What frustrates me the most is ....

[Howe]

[FONT=Georgia]
What frustrates me the most about many of the reports in the media lately is that they refer to the Atkins diet as "one of those fad diets that are so popular these days". Then they go on to give the usual misinformation about how eating steak will give you a heart attack and you won't get enough vitamins and minerals because Atkins won't let you eat vegetables, and blah, blah, blah...

It's as if Dr. Atkins were trying to convert a nation of people that are eating a wide variety of nutritous vegetables and low-fat protien at every meal. In reality the average American eats so much fast food, cookies, ice cream, Fruit Loops & Coca-cola it is no wonder we are the fattest people on earth. But NEVER do the mention the word SUGAR!!!!

They critisize the Akins diet like they want to save us from eternal hell and damnation, but it is perfectly fine to feed your children cake and ice cream with a glass of Hawiian Punch. But don't eat a steak, that will kill you.

The media loves to warn us about how "unproven" or "dangerous" the Atkins diet is but they never mention that the alternative for most Americans is a diet loaded with sugar and empty calories.

Last night on CNN they had report that said 95% of people that lose weight on diets regain that weight with-in a year. They also trivialized Atkins as a fad diet and said to stick with a high-carb, low fat diet. Never did they mention sugar or insulin resistance. By the end of the show I am sure many people were left with the feeling of "What's the point fo dieting, I must be one of the 95% meant to be fat".

I have found what so many other people at this forum have found. since I have gone LC I am in control of my apetite for the first time in my life. I have more energy and I feel much healthier. All these years I have been beating myself up because I couldn't stop eating even though I wasn't hungry. LC has not only made me feel better physically but I also have gained a lot of self-respect.[COLOR=Black]

[bcadieux]

Right on, brother

[brobin]

Yeah, its funny that cutting out carbs will kill you, but cutting out fat completely and substituting in highly refined carbs will have no health impact...

brobin

[adkpam]

They are in love with the carbs=energy equation. Why did my high carb lunch used to make me want to take a nap?
I know I'm not the only one.

[gary]

To Adkpam - right on the money! I suffered badly from drowseyness after lunch in business. It was terrible. We would be at a meeting with the CEO and have lunch served. There I was with my sugar sweetened Lipton iced tea (Always with me as a trademark) - eating the sandwich with bread and potato chips. Then about 1/2 to 1 hour later I could hardley keep my eyes open. Meanwhile the VP being groomed for President was always carefull what he ate and I noticed he never ate desert. So as I am swimming in sleepiness he gives a speech so clear headed I could not figure out how he did it. I realized then there was something wrong with me. After the meeting next day my boss took me aside and scolded me for being drowsey and said the CEO was looking right at me when I was nodding my head. This was a terrible situation for my job and business.

Several years later I discovered Atkins and now working for a different company we have a weekly meeting. The owner always buys lunch the day we have a meeting and it is always pizza. Same thing was happening. The meeting would be about 1 hour after lunch and it was perfect timing for me to be sleepy. So the first week I am on Atkins I don't eat the pizza. At the meeting I am perfectly clear headed, no drowseyness at all! That was it - that was my problem - it was the sugar!

Now I am continuing with the job and the owner his wife and family me and my wife pile in a 15 seat van to drive from PA to Orlando for a trade show. Everyday I would start out driving and after lunch the owner would take over - well 1/2 hour later he would make me take the wheel again and their whole family and him would soundly sleep. One meal was funny - there was an accident up ahead and it was near lunchtime so we pulled off the nearest exit and eat at a diner (down south) Everybody orders the usual and I had my LC meal - well my meal came with a big bowl of grits - so I gave that away to the owner and his family - they are Chinese and never heard of grits. So they chowed down on the grits, french fries, bread plus had sandwiches with rolls - drank soda. I kept laughing to myself and knew they would all conk out after lunch. Well sure enough the owner has to drive first and 1/2 hour he pulls over and makes me drive. So I proceed up the road and it rains cats and dogs so bad you could hardly see. The whole family is sound asleep and just my wife and I are awake. We drive through all this teeming water on I95 going 30 miles an hour trying to stay on the road with them all asleep.

