Posted on 11/11/2004 2:12:01 PM PST by Nachum
Low carb dieting isn't going away, though it can't be expected to continue to enjoy the insane popularity it's had lately. The Atkins craze has established it as a viable (and arguably a much easier) alternative to low-fat diets. Pass the meat 'n' cheese.
And I've found exactly the opposite to be true.
The only thing better than meat and potatos, is meat and meat.
Pass the starch. The holidays are here. I am ready to put back on the weight that I worked so hard to lose this year on Atkins.
Wouldn't that be the diet for someone who is hyper-glycemic?
Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar and would be helped by increased carbs which are quickly converted to sugars by the body.
People don't want to pay $5 for box of low carb muffin mix!
Quick! Buy shares of Krispy Kreme!
I'm one of those hypo folks too! You'd think it would work that way but it doesn't. When we eat sugar or starch, we do get a boost but it's the equally fast drop that makes us woozy. Protein and fats (and some slow digesting carbs) break down slower and keep things evened out.
If it hadn't been for cheese cubes and Slim Jims, I would have never made it through college.
Now, that makes sense.
The problem with most of those products is that they are way over priced. The companies have been cashing in on this trend but are pricing themselves out of the market in the long run. It is cheaper to just eat low on the gylcemic (sp?) index with lots of fresh products. I don't know about you but the over all rise in grocery costs has been a burden for us. This is mostly due to the extra cost for transportation due to high gas prices. I know that our buying habits have changed greatly. High priced low carb products plus the general rise in grocery costs is just not in our budget. I would suspect the same is true for many others besides ourselves.
Really. So you're saying you can eat as many calories as you want as long as you watch your carbs?
That doesn't make sense since because generally speaking (barring glandular/medical problems) calorie intake determines weight.
1 pound equals about 3500 calories. Say your metabolism is such that you can eat 2000 calories a day and not gain weight, since you expend enough energy to balance it out. Then say you actually eat 3000 calories per day. You're definitely going to be gaining weight unless you do something to burn off some of those calories, like exercise.
Hypoglycemia happens when sugar hits your blood stream and your body overproduces insulin. I know from experience. A Mountain Dew with standard sugar makes my blood sugar great for 10 minutes. At 20 minutes, I'm a shaking mess from an insulin overshoot.
Saturday will mark 1 year on Atkins for me. I started at 219 lbs and 28.5% body fat. Today I'm at 178 lbs and 19.5% body fat. No episodes of hypoglycemia. Perfect blood sugar regulation when fasting per my last blood test. My dad was an insulin dependent diabetic. It killed him last December. I'm happy to stay on Atkins forever. I've been healthy as a horse when my colleagues were contracting colds and flu. My wife has been on it too. She's been similarly healthy all year with similar changes in body composition.
Please understand the way the low-carb diet works. Carbs are used by the body as it's primary fuel. The body burns carbs as long as it can get them and stores the fat. Take the carbs away and the body switches to burning the fat that it has been storing. Fat burned means weight lost. Simple. I lost 50 lbs and am keeping it off even though after I got to my desired weight I am able to injoy a few of my favorite carb foods without gaining. Just watch the scales and switch off the carbs if I see a lb coming back. Best diet ever and I will stay on it for the rest of my life.
>Really. So you're saying you can eat as many calories as you want as long as you watch your carbs? <
Close. Low carb diets tend to make people eat less. Smaller portions = fewer calories.
So, I guess you could say that if you keep carbs low, you can eat as much as you want, since you want far less on a low carb diet, than on a low fat diet, for example.
Good for you!!
It's not that I don't believe low-carb diets can work, it's just that I think even then it comes down to calories--calories in versus calories out. You're right, carbs are very caloric in nature, so cutting down on them does help!
What has worked for me in the past was eating in moderation (I actually did limit my carbs too due to calorie concerns) and exercising for at least 45 minutes at least 4 days a week. I've pretty much fallen out of discipline tho' (agh).
What's your favorite low carb snack?
She went from 219 lbs to 178 too? Most impressive.
>>Often I wonder if low-carbers miss the point. It's not carbs that are evil, it's calories! ...And I say that from experience. :-)
Sorry, but carbs do matter - as do calories. And I can say THAT from experience.
Well, one sirloin steak (270 grams) is 0 carbs but packs about 500 calories. Your body will eventually tell you which number is more important! :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.