Atkins "money making machine"? (long and editorial)

Now, I know that I run the risk of offending people here, and I hope that
cooler heads can prevail, because I myself did purchase the Atkins book, and
I have taken quite alot from it, so I see no problems with the diet at all.

What I do have a slight problem with though, is the push that recently has
been made regarding the Atkins nutritional items you see in stores.
I have actually seen (that is to say I saw) Atkins ads on the back of Archie
comics in the supermarket. The ads that say "on Atkins you can't eat
anything accept..." and then show tons of food, some Atkins branded and some
non Atkins branded.

The point being, at what place does the Atkins center inc (or whatever
business name it operates under) start to push these ready made mixes, bars,
and replacements for high carb food too much?

A few weeks ago, my father who is not easily impressed (but who is impressed
with how much I have lost) came home and mentioned an article in the Sunday
paper about Atkins, and about how people are complaining that they cannot
lose weight on it, even though they follow the diet and eat the bars and low
carb foods that the Atkins people recommend.
That, I explained is the very problem. I informed him that often times the
bars and substitutes on the market can cause people to stop losing weight,
or lose very slowly.
He asked the obvious "well, why do the people they interviewed feel they
should eat that, you never eat the Atkins branded food?"

And there I think, is the problem.
I understand that the Atkins center is in the business of turning a profit,
they are like any other business, and they certainly aren't going to make
money by publishing a few books, they are diversifying basically.

But you see what I am saying? In a way, it contradicts itself.
Dr. Atkins told readers of the new diet revolution that they should cut
breads almost completely from their diet, but the Atkins center sells a
plethora of bread items.
Nowhere in the book does the Dr. really say "of course, there are my low
carb products, just call this number or visit Atkins.com"... And I have the
last edition of the book written before he passed away.

I don't know. I have managed stay away from everything but the peanut butter
bars (not the indulge ones, but the 65g bars) which I have had three times
when a meal was not available for one reason for another, so I just don't
see how they can push the products so much, and almost make people crave
these things which they are doing Atkins to get away from.

thanks for reading this rant.

Steve

any one who reads the book and gains a clue about LC will realize that the
products are not necessary.

however, those who have heard of atkins and have seen the products but have
not read the book, and hence, have no clue, will typically think that the
products are needed to do atkins.

hence, they buy the overly expensive products and think that's doing atkins.

bottom line: most people are lazy and not too smart. Then, people like
atkins nutritionals are looking to sell products. put the two together and
you get this mess.


Steven C (Doktersteve) wrote:
:: Now, I know that I run the risk of offending people here, and I hope
:: that cooler heads can prevail, because I myself did purchase the
:: Atkins book, and I have taken quite alot from it, so I see no
:: problems with the diet at all.
::
:: What I do have a slight problem with though, is the push that
:: recently has been made regarding the Atkins nutritional items you
:: see in stores.
:: I have actually seen (that is to say I saw) Atkins ads on the back
:: of Archie comics in the supermarket. The ads that say "on Atkins you
:: can't eat anything accept..." and then show tons of food, some
:: Atkins branded and some non Atkins branded.
::
:: The point being, at what place does the Atkins center inc (or
:: whatever business name it operates under) start to push these ready
:: made mixes, bars, and replacements for high carb food too much?
::
:: A few weeks ago, my father who is not easily impressed (but who is
:: impressed with how much I have lost) came home and mentioned an
:: article in the Sunday paper about Atkins, and about how people are
:: complaining that they cannot lose weight on it, even though they
:: follow the diet and eat the bars and low carb foods that the Atkins
:: people recommend.
:: That, I explained is the very problem. I informed him that often
:: times the bars and substitutes on the market can cause people to
:: stop losing weight, or lose very slowly.
:: He asked the obvious "well, why do the people they interviewed feel
:: they should eat that, you never eat the Atkins branded food?"
::
:: And there I think, is the problem.
:: I understand that the Atkins center is in the business of turning a
:: profit, they are like any other business, and they certainly aren't
:: going to make money by publishing a few books, they are diversifying
:: basically.
::
:: But you see what I am saying? In a way, it contradicts itself.
:: Dr. Atkins told readers of the new diet revolution that they should
:: cut breads almost completely from their diet, but the Atkins center
:: sells a plethora of bread items.
:: Nowhere in the book does the Dr. really say "of course, there are my
:: low carb products, just call this number or visit Atkins.com"... And
:: I have the last edition of the book written before he passed away.
::
:: I don't know. I have managed stay away from everything but the
:: peanut butter bars (not the indulge ones, but the 65g bars) which I
:: have had three times when a meal was not available for one reason
:: for another, so I just don't see how they can push the products so
:: much, and almost make people crave these things which they are doing
:: Atkins to get away from.
::
:: thanks for reading this rant.
::
:: Steve

Roger Zoul wrote:

any one who reads the book and gains a clue about LC will realize that the
products are not necessary.

however, those who have heard of atkins and have seen the products but have
not read the book, and hence, have no clue, will typically think that the
products are needed to do atkins.

hence, they buy the overly expensive products and think that's doing atkins.

bottom line: most people are lazy and not too smart. Then, people like
atkins nutritionals are looking to sell products. put the two together and
you get this mess.