Then I went on another road trip with the owner and after two times of this - where he falls asleep after lunch - he says "gary why are you wide awake after lunch and I always fall asleep?" I told him it is the sugar! So he then started LC eating and was amazed - it cured him the same way it cured me! This guy is such an egomaniac he would never listen to me when I talked about cutting sugar down and Atkins. But when he saw in real life this example, he was convinced - it stared him in the face. :yay:

[Turtle2003]

Good story, Gary. Lot's of people just have to learn from experience. Now your boss can also spread the word about low carbing. :yay:

[bluesmoke]

This just an example of the truism that experts are merely people who know their own mental rut so well, that they can't or won't let anything move them. They "know" what is right and what works and can't be dissuaded by facts. The low carb revolution, like so many others is from the bottom up. It grows because the common people have found it works. The public success of low carb only pushes the all-knowing to greater efforts to stem the tide.
Medical history, even recent medical history is replete with examples of the most idiotic things being done in the name of cures. In France , from the 50's on heart disease was treated sometimes by opening the chest and sprinkling chalk dust on the heart. Many "cures" were reported. The moral is do your own research or give yourself up to those who may only be idiots. Nyah Levi

[Bearurr]

I agree. I've had to defend my diet with the folks at work as well. But you know what, as you start loosing weight, looking and feeling better......They figure it out! I always eat when I'm bored.....Well always hunger.. But on this diet, if I'm hungry, I can eat. Also, before if I didn't eat something all day, I would get light headed and very very cranky! But now my moods have regulated. You don't realize how carbs affect your blood sugar until you ditch them!

[Nebula]

Let me preface this by saying that I love the Atkins WOL and it works true wonders... These are just my thoughts on where things are heading...

I question whether or not the Atkins WOE will become truly mainstream - and not because of these "media reports" that ignore the benefits of such a WOL.

As more and more refined and processed LC products come out, there will come a point where people will say to themselves, "Hey, I'll give [Low-Carb Plan] a try. I mean, they make all my favorite foods with low carbs." Then, they will try. And fail. People will begin consuming these products much like they consumed the Snackwell's of the early 90s (which were really gross, btw). Then when they aren't losing, or even gaining, they will question the viability of this WOL.

As each individual fails because they have failed to realize that the original point of starting a low-carb plan was and is not only getting rid of evil carboydrates, but to get back to whole, unprocessed foods, they will undoubtedly go back to the "better tasting" higher carb cousins. Thus, quitting their low-carb plan and stating that it didn't work for them. Then, these people will have the audacity to have their blood-work done and claim, "See what [Low-Carb Plan] did to me! It made my stats go through the roof!"

Yes, this is the type of stupidity and evil naiveness that will drive this WOL into the ground, or at least keep it "in it's place." What companies did to the Low-fat movement, they will now try to do to the Low-carb movement. Unfortunately, the low-fat movement has a huge following, including the US government.

[Hellistile]

I agree wholeheartedly with Nebula regarding the consumption of low carb products which are processed, contain chemicals, sugar alcohols, soy products, and other things I'm not quite sure about. When I first started low carbing I was very pleased to see an increase in low carb products being available to the consumer and started using them. Within 2 months I realized that they created stalls and cravings in me for more of these products. It dawned on me that even these low-carb products are bad for people and only whole, naturally grown and raised, unprocessed, unmedicated, foods should be used. I still can't figure out why people need bread, pancakes and muffins of any kind and are constantly trying to find low carb substitutes for those awful high carb things. Leave them behind and move on to much better things: natural, whole foods.

Even more frightening is that once the food industry jumps on the low-carb bandwagon, I shudder to think of the concoctions they will come up with (all artificial) to satisfy the low carb market. Shiver.

[PoofieD]

As each individual fails because they have failed to realize that the original point of starting a low-carb plan was and is not only getting rid of evil carboydrates, but to get back to whole, unprocessed foods, they will undoubtedly go back to the "better tasting" higher carb cousins. Thus, quitting their low-carb plan and stating that it didn't work for them. Then, these people will have the audacity to have their blood-work done and claim, "See what [Low-Carb Plan] did to me! It made my stats go through the roof!"



