Trying to lose weight? Then DO IT! Its all in what you eat.

[Tripler]

Upper Body Mass

I want to build up now. I cant seem to get my upper body to respond as quickly as I would like. I need to bulk up my upper body to get that proper male "V" shape. I have nice muscle tone and am lean, but not enough upper body mass.

Don't worry OM1 . In just a few more years you will have your moobs just like me and you will have the upper body mass you are wishing for !!!

But seriously , your post was very informative . You and I have the same build and weight . Though I never got as high as you did weight wise but I did get up around 189 lbs . I never felt more uncomfortable in my life . That was 22 years ago . I weigh 176/179 now at 5ft10 also . I have been told that I should weigh 160 lbs for my height and build but that is too low . 170 would be more of my liking .
Thanks again .

 

[Illiterati]

I've been using a program called FitDay PC (from www.fitday.com) that allows you to track your food, your weight/what you're eating/calories/protein/carbs/fiber/activities/etc. I've found it to be an invaluable resource for keeping track of things.

I'm sure there are other programs out there, but I've had this one for the past several years now and am quite happy with it.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Don't worry OM1 . In just a few more years you will have your moobs just like me and you will have the upper body mass you are wishing for !!!

But seriously , your post was very informative . You and I have the same build and weight . Though I never got as high as you did weight wise but I did get up around 189 lbs . I never felt more uncomfortable in my life . That was 22 years ago . I weigh 176/179 now at 5ft10 also . I have been told that I should weigh 160 lbs for my height and build but that is too low . 170 would be more of my liking .
Thanks again .

The last time I weighed in the 170-180 range was back in 2006 and I had size 34 pants.

My average weight throughout the year now is between 210-215 lbs @ 5'10. I've been trying to bring that up another 5-10 lbs for the last year but it's not easy without putting on fat at some point. When I was in Canada, I didn't mind so much during winter but living in Miami means it's almost always beach season and i can't stand the idea of my abs disappearing even for a short period.

 

[tetrion]

LOL. You will have to prove that. First of all, Atkins is NOT an "ultra low carb diet" I did massive research before deciding to go with it and I discovered that most all of the negative press for low carb diets (including South Beach and Atkins and modified low carb diets) are sponsored by dairy industry, grain industry, sugar industry, etc. You post an account of ONE SINGLE PERSON who suffered "serious damage" from a low carb diet. I dare ya. The FDA actually places cow's milk on the food pyramid, when humans are not supposed to consume milk as adults at all, let alone milk from another species of animal whose calves dont even drink milk after weaning. But the Milk Council is very powerful. Milk definitely does a body bad, not good. Drinking it actually DEPLETES calcium in human bones, when they say that you get strong bones from it. The calcium in milk is unusable by humans. The grain industry would love to sell all the nutritionally useless white flour in breakfast cereals and snacks and breads because they make a huge profit on it and it has a shelf life of...forever (when loaded with preservatives). All the "food" products in boxes in the middle of the store are there because they can stay unrefrigerated for YEARS on those shelves.

Again, please post proof. Im not a novice at this. Ketosis is the state of lipolysis induced when the body switches from its primary carb burning mode to making ketones from fat stores. Humans were not meant to eat substances like white flour, granulated sugar, non-human milk, and none of the preservatives/additives that are in most food on the shelves. If the "food" you eat wasnt here 2000 years ago, its not real food.


Your information is out of date and inaccurate. Here are low carb myths:

1. Low Carb = No Carb

This misconception is the idea that a “low”-carb diet must be really really low in carbohydrates. You will read that low carb diets attempt to “eliminate carbohydrates,” for example.

Fact: Not one low-carb diet author advocates this. Even Atkins Induction, which is very low in carbohydrates, is not “no carb,” is only meant to last two weeks, and actually can be skipped altogether, according to the Atkins Web site.

Fact: Diet authors who recommend reducing carbs have all sorts of different ideas about carb levels.

Fact: The carbohydrate level should be adjusted to the individual.

