Just saw this a few minutes ago. Apparently, a report has been released stating that Dr. Atkins was obese at the time of his death.
People close to him have said that his weight gain and heart problems were not related to diet. I guess I can believe that.
But the interesting thing is who gave this report to the media. Apparently, it was the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine. That’s right–a group associated with PETA.
Knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge are two different things. I think the Atkins diet has helped a lot more then a bunch of other fad diets. And I’ve known out of shape people that know more about lifting and the benefits of it then a lot of people that look like they should be competing.
In fact, if you ask most overweight people about diet, they’d be able to give you a lot of information. A lot of it is based on fad diets, but quite a few of them do quiet a bit of research on how to improve themselves. Problem is, a lot of them don’t commit to it.
PETA has been doing slam pieces like this through its fake doctors association for a long time. Atkins had a disease unrelated to his diet that caused water bloating, cardiomyopathy, a condition resulting from a viral infection. And he didn’t even die of it. He died of complicatons due to falling on ice. He was in his 70’s after all.
First of all, because the guy didn’t walk his talk has no link with the effectiveness of the diet. While the messenger may die, it’s the test of time that proves if he was on the money or not.
Speaking of time, even if people call his diet faddish… if it’s a fad, it’s the great-grandfather of fads. Ever heard of a that fad happens to stay in the culture ever since the 70s? Just that alone should kill the ‘fad’ connotation of his program.
Finally, what the hell does Atkins result on himself bear with one’s results? That’s right: Zippo. None. Nada. Niet. Rien. At best, you can have a biochemistry and genetics that do resemble Atkins’ onw, but in the end, you write your own ticket. The messenger’s got nothing to do with it. Atkins or not.
The more successful you are the more people want to try and bring you down. Davo2 is right from everything I read he had an infection in his heart that was not caused by the diet.
Kieran, are you a simpleton? Honestly, read the fucking article before you comment. When exactly did you see Dr. Atkins “stuffing himself with doughnuts”?
You are exactly whats wrong with people today. The second someone is successful, people want to bring them down. It’s really a sick phenom. Americans love to watch someone rise to stardom…then CAN’T WAIT to tear them down.
Also, considering the source, PETA’s front, I would seriously doubt that he was obese from over-eating.
This reminds me of when the poor guy died. Everyone knew that he fell on ice, yet people still said “see, Dr. Atkins died, his diet must not have been good” because somehow falling on some friggin ice has anything to do with a low-carb diet.
Dan C, I agree with you 100%. If this is a fad diet, at what point does it lose the “fad” tag. The diet, in Atkins’ version, has been around for over 30 years. And the first low carb diet book was published in the 1800’s. Minekia, people ate low carbs 1000’s of years ago. IF ANYTHING was a fad diet it’s the Super low fat, Super high carb, super low protein the FDA shilled for years.
I don’t think that this is a repudiation of the Atkins diet, as much as it is a telling detail regarding the mans personal lifestyle. He probably never picked up a weight, or run a mile in his life.
All of us know the importance of both smart food choices and fitness!
I don’t really care one way or the other about Dr. Atkins’ health at the time of his death.
What interested me is that a group associated with PETA is responsible for spreading this report around. And while it’s not an out-and-out lie, it is disingenuous at best.
Perhaps I should have stated my words different, because I think it was my mention that it has helped more people then other “fad” diets that started this whole arguement on it being around for 30 years. What I meant, is that it’s a fad in the fact that, despite being around for so long, all the sudden it’s the most talked about diet scheme around, and restaurants/companies are making products strictly for marketing for this new wave of people on it. It’s caught up completely in peoples minds now, so that’s why I refer to it as a fad.
The fad is not really the diet, but the publicity around it.
ZEB, how the hell is this a “telling” detail of his lifestyle? He gained 60 pound of fluid because his organs failed while he was IN A COMA. Sorry, but if your organs fail and you’re in a coma at 72 years old, you’re gonna retain fluid. Yes, this is true no matter how many lousy pull-ups you can do!
Fad or not, there’s one thing nice about the Atkins ‘craze’. Fads create demand. Companies seeing there’s a quick buck to be made there, more supplies (and possibly better technologies) will increase the offer (or lower the cost of production) of high-prote, low-carb products, therefore DRIVING PRICES DOWN FOR LOW-CARB STUFF.
The longer the fad, the more permanent the effect on prices and distribution channels.
I was commenting on his obvious poor physical condition prior to his medical condition. I do not think that Dr. Atkins was into fitness at all.
By the way, since I never mentioned my “lousy Pull-ups” on this thread, your jealousy regarding my “lousy Pull-ups” brings a smile to my face! It’s that sort of reaction that keeps me pumping them out! Wahaha.
I had actually seen Dr.Atkins just shortly prior to his death. I can attest that he was not overweight and looked very healthy for his age. He was in his 70’s! His death had nothing to do with his diet. He fell on the sidewalk after slipping on a patch of ice and hit his head on the pavement. The man deserves much respect.