Gary Taubes On Dr. Oz
The amazing thing is, if you cut out carbs, there's a good chance you can be effortlessly thin. I get e-mails every week from readers who have discovered this, largely thanks to Gary Taubes and Dr. Michael Eades.
As I wrote in "Thick And Tired Of It":
The sad thing is, if you're like so many Fatty Pattys desperately trying to lose weight, you've probably been approaching it all wrong -- thanks to the advice of your doctor, Dr. Oz, much of the medical establishment, and numerous supposed scientists at prestigious universities. It's actually obscene how many "authorities" lazily and intransigently promote hearsay-based dietary medicine; for example, claiming saturated fat consumption causes heart disease when the evidence for that simply doesn't exist.For actual evidence-based science on losing weight, sans hunger and suffering, turn to Dr. Michael Eades' blog at proteinpower.com and to investigative science journalist Gary Taubes' exhaustively researched book Good Calories, Bad Calories. Taubes shows that it's carbohydrates -- sugar, flour, and easily digested starches like potatoes -- that drive the excess insulin secretion that puts on fat. Per Taubes' title, it seems a calorie is not a calorie, and the fewer carbs you eat, the slinkier you will be. If this sounds like the Atkins Diet, that's because it basically is. As Taubes told me, "Doctors have been saying Atkins is a quack for so long, they never bothered to check whether he actually got the science right. Unfortunately, he did and they didn't."
Taubes' latest book is Why We Get Fat -- a breeze to read, with everything you need to know about how you've been scammed by the research and medical establishment and the government on what's healthy to eat.
Here's Taubes on Dr. Oz:
And here's Taubes' blog item about his appearance. Rather disgustingly, Dr. Great And Powerful Oz sneers that Taubes isn't a doctor. No -- he's the guy who shows what shit science most of the people with medical degrees have be pushing on their patients for decades. Taubes writes:
Oz and physicians like him think that there's so much to be gained by eating whole grains and fruits (we agree on the green vegetables, although I do so less because of any compelling scientific evidence than because my mother insisted they were good for me) that they think this should be recommended to anyone and everyone and a diet that restricts them can't possibly be healthful.Oz implies on the show that everyone can benefit sufficiently by improving the quality of the carbs they eat and getting rid of the sugars, that any more significant restriction isn't necessary. And he thinks any significant amount of carb restriction will cause problems because a) people won't stay on such a restricted diet; b) they'll replace these foods in their diet with high fat, high saturated fat meats and eggs and so increase their risk of heart disease (a point I discuss at length in both my books and is obviously critical), and c) they'll develop diseases like cancer that Oz believes can be prevented by eating fruits and vegetables and maybe even whole grains.
As I point out on the show (or at least I did when the segment was taped, but it may or may not make it to the air as our taping session ran long), there's precious little clinical trial evidence to support this last contention, but Oz and authorities like him believe in the healing power of fruits and vegetables, and they're not all that bothered by the lack of clinical trials to support it.
This is the same take on the problem used by physicians and nutritionists who recommend low glycemic index diets instead of carbohydrate-restricted diets. They think this is enough to improve the quality of the carbs we consume, and the implicit assumption is that if we cut back on the quantity of carbs to any great extent we'll either eat too much fat (or too much meat, period) or we won't stick to the diet and any benefits will be lost.
What I'm arguing is that for many of us who run to fat, cutting down on the refined carbs and starchy carbs (potatoes, for instance) and on the added sugars will help, but it probably won't help enough. The dose of carb-restriction won't be sufficient to deal with the problem. We may stay fat. We may even get fatter. A blanket recommendation to eat fruits and vegetables and whole grains, as Oz prescribes and now Weight Watchers and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, ignores this aspect of human variability completely. It assumes that people who are predisposed to fatten can tolerate the same foods and benefit from the same very mild dose of carb-restriction that the naturally lean can.
I don't think that's true. It's that simple. I think that if we're so predisposed to fatten that we're already obese, we're probably among those who have to restrict carbs far more severely - have a much greater dose of the intervention - to get even relatively lean, which means relatively healthy. So for some of us and maybe most of us, even fruit, the nutritionist's darling of the early 21st century, can be fattening , and if it's fattening, it means it's probably causing far more problems than whatever antioxidants or phtyochemicals it contains may be preventing. (As even Wikipedia says, as of March 6th 2011 anyway, "While there is abundant scientific and government support for recommending diets rich in fruits and vegetables, there is only limited evidence that health benefits are due to specific phytochemicals.")
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes recently. However, on my Dr. Eades/Atkins style of diet my sugars are always perfectly within range. The nutritionist insisted I needed way more carbs in my diet or I'd have organ and muscle wasting and die (surely I would have had symptoms of this after more than 20 years of eating this way). To humor her and also prove my point that adding in carbs wouldn't help my sugar levels I ate her recommended GD diet. For two days I could not get my sugars below 150. I went back on my standard diet again with minimal carbs and my sugars were 80-100. My doctor agrees that my diet is more than sufficient and that even though I fail the glucose tests it doesn't matter because of my diet. I don't know why the supposed expert on nutrition wouldn't recognize the results!
BunnyGirl at March 9, 2011 12:19 AM
It works. I have been on for about 2 and a half months. I have lost quite a bit, How much exactly I can not say - no scale and do not want one. But my waist size has gone down, those pants that used to be a little hard to get into now sometimes need to be pulled up. Also got my blood tests done everything within normal ranges except I think blood sugar was little low. Truthfully one cause for concern is GOUT my uric acid level is high and I think I had that before hand anyways. And the diet I am following is pretty much the last few pages of the Gary Taubes book.
I do have some questions and concerns. So since this is one topic and other what to give some advice please do so.
I am trying to find what supplements to take. Right now taking some Omega-3, Chromium, Centrum Multivitamin and some fiber once in a while. So what do you guys use and recommend.
Gary Taubes and Amy have both mention to drink some broth to help with sodium levels but I am asking what kind. Where I am in Korea getting canned broth is not easy and wondering if those cubes will do!
Well Amy did talk about this a few weeks ago. The sweetener debate. Since of the confusion I am trying to avoid using but still am wanting the odd diet soda and chew the odd Extra gum. These both help with the sweet cravings at times.
I have more but that is a good start.
John Paulson at March 9, 2011 3:15 AM
Dr. Oz has to treat Gary Taubes with contempt. If he acknowledges the no carb way than he will no longer have a show where he can tout this week's power fruit. Its not about getting people healthy. Its about getting renewed next season.