Fact: Over the years, the “nutritional establishment” has been gradually lowering the range of recommended carbohydrate in the diet, at the same time condemning reduced-carb diets, some of which may be recommending the lower end of the new “accepted range,” or close to it. Example: Dr. Dean Edell, a prominent media physician, once stated that the Zone Diet, a 40% carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet, “could be dangerous” because it is too low in carbohydrates. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that 45% to 65% of the diet be carbohydrate, depending upon the individual.

Reducing portion size of a bad food is not good advice. What you should be studying is the long term effect of consuming the foods on the current FDA food pyramid. The result is an obese America and unprecedented increase in heart disease, diabetes and calcium depletion caused by consuming cow's milk. The medical community is revising their information about low carb eating because the overwhelming evidence shows that they are highly beneficial. In my case, my health has inproved more than 100% with added benefits I did not expect like thicker, stronger hair and nails...increased sex drive, increased muscle mass (due to more protein).

About your source:

http://www.anh-europe.org/news/quackbuster-stephen-barrett-md-loses-appeal-and-leaves-home-town

He was run out of town because he himself is a quack. Why anyone should listen to the rantings of an unlicensed psychiatrist with NO education in nutrition is beyond me.

More on him here:

http://www.quackpotwatch.org/quackpots/quackpots/barrett.htm

I didn't want to offend OM,

I'm just posting what I've learned from physiology and metabolism. Excess ketones in the blood isn't a good thing. Many diabetics have the same condition, and ketones being acidic, lower the pH of the blood causing a acidosis. Now the problem with acidosis is that the body has to strip processes to neutralise the pH balance. That means either releasing excess through breath, hence the fruity smell, by excreting it via urine, or by neutralising it via the bicarb buffer system. Excess pH in urine results in the renal system being stressed and working overtime to try and neutralize the pH imbalance. Like neutralising via the bicarb buffer system, the minerals are sucked out of the bones and surrounding tissues. Prolonged removal of minerals from the bones causes osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is common side effect from a diet resulting in acidosis, eg high in meat. Flushing with water doesn't always neutralise acids, as they are still present in the blood, but in lower concentrations.

Furthermore, a diet high in red meat, is high in saturated fats. Saturated fats are incredibly bad for your arteries. Even cutting out the fatty material, the meat still contains high levels of saturated fats.

Going by the low carb food pyramid, there appears to be a lack of dietary fibre, and EFA's in it. Soluble and insoluble fibre are essential for bowel and artery health, and this one of leading causes of the bowel cancer statistics in the west. A diet high in unrefined, fibrous materials are a better alternative, as they add the required insoluble fibre to the diet, while taking longer to digest - hence feeling fuller for longer.

I agree with you on the whole debate of cutting refined carbs from your diet, but I follow the Mediterranean diet, primarily because it's my heritage, and the fact that their diet has been scientifically proven to be beneficial. Exercise is also a huge part of healthy living and weight loss, and needs to be used in combination with diet for
weight maintenance.

Now all this information I got from my medical, physiological and anatomy textbooks. Granted many doctors are shonks, but a lot of this information has been accepted by the general scientific community as fact, and the basis of their practice and knowledge base. As you mention, many doc's have an ulterior motive, such as financial investment in certain industries e.g milk and meat industries.

I don't want to say that all low carb diets are bad, just highlight risks from a medical standpoint. Granted I haven't given Atkins a large amount of research, but I have studied human physiology and biology in some detail, and much of low carb dieting advice seems to go against many of fundamental aspects of our biology. Granted our bodies are resilient, but prolonged abuse, and our bodies breakdown. Placing our bodies into starvation states only causes weight gain in the long run, hence the reason why many diets result in weight gain after the diet ends.

I too have battled the bulge, and done the dieting roundabout, so I know what you're going through. I'm currently trying to change my lifestyle into something healthier, but I'm finding that old habits die hard. I've also done some damage from incorrect dieting, so hence the reason why I approach all diets with cynicism and a critical mind.

Please don't take offence, as this is my own opinions on the subject. I really just want people to be a bit cautious on taking on some fad diet, as they could be doing more harm than good in the long run.

