hi guys, i ve reached my goal already so i thought i could do the food combining thing so i could have some fruits, results, carb binge, i ate a whole box of apple jacks and half a gallon of cookies and cream ice cream, and i feel very slugish, so for me is atkins all the way, is the only way for me, i usually have a cheat day maybe once a month, i dont plan it, but if i go visit somebody and of course all they have is high carb foods i will have it and then the next day i will do induction for 2 days and then back to maintainance. it works for me.

Know exactly what you mean here
i have tried a couple of times to have cake, chocolate etc
and what a bummer
i am happier feeling a 10
have a great day
<')))><

Having lived in Europe for the past 17 years, I am very familiar with food combining diets, namely The Montignac Diet. I am currently following this food combining "lifestyle" because it definitely does not feel like dieting! I don't have to miss out on any food, including chocolate and wine, as long as I follow the general guidelines for when and how it's eaten. It's based on the low-glycemic values of foods and how our bodies metabolize foods. Two summers ago I lost almost 20kg (45 lbs) in about four months and I really, really didn't feel like I missed out on anything. I was actually eating very healthy, because the Montignac way recommends not eating any white, processed foods, yet you can have whole wheat spaghetti, and whole wheat bread, with vegetables or pesto, and other lovely recipes. He also advises not overcooking foods or vegetables as that also raises the glycemic level of foods. He has just published a book adapted to the NOrth American foods called "Eat Yourself Slim" which you can order from amazon.com. I also have the recipe and menu book which has a lot of delicious suggestions! Good luck and let me know how things are working out.

I tried "Fit for Life" 15 years ago. Worked well. Even tried to beat the fruit in the morning thing. I'd eat 15 pieces of fruit and still lost some weight. I quit because I couldn't take the caffeine withdrawal headaches. I'm now doing Atkins, and caffeine. (I know, I know) and have more sucess than I have ever experianced before. LC is not hard for me to stick too because I love to eat and I'm not staving my body or my mind, (which is what I was trying to do with low calorie diets).

I do believe that food combining has some merits, and I do miss fruit. When I get closer to my goal weight I may try the fruit in the morning and see what happens..

Either way I have dropped 2 sizes which is certainly better than going the other way.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Marfiah
[B]I don't have to miss out on any food, including chocolate and wine, as long as I follow the general guidelines for when and how it's eaten. It's based on the low-glycemic values of foods and how our bodies metabolize foods

Thank you so much for the update on Food-combining
I had heard of this WOE but was not familiar with the rules
I follow Aitken's but do so miss the fruit, chocolate and wine.
Although I have a glass of wine or two on one weekend evening with my dinner.

when i get closer to my goal weigh i think i too will try this out
thanks again
<')))><

How long did it take you to lose that much weight? Was that on the Atkins diet>

Debbie,

I have to say that I think that Fit For Life is a fabulous way of eating. I followed the diet 13 years ago and lost 40 lbs in 4 months. I felt fabulous the whole time I followed it. My skin cleared up, I had lots of energy, my health improved (never got a cold) and I slept soundly at night.

Eating only fruit in the morning was difficult for me at first since it gave me cramps and bloating, but after a week, it was just fine. I realized that my body was detoxifying.

In the end, I found it too hard not to eat a meat sandwich or spaghetti with meat sauce. And having to wait the 4 hours after a meal before being able to eat fruit became tedious for me. But that's just me... I get bored with diets. When i was following it, it worked fantastically for me.

As for the beans being proteins, (somebody commented on that above.. don't remember who..) Fit For Life never frowned upon them! Because they are not animal protein, beans can be combined with carbs no problem. It does not hinder digestion at all.

Now as for Atkin's, I have to admit that I haven't continued to follow the diet. I did the one week induction and followed the plan the second week all while taking potassium supplements. I just felt very tired and almost tipsy the whole time. I lost a lot of weight though... so for that, it worked. I might get back on the wagon and give it another try. I haven't regained a pound of the weight I lost on it.

Aloha!
I read the SSing book. It all sound good. Has anyone been doing it?
If so I sure would love to hear from you. I have a friend that's been doing it, BUT.... she was kinda thin to begine with.
Im 5'7 38 yrs old 176lb. My goal weight is 145-148

Mahalo!
Malia

My husband and I are both doing it. My husband bought the book because a guy at work lost 100 pounds on it. He's at goal now, and still following it.

Hi Debaroo:
I'm new at this but read your question about food combining. I have three of Suzanne Sommers books and tried it about a year and a half ago. I did lose about 30 pounds but found that I was following the low carb diet pretty well. I didn't eat many carbo meals as I found it hard not to have the fats with them.

My husband and I are following the food combining WOE using the Hay book and Fit for Life.

In January I started out on Atkins, then decided we wanted more vegetables, so went to the Bernstein diet. And was losing weight slowly. Then in March we were told my husband had a health problem. And believing vegetables are essential for improving one's health, we added still more vegetables with small amounts of proteins. We both started losing faster. I found a copy of the Hay book in a thrift store, bought it and we started eating only fruit from 4 am to noon. A large salad and usually cooked vegetable(s) with a protein for noon. Fruit three hours later. Then another large salad and sometimes a cooked vegetable for dinner.

