Low and no carb eating plans

[Ann]

Please could we use this seperate thread to talk about the Atkins and other low carb eating plans rather than bashing the doctor in a prayer request thread. Thanks. Doing it this way makes me feel better if nothing else.

[selah]

As a Christian, this diet seems a little odd to me. God created whole grains, fruits, and sugars for our consumption! Do we think God didn't do a good enough job when He created those so we have to modify his diet plan? Perhaps a Christian on this diet can explain this to me.

I have tried this diet, and like nearly everyone else who I talk to about it, I lost about 15-20 pounds while on it. But I lost all energy and became depressed, and I ended up going off the diet back to my normal eating habits ... but gaining back a good 30 pounds!!! :redhotmad

I am extremely skeptical of cutting out completely a huge basic component of my diet (carbohydrates). For instance, I have taken basic biology, I know how my body uses those carbohydrates to create energy! I know how my body turns the lipids in meats into fats that clog my arteries! I tried it because I was desperate and I believed it was the answer because "I was addicted to carbohydrates" but going off carbohydrates completely--or limiting myself to the very low amounts that Atkins reccommends--was not the answer for me. It was an extremely unhealthy decision that damaged my body and my emotions.

The anwer for me is that there is no diet that is the answer. As with everything in life, I really believe that we should treat food with the old addage: "in everything, moderation"

[Ann]

I've had my own very bad experiences w/ all protine and fat diets. But in all fairness the Atkins plan does allow up to 45-60 carbs and the current plan encourages things like green leafy vegies.

[selah]

I'm sure that when I did Atkins it was 30 grams of carbs, are you talking about the diet you "settle into" eventually? I remember having only 30 every day and you were supposed to keep that up for a while (a month? three?) and eventually increase your intake a little bit.

Also, do you know of a place on the net where you can go and figure out about how many carbs you should be getting? even 60's not a lot, that's only three pieces of regular sliced bread!

[gracie]

Yep, when I did low carb it was 30 a day. I even had a pretty popular website (lowcarbcafe.com but I sold it) dedicated to it and sold recipes for the diet! Needless to say, I was into the low carb way. I lost weight but gained it all back. Also, I never craved off limits things so badly than when I was on that diet. That's why I like Weight Watchers. nothing is off limits as long as you count the points.

[Multimom]

First let me say that I follow the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet.

Second let me say if you haven't read the book, please don't bash the plan as alot of people think its a NO carb diet and that's not true.

Third: Certain foods cause certain reactions in people for example food alergies, etc.

For the carb addict carbs cause a massive insulin release which signals the brain it's time for more food, which is why Carb addicts can eat through a bag of chips, down a whole cake, work their way through and entire pound of pasta, be stuffed to the gills and still eat more.

Controlling the time frame in which you eat carbs helps to destroy that horrible craving that drives you to the donut store, the candy isle and the pasta resturant without mercy.


If you are truly interested in this plan I will be more than happy to offer advice as I have been on it for over 6 months and have lost 40 pounds. NO IT'S NOT A RAPID WEIGHT LOSS PLAN IT'S THE WAY I EAT FOREVER,
Just as the diabetic uses insulin forever.

If you are really interested, go to your local book store and buy either the
Carbohydrate Addicts Diet or
The Carbohydrate Addicts Heart Healthy Plan.

Both are by Dr.'s Rachel and Richard Heller, both are MD's and both have done years of extensive research in this program.

In the early part of the book they give you about a 15 question quiz which then is scored. If you score on the low side they tell you this plan is not for you as carbohydrate/insulin reaction is probably not your problem.

Again, if you are truly interested, please ask away and if you want to try the plan I will offer all the advice I can.

[gracie]

Hey!
I have read the book. I have read all of Atkins books, too. And the Potatoes not Prozac book and the Sugar Addicts diet book. I can say that I used to know just about as much as you can know about the low carb lifestyle without being a doctor. LOL

I have yet to see anyone "bash" any diet here but that word has been used twice against others. :smash: I think that we can all be mature about discussing diets but we all need to not get defensive when the diet you are on doesn't work for someone else. I thought the low carb diet was for me for quite a while but my life changed, as they do, and I discovered that I just couldn't eat that way the rest of my life. That's ok, though! If you can eat that way the rest of your life, then I think that's wonderful and I am glad that you have done so well. Weight Watchers works best for me (I have lost 46 pounds in the past 7 months) and I know that I can eat that way the rest of my life because I am not deprived of anything. It's all about portion control. That's what I needed. If you do best on low carb, then that's for you. I just want to make sure that everyone knows that one diet isn't best for everyone since we are all different and have different needs.

I hope that things keep going well for you! :)

[Ann]

If I offended you with "bash" I'm sorry. My intent was that the thread in question not become bashing given the negatibe responses. I think the word was addressed as much to myself as anyone else since I have a tendency to be negative about that style of eating. But my concern was that a request for prayer not be turned into a what's wrong about this person and his program. Somehow that just didn't seem like the mercy of the Lord to me.

******************************************
My husband is currently on an Atkins plan that seems to work for him that permits 45-60 carbs but that may or may not be figured on what carb level keeps him in mild ketosis. Every bit of nutritional training I have screams that a diabetic should not deliberately go into ketosis but the opinions of the wife with the nursing background are definately those of the minority in this household. And I guess that could be called a sort of a prayer request too.

*******************************************

Pam I'm glad weight watchers is working so well for you. :) that is really great.

[gracie]

Oh, Ann. I guess I'm just afraid that someone will get upset at someone else downing their way of eating. Maybe I'm just being too sensitive to that. I'm sorry. I'm not offended in any way, though. Really! I just don't want to see things go toward arguments in here. I know they haven't but I don't want anyone to be too sensitive about other's opinions about their particular way of eating.

I love all you guys and gals and just want to keep peace. Like I said, maybe I was just being sensitive and made things worse. :sorry:

[Catholic]

I tried Atkins in the summer, and ate 20 grams of carbs a day (minus dietary fiber). I lost about 10 pounds, and gained back 15 after I returned to eating a normal diet. Blah.

[Multimom]

The trick Liza is that it shouldn't be a temporary fix. It must be a change you make permenantly and without fail.

Weight watchers :smash: because I hate all the weighing and measuring and counting.

But for some people it does the trick. I'm glad you've lost 47 pounds. But the constant influx of carbs all day long just drove me to satisfy my cravings all night long.

Each of us must find out own way and support each other as we go.

:)

[Catholic]

Originally posted by Multimom
The trick Liza is that it shouldn't be a temporary fix. It must be a change you make permenantly and without fail.


True, but that's easier said than done, no? I've started just cutting back on calories, and have lost about seven pounds, and this is far easier. Plus, if I cheat, I don't gain it all back so quickly.

But whatever works for the individual is best I suppose. :)

[Ann]

"Each of us must find out own way and support each other as we go."

O so true.

[Multimom]

True, but that's easier said than done, no?


Boy Liza have you got that right!!!

I read somewhere that the average drug addict will enter rehab approximately 4 times before they ever achieve any extended sobriety.

I wonder how many diets overweight people try before they achieve any extended weight loss?

"We admit that we have become powerless over our "food habit", our lives are unmanageable, and we needed the help of our Higher Power".