Posted on 08/02/2010 4:35:00 PM PDT by fightinJAG
The fascination with low-carb versus low-fat diet continues; the latest news comes from a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine released today that found that people on both diets lost about the same amount of weight over two years. However, the low-carb group had an edge in raising HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering diastolic blood pressure
The study looked at 153 people who were randomly assigned to a low-carb diet, and 154 to a low-fat diet. The low-carb group limited carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per day for the first 12 weeks, then gradually increased fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy foods until they reached a desired weight. The low-fat group kept daily calories to 1,200 to 1,500, and fat to 30% of their diet.
Both groups also took part in a two-year behavioral program that focused on how to manage relapses, self-monitoring, and an emphasis on moderate physical activity.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I’ll insert myself into the conversation . . .
At a guess, FreeDeerHawk, yes, you were possibly doing it wrong. You need to eat protein—AND FAT—to make a low-carb, Atkins-style diet work. Whenever you’re hungry, you need to munch on some protein, at least. There’s no need to go hungry on an Atkins diet. If you’re hungry, you’re not eating enough protein, fat, or low-cal vegetables. It’s pretty much that simple.
Having said that, my sister couldn’t do it. She just craved carbs too much—potatoes and bread were her downfall.
Those damn carbs ARE addictive.
I know that if I have one or two potato chips at a party, it’s all I can do to keep from cleaning out the entire bowl. Some people have an alcohol problem. I have a carbohydrate problem.
When you cold-turkey from the carb overload that the government has prescribed for you, there will be a withdrawal phase. Trust me. For some people, it’s not that bad. For others, it’s pretty substantial. My anecdotal experience is that it’s significantly harder for women than it is for men to do without carbs.
If you’re serious about finding out exactly what a low-carb diet does, how it works, why it works, and how to go about it, I’d suggest you look into a couple of books—perhaps your library has them:
First, most obviously, Atkin’s New Diet Revolution. That explains quite a bit of the low-carb diet, why it works, and what you have to do to make it work.
Next, Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution, by Richard Bernstein. He was an engineer who, in his 50’s (I think), developed diabetes and went back to school to become an MD to try to figure out what went wrong and how to put it right. His answer is basically a low-carb diet.
Also good is: Gary Taube’s Good Calories, Bad Calories. He was the NY Times Magazine writer who kicked off the current renaissance of low-carb with his article “What If It’s All A Big Fat Lie.”
Finally, if you’re of a scientific bent, a biochemistry book. I got one, and looked up pretty much everything that Atkins and Bernstein were saying and sure enough, that’s how human biochemistry works.
Not all calories are created equal.
Insulin is the key.
I put the low-fat craze up there with global warming as a pseudoscientific craze brought on by scientists with an agenda, abetted by an intellectually lazy media and a power-hungry government. Those three elements, put together, are a pretty nasty combination, IMHO.
Now, having gone through all of that, I’ll have to confess that just doing Atkins/low carb wasn’t enough for me, either. I dropped a lot of weight (40 pounds?) and kept about half of it off by staying more or less low-carb. But I didn’t really lose enough weight to go from obese to merely overweight until I went on a physician-monitored low-calorie diet. But, curiously enough, it was a high-protein, low-carb (and low-fat) diet—food replacement meals (dietdirect.com, to give an uncompensated plug) and a couple of prescription medications to suppress appetite and cravings. But I’ve lost 60 pounds or so that way. (Warning: going this route is not the cheapest way to go—between the meal replacement packets, medications, office visits, and frequent blood tests the doctor requires in order to make sure that I stay healthy with the weight loss.)
Sorry for the length of the post, but if it helps you or another Freeper, it was well worth it!
Atkins concluded that high cholesterol doesn’t matter, some have high, some have low.
It is the carbos that are the killer.
Media propaganda with no fat, no cholesterol has balooned population to the present obesity epidemic.
Oh, and kids are not allowed to run.
It works for me as well. I just feel a 100% percent better when I eat as you described. When I start allowing too much carb (outside of the veggies, fruits) I go into an addictive mode and feel horrible.
Substitute stevia or other no-carb sweetener for sugar in the recipe. I use about 4 eggs to 24 oz of cream cheese and probably 2 cups sweetener. Splash in a good dollop of vanilla. Bake at 325 degrees F over a baking dish of water. After or around an hour check with a toothpick or wooden skewer for doneness. Let cool and then chill in refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Garnish with fruit such as twisted lemon slices, strawberries, blueberries or fresh peaches. Or, make a low-carb chocolate sauce and drizzle over the cheesecake.
