Why did you choose low-carb?
 

Inquiring minds wanna know :D And I am just wondering how many other diabetics there are here.

Well, i voted, but i'll explain also. I'm going to embark on a low carb diet to;

• Drop a few pounds
• Find a way to controll my carb cravings
• Help maintain my weight for the rest of my life

Sounds like good reasons to me -- and I agree with them too!

Hi there, don't really know you....or remember you...LOL

Why did choose this wol? Oh my....well I wasn't even looking for this type of thing at the time. I got into a sewing forum which is similar to this forum. I got thinking....gee the support for sewing online and learning is terrific, wonder if there is somewhere for folks to go when feeling down about their weight? I have dieted many of times and was fed up with it, and knew dieting was not for me anymore....no way was I going on a diet.....for no one..not even for me.....and I'm 43 yrs old....not happy with myself..but ain't dieting ever again!!!!

Someone led me to this site....or there abouts....but I found this. I began reading...as I never knew about carbs.....shoot..all I knew about was low fat....low fat this...low fat that...Dr. Bernstein..taking shots..not sure about the Americans talking about a Dr. Bernstein...but the guy I knew was into shots....and a diet...that killed!!!

I spent two days reading the posts here..and the information and thought my.....this isn't a diet...this is just cutting out the bad stuff....yet I feared as I also read about kidney problems and saw folks posting about gall bladder problems etc......I expressed my concern on these matters and got answers that satisfied me.....

I'm low carbing...cause I can....I don't suffer like I have when on diets....with low carbing I don't feel like I am on a diet..and thats a big plus for me......If I want something real bad....I feel I can have it.....not like I am going to put on the twenty three pounds that I lost...heck no....I eat it...then say...ok Wendy.....now thats it...you got what you wanted....now continue eating the way you should....healthy eating all...thats all it is....

I like feeling the way I feel......happy....energetic....a bit thinner..and sometimes on some days man I feel real thin....sort of like a hair day..some days..oh pooh...I suck....other days..wow I'm beautiful....look out world here I come...hehehehe...all in the attitude I do believe....now don't talk to me when I am pmsing....lol...thats another story....hehehehe...working on it though....

Love you guys :)

Hi Wendy!
 

Yeah, I'm pretty new here, just found this cool place this week. My mom gave me the book Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution so that's how I came to be a low-carber. I have more about myself in the introduction section and in my profile. Thanks for writing so much about yourself and voting in my poll too! :D

did the low fat thing for over 10 years..worked for a while then BLAMMO!!!!!!!!!.....i started gaining weight...i didn't know what the heck was going on......then the "revolution" that i learned through the news and studies is that carbs if not burned can turn into FAT...hmmmmmm...so with that, HERE I AM!!!!!

Not diabetic here (yet), but strong family legacy of ALL the Syndrome X problems. So yes, I want to lose weight, but I also do want to prevent the tragedies that have happened in my family from happening to me... type2 diabetes, heart disease and atherosclerosis, obesity, strokes ....

The original Atkins was the first diet I ever went on, back in the 70s. I was 16 at the time, lost 25 or 30 lbs over the summer. I cut my hair too, and when I went back in the fall, nobody recognised me. It was great (class Nerd here .:)). I maintained for a few years by continuing to lowcarb, until college and nursing school, where the fear of FAT was drilled into my brain.

Oh ya, I did Scarsdale, and Wt. Watchers, Diet Center, Wt.Loss Clinic, tried McDougall (mega lowFAT) and even went vegan for almost a year. I have other chronic health problems too, and medication.... in recent years, I was told about Protein Power by my acupuncturist, herself a vegetarian, but she recognises and respects that we're not all the same, and some people NEED to eat meat. I've been lowcarbing faithfully for over a year; the weight loss is slow, not steady, but it is loss nonetheless, after a decade of GAINING on lowfat, high-grain diets. (I wasn't even a big candy and junk eater). And my cholesterol and triglycerides have improved, and blood pressure is down.

Just ask me if I plan to go back to the old lowfat, highCARB way of eating. No way!

Doreen

Hi, Deb!
 

I voted 'to avoid diabetes,' but there's a bit more to it than that!

Originally I started this diet to lose weight; a few years ago middle age spread hit with a vengeance!

But the more I read and learned, the more I realized that this way of eating is the only way I can avoid the family legacy of obesity, diabetes, and heart problems that I'm in line for (I'm with you, Doreen!). My grandfather died of diabetes (30 years ago, when treatment was far worse than it is now); my mother has diabetes, my sister's pre-diabetic, my father died of complications from atherosclerosis, my younger (!) brother has high cholesterol .... yikes! So yes, I wanna be skinny and gorgeous, but more importantly, I wanna be healthy.

