Low Carb Loneliness

What you are saying is the pretty much the point I was trying to make yesterday.

It'll always be a "fad" diet that reigns for a few months to years and fizzles out before they turn to the next fad nutrient. I don't begrudge Atkins or South Beach in their original forms if it works for people. It's the exploitation and the boon of supporting products that try to capitalize on the basic by making the very things that are off limits, friendly.

Like South Beach friendly bars or Atkins friendly shakes, when the original readings may have specified to stay off anything processed. It's a shame really but all one could do is try to be as educated as possible and don't fall for the latest gimmick.

Renee makes an excellent point. It's one thing to publish a book based on reseach about how to lose weight, and make suggestions on diet plans, but a little "gimmicky" to make spin off products.

But then, people buy those products, so I guess it's the consumer, not the company that's fuelling the demand for gimmicks and fad diets.

We can't eliminate. We must substitute. Low Fat made billions. Somebody got to Dr. Atkins with this concept when he founded Atkins Nutritionals. He most surely had to hire some "experts" to help run that company. The concept came to be low carb.

Between the lines in books and the boxes of processed crap, low carb has taught many people to seek fresh whole food, cooked like chefs would, seasoned with butter from a cow and fresh herbs. Some of us also learned from all this to try to get artificial fat and many other chemicals out of our food.

More than 100 other publications are in book stores about this concept. It is far from over.

Here is a headline: 14 Marines killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Why is the media rejoicing about eating fried flour.

Awesome comments. That was a real late night rant from me - honestly I cannot believe the gleeful reporting over one companies bankruptcy.

The big question is - will the South Beach and Kraft deal go the same way? I think no - Kraft's revenue makes Atkins look like small change. They will weather any storm.

As long as the books are in circulation and people are losing weight and getting healthier, the ideas will stay in mainstream consciousness. I know my progress to goal has started a number of people to start the WOE and cut sugar out of their diet. My reaction to the bankruptcy is good riddance. One look at the ANA's 2005 sample Induction menu (http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/14-373858.html) showed how far they were straying from the original message with things like Bran-a-Crisp® crackers. People were low-carbing long before the ANA and their products came out, and at least I will be probably as long as Confederates kept singing "Dixie."

I've been on South Beach for a couple of months and have lost nearly 40 lbs. I am no dieting rookie -- I've been through WW (twice!), Jenny Craig, Atkins, and plans of my own devise. I've suffered from chronic Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis -- to name a few. Not a very good track record for a 44 year old! So, when I picked up the South Beach diet book, I didn't expect to learn anything that (fundamentally) I didn't already know, from an intellectual perspective. And, really, that was true ... the principles of South Beach are not "new", per se -- I had read up on some foreign studies into the "glycemic index" several years ago and, duh, certain fats are healthy and others aren't. These two principles are the foundation of South Beach. HOWEVER, these aren't bad things! In fact, I think South Beach pretty accurately describes how humans should eat in order to feel healthy and avoid those two nasty products of our overprocessed society: insulin resistance and artheriosclerosis. If we eliminate these through diet, we'll be much healthier. As for the Kraft foods deal ... yeah, I think this is a bit of a sell-out. Some of their products seem to push the edge (or exceed it) in terms of strict compliance with the South Beach principles -- but, if it is a start towards mainstream production of more responsible convenience foods, I guess its not all bad.

I NEED TO LOSE 50+LBS...I'M JUST SO CONFUSED WHICH DIET WOULD BE RIGHT FOR ME, CAN SOME ONE GIVE ME ADVICE , I'M AT WITS END ON THIS ONE.. TOO MANY DIETS

Sharon, I don't think there is any one diet that is right,I am sure you know most of what you need to do.The key to losing that 50lbs will be with exercise, no matter what all the diet advertising tells you, losing 50lbs will take time and hard work. Let me give you a couple of facts, that no matter what diet you choose is not in dispute. To burn 1Llb of fat takes a reduction of 3500 calories, 2Llbs will take a reduction of 7000. this would mean a drop of 1000 calories a day from a normal maintainence figure, so basicly long term its pretty tough to lose more than 2Lbs per week through diet alone. Not only that, but your body will adapt to the reduced calories and your metabolism will slow, thous reducing weight loss even further.Its also hard to stay on a restricted calories for any long period, which is why most people on diets fail. The Solution ? Exercise, both cardio and weights, this is the ONLY way to lose weight and keep it of. You have to make lifesyle changes, and you have to want to do it. Burning the calories off via exercise means you could lose that 50Llbs easily by the end of 2006 and look great too !

Having been reading credited websites on health and nutrition my personal opinion is that there are a few very good weight-loss programs available.Each has its own niche and complexity. In the efforts of weight-loss it is neccessary not to get a program lacking proper nutritional intake while you go through the weight-loss process.As Dave(Jan.3,2006,06.03pm)says, excercise will speed up the body's ability to shed the weight, providing your intake is nutritionally balanced.Permananent weight-loss is a routine maintenance lifestyle, just as the weight problem was caused by a routine lifestyle. It is possible that the best plans are those that have been around for more than 5-10 years and have their own acredited medical advisory board because the medical association unfortunatly does not include nutritional education for their doctors. Sometimes the best sources of weight-loss programs are found just by word of mouth. Good luck everyone!

I've been on Atkins for almost two years and really like it. It's a great program. I've lost 60 pounds and am working on keeping it off. My latest goal is to build muscle with weight training.

Each person needs to find a system that works best for them. I've been on the Atkins Diet for 8 years. For me it is amazing. It is the only diet that I've ever been able to sustain. I'm as fully compliant with the diet now as I was the day I started.

Losing 50 pounds is not too difficult. Losing 50 pounds and keeping it off is very hard to do.

Everyone needs to understand that losing a lot of weight and keeping it off takes a lot of work. It is so hard that most people will not do it even if you provide them a system to lose weight and keep it off and even when the excess weight might kill you.

It is fundamental that exercise be involved in any weight loss plan. Without it you have no chance of losing weight and keeping it off. Even if you have weight-loss surgery you still need to exercise.

I am trying to find Bran-a-Crisp Crackers. EVERY web site I go too says they are on back order/not available/on and on. Does ANYONE know a place these can be ordered or a web site that WILL have them. Thanks in advance!!

I am trying to find Bran-a-Crisp Crackers. EVERY web site I go too says they are on back order/not available/on and on. Does ANYONE know a place these can be ordered or a web site that WILL have them. Thanks in advance!!