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

[Momof3littles]

:iagree: I'm a big low-carb fan. But I don't think extremes are healthy, and I don't think it's particularly healthy to go no-holds barred on fat either. I eat LowER carb and also LowER fat. I eat beans, tomatoes, lower-carb fruit, sweet potatoes and yellow veggies and whole grains in moderation, many of which are banned on the super-low carb diets. I also don't eat lots of saturated fats. I eat healthy fats (try to avoid much saturated and no hydrogenated fats) and quite a bit of nuts, but reduced fat or no-fat dairy and lean cuts of meat (so no bacon and heavy cream).

I think IR is a continuum. Some people can tolerate more things like sweet potatoes, etc. without an issue. For some people that's too much.

 

I believe a lot more people are on the IR end of the continuum than conventional medical wisdom has lead us to believe. Maybe they aren't drastically IR, but lean that way, and have a tough time feeling sated on the conventional low fat diet/cut your calories recommendations. I know i would have never gotten a diagnosis without having infertility issues. I had to fight to get a PCOS diagnosis after being brushed off by an ob/gyn (was readily diagnosed by a specialist once proper panels were completed). I think there are a lot of people like me that have been missed.

 

I don't necessarily think one size fits all, but I do think we've really failed many obese people by boiling it down to eat less, move more.

 

I think more people are on the continuum of IR than has been acknowledged by conventional wisdom.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Momof3littles
spelling error

[Barb_]

OK, then the thousands of people he has helped -being it's his specialty- and my own experience is smoke and mirrors.

 

I'll agree to disagree.

 

Fair enough. I don't disagree that he has likely helped people whose bodies aren't acting normally. I don't agree with his premise (that overeating and a sedentary lifestyle is fundamentally the result of obesity and not the cause of it...for everyone) and I don't believe he supported it. In that we'll have to disagree.

[Matryoshka]

I think IR is a continuum. Some people can tolerate more things like sweet potatoes, etc. without an issue. For some people that's too much.

 

Well, I did say in moderation. :) I don't go eat a whole sweet potato as a side. More like when I make a stew, instead of using white potatoes as I would have in the past, I use turnips (very low carb), and maybe one sweet potato, which adds up to a couple of chunks in a serving.

 

I beleive a lot more people are on the IR end of the continuum than conventional medical wisdom has lead us to believe. Maybe they aren't drastically IR, but lean that way, and have a tough time feeling sated on the conventional low fat diet/cut your calories recommendations. I know i would have never gotten a diagnosis without having infertility issues. I had to fight to get a PCOS diagnosis after being brushed off by an ob/gyn (was readily diagnosed by a specialist once proper panels were completed). I think there are a lot of people like me that have been missed.

In one way I was very lucky to have been diagnosed so early (years before I wanted kids), but on the other hand I think the bcps I was given to "fix" the problem just made it worse. My hormones were all out of whack after that - wasn't cycling at all, and when I tried clomid with an ovulation predictor my LH was so high (common in PCOS - too high LH, too low FSH) that I could turn it positive every day of the month - of course, I wasn't ovulating at all.

 

For my second pg, I tried a low-carb diet, and that regulated my cycle years faster than all those meds.

 

I don't necessarily think one size fits all, but I do think we've really failed many obese people by boiling it down to eat less, move more.

 

I think more people are on the continuum of IR than has been acknowledged by conventional wisdom.

:iagree: wholeheartedly with both of those.

My dh can eat anything he wants and as much of it as he wants and is still a string bean at 53. Just because that works for him sure doesn't mean it works for me! :lol: People have very different metabolisms.

Edited July 18, 2012 by matroyshka

[Matryoshka]

Sorry, I was using the word paleo as short hand for low-carb, high fat...probably shouldn't have done that in the context of the study. We really weren't talking strictly about paleo diets anyway.

 

Paleo is high-fat??? I'm (obviously) not well-versed in what paleo entails, but I thought it was mostly meat, nuts and veggies/fruit (a la hunter-gatherers). Meat is not necessarily high-fat...

[Barb_]

Paleo is high-fat??? I'm (obviously) not well-versed in what paleo entails, but I thought it was mostly meat, nuts and veggies/fruit (a la hunter-gatherers). Meat is not necessarily high-fat...

 

I backpedaled. I obviously don't know enough about paleo, but it was mentioned earlier on and I was referring to it as shorthand because as usual I'm posting with chaos raining around me. We are currently 8 people living in a 2br apartment. Ignore it :D

[Perry]

In this post

 

In this post.

 

And I originally answered you because you said that eating more =gaining weight, and that isn't true at all. I had posted what I've been eating which proves it wrong.

 

Which is the befuddling part and why It's been making me mad that people are just jumping on and saying how it can't work. It's a whole national mindset we've been taught. I think that's why people have gotten frustrated with it and just given up, like Alte's sister. They do what's right over and over and it doesn't work, then they get despondent.

