carb listings for nearly ever imaginable *brand* of a food item. Dr. Atkin's book pales in comparison, believe me.

This is a handy little book and by the way it certainly does have the carb counts for pasta, a previous commentator missed it. Look under "pasta and rice". I wish it did have the number of nuts you can eat instead of ounces. I don't carry a food scale to know what an ounce of nuts is. Otherwise, it is worth it because it has a brief introduction to the diet and the size makes it easy to carry with you. I think Dr. Atkin's deserves a medal for standing for what he knows is right. I highly recommend his diet for a way of life.

I've read all the comments made about this book and would like to offer the following. This booklet is not meant to be used to "follow" the diet. It is a companion to The New Diet Revolution which is essential reading for anyone on this diet. I have been on it for several weeks now and I'm at the "maintenance" stage. For those of you who are looking up wine in the Carb Counter booklet, it is not listed simply because wine is made with grapes (the highest sugar content fruit) and sugar isn't allowed on this diet.

I have been on this diet since March 19 and have lost 17 pounds. The diet is easy to follow and I get plenty to eat, never getting hungry between meals. After the 14 day induction diet, I began adding more vegetables and fruits, as the book suggests, and continue to lose a pound per week. The secret is to be creative with your menus. I feel great. My friends say I look great and years younger. My husband & sons have changed their eating habits as well. All this gives me the incentive to continue. The diet truly alters your eating lifestyle and the entire family is healthier.