purpleprincess
Active Member
What is everyone's thought on that Atkins diet? I would especially like to hear what Cathe's educated opinion would be... anyone tried it?
Atkins diet??
- Thread starter purpleprincess
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Ali A.
Guest
Atkins Diet
Hi Purpleprincess!
I own a deli in an office building and I can't believe how many people have been on this diet! These Atkins dieters would come into my store bragging about how many lbs they had lost. The sad story is that I can't even name one of them that has kept the weight off!!! And the things they would eat-tons of mayo laden chicken, tuna and egg salads; breadless roast beef sandwiches piled high with cheese and mayo; eggs and bacon!!
Out of curiosity I would ask these people if they exercized and not one answered yes. On a diet with such low carb intake who would have the energy to workout?? These dieters all had one thing in common; they all wanted an easy fix. Yes, you can loose weight on this diet, lots of people have. But once you go back to regular eating the weight comes right back and then some. What has worked for me is eating a variety of healthy foods (and yes, even some not so healthy, @#&*@!! devil dogs!) but keeping portions smaller and eating more frequently throughout the day. No, I'm not model thin but I'm healthy and I feel great and I can get through one of Cathe's great workouts with no problem!
Hi Purpleprincess!
I own a deli in an office building and I can't believe how many people have been on this diet! These Atkins dieters would come into my store bragging about how many lbs they had lost. The sad story is that I can't even name one of them that has kept the weight off!!! And the things they would eat-tons of mayo laden chicken, tuna and egg salads; breadless roast beef sandwiches piled high with cheese and mayo; eggs and bacon!!
Out of curiosity I would ask these people if they exercized and not one answered yes. On a diet with such low carb intake who would have the energy to workout?? These dieters all had one thing in common; they all wanted an easy fix. Yes, you can loose weight on this diet, lots of people have. But once you go back to regular eating the weight comes right back and then some. What has worked for me is eating a variety of healthy foods (and yes, even some not so healthy, @#&*@!! devil dogs!) but keeping portions smaller and eating more frequently throughout the day. No, I'm not model thin but I'm healthy and I feel great and I can get through one of Cathe's great workouts with no problem!
purpleprincess
Active Member
Thanks
I really love hearing opinions about crazy diets. I would think almost all diets just don't work, or the weight comes back. I know as well as you know that eating healthy foods can make a world of a difference!
I really love hearing opinions about crazy diets. I would think almost all diets just don't work, or the weight comes back. I know as well as you know that eating healthy foods can make a world of a difference!
Protein "Diets"
I'm someone who has incorporated more protein in my diet and lowered my carb intake and I have experienced good results. I believe that these diets, but I should call them lifestyle changes, cause that's what they really are if you stick with them, help people who are "addicted" to carbs. Before my "lifestyle change" I was eating bread and chocolate and a little protein. I couldn't stop and I wondered why I was always hungry. I exercised 5 days a week and could not lose weight. I began a protein diet and an amazing thing happened: My sugar cravings went away! They really did! I still crave bread and pasta at times, and when I do, I eat them, but I make sure to always eat a sensible amount of protein too. The great thing is that my blood pressure and cholesteral have gone down too. I could go on about other positive changes, but I wont. It's really important though, for me to say that adding more protein and lowering carbs, for some people who have intense carb cravings, really stops the cravings.
I'm someone who has incorporated more protein in my diet and lowered my carb intake and I have experienced good results. I believe that these diets, but I should call them lifestyle changes, cause that's what they really are if you stick with them, help people who are "addicted" to carbs. Before my "lifestyle change" I was eating bread and chocolate and a little protein. I couldn't stop and I wondered why I was always hungry. I exercised 5 days a week and could not lose weight. I began a protein diet and an amazing thing happened: My sugar cravings went away! They really did! I still crave bread and pasta at times, and when I do, I eat them, but I make sure to always eat a sensible amount of protein too. The great thing is that my blood pressure and cholesteral have gone down too. I could go on about other positive changes, but I wont. It's really important though, for me to say that adding more protein and lowering carbs, for some people who have intense carb cravings, really stops the cravings.
purpleprincess
Active Member
suggestions
Could use some suggestions on what foods you eat and how much g. of fat, protein and carbs you eat... I'm a carb addict to, I CRAVE sweets! errrrr. Could you give me some suggestions?
