Park food for dieters
Yes, I have the books...the one that explains the diet in detail, and the cookbook. I also cleared everything with the doc.
Personally, although I cut out a lot of sugar stuff, including switching to diet soda, cutting out ice cream, and giving up fatty foods like bacon, sausage, cheese and burgers, I was STILL gaining weight. I started eating the low fat foods recommended, and still gained weight. It was extremely frustrating. Even playing DDR regularly (from late August through December) didn't help. Maybe being menopausal (something you GUYS don't have to deal with!) has something to do with it.
But cutting back the carbs and increasing the protien has. So I'm going with what works for me. As I said, my doc will let me know if I've done more good than harm to my body.
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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm
The diet is not physiologically “normal” for human beings. We were not designed to eat mass quantities of any one food group (the proportions of fats and proteins are abnormal in the Atkins diet). The body needs a minimum of carbohydrates for efficient and healthy functioning - about 150 grams daily. Below that, normal metabolic activity is disrupted.
The brain also needs glucose to function efficiently, and it takes a long time to break down fat and protein to get to the brain. Carbohydrates, especially in the form of vegetables, grains, and fruits, are more efficiently converted to glucose than proteins and fats. Obviously insulin levels can easily be maintained (and no need for insulin drugs) when one isn’t consuming sugars. Insulin resistance is only applicable if you have a family history of type II diabetes or your diet is 100% carbs (no one should be on a 100% carb diet either).
Even vegans and vegetarians take in protein sources in addition to their carbs). Once the diet is discontinued (i.e. someone reaches their goal weight) and returns to normal eating habits, weight is easily gained back over time. Life span also varies in different countries based on cultural diet differences (Asians vs. Mediterranean diet styles).
According to the Atkins diet, the body gets its energy “not from carbohydrates but from protein and fat.” Most people with a degree in medicine would consider this statement preposterous. How exactly does the body metabolize protein into energy? What is the chemical reaction responsible for this phenomenon? In reality, the only things the body can use for energy are carbohydrates.
Through the process of ketosis, stored fat already present in the body is broken down since (according to the Atkins diet) this is easier for the body to do than for it to break down fat that we consume. As most of us know, fat that is consumed is not chemically the same as fat that is stored in the body. As a result, the fat that is consumed is effectively "ignored" by the digestive system. Based on common sense, this just can't be true.
A variety of complications are associated with the Atkins diet including ketosis (leading to liver and kidney damage, acidification of the blood, and bad breath), dehydration, electrolyte loss, calcium depletion, weakness, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, nausea, and severe kidney problems. The diet can exacerbate existing conditions for overweight individuals on the diet such as heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, and diabetes. Lack of fiber in the diet can lead to colon cancer because the organ has to work much harder than normal and fiber supplements just don’t cut it.
So why did "bad cholesterol" levels go down for people on the Atkins diet? Anytime people lose weight by any means, cholesterol goes down. The more weight that is lost, the more points your cholesterol goes down.
A very simple explanation underlies the reason why people lose weight on the Atkins diet - they're cutting calories, even if they don't realize it. No study has ever shown that anything magical is going on with Atkins other than calorie restriction. The diet is extremely restrictive and excludes half of the foods we normally eat. In the end it's not fat, it's not protein, it's not carbs - it's calories. You can lose weight on anything that helps you to eat less, but that doesn't mean it's good for you.
In the end, the only thing that will permanently keep the weight off is complete lifestyle changes. IU should mention that I don't advocate any kind of fad diet - the grapefruit diet, sugar busters, Hollywood diet, Atkins, diet for blood type, etc. I advocate healthy lifestyles...if Atkins is the motivation for you to continue weight loss and move you into a healthier diet/exercise program then that is your choice.
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-Stephanie
...who just added her two cents
*** This post was edited by Stephanie 4/10/2003 4:15:02 PM ***
*** This post was edited by Stephanie 4/10/2003 4:23:47 PM ***
How many of the problem cases are more the result of an individual's misinterpreting the diet to match their particular whims instead of sticking to the plan as stated? Are their studies indicating these same perils befalling strict adherents? Here again, the fallacies of 'reseach' rear their ugly head. Under controlled conditions, strict adherents didn't have the problems the freestylers did. Frankly, only two groups of US researchers have performed controlled studies--and both were overwhelmingly positive {J.P Flatt and Harvard's George Blackburn (later president of the American Society of Clinical Nutrition) and GWU Medical Center September 1980}.
And there's a huge, vast world of difference between ketosis and diabetic ketoacidosis. They are not the same.
-'Playa
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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.