I agree absolutey that the convenience products will not work for those that don't actually read the book and understand what its all about.
But I see it a bit differently.
There aren't many of those products (low-carb) that I actually LIKE using :-). They aren't really all that good, and my fresh homecooked meals taste much better, and CAN be made ahead of time for lunches ect.
So I don't see people "downing" them like snakwell's ( because lets face it, eating a bag of those were all too simple) but since this is about learning how to be friends with REAL food, if you use the convenience stuff, that also will never be as good for you as real food, you just won't get the point :-)
But it won't be because people can eat alot of those!!! LOL :-)

[Nebula]

PoofieD,

I know where you're coming from, but I'm sure you've seen on this forum that some people were consuming 3-5 low-carb bars per day and then wondering why they weren't losing weight. Same thing goes with some people over-consuming low-carb bread or other low-carb items.

Many people see the terms "low-carb" as a green light - as did their low-fat counterparts. That is why marketing works and why KFC probably had a slight increase in sales after their commercials, even though their products aren't very low-carb and contain things that are all but legally prohibited from most low-carb diets, like white flour.

If this forum is any indication of how many people in America are trying Atkins (chosen for simplicity and "popularity") without reading the book, then I would be willing to bet that many people do not read the book or have any intention of reading the book.

Let's all face another reality. The people in this forum are not a great indication of what the rest of the nation is like. I will liken this forum to other specialty forums like computer and saltwater reef-keeping forums. Those people are not the average person. They went out of their way to find a place to discuss and learn about their chosen hobbies, professions, etc... The average person doesn't do this. So while you and I may be following the plan to a "T" or using low-carb products minimally, the average person might not see it so.

[adkpam]

Nebula is right about how this will get messed up. It's a Lowest Common Denominator thing. However, seeing carbs as a problem is a definite step in the right direction.
Judging from the low-fat situation, and how long it took companies to get going with it, I don't know how bad off the low carb eating public will be, since those whole fresh foods are always available, and I hope always will be.
Anytime large corporations get involved, it's what I call "The Chowing of America." They don't want to give us what we want, that's just a screen. They want to give us People Chow, Music Chow & Fashion Chow because it's easy for them to make and sell.
We always have to struggle to get the good stuff.

[Nebula]

But, the question that remains is: Are people seeing that carboydrates are bad, or is that an after-effect. In other words, I believe people do Atkins, et al, to lose weight, not because they suddenly realize that carboydrates are not good for them. At least, this was the case for me and from my readings here, for others as well. Learning that carboydrates aren't necessarily a good thing, particularly refined and processed carby-foods, comes after you experience results and get passed the initial carb cravings.

Large corporations care about one thing, and one thing only - the bottom line. They are accountable to their shareholders, and if the preferred stockholders aren't getting dividends, the board may be voted out. Does Pfizer REALLY care that millions of men can now lead sexually active lives? I doubt it. Do they care that their sales increased by $4 billion? Absolutely.

I'm just glad I got in on the bottom floor and I realized that the only way to be successful in my eating habits is to eat only those things that are unprocessed and whole.

As for the low-carb eating public... well, given how popular low-fat foods are, I'm sure low-carb foods will be very popular. We are also in a different world in a consumerism sense than in the 80s and even early 90s. Corporations realize that "fad" or "popular" trends are easy to cash in on, and they are starting to jump on it faster.

[PoofieD]

know where you're coming from, but I'm sure you've seen on this forum that some people were consuming 3-5 low-carb bars per day and then wondering why they weren't losing weight. Same thing goes with some people over-consuming low-carb bread or other low-carb items.


LOL, Actually I have, but usually in the context of eating those instead of real food. :-)
We do have a paranoia about actually cooking and getting veggies and getting in the "I am on the run ALL the time" kind of eating.
I guess I can see it once in a while, but they still don't taste good to me.
okay, how are you three bars a day people DOING it??
This enquiring mind wants to know!