Could use some suggestions on what foods you eat and how much g. of fat, protein and carbs you eat... I'm a carb addict to, I CRAVE sweets! errrrr. Could you give me some suggestions?
Randi, I'm so glad you said that!
I started a version of the Atkins diet (practically all protein with drastically reduced carb intake) and after a few days I just hated it! Plus, I felt pretty rotten all the time. So what I did was to keep eating more protein (than in the past) but increase my carb intake a bit while still staying away from lots of pasta, bread, crackers, etc, etc. PRESTO!! After a few days, my carb cravings practically disappeared! Now this is pretty amazing considering that I am (or was) one of those people who could devour an entire bag of Nacho Cheese Doritoes in one sitting!
Oh, and crackers (Wheat Thins!)?? Forget about it! They wouldn't last one day! LOL!
Now, however, I don't have any of those cravings! I'm not saying I never eat chocolate or crackers but I can stop with a few bites rather than stuff myself and still end up craving more an hour later!
While I am NOT an advocate of high protein diets, I do think there is something to be said for eating more protein (at least for me anyway).
Bev K.
I started a version of the Atkins diet (practically all protein with drastically reduced carb intake) and after a few days I just hated it! Plus, I felt pretty rotten all the time. So what I did was to keep eating more protein (than in the past) but increase my carb intake a bit while still staying away from lots of pasta, bread, crackers, etc, etc. PRESTO!! After a few days, my carb cravings practically disappeared! Now this is pretty amazing considering that I am (or was) one of those people who could devour an entire bag of Nacho Cheese Doritoes in one sitting!
Now, however, I don't have any of those cravings! I'm not saying I never eat chocolate or crackers but I can stop with a few bites rather than stuff myself and still end up craving more an hour later!
While I am NOT an advocate of high protein diets, I do think there is something to be said for eating more protein (at least for me anyway).
Bev K.
suggestions
When I began my diet(it's quicker to write than lifestyle change) :.) I used the "protein power" book model, but now I use it as a guideline. For 6 months or so I did 30-40 grams/carbs a day and 70 or so protein. For the first month I was extremely tired and depressed, but I had been warned that this would happen and assured it would go away once my body got used to the fact that it wasn't going to get a sugar/carb high anymore. After two weeks I stopped craving sugar, but I was still tired, etc. After a month I felt great.
The foods I eat are lean red meats, pork, lots of chicken, almonds, peanut butter, tofu dishes, fish, eggs and cheese. I also eat lots of vegetables, salads and now that I'm eating up to 60 grams carb a day, I eat a grain food once a day(bread, tortilla, etc.) I find that if I eat enough protein, I don't crave sugar. I do eat foods with high fat content(meat, eggs, cheese etc.) and this really helps to stop carb cravings IMO. I don't eat deep fried foods though.
The fascinating thing about my experience with all this is that it contradicts everything the media "feeds" us about food. For example, I eat more than the recommended amount of red meat and I actually feel lighter and more energetic than I ever did eating carbs. I ate more fat than recommended and I lost weight and inches. Another plus is that I don't have mood swings like I did when I ate sugar and bread all of the time. Now of course this is my experience and everybody is different, but I think if you are a carb addict it's a good thing to try. I hope this is helpful. Randi
When I began my diet(it's quicker to write than lifestyle change) :.) I used the "protein power" book model, but now I use it as a guideline. For 6 months or so I did 30-40 grams/carbs a day and 70 or so protein. For the first month I was extremely tired and depressed, but I had been warned that this would happen and assured it would go away once my body got used to the fact that it wasn't going to get a sugar/carb high anymore. After two weeks I stopped craving sugar, but I was still tired, etc. After a month I felt great.