Kristen at March 9, 2011 5:05 AM
I"m currently doing the GameOn diet competition, modified to be low-carb. They at least say all sugars and refined flour are bad. I've cut out most of the wholegrain carbs too.
momof4 at March 9, 2011 6:23 AM
Since I follow a number of low-carb and paleo blogs, and I have been on a low-carb diet for over a decade now, it rankles me every time I see "proof" that saturated fat is "bad for you" in some intellectually-dishonest study that uses partially-hydrogenated veggie oil of some sort for the saturated fat. Another "favorite" is where the "researchers" remove sugar from the diet of the test group, and assign ALL of the resulting improvements to something else (the sugar removal is always buried deep in the footnotes, but the item they are demonizing, usually animal fat, is prominent in the title).
Most doctors don't have time for real science (and would not recognize it if they saw any), so they rely entirely on the agenda-driven synopses of the "studies" (generally written in advance of the study, so that everyone involved has a clear idea of what data to ignore), or the recommendations of that really pretty pharmaceutical rep that offers bonuses for prescriptions of their recently patented pills.
In over a decade of following a low-carb diet, the only persistent problem I have experienced is well-meaning fools "informing" me of how "unhealthy" it is.
Howard at March 9, 2011 6:45 AM
I forgot to mention a very important point, namely, low-carb is a necessity for healthy weight loss, but it is NOT sufficient. You also have to avoid things like trans-fats (generally from heated veggie oil) and gluten. In my case, I have determined that most dairy is a problem. And if you have managed to get into diabetes territory, you probably need to cut fructose completely out of your life, because you have already overwhelmed and defeated your body's defense mechanisms against fructose.
I discount any dietary advice I get from anybody who has never been overweight (Dr. Oz) or currently has NAFLD (pot-gut, Dr. Weil).
Howard at March 9, 2011 6:54 AM
I'm pretty sure the only reason I don't weight 300 pounds is that Celiac Disease means I can't eat pastries, bread, pasta, etc. Luckily the gluten-free versions of these foods taste like cardboard, so I have no problem going without. I also have PCOS-related insulin resistance, so losing weight is difficult and gaining is very easy.
I've done both carb restricted and low glycemic index diets, and lost weight on both. The difference is that I can and do maintain the low GI diet, but was constantly hungry and miserable on the very-low-to-no-carb diet. Both were done under medical supervision, so I don't know what I could have done differently to make the carb restricted diet work for me. The carbs I eat are from dairy, fruits and vegetables.
Beth Cartwright at March 9, 2011 7:16 AM
One of the things I've noticed, and it always makes me squeamish when you (and Dr. Eades) talk about Taubes, is that he's less enthusiastic about his own findings than the two of you are.
Taubes is well-aware, and even said so in this video when he pointed out that many people aren't like Dr. Oz, that his recommendations are not for everybody. You, Amy, and Dr. Eades seem to think that YOU MUST EAT THIS WAY OR YOU ARE DOOMED, DOOMED, DOOMED, TO BE SO FAT THAT WHEN YOU APPROACH A SCALE YOUR SHADOW WILL WEIGH 500 POUNDS BEFORE YOU EVEN STEP ON IT! Dr. Oz, obviously, can eat the way he recommends. Watching the video, you'll notice that he's thinner and more energetic than Taubes.
You can't say that Atkins is for everyone. Even Taubes admits that Atkins will not work for everyone.
Patrick at March 9, 2011 7:21 AM
Beth, the last time I tried Atkins, I was constipated for almost a week and in such a torpor, I moved like I was 90 years old.
The remedy for me, which came straight from Taubes, was salt. Salt the food and drink a cup or two of bouillon every day.
Patrick at March 9, 2011 7:25 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896314">comment from PatrickTaubes is well-aware, and even said so in this video when he pointed out that many people aren't like Dr. Oz, that his recommendations are not for everybody.
Taubes and I are friends with an epidemiologist who is built like a paper cut. If he doesn't eat carbs, he'll probably disappear.
It isn't just about fat, though. Wheat and sugar are terrible for you. Sugar, particularly, seems to be poison. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
Wheat: http://www.heartscanblog.org/2010/11/wheat-one-liners.html
And let's not mistake a personality unlike that of a terrier for lack of energy. Taubes does exhaustive research -- he's a cerebral guy. He's also tall and handsome and not exactly bedridden.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 7:48 AM
I have never needed to cut back on anything because I was never fat in the first place. I eat the way I want to eat because I always eat in moderation. I don't eat "low carb" or "low fat" or low anything. I don't have a "diet" that I follow. I just don't eat more than 1,500 calories in a day. Voila. When you are my size you can have a cookie or a bagel or a slice of cake without worrying about your carb count or other such nonsense because a cookie or a bagel or a pastry is not a common, everyday, twice a day occurrence. I don't need a "Taubes" telling me how to eat.
kay at March 9, 2011 7:57 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896329">comment from kayI don't have a "diet" that I follow. I just don't eat more than 1,500 calories in a day. Voila. When you are my size you can have a cookie or a bagel or a slice of cake without worrying about your carb count or other such nonsense because a cookie or a bagel or a pastry is not a common, everyday, twice a day occurrence. I don't need a "Taubes" telling me how to eat.
Poor thing, having to count your calories every day and starve yourself. I eat whenever I'm hungry, whatever I want, as much as I want, and don't gain weight because I don't eat carbs.
Also, if you go to the Heartscan blog link above, you'll see how bad wheat is for you. No, how TERRIBLE it is. Sugar is terrible, too. I have ice cream once a week. I could eat carbs and not be much, much fatter than I am now, but I know that a bagel is an attack on my health, and I want to live a long time and not be infirm, so it's just not worth it to eat it.
People justify eating wheat because they really haven't investigated how terrible that is. The pride in not avoiding it comes from ignorance, let's just be clear.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 8:01 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896337">comment from Amy AlkonRead here, Kay, and you might not brag about eating bagels:
http://www.heartscanblog.org/2011/02/blood-glucose-160.html
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 8:07 AM
The Goddess writes: And let's not mistake a personality unlike that of a terrier for lack of energy. Taubes does exhaustive research -- he's a cerebral guy. He's also tall and handsome and not exactly bedridden.
