Wed, Jan-28-04, 09:29
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Contributing Member
Posts: 228
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Plan: Atkins (restart 1/5/04)
Stats: 198/185/145
BF:
Progress: 25%
Location: Rhode Island, USA
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Katie,
Several years ago, when my mother was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, I remember reading a book (don't remember the title or author) about how diabetes is an insulin/blood sugar problem and, since all carbs - not just 'sugar' - are converted to blood sugar, then limiting the amount of carbs would help the diabetic patient. The book was much more indepth, but this is close enough.
The points the book made struck a cord in my mind, but I had been fully indoctrinated into the low-fat world. For many years (I'm guessing at least a decade?), I kept at the low-fat WOE but that book and the points it made always stayed in the back of my mind.
When I decided back in 2002 to re-start some sort of diet, I decided to check out Atkins. I was disillusioned enough with low-fat that I needed to re-explore that carb control info that I had picked up so long ago. The more I read, the more sense it made to me. There were specific questions I had such as I had heard that the only fuel that the brain could use was glucose, so how could this possibly work? These types of things I did do more reading on. Again, the more I read, the more I found that we had always been given "the partial story" or outright misinformation.
After all the reading, I was convinced that it was worth trying, especially since my body type is exactly like my mother's (ie, destined for diabetes). I found that my results, especially the disappearance of the incredible cravings were exactly what I needed. Anecdotal evidence is great, but I still wanted some cold hard facts to reassure myself that my body was ok, so I made sure to do the blood work, too.
So, overall, doing Atkins is a combination of reading and researching plus actual experience with noticable physical improvement.
I ended up losing 40 pounds before I started on a long slippery slope back to the high-carb wonderland. I am back again, having gained back 30 of the 40 pounds. I am still convinced that this is a valid WOE. This time around I am finally addressing some of the emotional eating issues as well.
Hope this helps, and good luck with your dissertation.
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