Becca made a comment on the "switching from Atkins to PP" thread that I thought might spark a discussion, so I'm stealing it to post here She wrote, "When you first started, were you afraid to eat any carbs? "

I've had this problem. I think I still have an Atkins Induction mindset. The only thing allowed is meat and salad vegetables. Also, I do best on a very prescribed regime. I'm all or nothing, when dieting is concerned. (I know this is bad.)

Do people use the menu suggestions ("carbohydrate complements" I think the PPLP book calls them?

I have tried to add back carbs -- a doctored oatmeal (doctored with powdered egg whites, and flax meal, and almonds to up the fiber and reduce the carbs), and some low carb bread (7 grams a slice). I maintained and didn't lose.

What is your experience with this?

Thanks for starting this discussion. I was talking to a friend and she said to just add the fiber carbs.....because they were the best for you...so I have been trying to look up things like kidney beans, oatmeal, wheat products, etc. to see if I could deal with that. But...I agree about needing a stricter regimen! Of course we will get to the bottom of this!

I was petrified at first, but I realized that during my first week of LC, before I'd heard about Atkins or found this website I was eating close to 40g of carbs a day and losing. I added more veggies, some berries and some whole milk yoghurt with active cultures in and noticed no change in loss. I'd also done quite a bit of research on carbs and exercise and realized that if I wanted to maintain a rather intense level of exercise more carbs were in order.

Having berries w/ yoghurt, eating cottage cheese with low GI fruits and enjoying the odd potato skin smoothered in cheese has become old hat after many months. Like everything, there are degrees to LC. Breaking free of a low fat / calorie restricted mindset was tough, comparatively speaking adding in a few carbs wasnt anywhere near as hard.

PP works.. trust in it. Just like you had to trust that high fat and adequate protein worked

Nat

I don't eat anything in that category - well, there are those binge moments when I'll eat all sorts of nasty bits.

I once tried hot flax oatmeal and I just wanted to eat more and more of it. I had one Wasa cracker, and it turned into six. So, yes, I am afraid of carbs, very afraid.

I eat a few berries now and then, but I have to watch that too. Even artificial sweetener can throw me into a frenzy. I sometimes wish I wasn't an addict, but it's been sooo character building.

Karen

Karen, I tend to forget about the addiction part ! It's not something that effects me, although I know from watching that it's an issue for John. I guess it all depends on just what your relationship is with them - I am afraid of cigarettes, though *sigh*

Nat

Yep! It does thoroughly suck. You're blessed not to have any trigger foods.

I do have a very good relationship with meat however. Not co-dependent at all LOL! When were together it's great. And when we're not, I'm still the same!

Karen

Hi there Nat and Karen, I have a question for both of you. I'm following Atkins at the moment but would like to investigate PP. I'd like to buy at least one of them, rather than get from the library as I'm sure I'll want to keep referring to them.

However, the question is should I buy PPLP and borrow PP from the library, or are they both different enough to each other to buy both of them?

PS the library doesn't have PPLP as it's not been released in UK edition yet only US I think.

Re the issue on afraid to eat carbs, I'm having the same problem . I can't seem to get my carbs above 25g if I do they come from bread that I've made (Gabi's recipe!) 3g per slice or nuts, not sure but this may be slowing down my loss . But I'd like to increase the carbs from other sources like other veg and fruit which I currently don't eat, which is why I'm interested in PP.

Thanks guys, you are all a real source of good information on this forum, I'd be lost without you all.

Banana

I would start with PP to get the nuts and bolts of the program, and read PPLP later.

As for the bread, you may do just fine with it. What I find for myself is the things that I dwell upon are the things I should avoid.

Karen

I find myself having a very hard time with the carb-eating. I try to get to 30 a day and am lucky to make 20-25. Last week I lost much in inches daily. And now that has stopped altogether! I would be very interested in an example of Nat's daily meals to see where I could adjust mine.

Also I am AFRAID of cigarettes....I quit smoking 3 months ago. Back then I was only 17 lbs. from my goal weight. Anyway my health is better now because of not smoking.

as long as the carbs are paleo, I'm not afraid of them at all.

I've just run a month+ long experiment on eating as many veggies as I could shove down, and I had a hard time getting over 40 g of those--and I keep having an urge to challenge the carb phobic to put no limits at all on their LC veggies and see what happens! I do have trigger foods, but all but one are neolithic foods (cashews is the exception--I can eat a half pound of those at a sitting, where no other nut appeals to me that much). Eating my paleo + cheese way, I just don't see how I could possibly ingest over 60 g of carbs in a day--I don't like fruit all that much.

Getting the carbs up seemed to not slow my loss (hard to tell for sure, as I'm weighing rarely and losing slowly anyway), but for me, the added health benefit of veggies outweighs weight loss. If the cost of being a size 8 were eating only a cup of salad per day, I wouldn't choose that--I'd stay a 12 and be healthy. (wow, what sane person is saying that? lol)

But my neurotic confession as a PPLP near-purist is this: my grocery store was out of organic eggs last week, and though I bought regular eggs, every time I eat one I'm horrified at the thought! I'm sure a dozen non-free-range eggs are not gonna kill me, so I need to get over this. Of course, my next dozen eggs are going to be organic, even if I have to shop half way across town!

I would recommend first buying only Protein Power, because it explains so much. I continue to refer to Protein Power, and only occasionally to Protein Power Lifestyle. Good luck!

Thanks,

I've ordered both as I can't wait!

Banana

I completely agree razzle! When I first started PP, I never worried about the LC vegetables I was eating, but I rarely ate any dairy products and very few eggs.

The combinations of vegetables and proteins within the 30 gram limit were outstanding!

Karen

I am afraid to eat carbs as well. I am almost to the point of obsession. I hate the guilt I feel if I eat any carbs. Some days I may be lucky if I eat 10 g of carbs, and then other days (like today) I go overboard. Then, I end up hating myself the rest of the day.

I feel like I've gained all my weight back because I have IBS and bloat from the tiniest bit of carbs. The IBS is the reason I am on this diet. I was to the point that my stomach would bloat about 3 inches after every meal. I looked pregnant all the time and my jeans were always tight But, the PP diet has done miracles for my IBS. I just wish my will-power would be in control everyday. Sorry to rant....it's been a bad day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!

Melissa

P.S. I am also afraid of cigarettes!