The foods I eat are lean red meats, pork, lots of chicken, almonds, peanut butter, tofu dishes, fish, eggs and cheese. I also eat lots of vegetables, salads and now that I'm eating up to 60 grams carb a day, I eat a grain food once a day(bread, tortilla, etc.) I find that if I eat enough protein, I don't crave sugar. I do eat foods with high fat content(meat, eggs, cheese etc.) and this really helps to stop carb cravings IMO. I don't eat deep fried foods though.
The fascinating thing about my experience with all this is that it contradicts everything the media "feeds" us about food. For example, I eat more than the recommended amount of red meat and I actually feel lighter and more energetic than I ever did eating carbs. I ate more fat than recommended and I lost weight and inches. Another plus is that I don't have mood swings like I did when I ate sugar and bread all of the time. Now of course this is my experience and everybody is different, but I think if you are a carb addict it's a good thing to try. I hope this is helpful. Randi
purpleprincess
Active Member
Thanks Randi
A
Ali A.
Guest
more on carbs
In the last couple of months I have added more protein in my diet, more specifically, fish and chicken. I still eat plenty of carbs but I pay more attention to the "kinds" of carbs I eat. I try to stay away from processed foods and stick with whole grain cereals and bread, beans, sweet potatoes etc. Of course if I really want something "bad" I eat it because life is meant to be enjoyed!!! I used to try to eat a very low fat diet but now I've added fat to my diet in the way of olive oil and flax seed oil. I truly belive that everybody's body is different and what works for one person may not work for another. The important thing is to enjoy what you are eating and find the right combinations of foods that make you feel great!
In the last couple of months I have added more protein in my diet, more specifically, fish and chicken. I still eat plenty of carbs but I pay more attention to the "kinds" of carbs I eat. I try to stay away from processed foods and stick with whole grain cereals and bread, beans, sweet potatoes etc. Of course if I really want something "bad" I eat it because life is meant to be enjoyed!!! I used to try to eat a very low fat diet but now I've added fat to my diet in the way of olive oil and flax seed oil. I truly belive that everybody's body is different and what works for one person may not work for another. The important thing is to enjoy what you are eating and find the right combinations of foods that make you feel great!
I Eat the Same
Hi Randi,
I also quit eating sugar and refined carbs. I actually dodn't miss the breads and pasta. I was a little tired for maybe one week but that was all. I was struggling with loosing about 5 extra pounds that I couldn't take off (mostly the stomach area) and when I changed my eating habits I finally lost it. I basically eat the same things that you do. I think I feel alot better and Iam not constantly bloated anymore which made me extremely miserable. Iam really happy eating this way. Iam not a carb addict and Iam perfectly happy getting my carbs from veggies. However, I do plan on adding some whole grains back into my diet.
Susan
Hi Randi,
I also quit eating sugar and refined carbs. I actually dodn't miss the breads and pasta. I was a little tired for maybe one week but that was all. I was struggling with loosing about 5 extra pounds that I couldn't take off (mostly the stomach area) and when I changed my eating habits I finally lost it. I basically eat the same things that you do. I think I feel alot better and Iam not constantly bloated anymore which made me extremely miserable. Iam really happy eating this way. Iam not a carb addict and Iam perfectly happy getting my carbs from veggies. However, I do plan on adding some whole grains back into my diet.
Susan
Hey! I kept it off!!
60 pounds and counting for just about a year now-- but it's not the Atkins diet, its a combination of the "Carbohydrate Addicts Diet" and the low carb diet that my father was on when he did phen-fen.
It does work, I will say that, it really really does. The weight FALLS off and stays off if you eat right.
You can't keep it up though if you're among the Cathe faithful-- because as I found out, as your fitness level grows your body will demand more carbohydrates, or you will start to be undernourished. That's the truth. You really do starve yourself.
As I read in "The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy"-- everyone knows that the only way to lose weight is to stop eating and start exercising like a madman (madwoman).
60 pounds and counting for just about a year now-- but it's not the Atkins diet, its a combination of the "Carbohydrate Addicts Diet" and the low carb diet that my father was on when he did phen-fen.
It does work, I will say that, it really really does. The weight FALLS off and stays off if you eat right.
You can't keep it up though if you're among the Cathe faithful-- because as I found out, as your fitness level grows your body will demand more carbohydrates, or you will start to be undernourished. That's the truth. You really do starve yourself.