[Lisa N]

You know...I have yet to find a low carb protein bar that I would prefer to eat over real food. I maybe get one of those 2 or 3 times a month if that.
Now...some of the low carb chocolates and ice creams....yum! But those aren't meals, either...they're dessert and too much of those will send many people running to the bathroom! And if you have someone who is trying to low carb living on mostly low carb chocolate and ice cream, they've completely missed the whole point of low carb. :rolleyes:
Even when the time comes (and I believe that it IS coming) that low carb is mainstream, you're always going to have people who try it half-a**ed and then wonder why they aren't successful. OTOH...if health professionals start getting on board with a solid low carb plan, there might be some hope as they hand out low carb diet sheets and tell folks, "Save the low carb goodies for after you lose the weight. Until then, this is what you get to eat." :rolleyes:

[Howe]

I think you have all made great points. Up until now I have been thinking that all of these new LC products were a good thing (even though I use very few of them myself). I'm starting to think that the issue is not low-fat vs. low-carb but processed vs. unprocessed. I am optimistic that the next generation of docters and researchers will have had first hand experience with LC and will approach it with an open mind.

I also think calling the Adkins Diet "Low-Carb" does it a disservice. The Maintenance Diet is only low-carb compared to the grotesquely high-carb diet of the average American.
It amazes me that all of the doctors and diet "experts" in the media bash Adkins. How can they possibly think eating unprocessed whole foods, including fruits and vegetables, and avoiding all of the over-processed sugar-laden junk could be so dangerous. I too remember eating an entire box of snackwells and thinking,"Boy, I'm such a healthy eater, please pass the low-fat ice cream and the fat-free chocolate syrup.

[ItsTheWooo]

But, the question that remains is: Are people seeing that carboydrates are bad, or is that an after-effect. In other words, I believe people do Atkins, et al, to lose weight, not because they suddenly realize that carboydrates are not good for them. At least, this was the case for me and from my readings here, for others as well. Learning that carboydrates aren't necessarily a good thing, particularly refined and processed carby-foods, comes after you experience results and get passed the initial carb cravings.

Large corporations care about one thing, and one thing only - the bottom line. They are accountable to their shareholders, and if the preferred stockholders aren't getting dividends, the board may be voted out. Does Pfizer REALLY care that millions of men can now lead sexually active lives? I doubt it. Do they care that their sales increased by $4 billion? Absolutely.

I'm just glad I got in on the bottom floor and I realized that the only way to be successful in my eating habits is to eat only those things that are unprocessed and whole.

As for the low-carb eating public... well, given how popular low-fat foods are, I'm sure low-carb foods will be very popular. We are also in a different world in a consumerism sense than in the 80s and even early 90s. Corporations realize that "fad" or "popular" trends are easy to cash in on, and they are starting to jump on it faster.

See I disagree with you in part. I do not feel looking at carbohydrates as bad is the right attitude. It is the way we have used carbohydrates that is bad. We overconsumed them, ate way too much, till we were partially insulin resistent. Normal people don't have these sleepiness problems with carbs... only those of us who abused them do (or were genetically susceptable to IR, but that is more rare). My sister is very lean, and eats carbs all the time... her favs are pure sugar candy and chinese food. BUT, she eats in moderation, never binges, and because of this she has no problems with carbs.

It is important to remember we who have severe problems processing carbs due to self-induced carb abuse are a relative minority. Saying "all carbs are bad" is akin to an alcholics group preaching that "all alcohol is evil". Many people consume alcohol in moderation without problems, it is only those who abuse alcohol who find it problematic.

Also, I do not think the low carb processed alternative foods are necessarily bad. If one has had their carb cravings under control for awhile, and has made needed emotional shifts (away from poping sugar when your mood fluctuates in undesirable directions, like all to many of us USED to do), then you should have no problem consuming these foods in moderation... and they should be in moderation mind you. I am sorry, but I just don't believe that some people digest sugar alcohols differently and all that mumbo jumbo. I think everyone is physically capable of handling the low carb subs, but the real reason some people don't binge on carb substitutes, and others do, is because the ones who binge have not fully mastered their cravings or addictive mindset yet. These are the types of people who begin downing atkins bars only a few weeks off of induction, and then wonder why they slowly transgress back into their old habits.