 

[Bluce Ree]

I've been using a program called FitDay PC (from www.fitday.com) that allows you to track your food, your weight/what you're eating/calories/protein/carbs/fiber/activities/etc. I've found it to be an invaluable resource for keeping track of things.

I'm sure there are other programs out there, but I've had this one for the past several years now and am quite happy with it.

Any tools that help you keep track of what you take in are of enormous benefit to help discipline yourself. They're all great tools. The only thing is be wary of "ideal weight" stats they like to give. It's all subjective and doesn't necessarily take into account the active person who may increase muscle mass while losing fat. You may be losing, say, 5 lbs on the scale but in reality you've shed 10 lbs of fat and put on 5 lbs of muscle. The best measurement of progress is your mirror and periodic photos. When you see what you looked like 2 months prior it's an incredible feeling and is far more impacting on one's self than looking at numbers on a scale.

 

[Illiterati]

Tetrion...

This "Fad" diet has been around since the early 1970s. It has worked well for enough people that it has survived well past the point where it could be considered a fad.

Not a criticism, Tetrion, just an observation.

 

[Illiterati]

Any tools that help you keep track of what you take in are of enormous benefit to help discipline yourself. They're all great tools. The only thing is be wary of "ideal weight" stats they like to give. It's all subjective and doesn't necessarily take into account the active person who may increase muscle mass while losing fat. You may be losing, say, 5 lbs on the scale but in reality you've shed 10 lbs of fat and put on 5 lbs of muscle. The best measurement of progress is your mirror and periodic photos. When you see what you looked like 2 months prior it's an incredible feeling and is far more impacting on one's self than looking at numbers on a scale.

I don't generally pay too much attention when things say that. I'm aiming for about 10 pounds OVER what I was told was my "ideal weight". But that's some 100 pounds less from now.

 

[Bluce Ree]

I didn't want to offend OM,

I'm just posting what I've learned from physiology and metabolism. Excess ketones in the blood isn't a good thing. Many diabetics have the same condition, and ketones being acidic, lower the pH of the blood causing a acidosis. Now the problem with acidosis is that the body has to strip processes to neutralise the pH balance. That means either releasing excess through breath, hence the fruity smell, by excreting it via urine, or by neutralising it via the bicarb buffer system. Excess pH in urine results in the renal system being stressed and working overtime to try and neutralize the pH imbalance. Like neutralising via the bicarb buffer system, the minerals are sucked out of the bones and surrounding tissues. Prolonged removal of minerals from the bones causes osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is common side effect from a diet resulting in acidosis, eg high in meat. Flushing with water doesn't always neutralise acids, as they are still present in the blood, but in lower concentrations.

Furthermore, a diet high in red meat, is high in saturated fats. Saturated fats are incredibly bad for your arteries. Even cutting out the fatty material, the meat still contains high levels of saturated fats.

Going by the low carb food pyramid, there appears to be a lack of dietary fibre, and EFA's in it. Soluble and insoluble fibre are essential for bowel and artery health, and this one of leading causes of the bowel cancer statistics in the west. A diet high in unrefined, fibrous materials are a better alternative, as they add the required insoluble fibre to the diet, while taking longer to digest - hence feeling fuller for longer.

I agree with you on the whole debate of cutting refined carbs from your diet, but I follow the Mediterranean diet, primarily because it's my heritage, and the fact that their diet has been scientifically proven to be beneficial. Exercise is also a huge part of healthy living and weight loss, and needs to be used in combination with diet for
weight maintenance.

Now all this information I got from my medical, physiological and anatomy textbooks. Granted many doctors are shonks, but a lot of this information has been accepted by the general scientific community as fact, and the basis of their practice and knowledge base. As you mention, many doc's have an ulterior motive, such as financial investment in certain industries e.g milk and meat industries.