If eating yummy food, losing weight, and looking and feeling better is what it takes to be healthy .... well .... sometimes we just gotta pay the price, ya know? Gosh darn it all anyway! :D

Rachel

HI
 

Don't have diabetes..but figured that was where I was headed!! My health and not being able to really enjoy playing with my kids was a big issue!! And theweight was the reason for both! I've also tried every thing esle...this is the only thing that REALLY WORKS!!
Lorraine:p

I have been an avid weight lifter, snowboarder, rollerblader, etc, etc for years. I seemed to maintain a high level of bodyfat no matter how hard I would train. I heard the science behind low carbs and decided to give it a try. After 6 weeks on an induction level diet, I had lost 20lbs with a bullet. I kept my muscle because I actually got stronger in the gym.

I like the level of bodyfat I have now, so my new diet is this. Under 30 grams of carbs Monday - Thursday. Friday - Sunday I eat as many carbs as I like. I gain about 3 lbs over the weekend and they are gone by Wednesday. I don't have to turn down social drinking or pizza on this diet. I don't go crazy with it, but I can enjoy the naughty foods and still keep the weight off. Sorry to go on and on, but wanted to mention my zig zag diet here.

Actually, this zig-zag now has a name, the Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD). It's very useful for active (or those willing to get active) in weight lifting/bodybuilding. Some of our mebers have acheived great results (Fern comes to mind) and we have just started a seperate forum for it. :)

Wa'il

Wa'il-
Without reading your post I was going to respond to groundike and say, hey, that's the CKD!!! Then I saw your post.... :) you're too quick!

Awwh, I'll take that as a compliment ;)

Wa'il

Thanks Gang! Excuse the rookie mistake. CKD is a great name for it and I will cruise that forum too now. ;0)

Re: Hi, Deb!
 

Deb, Yup, I'm a diabetic. I found Dr B's Diabetes Solution on the web, went out 3 days later to buy my own copy along with Dr A's New Diet Revolution. Dr A explains the low carb WOE much better IMHO, but Diabetes Solution is invaluable in understanding diabetes & related health issues. :( Diabetes abounds on the paternal side of my family.

In Dec 2000 I faced head-on the fact that I'm morbidly obese, diabetic, have shortened life expectancy, multiple health problems, etc. This was hugely difficult. (Pun intended, bad I know). Some tough soul searching: Do I carry on as I am, getting bigger than the proverbial barn and forget about buying RRSP's because I won't live long enough to need them? Or find a way to lose weight, get healthy & enjoy my life? I've dieted B4 (haven't we all) and the old WW model/exchange diets didn't work too well in the short term. Long term, regain of lost weight, plus more was depressing.

Why even bother? Being hungry ALL the time just isn't an option for me... the sense of deprivation & urge to eat & binge is too strong. I began to seriously investigate various weight loss surgery options and started a dialog with my GP about WLS, which she doesn't recommend. For 2 months I believed that WLS was my only hope to achieve a healthy weight.

In the course of my investigations, I stumbled upon Dr B's site & here I am, a big loser of 31 lbs! Thank God I found Dr Bernstein's book. (I mean that sincerely). WLS is so drastic and I'm glad I found an alternative that works for me.
My blood glucose levels are the same now as before LC, when I took 5mg glyburide daily. No more glyburide for me!

Ruth, a happy low carber

Re: Hi, Deb!
 

*LOL* Rachel, you're right. I'll gladly pay the price. Tonight I'm planning a cheesecake after dinner.

Ciao, Ruth

I started on low carb two weeks ago. Why? Because my body is betraying me! For the last 6 years, I've continually gained weight, about 7.5 lbs per year. On reading low carb books, I recognized a woe that was quite similar to the diet I grew up on. I recognized that in the past few years, my diet had changed to include way more pasta, rice and bread type foods than I ever used to eat.

Hi Ruth

31 lbs - wow! that's about all I need to lose to be back within my margin. Well done. How long did it take you?

The voting options didn't cover the reason I am on this diet. My main reason is mood control and the disasters that have dogged me because I simply refused to take anti-depressants but just could not find the right solution. Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I've worked on addictions for years and the amazing, incredible thing is I got deeper and deeper into carb addiction - no expert had mentioned it anywhere.

Take care.

Re: Re: Hi, Deb!
 

Hi, Ruth, how goes it? And more important, how's the cheesecake??? Drool!

Rachel

Hi ya Fiona,

The weight loss LC journey has been 12 weeks; if you look ~ my profile, you'll see that I've got a lot to lose. Weight loss ease/difficulty is so often relative to our starting point. :) Comparing yourself & your weight loss to others is so self destructive, DON'T DO IT! I sure wish I could say that I was only 30 lbs from goal :p :) However I'll be there one day (she says with hope).


About depression; I recently read the Heller's CAD book. It sounds like losing weight, improved insulin function etc will help with low serotonin levels. I sure hope so because I'd like to eventually get off the meds I use. I'm one of those truly chemical depressives. Miss one dose accidentally & I'm a weepy mess:( :eek: Of course it is many hours later before I realize why the weepies have struck. The med I'm on is a serotonin re-uptake inhibitor; it works by keeping serotonin in the blood longer. They don't make one high like the Valium of old. :eek:

Have you looked into SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) the lack of sunlight basically makes one depressed. Check out the several posts in the Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue/S.A.D. forum.
Doreen & Rachel in particular share about their experiences.