I didn't say Taubes suffered from a lack of energy. I said Oz has more, and he does. You see it yourself on the video. It's a little difficult to argue that no one should eat high-carbs at all, when presented with people like Oz, who are thin, highly energetic, good-looking (particularly for a man of 50 years of age), and does primarily eat carbs.
It rather reminds me of the video you posted about a kid on "Wife Swap" who happens to be a porker, arguing with a svelte adult woman, that "Bacon is good for me!"
Yes, let's hear what the pre-adolescent fatso has to say about nutrition to a svelte adult woman. Just as soon as we're done hearing from the Grand Wizard of the KKK on race relations.
And Taubes himself pointed out to you, you don't need the "benefit" of scientific studies to know what works for you.
I will give Oz credit for actually having Taubes on his show in the first place, to present an opposing point of view.
I think most people would be better off following Atkins over Oz, but not everyone.
Patrick at March 9, 2011 8:09 AM
Amy - when you say you "don't eat carbs" will you eat some cheese and stuff?
Most things have a little carbs (I think eggs have one carb?). Cheese has 1 carb/ounce...in the back of Why We Get Fat is says you can have up to 4 ounces of cheese/day and 4 ounces of cream (no milk - your body processes the lactose like plain old sugar! I didn't know that!!).
Do you have any idea how many net carbs you consume per day? I am trying to stay around 25/day when I don't work out and like 35 when I do work out (otherwise I cannot move, I'm hoping I'll adjust though. I went cold turkey and came home and slept at 5 PM instead of working out for like a week - I've never been that tired. I'm only 25! 26 tomorrow :-( so I cut down on working out a bit but I hate it. I like high intensity.)
Also. Low carb bread. I question this on my new little low carb blog: is a carb a carb?
If I eat 1 net carb from a piece of steak vs. one net carb from a bit of "low carb bread" will my blood sugar and fat-storing reaction be the same?
I want to know if it's just about counting the carbs or if it's more. I haven't been able to figure this out by reading the book and the Atkins website.
The weight isn't coming off after 2 weeks and I'm freaking out. I've cut out cereal, milk, occasional dessert, pasta, rice, all fruit except 4 strawberries 3 times/week, no potatoes/carrots/peas, measure my cheese, cut down on the wine consumption. I eat low carb bread 3 times/week (2 slices - 10 carbs)
WTF. All these changes and I've lost 1 lb in a week. Granted. I'm a size 12 not a size 20 to start with but still - am I just THAT insulin resistant?
I'm constantly dizzy. I need a low carb support group! Anyone who wants to talk about stuff can come to my blog and whine.
Gretchen at March 9, 2011 8:14 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896351">comment from GretchenGretchen, I don't have to cut out all carbs, but I eat very few. I'll eat a whole lot of buttered green beans at a sitting. Taubes, on the segment, talks about fast versus slow carbs. Slow carbs are green beans, etc. I don't count any calories or carbs or anything. I just eat what I want, as long as it doesn't have flour or sugar (and that includes fruit sugar). I also don't need to exercise to remain thin, but I do weight-bearing exercise (little reps with weights) while I'm cooking my eggs and parsley. (I sautee a big clump of Italian parsley like it's spinach in organic Nutiva coconut oil before I eat my eggs with cheese. I eat three strips of bacon when I wake up, made in a Pyrex dish, covered, in the microwave, to retain the fat.) I make sure I eat plenty of fat, because fat makes you full.
Some people just are more prone to gaining and retaining weight. If I were a size 12, I'd eat more restrictively than I do. I sure wouldn't be eating any bread! I'd guess that that's messing you up. Some people just can't -- a certain man in my life need only look at a cracker to gain weight.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 8:21 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896363">comment from Amy AlkonGregg made me dinner last night and got me ice cream. I waited to eat it until after he left so I wouldn't have to give him any. Not because I'm stingy but because he can't eat ice cream like I can. He really shouldn't have any sugar or flour ever. I eat flour only a few times a year. There was a dinner for a friend of mine, and they served hot cut-up chocolate chip cookies afterward. I had about three-quarters of a cookie. What keeps me from eating carbs is thinking of how great I feel not eating them (I don't get gas, gain weight, etc.), and how much better my health is. We can live a really long time. It's really dumb, I think, to eat wheat if you read just a little of what it does to you. Dr. Davis at heartscan blog lays that out really well.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 8:28 AM
I'm working on eating a low-carb diet reliably, but not there yet. Everything works great when I have the time to get to the store and plan meals for the week, but I tend to slip up when it's one of those weeks where I don't cook/eat at home much; which due to my schedule is more frequent than I'd like. Despite not doing low carb totally reliably, I'm definitely noticing a big reduction in up-and-down energy swings in favor of a more constant (generally high) level of energy, which is encouraging.
Christopher at March 9, 2011 8:29 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896366">comment from GretchenI went cold turkey and came home and slept at 5 PM instead of working out for like a week - I've never been that tired.
I would guess it's carb withdrawal. You just have to tough it out.
But, stop eating bread!
Also, Taubes advises drinking salted chicken broth to help ward off those feelings (called "the Atkins flu") from carb withdrawal. Patrick points this out.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 8:32 AM
Trying both low-carb eating and calorie-restrictive eating, I found limiting calories to be a far easier way of eating to maintain. With low-carb, I couldn't eat anything I wanted, because I wanted bread and pastries. Nothing made me want a bagel more than knowing I couldn't have a bagel. With calorie-restriction, I know I can have it, and I usually choose not to, because it turns out I don't even like bagels that much except when I know I can't have it.
I don't count obsessively, but I have a general idea of how many calories something has and what a portion size is, and I stay close to that. I don't find myself hungry at all on about 1600-1700 calories a day.
The low-carb thing didn't work for me because I don't just see food as fuel: It's also fun and social. I like baking cakes and eating having dinner with my family, who are eating the traditional foods they've always eaten.
What has helped moderate my carb-consumption a lot is that I focus on eating good food. Homemade chocolate chip cookies are good. Cheetos are not. I'm unlikely to go overboard when I'm putting in the time and effort to make them myself, and I can eat a cookie or two and give the rest away.
I'm pretty sure that eliminating carbs would mean being thinner, but I'm satisfied with my weight as it is, and the other elements of my life that would suffer as a result make it a net loss.
MonicaP at March 9, 2011 8:38 AM
Ok. I'll be more restrictive and cut the low carb bread for at least the weight lose phase of this (some people can add stuff in to maintain weight and not gain).
I lift weights (heavy ones) b/c it's fun and I love having great muscles - now I want to get rid of the fat so I can SEE those muscles.
