[B-Chan]

I experience the same symptoms you did on the USDA system. Since I stopped eating carbs, my Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms have almost entirely disappeared, I have more energy, and I feel generally great. To me, this indicates that my body simply cannot effectively digest or utilize carbohydrates and starches. My diet today consists largely of meat, fish, cheese, eggs, fresh vegetables, and wine.

Why are so any poor people fat? Because they eat a diet that is largely starch: bread, potatoes, pasta, and other cheap "filler" foods. That stuff turns straight to fat. Our pre-agricultural ancestors did not eat Kraft Macaroni 'n' Cheese; they ate wild greens, wild fruit, fish, insects, and (when they could get it) game. That's the "natural" diet for the human being if there is any such thing.

Again: One should never go on any kind of diet without the advice and consent of one's own M.D.

[hopespringseternal]

My achilles heel: sugar. When I dropped soft drinks and candy bars, my weight went down, my attitude went up.

I started drinking coffee and tea rather than soft drinks. Still some sugar, but much less. I have no sweets during the day. No more vending machine raids at work.

I had started to feel really bad whenever I ate large amounts of sugar, and decided that was a pretty good sign I shouldn't do it.