Low carbs making you crazy??? - Page 8

[Mattia]

Originally Posted by playdoh

May I ask what blood types you are, Mattia and Brayg? I sometimes wonder about the validity of certain blood types doing much better on low carb than others. Please do not answer if you don't want to.

I have a very difficult time staying with low carb. I admire those who are diligent with it and see results.

I don't mind sharing. I'm type O+.

BTW, Brayg, those are some of the quotes that were getting my very loose undies in a wad, too.

[magemom]

Originally Posted by playdoh

May I ask what blood types you are, Mattia and Brayg? I sometimes wonder about the validity of certain blood types doing much better on low carb than others.

I don't remember what the book was called- 'eat for your blood type' or something. DH is A+ and they had him basically on a very low carb style diet and me at B+ as moderation- that I needed to have some of everything or I would feel deprived and fail.

Sorry I don't have the exact book, it was from the library.

DH didn't read the book and truely follow a healthy low carb diet. He does'nt follow any diet for that matter so he has not been successful at any of them.

[Brayg]

Originally Posted by Mattia

BTW, Brayg, those are some of the quotes that were getting my very loose undies in a wad, too.

:

[tracymom]

Originally Posted by Brayg

:LOL

I hope you all don't think I'm an absolute nut--just trying to show where I felt the conversation taking a turn for the worse and where the defensiveness arose from.

I see your point. I'm so in the habit of skimming the short "from the hip" responses in a thread that I think I missed a lot of these.

OTOH, I think probably where most people were coming from is a place where people they know are buying into the "low carb craze" and think if they order "low carb" entrees from a restaurant and buy Atkins brownies and such that they're doing the low carb thing. I for one have known way too many people whose idea of low carb was double cheeseburgers without the bread, steak, and bacon and eggs. My DH's two bosses are like that; he comes home and tells me about the enormous amounts of greasy meats they eat and just shakes his head at it.

It sounds like you all are certainly "doing it right" and not like the majority of people I have known (and probably others who posted the unfavorable/offensive comments).

I disagree with Suse that the thread started ugly. I think the OP has a valid point about the pervasiveness of the ads. I think a whole, whole lot of people are misinformed about the intents of the Atkins diet and are really being sucked into this marketing blitz. What's the difference with being angry about that and being angry about formula companies' marketing? It's big money taking advantage of ignorance, and it's shameful.

ETA: I have learned a lot about these diets on this thread and you all have corrected some of my misperceptions about it, for which I thank you.

[lao80]

OMG this bugs the freaking crap out of me. Dh and I rant on and on about it.

I was at Target getting some M&M's and they had a whole section of low carb candy. You know what....if you want to lose weight STOP EATING F*^(ING CANDY.

[PurpleBasil]

Originally Posted by magemom

I don't remember what the book was called- 'eat for your blood type' or something. DH is A+ and they had him basically on a very low carb style diet and me at B+ as moderation- that I needed to have some of everything or I would feel deprived and fail.

Sorry I don't have the exact book, it was from the library.

Yes, I believe that is Peter D'Amo (?) book. I cannot imagine the recommendation to be low carb for an A positive blood type! That blood type needs carbs. No dairy for A positive and coffee helps to build more stomach acid (something that blood type tends to be low in). Lots of soy as well. That blood type does the best as a vegetarian.

[TigerTail]

lao, i hope i'll see you with a protest sign outside target trying to get them to take the diabetic candy off the shelves, too. fair's fair. ('who do these fat people think they are, wanting to have a piece of chocolate? no treats for you!')

tracymom, thank you for reading the entire thread and seeing what we were talking about for yourself. it was the kneejerk negativity & judgement, not thoughtful questioning (and willingness to listen) that put the burr under my saddle.

suse

[Brayg]

Originally Posted by lao80

OMG this bugs the freaking crap out of me. Dh and I rant on and on about it.

I was at Target getting some M&M's and they had a whole section of low carb candy. You know what....if you want to lose weight STOP EATING F*^(ING CANDY.

See, and this is the reeky ignorance that irritates the carp out of me. Do you think that diabetics/sugar addicts (yes, it's a real thing--much like alcoholism or any substance addiction)/low carbers aren't allowed a treat every now and then without blowing their entire diet or putting their blood sugar spinning out of control? Do non-alcoholic beverages, such as O'Douls bother you this much too? Because if alcoholics want to quit, STOP DRINKING F*^(ING ALCOHOL. Do nicotine patches/gums/etc. bother you too? Because if they want to quit smoking, they just need to stop smoking F*ing cigarettes too. Sheesh.