Plus, I think low carb substitutes are better for the public who aren't following a strict low carb woe. If even one person with a carb tollerance/weight problem replaces his candy bars with atkins bars, he is better for it.

[potatofree]

You know, at risk of sounding mean or selfish....

If someone doesn't take the time to read even ONE book before embarking on a new way of eating... they get what they get.

If companies are "greedy" and churn out lc products to get on the bandwagon,and I find one or two that make my life easier...COOL.

I've taken the time to research my new eating plan, and understand the ins and outs of choosing the convenience products I DO use carefully. In my case, the more choices I have and the easier it is to have lc options in restaurants without having to teach the staff myself... the better I feel! Where it frustrates me that a lot of people are doing it "wrong" and are spreading misconceptions through their own ignorance... i try to give the RIGHT info when I can, but try not to let myself get too riled up about it.

But why get so worried about the people who CHOOSE to not know what they're doing, and just enjoy the fact that a lot of good options may come of it for those of us who care enough to educate ourselves?

[Lisa N]

All I can say is let the buyer beware. Many products are hitting the market advertised as "low carb friendly" and while they my be low in carbs, they contain other things that a lot of us who care about out health are also trying to avoid such as transfats. That's probably why I pick and choose very carefully which low carb products I will buy and use (which are few, BTW). Always read the labels.
I don't see carbs in and of themselves as "good" or "bad". I see certain types and levels of carbs as good or bad for me.

If someone doesn't take the time to read even ONE book before embarking on a new way of eating... they get what they get.

I agree. It's foolish at best to jump into something, especially something that can have a very real impact on your current and future health, without at least understanding the basics of what you are about to do and why first.

[Lessara]

I think it doesn't help that its the people who fall off a diet and blame the diet and not their actions. There is no diet that makes it cheat resistant. However low carbing is more satisfying and with less craving. The only benifit of low fat, is that its so damn convient. That's it. And that's why our country is so fat. Also we are a country that grows wheat. Can you imagine what low carbing is doing to the economy? I'm not surprised we get so much negative campaining... All we can show is a smaller size.. yeah for us :D

[Nebula]

See I disagree with you in part. I do not feel looking at carbohydrates as bad is the right attitude.

You are correct. I should have clarified that refined and packaged carbs are, for the most part, evil. My thoughts were for discussion purposes only.

My sister is very lean, and eats carbs all the time... her favs are pure sugar candy and chinese food. BUT, she eats in moderation, never binges, and because of this she has no problems with carbs.

And your sister probably will not embark on a weight loss journey if what you say is true. My discussion was centered on overweight, obese, or morbidly obese people attempting this diet and getting caught up in the LC product craze. Let's be realistic for a second here... while I know that SOME people gain weight because of genetics or illness, most of us, myself included, overate and didn't have a healthy lifestyle. These are the people who will eventually overdo things and not lose.

Saying "all carbs are bad" is akin to an alcholics group preaching that "all alcohol is evil". Many people consume alcohol in moderation without problems, it is only those who abuse alcohol who find it problematic.

You are completely right, I should have clarified. Processed, refined carboydrates are bad. Carbs from wholesome foods are not. I thought it was obvious, but as I reread my posts, I see that it is not.

Also, I do not think the low carb processed alternative foods are necessarily bad. If one has had their carb cravings under control for awhile, and has made needed emotional shifts (away from poping sugar when your mood fluctuates in undesirable directions, like all to many of us USED to do), then you should have no problem consuming these foods in moderation... and they should be in moderation mind you.

My first couple of posts clearly showed that I was discussing people embarking on this WOL for the first time.... newbies, if you will.

These are the types of people who begin downing atkins bars only a few weeks off of induction, and then wonder why they slowly transgress back into their old habits.

Exactly my point.

Plus, I think low carb substitutes are better for the public who aren't following a strict low carb woe. If even one person with a carb tollerance/weight problem replaces his candy bars with atkins bars, he is better for it.