Tonight for dinner I'm cooking bone-in rib eye the grill with green beans covered in butter and red pepper flakes and some pan fried halloumi cheese. Mmm.
Gretchen at March 9, 2011 8:40 AM
I went cold turkey and came home and slept at 5 PM instead of working out for like a week - I've never been that tired.
You need more salt, I bet. That's what my problem was. The next time you go to the store, pick up some full-sodium bouillon and try drinking a cup or two every day.
If it works for you like it did for me, the change will be almost miraculously quick.
Patrick at March 9, 2011 8:48 AM
Thanks Patrick and Amy - I'm surprised it would be the salt since I am eating bacon and cheese and cook with salt but it's worth a try.
That's so weird that it's the "Atkins Flu" - that's exactly how I felt!!! Shakey, tired, head throbbing. Wow...glad it's not just me.
Gretchen at March 9, 2011 9:07 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896408">comment from GretchenGretchen, I also took aspirin to help with the feeling in my head. I drank Coke every day before I cut out sugar and carbs, and ate honey with oatmeal. Yes, in that order.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 9:09 AM
John Paulson - I found that the gout settles down after awhile. I even stopped taking Allopurinol to give my liver a rest as advised by Dr Eades. Over a year now, no Allopurinol, and no flair ups.
Since I am borderline diabetic, I have blood tests every three months. These really help as you see the changes over time. I do add Magnesium and Potassium to what you are taking.
I have reached a plateau three times. I have to eliminate almost all carbs, especially berries to get started again. I have been following Taubes since Amy recommended his book. I first I just looked at pounds but now I just look at my collection of belts - 42" to 40" now at 38."
Dave B at March 9, 2011 9:31 AM
March 15th will be be one year anniversary on Atkins. So far I've lost 125 lbs. I'm sure some people can eat all the carbs they want and not get fat, but that doesn't work for me. I tried limiting calories and cardio exercise and it worked for awhile. However, it didn't work for me long term, and I gained the weight back and then some. Atkins has probably saved me from some serious health issues.
@Gretchen, I broke the Atkins rules for the week after Christmas. When I went back to following Atkins Induction rules I was in bed for two days with dizziness and pounding headache, but once my body adjusted I felt good again.
JFP at March 9, 2011 9:50 AM
Gretchen... remember that you are taking an entire system, and massively throwing it out of whack. The human body is really good at re-regulating itself so that it isn't much disrupted by big changes...
originally we were living in a time of feast or famine, remember?
It's going to take your body a bit of time to settle down. Some people can make the changes, and their body just dumps the weight... and some bodies don't.
Ultimately in ALL of this you have to listen to your own body... and try different stuff.
SwissArmyD at March 9, 2011 9:51 AM
I would like to try low-no-carb again, but the last time I did it - like so many others, it seems - I was flat on my ass for about seven days... dizzy and weak.
Besides the bouillon tip, are there any other suggestions to counteract or interrupt the "Atkins flu"?
Kevin at March 9, 2011 10:08 AM
"I discount any dietary advice I get from anybody who has never been overweight (Dr. Oz) or currently has NAFLD (pot-gut, Dr. Weil)."
Sage advice Howard.
John Paulson- Gout goes with low carb dieting unfortunately. Losing weight releases stored Uric acid or so I am told.
I have recently started a medically supervised HCG diet and all the usual suspects are attacking the diet in the same way they attacked the Atkins diet 10 years ago. This is my 9th day of the very low calorie diet (500/day) and I am down 15.6 lbs. Two years ago I did a medically supervised 1200/day diet and I was starving the whole time. This diet has been the easiest with the best results so far.
Thanks Amy for not being one of those thin people who assumes that every one is just like you.
Bill C at March 9, 2011 10:29 AM
"No -- he's the guy who shows what shit science most of the people with medical degrees have be pushing on their patients for decades"
Well put Goddess!!!! I will put up a commentary on the show at some point today or tomorrow. The stunner to me was how out of touch with the science M. Oz was. LDL sticking to the artery lining? It's the long discredited 'plumbing model.' Unbelievable. Paul
Apolloswabbie at March 9, 2011 10:30 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896462">comment from Bill CThanks, Bill. I do know that. As I wrote in a recent column, "Studies don’t explain every person; they paint a picture of the average person."
For example, most people do fine on "conscious sedation." I had to get an endoscopy a few years back. Turned out the problem (not revealed by the endoscopy) was that I was allergic to roquefort cheese (it's the ONLY thing I know of that I'm allergic to -- eating it in quantity could probably kill me...I get violently ill from the smallest bit of it).
Anyway, most people wake up from "conscious sedation" and go on their merry way. I lost my memory for a month and had diminished cognitive capacities for two weeks.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 10:37 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896475">comment from KevinI would like to try low-no-carb again, but the last time I did it - like so many others, it seems - I was flat on my ass for about seven days... dizzy and weak. Besides the bouillon tip, are there any other suggestions to counteract or interrupt the "Atkins flu"?
Suggest you ask an expert. Go on Taubes' site or Eades'.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 10:43 AM
Ahhh! Are those instant bouillion cubes acceptable? Anybody, anybody? People I have to travel at least a 200km by fucking train to a major sized city and their is only really two shops in which to get the the cubes OR I can lug a frigging liter can back home in backpack and I would rather not!
I found I never got the headaches and dizziness of course I must not have felt it over my broken heart and stressed out mind constantly thinking about memories. The details about a week or two before Christmas my GF decides after almost 10 years enough of my shit. Surprising that is the kick in the pants to start changes. Now you would think I would either drown my self in booze or junk food but I just felt not like eating and mostly wanting to die. I used that not much eating as a jump start to just change my diet. Thru I have had to deal with other addictions/problems that are not going the greatest (FUCKING BOOB TUBE, YOUR NO HELP EITHER INTERNET1) but, it has been working.
Really is it that hard to resist the junk. True where I am the junk food is not the best - hmmm sugary shrimp chips - and have you seen a Korean bakery - yeck - yea a hotdog with sausage covered in corn at room temp or at least a dayis sure hell no blueberry bagel. I digress. Okay maybe if I was back in the west and was going by some of the restaurants and shopping in the supermarkets maybe I would fold. Still I do go to places and see some foods that say over here "John-EAT ME" but I either walk past, look away or just say to myself "NO FUCKING WAY - I WOULD RATHER DIE THEN FUCKING FAT". Well just maybe it is harder for some people.
