Boy, do I agree I think that one of the biggest problems dieters face today is from the media and manufacturers. Everywhere you go, you see "low-carb" on labels, with special displays in the middle of aisles, etc. The average dieter is then tricked into thinking that low carb is the only way to go, when that just isn't true!

The reason we're tripping over low carb products in the aisles is because they can charge more for low carb products. It's a business decision. It has nothing to do with our health or well-being. Many manufacturers have scurried to relabel products that were already naturally low in carbs, to put big low carb labels on them, then they raise the price a little to make up for it. Now, they are beginning to panic. Two weeks ago, it was in the headlines that manufacturers are beginning to regret this move because the low-carb industry has hit a plateau. People are losing interest. They also are losing sales because most people that are not on low carb diets will not buy these products because they are perceived as being unhealthy.

Only a small percentage of people are on a low carb diet anyway. Weight Watchers is still a very successful plan, with all the carbs. Also, we tend to forget that there are countless people out there that don't follow "popular" diets, or diets that come from a book or paid program. People lose weight successfully by simply cutting back, increasing their activity, or devising their own personal plan based on their personal needs.

I have tried low carb, moderate carb, and high carb. I personally do best with moderate to high carb, moderate fat. I avoid saturated and trans fats whenever possible because I have heart disease. I prefer to avoid high protein because I have gout in my knees and prefer to be able to walk I don't have a problem with simple carbs because I don't pig out on them, plus I'm not insulin resistant. White pasta didn't make me or anyone else fat. Platters of white pasta, combined with lack of activity is what made us fat. Italians eat more pasta than we do, but they also eat lots of fresh vegetables, seafood, olive oil, and they get a LOT more activity than we do. Their obesity rates are less than half of ours. I prefer to avoid adding sugar to foods because it's empty calories. In the end, it's the calories that count, and I try to spend them wisely. I like whole wheat bread, but I'm not afraid of white bread. I don't like whole wheat pasta, and I don't eat foods that I don't like. I eat white pasta, but I limit it to 1/2 cup serving. Portion control is probably the number one thing we should all consider.

Regarding choosing a diet...

Low carb does result in quicker weight loss initially, but studies have shown that over time, both low carb and low fat result in the same loss. Low carb starts out fast but slows down. The same studies showed that of those that regain the weight, the ones that lost with low carb gain it back faster. Studies have also shown that low carb, low fat, high carb, etc, all work equally as well for weight loss. Equal

The diet plan that works best for the individual is the one you will actually follow. They all work -- if you stick with them. So, choose a diet plan that fits your personal tastes and lifestyles. Look over the plans. Do you like the foods they offer? Will you be satisfied? Deprived? Hungry? Happy? Does it fit your budget? If you brown bag lunches, will this work for you? Can you feed your family on this plan? Do you go out to eat a lot, and will this plan fit your social life? These are some of the questions you should ask yourself when you choose a diet plan. It doesn't matter at all what plan your friends were successful with. You are unique. Choose your plan accordingly.

You may have to take medical reasons into account when choosing a plan. If you are diabetic, or have been diagnosed (actually diagnosed, not assumed) insulin resistant, you may need a lower carb or sugar restricted diet plan. If you have gout, kidney problems, or heart disease, you may need to avoid a higher fat, higher protein diet. With any of these conditions, (and many others) you should always ask your doctor what type of diet plan is best for you. Don't ask other people or depend on the diet books to tell you. Once again, you are unique, and only your doctor knows enough about your personal health to guide you in the right direction.

Wow, am I grateful for this thread. I've been on and off plan for almost 2 weeks now because I keep trying to cut back carbs and stop eating my high-carb lean cuisines. The thing is, I HATED every freaking wheat snack I tried and instead of feeling ok I felt deprived...so I kept cheating. Now I have confirmation for what I'd been hoping. I can still lose weight on my carby diet as long as I cut back fat and calories. I do weight lifting too and I suppose to get the form I want I may eventually have to balance more, but for the moment I am going to eat my flavored rice cakes and throw the whole wheat bread sticks in the garbage!!!

Research came out this week that tied high carb diets to breast cancer. I think moderation and complex carbs still rules.

Amen, sister!

That's what the headlines read, but down towards the end of the news report, it said something different. They said that these studies were done on Mexican women that consumed most of their carbs from corn that was not enriched with folate and other nutrients that protect against cancer, like we have here. They said that they had no idea what the results of the same study would be if it were done in the US, and they recommended that we not change our eating patterns based on that study. I hope they will conduct similar studies here, though, it's not fair to make a bold statement like that and leave us hanging.

It's funny how the media grabs onto the most controversial statement in a report and uses that as the headline, even if the rest of the report says something different. I've noticed that quite a bit lately

I decreased my carbs to roughly 40% of my daily calories and switched over to MOSTLY 'better' carbs and managed to lose weight just fine. I still have a small amount of pasta a day and the occasional rice, but very little in the way of sugar. Still, it's at least 150 carbs a day, not low carb by anyone's estimation!

I tried low carb, just wasn't for me.

Isn't it interesting how different people are? When I started my weight loss program last May, my roommate and I "uncoupled" our meals so I could follow my food guidelines. So, I've been eating what I'm supposed to, and she's been eating what she wants.

She has always eaten more carbohydrates than I could get away with, even has them late in the evening. Well, doing it her way, she dropped 10 pounds in the next three months, not even trying.

Jay

Arrgh that typo is driving me insane!!! Let me correct myself: "Can you still LOSE weight on a high carb diet"

Anyway, thanks again for all the posts. I don't know anything about WW except that you watch points. Do people lose because they eat more complex carbs? As for me, I lost the 7lbs by eating more carbs than protein and fat. There are days when the only protein I'd eat is an egg.

People lose on WW because it limits overall food intake, restricting the number of calories you consume. Just like any diet, whether it's low carb, high carb, etc. Some diets reduce your overall food intake by eliminating whole food groups, thereby limiting your choices. Other diets limit portion sizes.

Whichever diet you choose, you are consuming fewer calories than you did before, and that's what causes the weight loss. That is, of course, if you follow the diet properly. There are some people out there now that are not following low carb properly and are gaining weight. Consider the 1200 calorie "low carb" meals that a lot of restaurants are serving! Live on those, and you will still gain weight. It's like the Snackwell's phenomenon of the 90s. Everyone was pigging out on fat free cookies, because they assumed that fat free meant unlimited, and they hurt their diets.

In the end, calories do count.