I'm at a quandary. I read and try to follow Atkins, then I stall for one reason or another, then there's Southbeach (maybe eating less fat will help my stall), then checked out the Discovery channel weight loss challenge-and they swear up and down that whole grain, low fat, medium protein is the ticket, then there's the Zone-similar to the Discoverey channel-
HELP!



I've read both Atkins books, Protein power, CAD, Southbeach-did weight watchers in the past, the Zone, Body for Life-

Which one do I stick with? BF thinks I should do the discovery channel challenge because I do well in a "challenge" situation and he believes that low fat medium protein and whole grain "good carbs" will work for me....
My friend thinks I should go low-carb <sigh>

Anyone out there have any comments, they would certainly be appreciated!

Judi

Judi, you have to do what you think is best for you. I think most of the folks on this forum will agree, though, that we got fat buying into the low fat myth. I had to drop well below 1000 calories per day on a low fat diet such as you described (Discovery channel) to lose weight. I starved - quite literally was starving!!!! On Atkins (high fat, moderate protein, low carb) I can consume around 1600 calories per day and can lose weight. IMHO - the low fat myth is precisely that - A MYTH!! Best part - I'm never, ever hungry, have plenty of energy and my blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides have all become quite normal!

Good luck to you no matter which way you decide to go.

shortstuff

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=155555

Barefoot1 started a very interesting thread which is helping me out alot!

Thanks for your reply, Shortstuff. I agree with you with regards to the low cal low fat thing. I just need to follow 1 plan (Atkins) and stick with the rules and not get confused with all of the other plans out there.

This time of year, it seems, we get inundated with offers of weight loss.

Thank goodness for this forum!

There is a wonderful old European folk tale.

An old farmer lived with his small grandson at the head of the hollow. One day, he decided to sell his old mule, Heinie. So early on Market Day the old man put a halter on Heinie, and he and the little boy began to lead the mule to town. As the trio passed by a certain house, he heard someone on the porch say, "That stupid old man, walking that mule, when one of them could be riding!" So the old man got up on the mule's back and began to ride.

A little farther, they heard someone say, "That mean old man, making that little boy walk while he rides!" So the old man got off Heinie and put the little boy on him.

Going past a little store, someone said, "Look at that mean little boy, making that old man lead him around on a mule!" So the old man climbed up on the mule behind the little boy.

Not long afterward, a woman was heard to remark, "What cruel people! They're going to ride that poor mule right into the ground! I've a good mind to report this abuse!" So both the boy and the old man got off the mule and lifted him up on their shoulders.

By this time, they had come to a footbridge over a deep gorge. As they carried the mule across it, part of the bridge gave way, causing them to pitch the mule over the rail to his death...


Judy, good luck, whatever is YOUR CHOICE:-)))
Happy New Year!

I think there can be too much informatoin, if you try to follow all the plans to the letter at once

This WOE is a learning process. You learn what your body can and can't tolerate, as well as what you can live with. Reading the different books gives you an idea of your options, as well as the science behind each on.

For me I will probably end up using ideas from multiple plans on maintanance. In the begining though I think it's important to pick one plan and follow it to the letter for best results, and also to dicover what does and doesn't work for you.

Galadriell your European folk tale gave me such a chuckle and is so fitting to this post

I agree with the too much information can be confussing.

I started with Atkins, then I started reading all the other "well known lc books" as I was doing Atkins and then I started to get sooo terribly confussed with one plan differing from the other plan, I was thinking "Who's right here" this plan or that plan? Then I began questioning my plan

My biggest scare was the "fats" and having a hard time being a friend with them after soooo many years on the "AHA diet", therefore I was bouncing from plan to plan, getting more confused, especially after I read the "SBD", and I found the "CAD healthy heart program" is very different from the original "CAD", adding to my confussion.

All the information helped but also confussed me, I decided to bite the bullet and follow one plan hoping it wouldn't kill us and check our blood work and see what happens.... I found out the plan I choose (Atkins) worked! So I put all the other books away for now and my mind isn't in such chaos as that pour family in Galadriell's folk tale

Galadriell- LOL! That's soooo me right now! You nailed it with that story!

Ladybelle, yes, you're right...maintenence is the time to deviate/customize your plan...not when you are getting back on track...good advise


SeeMyself, that is exactly what I've thought/done in terms of questioning the plan I was on as a result of TOO MUCH INFO!

Gonna do Atkins. My main problem was that I think I was eating too much the last go round and though I stuck with it found no weight loss. Need portion control pure and simple!

Went to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch and ate only till I was satisfied and took the rest home in a box. Had the L/C Cajun grilled chicken with the cauliflower and broccoli.

Thanks for all of your input.

Judi

The mainstrem media and medical establishment has not supported low carb , it's true. You can find a great deal of folks with many different opinions that they are willing to state as facts. What is necessary is to hunt for the real facts that are behind the surface. If you research the actual facts behind the low fat theory, it all falls apart, there isn't much there in the way of facts. If you read the studies comparing Atkins to other diets that have come out in the last couple of years, Atkins does better every time , even against the American Heart Association diet. This includes not only superior results in terms of weight loss while consuming mre calories, but superior improvement in heart disease indicators.
If you are on low carbs boards, read the personal stories of those who couldn't lose or couldn't maintain eight loss until low carb. Until recently, going on Atkins was practically an act of medical treason, pople didn't try it until all else had failed. But it didn't pass away like so many "fad" diets because it worked.
Nyah Levi