Which is exactly why I posted awhile back on the topic..Read the book.
Too many assume they are doing a particular diet, but not wanting to read about
it first.

Myway

"Steven C (Doktersteve)" wrote in message
news:yz7Ib.95441$ss5.57047@clgrps13...
What I do have a slight problem with though, is the push that recently has
been made regarding the Atkins nutritional items you see in stores.


I understand your point, but not why you are surprised or upset. The
corporate manager is in the business of pleasing the stockholders who are
his or her employers, not of maintaining the purity of scientific thought
which may have driven Dr. Atkins at the start, and if all sorts of stuff can
be profitably flogged to the gullible, why that is what will happen. Of
course we as consumers are free to choose; I like the diet but I do not use
one single "product" which is linked to it. I do eat meat, fish, eggs,
cheese and non-starchy vegetables. I don't eat grains, starchy vegetables
or refined sugar and I don't have much fruit. And I take plenty of
exercise. Simple, really.

"Steven C \(Doktersteve\)" wrote in message news:yz7Ib.95441$ss5.57047@clgrps13...
What I do have a slight problem with though, is the push that recently has
been made regarding the Atkins nutritional items you see in stores.
I have actually seen (that is to say I saw) Atkins ads on the back of Archie
comics in the supermarket. The ads that say "on Atkins you can't eat
anything accept..." and then show tons of food, some Atkins branded and some
non Atkins branded.

The point being, at what place does the Atkins center inc (or whatever
business name it operates under) start to push these ready made mixes, bars,
and replacements for high carb food too much?

Now that Dr. Atkins is gone, I expect to see the "Atkins" brand pushed
as far as it can go in the direction you perceive, Steve. Even if his
presence were a force for good, encouraging book study and lifestyle
changes rather than quick fixes and expensive commercial items,
without him there is little to stop the company from maximizing the
profits it reaps from the trademark.

That means selling more products and more products, because the profit
margins on paperback books are just not that high. The company is
essentially giving away on its website the core material from Dr.
Atkins's book. The profits are in the products, and if the Atkins
company was moving in that direction before Dr. Atkins's death, it's
only going to do it more now.

carla
237/222/165?

"Steven C \(Doktersteve\)" wrote in message news:yz7Ib.95441$ss5.57047@clgrps13...
Now, I know that I run the risk of offending people here, and I hope that
cooler heads can prevail, because I myself did purchase the Atkins book, and
I have taken quite alot from it, so I see no problems with the diet at all.

What I do have a slight problem with though, is the push that recently has
been made regarding the Atkins nutritional items you see in stores.
I have actually seen (that is to say I saw) Atkins ads on the back of Archie
comics in the supermarket. The ads that say "on Atkins you can't eat
anything accept..." and then show tons of food, some Atkins branded and some
non Atkins branded.

The point being, at what place does the Atkins center inc (or whatever
business name it operates under) start to push these ready made mixes, bars,
and replacements for high carb food too much?

A few weeks ago, my father who is not easily impressed (but who is impressed
with how much I have lost) came home and mentioned an article in the Sunday
paper about Atkins, and about how people are complaining that they cannot
lose weight on it, even though they follow the diet and eat the bars and low
carb foods that the Atkins people recommend.
That, I explained is the very problem. I informed him that often times the
bars and substitutes on the market can cause people to stop losing weight,
or lose very slowly.
He asked the obvious "well, why do the people they interviewed feel they
should eat that, you never eat the Atkins branded food?"

And there I think, is the problem.
I understand that the Atkins center is in the business of turning a profit,
they are like any other business, and they certainly aren't going to make
money by publishing a few books, they are diversifying basically.

But you see what I am saying? In a way, it contradicts itself.
Dr. Atkins told readers of the new diet revolution that they should cut
breads almost completely from their diet, but the Atkins center sells a
plethora of bread items.
Nowhere in the book does the Dr. really say "of course, there are my low
carb products, just call this number or visit Atkins.com"... And I have the
last edition of the book written before he passed away.

I don't know. I have managed stay away from everything but the peanut butter
bars (not the indulge ones, but the 65g bars) which I have had three times
when a meal was not available for one reason for another, so I just don't
see how they can push the products so much, and almost make people crave
these things which they are doing Atkins to get away from.

thanks for reading this rant.

Steve



Seems like you figured out the answer, which is that most of the LC
products from Atkins or anyone else are ok for most people when used
in moderation. Do you think everyone else is too stupid to figure it
out? And you're right, Atkins never pushed the products or said they
were required in his books or interviews. Regarding bread, the breads
he referrred to in the books were regular breads, not LC ones.
Personally, I'm very happy we have such products and have no problem
with Atkins or any other company marketing them.

In article yz7Ib.95441$ss5.57047@clgrps13, Doktersteve\ says...

Now, I know that I run the risk of offending people here, and I hope that
cooler heads can prevail, because I myself did purchase the Atkins book, and
I have taken quite alot from it, so I see no problems with the diet at all.