*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya 4/10/2003 4:38:48 PM ***
'Playa... I did the research, and I get your point, but at the end of the day, aren't the opinions of people who used the diet most important? I realize you can eat bread, but it's still restricted. I might not be the trim 190 I was in high school (I have a weird body... I was rail-thin at the weight and only 5'8"), but I still no that I enjoy eating whatever I feel like eating. I just moderate the overall intake which, as Steph has suggested, is really the key to any diet (along with exercise).
Furthermore, your research argument goes both ways. Seeing as how few people are using Atkins under a doctor's supervision, there's no way to tell if they're doing it right, or how effective and healthy it is if they are doing it right.
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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM
*** This post was edited by Jeff 4/10/2003 4:38:30 PM ***
What you're saying makes sense, but back to my post, it's the type of calories you cut back that is the issue. Food does have thermic effects in the body, and your metabolism has to work harder to process protein, which leads to fat loss. Carbs take minimal energy from the body to process, so very little metabolic change occurs when you ingest and begin digesting carbs.
With all that said, lets all think back to our ancestors. Studies suggest that our ancestors, you know, the Hunter/Gatherer ancestors, burned about 3000 calories a day, simply from their activity level. However, I think their diets had plenty to do with that. What was the diet of a Hunter/Gatherer? Vegetables, fruits, nuts and meat. A lot of meat. And fat. Lots of animal fat. So, in essence, our bodies are genetically predisposed to eat lots of vegetables, nuts and meat. It's what we had to survive on for millions of years, and it's what we are meant to eat over that period of evolution. Look at primates, our closest relatives in the animal world. Their diet in the wild includes a lot of fruit, vegetables, some meat and nuts. Look at predators, who survive on eating LOTS of meat and animal fat.
Our bodies are not meant to process grains and carbs that come from processed foods. It's when we started harvesting grains and producing breads that we started noticing significant changes in our body types. From an evolutionary standpoint, our bodies should sustain themselves on veggies, meat, fruits and nuts. Not breads, oats and grains. It's those types of foods that are the real issue. Atkins takes this protein/fat thing to the WAY extreme, and I definately agree with that. Over time, the effects on the body have not been determined yet, and Dr. Atkins himself had a heartattack a few years ago. So this diet really isn't the way to go. It's just about eating the right types of foods, and always in moderation. Too much of anything is bad, regardless.
Justin
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Never look a gift horse in the mouth, because horses have very bad breath
CoastaPlaya said:
And there's a huge, vast world of difference between ketosis and diabetic ketoacidosis. They are not the same.
Absolutely agreed. The latter will land me in the hospital, but is a nonissue for most people. (Even most Type II diabetics don't need to worry about actual acidosis, as their bodies DO still produce enough insulin to avoid that state)
As I said, ketones are inevitable with weight loss. I just think the idea of intentionally producing mass amounts at once and asking your kidneys (and, as Stephanie points out, liver) to filter it out is potentially dangerous. If you're healthy, great, but if you have any of a number of risk factors, then some moderation is in order.
Low-carb isn't necessarily bad (it's obviously working well for you, Playa, and I'm glad for you), but so many people go onto the Atkins "extremely low" to the point of excluding healthy, even necessary, dietary components.
The original intent of this discussion has gotten lost, but the information IS in there. There ARE healthy choices for food at most/all parks -- look for grilled chicken, turkey legs, and the like. Obviously avoid the french fries (white potatoes are quite unhealthy for you, actually -- lots of simple starch and low in just about anything else. "Sweet" potatoes and yams are actually MUCH healthier for you -- lower glycemic index, more vitamins, more fiber, and more flavor to boot).
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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"I can't believe I just left a nuclear weapon in an elevator." -- Farscape
*** This post was edited by GregLeg 4/10/2003 4:55:35 PM ***
Jeff said:
Seeing as how few people are using Atkins under a doctor's supervision, there's no way to tell if they're doing it right...
Or how many doctors chose to stop thinking after reading the prejudicial 1973 AMA 'studies' and nothing further.
Or the folks who say, "I'm carb-dieting," as they dunk a breaded Chicken McNugget into a sugar-laden dipping sauce, so proud that they didn't order a burger. Yikes.
If I could line all of these people up I could smack everyone so much quicker...
-'Playa
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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.
*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya 4/10/2003 5:05:31 PM ***
Despite what the American Heart Association wants you to believe, and despite billions of dollars spent on research and studies to try and make their fallacies seem true, there is no connection between dietary fat and elevated risks of heart disease. The closest thing they've been able to prove is that reducing the blood cholesterol level using cholesterol-reducing drug therapy reduces the risk of dying from a heart attack.
http://www.studyworksonline.com/cda/content/article/0,,NAV4-42_SAR1205,00.shtml
They made the leap from that to believing fat is bad for your heart, which lead to the low-fat revolution which has increased the levels of obesity, which puts people at an even greater risk for heart disease than if they'd just kept eating fat.
