just caught this thread...
My rules: On carbs, nothing white.
we eat brown rice, sweet potatoes, brown bread.
I have given in to white spagetti noodles after hubby refused to eat the wheat spagetti.
I usually stick to about 1200 cals. Recently I've begun a regiment of eating about 300 cals every three hours.
And to tone up some flab, think protein protein protein
Have you tried Dreamfields brand lower carb pasta? It is truly delicious!
There are now some white or semi-white pasta products with a much better glycemic rating than traditional white pasta. They have more fiber, and some are fortified with omega-3s.
According to one book I read, carbs - even "white carbs" - are ok if they are eaten with protein, which slows down the glucose process. The protein slows down and neutralizes the carbs. In this theory, pasta with lean meat sauce would be better than pasta with a light tomato or cream sauce.