I really think we're having a communication problem.

 

For me, eating more caused me to gain weight. That is my experience. It has nothing to do with your experience, and I didn't suggest it did. I really cannot fathom how you think that your diet proves me wrong. Do you think I'm lying? Stupid ? What?

 

I'm not going to reread the whole thread, but I don't recall anyone saying LCHF can't work. I sure didn't. I've done LCHF and lost weight, and I'm a Taubes fan.

 

The central issue is that this post is titled "Why Americans got fat", and then Stacy's post is all about carbs. And I agree with her, except that I, along with many others, have pointed out that there are other factors that have to be considered. In health and medicine, it's almost never about one single thing.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Perry

[Momof3littles]

Well, I did say in moderation. :) I don't go eat a whole sweet potato as a side. More like when I make a stew, instead of using white potatoes as I would have in the past, I use turnips (very low carb), and maybe one sweet potato, which adds up to a couple of chunks in a serving.

 

I wasn't disagreeing with you...just pointing out in general how even on the IR end of things, there are people who are probably at different points on that end of the continuum. I do the same thing you described above :) Sorry if it came across as if I was refuting what you were saying.

[tex-mex]

I've battled weight my whole life. Diets are lies. You have to be conscious of what you're eating and doing and you have to be honest with yourself about it, too.

 

There is a 5th alternative. It's very simple. Eat a variety of real food in moderation, and exercise in moderation.

 

It really does work. The key to it, though, is variety and real food. High this, low that doesn't matter at all if it's processed crap. Your body really doesn't give a rat's patootie if you can only afford the cheap, processed crap either. That's not judgment. That's just a cold, hard fact. I think it's very sad that the worst "food" for us, is the cheapest "food" we can buy. If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would wonder if there wasn't a plot against the low-incomed.

Good point.

 

:001_huh: Strangely enough, I could see a multinational company like WalMart or ADM doing this thing to keep the masses in check or dependent on their products.

[Barb_]

Good point.

 

:001_huh: Strangely enough, I could see a multinational company like WalMart or ADM doing this thing to keep the masses in check or dependent on their products.

 

Eh conspiracy usually comes out looking more like greed and/or stupidity in hindsight.

[tex-mex]

Junkatarian would be more apt. ;)

:lol::lol::lol:

[tex-mex]

Eh conspiracy usually comes out looking more like greed and/or stupidity in hindsight.

True dat. :tongue_smilie:

[justamouse]

I really think we're having a communication problem.

 

I don't doubt it and for that I apologize.

For me, eating more caused me to gain weight. That is my experience. It has nothing to do with your experience, and I didn't suggest it did. I really cannot fathom how you think that your diet proves me wrong. Do you think I'm lying? Stupid ? What?

 

I'm not going to reread the whole thread, but I don't recall anyone saying LCHF can't work. I sure didn't. I've done LCHF and lost weight, and I'm a Taubes fan.

 

The central issue is that this post is titled "Why Americans got fat", and then Stacey's post is all about carbs. And I agree with her, except that I, along with many others, have pointed out that there are other factors that have to be considered. In health and medicine, it's almost never about one single thing.

 

You're right, it's not about one single thing, but at this point, we're so fat as a nation, it's can't be ALL different things. It would be unsolvable. There has to be some crossover with everyone-especially as we did this as a nation. It wasn't in isolation from society.

[Susann]

That's exactly what Dr. Atkins (a respected cardiologist) said 40 years ago and he was vilified. My weight problems began with wanting to lose 15 lbs with WW 30 years ago and starving myself with that da*n carb focused food pyramid!

[Dory]

In this post

 

In this post.

 

And I originally answered you because you said that eating more =gaining weight, and that isn't true at all. I had posted what I've been eating which proves it wrong.

 

Which is the befuddling part and why It's been making me mad that people are just jumping on and saying how it can't work. It's a whole national mindset we've been taught. I think that's why people have gotten frustrated with it and just given up, like Alte's sister. They do what's right over and over and it doesn't work, then they get despondent.

 

But in SOME cases eating more does equal gaining more. Again, this isn't a one size fits all, and for some people, who haven't destroyed their metabolisms and who do not yet have IR, they simply need to slowly cut back on amounts.

[Joanne]

Lower fat, portion control, and move more worked for me in my 20's.

 

It has not worked since. I was 100% compliant on Weight Watchers after my youngest was born. I did not lose. In fact, I was an angry, shaking, irritable fat mess.

 

Maybe the eat less, move more model works for people. It does not work for me. The science behind low carb/paleo makes sense for my experience.

[AdventureMoms]

Paleo is high-fat??? I'm (obviously) not well-versed in what paleo entails, but I thought it was mostly meat, nuts and veggies/fruit (a la hunter-gatherers). Meat is not necessarily high-fat...

