See Vrai behave herself.

[Foxhound]

I lost 30 pounds using a low carb diet. I started with the Atkins, but switched ti the south beach. It worked and I kept if off for some time. I have however become somewhat sedentary and careless about my eating habits. Not so much in that I'm eating carbs but not eating balanced. So I ended up gaining it all back again this year. I should take your example Vrai and get back to making a difference in my own life.

 

[jazz lady]

Potatoes are not the devil incarnate. In moderation, they are part of a healthy diet. What we do to them, from slathering on the butter to frying them, makes them bad as is having them as the bulk of your diet. You do need carbs in your diet, but not as many as most of us consume. I eat a LOWER carb diet and it works for me.

I find the glycemic index an invaluable tool. It tells you how easily carbs are converted to sugar by your body. The higher the index, the quicker your blood sugar will rise after and then crash, usually causing you to eat again to get your sugar level to rise again - i.e. the roller coaster effect. A lower index food will keep your sugar level on a more even keel.

I literally had to teach myself how to eat again. Portion control is a very big part of it. I also had to "unlearn" a lot of bad habits: eating when bored, getting off the sugar roller coaster, eating too many high calorie foods while out, etc. And I totally agree that exercise IS a must.

 

[vraiblonde]

Losing weight and gaining it back is like pushing a boulder up a mountain then, when you get to the top, letting it go and watching it roll allllllllll the way back down.

I'm not forbidding myself any food. That's the quickest way to make me crave it.

 

[warneckutz]

They do, and they don't. The mechanism is complex - a carbohydrate response element binding protein is often triggered that tells the liver to turn some of the sugars (carbs) into fat EVEN while some of it is being burned and used for fuel - and so on --- but basically it's what we all know from experience. What doesn't get used gets stored as fat. Your body over time knows what your energy needs are and adjusts accordingly. It's not QUITE like a gas tank where, once you're done using the energy, the leftovers get taken off and put in your backside. Some of the fat creation process starts the moment the food arrives in your digestive tract. For a lot of people - such as myself - a lot of carbs does NOT translate into an energy surge, but seems to work like mega sleeping pills. Fortunately, because of my surgery, a lot of the carbs never get properly digested at all. (Unfortunately, the side effect of too many carbs is more unpleasant than for most people).

Then there's the issue of low vs high glycemic carbs... intake amount, intake time, etc... After awhile it's just

 

[Vince]

Losing weight and gaining it back is like pushing a boulder up a mountain then, when you get to the top, letting it go and watching it roll allllllllll the way back down.

I'm not forbidding myself any food. That's the quickest way to make me crave it.

As long as you're exercising, you can eat normally. Cut out the sweet stuff and cook low fat.

 

[jazz lady]

Losing weight and gaining it back is like pushing a boulder up a mountain then, when you get to the top, letting it go and watching it roll allllllllll the way back down.

Amen. Change your lifestyle for permanent weight loss.

I'm not forbidding myself any food. That's the quickest way to make me crave it.

I don't deny myself anything but have found that I no longer crave those things or if I do give in and have it, it doesn't taste as good as I thought it would. :shrug:

 

[vraiblonde]

if I do give in and have it, it doesn't taste as good as I thought it would.

Yeah. I hate that. We were at a party yesterday and our hostess made her fabulous artichoke dip with Fritos. I ate one chip with a scoop of dip and was done. I have a different attitude toward food now and don't eat for pleasure anymore.

 

[Katie]

Carbs are SO not bad. I have lost all my weight eating carbs and practicing good portion control. Potion control is the most important thing for myself, and not letting myself eat the stuff that I KNOW will trigger me to NOT practice good portion control. I can give a long list of stuff that just does NOT come into my house for that reason! Some of it is *supposedly* healthy also, so it isn't just BAD stuff. The 100 calories packs are something that does not enter my home!

 

[warneckutz]

Carbs are SO not bad. I have lost all my weight eating carbs and practicing good portion control. Potion control is the most important thing for myself, and not letting myself eat the stuff that I KNOW will trigger me to NOT practice good portion control. I can give a long list of stuff that just does NOT come into my house for that reason! Some of it is *supposedly* healthy also, so it isn't just BAD stuff. The 100 calories packs are something that does not enter my home!

AGREED

 

[Katie]

Thanks for the gray karma comment. "Carb Comment"

I am not saying a low carb diet is a bad thing, but it isn't for me. Whatever your diet is, is your personal decision. I personally have lost nearly 100 lbs doing portion control and eating what I want. OH..and I have kept it off also. SO, I do know something about eating right. I also know people that have done low carb diets and kept it off. It is a personal decision, and I do not judge anyone on their diet choice.

 

[warneckutz]

I am not saying a low carb diet is a bad thing, but it isn't for me. Whatever your diet is, is your personal decision. I personally have lost nearly 100 lbs doing portion control and eating what I want. OH..and I have kept it off also. SO, I do know something about eating right. I also know people that have done low carb diets and kept it off. It is a personal decision, and I do not judge anyone on their diet choice.

I hear ya, I take in around 500-600 grams of carbs per day, 300-400 grams of protein and try to keep all the fat as healthy as possible... total pain in the butt some days.

 

[vraiblonde]

The 100 calories packs are something that does not enter my home!

And those are the only junk food snacks I keep in my house.

 

[jazz lady]

Yeah. I hate that. We were at a party yesterday and our hostess made her fabulous artichoke dip with Fritos. I ate one chip with a scoop of dip and was done. I have a different attitude toward food now and don't eat for pleasure anymore.

Attitude is everything, isn't it? I had friends over last week and there was junk food everywhere. I ate three potato chips and was done, but tore up the fresh strawberries.

 

[Schizo]

Behave, Vrai, behave.
See Vrai lose weight.
Skinny, skinny Vrai.

Whatcha wearing?