Why does this all bother people so much? If you aren't buying the products, how is it affecting you? Sure--we are being inundated by advertising for all of this, but if it isn't low carb, it's beer advertising. Football advertising. Advertising in general goes way off the deep end when it comes to beating product recognition into our brains. That's why it costs so much. I'm tired of Subway commercials, Budweiser commercials, Fruit Rollup Commercials, etc. but I'm not getting as p*ssed off about them as some of you seem to be about low carb products. Who cares? If it doesn't pertain to you, put your blinders on as you make your way up to the checkout stand with your frozen pizza and pop tarts. (which is no healthier than said low carb "fad" products, IMO)

[ChristaN]

Originally Posted by Brayg

Do you think that diabetics/sugar addicts (yes, it's a real thing--much like alcoholism or any substance addiction)/low carbers aren't allowed a treat every now and then?

I didn't post that original comment - thank goodness ! However, I did want to chime in that I am sure that most of us have no problem with the idea that you get treats, too : ! I eat soy ice cream, not b/c I think that it enhances the nutritional status of my vegan diet, but b/c I like it & I'm not out to feel deprived - no reason that you cannot do the same.

I must admit that I have never been really overweight, as many of you state you were prior to going LC. I could probably eat 24/7 & not wind up significantly overweight, so I am in no position to judge anyone's weight loss plan/diet.

I do think that what someone said a while back about good carbs vs. low carbs may be a better way to couch it. I think (?) that we all can agree that refined carbs are not good for you. Even those of us who would never dream of going low carb should try to minimize refined carbs. I do the best I can in that arena, but I am not perfect about it since it is harder to totally eliminate something when it is not showing an immenent effect on your health & you have no moral calling to do so (as I did to eliminate animal products). I didn't take to kindly to those who stated that vegan diets were unhealthy, so I am not in the least surprised that it would be offensive to those on a LC diet to hear how their diet is crummy in others' views.

I do know that those people whom I know who say that they are "doing Atkins" eat a lot of meat & seemingly little else. Perhaps it would be better for you LCers to call yourselves healthy carbers , as it sounds like that is more of what you are doing than cutting all carbohydrates.

And, yes, the low-fat stuff strikes me as as much junk/marketing propaganda as the low carb snacks do. We all need some junk, though. A friend of mine (who is very overweight) followed the low fat stuff for years when that was the rage. She lived on Snackwells, lite mayo, low fat this, that & the other. She is still very overweight. I believe that she is on the Schwarzbein Principle diet now. I'm not too familiar with the specifics of that one. I know that not all people who are following a LC diet eat packaged junk food as the main source of their nutrition, but I think that the media blitz is the source of the irritation here.

Carbohydrates are being made into the fats of the 2000s. All fats are not bad for you as all carbohydrates are not bad for you. I'm sure that most of you get that, but I am not sure that most of the viewing public does. That end of it is irritating.

[pln]

Brayg said:
"Why does this all bother people so much? If you aren't buying the products, how is it affecting you?"


Hi! Just wanted to chime in here about how this affects us "ordinary" people
with two points:

1) At our local supermarket, they have taken away one whole aisle from the
health foods section and turned it into low-carb. In the process they have
removed many of the whole grains that I used to buy there (millet, quinoa,
bulk nutritional yeast, and whole wheat pastry flour) so that they can now
sell Atkins bars, Atkins shakes, and a whole other group of processed foods.
Keep in mind that there were only four aisles of specifically "health-food"
oriented products anyway, including the bulk aisle. Now I have to take an
extra trip to our whole foods market where I pay 2X as much for the same
bulk whole grains. They have also removed four brands of orange juice,
including the organic one, so that they can now put in the
"carb-smart" milk. We no longer buy the organic OJ b/c we can't afford the
price at the whole grocer. So the low-carb convenience craze IS affecting
me in the pocketbook, where it hurts.