 

Paleo is not necessarily high fat. It is also not necessarily low carb. Fruit and sweet potatoes are pretty high carb foods that most Paleo folks eat. That study does not actually address either high fat or low carb either, at least not as mentioned in the abstract. As far as I can tell, it does not really go into carb intake at all, and if one is getting 45% of calories from fat, it would be pretty easy to still get 40%+ from carbs, which is in no way low carb.

[SKL]

Why does someone have to be "to blame" for overweight (one's own or someone else's)?

 

Why is this such an emotionally charged issue?

 

Every heavy person I know has a habit of eating too much, and they know it. When I gain weight, it's because I ate too much, and I know it. When I lose weight, it's because I made more healthy choices.

 

Yes, I'm sure there are some people who don't eat too much and are still heavy. But they are too small a minority to account for why "America is fat."

 

It's interesting and helpful to hear that the "evils" of fat in the diet may have been overstated etc. I'm not sure why that would get anyone's blood pressure up, though. "Science" changes its mind every other day about so many things.

[justamouse]

But in SOME cases eating more does equal gaining more. Again, this isn't a one size fits all, and for some people, who haven't destroyed their metabolisms and who do not yet have IR, they simply need to slowly cut back on amounts.

 

See, that's the thing. We ate so clean that I didn't set out to *destroy* my metabolism. My Dh was a body builder. We work in nutrition. We ate *clean*.

 

Here's my post on another thread.

 

Well, I've always been fit, eaten really well, whole foods, baked our own bread, even making my own ice-cream to cut processed additives completely out of our diet. All my life I've been like that.

 

About 35 I started to get some creeping weight. I hovered around 135-which isn't a lot, so I adapted. But what else started happening, was that my lifelong hypoglycemia which at that point only surfaced when I was starving, started occurring more and more.

 

I started to take Vit b for the hypoglycemia, which took care of it, and went back to eating like I normally did. We ate vegetarian a lot, whole grains, fruits and tons of veggies. I kept gaining weight. The 'healthier' I got, the more I gained. My mother told me it was perimenopause. I started crashing between meals at about age 37, so I tried eating all of the time. Not bad foods, but a handful of something every two hours. A small amount of salad, beans, a half a chicken breast, a piece of toast. And I cut back on fat. BUT I still kept gaining weight. Last summer I was swimming laps, lifting weights and still couldn't get below 140 no matter what I did. I was now crashing in-between meals and started doubling up my Vitamin b. That helped a bit. I then tried again, this time trying to eat nothing, toast, salad, really getting my calories down, and I had to stop working out because I couldn't even make it through a workout. I couldn't swim but a few weak laps. I couldn't take a hike without having to bring food so I didn't crash. I couldn't walk to my library without having to come home and shove food in my mouth so the shaking would stop. And once you get that far, it's like your body just short circuits for the rest of the day. It's not like you eat and then feel better. The shaking may stop, but the mental fog lingers.

 

Then, these past few months I started crashing all of a sudden. Out of no where, in the store, driving. It got too dangerous and I knew the next thing I had to do was call the Dr. (My hypo had already been confirmed and they warned me it was a diabetes precursor). So this past month, when my Dd17 went into the hospital for an operation and I had to stay over, I decided to go no carb. At this point I had crept up to 143, and I had nothing to lose. I thought that if I passed out there, I'd be OK.

 

Well, it worked so well I haven't gone back. I've lost 13 pounds, (I lost more but played around with carbs like watermelon, lighter fat yogurt, and peaches and I put the weight right back on, and got shaky again) and I can go all day without eating-which means I can go ANYWHERE, and not worry about having to eat, bringing food, if I'll pass out. I can swim for hours in the pool and not have to stop to eat. The bonus is I'm finally off that weight plateau that I had hit, but the best part is that I'm in control of my life again. I'm kissing 41 and doing better than ever. AND, I get no mental fog where I'm grasping for words or the 3 o'clock slump where I need a nap!

 

Using the words some 'people who haven't destroyed' implies that we did this to ourselves.

 

If you read that, I don't think you'll find that I was a soda drinker, chip eater, or anywhere near lazy.

 

And if *I* have these problems, how much more do overweight people suffer?

[SKL]

See, that's the thing. We ate so clean that I didn't set out to *destroy* my metabolism. My Dh was a body builder. We work in nutrition. We ate *clean*.

 

Here's my post on another thread.

 

 

 

Using the words some 'people who haven't destroyed' implies that we did this to ourselves.

 

If you read that, I don't think you'll find that I was a soda drinker, chip eater, or anywhere near lazy.

 

And if *I* have these problems, how much more do overweight people suffer?

 

Sounds like you had something unusual going on with your health.

 

However, I can't help wondering why you were so freaked out about such a small weight gain.

[justamouse]

Sounds like you had something unusual going on with your health.

 

However, I can't help wondering why you were so freaked out about such a small weight gain.