I even had some Mac and Cheese in a nice red and orange box taunting me for 2 months when I open my cupboard - yet I did not break.
The more I think of it my ex-GF (ouch) hippy sister where right about gluten and that. I have looked at my health lately with out the wheat and sugar and I have less acne, old scars heal quicker, less gas (I thought more with the meat), I have had no serious colds or sore throats and I teach little disease carriers in a country that learned that if you sneeze cover your mouth. No congestion this winter. No food comas okay I had a sort of a little one but I think it was because it was a long day and the steak I just ate was big. Less teeth troubles and gum troubles - okay that one might just be the sugar. I need less sleep not much less but sometimes that 7 hours is okay when that 8 or 9 was normal before. These are what I have noticed not looking at any lists of benefits of go wheat free or books about low carbs. This is just sitting back and taking stock. I even have a sneaking suspicion that even my allergies will less severe. Have to wait for the trees to bloom not yet Spring enough.
Actually one other piece of advice I got when listening to Gary Taubes new book is do not FUCK with the cheating - just do not do it. Ya good for you have been eating well for a week go have a brownie. Hell no - REFUSE that if you need to reward yourself hire hooker, smoke a joint, read a trashy novel, go watch Star Wars for the 37 time but do not reward yourself with sugar or carbs. Because most people will screw it up. That once a week becomes, twice a week, the one brownie becomes two brownies. People will rationalize anything. OK OK. Calm Maybe later you can start an award system but I am saying MONTHS away. See me I get my next award on MY birthday and that is November. Even then I sure as hell going to probably think twice.
John Paulson at March 9, 2011 10:51 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896538">comment from John PaulsonIt's not necessarily bullion cubes -- just drink salted chicken broth out of a box.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 10:55 AM
Ahh! My choices are 1) a small can for about 3 or 4 bucks for about 2 servings, 2) about 6 and a half bucks for a big can and dragging it a distance or 3) those nice cute little cubes that can fit into pocket. I see not instant chicken broth boxes. I think I might have once seen those large terta packs of broth.
Might have to try and find a Korean version (I bet they put sugar in it and lets not get started on the MSG) or damn it learn to cook and I really can not cook very well and my kitchen is smaller then Amy's bathtub(I'm guessing). How about Miso soup? Heck I can get that to go at a local restaurant.
Sigh - Alas! Any advice about Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements!
John Paulson at March 9, 2011 11:05 AM
People justify eating wheat because they really haven't investigated how terrible that is. The pride in not avoiding it comes from ignorance, let's just be clear.
I think it's hard - very hard - for most people to get over the idea that what they've learned at mother's knee is wrong, wrong, wrong....and not only not beneficial, but indeed very damaging.
Sometimes, as in my case, it takes a panic-driven decision (as in "I am going to go on this stupid Atkins fad diet no matter what it does to me because I just can't stand being fat any more. Then I'll get off it, and (somehow) go back to being 'normal.'" Yeah, right.
What I found was that neither Atkins - nor his diet - was stupid, and it's not a fad. After one day of the worst headache I ever had in my life - that was December 3, 1999 - I hit the floor running. Shortly after that I threw away my diabetes medication, and my last A1C was 5.0. My other blood results have also been boringly normal.
I keep hoping that people will see the disservice Oz does the population with his uninformed exhortations about "healthy whole grains" and eventually he and his cohorts will fade away due to lack of interest by the public. I do understand, though, that on his own show, he has to win. HAS to.
Taubes often seems to be less enthusiastic and less decisive precisely because of his background in science, I am thinking. He doesn't want to misrepresent reality in even the slightest way, so he doesn't tout his book(s)as the end-all, be-all and all-encompassing answer to the world's every ill, even though they may come very close.
gharkness at March 9, 2011 11:08 AM
@Kevin
I was dizzy, light headed, cranky for almost 6 weeks when I started eating low-carb Paleo. My wife, was a little light headed for 2 days - that's it! It seriously depends on the person. The advice I've given, which has worked for a lot of people, is to ease in one meal at a time. Change your breakfast for two weeks, then change your dinner and get a bunch of recipes. Lunch is usually the toughest, so change that last. I went cold turkey and I'm surprised I didn't bail out - it was tough.
Don't be afraid of fat though. A lot of people go low carb but inadvertently continue eating low-fat because "we all know fat is bad."
Fred B at March 9, 2011 11:08 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896563">comment from gharknessTaubes often seems to be less enthusiastic and less decisive precisely because of his background in science, I am thinking. He doesn't want to misrepresent reality in even the slightest way, so he doesn't tout his book(s)as the end-all, be-all and all-encompassing answer to the world's every ill, even though they may come very close.
He is probably THE most rigorous person I have ever encountered about telling the truth -- finding what the evidence says (and admitting when there isn't sufficient evidence). He's obsessive about it, it fact.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 11:09 AM
I think the only real major downside I have noticed is I think my mind is going because rereading my posts I sure am missing whole bunch mistakes. Sorry people! I am a bit more absent minded lately. Thru it could be other things.
John Paulson at March 9, 2011 11:11 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896567">comment from John PaulsonAny advice about Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements!
I don't know much -- just what I've learned from Eades and a few other sources.
Eades recommends taking magnesium...strongly, strongly recommends. I take 400...forget the measurement. He says to take a type that ends in "ate" -- chelate, malate, etc. Be sure you're getting the full amount. Sometimes, it's x percent of the RDA.
I also take 5,000 iu of Biotech vitamin D, the brand Eades recommended. I took it for four months and then got tested for my levels. I test out at 65 (forget the measurement), which is terrific.
Parsley I eat like other people eat sauteed spinach, for the vitamin K. I get the Italian kind and sautee the fuck out of it until it's small and crunchy.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 11:14 AM
As Amy says, the recommendation as Taubes told me was chicken broth. I went for bouillon because it's cheaper takes up less space. I used the powdered version. Are cubes okay? I don't know. Read the label. If you see no carbs and high sodium, it should be fine.
Reading the label is something anyone who's going to restrict anything should do. There are a lot of foods that shouldn't have carbs, but do. I was just at the store today, and I happened to see a bogo deal on Oscar Mayer Chicken Ham (a contradiction, I know, but that's what they called it).
Chicken has no carbs, we know, but who says chicken is the only ingredient? I read the label and the serving size was a single slice...with a whopping 2 grams of carbs each!
