# Atkins is stupid. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 8, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903 "2005-05-08T05:09:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/41 "2005-05-08T22:51:50Z")
I’ve been consuming about 2500 calories a day on the atkins diet and have been losing fat. Off of atkins, there’s no way I ate more than 1500 on a regular basis, and if I went over that it was from drinks, so I’m going to have to disagree with the “you’re only losing weight because you’re eating less” comments. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/42 "2005-05-08T23:42:22Z")
I’m an insulin dependent diabetic and have been since for-freakin’-ever. I “shoot up,” as the OP so eloquently puts it, in public all the time. (I was pretty militant about it for a while, on account of having to keep all my diabetic activities hush-hush – in high school, I had to eat all my snacks in the office because god forbid on of the other students might get _jealous_ that I got to eat in class and they didn’t. I resented having to miss class because of some issue that hadn’t ever raised its head. Most of the teachers didn’t mind, so that rule was quietly ignored.) It’s possible to inject yourself in public discretely. The only time I go to the rest room to inject is if I’m wearing pantyhose or a dress or something prevents me from injecting through my pants or in the stomach. As long as you’re not announcing, “I’M GOING TO SHOOT UP NOW!” to the entire restaurant, there’s really no reason for anyone to notice. And if you do it properly, alcohol swabs and all, it’s no more unsanitary than eating. As for people feeling “icky” about diabetes, I can tell you that I’ve lost roommates and had people end friendships because I was diabetic and that was icky. By extension, I felt like I was icky since being a diabetic is as much a part of me as my eye color or my name. In short, I think that the momentary discomfort you are caused by seeing me inject myself with insulin is nothing compared to the lifetime of discomfort and inconvience that I already have. And I really don’t care if it makes you pissy. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/43 "2005-05-08T23:48:03Z")
> [@Miss Purl McKnittington](#): > > I’m an insulin dependent diabetic and have been since for-freakin’-ever. I “shoot up,” as the OP so eloquently puts it, in public all the time. _more good stuff edited out_ Well said, **Miss Purl**. I and my daughter and 9most of) my diabetic patients stand with you! ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/44 "2005-05-09T00:01:13Z")
> [@brownie55](#): > > Fight some fucking ignorance today, all of you. Please understand the diet before you dismiss it in such an assinine fashion. > > The more I read on this board, the more I see lazy preconceptions. It truly is sad. I expected better, but it really is more of the same. Pathetic. Aww, sugarpants, does your arm get tired when you paint with a brush that fucking wide? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/45 "2005-05-09T00:05:34Z")
> [@Miss Purl McKnittington](#): > > As for people feeling “icky” about diabetes, I can tell you that I’ve lost roommates and had people end friendships because I was diabetic and that was icky. By extension, I felt like I was icky since being a diabetic is as much a part of me as my eye color or my name. In short, I think that the momentary discomfort you are caused by seeing me inject myself with insulin is nothing compared to the lifetime of discomfort and inconvience that I already have. And I really don’t care if it makes you pissy. I think most people would support you in your efforts to manage a debilitating disease. What I find offensive is other people calling someone “icky”, but hey they are allowed to express their own opinion - sometimes it just validates how very ignorant and prejudicial they really are. It’s always interesting when someone in the Pit inserts foot in mouth. God forbid one of the OP’s friends (or even the OP themself) should come down with cancer or worse, seeing as they don’t seem to be the most empathetic person around. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/46 "2005-05-09T00:30:47Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > And another thing, while I’m putting things straight, if ‘Krab’ is made out of fish it is not acceptable to **any** vegeterian. If you eat fish, [you are not a vegetarian.](http://www.vegsoc.org/fish/fish2.html) Well, I happen to agree since I’ve been a strict ovo-lacto vegetarian for over a decade, but I qualified my statement since some people will self-identify as a vegetarian yet then go on to intentionally eat fish/chicken. I’m sure that’s at least partially responsible for some people’s confusion over what’s acceptable for any given vegetarian to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/47 "2005-05-09T00:31:58Z")
> [@beckwall](#): > > I think most people would support you in your efforts to manage a debilitating disease. What I find offensive is other people calling someone “icky”, but hey they are allowed to express their own opinion - sometimes it just validates how very ignorant and prejudicial they really are. It’s always interesting when someone in the Pit inserts foot in mouth. God forbid one of the OP’s friends (or even the OP themself) should come down with cancer or worse, seeing as they don’t seem to be the most empathetic person around. Oh, most people do and don’t care, since they’d much rather I was alive and not twitching on the floor, reeking like a brewery. Those who stare and say, “Is it really necessary that you do that? It’s sooo disgusting!” I don’t talk to much afterwards if they can’t understand that it goes beyond necessary and into absolutely vital. Most of the people I know are fascinated with the whole injection rigamarole, and I feel almost bad that I’ll be depriving them of it after I get a pump. Ah, c’est la vie. They’ll have a robo-pancreas to be fascinated with. The icky thing mostly hits home (hard) in grade/middle school. It wasn’t so much discovering that 3rd graders thought the diabetes was gross, but that their parents (!!!) thought it was contagious and so subtly discouraged their children from playing with me. My mom freaked out, but it was my friend Lizzie (totally bad-ass for a 3rd grader), who disabused them of that idea. The first in a long line of awesome friends. Those who persist on calling diabetics icky well into adulthood are the same ones who tan themselves into another race, I’ve discovered. Thanks, **Qadgop**. Solidarity now. Solidarity forever. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/48 "2005-05-09T00:33:20Z")