 

117 to 143 is not a small weight gain. Not being able to get the scale to budge even if I was starving myself isn't freaked out. If I can't get it to budge at 40, where was I going to be at 75?

 

What was going on with my health is hypoglycemia and INSULIN RESISTANCE. I wrote it right there.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Sounds like you had something unusual going on with your health.

 

However, I can't help wondering why you were so freaked out about such a small weight gain.

 

I think that second part is kind of rude! And not very logical.

 

I'm nearly 6ft tall. 5-10 pounds, more or less, isn't a blip on my radar.

 

For a small woman, 5-10 pounds is a dress size.

For a small woman who hasn't changed her lifestyle yet puts on 5-10 pounds, that's a harbinger.

 

Oh, I just saw 'mouse's post. 25 pounds gained while actively trying to lose! Who wouldn't be freaked out about that??

[justamouse]

I think that second part is kind of rude! And not very logical.

 

I'm nearly 6ft tall. 5-10 pounds, more or less, isn't a blip on my radar.

 

For a small woman, 5-10 pounds is a dress size.

For a small woman who hasn't changed her lifestyle yet puts on 5-10 pounds, that's a harbinger.

 

Oh, I just saw 'mouse's post. 25 pounds gained while actively trying to lose! Who wouldn't be freaked out about that??

 

Yes, I forgot that, I'm 5'5" and very small boned. I'm Brazilian, so the curves helped me carry it well, ;) but it was still there.

[Joanne]

Why does someone have to be "to blame" for overweight (one's own or someone else's)?

 

Why is this such an emotionally charged issue?

 

Every heavy person I know has a habit of eating too much, and they know it. When I gain weight, it's because I ate too much, and I know it. When I lose weight, it's because I made more healthy choices.

 

Yes, I'm sure there are some people who don't eat too much and are still heavy. But they are too small a minority to account for why "America is fat."

 

It's interesting and helpful to hear that the "evils" of fat in the diet may have been overstated etc. I'm not sure why that would get anyone's blood pressure up, though. "Science" changes its mind every other day about so many things.

 

What a patronizing, uninformed, unkind, assumptive and inaccurate post.

 

More than a *dozen* women right here are posting that there personal experience is that they don't eat too much and are heavy. That indeed has been my experience since I was about 30.

 

It's emotionally charged because being fat is unhealthy, dark, embarassing, quality of life affecting, and people assume that overweight people eat too much and move too little.

 

In *my* experience, I ate less and moved more in the last 10 years than the 10 before that.

[SKL]

I think that second part is kind of rude! And not very logical.

 

I'm nearly 6ft tall. 5-10 pounds, more or less, isn't a blip on my radar.

 

For a small woman, 5-10 pounds is a dress size.

For a small woman who hasn't changed her lifestyle yet puts on 5-10 pounds, that's a harbinger.

 

Actually, it's natural to put on a little more weight over time as we age, unless we eat significantly less than we used to.

 

I didn't know the starting weight was 117. She made it sound like 135 was just a little more than her normal.

[nono]

However, I can't help wondering why you were so freaked out about such a small weight gain.

 

That's a whole size and a whole new wardrobe! Some of us can't afford that.

 

Mouse, we're in the same age range and weight range. Stop trying to educate the world. It doesn't work. :tongue_smilie:

 

Just eat your bacon for breakfast, and keep a lot of fiber in the diet (Mission Carb Balance wraps -- my one processed food that's a joy to work with!). I swear Atkins for me (and therefore you, as you sound so similar) boils down to that. I have 60+ days of data that show for every morning I eat bacon, I'm down weight 100% of the time the next morning. Even, if I'm testing bringing foods back on board. Out of recommended order. And so on. So my recommendation is only for Mouse -- because I can see our pattern is similar. True high fiber to net the carbs down to near zero, and bacon. Take it to the bank.

 

20 years from now, when it's proven, some folks will remember there were some nuts on the WTM boards who postulated the same thing.

 

Now, pass me some celery wrapped with bacon, would ya??? :tongue_smilie:

[SKL]

What a patronizing, uninformed, unkind, assumptive and inaccurate post.

 

More than a *dozen* women right here are posting that there personal experience is that they don't eat too much and are heavy. That indeed has been my experience since I was about 30.

 

It's emotionally charged because being fat is unhealthy, dark, embarassing, quality of life affecting, and people assume that overweight people eat too much and move too little.

 

In *my* experience, I ate less and moved more in the last 10 years than the 10 before that.

 

I suggest that people stop giving fat cells so much power over their psyche.

[justamouse]

That's a whole size and a whole new wardrobe! Some of us can't afford that.