Let's again be realistic for a second... if someone replaces their candy bars with Atkins bars and continues drinking their soda, eating chips, etc... then obviously the Atkins bar will have NO effect. Well, perhaps they'll have some effect on their bum. ;)

[Nebula]

You know, at risk of sounding mean or selfish....

If someone doesn't take the time to read even ONE book before embarking on a new way of eating... they get what they get.

You are correct. If the person doesn't take the time to read the book, then they deserve what they get. However, I will place some of the blame on the media, as well. There are too many sheep who take the media's word as gospel. These people will ultimately fail, and rightly so.

I've taken the time to research my new eating plan, and understand the ins and outs of choosing the convenience products I DO use carefully. In my case, the more choices I have and the easier it is to have lc options in restaurants without having to teach the staff myself... the better I feel! Where it frustrates me that a lot of people are doing it "wrong" and are spreading misconceptions through their own ignorance... i try to give the RIGHT info when I can, but try not to let myself get too riled up about it.

Exactly. The people on this forum aren't an accurate representation of the general public. The people here, and at other forums and/or mediums, are one step ahead of the general population; yourself included.

But why get so worried about the people who CHOOSE to not know what they're doing, and just enjoy the fact that a lot of good options may come of it for those of us who care enough to educate ourselves?

I'm not worried about anyone else but myself and my family/friends. This was for discussion purposes only since it seems that so many people want to see the low-carb way of life become mainstream. This, in my opinion, is a barrier to that "dream." Truth be told, I was going to start another post titled, "Do we really want everyone to be healthy and/or good looking?" and discuss why we shouldn't want all people to be healthy and good looking. Why? Because all of the animosity we are currently experiencing will no longer be dealt to us. Instead, we will be a leg up. While this sounds "mean and selfish," well, it is. I am doing this for me. Do I care if John Q. down the street has a carb addiction problem and was binge eating similarly to how I was? Not really. His binges help me in the long run. Cold? Yes. BUT, if that same John Q. came to me for help, I would certainly help him. So, it isn't that cold... it just sounds cold in writing when the vast majority of people think this way, maybe even subconsciously.

[bluesmoke]

I have to question the whole refined carbs - unprocessed carbs debate. If you look at the glycemic index, unrefined white potatoes are higher than processed sugar. Thr difference between whole wheat and white flour or between white rice and brown rice is small. Honey is not more "healthy" that white sugar. Other than certain types of vegetables, some nuts, and other similar items, I don't see any reason to eat carbs at all. Nyah Levi

[PoofieD]

have to question the whole refined carbs - unprocessed carbs debate. If you look at the glycemic index, unrefined white potatoes are higher than processed sugar. Thr difference between whole wheat and white flour or between white rice and brown rice is small. Honey is not more "healthy" that white sugar. Other than certain types of vegetables, some nuts, and other similar items, I don't see any reason to eat carbs at all. Nyah Levi

You make a very good point here Bluesmoke, and one I have been thinking about when pondering the finds of egyptian mummies.
They have much the same health problems we do, but I doubt white flour, soda's at the 7-11, and other such items were a staple of their diet.
I am not advocating NO carbs.. :-)
Just we spend so much time still saying some are "good" and in bigger moderation than most people even dream of are still what I am thinking is the best way.
They would probably be a "condiment" and not even a side dish.
But I could be completely off the mark.
And to clarify for complex cabs I am talking grains, not green veggies.

[alaskaman]

This has been a very interesting thread - I think the point about posters here being not typical, more like hobbyists, is an important one. Sad but true, a majority of people are not going to research what over-carbing can do, are not going to be willing to change. Even if they get diabetes or high blood pressure, they will want the doc to give them some pill so they can go back to pizza and onion rings. Even as only a tiny, avid minority is ever able to stick to the ultralowfat diets. Granted, lowcarb is not as hunger producing, but is still a big change for most people. Moral is, be glad you have found this WOE. I can't believe the first time I saw Dr Bernstein's book, didn't buy it - was put off by all the advice on how to inject insulin, which I don't yet need. So I missed a couple years of good blood sugar control. We should all have been thankful on Thanksgiving day. bill

[potatofree]

After watching my father die of complications of stomach-stapling surgery, I'm suprised at the fact it took me so long to realize that no "magic pill" would help me get rid of the pounds.

