....at all the crummy, junkie, worthless food products out there that are marketed down all our throats. Had to stop by Wal-Mart to pick up some more school supplies today, and walking around it hit me. Everywhere I turned it was a soda display, chip display, Little Debbie display, on and on. (There was also a display of Atkins shakes....no wonder their stock does so well--every segment of America is covered).

Anyway, I feel like my head has cleared and I can see all this for what it really is. In the past, I would have stocked up on stuff for the pantry because the prices are good, but now I looked at EVERYTHING and said NO WAY!!! I'd much rather buy and make for my family healthy meals and snacks. Convenience comes with a price and it's name is fat.

How about the rest of you? Did you have an enlightening moment like this too?

I agree with you but many of us are in need of convenience...low carb foods...and I wish there was more convenience involved with the LC way that either wasn't artificial or cost way too much. I eat mostly "real" foods myself but I will admit that shakes, bars, slim jims, Atkins Crunchers, nuts....they are all part of my life because they are convenient.

I was very shocked as well. People see me eatng a peice of cheese that has some fat in it and think its so horrible. But none of us could eat 500 grams of fat a day, and thats how many carbs many americans consume in one day. I look at these sugary cereals, and breakfast foods that are marketed as being healthy. I look at these foods that are suppose to make you lose weight, but let all of us down. I cant believe at how much we have all been lied to do, and how much miseducation there is about nutrition. I feared fat, it was very hard to get past the stigma. It wasnt until I actually experienced atkins that allowed myself to believe in it. I just cant believe how much junk food is out there that is marketed as "healthy". Enlightening is truly an understatement.....

I think my biggest moment with shopping came when I realized I had no clue where mustard, ketchup and vinegar were stored in my local grocery store once they had moved things around. We shop around the perimiter of the store now - fresh meats, fresh produces, dairy - I had no clue where in the middle the other stuff was kept!

-Nat

Just take a look at the juice isle. I was trying to find something different for my son, to give him a change, and they are all just SUGAR WATER.

You are so right. And the kicker is, they're STILL pushing the Food Pyramid with its 6-11 servings of high-carb grains a day! No wonder half of America is overweight.

It is amazing just how much sugar is added to things these days. I was looking at some stir-fry sauces that were nearly 60% sugar. The one I ended up buying was 4% per serving! You can get some real shocks walking around the supermarkets. I still find myself looking into other peoples trolleys as they go past to see what they've got. Usually loads of sugar-packed cereals, juices, baked beans etc with loads of sugar, not to mention all the chocolate bars!

Some of our supermarkets are thinking of stocking Atkins products. The only other way is to buy them over the internet. I don't think that there's any substitute for good old home cooking!

Me too! I feel good physically. I mean how can feeling this good be a bad sign right? Body is trying to tell us that we're giving it the right sort of food. Now I wish more low carb naysayers would take that into account when they bash the diet and say we're going to lose our liver/kidneys, etc!

I'm amazed........at how much sugar is in everything. I guess I knew that was true on one level, but until you start standing there in the aisle, reading labels, it doesn't hit home. I mean, yes, sweet treats have sugar, sure. But Caesar dressings? Mayonnaise? Bacon? Taco meat? Why???????

The most shocking and galvanizing thing I read in the Atkins book was the stat about how many pounds of sugar an average American ate a year at the turn of the last century versus now. I don't remember the actual figure but it was something like 20 pounds in 1900 and 180 now. Stunning.

And if I see another commercial claiming that Pop Tarts constitute a nutritious breakfast for children, I'm gonna slap someone!

It was really shocking to discover how many foods have sugar for no apparent reason, like ketchup and mustard and salad dressing. It was even more shocking to discover that, having eaten Heinz ketchup my entire life, I really do not like unsweetened ketchup; when I make my own I add sweetener, but at least it's not sugar.

Karla

sugar that's being pushed on consumers. Everywhere you go, sugar over veggies. Very awful & sad. No wonder diabetes is on the rise in North America. No wonder this nation has the most over weight people. When you shop, there's more aisles devoted to packaged, artificially flavoured, chemical treats than fresh natural foods. In malls, fast food dominates fresh food. It's easier (read: lazier) to pick up a bag of chips or chocolate bar than wash a piece of fruit for a snack. And no wonder, we've been raised on sugar! If there wasen't so much of it around, taking over, being advertised in all media as the way to eat, we would pick healthy over unhealthy! We're addicted! It's all about convenience. We need to get back to home cooking. Knowing what we're putting in our mouths & taking responsibility for our bodies.

My daughter is a sugaraholic. I have been slowly weening her off of sugar. But I get sabotaged by the in-laws who feed nothing but sugar sometimes. M&M's every time they go to the store. Teddy Grams for breakfast for pete's sake. I am going to have a talk with them about not feeding her those things anymore.

I follow Atkins and things are going well. I do recall my first shopping expedition at our local supermarket and Wal-Mart. I made the comment to my husband about how much excess there is. I remember telling someone that the candy in the check out line and all the other processed junk out there just looks shiny and colorful. I was explaining how I do not have cravings and that all that stuff catches my attention, but now it just looks like decoration on the shelves. Like people have stated none of that is worth feeling crappy and carrying extra weight, moderation here and there is one thing, but after the weight is lost!

I do believe that as LC'ers produce more of a demand, the supply will follow. Regardless of the years Dr. Atkins and his associates have under their belts, we are moving to change a huge tidal wave of how our society approaches their personal food choices, diet and health. Too many industries are involved to just move aside and let the 'right choices' prevail. When you're effecting industries bottom lines, it's an entirely different ball game.

We lose nothing by requesting to see more low carb products, the more people do, the more we will see them readily available. Not just at GNC stores.

Just my 2 cents
C

I agree with all of the above, and have noticed big time how much sugar is in everything. I also pay attention to what people have in their shopping cart, and God forgive me especially people who are grossly overweight. Our so-called health experts are not giving very good advice as far as I am concerned. They're still beating the low fat drum, and it obviously doesn't work!!!

When i shop now i only stay around the outside of the isles (veggies,eggs, cheese,meats) all the bad stuff is usually in the middle.