Now, if you're like me, you don't just have one thin slice of lunchmeat at a time. So, eating a few of those would push an Atkins dieter over their daily allowance of 10 grams during the induction phase.
Patrick at March 9, 2011 11:25 AM
Yep Patrick - that is a good one about reading the label. I have had to throw away some good food because later at home looking carefully you see those hidden sugars. Bye - Bye Sausages, Low -Fat dressing you lying bastard. I did my self a minor service for a while by mixing up the Korean words for Carbohydrate and Fat for a while. No major damage I think but some things that I thought where okay where not bought again.
Looks like I got some pills to get. Was very tempted to get Dr. Eades month pack of supplements. Maybe next month.
John Paulson at March 9, 2011 11:33 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1896609">comment from John PaulsonWas very tempted to get Dr. Eades month pack of supplements. Maybe next month.
FYI, they don't make very much on those for those who would be/are suspicious that they're selling things. Eades told me that they do a little better than breaking even.
They actually are enormously successful with their Sous Vide Supreme high end cooking device.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 11:41 AM
Are all of those fat ladies in Dr. Oz's audience following his nutritional advice????
Regarding reading labels... The chili I got at Quizno's recently (while trying to low-carb) was suspiciously sweet. I looked up the carb content on the company website, and OF COURSE, it had more carbs than the chicken noodle soup. Figures.
I generally have a hard time finding anything convenient to eat that doesn't have a ton of sugar added to it. What works for me is boiling a bunch of eggs, and microwaving bacon, and storing those things in the fridge for snacks. I also keep nuts in my desk. *I love food, by the way. But I love foods like steak and bacon and spinach sauteed in butter. I've never been crazy about bread, so I guess I'm lucky in that sense.*
I do find that the fewer carbs I eat, the less lethargic I am. I'm not trying to lose weight, but I do want my ass to look hot in a swimsuit this summer. Also, I don't even bring sweets into the house. I'm a binger when it comes to candy and baked sweets, so I just avoid tempation by not bringing it into the house at all.
ahw at March 9, 2011 12:16 PM
I have no doubt that Taubes-style low-carb eating works. The question is whether it is sustainable--can you eat this way for the rest of your life? For most people the answer is no, and then it just becomes another diet to cycle on and off of.
The way I see it is Taube's information is great, everyone needs to hear it, but then incorporate it into your life in a way you can actually live with forever. For myself personally that means not eating starchy foods-no bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, crackers, etc-but I do eat 2 fruits per day as well as protein bars (for convenience, that's not ideal) and a little dark chocolate every day, which totals to about 100g carbs. When I tried giving up fruit I felt like crap, it only lasted a couple days, and I didn't lose any weight. But eating this way I'm 135 pounds at 5'8, size 0-2 (vanity sizing-take with grain of salt), my waist is down to 24 inches, and I don't feel like I'm on a diet-because I'm not. (I credit a lot of this to weight lifting as well, btw)
@Gretchen-I would suggest counting calories. Keep eating the low carb foods you're eating, but limit yourself to (1500? 1800? 2000?) calories per day and see if that makes a difference. For some people it really is calories in-calories out.
Shannon at March 9, 2011 12:39 PM
@ahw: on hidden carbs/sugars - such a crock, right?!
I got an Android phone a few months ago and one of the (many, many) things I LOVE about it is my ability to instantly bring up any chain place's nutritional page. I also have the Calorie Tracker app, but it's set to just track fat, protein and net carbs. I can use the bar code scanner to input new foods and call up items in case I am confused.
Always ask about sauces when you're out to eat. When in doubt, order the least-prepped thing you can. Like, if you're unsure about how much sugar's in the salad dressing, just get oil and some vinegar.
I'm pretty hungry - time for my deviled eggs!
Gretchen at March 9, 2011 1:16 PM
Hi - I am a long time reader, first time commenter. I have loved the Advice Goddess since I started reading it in the paper many years ago.
I follow a low carb diet. I was able to lose my pregnancy weight pretty painlessly, and I am really enjoying not feeling beholden to food cravings again. I seriously do not feel like eating any of the crap I used to. Donuts in the break room? I barely even notice them, whereas before, I'd be tormenting myself all day trying to keep from eating one.
This diet takes willpower out of the equation. I know it is hard at first and the cravings can be brutal, but after a few days of strictly adhering to a low carb plan, they -will- go away. People who are experiencing cravings after a few days might consider restricting even more carbs, adding more fats, and making sure that they eat enough. Under-eating on the low carb plan was a problem for me. Without constant food cravings, I had to learn to identify my body's actual hunger signals.
I did experience some fatigue and brain fog at first, but that stopped when I began taking a vitamin supplement. (Leftover store brand prenatal vitamins - nothing special.)
My only problems with the diet stem from difficulty finding options when food prep is out of my control and deflecting all of the rude comments I get about my diet and Dr. Atkins.
emilyedna at March 9, 2011 1:20 PM
"difficulty finding options when food prep is out of my control and deflecting all of the rude comments I get about my diet and Dr. Atkins. "
I know. I found these really yummy looking pepperoni sticks and stuff from Vermont Smoke&Cure that don't need to be refrigerated. I try to keep snacks in my pocket book when I know I'll be facing a weird food situation to fend off hunger and temptation until I am home or even near McDonald's to grab a burger (no bun).
I cannot tell you the looks and comments and utter shock I get when I say I'm "trying to lose weight" then follow that up with an order for chicken Caesar salad or steak or something fattening. Because I cannot recall all the scientific data from WWGF I can't explain WHY saturated fats aren't necessarily bad for me and how eating fattening stuff won't make me fat. My friend actually said "You are crazy. This will never work."
Almost 3 weeks later it's not working as fast as I want so I do feel nuts. But per Amy's recommendation I am cutting out low carb bread, too.
Gretchen at March 9, 2011 1:30 PM
@Gretchen: Is the fast food function on your Android an app? 'Cause I've got an iphone...
ahw at March 9, 2011 1:31 PM
@ahw: nah, I just google the restaurant and the search results have quick links to stuff like "store locator", "contact us" and "nutrition".
Gretchen at March 9, 2011 2:15 PM
The hardest thing about eating low-carb is the lack of portability. Carbs are so convenient because most of them don't require refrigeration and the food companies have become very adept at packaging them for our convenience.
John, if you like sausage, don't buy the links. Buy the plastic tubes that you squeeze the sausage out of, and have to shape into patties yourself. Good stuff and no carbs.