I don't want to say that all low carb diets are bad, just highlight risks from a medical standpoint. Granted I haven't given Atkins a large amount of research, but I have studied human physiology and biology in some detail, and much of low carb dieting advice seems to go against many of fundamental aspects of our biology. Granted our bodies are resilient, but prolonged abuse, and our bodies breakdown. Placing our bodies into starvation states only causes weight gain in the long run, hence the reason why many diets result in weight gain after the diet ends.

I too have battled the bulge, and done the dieting roundabout, so I know what you're going through. I'm currently trying to change my lifestyle into something healthier, but I'm finding that old habits die hard. I've also done some damage from incorrect dieting, so hence the reason why I approach all diets with cynicism and a critical mind.

Please don't take offence, as this is my own opinions on the subject. I really just want people to be a bit cautious on taking on some fad diet, as they could be doing more harm than good in the long run.

Your point of view is appreciated and you have some good info in your post. There have been endless debates from many camps about one type of diet over another. In the end, it depends on your goals but there is no doubt that excess carbs convert to high levels of blood sugar which leads to insulin spikes to clean up the excess sugars by storing them in fat cells. The process of converting carbs to fat is a much shorter and quicker route than converting ingested fat to fat, for example.

My view of the low carb approach is from the bodybuilding perspective. Anecdotal evidence from thousands of failed dieters in one camp or another doesn't help any side of the debate but when you look at fitness pros, bodybuilders, power lifters, etc, they seem to get it right. And I'm not talking about actors or celebs, I'm talking about every day Joes and Marys you see at the gym that are lean, muscular and fit.

The most common assertion among people who aren't able to maintain a discipline is that "they must be on steroids" or some other magical compound that makes you look like that while sitting on your ass watching tv and occasionally doing 15 minutes on the treadmill at the local LA Fitness. The other misconception is that they are working out 18 hours / day (figure of speech). It's all discipline and moderation but it's difficult to achieve without a high protein/low carb diet.

Some are exceptions and freaks of nature, like Michael Phelps who crams 10,000 calories a day down his throat, including pizza, french fries, and so on and still manages to keep a swimmer's physique with his active lifestyle.

You shouldn't starve your body of carbs but keeping them at a moderate level, say under 100g/day and early in the day before your body slows down goes a long way.

On a side note, to put the body into ketosis, you have to keep your carb intake under 50g per day for 48 hours before it kicks in. For most people, that's not easy to do so all the hoopla about low-carb diets being dangerous and such is a lot of hogwash when applied to the general population. Unless all you do is eat steak and drink water all day every day, you're hardly at risk of going into any sort of long-term ketosis. It's far too easy to kick the body out of ketosis with just about anything you put in your mouth.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Tetrion...

This "Fad" diet has been around since the early 1970s. It has worked well for enough people that it has survived well past the point where it could be considered a fad.

Not a criticism, Tetrion, just an observation.

It goes even further back, technically. Going all the way back to prehistoric times, we were meat eaters. Our bodies are built to digest proteins as its primary source of nutrition. We didn't have bread and cereal until we began to civilize and we never ate tree branches.

 

[Overmind One]

I wasnt at all offended.

I didn't want to offend OM,

I'm just posting what I've learned from physiology and metabolism. Excess ketones in the blood isn't a good thing. Many diabetics have the same condition, and ketones being acidic, lower the pH of the blood causing a acidosis. Now the problem with acidosis is that the body has to strip processes to neutralise the pH balance. That means either releasing excess through breath, hence the fruity smell, by excreting it via urine, or by neutralising it via the bicarb buffer system. Excess pH in urine results in the renal system being stressed and working overtime to try and neutralize the pH imbalance. Like neutralising via the bicarb buffer system, the minerals are sucked out of the bones and surrounding tissues. Prolonged removal of minerals from the bones causes osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is common side effect from a diet resulting in acidosis, eg high in meat. Flushing with water doesn't always neutralise acids, as they are still present in the blood, but in lower concentrations.