Since you are located in the UK, S.A.D. could be a possibility :eek:

Wishing you a great day, hope the sun shows up :) Ruth

Hi Rachel,

Life is pretty darn sweet. Had a great weekend, got out into the sun. Too bad it poured during our Saturday am coffee time.

Oh the cheesecake was wonderful. I got the recipe from another LC site, I might post it here when I remember to check the source. It tastes like orange creamsicle. I've managed to keep enough for dessert tonight - a friend is coming over to dinner. :p

Ruth

Hi Ruth ... and everyone else :) :D


I know. I've given out that advice myself a few times. Besides it is futile to compare me with you 'cos you and me are both unique, individual and special. The only true comparison is ME YESTERDAY and ME TODAY.

I do suffer from SAD. I've got this light box which I use in Winter. It gives full spectrum light and is the nearest equivalent to sunlight. It does help.

I now think if the Atkins diet works as well for me in Winter as it is now I'm going to be fine this Winter - that will be the real test.


Of course you will. You can do it - in fact ONLY you can do it.
Take care

I had tryed and failed at everything from pills to starvation. I had had a hysterectomy and was put on HRT, have underactive thyroid and tried to quit smoking and had gained over 50 lbs in a year....I just wanted to die.......it was the one thing I hadn't tried.....

Annie

Annie,

Checked your stats, great weight loss! Welcome to the board, the folks here are helpful, knowledgable & have a great sense of humour too. Ruth

Thanks for the welcome Ruth!! Most of my loss was in the first 6 months, I since have been experimenting and learning a whole lot about stallers and intollerance foods, and triggers for cravings........but back on track and gung ho to reach goal!!

Annie

Yeah me too! I ran low last week and it was not a pretty sight! :eek: I take mine for the depression that comes as part of my PTSD. (I know, too much information.) I don't have SAD though, unless they have a variant that makes you more depressed the MORE the sun is out! Summer just melts my synapses! :rolleyes:

Ah, Deb,

Just a wee thought here. Maybe you should move to Vancouver BC. Not much danger of melting synapses here, although rumour has it that we have reached a balmy 24 C (78 F) which is getting warm for the West (Wet) Coast. Keep your :cool:

Ruth

hi Deb,

As a matter of fact, there IS a summer SAD. I'm having difficulty locating any meaningful information online ... there's a book though, "Don't be SAD", by Celeste Peters, well-written and a whole chapter devoted to the spring/summer depressive pattern. Your library might have a copy to borrow.

It seems the summer variant is mediated more by a thermal dysregulation ... ie, it's the heat and humidity .. more than lack or excess of available sunlight. As with all areas of our mental well-being though, no studies conclusive ... and most theories are just that .. theories. One theory suggests the heat factor affects the sleep patterns, hence you become lethargic, lack energy and just generally blah. The bright light therapy, so helpful for winter SAD (I use a lightbox myself, it makes all the difference in the world ... but I digress :rolleyes: ....) is less effective for summer SAD. Cooler climate, getting sleep patterns regulated, and dietary control (in particular carbs, go figure :D) ... plus SSRI medications appear to be more helpful.

Here are some links to web articles about SAD, with a brief mention given to summer symptoms in each.

• http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30...tories/s230.htm
  
• http://www.brown.edu/Administration.../v22n9/SAD.html
  
• http://www.outsidein.co.uk/index.htm ... Outside-In is an excellent information site for SAD and other "bodyclock" related problems. I recommend it highly. Use their search engine to find info. on summer symptoms (there's not a lot, but the site is still well worth a visit)

Doreen

I KNEW IT! :D I've always told people there must be! Thanks for the info, Doreen! And Ruth, I would LOVE to move to Vancouver -- maybe one day! Of course I'd have to move back south for the winter cuz my roommate has the winter SAD -- I swear in January she sounds just like Emily Dickenson (who I am POSITIVE had SAD, from the sound of some of her poems).

I will be checking out those links -- thanks Doreen!

Hi All

I'm worrying about "excluding" by addressing it to one person - that's me :) ;)

Vancouver is beauuuuuutifulllllll. I spent the most wonderful six weeks there many years ago and still dream about the Indian tomahawks - fantastic pieces of art.

What with Summer SAD (I'd never heard of it but it certainly explains why I've spent beautiful sunny summer days in bed feeling disgusted with my "excuses" for "laziness", Hayfever, PMS and the dreaded big M coming up looks like my whole adult life is doomed ! (thought I'd cheer y'all up :eek: :rolleyes: since I'm up at this hour 'cos of runny nose and eyes)

I finally got round to doing it - been thinking about it for a few weeks - and checked out what my books on SAD recommended. They do ask you to asses your own reactions to food but one book recommends carbs for breakfast, proteins for lunch and carbs for supper, and the other carbs all day and protein for supper! As most SAD sufferers know in their "better" moments they are just incapable of assessing anything whilst they are struggling to get through the day. It should be interesting what happens to me this winter.

Take care all