 

Mouse, we're in the same age range and weight range. Stop trying to educate the world. It doesn't work. :tongue_smilie:

 

Just eat your bacon for breakfast, and keep a lot of fiber in the diet (Mission Carb Balance wraps -- my one processed food that's a joy to work with!). I swear Atkins for me (and therefore you, as you sound so similar) boils down to that. I have 60+ days of data that show for every morning I eat bacon, I'm down weight 100% of the time the next morning. Even, if I'm testing bringing foods back on board. Out of recommended order. And so on. So my recommendation is only for Mouse -- because I can see our pattern is similar. True high fiber to net the carbs down to near zero, and bacon. Take it to the bank.

 

20 years from now, when it's proven, some folks will remember there were some nuts on the WTM boards who postulated the same thing.

 

Now, pass me some celery wrapped with bacon, would ya??? :tongue_smilie:

 

Ohh I'm all for bacon.:D Thank you, that actually helps a lot because I don't have to play with it.

[SKL]

And speaking of bad science, the base number of calories that healthy adult women are encouraged to eat is too high, especially after the age when metabolism starts changing (around 30 give or take).

[Juniper]

That's a whole size and a whole new wardrobe! Some of us can't afford that.

 

Mouse, we're in the same age range and weight range. Stop trying to educate the world. It doesn't work. :tongue_smilie:

 

Just eat your bacon for breakfast, and keep a lot of fiber in the diet (Mission Carb Balance wraps -- my one processed food that's a joy to work with!). I swear Atkins for me (and therefore you, as you sound so similar) boils down to that. I have 60+ days of data that show for every morning I eat bacon, I'm down weight 100% of the time the next morning. Even, if I'm testing bringing foods back on board. Out of recommended order. And so on. So my recommendation is only for Mouse -- because I can see our pattern is similar. True high fiber to net the carbs down to near zero, and bacon. Take it to the bank.

 

20 years from now, when it's proven, some folks will remember there were some nuts on the WTM boards who postulated the same thing.

 

Now, pass me some celery wrapped with bacon, would ya??? :tongue_smilie:

 

 

Can I be you when I grow up?! ;) Your my Hive hero tonight!

[Lisbeth]

For that I have a tin foil hat. I totally agree with you, and I think it's a stinking shame that we force-feed the most needy the worst food and then get mad at them for being overweight.

 

Force-feed?

[hollyh]

All this talk about food is making me really hungry! :lol: ... But now I'm confused about what to eat!!!:tongue_smilie:

[cindergretta]

:confused:

I am an American. And I still stand by what I said. The culture is different there than it is here. *You* may not be as I described, but the vast majority of people living in the US are. If they weren't, we wouldn't have "epidemic" that is going on right now.

 

:001_huh: The vast majority? No. An epidemic doesn't require a vast majority. And a vast majority of Americans aren't obese. Many, way too many, are. But the vast majority? What? Like 75%? That would be a vast majority and is hardly the case.

 

I grew up in Germany we walked a LOT and biked a lot. It was awesome. That was how we did most of our shopping - walking to the shops. :D When dh and I first married, we lived in an apartment in a little city town (not sure what one would call it :tongue_smilie: ) but we could walk to the library, the supermarket, the school, and so on. A few months ago, we bought our house in that little city town and are rediscovering the joy of walking to wherever we want to go! :D (The city we lived in for the last 10 years had almost nothing within walking distance. <sigh> )

 

(I only read the first 6 pages and then skipped ahead and posted. Please don't shoot me... )

[tex-mex]

All this talk about food is making me really hungry! :lol: ... But now I'm confused about what to eat!!!:tongue_smilie:

[Lily_Grace]

:001_huh: The vast majority? No. An epidemic doesn't require a vast majority. And a vast majority of Americans aren't obese. Many, way too many, are. But the vast majority? What? Like 75%? That would be a vast majority and is hardly the case.

 

 

 

According to the most recent stats, 33.9% of adults are obese. 34.4% of adults are overweight (not obese). Together that's 68.9% of the U.S. - a vast majority. I guess the word "obesity" was off - I should have just said the fatness rate.

[Momof3littles]

 

If you are hypoglycemic, your issues aren't just with your food intake and your solution isn't going to work for others who do not have your genetics or health issues.

 

Again, this goes back to how many people are diagnosed vs. not diagnosed. There are a whole lot of people out there on the IR end of the continuum who don't have a diagnosis. Believe me. I wouldn't have one if not for having infertility issues. My family has metabolic syndrome issues, and not a one has ever received an IR diagnosis. But addressing insulin has improved their metabolic syndrome issues in ways that meds and other suggestions have not.

 

Insulin resistance is not uncommon, and the number of people with an actual diagnosis is IMO probably considerably lower than the number of people who dwell on that side of the continuum.

[MSNative]

According to the most recent stats, 33.9% of adults are obese. 34.4% of adults are overweight (not obese). Together that's 68.9% of the U.S. - a vast majority. I guess the word "obesity" was off - I should have just said the fatness rate.

 

I've stayed out til this. Lily Grace - this is not directed at you, but at the stats. I work in the fitness industry and many of my colleagues are classified as obese. My father and husband fall into this same category. Thing is - they aren't. They are all just big, muscular people. They don't "fit" in the chart.

