Just as one person's experience, I started out on this WOE based on the Atkins' plan. But I just could never get myself to feel really good about that book, DANDR. Nevertheless, I followed the plan and got some results. Little did I know, after all this time, that there is a great book, "The Protein Power Lifeplan" that is written with a style and attitude I can repect, and which seems to have a ton more technical explanations of things, and it's minus the horn tooting of Dr. Atkins. If you've never read it, and especially if you've not been thrilled with DANDR, try Protein Power-- you might like it and it might make you feel different about low-carbing.

Missydog - you might just be onto something -

The body tends to get stuck in a rut, and switching to a different LC plan, both keeps you interested and motivated mentally, but also might help some folks break a stall.

Thanks for the post.

Hey LCSponge,

I'm all for not getting stuck in a rut, but what I really meant to convey were the differences in attitude between the Atkins and Protein Power books. It helps me feel more enthusiastic about low-carbing when I feel respect for my "gurus". I think low-carbing is low-carbing, give or take slight differences in the plans, so I don't feel I'm changing plans, really. I'm just glad to have found some authors who respect me and whom I can respect.
Is this confusing enough for you?

Missydog

Not at all. Sometimes its all comes down to the person delivering the message.

It's quite common for low-carbers like us to switch to different versions of low-carb diets when necessary.

It is just like me, I happened to read about Protein power and the zone in bookstores. And I thought the zone still contains too much carb that I still preferred Atkins. On the other hand, I take the good points of the zone and combine it with Atkins. So I'm eating more vegetables as what the zone recommends. And keeping my carb between 20g to 25g. I have yet to read more about protein power....i have tried to read abt it but it seems kind of confusing sometimes~ but i know it works abt the same way as other low-carb plans.

It is all about self-satisfactory, it should suit your lifestyle. Anyway it is our body and we should keep it comfortable yet reaching our goals constantly in our own pace.

Fumih, if you add the occasional glass of dry wine you'd be doing PP

I highly recommend both of the Eades' books; PP for the technical information and explanations of how and why LCing works and PPL as a companion. PPL is more of a complete health care package than a weight loss book; it is very interesting and full of common sense information put to practical use.

Nat

Excellent philosophy.

On my profile I put down that i had read protein power, when in fact I only actually possesed the book, never really reading it, just glancing through it. Ok, confession over. Now I am stuck right in the middle of protein power, and I have to say it is looking like it will be right up there with Jane Eyre for me in terms of it being a classic that I will go back to time and time again. Is it worth buying protein power lifeplan? or is it the same, pretty much, as protein power? thanks, Doods

It's worth it Doods. If you can get a copy from your local library, do. A few chapters in you'll realize it's something you'll want in your arsenal for future referencing It's less techy and aimed more for continued health than weight loss, a good pre maintenance read.

Nat

I'm out the door to buy it this minute.

By the way, I had bought Protein Power Lifeplan first for some odd reason, and now I wanted to buy Protein Power. I found it on Amazon.com used today for only $2.00. I've bought their used books before with great success-- when they say the book is "like new" it really is.

Dr. Atkins has been defending his low-carb programs against all the other health "experts" since the early '70s. Unfortunately this comes across in his books, and he does spend way more time defending his program than giving the nitty gritty behind it. Wa'il has posted an article in the Research/Media forum that Atkins will be publishing a NEW program book, available December 4 this year. There will be more science, more research and more references, which will be a good thing.

The only major differences that I can see ... is that Atkins has you start at a lower carb level for Induction, then you individualize the carb intake to your own personal CCL for the Ongoing Weight Loss. Protein Power starts you off at 30g effective carbs, and you stay at that level (Phase 1) until near your goal. So technically ... a person could actually be eating MORE carbs by following Atkins ... it just seems that most people like to stay at the Induction level for longer periods of time.

PPLifeplan is an excellent reference book, and I heartily recommend it for anyone, regardless of your chosen low-carb program..

Doreen

Hi all...

Just to ask, in your own opinions.....how much carbs should an average person take per day?

In fact, some of the Atkin's free foods contain little amt of carbohydrates. So why didnt Atkins highlight them? And since Atkins allow large quantities of such foods? So does it mean we can have abt 30g of carb a day?

About Atkins "free" foods list ... I'm looking at page 96 in the New Diet Revolution (1999) right below the Free Foods list, at the bottom of the page in fine print it says

• All cheeses have some carbohydrate content, and quantities are governed by that. (see Carbohydrate Gram Counter pp 413-419)

I've read elsewhere that cheese is best limited to no more than 4 oz daily. That's a ¼ lb. Cheese seems to cause stalling for some people, especially women, not sure why ... so my advice is "don't go overboard".

About how many carbs to eat in a day ... when you are following the 2 weeks of Induction, you MUST keep the carbs under 20g for the day, and this includes counting the carbs in cheese, eggs, shellfish, ham etc. After the 2 weeks are up, you may increase the carbs in 5g a day increments .. one week at a time .. so, 25g for a week, then 30g for a week. You will be individualizing this to your own weight loss ... this is called CCL, and it's detailed in Chapter 17, Ongoing Weight Loss.

You still need to account for your carbs. If you eat large, unlimited quantities of cheese and other carb-containing protein foods ... you can get stalled out because you'll be going over your daily limit.

Doreen

SAme here, I went from Atkins to schwarzbein principle for the same reasons. I just took Atkins' way of writing and his sort of 'defensiveness' with a grain of salt. After all, when you've read as many diet books as I have, you get used to them touting their method in a 'my way or the highway kind of tone.

I read schwarzbein and she *spoke to me*- (that has to be said with very dramatic soap- opera-like tones). No, seriously, I liked the way she calls the first , maybe year , a 'healing' period and freely admits you may not lose ANY weight in the first little while, esp. if you are the yo-yo poster girl like me.

Anyway I just like her explainations and soothing tone.
I need that at my age.

YB