2) Two of our local independent bread bakeries have now closed down or
have raised prices significantly because of the decreased business. Where have
the people gone? Certainly some of them that I know personally have gone to
BK or Subway. One of these bakeries is owned by my neighbor, who is reportedly
having a really hard time and may have to declare bankruptcy soon. It makes me
angry that the ads (not the dieters, but the ads) are running good people out of
business with their misinformation. Just one more local business committed
to local products, and organic breads, run out of business by Subway & BK.

Frankly, I think different diets work for different people depending on your
activity level, metabolism, and genetics. I think some people do respond to
a low-carb diet--I don't know why, and I really don't care why. More power
to them for trying to get healthy in any way they can. I also hope the makers
of soft bread with caramel coloring are run out of business, along with all the
other junk foods that shouldn't be on ANYBODY's shopping list.
If you looked at my shopping list, you might think that I was on a low-carb
diet simply because there are no processed foods or white pasta on it. I just
find it ridiculous that instead of lowering the price of freerange chicken or organic
broccoli, the low-carb trend has increased the number of processed foods
available.

I am not on any kind of diet b/c I don't need to be. I'm not LUCKY, I'm
just healthy and proud of it. I work hard to stay healthy and keep my
family healthy and I resent the implication that it's just "luck." If it means actually
planning ahead and shopping well to make my family healthy foods, getting up at 5 a.m.
to go for a run, or spending part of my weekends cooking
ahead for my family, then so be it. I don't begrudge anybody's right to have a candy
bar (yum) or a whole bag of cheetos (yuk). It is just frustrating when the
"trends" impinge upon my efforts to do what's right for my family by making
MY life more expensive and more inconvenient, or when folks who take
shortcuts (maybe not anyone here, but certainly SOMEONE is buying those bars)
get to spend less on their food budget than I do.

Ciao,
Priya

[LavenderMae]

Originally Posted by ChristaN

Carbohydrates are being made into the fats of the 2000s. All fats are not bad for you as all carbohydrates are not bad for you. I'm sure that most of you get that, but I am not sure that most of the viewing public does. That end of it is irritating.

Exactly!

[Brayg]

I can understand that...but not all grocery stores do that. And it's not *my* fault that the grocery stores do that. Of course, they aren't going to do it if people aren't buying the stuff, and obviously people are, but I could complain that my grocery store has a whole aisle full of soda pop and potato chips but I accept it if I want to shop there.

I think the people who are "low carbing" that don't do it right and don't understand it are pretty disgraceful to the cause. It undermines what the rest of us are trying to do and it creates a negative stigma (as we've seen here, by some of the comments that were made) to the point where I don't even say that I "low carb" when people ask how I lost weight. I explain my diet in detail so that they don't look at me like just another fad diet follower. That stinks.

[mamaofthree]

Well it took me two days of reading (I only get so much time on the computer LOL) to get thru this.
I just wanted to add that I am also frusterated with the ads for "LOW CARB" this and that. I hated it a few years ago when "LOW FAT" was all the crazy. Like someone else mentioned an apple is low fat, and broccoli is low carb. But now they have signs all over the store telling people what they can and can't have.
I also have a problem with the "junk" food marketed as being good for you with any diet crazy. Whether it is Snack Well cookies for the low fat or fat free or the Atkin's friendly foods for the low carb eater. NOT that everyone needs to eat high fat high refined sugar foods if they want to snack, I just feel that it is "pushed" so to speak as a good way to eat.
Everyone Iknow who has done a "low carb" diet has relied on meat and fat as there main foods (not having read a single book) and all this processed food crap. Same with the low fat/fat free diets a few years ago. Anything that said low fat was OK to eat, and that just isn't so.
I had NO IDEA until I read this thread that anyone on an Atkin's like diet actually ate a whole foods diet. Honestly everyone I know who does a low carb diet eats like crap. It made me batty. It is honestly nice to know there are people out there who eat well.
I too stuggle with refined foods (mostly the white flour thing...) and so I work hard to buy whole grains and such.
I guess some of the marketing of produce isn't bad if it actually gets people to remeber to eat their fruits and vegetables. But honestly the people I know probably don't even get past the meat counter, and processed food ilses to see what there is in the produce section. Pretty sad.
Any diet "craze" makes me nuts, because it is assumed that this diet (no matter what kind it is) is best for everyone. Which isn't true. I guess that is what is so frusterating for me.