As I read in "The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy"-- everyone knows that the only way to lose weight is to stop eating and start exercising like a madman (madwoman).
purpleprincess
Active Member
? for Deidre
Hi, I'm having trouble understanding what you posted. Are you saying that you cut carbs out of your diet and continued to workout and lost weight. Or you continued to workout and eat carbs also since we don't want to starve ourselves. I was already having a tough time deciding if I should cut more of my carbs out simply because I do workout and I was finding myself crave carbs more to fulfill my hunger. I would like to know what you do, please.
thanks, Deandra
Hi, I'm having trouble understanding what you posted. Are you saying that you cut carbs out of your diet and continued to workout and lost weight. Or you continued to workout and eat carbs also since we don't want to starve ourselves. I was already having a tough time deciding if I should cut more of my carbs out simply because I do workout and I was finding myself crave carbs more to fulfill my hunger. I would like to know what you do, please.
a little clarity
Sorry about that!
I didn't mean to confuse you-- that's what I get for posting first thing in the morning! I think what I was trying to say was that the low carb diets work, and you can keep the weight off-- but you have to be careful with them.
This is what I have to say about my plan-- when I started, I had A LOT of weight to lose. My BMI was around a 32 and I was around 225 pounds (6 feet tall). I found this program after a month of slim fast & weight watchers, and I was 20 pounds down and feeling very motivated. I was also willing to do anything to lose the weight--
The program that I followed was pretty simple-- no more than 75g of carbs per day and no more than 20g of fat. My diet consisted of a lot of egg beaters, cottage cheese, salsa, chicken, tuna and other types of fish-- and a lot of those weight watcher meals-- and tons and tons of green leafy vegetables. No breads or pasta, and I really didn't even crave them, and really no fruit or fruit juices. Total calories were around 1100.
I made sure that my protein was between 55 and 70g per day, mostly with powders-- the tricky thing about that though is some powders have about 100 carbs per serving.
I lost weight immediately and quickly, 40 pounds in about 2 months. I did work out regularly too-- between 4 and 5 times a week.
Here's the thing though that makes me very skeptical that this diet was such a good idea--
about 2 1/2 months into it, my energy left me. Just kaput. I couldn't make it more than 1/2 hour into an aerobic workout before I started to get sick and feel faint. I also could not do any strength training at all, I would shake all day, no matter how much protein I ate. Also my hair started to fall out, my fingernails got very weak and thin, and my skin started to crack and bleed.
I could argue that none of these things were too earth shattering, and I'm happy to be thin no matter what I had to go through-- but my doctor took me off the low carb diet right away when I went to her with these new ailments. After I stopped the diet, all of these problems went away.
I get asked all the time what I did to lose so much weight, and I am alternately overjoyed and reluctant to tell people. The point is that the low carb diets do work, and they work immediately.... but I have to concur with the experts as to the long-term effects of being undernourished.
PS--When my doctor took me off the diet, I was still 15 pounds from my goal. I started to take Ripped Fuel in conjunction with another fat burner that contained carnitine and B-12 and the weight came off in 2 months. Just eating healthy & working out 5 days...
Sorry about that!
I didn't mean to confuse you-- that's what I get for posting first thing in the morning! I think what I was trying to say was that the low carb diets work, and you can keep the weight off-- but you have to be careful with them.
This is what I have to say about my plan-- when I started, I had A LOT of weight to lose. My BMI was around a 32 and I was around 225 pounds (6 feet tall). I found this program after a month of slim fast & weight watchers, and I was 20 pounds down and feeling very motivated. I was also willing to do anything to lose the weight--
The program that I followed was pretty simple-- no more than 75g of carbs per day and no more than 20g of fat. My diet consisted of a lot of egg beaters, cottage cheese, salsa, chicken, tuna and other types of fish-- and a lot of those weight watcher meals-- and tons and tons of green leafy vegetables. No breads or pasta, and I really didn't even crave them, and really no fruit or fruit juices. Total calories were around 1100.