Not at all offended. In a diabetic, ketoacidosis is caused by a completely different reason than dietary ketosis. There are no "excess" ketones because the body will not produce them in excess in individuals who are in dietary ketosis. All of the depletion you mention assumes that I do not take supplements. I take a total of NINE different supplements including calcium (which is usable, not from milk). Besides that, I am getting great calcium from the meat I eat as well as from the high nutrient vegetables I eat. All low carb diets advise taking supplements. Overall, it is a MUCH better state than inflammation caused by eating excess carbs and having high insulin levels as well as high blood pressure (which promotes the accumulation of bad cholesterol) which leads to arteriosclerosis. Im in GREAT health because of my eating habits now.

Furthermore, a diet high in red meat, is high in saturated fats. Saturated fats are incredibly bad for your arteries. Even cutting out the fatty material, the meat still contains high levels of saturated fats.

LOL. That is very incorrect. Saturated fats are the only natural animal fats and are GOOD for you. There are no other fats besides saturated animal fats and those in vegetables which are healthier. Low fat diets dont work because they are unnatural and the body resists them.

Going by the low carb food pyramid, there appears to be a lack of dietary fibre, and EFA's in it. Soluble and insoluble fibre are essential for bowel and artery health, and this one of leading causes of the bowel cancer statistics in the west. A diet high in unrefined, fibrous materials are a better alternative, as they add the required insoluble fibre to the diet, while taking longer to digest - hence feeling fuller for longer.

Man, you are just not up to speed on these diets! Atkins advocates LARGE amounts of dietary fiber, and that comes from the vegetables. The pyramid shows several high fiber choices in the vegetables. Net carbs are calculated by taking the total carbohydrate count on any nutrition label, then subtracting dietary fiber (which is insoluble), and then you get your net carbs. Most all low carb bread/tortilla substitutes are at least 30% dietary fiber.

I agree with you on the whole debate of cutting refined carbs from your diet, but I follow the Mediterranean diet, primarily because it's my heritage, and the fact that their diet has been scientifically proven to be beneficial. Exercise is also a huge part of healthy living and weight loss, and needs to be used in combination with diet for
weight maintenance.

Now all this information I got from my medical, physiological and anatomy textbooks. Granted many doctors are shonks, but a lot of this information has been accepted by the general scientific community as fact, and the basis of their practice and knowledge base. As you mention, many doc's have an ulterior motive, such as financial investment in certain industries e.g milk and meat industries.

I am an advocate of the Mediterranean dietary habits because its a high fat diet (healthy saturated fats and oils). Its a bit carb heavy for my taste, but it promotes good heart health. I have also learned that what is "accepted by the general scientific community as fact" usually is not. There is no "general scientific community". In America, that community advocates consumption of white flour, cow's milk and manmade medications. All unhealthy substances. In 1946, there were cigarette commercials which used lines like "more doctors smoke Camel than any other cigarette" LOL! Proof:


College textbooks are a snapshot in time for knowledge. MUCH of what is in those books is outdated or debunked altogether, and its always dynamically changing. Not too long ago, companies were pushing margarine in place of butter because it was cheaper to make it. Margarine is essentially a stick of transfat.

I don't want to say that all low carb diets are bad, just highlight risks from a medical standpoint. Granted I haven't given Atkins a large amount of research, but I have studied human physiology and biology in some detail, and much of low carb dieting advice seems to go against many of fundamental aspects of our biology. Granted our bodies are resilient, but prolonged abuse, and our bodies breakdown. Placing our bodies into starvation states only causes weight gain in the long run, hence the reason why many diets result in weight gain after the diet ends.

Im not sure why you emphasize this. In Atkins, you remain in ketosis only in Induction (two weeks) and ongoing weight loss. The later phases do not require you to be in ketosis, just to stay at or below the CCL (critical carb limit) determined by phase 2 observations. Human bodies are designed to eat natural foods. That would be meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, saturated animal fats and natural oils. Feeding a human body some processed sugar or nutrition-less white flour or any of the huge array of manmade preservatives and fillers puts the body in a permanent state of inflammation.

I too have battled the bulge, and done the dieting roundabout, so I know what you're going through. I'm currently trying to change my lifestyle into something healthier, but I'm finding that old habits die hard. I've also done some damage from incorrect dieting, so hence the reason why I approach all diets with cynicism and a critical mind.