Within three days my husband's symptoms improved. And I credit it to the cleansing effect of the fruit during the mornings.

Later I found a copy of Fit for Life in the thrift store and used some of the recipes in it.

The interesting thing is that for the past three years, when I would cut back on eating in order to lose weight, my heart would go into a serious tachycardia. I had to eat every three hours just to keep going and couldn't eat fruit for fear of an attack.

But this year, once I got clear off the flour and sugar products -- my system has changed. Not only can I eat fruit through the morning, I can even go without eating without my heart acting up. This is truly remarkable. I never thought I would be able to eat fruit nor to go without eating. I'm convinced there is something in food combining that works for us. What impresses me is what a drastic change has taken place in a relatively short time, since January 17th, 2002, less than 4 months. And I really do not miss the flour and sugar products. Soaked dried fruit medley makes a really tasty food. Raisins and apricots are the least expensive and very flavorful. And even though we are supposed to eat fruit alone when we do eat it, we sometimes, in the afternoon, eat dates stuffed with shredded coconut. That is a real treat, as good as fudge. And a ripe mango is better than ice cream.

I've lost 28 pounds since January 17th. I'm sleeping better -- though that still needs to improve more. And I am more energetic and lighter on my feet. We've been walking every day the weather permits and enjoying it very much.

I was glad to see the topic of "food combining" on here and hope to read more on it.

Dandi

Hi Dandi

Thanks for the information.

I just got back from vacation in the Virgin Islands. I gained 9lb in 2 weeks. I couldn't stick to the Atkins diet. I tried..but food was very expensive and there wasn't the option of being fussy about what you could eat and when. I have been home 3 days and have dropped 6 of the 9lb so far so most of the weight gain must have been fluid. (my husband gained 10lb)

I am going to give the fruit in the morning another try. Do you drink coffee? I am addicted to coffee...I can cut back but not completly....I enjoy it! Do you think this would stop the effect of the fruit in the am?

Let me know how you are doing.

Hi Vonnovich,
Thank you for your post. I am really new to food combining. Some of the others who have posted on this thread know a lot more than I do. I hope to learn from all of you. All I know is that my husband and I have tried it in a very basic way and we have seen some good results.

No, I don't drink coffee. Haven't drank it in years. Don't even do the decaf type anymore. In fact, lately all I have been drinking is water and the soak water off of dried fruits.

What does amaze me is that I don't crave any of the former foods that seemed to control me and my life. I think grain foods must be very bad for me and also some fatty foods like cream and mayo. Because, since I've given them totally up, I don't have that need to eat so often nor so much that I used to have. I need to eat, of course, to keep up physical strength. But appetite doesn't control me, nor does food, and I really like the sense of being free from that. Wish I was a physician and could explain what has changed in my system.

I did neglect to post above that with our dinner salad we also eat nuts and/or seeds which are, of course, protein too. They go really well in salads.

I don't know if just anyone can do the only-fruit all morning. I couldn't have done it before without getting ill. It was only after a period of going without the grain and sugar foods that my system changed enough so I could do it. So I think a person should go really slow in adjusting to the fruit-alone thing, read up on it and, if possible, consult an expert on that WOE. I have read that the detoxifying process can make a person ill, so think people should go into it with caution and expert advice.

Dandi

I read Fit for Life many years ago - even tried it for several months but I believe it made my carb-addiction worse and did not nourish me sufficiently. Perhaps I didn't do it right - I was vegetarian in those days. I prefer a heavier breakfast and lighter supper.

{The idea behind food combining is that the body works in cycles and we tend to keep piling in food all the time, and food that doesn't compliment each other. ...} I agree with that. There are definite cycles and rhythms to everything in life, including the body. Seasons (Winter/spring etc birth/death/?rebirth; action/rest; Tides; Moon; and the same is reflected in the body. However I do not believe fruit before noon is a rhythm/cycle that will suit everyone. Allowing your body enough time to digest and eliminate is basically what "Eat when you are really physically hungry" is all about.

I think it is essential to give some consideration to food combining. The Atkins diet just makes it easier 'cos you stick to proteins all the time. My recent deviations and increasing (or perhaps mixing) carbs certainly brought home to what was going on in the stomach - not pleasant for me or others

I think different plans work for different people and we need to make our choices.

Take care.

It seems to me that one of the biggest problems in controlling one's weight is knowing which WOE will work for you.

It is apparent from reading the posts on this board that no one WOE works for everyone.

The strictest food combining (by which I mean nearly all vegetables and fruits and nuts/seeds) is working for my husband and I to lose weight and detoxify. But from testimonies I have read on the Internet, it is too strict to stay on permanently. So we have to decide what to add, when and in what quanities.

We have both experienced an improvement in health and we don't want to lose that. We do plan to add foods slowly and keep a food diary so we can check what happens from each food.

Any ideas for us beyond that?

Dandi