Comments on: More about dieting

By: G Joubert

G Joubert — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 02:51:26 +0000

It’s the carbs. In addition to making one fat, they’re addictive. Big Food figured this out some time ago, about the same time they began increasing portion sizes, on their way to supersizing everything. That didn’t just happen randomly, Big Food led us down that garden path. A nation of carbohydrate addicts.

Meanwhile, a high fat diet by itself DOES NOT make you fat. It may contribute to clogging your arteries, but it won’t make you fat. In fact, Atkins showed that the fastest known way to lose weight is on a high fat – low carb diet, on which people lose weight so fast that it’s dangerous. Atkins made it clear: do not try this at home or on your own.

For me, the best diet limits carbs to about 20 grams a day. No breads, no sugars, very limited corn. Ample of fish, poultry, beef, pork, and green vegetables. All prepared simply- broiled meat and raw or lightly steamed veggies. Perfect for me. YMMV.

By: Barry

Barry — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 01:18:19 +0000

Taubes’ books are not about a “diet.” They’re about science. Good science and bad science. Read Good Calories and/or Why We Get Fat and you just plain realize that we’ve been fed a bunch of garbage the last forty years on nutrition, why we have heart attacks, etc.

The funny part is the guy from comments above who had a cholesterol level of 180 (which is supposed to be good), has a heart attack anyway, and then goes on statin drugs to lower his cholesterol even more. 96? Sir, we need cholesterol to live. The death rate for a person with cholesterol that low is much higher than one for someone with a total chol. over 200.

All I know is I had tried to lose weight for 15 years following conventional wisdom. I then read Why We Get Fat, GCBC and Wheat Belly and I effortlessly lost 35 lbs. and have kept them off for 18 months. Do whatever you want. Just know, eating that bread and pasta ain’t helping you much. Eat some fat. You’ll feel better (except for NeoNeocon) and you’ll lose the weight.

The bad science is so much like Global Warming, you should get a kick out of reading these books. Cheers!

By: NeoConScum

NeoConScum — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 14:48:13 +0000

N-Neocon: There’s a hilarious article in today’s Orlando Sentinel about how MJ-Bud-Grass-Hemp is becoming popular among the senior crowd here in Florida. The girls in their 70s who were quoted had never done drugs, but were praising(With words like “Awesome!”, “WOW!”, “Lovin’it!”, etc)its medicinal value for various pain complaints. I was about to suggest it for your pain ish-shoes until I realized–Duuhhh–you’d likely be plagued by the munchies. Bummer. (-:

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 05:46:58 +0000

Horgan’s article is titled “Thin Body of Evidence,” a cunning pun, yet he claims in it that “Gary marshals mountains of data in support of his thesis, but I still have misgivings about it. My reaction is partly visceral …”

Taubes actually has a great deal of evidence for his position. Still, the science is a work in progress and we don’t have one answer that works for everyone.

My own experience is that Taubes explains why we get fat very well, but, as he states, he didn’t write a diet book. After reading his “Why We Get Fat,” I bought the new Atkins book (they modified the diet in 2010) and have been on it about two months. I’ve lost 20 pounds and have a lot more energy. I actually lose weight faster on the diet when I don’t exercise, but that’s because when I exercise I put on muscle.

My complaint about Taubes is that he presents a very short form of what he claims is the Atkins diet in an appendix to his book, but it is not the 2010 Atkins diet and there are significant differences. Also, it’s a vegetable intensive diet, and there are suggestions for how to make it a vegetarian diet (not being a vegetarian, I didn’t read them, but they’re there).

As far as keeping it off, I’m learning to make a lot of dishes I can eat, sort out what I can have at restaurants, and intend to make it a life-long change. Regardless of diet, making the change permanent is the only way to keep it off, I think.

By: NeoConScum

NeoConScum — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:07:20 +0000

N-Neocon: Good on’ya. Some folks, I’ve long been convinced, are constitutionally wired for “Up”. That rascal I mention regularly(and Gratefully!!)has chronic pain from various sources, not least being a broken neck on October 7, 1972–in a strange alignment of planets, I was saying ‘I do’ to my first wife in Benedict Canyon, BH, California at the same time! My Sicilian maintains she broke the “wrong neck” that day. Has back pain, hand pain, etc. and still a sunny disposition of the purest joy I’ve ever seen.