This sort of goes along with what everyone has been saying, though. There is no one size fits all prescription for health. An individual needs to figure out what works best for him/her. Personally, low carb doesn't work for me. I feel sick and low energy. I tend to eat whole grain, lots of produce. Works for me. The problem seems to be when we hear reports that "science shows that XYZ diet is healtiest" and then everyone jumps on that trying to be healthy. One diet isn't going to be healthiest for all. Ages ago I read a book about eating for your blood type. Don't know if that was valid or not, but I appreciated the fact that it proposed the idea that different bodies needed different foods.

 

PP mentioned that part of our problem is focusing on weight. There is something to that. How many of us thought we were fat and dieted when we were younger and now look back and wonder how we ever thought we were fat then. I wonder how much damage we've done to our bodies trying to look like celebrities/models/super athletes, etc.

[LisaKinVA]

How many people have gone on the Biggest Loser or other similar programs and not lost any weight because of a metabolic problem?

 

I haven't watched all of the BL shows, but I do remember two ladies struggling a LOT with losing weight on that show, and being extremely frustrated by their inability to lose (we're talking ladies still over 200lbs and losing about 1lb.) I think it's also interesting to note how few of the BL contestants were actually able to *keep* the weight off.

 

I am very likely on the IR continuum. Even my father is (to an extent), and he is a very active person. He can only lose weight by eliminating grains... which is true for me. I can eat whole grains and fruits and maintain...but I cannot really lose.

 

Our family tries to eat lots of real food, without worries about fat content. We try to eat our food as close to the way God made it, and try to include good amounts of veggies, moderate fruits, normal proteins. We haven't eliminated dairy...eat full-fat dairy...eat some nuts/nut butters, etc.

 

Since doing this, my children's appetites have normalized, they don't seem to gain weight (in some cases, have leaned out), and no one complains about being hungry. Eggs are a daily staple here.

 

There is no one-size fits all, and I think most people who are following Taubes advice would agree that fast food, lack of exercise, processed foods, HFCS, GMOs, etc. all play a role in the health problems we're seeing. I have a body type that will allow me to lose weight on virtually any type of diet/exercise program. However, I lose weight most easily (and maintain) by following a LC/HF/normal-to-high protein diet. I have kept off 25 pounds for a year...I would like to lose another 25#, but I'm not there yet....of course this wretched heat, and our home's lack of a/c for 14 days has sapped my desire for food, along with my energy. I don't want to do much but sit in front of a fan set to the wind-tunnel setting...but that's another thread.

[Nestof3]

It's as frustrating as people being on this board and talking about TWTM but never having read the book. She had to write A BOOK about it, it can't be shorthanded in a few posts. Then the person comes on who disagrees and has no idea what they're disagreeing with. No one is calling anyone a dumb sheep, but we can't have a discussion without at least having some semblance of shared information. THEN we can disagree.

 

I'm not clear why this article is even brought up as new science here. It's been in the books I've been reading for years. It is why I purposely limit my carbs. No, I haven't rid my body completely of sugar, and I never will to lose ten pounds. But, side from splurges, I eat completely whole foods prepared from scratch. I fill my body primarily with vegetables, fruits, and protein sources.

 

I eat meat, eggs, and cheese. I try really hard to avoid nitrates, and honestly, if I think about bacon, sausage, etc. too much, I get ill. I'm not a huge fan of eating animal, but I do it. And meat without hormones and such is so expensive. I will never be able to consider meat clean for my body in the way vegetables and fruits are. Perhaps I should switch my yogurt to whole fat. That does make me nervous because I have been conditioned regarding fat.

 

It still doesn't explain why so many women who are very thin don't bat an eye when it comes to what they eat. If it were simple if ______________, then ______________, then why are all people not shaped according to what they eat.

Edited July 18, 2012 by nestof3

[Nestof3]

Would you mind sharing your height and weight? I am curious because I have a hard time believing that me at 5' 4" and 125 pounds wouldn't gain weight eating like this. If I could drop 20 pounds and be back to what I was when I was 20, I would eat like this for 3 weeks. It would be hard because it might be hard going down, but shoot -- 20 pounds? I could eat spam in order to lose 20 pounds that fast.

 

Your Ghrelin may be affected by a metabolic disorder.

 

 

 

 

You really need to watch the vid I posted previously. Our country is so morbidly obese, it's a national disaster. It is one of THE most important things we need to tackle. We are passing down screwed up genes, we are effecting our national security... it's a nightmare.

 

And to prove that calories in =calories out is wrong, every morning I eat

 

3 eggs fried in butter, with about 4 oz of cheddar, two tablespoons of pastured butter on top (and I already fried them in butter) with some pico de gallo.

 

I then down 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a little medicine shot glass.

 

For lunch I'll have some slices of london broil with a few lettuce leaves and some blue cheese dressing.