I can see as low-carb becomes more "mainstream" that a lot of people will feel that eating a low-carb bar as an appetizer before that Big Mac makes them low carb too... and the switch from the "fat-blockers" to the "carb blockers and sugar blockers" they're pushing now makes me laugh.

If I take a carb blocker, a fat blocker AND a sugar blocker...I can live on cake and ice cream? :lol:

[Nebula]

I can live on cake and ice cream? :lol:

You and I think a lot alike. :p I was thinking the same, but along the lines of pizza and soda.

[Orang]

I fear that the influx of more and more LC convenience foods will eventually undermine the wide-spread acceptance of LC WOEs as being healthy or effective. Most people beginning a diet don't read the books or do the research -- they go out on the web and look up a bit of how to and get started. And then they get the rest of their 'education' from a salesman like the one I'm about to describe.

This is a true story:
I went to GNC earlier this week. I hadn't been to a GNC in forever, but was nearly out whey protein powder (I recently had surgery and am on a soft diet) and didn't have time to wait for an on-line order -- the whole front half of the store was LC frankenfoods - mostly Atkins brand.

They didn't have the brand of protein powder I usually buy so I was reading the labels on the various powders. As soon as the salesman discovered I was a LCer, he began trying to sell me on the virtues of the frankenfoods... I politely told him (the first half-dozen times) there was no reason to eat anything other than real food to LC and that I had avoided frankenfoods for health reasons even before beginning to eat for weight loss.

This guy was literally chasing me around the store as I read the labels showing me various frankenfoods. When I told him I wasn't interested in buying Atkins anything (hoping that would deter him) he started with the other brands.

:bash: {What part of NO don'tyou understand?}

When he told me there was no way I could stay on a LC diet without those products for any length of time, I got a bit more forceful in my objections. I told him I was not on a diet, but had made a permanent change in my way of eating both for my health and weight loss -- a change that did not include regularly eating things like chips, cookies, pasta, cake, cereals, etc. - and that I had been doing this successfully without the foods he felt were so necessary for nearly a year. By this time, several of the ladies shopping in the frankenfood section had taken note of the conversion we were having (this is one of the smaller stores) and he decided the best thing to do was get me out of his store as quickly as possible as one of the ladies started to ask me questions about what I ate.

Much to the chagrin of the salesman, the questioning lady followed me out after I bought my protein powder and wanted to know how to LC without the pricey Atkins foods -- and we were soon joined on the sidewalk by all the other ladies. We all went to the Wally-World at the other end of this shopping area together. They were amazed at the variety of real foods you can eat on an LC WOE. I encouraged them to read Mike And Mary Dan Eades books (Protein Power and Protein Power Life Plan) regardless of which LC WOE they were using so they would understand why the WOE worked and could make informed decisions about what to put in their bodies. I also encouraged them to read DANDR since they were using Atkins.

All of these ladies were using the Atkins diet, none had read the book - all had gotten the basics from the Atkins web site - and believed the salesmans' line that the frankenfoods were absolutely necessary to successfully LC and they were perfectly OK to use at every meal - "after all, they have the Atkins name all over them." - I heard the guy tell two customers that.

[potatofree]

... but then again, a lot of the purists would say your whey protein powder is a "Frankenfood" since it's not a whole, natural food....

And again, if they don't educate themselves, it's their loss... or gain, as the case may be! I really don't feel sorry for people who blindly swallow what a salesman tells them. I do understand how it was frustrating to deal with that agressive salesman, and maybe a call or note to the manager would be in order?

[black57]

WHat is "willpower" without low carb? Like what was previously mentioned,low carb gives you power over the old appetite. You get to eat to your hearts content.

Hopefully someone in the food industry will be pro-active enough to provide the nation with healthful low carb resources.