H

[Brayg]

when folks who take shortcuts (maybe not anyone here, but certainly SOMEONE is buying those bars)
get to spend less on their food budget than I do.

I just had to comment on that--have you priced those low carb products? There is nothing cheap about them. I highly doubt that even a person that does nothing but subsist solely on low carb products can get by cheaper.

[pln]

Originally Posted by Brayg

I just had to comment on that--have you priced those low carb products? There is nothing cheap about them. I highly doubt that even a person that does nothing but subsist solely on low carb products can get by cheaper.

Obviously this would depend on how much one eats of any given product.
We do spend a significant amount on food and are okay with that EXCEPT
that it seems like any trend that happens tends to increase the prices of
our products. Like someone said before, I do wish someone would come
out with a book that would make OUR stuff cheaper and more easily
accessible.

One another thing I wanted to bring up. I have actually read the SBD (but
not Atkins) and agree generally with a lot of his points. However, I think
he would agree that whole foods should make up the bulk of one's diet, no
matter WHAT kind of diet you sould follow. I have a lot fo respect for Dr.
Agatson.

I have NO respect for Dr. Atkins (rest in peace) or his family for putting his
name on a line of processed foods that are FULL of transfats and carcinogens.
That's what really gets me peeved when I walk by that new aisle in our
store--that healthy, whole grain products have been replaced by transfats,
carcinogens, and WHITE FLOUR processed foods. Read the label of those
Atkins products. You'll see what I mean.

I wish Dr. Agatson would come right out and pan those processed bars. Then
I might be less angry about the low-carb thing and believe that they're really
interested in health as opposed to profit.

[tracymom]

Originally Posted by Brayg

I think the people who are "low carbing" that don't do it right and don't understand it are pretty disgraceful to the cause. It undermines what the rest of us are trying to do and it creates a negative stigma (as we've seen here, by some of the comments that were made) to the point where I don't even say that I "low carb" when people ask how I lost weight. I explain my diet in detail so that they don't look at me like just another fad diet follower. That stinks.

been thinking about this. How about terming it "increasing whole food," "limiting sugar" (since we know that simple carbohydrates are a form of sugar) and the like. You may get out of a lengthy explanation that way, getting an "ahhh" instead of a "huh?" from most people. And some may be interested enough to ask for the details and try it themselves.

[tricia80]

Ok im back.... :

i have no issues with the ppl who do the low carb lifestyle correctly...

I HATE ADVERTISING!!!!!!!!!

and low carb is definately annoying me with all the commercials and billboards etc... its jus annoying having it constantly in ur face....

im not skinny at all... and i do know what it is like to wanna lose weight and im definately not attacking fat ppl....

CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG

[lao80]

Actually we don't eat crap food, pizza and poptarts. We eat whole foods. I'm sick of hearing about all of these fad diets and so on. No one wants to invest the time in proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. It's all quick fix. Don't change your lifestyle so that you are heathy, do this for awhile and lose some weight.

Someone uses a nictoine patch/gum it's not a fake cig. They are actively changing a habit. How does a habit change when while I'm doing my low carb diet I go and buy a low-carb snickers.

Do you think these people are going to be on a low carb diet forever? If so you really might want to do some more research on nutrition.

[lao80]

I wanted to say sorry and clarify. I understand the "real" low carb diet and while I think all fruits and vegs are fine and unprocessed carbs. I should say what I don't like about the low carb diet is the commercial low carb diet. Not just candy in Target, or whatever, but people using it as an out to eat high fat, high protein and no permanent healthy change in habit.

I apologize to those who are making healthy changes.

[Mattia]

Originally Posted by pln

I have NO respect for Dr. Atkins (rest in peace) or his family for putting his
name on a line of processed foods that are FULL of transfats and carcinogens.
That's what really gets me peeved when I walk by that new aisle in our
store--that healthy, whole grain products have been replaced by transfats,
carcinogens, and WHITE FLOUR processed foods. Read the label of those
Atkins products. You'll see what I mean.

SBD is very similar to Atkins, and the author credits Dr. Atkins for his ground-breaking work. So really you should thank Dr. Atkins for paving the way for diets like the SBD.

BTW, Atkins has been ANTI-transfats for over 3 decades now, and you will NEVER see hydrogenated oils of any sort in the Atkins products... and their products certainly don't contain white flour. But don't let the facts stand in the way of your opinion.