What I do have a slight problem with though, is the push that recently has
been made regarding the Atkins nutritional items you see in stores.
I have actually seen (that is to say I saw) Atkins ads on the back of Archie
comics in the supermarket. The ads that say "on Atkins you can't eat
anything accept..." and then show tons of food, some Atkins branded and some
non Atkins branded.

The point being, at what place does the Atkins center inc (or whatever
business name it operates under) start to push these ready made mixes, bars,
and replacements for high carb food too much?

A few weeks ago, my father who is not easily impressed (but who is impressed
with how much I have lost) came home and mentioned an article in the Sunday
paper about Atkins, and about how people are complaining that they cannot
lose weight on it, even though they follow the diet and eat the bars and low
carb foods that the Atkins people recommend.
That, I explained is the very problem. I informed him that often times the
bars and substitutes on the market can cause people to stop losing weight,
or lose very slowly.
He asked the obvious "well, why do the people they interviewed feel they
should eat that, you never eat the Atkins branded food?"

And there I think, is the problem.
I understand that the Atkins center is in the business of turning a profit,
they are like any other business, and they certainly aren't going to make
money by publishing a few books, they are diversifying basically.

But you see what I am saying? In a way, it contradicts itself.
Dr. Atkins told readers of the new diet revolution that they should cut
breads almost completely from their diet, but the Atkins center sells a
plethora of bread items.
Nowhere in the book does the Dr. really say "of course, there are my low
carb products, just call this number or visit Atkins.com"... And I have the
last edition of the book written before he passed away.

I don't know. I have managed stay away from everything but the peanut butter
bars (not the indulge ones, but the 65g bars) which I have had three times
when a meal was not available for one reason for another, so I just don't
see how they can push the products so much, and almost make people crave
these things which they are doing Atkins to get away from.

thanks for reading this rant.

Steve



I certainly would tell anyone on induction not to eat the Atkins products, but
for someone doing Atkins for life they provide acceptable treats. No question
they are expensive but you can find them at places like VitaminShoppe.Com and
Netrition.Com for much less than the Atkins Center prices. You don't need these
products to do Atkins, but if you enjoy something different once in a while and
are well into the Atkins program or on maintenance they are fine.

BillJ
254/170/168
Atkins since 6/20/01

Chet Hayes wrote:
::
:: Seems like you figured out the answer, which is that most of the LC
:: products from Atkins or anyone else are ok for most people when used
:: in moderation. Do you think everyone else is too stupid to figure it
:: out? And you're right, Atkins never pushed the products or said they
:: were required in his books or interviews. Regarding bread, the
:: breads
:: he referrred to in the books were regular breads, not LC ones.
:: Personally, I'm very happy we have such products and have no problem
:: with Atkins or any other company marketing them.

I have no problems with any of the products. I think they are a good thing.
I just wish they cost less. LC breads, chips, tortillas, cereals,
etc....all good. Many of these products are made with better foods stuff
than what's in the typical versions.

The problem is thinking one needs them to LC, or thinking that since they
are LC products, you can eat them with abandon.

I just typed out a HUGE post about people who ask me how to lose weight, do not
follow the instructions and then complain that there is something freakish
about me becuase it works for me, but not for them & then deleted it because I
realized that you can sustitute just about anything for low-carb dieting and
you get the same answer -- HUMAN NATURE.

Some people are going to be efficient with their time in order to have time to
do the things that they want and some people will wander around in a
disorganized daze wondering why they don't ever get anything done.

Some people are going to be frugal with their money so that they can afford to
slurge on the things that are really important to them and others will buy
every little thing that they want so that they can never afford the one big
thing that they want.

Dieting is the same way. Some people will do the research and then follow the
plan that they chose to get them where they want to go, others want to use the
"Slimfast mentality" of using a magic "sustitute" for food that will leave you
full and satisfied and the weight will fall off of you without exerting any
effort.

And IN MY OPINION, Atkins or any of the other "low-carb" junk foods, can be a
valid choice as an occasional treat or as a quick snack when your plans change,
where people ge into trouble is when they think that they should have a
"dessert" after EVERY meal or that they don't have to bother to learn how to
prepare healthy food when they can just buy something pre-made.

Low-carb, low-fat, low WHATEVER -- junk food is junk food and if it makes up
too large a percentage of your intake, you are not going to be healthy.

Of course, YMMV, JMO, etc. etc.Robyn

On 30 Dec 2003 04:32:12 -0800, carla wrote in alt.support.diet.low-carb:

"Steven C \(Doktersteve\)" wrote in message news:yz7Ib.95441$ss5.57047@clgrps13...

Now that Dr. Atkins is gone, I expect to see the "Atkins" brand pushed
as far as it can go in the direction you perceive, Steve. Even if his
presence were a force for good, encouraging book study and lifestyle
changes rather than quick fixes and expensive commercial items,
without him there is little to stop the company from maximizing the
profits it reaps from the trademark.

You mean something like Disney Inc.?

--
6/2/2003 181/165/16X or 15X

Dick Yuknavech