Please don't take offence, as this is my own opinions on the subject. I really just want people to be a bit cautious on taking on some fad diet, as they could be doing more harm than good in the long run.

Do the research. It will surprise you. Better yet, TRY IT. Talk to your doctor about your desire to try it and he/she may surprise you with their answers. They have to go back for refresher courses, so they may be up to speed on low carb whereas you are not (at the moment). Thank you for posting the opposing viewpoints! I encourage you to continue posting it but please post links to your sources if possible.

 

[Overmind One]

I don't generally pay too much attention when things say that. I'm aiming for about 10 pounds OVER what I was told was my "ideal weight". But that's some 100 pounds less from now.

I think that is a good target. At 5'10" on a medium frame, when I reached 170lbs like the BMI chart says I should weigh, I looked too skinny. People told me I looked too skinny, and I looked too skinny to myself. So, I raised my carb limit and now I have been at a stable 180 for about a year (started Atkins in September of 2009). 10lbs above the chart weight is probably better for you (and me too). But its good to know that I can drop to 170 if I want to...I know how to do it now.

 

[Overmind One]

Any tools that help you keep track of what you take in are of enormous benefit to help discipline yourself. They're all great tools. The only thing is be wary of "ideal weight" stats they like to give. It's all subjective and doesn't necessarily take into account the active person who may increase muscle mass while losing fat. You may be losing, say, 5 lbs on the scale but in reality you've shed 10 lbs of fat and put on 5 lbs of muscle. The best measurement of progress is your mirror and periodic photos. When you see what you looked like 2 months prior it's an incredible feeling and is far more impacting on one's self than looking at numbers on a scale.

So true! I used to go crazy watching how the numbers vary on the scale. I was on it 10 times per day! But then I noticed that my measurements were shrinking (and growing in other areas) I now have that toned look I wanted for so long. But now I want MUSCLES! Not bodybuilder level, but "cut". I got my flat stomach, but I want the six-pack (or close).

 

[Bluce Ree]

[...] LOL. That is very incorrect. Saturated fats are the only natural animal fats and are GOOD for you. There are no other fats besides saturated animal fats and those in vegetables which are healthier. Low fat diets dont work because they are unnatural and the body resists them.[...]

I have no clue why this idea of "low fat" is still permeated as "the" way to lose weight / stay healthy. Fat doesn't make you fat. Excess and carb rich eating does.

Whenever I see "low fat" this and "low fat" that, it aggravates me. When I hear the clowns at GNC or Vitamin Shoppe or any health food store emphasizing how "low in fat" a particular item is, that just pisses me off especially coming from reps who are supposed to know what they're talking about. About the only time I've heard good nutrition advice from a rep to a customer in those places is when the guy or girl is a fellow bodybuilder or someone who is very apparently physically fit. It's not always the case but it's been my experience nearly every time I visit one of those places.

*sigh*

 

[Illiterati]

I have no idea why this idea of "low fat" is still permeated as "the" way to lose weight / stay healthy. Fat doesn't make you fat. Excess and carb rich eating does.

Whenever I see "low fat" this and "low fat" that, it aggravates me. When I hear the clowns at GNC or Vitamin Shoppe or any health food store emphasizing how "low in fat" a particular item is, that just pisses me off especially coming from reps who are supposed to know what they're talking about. About the only time I've heard good nutrition advice from a rep to a customer in those places is when the guy or girl is a fellow bodybuilder or someone who is very apparently physically fit. It's not always the case but it's been my experience nearly every time I visit one of those places.

*sigh*

When you look at the standard diet of American kids nowadays, and see how much sugar, soda, cookies, bread, pasta and potatoes they're cramming down their throats, it's no wonder we have such an epidemic of childhood obesity (and childhood-onset diabetes, for that matter). I shudder to think how much their blood sugar spikes during the course of the day.

We've been taught that food is the answer to everything:

Happiness, sadness, loneliness...the list is endless.

And those stupid commercials on tv don't help, either, with all junk food the advertisers try to sell us (I love my TiVo for avoiding those damned things).