The hardest part of staying on low-carb is the drinking. I just don't like water. And I don't drink tea or coffee...so what else is there?
I could go for diet drinks, however, when it comes to artificial sweetners, not only are most of them terrible for you, but a sweet taste in the mouth can still trigger an insulin surge.
Patrick at March 9, 2011 2:41 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1897158">comment from GretchenAlmost 3 weeks later it's not working as fast as I want so I do feel nuts. But per Amy's recommendation I am cutting out low carb bread, too.
Gretchen, this isn't my area, diet; I just read a lot in it...I wonder if you compromised your weight loss a bit by eating carbs. I don't know...just wondering. If you maybe went very strict low-carb for a month, maybe you could get into more weight loss.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 2:44 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1897211">comment from ShannonI have no doubt that Taubes-style low-carb eating works. The question is whether it is sustainable--can you eat this way for the rest of your life? For most people the answer is no, and then it just becomes another diet to cycle on and off of.
Actually, I have a way of thinking of it that may be helpful. Behaviors that are repeated are like a personal culture. I think of myself as being from the culture where we don't eat carbs. My culture isn't the potato-eating culture, for example. Yes, it takes some self-discipline to start, and I allow myself chocolate ice cream once a week, and I'll eat dessert at a fancy restaurant if they seem to have good desserts, but, for example, I got a dessert on the plane last week (some piece of cake) because Gregg gave me his seat in Business Class (yes, wonderful boyfriend!) and I didn't eat that dessert. Not worth it. If something with sugar isn't going to be practically life-changing to eat, I'm not going to let it contribute to changing my life (my health) for the worse.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 3:02 PM
Anyone have a suggestion to replace tortillas in tacos? Lettuce really isn't the same...and I love tacos.
momof4 at March 9, 2011 3:10 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1897261">comment from PatrickI carry around cheese and salami. And I love Pellegrino.
Also, I like sausages (the kind you buy in the meat section, uncooked/raw) I make a package of them at a time and eat them for a few days. I try to eat food that's fat/protein dense and can be consumed/heated fast when I'm writing on deadline so I don't have to stop for long.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 3:24 PM
mmmmmmmmmmm bagels! love them and I don't give a shit who says what about it! I have a bagel if I feel like it. The reason I can do that is because I don't often feel like it. Sometimes, instead of a bagel...I have cookies. Or sometimes I eat chocolate covered raisins. The idea is to not overdo any of it. So - I don't listen to people who yammer on about how THEIR way of eating is the only right way. I can do this because I am 19% body fat and completely healthy.
Also - fat doesn't make you fat. The reason fats have to be consumed carefully is because 1 gram of fat has more calories that 1 gram of protein or carbs. For every gram of fat your are doubling your calories over eating a gram of protein. So it does take much fat...to make you fat.
kay at March 9, 2011 5:40 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1898014">comment from kaySo - I don't listen to people who yammer on about how THEIR way of eating is the only right way.
Again, some people can eat carbs and not gain weight or much weight. Others cannot. That's the science, as far as I can see. (It's also my experience, and the experience of countless people who've been bored, goaded, or encouraged into trying to eat this way from reading my site and column and those I link to about diet.)
The thing is, sugar and flour seem to be unhealthy to eat. Many things are unhealthy or less than healthy, and people may decided to eat or do them anyway. Fine by me -- if they're making an informed choice. So...read those sites: Taubes, Eades, Wm. Davis, Chris Masterjohn, Denise Minger (on the China Study), etc., and make an informed decision.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 6:18 PM
Gretchen - A piece of advice. To loose weight on low carb takes sacrifices and a major one for me is COOKING. I really did not like cooking I think a part of it was doing dishes. Leave em for days. Now I do them about 2 - 3 times a day. Their are shorts cuts but not cooking is one of them. You do not have to be Julia Child but you have to make MOST of your meals YOURSELF.
This in Conjunction works with eating out. Before hand I would eat out everyday and even sometimes waste money traveling some place. Now I can't as often and I mean often. I eat out maybe twice a week and it is at one of two places. Or I eat out when I have no choice because I can not get home and I know the cooks and how the food is made. Restaurants can be like those tricky hidden sugars. You do not always know what is in them.
Now I am not saying you can never eat out. But for the first while you have to give up certain practices - Eating out, Carbs even low carb bread, drinking, coffee, rewards like ice cream. Once you have given it about a month (Me I am trying for LONGER) - then start figuring out how to maybe start adding those things back or even if you need to. That month or more is more then just loosing weight rapidly I see it also as mental training and breaking addictions. For example I before was a bit of a caffeine fiend no coffee but energy drinks and pills. Now I do not really need it as much thru I will admit the Ritalin is sure damn similar.
YES their are those lucky people who can eat CARBS and not gain weight. Good for You - Fuck off and do not lecture me. Me I am unlucky I am short, fat and ok looking and it is fucking unfair to go to a bar and see some tall skinny guy drinking a beer, eating a hamburger and hanging out with his good looking GF BUT THAT IS HIM and I am me "Life is UNFAIR" (TM). Suck it up and work harder.
Good Luck
Warning: Take any of my BS with a grain of SALT it has been only a short time for me with low carbs.
John Paulson at March 9, 2011 7:25 PM
"If something with sugar isn't going to be practically life-changing to eat, I'm not going to let it contribute to changing my life (my health) for the worse."
The big thing for me that got me to stop eating (most) carbs was that I realized they made me binge eat. I'd had a problem with binge-eating for years and couldn't figure out why--normally it's associated with feeling upset, lonely, angry, etc but that was never the case for me. Finally something clicked and I realized that I binged not because of any emotional state but because certain foods flipped a trigger in my brain and I just kept eating. Knowing that there wasn't something wrong with *me* but rather the foods I was eating made me feel a lot better, and after that it was a no-brainer to stop eating carbs.
Plus so many starchy foods-sliced bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, oatmeal-are just so bland and tasteless. I do still eat fruit because 1) I love it (not bland!) and 2) it doesn't cause me to binge but I limit myself to 2 fruits per day because I know if I fill up on fruit I'm not getting the protein & fats that I need.
Anyway I know everyone's body is different but I'm willing to bet that a lot of people have the same problem that I did but just don't know it.
Shannon at March 9, 2011 8:47 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1898631">comment from ShannonThanks for sharing that, Shannon -- I think it will help some people.