One point too that comes with Atkins, that’s scientifically proven, make sure you don’t make it low-fat - i.e., eat cheeses or medium-marbled meats. The brain is triggered by the fat that it’s satisfied. That’s why the non-fat potato chips didn’t work.
We did not feel so good on Atkins, either. My husband esp noticed a lack of energy. My cholesterol was too high. Doc told husband to get to Weight Watchers, where we started watching portion control (duh) and counting points.
I lost 8 pounds instantly (and cannot lose any more or I’d be scrawny). Husband loses well on WW, but has gained some back. We count points some, go by Glycemic Index some, lots of veggies esp, but usually a bit of rice or pasta with dinner. Not too much meat. Tuna and cottage at lunch.
I have never felt better. I teach Middle School math, etc., and need to think clearly!! Protein is the key for that, for me.
We did not feel so good on Atkins, either. My husband esp noticed a lack of energy. My cholesterol was too high. Doc told husband to get to Weight Watchers, where we started watching portion control (duh) and counting points.
I lost 8 pounds instantly (and cannot lose any more or I’d be scrawny). Husband loses well on WW, but has gained some back. We count points some, go by Glycemic Index some, lots of veggies esp, but usually a bit of rice or pasta with dinner. Not too much meat. Tuna and cottage at lunch.
I have never felt better. I teach Middle School math, etc., and need to think clearly!! Protein is the key for that, for me.
That is me, too. It is much easier to say no to that first one bite than to try to stop eating after it.
Yeh, no fair keeping low-carb cheesecake to yourself. Enquiring minds want to know.
Yeh, no fair keeping low-carb cheesecake to yourself. Enquiring minds want to know.
Thank you,I guess I felt like I might be eating too much meat and fish,it seemed like I was overdoing it a lot of the time,yet apparently,it still wasn’t enough.
I will probably try again.
for later
well, i use liponexol, itz a carb inhibitor, and so since im eating more carbs, it effectively blox them, and so im not putting on any weight...
im just scared to eat any sort of cholesterol....which sux, my family is chowing down on pizza, steak, hoagies, etc...and im stuck on watching my cholesterol...
is sux.....atkins worked for me too, but my doc has me so spooked now cause my total cholesterol was 260, and since he gave me the non statin med, it down to 220....and my weight fine..im just dying for real food dammit....
There’s a new Atkins book? I’ll have to check that out.
I thought that once you finished the induction phase you could eat pretty much all you wanted of veggies and some fruits.
First the potassium. When you first begin a low carb diet a lot of the weight you lose is water weight. This loss of water results in a loss of potassium and MAY lead to a defiency. In any case that is a temporary condition. If you begin to feel weak just take some potassium for a couple of weeks.
As for the hunger, I don’t know. I always eat until I’m satisfied, and I have never been hungry on this regimen. I love potatoes and sandwichs and I really miss them, but that doesn’t result in hunger. I miss chocolate cake too, but it isn’t diet food. Pasta, bread, and potatoes aren’t diet food either. I suggest you find something to snack on. I use Pork Rinds, cheese and boiled eggs. Carrot sticks or other raw vegetables would work too if you prefer them. The point is to eat; don’t starve yourself.
After I lost my thirty pounds I continued with the same meals for breakfast and lunch but added back my potatoes and other carbs at supper. That works for me for maintenance, and I have no problem avoiding weight gain as long as I stick to it.
Finally. A halfway approach won’t work. Low carb is no weight loss. No carb is what works. That isn’t actually practical but 10 or fewer carbs per day is easy to do, and it works!
In this study, one group (the high-fat group) actually lost weight on “unrestricted calories.”
two questions: what about coffee? When I did Atkins years ago the one thing I hated was missing my cups of Joe each day. Second - NO carbs? Again, comparing to Atkins, even in Induction weeks you were allowed comlex carbs such as veggies. So, what’d it take to post your diet for three weeks’ worth? 30lbs is what I’m wanting to lose.
comlex = complex
If I may add to your book list...Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, M.D.: The Schwarzbein Principle: The Truth About Losing Weight, Being Healthy and Feeling Younger. This book talks ALL ABOUT insulin, and foods that spike it, leading to weight gain, etc. Lots of diabetes in my family, and this book has helped me a LOT. Got another book of hers that is all recipes. Very tasty recipes, especially if you like feta cheese, balsamic vinegar, fresh veggies, basil, etc.
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