I was wrong. Let me be plain about what I am apologizing for, and where I believe I was mistaken. To **Miss Purl** (and others who have taken the OP as a personal attack), if I have ever suggested in any fashion that I find you “icky,” I apologize. That was not my intention and, in fact, I have always enjoyed your posts, **Miss Purl** , and find you the opposite of icky. I wrote that I found the **action** taken by a particular person at a particular time to be “icky.” I withdraw that word, and substitute “in poor taste.” Because it is irrelevant in light of how this thread developed, I will not discuss precisely _how_ the woman in the restaurant administered her insulin so as to bring it to people’s attention, because the point is moot. My position that this particular woman’s actions were in poor taste, and that people should be more discreet when administering injections in public, however, has been mischaracterized by other posters as somehow being an **attack on people with illnesses** , or an attack on illnesses themselves, which it is not and never was. This isn’t an appropriate time to bring in anecdotes about living with illness, or people near me who have been diagnosed with this or that, because my personal experience is irrelevant to the discussion at hand. In short, I apologize to those I have inadvertantly offended with some carelessly chosen words. I do not find you icky if you have diabetes, nor do I find diabetes icky. Instead, I found a certain action taken by a certain person to be in poor taste, and that has been mischaracterized. Second, I apologize for comments made about the Atkins diet. You are all correct that I have not read the book, and have instead relied on news reports and anecdotal evidence. Although I maintain that what I understood to be the “Atkins diet” is not an optimally healthy diet, I understand that reasonable minds differ on that point. Nevertheless, I withdraw what I said in the OP about the “Atkins diet,” and replace it with “what my friend has characterized as the Atkins diet.” Having said that, there is one more thing. I am honestly surprised by the utter lack of civility that these topics have engendered in some people. To the extent that I have contributed to that, I apologize. This place has always seemed to be an environment where people could discuss even hot-button issues rationally. Because I think this thread has brought out the worst in some people (including, perhaps, myself), I apologize for raising issues that turned out to be personally offensive to so many people. To those who have chosen to build straw men, rather than participate in an actual discussion, do what you will with this thread. It’s not my issue anymore. I’m about to go start **Stranger’s** Whisky Diet. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/49 "2005-05-09T00:47:12Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > I was wrong. Let me be plain about what I am apologizing for, and where I believe I was mistaken. > > To **Miss Purl** (and others who have taken the OP as a personal attack), if I have ever suggested in any fashion that I find you “icky,” I apologize. That was not my intention and, in fact, I have always enjoyed your posts, **Miss Purl** , and find you the opposite of icky. Apology accepted, **Campion** , though it was hardly needed. I will admit that it’s a hot-button topic with me as there’s a lot of ignorance about diabetes out there and I’ve only recently learned to control my temper. I’ll also admit that I had a low blood sugar early this morning that made me spontaneously vomit, so I’m not loving my now defunct Islets of Langerhans right now. Made it to the garbage can, thank god, but Capri Sun’d my bed and my writing journal. Grrr. If I’ve offended you in anyway, please accept my apology. I do not mean to imply with my last post that you are in anyway connected with twittery little girls who look like leather gloves. Also, at this point, icky has lost all meaning as a word. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/50 "2005-05-09T02:10:35Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > Needles just give some folks the willies. I have learned to be very discreet. Thank you for having the courtesy to do so. It’s too bad **Hentor** , et al, can’t be bothered to do the same. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/51 "2005-05-09T02:21:14Z")
> [@milroyj](#): > > Thank you for having the courtesy to do so. > > It’s too bad **Hentor** , et al, can’t be bothered to do the same. Nope. Won’t be troubling myself to slink off somewhere so my son can make sure he doesn’t disgust anyone. Nope. I’d rather you have a moment of discomfort than he think that he has to be ashamed. Of course, I’ve already pointed out that we don’t make a production number out of it. Nor do we hide it. Don’t like it? Don’t look. If you do look, remember that this is something my son, or whomever you are troubled by, has to live with forever, constantly. If you do that and you are still bothered by it, you aren’t worth shit. And gee, **milroyj** , I feel so bad to be disappointing you, of all people. Then again, I’ve already estimated what you’re worth. **Campion** , I could have come on less strong, and I regret that. However, your clarification does nothing for me. Apparently it is still in poor taste in your opinion for people to give themselves insulin injections. Believe me, it isn’t their preference. It isn’t a matter of taste. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/52 "2005-05-09T03:29:10Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > Apparently it is still in poor taste in your opinion for people to give themselves insulin injections. Believe me, it isn’t their preference. It isn’t a matter of taste. It IS in extremely poor taste to take care of personal needs in public. And you are doing a disservice to your child by teaching him otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/53 "2005-05-09T04:07:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Hentor the Barbarian** > Nope. I’d rather you have a moment of discomfort than he think that he has to be ashamed. > > Apparently it is still in poor taste in your opinion for people to give themselves insulin injections. I’m pretty sure these are the type of strawmen that **Campion** was referring to. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/54 "2005-05-09T04:27:54Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > I was wrong. Let me be plain about what I am apologizing for, and where I believe I was mistaken. > > ) It takes a big man to apologize and admit he’s wrong. 🆒 Thank _you_. ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/55 "2005-05-09T07:39:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It takes a big man to apologize and admit he’s wrong. 🆒 Thank _you_. I also appreciate very much **Campion** ’s apology. And I am highly appreciative of **QtM** and his posse’s solidarity. We shall overcome! For the record, one of my best friends hates needs and whatnot. I try to shoot elsewhere, but fear doing so for two reasons: 1. the bathroom may be so dirty or so organized as to make it inconvient to properly test my blood sugar level and inject and whatnot, and 2. that someone will need to use the bathroom or stall while I’m doing my thing: it takes some time, and I **hate** it when someone’s banging on the door when I’m inside trying to be discreet. If that happens to me once more, I swear I’m going to punch them in the face. _Either way, I’m doomed to offend/bother someone._ So, I simply do it at the table. I tell my friend what’s coming up, and he looks away, looks down, or I put something to block his view. Most of the time he doesn’t even notice. The only time someone might notice is when I’m quiet as I inject. I use a pen, so it’s even more discreet. Vials and syringes and all can become a bit obvious, but not everyone can use pens. I think it takes less effort to ignore fellow diners than for one to run around finding a suitable room within which to test, inject, etc. After all, my mother always taught me not to stare at people eating. If I were having dinner with, say, Her Majesty The Queen or His Holiness the Pope, I might excuse myself for a moment. But otherwise I try to be discreet yet practicable. Although, it amuses me that many people find the whole thing fascinating and interesting rather than disgusting. I have even had friends ask me to do it in front of them and explain what I’m doing. Those people are cool. Anecdote: when I was newly diagnosed, I’d sometimes shoot at the table when we (my family and I) went out for dinner. When it came time to do what needed to be done, my mother would begin positioning menus and family members so that others couldn’t see. This was not because others might find it yucky but because she didn’t want people staring: she hardly thought this was a show for their amusement or curiosity. WRS ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/56 "2005-05-09T11:08:44Z")
> [@milroyj](#): > > It IS in extremely poor taste to take care of personal needs in public. And you are doing a disservice to your child by teaching him otherwise. Milroy, you really are an asshole. You are staring at people at another table and they should change their behavious? Maybe you should keep your eyes to yourself. I for one, have no problems with people injecting themselves in my company. If I can’t handle it, I’ll fricking look away. People with diabetes have enough to deal with, without pricks like Milroy bothering them. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/57 "2005-05-09T11:09:52Z")
By the way : what do you feel about breast-feeding? Is that also a social no-no in your book? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/58 "2005-05-09T11:10:46Z")
> [@x-ray vision](#): > > I’m pretty sure these are the type of strawmen that **Campion** was referring to. And I’m pretty sure that you were the one who said that we should step away from the table. **milroyj** has added that we shouldn’t take care of “personal” needs in public. None of you have clearly recognized that you are nosing in on someone else’s business that you shouldn’t be fucking staring at in the first fucking place, and suggesting that we should go and hide ourselves somewhere else. This would almost inevitably lead a person, especially a child, to feel that they should be ashamed. No strawman there, dickhead. You’re still expressing the attitude of a selfish and insensitive cunt who cannot for a moment weigh the difficulties of another person against their own delicate sensibilities. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/59 "2005-05-09T16:12:08Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > to quote a tech buddie of mine, RTFM. Read the book. You can eat a lot of veggies on the diet…I > > […] > > RTFM. A-fucking-men. It amazes me that the correct information is out there, but 99% of low-carb/Atkins detractors are still: “oh it’s SO unhealthy to eat no fruit and veg and so much fatty meat!” ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903/60 "2005-05-09T23:14:22Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And- the “vegsoc” doesn’t get to define what “vegetarian” means for dudes who say they are vegetarians. Well that’s exactly what they did in 1847. It’s **their** word. They invented it, they get to define what it means. Making up your own definition for yourself that’s totally at odds with the original meaning is not only a con, but bound to annoy those who are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atkins-is-stupid/302903.md?page=4)