Is there a program based on the "new pyramid" Harvard book?

[SthrnTami]

There was a report on our local news last night on the "new pyramid", based on a book called, "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy" by Dr. Willet with the Harvard Medical School.

Based on the new inverted pyramid, we should eat sparingly of red meat, butter, processed grains and rice, potatoes, and dairy. The base of the new pyramid is made of whole grains, brown rice, whole wheat, and good fats. Next up were nuts and legumes and veggies. Fish, poultry, eggs were in the middle.

Is there a diet program based on this method? (I guess I need to just buy the book!) Just wondered if one of the other low-carb programs follow similar guidelines.

Thanks!

[Karen]

The base of the new pyramid is made of whole grains, brown rice, whole wheat, and good fats.

Hmm. A program that has grain as it's base is not what you would call low-carb. The base for most plans is protein.

Schwarzbein does allow for grains, and so does Protein Power on an even more limited basis, but it's adequate protein that anchors both of them.

Karen

[SthrnTami]

Thanks for your response, Karen. I've been giving this some thought today, and am now leaning toward simply modifying Atkins just a bit, using beef, butter, cream, cheese, and other saturated fats "sparingly", and keeping the base of the diet protein in the form of poultry and fish, unsaturated fats and more veggies.

Here's what I have in mind:

Never: Sweets, white bread, white rice, regular pastas, potatoes
Sometimes: Red meat, butter, cream, and other saturated fats
Occasionally: Nuts
Daily: Lots of low-starch veggies and unsaturated fats (olive oil), and moderate amounts of protein the form of chicken and fish.

Then, once I'm ready to go to maintenance, add back starches in the form of legumes, starchy veggies, whole grains, and brown rice.

The idea here is to limit starches AND saturated fats. Does this make sense? Is there a program like this out there? Or should I just stick with what I know and make a few adjustments? And the real kicker...can I actually do Atkins without the butter, cream & cheese???

[SueJ]

Atkins is a high fat diet, not a high protein one. I think if I were you, I'd study up on a few diet ideas before even starting one. Look at ediets.com, weight watchers, etc. They're based on grain, which you seem to want. We'll still be here when those diets don't work and you want to try one that does.

The cream, cheese, and fats are essential to weight loss. You can't survive on low-fat and low-carb at the same time. Your body will probably think it's starving and you won't lose anything. And you'll be hungry.

Read Atkins book, and make comparisons. Good luck! :read: :read2:

[SthrnTami]

You seem sort of antagonistic, Sue, and I don't really understand why. I'm not here bashing the Atkins diet, just continuing to learn as much as I can about the various programs out there. I'm not opposed to fat, I just have a gut feeling that the SATURATED fats should be less predominant in the diet. I also don't think grain is the enemy, but it is the processed grains and sugar that must be avoided and that once a healthy weight is achieved, whole grains should again be an important part of the diet. As I understand it, this is the goal for Atkins as well. The main difference in the "new pyramid", as opposed to the old one is that it recognizes that unsaturated fats are an important and healthy part of the diet.

[nsmith4366]

Well, I have been "surviving" and maintaining my weightloss on a high protein, SOME not high fat and lots of non-starch vegetable diet for years now. Still alive. In fact, I didn't even start getting close to my goal until I stopped eating fat beyond what my body needed. There are many ways to do low carb. A diet that is low in carbs is a low carb diet. Should someone find a way that works for them, more power to them.
I'm not hungry or in starvation mode/and I'm a smiling low carb success. ;) I eat adequate protein, enough fat to satisfy (but it's not high fat) and plenty of veggies.

Peace

[SueJ]

After re-reading what I wrote, I guess it does sound antagonistic. That's not what I intended to do. Sometimes what you say in your head and put down on paper, comes out wrong.

It's just that I personally, spent years following all these guidelines, like the pyramid, and continued to either gain or stay the same. I have spent hundreds of dollars on Weight Watchers and other plans to no avail. It's all very frustrating. Doctors don't help either. They just "assume" you eat too much and have no control.

I'm somewhat anal about reading everything I can get my hands on, and have read Atkins probably a dozen times to make sure I understand what's required and the sense behind it. I'm sold. I get emotionally involved in all of my personal quests, and I think that's what came out of my previous post.

Again, I'm sorry. I'll try to watch myself. I hope you do try Atkins, and it works for you. :blush:

[nsmith4366]

I was just poking in my head here, putting in my two cents. I guess it was the part where you said you can't "survive" on lowfat and lowcarb together. Well, I have to lowfat/lowcarb - I have a health condition that requires it and a medication that doesn't work well with high fat anything...it's a bile sequestrant. I know, I read all I can too - but I also make room for new information all the time...I'm always learning. Even Dr. Atkins is still learning...that's why his newest book is "updated".
Peace.

[SthrnTami]

Thanks, NSmith. Good to know that it's working for you.

Sue, I understand how you feel. I can't tell you how many diets I've been on that allow about 6 oz. of protein and 2 Tbsp. of fat for the entire day. Is it possible? Sure. Will you lose weight? Absolutely. And you'll be miserable. I certainly don't want to go there again!

Like you, I read just about everything I can regarding nutrition and weight loss, even if I don't agree with the position of the author. I've learned to take the "experts" advice with a grain of salt, simply because they all vary so widely, and have a variety of studies to back up their claims. I have to absorb as much info as I can, combine that with personal experiences, and come up with my own personal approach.

Right now (and yes, it's subject to change!), that means low-carb, moderate protein (limited red & processed meats), limited cheese, cream, and eggs, lot's of low-starch veggies, and as much fat (preferably unsaturated) as necessary to make it all taste good. Oh, plus caffeine and a couple of glasses of red wine each day. Then, once I've lost the excess weight, I want to gradually add back whole grains. My gut feeling is that this is the way to go.

Tami