It's just gross.

 

[Bluce Ree]

When you look at the standard diet of American kids nowadays, and see how much sugar, soda, cookies, bread, pasta and potatoes they're cramming down their throats, it's no wonder we have such an epidemic of childhood obesity (and childhood-onset diabetes, for that matter). I shudder to think how much their blood sugar spikes during the course of the day.

We've been taught that food is the answer to everything:

Happiness, sadness, loneliness...the list is endless.

And those stupid commercials on tv don't help, either, with all junk food the advertisers try to sell us (I love my TiVo for avoiding those damned things).

It's just gross.

Hey, as long as they're eating "fat-free" Captain Crunch, it's all good.

 

[Illiterati]

Hey, as long as they're eating "fat-free" Captain Crunch, it's all good.

Fat or not, I love my Captain Crunch...however...

I've been eating Quisp...same lovely flavor...but not shaped like a freaking Brillo Pad (with similar results on the roof of one's mouth).

 

[Bluce Ree]

Fat or not, I love my Captain Crunch...however...

I've been eating Quisp...same lovely flavor...but not shaped like a freaking Brillo Pad (with similar results on the roof of one's mouth).

I so rarely eat anything sweet. I will go months without touching sugar and won't even give it a second thought. Then comes that breaking point where I see hot brownie with ice cream on a restaurant menu and off I go on my trip to sugar land with one or two servings.

 

[Overmind One]

LOL!

I so rarely eat anything sweet. I will go months without touching sugar and won't even give it a second thought. Then comes that breaking point where I see hot brownie with ice cream on a restaurant menu and off I go on my trip to sugar land with one or two servings.

I cheat occasionally, and then when I get that sugar/insulin crash it reminds me why I dont eat sugars anymore. I go for months too without having any sugar. I absolutely hate the "low fat" trick too. List of things that are low fat:

Chocolate cake
Double fudge chocolate chip cookies
1 entire cup of sugar dissolved in a cup of maple syrup
Snickers bars
Rock candy
Tansfats
A bag of jelly beans, tootsie rolls, gumdrops

You get the idea. Low fat means nothing and is being used as some sort of "this is good for you!" thing for those who dont know any better.

NOTE TO ILLITERATI:

Please...switch to a healthier cereal! Try Kashi GoLean or puffed wheat (unsweetened version of Sugar Smacks). Substitute milk with almond milk which is delicious and costs less and tastes better than cow's milk. I recommend Almond Breeze original which can be bought at any supermarket.

 

[Bluce Ree]

I cheat occasionally, and then when I get that sugar/insulin crash it reminds me why I dont eat sugars anymore. I go for months too without having any sugar. I absolutely hate the "low fat" trick too. List of things that are low fat:

Chocolate cake
Double fudge chocolate chip cookies
1 entire cup of sugar dissolved in a cup of maple syrup
Snickers bars
Rock candy
Tansfats
A bag of jelly beans, tootsie rolls, gumdrops

You get the idea. Low fat means nothing and is being used as some sort of "this is good for you!" thing for those who dont know any better.
[...]

 

[Graybrew1]

I lost 40 lbs about 5 years ago. It happened because I decided to quit smoking. I was already too heavy for me (165) and terrified to gain the amount of weight that is normally associated with quitting. So, I decided not to go on a diet but to "change my lifestyle of eating habits." It is funny that we actually eat most of the same things. I don't believe in non-productive carbs. Every carb I eat is whole grain. Potatoes are rare and most have skins and beer is a forbidden treat maybe once or twice a year. Lots of salads, with vinegar and oil only. Tons of vegetables and nothing fried. I eat red meat in moderation and my dairy is always low-fat. All in all , I just try to use common sense when eating. I have managed to keep most of the 40 lb off. Being well over 40 now(43). I am okay with not being the size 6, that I was, but I am pretty content with size 8. If I would get back on my exercise bike I could probably lose back the last ten pounds again. Sigh...I do get tired of healthy food from time to time. But the idea of a cheat day sounds great.