I made sure that my protein was between 55 and 70g per day, mostly with powders-- the tricky thing about that though is some powders have about 100 carbs per serving.
I lost weight immediately and quickly, 40 pounds in about 2 months. I did work out regularly too-- between 4 and 5 times a week.
Here's the thing though that makes me very skeptical that this diet was such a good idea--
about 2 1/2 months into it, my energy left me. Just kaput. I couldn't make it more than 1/2 hour into an aerobic workout before I started to get sick and feel faint. I also could not do any strength training at all, I would shake all day, no matter how much protein I ate. Also my hair started to fall out, my fingernails got very weak and thin, and my skin started to crack and bleed.
I could argue that none of these things were too earth shattering, and I'm happy to be thin no matter what I had to go through-- but my doctor took me off the low carb diet right away when I went to her with these new ailments. After I stopped the diet, all of these problems went away.
I get asked all the time what I did to lose so much weight, and I am alternately overjoyed and reluctant to tell people. The point is that the low carb diets do work, and they work immediately.... but I have to concur with the experts as to the long-term effects of being undernourished.
PS--When my doctor took me off the diet, I was still 15 pounds from my goal. I started to take Ripped Fuel in conjunction with another fat burner that contained carnitine and B-12 and the weight came off in 2 months. Just eating healthy & working out 5 days...
purpleprincess
Active Member
Ok, but...
Thanks for the detailed post, so currently, how many carbs a day do you eat, gram wise? How many g of fat do you eat?
Thanks for the detailed post, so currently, how many carbs a day do you eat, gram wise? How many g of fat do you eat?
What has worked for me....
<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Nov-11-99 AT 10:44AM (EST)</font></center>
I follow more the "Zone" type diet--the 40/30/30 plan. It works very well for me. This type of diet supplies a lot of protein but still allows enough carbs to give me the energy I need for workouts and just life in general. And I agree, the word "diet" is misleading--this is in fact a lifestyle change.
For maintenance, I eat about 1800-2000 cals/day (I'm 5'3" and 125 lbs). When I am trying to lose a few pounds, I cut my calories back to about 1500-1600 cals/day. I eat about 120 grams of protein a day with this calorie total (30% protein). It is a little tough to get that much protein in if you're not used to it, but what I do is have egg whites for breakfast, cottage cheese for a snack, a protein shake or bar for another snack, and a high-protein lunch and dinner. I have found several protein powders that don't have many carbs--they tend to be aimed more at the bodybuilder crowd so many people aren't familiar with them. I am not afraid of carbs, but I do try to watch them (only 40%) and what type I eat. If I have a sandwich, I make sure it's on whole grain bread; I eat All-Bran cereal, not Frosted Flakes; brown rice instead of white. And I don't add sugar to *anything*. Now, I allow myself to splurge if I'm really craving something like a cookie or a piece of pie; I don't deprive myself at all! But it's true that if you are a carb addict (or a "borderline" addict, which is what I consider myself) the cravings for so many carbs and sweets disappears when you stop eating so many of them and fill up on more protein.
Another thing that I find crucial for me personally (and seems to fit right in with the 40/30/30 plan) is to make sure I eat some fat. Super low fat doesn't work for me. I find if I eat a little more fat throughout the day, I feel more satisfied with what I do eat, and I don't want to just binge on everything in sight.
Before I started eating this way, I craved carbs constantly--my idea of heaven was to sit down with a box of Golden Grahams and eat it right out of the box--practically finishing the box by myself!!
Anyway, this is just my input into the high protein discussion. Atkins is not for everyone (I certainly couldn't do it--I tried!), and neither is 40/30/30. Just some more options for you to think about!
Renae
<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Nov-11-99 AT 10:44AM (EST)</font></center>
I follow more the "Zone" type diet--the 40/30/30 plan. It works very well for me. This type of diet supplies a lot of protein but still allows enough carbs to give me the energy I need for workouts and just life in general. And I agree, the word "diet" is misleading--this is in fact a lifestyle change.
