I'd be curious how anyone addresses the common misperceptions of low carb.

I was talking with a friend who is a trainer at my gym. She's 5'2, 138lbs of solid muscle, size 2, gorgeous, and eats abotu 3000 calories a day, training about 2 hours a day. SHe eats low carb, but doesn't see it as such. Much of what I have seen is she eats good carbs early in the day and that's the only time, the rest of her day is veggies and proteins and fruit. With that said, she debated Atkins in particular this morning.

Well, I responded...as low carb is the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me. I could never lose more than a handful of pounds on low cal and low fat. Up the calories and the fat and protein and I lose quickly and easily and am satisfied.

I explained how for instance having my love sushi just once in a week can throw me into a stall. She doesn't get it.

Anyway, she addressed common myths (quick regain, high fat bad on the cholesterol, etc.). I'd love to hear issues others have faced and how....

Well, I don't follow a low carb plan, but my response to people who think there is only ONE way to lose weight, with no regard to individual body composition, metabolic differences, and just plain food preferences, has always been "Different things work for different people, since our bodies vary so much. I'm really happy to have found something that works for me".

To her, Atkins might never work (she might not be able to give up those morning carbs, who knows? I tried a low carb approach and it never worked for me, even when following Dr. A's book to the T...I barely dropped any weight and it was impossible for me to stick to. Just wasn't right for my body chemistry). For you, it works, and that is all that matters. Getting into throwing studies at eachother, or citing research, won't get you anywhere in my experience - you'll just go back and forth because there have been studies going either way.

My personal belief is that these sort of arguments arise when people want to throw a one-size-fits-all approach onto weight loss. Different things work for different people, and acknowledging that will, again in my experience, make her less likely to debate you.

Really, you don't need to do any debating at all. Let your body and your results speak for themselves. You know what you eat. You know what certain foods do for you. You know what works for you. You also know that there are a few oceanliner-sized boats filled with people who share your experience with low carb and weight loss / control.

I would say when she start talking, just listen to what she is saying and when she is finished say thank you and keep on keeping on. Once you stop arguing/debating the issue the other person usually stops arguing. It is very hard to argue with yourself. This seems fairly simple to me but I know that some people just cannot let other people say things they don't agree with and not rebut. If you like the debating, then arm yourself with knowledge. The book Living the Low Carb Life by Jonny Bowden has so much information about the physiology of low carb living.

But remember, no matter how much information you provide, some people will never be able to overcome their need for you to conform to their view. That is human nature.

I think somethings work for some people and other things work for others. Just to get my 2 fruit groups in a day I eat more carbs than some people eat the whole day. I am never going to go without my 2 fruit groups lol. That is me. If someone else can go on less carbs who am I to say that is wrong.

2 HOURS A DAY?

Couldn't do it. Just couldn't.

How's your cholesterol #'s, jg69? Mine are dramatically improved - even at my weight!

IA about pointless debating . . . but one myth that drives me over the edge is "Hey, didn't Atkins die of a stroke/heart attack/choked on bacon" etc

Everyone on this board should TRULY adhear and pay very close attention to what you have said...I couldn't have put it better myself. It's not about debating...it's about sharing personal experience in the hopes that it will keep you motivated and encourage others.

Unfortunately, what I am seeing from some members (especially the "long timers") is their passion for what they have done (to various degrees of success), eliminates their ability to see that the "one size fits all" approach is simply not true. Their passion doesn't seem to allow them to accept another point of view and it is taken as a "debate" instead of a discussion.

I think that instead of simply listening and "running away" from a conversation, it would be more helpful if people just simply posted what they felt and gave people who have has success otherwise the respect by agreeing to disagree.

In the end, you will find that there are "shiploads" of people who have experienced success on various modifications of Atkins/Southbeach, etc., etc. Here's to everyone's health and success...I wish everyone on this post the very best. Let's stay positive and proactive...not reactive!

JerseyGirl69, although attitudes are changing about low-carb life styles [Weight Watchers now has a low carb version of its point program], there are still people who cannot overcome the teachings of the 50s-80s: fat is bad; butter is evil; eggs and saturated fat up your cholesterol; you should get your bulk of calories from grains; low fat/low cal is the only way to lose weight.

And there are people that cannot accept that what works for them [low fat/low cal] does not work for everyone else. You stated that you cannot loose on a low fat/low cal diet. This trainer is not accepting your truth. That is why your results will speak for themselves. If you loose the weight and keep it off with low carb living, then you are proof positive that this works for you.

You have to decide how much "debating" you want to do. It can be very tedious to debate, especially someone whom you know will never change their opinion. However, a debate is not about getting someone else to change their opinion. Also, a debate does not last forever. There is a limit on the amount of time spent debating simply because it is mentally and physically tiring.

As defined by Merriam-Webster, debate means: a contention by words or arguments: the formal discussion of a motion before a deliberative body according to the rules of parliamentary procedure: a regulated discussion of a proposition between two matched sides.

Before every debate, you have to arm yourself with knowledge. JerseyGirl69 you should read and know as much as possible about your position, in this case about low carb living. Read up on the various low carb diets out there. Contact some of the long-timers here that have lost and kept the weight off. Then decide how much debating you are going to do.