 

For dinner I'll eat whatever protein we're having and a side salad. With more blue cheese dressing or homemade mayo.

 

I've lost almost 20 pounds in about 3 weeks.

 

As a family we're active-but in NO WAY am I burning that many calories. I'll vacuum every day, I'll play in the pool on and off, I'll tackle a house project, we hike on weekends. But I'm not burning off all those calories on any given day.

 

So, how am I losing weight eating like that if calories = calories?

 

Previously, trying to control my hypoglycemia, I was eating every two hours, small handful things, but still more carbs and I had gained weight trying to control this. It kept creeping up and up and I was so frustrated because though I think nothing of carrying an extra ten pounds, this was more than I was comfortable with. Activity wasn't making me lose weight at all. Then I tried eating as *little* as I could without sending myself into a glucose coma. I still gained weight.

 

Now, eating the way I do I'm dropping weight like peeing. I didn't believe it before-I thought whole grains and complex carbs were good. And they may be for some people, but I did this out of desperation and it's working. I don't argue the science of it anymore.

 

 

(PLease excuse my autocorrect. If there's a completely nonsensical word thrown in there, I just didn't catch autocorrect)

[Momof3littles]

This is conjecture. It does not help the majority of people to have them assume they have a medical problem before they address their diet and exercise issues.

 

Every single obese person I know has not understood what exercise really is. Every one of them thinks walking for 30 min, at a stroll pace where one can converse easily, should be enough. It is not, and it isn't intense enough to even count. That is not to say there are not people who do exercise intensely and have nothing happen as a result due to the meds they are on or the calories they are packing in- I can think of my own experience on steroids, in which it took every ounce of self control to measure portions and not keep eating as the steroid was making the brain desire.

Ask and observe what typical testing for a physical includes for most people. Fasting blood glucose, sometimes fasting insulin. Those can catch issues, but miss a good number of IR cases, because you need to load the body with glucose, and then watch how high the insulin climbs in response to that glucose load. When I had a 2 hr GTT 9 years ago, the lab didn't even do it correctly because my RE asked for 2 hour GTT *with* insulin levels (you need to see the response to the glucose load and what subsequently happens with the insulin levels as a result). They just did a normal 2 hour GTT, because that's what they are accustomed to. Just looking at the glucose isn't going to tell you what the insulin levels are doing in response to the load.

Many docs still don't even offer a hemoglobin A1c test to anyone without a strong family history of type 2 diabetes. Lots of people who are overweight never get a hemoglobin A1c without specifically asking for it.

A large percentage of the population (1 in 5) has metabolic syndrome, which is tied closely to IR. Many people have no idea what metabolic syndrome even is, or that it has a connection to IR. I know my parents have metabolic syndrome issues (much improved now, as I mentioned up thread). No one ever called it metabolic syndrome, but you can check off all of the metabolic syndrome issues and they have them or had them.

WHen people say they are hypoglycemic, many docs don't explain *reactive* hypoglycemia to them. They are just told to eat more frequently. They have no idea it may be connected to IR. Having an episode of reactive glycemia is a very scary feeling (tunnel vision, heart pounding, sweaty, feel like you are going to collapse, shaky....).

[Nestof3]

Another question, what about fiber? Justamouse posted her diet which includes far less than the recommended fiber. Is fiber not important now?

[Stacy in NJ]

Another question, what about fiber? Justamouse posted her diet which includes far less than the recommended fiber. Is fiber not important now?

 

Those green veggies supple the necessary fiber.

 

I don't really follow the diet recommendations from government or national institution (like the American Heart Association). Those are the folks that have been giving us bad advice for 50 years. They told us and continue to tell us that fat, eggs, and red meat cause heart disease. They don't.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Stacy in NJ

[justamouse]

Would you mind sharing your height and weight? I am curious because I have a hard time believing that me at 5' 4" and 125 pounds wouldn't gain weight eating like this. If I could drop 20 pounds and be back to what I was when I was 20, I would eat like this for 3 weeks. It would be hard because it might be hard going down, but shoot -- 20 pounds? I could eat spam in order to lose 20 pounds that fast.

 

I do well at 117. After the first three kids, it was always what I went back to, and the weight I naturally carried while I was younger.

 

Yes, I forgot that, I'm 5'5" and very small boned. I'm Brazilian, so the curves helped me carry it well, ;) but it was still there.

 

Here's from another post that I wrote.

 

Well, I've always been fit, eaten really well, whole foods, baked our own bread, even making my own ice-cream to cut processed additives completely out of our diet. All my life I've been like that.

 

About 35 I started to get some creeping weight. I hovered around 135-which isn't a lot, so I adapted. But what else started happening, was that my lifelong hypoglycemia which at that point only surfaced when I was starving, started occurring more and more.

