What made Americans fat..........

[wapiti]

That's great! 

 

I am a pescetarian.  I just can't get over that emotional block to meat. I eat fish and I think I could do turkey if I really tried, but otherwise I just can't.  I was primal/paleo for almost 2 years and now that I can't eat meat, it's really hard.  I was also starving continuously when my carbs were lower.  Literally stomach growling pain all day, every day.  That's why I went back to wheat, but I need to cut it back out.  I also can't eat dairy without bad stomach pain.  I feel like I can't eat anything nowadays!  When I went back on gluten, I felt great for a month, now I have IBS symptoms, ulcer like feelings, and I gained almost 20 lbs!!  NOT cool! 

 

My suggestion, if you haven't tried it already, would be to replace the grains with fat as your energy source (i.e., switch to nutritional ketosis) and leave your protein intake to a normal amount, as opposed to trying to replace carbs with protein, which doesn't work (excess protein gets converted to glucose anyway, IIRC).  The challenge then becomes how to eat enough fat...

[briansmama]

 

That thought has crossed my mind a number of times as well.

 

astrid

Unless you're taking about the Arkins diet, in which that wasn't the case. People were losing weight yet the diet promoted lots of processed foods, including zone bars, artificial sugars, and processed meats.

[DarlaS]

Unless you're taking about the Arkins diet, in which that wasn't the case. People were losing weight yet the diet promoted lots of processed foods, including zone bars, artificial sugars, and processed meats.

Not the books actually written by Dr. Atkins during his lifetime--and I am referring to the books written before the line of products was released.

 

Not what people do now. The processed food versions (which are really not meant to be a daily thing.) and other variations people come up with on their own are not "Atkins".

 

Also, the processed food thing could be said about ANY diet. Vegan processed food exists, low fat processed food etc. Yet, when someone announces they are going vegan or low fat, no one says "Yeah, but what about all that processed food?".

[lamppost]

. 

 

[Nancy Ann]

I have done Low Carb for about 3 years and found it frustrating and near impossible to stick to.  I really like the The Body Fat Solution. He gives some really sound science and advice. Incredible book. He also gives a more balanced and doable solution.  He also addresses the emotional eating in his book. As a Christian I couldn't quite get on board with some of that advice and instead use prayer. I think for obese and people who need to lose 35 or more keeping track of what you eat through calories will work. Yes, I have read all the science about calories and low carb stuff, but for quite a bit of weight one can simply count calories. Than once your reach a plateau you start to adjust your carbs, protien and fat. He lays it all out in his book and it's really fantastic. It's more doable and realistic compared to low carb. You can actually have the occasional cheat day for like a holiday or birthday. He is also very positive.

 

I have struggled with my weight since I was in Kindergarten. It has been hard, but I have never given up. Why American's are fat is incredibly complicated. I think it's a mixture of food quality, not wanting to feel uncomfortable, and also stress., People are really stressed and lots and lots of people use food to deal with that. I am not saying people in other countries do not get stressed, I am just saying her in our modern culture we deal with stress by eating or having fun. Our modern culture tells us that if you have a problem you need to fix it. One thing we are not taught now days is endurance, sometimes things are just hard and there is not a solution. Life is sometimes painful and uncomfortable and you have to just strive through it. In our modern culture we buy things, eat things and watch things to not feel pain or be uncomfortable.

 

Another book that I recommend is called Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth. This is not a Christian book, but I consider it Christian safe. She is a spiritual person and respects Christianity quite a bit. My husband and I read it together so he could help me discern. People who are not religious I think will get lots out of it as well. 

 

For me personally, almost turning 40 I have decided to stop with all the hopping from one diet to another. I am learning to pray ceaselessly saying the Orthodox Jesus Prayer and I am taking slow steps. Right now I am not changing anything about my food. Right now I make it a goal to take a walk everyday, stop drinking diet Coke, get to bed at a good time. These are three things that I can do and have the will power and energy to do right now. These are also things that science has shown to help with loosing weight and for people who struggle with emotional problems. You must exercise and you must get a good night sleep. Sleep is really important!! That itself is a good thing to research and you will come up with all sorts of important studies about the important of sleep!! Diet Coke also causes me to feel hungry and want to eat bad food. I don't eat as many fruits and veggies when I drink Diet Coke. So, I have been working on these for a couple months and they are becoming almost second nature to me, I still feel I need to keep working on it. But when I feel ready to move onto the next step I will probably do it meal by meal. I don't plan to do low carb but healthy foods like pointed out in the Body Fat Solution book. 

 

I have been overweight/obese my whole life and I have always kept trying. I find it offensive when people think all fat people are lazy and eat junk. I have probably eat healthy 85% of the time, but unfortunately times in my life and also being emotionally compulsive it only takes that extra 15% for me to gain weight or prevent me from loosing weight. In order for me to loose weight I can't mess up. Each week I have to be perfect with my eating. If I eat healthy for 5 days out of the week but than have a couple days where I fall and mess up. I will gain weight that week!! IT's really hard to have to be so perfect about something!! So, that is why I am going to do steps. 

[mommymilkies]

My suggestion, if you haven't tried it already, would be to replace the grains with fat as your energy source (i.e., switch to nutritional ketosis) and leave your protein intake to a normal amount, as opposed to trying to replace carbs with protein, which doesn't work (excess protein gets converted to glucose anyway, IIRC).  The challenge then becomes how to eat enough fat...

I ate tons of fat-evoo and coconut oil in everything. When I ate dairy during it, I only used full fat.  I ate out of the coconut cream jar all day!  IDK what it was, but I could very well have eaten an entire cow in one sitting and asked for seconds.  But one slice of bread and I'm full.

[Laura Corin]

 I think it's a mixture of food quality, not wanting to feel uncomfortable, and also stress., People are really stressed and lots and lots of people use food to deal with that. I am not saying people in other countries do not get stressed, I am just saying her in our modern culture we deal with stress by eating or having fun. Our modern culture tells us that if you have a problem you need to fix it. One thing we are not taught now days is endurance, sometimes things are just hard and there is not a solution. Life is sometimes painful and uncomfortable and you have to just strive through it. In our modern culture we buy things, eat things and watch things to not feel pain or be uncomfortable.

 

 

I think that this is a very interesting perspective.  

 

L