For maintenance, I eat about 1800-2000 cals/day (I'm 5'3" and 125 lbs). When I am trying to lose a few pounds, I cut my calories back to about 1500-1600 cals/day. I eat about 120 grams of protein a day with this calorie total (30% protein). It is a little tough to get that much protein in if you're not used to it, but what I do is have egg whites for breakfast, cottage cheese for a snack, a protein shake or bar for another snack, and a high-protein lunch and dinner. I have found several protein powders that don't have many carbs--they tend to be aimed more at the bodybuilder crowd so many people aren't familiar with them. I am not afraid of carbs, but I do try to watch them (only 40%) and what type I eat. If I have a sandwich, I make sure it's on whole grain bread; I eat All-Bran cereal, not Frosted Flakes; brown rice instead of white. And I don't add sugar to *anything*. Now, I allow myself to splurge if I'm really craving something like a cookie or a piece of pie; I don't deprive myself at all! But it's true that if you are a carb addict (or a "borderline" addict, which is what I consider myself) the cravings for so many carbs and sweets disappears when you stop eating so many of them and fill up on more protein.
Another thing that I find crucial for me personally (and seems to fit right in with the 40/30/30 plan) is to make sure I eat some fat. Super low fat doesn't work for me. I find if I eat a little more fat throughout the day, I feel more satisfied with what I do eat, and I don't want to just binge on everything in sight.
Before I started eating this way, I craved carbs constantly--my idea of heaven was to sit down with a box of Golden Grahams and eat it right out of the box--practically finishing the box by myself!!
Anyway, this is just my input into the high protein discussion. Atkins is not for everyone (I certainly couldn't do it--I tried!), and neither is 40/30/30. Just some more options for you to think about!
Renae
M
michelle
Guest
Low carbs vs. Low calorie ?
How do you know that it was the low carb aspect of the diet that helped you lose weight, or the obscenely low calories the diet kept you to that did it(you mentioned you were eating 1100 kcals a day - that's definitely in starvation mode, especially for someone 6 ft tall! It's no wonder you were feeling no energy and faint!)?
I'm glad to hear that your doc noticed the problems that you were having and had you switch to a realistic plan. And, it's great to hear that it worked!
How do you know that it was the low carb aspect of the diet that helped you lose weight, or the obscenely low calories the diet kept you to that did it(you mentioned you were eating 1100 kcals a day - that's definitely in starvation mode, especially for someone 6 ft tall! It's no wonder you were feeling no energy and faint!)?
I'm glad to hear that your doc noticed the problems that you were having and had you switch to a realistic plan. And, it's great to hear that it worked!
purpleprincess
Active Member
To Renae
I'm so glad you posted, I don't know what I was doing, but when people said eat 40, 30, 30, I really thought they ment only 40 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbs, 30 grams of fat... or am I just reading your post wrong? You said that 120 grams equals 30%protein, so what would 40% of carbs equal - is that a stupid question? I'm not exactly the heatlh expert...you can see that by now
I'm so glad you posted, I don't know what I was doing, but when people said eat 40, 30, 30, I really thought they ment only 40 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbs, 30 grams of fat... or am I just reading your post wrong? You said that 120 grams equals 30%protein, so what would 40% of carbs equal - is that a stupid question? I'm not exactly the heatlh expert...you can see that by now
40/30/30
<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Nov-11-99 AT 06:32PM (EST)</font></center>
Yes, 40/30/30 means 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. With a 1600 calorie diet, that would allow you 160 grams of carbs (1600 x .40 divided by 4 (4 calories in a gram of carbs), 120 grams protein (1600 x .30 divided by 4), and 53 grams fat (1600 x .30 divided by 9). I'm sure a lot of people who aren't familiar with this plan will gasp at the number of fat grams you eat, but it's within healthy guidelines--30% of calories from fat--and I can attest to the fact that it's one of the keys to the program. The extra fat keeps you feeling full, and it's almost as if my body doesn't hang on to the fat as much if I give it enough--kind of like the idea behind the reason why starvation diets don't work: give your body too few calories, and it latches on to everything you feed it; give it enough calories, and it acts "normal" and burns them off appropriately (provided you are doing enough exercise to burn the number of calories you are consuming!).
I'm not a dietician, but I know what's worked for me, and this definitely has.
