Low carb and PP? Please don't shot me, I just stummbled upon PP's forum and just am wondering.

Well, Protein power also emphasises getting adequate protein along with low carb.

Atkins is more low carb, don't worry about the fat, fat is good. Which it is, don't get me wrong! But, I have to say I have felt better since I also started trying to make sure I get enough protein.

*bang*

There are more similarities than differences in my opinion.

For me the biggest difference (I've been on both plans at one point or another) is that PP also emphasizes spreading your carbs and protein more evenly throughout the day. I really like way the Eades write about the science behind low carb plans. I found it very reassuring and helpful, and its the main reason I've stuck with thier reccomendations when I came back to low carb. Although some folks think thier plan is more strict - I think it gives bit more flexibility for folks who have less to lose, or who don't want to eliminate all grain/sugar/carby stuff.

Personally, and please keep in mind this is only my opinion and not a cut at other plans. Although they publish books, plans, and have endorsed some products in the past, thier advice does not seem to have been conpromised by trying to sell products like shakes/bars/bake mixes/pasta, etc. Again, just my opinion. Those products work great for some folks - but I'd rather eat fresh most of the time.

If I may add my $0.02

PP and PPLP (Protein Power LifePlan, out in 2000, 5 years after PP) are more about total health than weight loss, which I would say is the predominate character of the low-carb eating plans. Weight loss is, of course, a benefit and usually helps the overall health picture.

As 2bthinner! pointed out - The starting out process for PP/PPLP is to determine how much protein your body needs per day. The Eades make a strong point of getting at least the minimum amount of protein you need since it is so important for ALL the bodies functions. The big issue with carbohydrates, as far as the Eades are concerned, is that they raise your bloods insulin level which messes up a whole lot of things, not just adding fat. So for the beginning period (induction), they want you to keep it low, 20 grams per day. I don’t remember an upper limit in the books, BUT in a blog, Mike Eades told how much glucose is needed each day by the body for those cells that lack mitichondria (the place where fat is burned in the cell). It is something like 150 grams, or as I remember a teaspoon of sugar in the blood is all that the body wants. More than that goes in to fat!

The big difference in PP/PPLP and other plans is the lack of specific directions - both an advantage AND a disadvantage. The Eades (better in PPLP) give you the basics of the diet and give you three sample diets ranging from loose to strict. Then they say the you can get 80% of the benefit with only 20% of the effort. That is if cutting carbs back to less than 100 grams per day and eating enough protein is easy for you.

They make a big point of saying the cholesterol is not the problem the media thinks it is. They want you to eat fats they call “good”, which are typically high in saturated fat, more stable than monosaturated and polyunsaturated, thus less likely to become rancid. Rancid fat becomes a free radical which damages the cells. I don’t remember them explicitly saying how much fat to eat, BUT you have to have enough energy for you body to function. Since you are not supplying carbohydrates for energy, you HAVE to supply energy through fat. AACKKK! That is what most people are trying to get rid of. Well the body does not take dietary fat and store it (at least not as quickly and easily as it does carbs that the liver has converted to fat) partly because there are regulatory mechanisms that keep the gut for absorbing dietary fat that is not needed.

Then they strongly urge you to take certain supplements, and explain why. Usually it is because there is not enough in our food supply.

I should have looked this up first instead of rambling on. Sorry, it is getting late and I should be in bed!!

I was very tempted to start out my post with a "bang" like 2bthinner! LOL But joking aside, both posters make great points.

I was coming back to LC last fall and knew Atkins and knew what I liked about it...how the liberal fat and meat approach with good LC veggies made me feel...how satisfying it was to have sufficient fat. It was all very good. And I was tired of how much sugar I was eating and frustated with limiting myself with food and feeling so hungry and "low blood sugar" all the time. I knew it was time to change and eased back into LCing through Barry Groves's "Eat Fat, Get Thin". I picked that up online (since my Aktins book was long gone) and liked the approach to fat playing such an important role in LCing. I also had a higher carb count for the day and it gave me a change to ease my way down (and avoid induction flu, etc.) After successfully entering the LC life again, I was ready to get more strict and about to settle into Atkins when I saw a post about Protein Power. The rest, as they say, was history.

When I found PP, like JKMFrog said, I felt really reassured about WHY I should be doing LC. I was utterly hooked. That book really turned me around. PPLP then helped me with the "how" and -- I feel -- helped me refine my approach. And it's still doing so today as I keep reading and reading it over and over again and there is SO much I've yet to do corrently. LOL

Now my life isn't just about eating steak and broccoli, although God knows I never tire of it. LOL Now I have been inspired to avoid trans fats, but enjoy saturated as well as all the "good fats". Now I am a firm believer in eating sufficient protein as well as fat. And it's not that I wasn't before, but I don't think I understood it enough. Instead of "eat until you're full" I got a bit more guidance on the range I should be taking in. Now I can still eat until I'm satisfied, but also be reassured I'm giving my body its minimum requirement. Admittedly, having the food pyramid beaten into me and so many weight loss sites promoting HC/LF and small amounts of dry chicken made it difficult for me to really make the switch on my own. Having this guidance helped.

I have also been inspired to take supplements and to eat nitrate free meats and to really go natural and clean as much as I can. I don't know how to explain why PP inspired me best to do this. It might relate to the information provided - I am very input-oriented and like to understand why.

I guess my favorite part was feeling a sense of the "sliding scale" approach...that this wasn't an "all or nothing" kind of approach. And that really works for me. I quoted the Eades somewhere that you can get "80% results with 20% effort" (that's probably more a paraphrase). So I was able to start by just spacing out my carb intake throughout the day and eating the protein levels necessary for my height and weight. Then as I got going, I kept making changes and doing things better. And I know that years from now I'll still find ways to truly refine this WOL. But it's encouraging to know that as long as I do the basics, I'll still get the benefit.

Ok, enough with the PP lovefest! I hope I answered some of your question, Karen!

Well said, Larry! Of course I probably should've waited for you to reply because you said it better. But I'm just here for the emotional impact. Your answer could be on the back of a book cover. Mine is a summer vacation report on "why I love PP" LOL