 

I started to take Vit b for the hypoglycemia, which took care of it, and went back to eating like I normally did. We ate vegetarian a lot, whole grains, fruits and tons of veggies. I kept gaining weight. The 'healthier' I got, the more I gained. My mother told me it was perimenopause. I started crashing between meals at about age 37, so I tried eating all of the time. Not bad foods, but a handful of something every two hours. A small amount of salad, beans, a half a chicken breast, a piece of toast. And I cut back on fat. BUT I still kept gaining weight. Last summer I was swimming laps, lifting weights and still couldn't get below 140 no matter what I did. I was now crashing in-between meals and started doubling up my Vitamin b. That helped a bit. I then tried again, this time trying to eat nothing, toast, salad, really getting my calories down, and I had to stop working out because I couldn't even make it through a workout. I couldn't swim but a few weak laps. I couldn't take a hike without having to bring food so I didn't crash. I couldn't walk to my library without having to come home and shove food in my mouth so the shaking would stop. And once you get that far, it's like your body just short circuits for the rest of the day. It's not like you eat and then feel better. The shaking may stop, but the mental fog lingers.

 

Then, these past few months I started crashing all of a sudden. Out of no where, in the store, driving. It got too dangerous and I knew the next thing I had to do was call the Dr. (My hypo had already been confirmed and they warned me it was a diabetes precursor). So this past month, when my Dd17 went into the hospital for an operation and I had to stay over, I decided to go no carb. At this point I had crept up to 143, and I had nothing to lose. I thought that if I passed out there, I'd be OK.

 

Well, it worked so well I haven't gone back. I've lost 13 pounds, (I lost more but played around with carbs like watermelon, lighter fat yogurt, and peaches and I put the weight right back on, and got shaky again) and I can go all day without eating-which means I can go ANYWHERE, and not worry about having to eat, bringing food, if I'll pass out. I can swim for hours in the pool and not have to stop to eat. The bonus is I'm finally off that weight plateau that I had hit, but the best part is that I'm in control of my life again. I'm kissing 41 and doing better than ever. AND, I get no mental fog where I'm grasping for words or the 3 o'clock slump where I need a nap!

Edited July 18, 2012 by justamouse

[justamouse]

Those green veggies supple the necessary fiber.

 

I don't really follow the diet recommendations from government or national institution (like the American Heart Association). Those are the folks that have been giving us bad advice for 50 years. They told us and continue to tell us that fat, eggs, and red meat cause heart disease. They don't.

:iagree:

 

Here's an article on saturated fats, with too many links.

[Momof3littles]

Yeah, I always laugh when people act like I eat no vegetable matter because I LC. By far, we eat more veggies than most families I know! Dinner is a salad, a veggie, and a protein, or two veggie sides and a protein, or a big salad and a protein. I find it easier to fit a lot of veggies in our lifestyle as a result.

[Stacy in NJ]

Yeah, I always laugh when people act like I eat no vegetable matter because I LC. By far, we eat more veggies than most families I know! Dinner is a salad, a veggie, and a protein, or two veggie sides and a protein, or a big salad and a protein. I find it easier to fit a lot of veggies in our lifestyle as a result.

 

Yummy!

 

Avocados, which you frequently cannot eat on a low-fat diet, are also a favorite in our house.

 

Veggies sauteed in olive oil with a bit of garlic or ginger is another.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Stacy in NJ

[nono]

Yummy!

 

Avocados, which you frequently cannot eat on a low-fat diet, are also a favorite in our house.

 

Veggies sauted in olive oil with a bit of garlic or ginger is another.

 

Hey hey hey. Post your best on the new LC recipe thread I started. ;);)

[Matryoshka]

Yeah, I always laugh when people act like I eat no vegetable matter because I LC. By far, we eat more veggies than most families I know! Dinner is a salad, a veggie, and a protein, or two veggie sides and a protein, or a big salad and a protein. I find it easier to fit a lot of veggies in our lifestyle as a result.

 

I eat waaaaay more veggies when I'm properly low-carbing. It's mostly veggies with a side of protein (I don't do high fat, unless you're counting nuts as high-fat.).

[Momof3littles]

Yummy!

 

Avocados, which you frequently cannot eat on a low-fat diet, are also a favorite in our house.

 

Veggies sauted in olive oil with a bit of garlic or ginger is another.

When we were on vacation recently, we made lobster rolls (leftover lobster from a dinner in, along with some leftover shrimp chopped up, mayo, tarragon, salt and pepper) for the non LC crowd. DH and I had our lobster salad on an avocado. Soooooo good. I'm still thinking about it. Oh, and we drizzled a little melted butter on the whole thing too ;)

 

Crab salad on avocado also feels divine :) Good hot weather food! (not a regular thing here due to price, but oh so yummy).

[Stacy in NJ]

Hey hey hey. Post your best on the new LC recipe thread I started. ;);)

 

I have a had time giving accurate recipes, though. I make them up as a go along, so they tend to not be very consistent. :D