Renae
<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Nov-11-99 AT 06:32PM (EST)</font></center>
Yes, 40/30/30 means 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. With a 1600 calorie diet, that would allow you 160 grams of carbs (1600 x .40 divided by 4 (4 calories in a gram of carbs), 120 grams protein (1600 x .30 divided by 4), and 53 grams fat (1600 x .30 divided by 9). I'm sure a lot of people who aren't familiar with this plan will gasp at the number of fat grams you eat, but it's within healthy guidelines--30% of calories from fat--and I can attest to the fact that it's one of the keys to the program. The extra fat keeps you feeling full, and it's almost as if my body doesn't hang on to the fat as much if I give it enough--kind of like the idea behind the reason why starvation diets don't work: give your body too few calories, and it latches on to everything you feed it; give it enough calories, and it acts "normal" and burns them off appropriately (provided you are doing enough exercise to burn the number of calories you are consuming!).
I'm not a dietician, but I know what's worked for me, and this definitely has.
Renae
ugh!!
Dear All hi-protein people!
Hi!
As a person who has lived all around Asia, I can firmly attest to the fact that percentages, carb amounts, caloric intake, etc... don't make a BIT of difference.
Asian's eat a LOT of rice. At least 3 cups per meal. They are certainly not fat. I, also, have eaten a pure Asian diet, and have maintained my weight. If you take a look around the world, for centuries, in every culture, the staple is grain. That doesn't translate into fat.
Americans have gone SOOOOOO beserk over food, that I think it is the attitude, not the intake, that is the problem. If we were all a bit more relaxed about food, treat it as something to be enjoyed -- like sex, sleep, etc. -- and something which to share as a social ritual -- I am convinced that all the crazy authors out there capitalizing on our (American) insecurities, would finally go out of business.
Having gone thru the same sort of carbo-loading some others describe, I agree that adding more protein and fat can help sustain one's energy and improve muscle tone. But I have eaten a very low protein diet, and lost LOTS of weight. I eat a very balanced diet, and maintain.
Living in Hong Kong, I cannot worry about carb percentages, etc... Calories aren't broken down on meals out here. But I will say that the most stable people and bodies I know are those who don't fixate on the numbers they eat per day.
Sorry for going on a diatribe. Please don't think I am patronizing. I am actually in the same camp as all of you. It's just that I am so very sick of the ridiculous ideas out there, when EVERY nutritionist I know (and that's a fair amount), advocates a balanced diet that INCLUDES at least 300 grams of carbs a day. It's crazy otherwise....
Peace, all.
Dear All hi-protein people!
Hi!
As a person who has lived all around Asia, I can firmly attest to the fact that percentages, carb amounts, caloric intake, etc... don't make a BIT of difference.
Asian's eat a LOT of rice. At least 3 cups per meal. They are certainly not fat. I, also, have eaten a pure Asian diet, and have maintained my weight. If you take a look around the world, for centuries, in every culture, the staple is grain. That doesn't translate into fat.
Americans have gone SOOOOOO beserk over food, that I think it is the attitude, not the intake, that is the problem. If we were all a bit more relaxed about food, treat it as something to be enjoyed -- like sex, sleep, etc. -- and something which to share as a social ritual -- I am convinced that all the crazy authors out there capitalizing on our (American) insecurities, would finally go out of business.
Having gone thru the same sort of carbo-loading some others describe, I agree that adding more protein and fat can help sustain one's energy and improve muscle tone. But I have eaten a very low protein diet, and lost LOTS of weight. I eat a very balanced diet, and maintain.
Living in Hong Kong, I cannot worry about carb percentages, etc... Calories aren't broken down on meals out here. But I will say that the most stable people and bodies I know are those who don't fixate on the numbers they eat per day.
Sorry for going on a diatribe. Please don't think I am patronizing. I am actually in the same camp as all of you. It's just that I am so very sick of the ridiculous ideas out there, when EVERY nutritionist I know (and that's a fair amount), advocates a balanced diet that INCLUDES at least 300 grams of carbs a day. It's crazy otherwise....
Peace, all.