Amy Alkon at March 9, 2011 9:55 PM
"With low-carb, I couldn't eat anything I wanted, because I wanted bread and pastries. Nothing made me want a bagel more than knowing I couldn't have a bagel"
My solution to that is to allow myself to eat whatever I want periodically - e.g. one day a week.
"The low-carb thing didn't work for me because I don't just see food as fuel: It's also fun and social."
I'm pretty un-social, so it's easier for me to control what I eat, but I've seen with friends and family that their biggest impediment to controlling sugars/carbs is the sort of 'social/peer pressure' ... as soon as they're together with their friends, carbs abound, be it eating sweets or pizza etc., which they do on a regular basis, then they wonder why they struggle to lose weight. High-carb eating seems to be continually socially re-inforced. Personally I like to think 'friends don't let friends eat unhealthily', but that's just my philosophy.
"is a carb a carb? If I eat 1 net carb from a piece of steak vs. one net carb from a bit of "low carb bread" will my blood sugar and fat-storing reaction be the same? "
No, there are definitely 'worse' carbs .. the worst is simple sugars or refined carbs (e.g. bread), which are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and cause a sudden insulin spike. The carbs in e.g. pasta are 'complex carbs' meaning it takes your body longer to break them down, so the sugars feed into your bloodstream at a slower pace and thus don't cause such extreme blood sugar level instability (though you should still avoid them, especially until you have control over your weight).
"The weight isn't coming off after 2 weeks and I'm freaking out."
Give it a bit more time than that.
The type / intensity of exercise you do can also affect how quickly you lose weight. Once your weight is under control you may be able to add some carbs while exercising, as long as you're burning them immediately.
I don't see it as being about 'getting rid' of carbs or doing anything as an absolute rule, for me it's strictly about the science, and about understanding how my body works, what my body is doing, and then controlling what I eat based on that. Fortunately I am a bit robotically mathematical. But for example I'll be aware of and say, OK, today my glycogen stores are currently basically depleted, I want to go cycling tomorrow, so I know I can eat X carbs today at mealtimes without putting on fat but replenishing my glycogen stores, then while cycling, depending on how far I'm going, I'll eat limited simple sugars, but let myself steadily burn through my glycogen stores and doing just enough exercise of a particular intensity to burn some fat, but without having to burn protein (I'll take whey protein to help prevent against that - but then, I am a guy, I don't want to lose muscle), etc. I'm still learning though to manage and understand all this, as the science is quite complex, but I'm starting to see results, to the point where I can say, OK, I'm going to trim this much off my stomach fat this week by doing A, B, and C, and the outcome is almost exactly as predicted .. i.e. I have some tools now to control my body's weight and muscle losses/gains etc. Genetically though I don't put on weight that easily, so admittedly it's easier for me, but for me low carb has helped with my overall energy levels, as I found eating high-carb meals almost puts me to sleep.
Lobster at March 10, 2011 1:25 AM
I saw recently that Dr. Oz was diagnosed with colon cancer. So his diet didn't prevent him from getting cancer. I hope he beats it, but it makes you wonder, doesn't it?
Ally at March 10, 2011 3:53 PM
I can attest to the difference low-to-no-carbing makes on the weight loss front. It worked quite well for me, and it forced me to address my years-long yen for Coca-Cola (tons of sugar + immediate noticeable weight gain=no soda allowed in the house). Plus if I over-indulge on deserts at a party I actually feel hungover the next day. But does it boil down to no fruit of any kind being good for you? I'm just curious if there's any kind of value to having certain fruits in moderation versus none at all.
On a separate note, I did find that not having any kind of fiber was making me a little too backed up, and eggs were causing an allergic reaction so that was out in the morning. I still do the low-sugar high fiber cereals to keep things moving, and it manages to keep me sated for a while. Just my experience; it may not work for everyone. I'd probably be thinner if I ditched it, but that's the trade-off I make.
JonnyT at March 10, 2011 5:15 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/03/09/gary_taubes_on.html#comment-1901650">comment from JonnyTI still do the low-sugar high fiber cereals to keep things moving, and it manages to keep me sated for a while.
Just take magnesium, per Eades' advice. One ending in "ate" -- malate, chelate, etc.
Amy Alkon at March 10, 2011 6:11 PM
"I saw recently that Dr. Oz was diagnosed with colon cancer. So his diet didn't prevent him from getting cancer. I hope he beats it, but it makes you wonder, doesn't it?"
There is actually evidence starting to appear suggesting links between our standard recommended 'high carb' diets and cancer, cf.:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/06/earlyshow/contributors/emilysenay/main634382.shtml
"the study finds that women who ate the most carbs had twice the risk of breast cancer compared to women who ate the least amount."
That's breast cancer, but it wouldn't surprise me if we start finding links with other kinds of cancer too.
"But does it boil down to no fruit of any kind being good for you? I'm just curious if there's any kind of value to having certain fruits in moderation versus none at all."
I'd say it depends on (a) the person - if you're genetically inclined to put on weight if you so much as look at sugar, then maybe better to avoid fruit, (b) best to avoid fruit until you have your weight under control, (c) once your weight is under control try add fruit incrementally in moderation, and see how much/little you can tolerate without putting on weight, (d) if you are actively exercising, it may be OK to eat as much as you burn, while you are exercising. As for the 'value', I doubt fruit is strictly necessary for your health provided you e.g. take a multivitamin and are getting enough nutrients elsewhere, but fruit can be tasty, so may help keep your diet interesting. But I am not an expert .. that's just my understanding from the reading up I've done.
Lobster at March 10, 2011 11:18 PM
If you're going two weeks on this diet and you haven't lost weight, accept the fact that it's not going to work for you.
Patrick at March 10, 2011 11:40 PM
"If you're going two weeks on this diet and you haven't lost weight, accept the fact that it's not going to work for you."
Completely false .. many people don't lose weight during the first two weeks, and then do start losing weight. Patrick, I know you like to diss low-carb, but please, don't spread lies, at LEAST stick to facts and science, please.
Lobster at March 11, 2011 2:01 AM
Patrick has accidentally vested himself in the idea that low-carb is scientifically wrong (igoring that the science says otherwise) ... so now he needs to try 'encourage' others to fail on the diet, in order to 'prove' to himself that he was right about it not working.
Lobster at March 11, 2011 2:21 AM
Carbs are to me as alcohol is to an alcoholic. I've come to accept that I simply can't ever eat them again if I want a life free of bingeing and extra weight.
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