You are wired for ‘Up’, obviously, and it’s a life-saver. One Optimistic Sceptic to another.

By: ArmyMom

ArmyMom — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:12:38 +0000

About a year and a half ago I was 40lbs heavier than I am right now and desperate to lose weight. I really wanted to run but had to address some issues with my hip flexors and general IT band soreness. I had the blind luck of going to a very young chiropractor who was also a certified trainer. Since the guy was starting his practice right then and he wanted some patient testimonials and some success stories that he could advertise, I managed to talk him into doing personal training for me to help me get back to running shape again in return for my (video, audio, written, pictorial) testimonial. What a stroke of luck that was!!!
While working with him for adjustments and training I lost 50lbs. He had me change my diet to eating almost solely vegetables and a small amount of meat and taking supplements while having me workout 5 days a week sometimes twice a day. It was hell going through all the workouts but the end result was worth it to me.
A few days ago I ran across the thread here where J.J. mentioned Taubes. I had never heard of him before and now have his book. He makes sense so far but I am not done reading. However as Taubes says (at least so far), you can only operate in a state of semi-starvation for so long. After I had run several half marathons and had given the guy all the marketing material he could want we have only been working together once a month. I have cut back on the number of workouts but have continued the distance running. I run 4 days a week with a local running club now. And, I did let my diet slip back to my old ways. I have now gained 10lbs back and am unable to lose it despite running more now than ever before.
I am pretty certain that my inability to lose weight is because of my diet and my age. Yup…I have entered menopause and hate it! But I don’t want to become heavier and am willing to change my diet to make progress. I hope Taubes simply advocates for a more natural diet that is heavy on the veggies and protein. I can do that. I am not looking forward to the coming off carbs detox that I will have to do but I know it will be worth it. I just don’t want to be hungry all the time again. And, I really want to run faster. The extra pounds are making me slower and I want to get into the masters runners ranks at some time. I am thinking that I may be best served if I go to see a sports nutritionist to find out what my body really needs so that I can move up to running marathons.
Anyway, thanks for the tip J.J!! And, it is good to read about everyone else’s ideas and struggles with weight so that I know that I am not the only one who has not found a consistent way to lose weight.

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:41:54 +0000

NeoConScum: thanks.

I try.

One of the things that makes it easier for me now is that I was in so much pain for so long (about 12 years), that I really never expected to get any better. And so the improvement I experienced as a result of my surgery was a really wonderful thing, and I’m very grateful for it.

By: Occam's Beard

Occam's Beard — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:30:27 +0000

Forget Taubes; thermodynamics rules. Doesn’t sell many books, though.

By: roc scssrs

roc scssrs — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:21:09 +0000

Don’t know how true this is, but I’ve heard that in many Muslim cultures there are dishes which are prepared only during Ramadan, and that some people like these special “holiday” meals so much they wind up putting on weight during Ramadan!

By: M of Hollywood

M of Hollywood — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:18:41 +0000

I recently got a dog who recently got a veteranarian. We spoke of food. I asked if I should change doggie’s food once in a while because there is a controversy among dog people: some say never change, some say change every three months.
Vet said, “We look at our dogs and we anthropomorphize, attributing human emotions to them. Dogs eat for calories. We eat for many reasons: we’re hungry, it looks good, it’s on our plate, we are happy, we are sad, we are angry, we are confused, it is time to eat, it’s a holiday – and so forth.” That gave me pause.
It’s Ramadan: good 30 days to “fast” – that is, eat before sunup and after sundown. Water in between. I’ve lost 2 pounds already, and it’s only Day 4. I turn off the computer at 9:30 and talk to God each night, too. No, not Muslim, but I thought I’d give the good habit a try. Looking forward to the night of Day 30 . . . and I’ll be lighter and cleaner.