I started reading this book with the hope that it might help me to choose which carbs could be added back into my Atkins Maintenance phase. I haven't gotten very far, but so far I'm unhappy with the way the book is written.

Mostly, its written with the tone that implies it was a bunch of flaming idiots who came up with these other diets. Even though the information they're providing may be correct and useful, I find that a big turnoff in trying to slog through their book.

Has anyone else used this information successfully? Or is anyone using this diet that can share their results? I recall seeing that the breakfast cereal Wheaties has an acceptably low GI for example, but I can't bring myself to eat it because the number of carbs just seems so high. There are other foods with what I now consider "high" carbs that have low GI's. Are these "safe" to eat or will they lead to cravings? Or, should I just experiment with the different foods and see if they cause any issues for me personally?

Dan

I read the book and was disappointed at first. Than three days later in a conversation with my sister, who's a dietician at a hospital, she mentioned something about refined carbs. I didn't want to engage in an argument that day and skipped the chance to put my 2 cents in. Than I thought about this book on the way home. I than re-read it and found I could use this as a bridge to get her to accept Atkins and other authors of a low carb way of life. I read this book a third time with a mindset of a Glycemic Index of 49 and less. A Glycemic Load of 10 or less and found the book to be very close to Atkins idea. A lot closer to South Beach. I really liked the chapter on Amylose and AmyloPectin. It clearly explains complex carbs and their makeup. Being on Atkins I came to realize, it's not carbs we really need but anti-oxidants and other nutrients they contain. Sugar is only needed for the 100 yard dash which I rarely perform.

It may work for some, certainly considering the gi of what we eat is a major step in the right direction. I will say though that for me, a diabetic, most of the things that are identified as low or moderate gi, oatmeal, corn, etc, absolutely kill my blood sugar. So I worry that they might have the same effect on someone who is normal but trying to lose weight. I think Atkins induction list is a lot safer, I haven't found anything there that causes swings in blood sugar and cravings. Bill