Blood cholesterol levels have to do with genetic history and with your overall health (including weight), and (at least according to science) nothing to do with the amount or type of fat in your diet.
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Pun is the death of wit.
Coasterman J said:
With all that said, lets all think back to our ancestors. Studies suggest that our ancestors, you know, the Hunter/Gatherer ancestors, burned about 3000 calories a day, simply from their activity level. However, I think their diets had plenty to do with that.
I'd say it has more to do with the fact that they didn't have desk jobs where they sat on their ass all day. When they weren't hunting for their food they were trying to avoid becoming food.
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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM
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The world's going to Hell, and Im going to bed.
Diets need to evolve to match activity. Unfortunately, what's happened is food has become richer while activity has decreased.
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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"I can't believe I just left a nuclear weapon in an elevator." -- Farscape
The more calories you consume, the more energy you take on.
Your body uses a certain amount of energy. The more energy you use, the more energy you need to consume. All excess energy gets turned to fat. When you don't consume enough energy your body uses fat to compinsate. When the amount you consume goes down to a very small level, your body panics and slows how much it uses.
Thats a very basic way of putting in how energy in and energy out is factored with your body. It gets complicated when you add in all the details
There are many variables that effect your bodys reaction to your diet such as different engergy types consumed, time energy is consumed, how many times energy is consumed, caloric density of energy consumed, consistancy of eating habits, recent changes in diet and activity levels. I've even heard of a case of a woman that ate like a sumo wrestler and didn't gain a pound... later to find out her intestine was infested with roundworm. *shudder*
Out of all these variables, the most important is calories.
It is possible to live on an unheathy diet. In fact, most people don't realize that they are eating unheathy untill a significant event comes along such as a heart attack.
Oh yeah, I said in my last post that you can't lose weight fast... I was sadly mistaken. There is only way found here.
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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM
-CO
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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.
*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya 4/11/2003 6:01:07 PM ***
P.S. On the *dieting* idea...read Stephanie's post again...;)
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Guaranteed humorous or your money back...
Raising the level of discourse one fart joke at a time...
I don't need to read one word of anything from anyone. A picture says a thousand words and doesn't ponti-fecate doing it. I only need to look at old photos, old clothes and the nasal CPAP I no longer have to wear because the 100 breathing interruptions per hour I once suffered from sleep apnea have dropped to roughly two.
Nor do I think the staff of internists, surgeons and neurologists I work with (read: Actual Real Doctor People) who have watched my transformation would take to those little words as kindly as I. You see, if they've learned one thing from decades of real-life interaction and continuing education in medical science, it's humility. Half if not more would likely interrupt our friend in mid-sentence and say, "Excuse me...who the hell are you?"
I'm not obligated to tell anyone how I successfully turned around a decade of being heavy-set nor how I easily and simply left it off for five years and counting. I'm not obligated to respond tit-for-tat with any naysayer. I could just look in the mirror, smile and keep it to myself.
Nor do I care to respond to the deeply offensive pooh-pooh of a carb-controlling technique as a mere 'motivation'...except perhaps with the word Ha! Read my earlier posts again. Told ya better already. I'll simply wish you good luck with whatever 'balancing' you intend to do. I for one don't need luck at all.
If anyone else cares to e-mail, I'll be in and out over the weekend but will respond as soon as I can. Again--it isn't for everyone, but if this is your particular problem it will solve it.
-CO
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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.
*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya 4/12/2003 1:10:15 AM ***
CPLady who can now fit into her leather pants again and is proud to show off the return of her figure.
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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm
*** This post was edited by CPLady 4/12/2003 2:30:04 PM ***
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Just a couple of G-Force junkies!
Katherine had been reading a book called 'Potatoes, not Prozac' about how Sugar Sensitivity in certain people makes carbs cause affect blood sugar and negatively impact body chemistry, including weight and mood. After that she announced she wanted to do Atkins (She's put on a few lbs. in the year since our wedding, not that I'd noticed, but her pants weren't fitting), so I made her buy and read New Diet Revolution. I decided that as a supportive husband I'd go along with it, since I was convinced that most of the arguments about Atkins are bogus, and it would be easier for her to stick to it if I wasn't eating bread and chocolate chip cookies in front of her. Plus, I've put on MORE than a few lbs. since our wedding (about 30, to be exact). Anyway, we've been doing it for a week. I've lost 7 lbs and am feeling okay. I have a mild bit of nausea, which is tolerable, as it keeps my appetite low.
Hopefully by SRM I'll be down near my goal (200)
Just remember your real goal is inches, not pounds. You can step inside a sauna and drop a few meaningless pounds, or work out and maintain the same total weight while your clothes fit differently. Good luck
-'Playa
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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.
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