... I have recently suggested we need to first learn to love ourselves the way we are (me? lovable? fat me???? - huge step), then accept that the low carb diet alone does not guarantee weight loss.
I know this may sound as though I am against this way of eating, but I firmly believe the "pyramid" pattern is causing so much obesity in our contry, especially with chilren. I believe, that althoug "one size" does NOT fit all, we have been duped into believing lots of pasta, bread, and veggies such as corn, potatoes, and beets are good for you, instead of that nasty meat stuff. I believe everyone should decrease their carb intake for health reasons if not for weight problems.
You and I know. We are told we will die tomorrow if we don't stop eating those horrid foods that the American Heart Association and all the cardiologists in the world warn us against. Still, you and I know differently.
And yet, we are seceretly condemning and hating ourselves for finding the right diet and STILL not being able to lose weight.
I kept believing the low carb way of life was right for health but not necessarily for weight loss. Now, someone agrees with me. But it isn't a "someone" so much as a bunch of someones: people who lost weight.
If anyone is familiar with Consumer Reports magazine, they need to run to the store and buy the copy that just came out (June, 2002). They compiled information from people who tried to lose weight, and listed the main winning (weight losing) strategies.
Number one was, EXERCISE! Oh, yes, it seemed to be the one change which was chosen by the majority of people who lost at least 10% of their weight and kept it off for at least one year. (I know - YUK!!!!!) The article later mentioned that exercise was not what actually helped them lose the weight, but it was necessary to allow them to keep the weight off.
Guess what the number one suggestion was, taken from the wt-loss winners, for copying their straegies? Yup, you got it! Decreasing their high-glycemic food intake ... decreasing their carbs!
For those of you who may not be familiar with Consumer Reports, they do not accept any advertising so that they can be totally free of compromising their values. They test many products to see which ones are best (lawnmowers, cars, paints, washing machines, TVs, beer, eliptical exercisers, boxed chocolates [oops! how did that get in my list???], paper towels, peanut butter, cookbooks, and so on). The information came from a questionnairre answered by over 32 thousand dieters (who read Consumers Reports).
At the same time as suggesting the first thing successful dieters had to do was "tame their blood sugar" by decreasing the high-glycemic foods they eat, they have an aside of "Dr. Atkin's diet: what is wrong with it?" (Not to worry - they didn't take sides about it but simply reported what they found out.) Actually many successful dieters said there were three books which helped them the most, and one of the three books was Dr. Atkin's. I won't tell you what the two other books were, nor what the results was of three different studies they reported on where test subjects were given either a low carb (few high-glycemic foods) diet plan or a low fat diet plan. And I also won't tell you about the reason some obesity researchers are re-thinking the "low fat" message they have been yelling at us for so long (not because they believe in Dr. Atkin's diet, that is certain).
But I did think their advice is great, and it explains why our low carb diet won't automatically allow us to lose pounds, after the first nice drop in wieght. (Hint, it still has to do with calories, folks! But there is more to it than just eating a few celery sticks each day.)
So, your mission, if you chose to accept it, is to find this magazines and read it. It is my challenge to you. And to read it with an open mind. It is saying basically what all the low carb gurus have been preaching, but with a few other truths mixed in.
And now, Giggles is signing off. I will return later to see if anyone accepted my challenge, and what you think of their article. (Watch out, you know I love to give pop quizzes later!)
Hi giggles!!! My HERO!!! I have believed that all along. there is no way that you can lose weight when eating a lb of bacon and 5000 cal daily. I try to keep my cals down to below 2000 daily when i count and above 1500 as well. I do exercise as i am well know for.
I have a hard time telling anone who wants to folow this woe to eat that much fat. I use half and half, will chose the lower fat meats, and in essence eat low carb low fat. when i follow it closely i do great and low weight, but as you said this is not a magic cure, and we can not expect to low weight as easy as it was to put it on. we must work for it as it was no work to put it on. the folks who stay slim (many of them anyways) do limit their intake (weather it sisconsious or not) where as i know i tend to eat all i want and more. I wonder why i got fat. and if i still eat like i did then i wil still be fat. if i do this and some miricle all the weight comes off if i do not change my habits then i will gain ti all back because i have not learned moderation be it carbs and/or fat. I truly believe low carb or low glycemic carbs are the way to go. I have had wonderful results with this woe with weight, physically, mentally, and energy wise. I need to combine the best of both worlds and limit my fats and carbs, count my calories and learn how to eat properly!!!
Wow! It's been quite some time since we've seen you! And it sure doesn't surprise me that you show up again sharing some wonderful info!
Now, you know how I am, so I must address a little bit here and a little bit there from your post (as my memory retention is awful).
#1 - Yes, I recall that you'v posted several times about loving ourselves as we are. And I agree, we cannot look ONLY to LC as a weight loss plan. It is a tool to assist us. But no woe plan, whether it be LC, LF, is a guarantee for weight loss. We must come to understand our body chemistry and eating habits and be open to making realistic and healthy changes in other aspects of our life....the weight loss will come with, even if it may come slowly, it will occur as many have shown. Part of the key is to not tweak the plan you choose so much that you have altered the plan and its affectiveness.
#2 - What is a horrid food? For me, it's those high carb foods that most of us were brought up on to believe was a part of each meal. Bread makes me crazy-can't eat one sandwich-not filling and too much sugary ingredients, potatoes/rice--so yummy but yet sends me into headaches and drowziness. Others may feel the same with a good steak--too much fat or difficult to digest. I haven't read the article - yet - but what defines a horrid food?
#3 - I am not secretly condemning and hating myself or my friends over weight issues. For what? Understanding that our world is not made up of a perfect size 10? The true friends I am blessed to have in my life can be any physical size and they accept me as I am also. I'm sorry that I do not understand where the condemnation is coming from.
#4 - I agree with you that for SOME LC is a healthier woe as is LF for others. Again, it goes back to body chemistry and what works for an individual. I strongly believe in this woe and know that low fat did me more harm than good. However, I also know of those who had adverse affects as LC wasn't right for them. With that said I would like to add.....altho with LC we can have real butter, cream or sour cream we should not lose site of the caloric intake! It's not a free for all! Just as LF isn't! Snackwell cookies are to die for, but what good does it do to eat a whole pack of LF snackwells when you look at the calories? lol We must keep in mind that portions are important with any woe.
#5 - The info you shared from Consumer Reports was awesome! I will definately get the mag this weekend and read further. I am totally for any research/study that looks beyond what only the critics want to publicize! Thanks for giving us the heads up on the info!
#6 - The dreaded "E" word! I think we all understand (no matter how much we wish it wasn't so !!) that decreasing calories/ carbs or fat (depending on self) / and implementing excercise is a must in any chosen woe. Realistically it makes sense that if you increase your physical activity and decrease your caloric intake you will lose at some rate. And it must be consistent with the woe you choose for life. If you go back to being a couch potato eating chips and salsa....it will find it's way back to those hips....whether you are following LC or LF. Consistency and a plan that you can live with realistically for the rest of your life.
Ok-I accept your challenge to get the magazine and obtain further info from the article. No problem, the article sounds interesting.
In doing so I must add....I love myself as I am - fat or skinny. I know that I have a good heart, a sincere soul, a giving spirit with much love that I give and am blessed to receive. I do not feel that wanting to improve my weight to a level that I am more comfortable with proves me to be lacking somewhere.
You may think this is heresy, but...
Hi Giggles!
