Hey guys, what a good thread.<p>Yes there is a HUGE difference btwn ketosis, and ketoacidosis!!!!<p>My gestational diabetes has gotten progressively worse with each pregnancy, and in my last bout, I had to go on insulin. Ketoacidosis was a huge worry. I couldn't eat enough to get out of that purple zone on the keto sticks. My dietician kept adding more food, more carbs with every meal, more everything and I couldn't stop losing weight. I was definitely NOT in ketosis. Ketoacidosis is a serious diabetic condition.<p>I'm not a scietist, or dietician. But I am an becoming an expert on my own body, and I know what is working.<p>I know that a low fat diet does not work for me. I know that I can't manage low-carb like atkins. I know that eating ANY carbs sends me into eating binges, highs, lows, and everything in between.<p>I also have massive emotional connections to eating, which is a mix of physical and emotional conditions that isn't easily separated, and both have to be addressed to make this work.<p>So for me, this Carb Addict diet is a miracle. When my emotional or physical carb craving sets in, I can tell myself that my next fix is only a few hours away - instead of the overwhelming prospect of "You can never eat that again".<p>I'm on day 9 of this diet, and a huge portion of my carb cravings are already dying away. I'm getting carbs in my diet - I get to eat sooooo many veggies - and I get pasta/breads/potatoes/rice with my dinner.<p>I don't know about science. I just know what is working for me, and that I feel fantastic. And I know that losing weight, and getting my blood sugars under control is a matter of life and death for me. I work all day in the Cardiovascular Research Medicine department at a major pharmaceutical company and I get to read all day long about the connection btwn cardiovascular disease (the leading killer of women) and diabetes. High glucose levels is being found over and over to be connected with high cholesterol and heart disease.<p>Low fat just won't do it for ME. I know other people that do great on low fat diets. But I'll stick to what my body says is a good thing [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]

I didn't do a lot of research through the book, but I didn't see ketoacidosis in the index, yet there's a whole chapter on diabetes. I wonder if they're defending the "Food Guide Pyramid", which I don't like very much. Victor Herbert was a co-editor on it. He's the one that devised the Pyramid.<p>I have gotten that feeling before, that this book is a promo for the Pyramid, and defending the FDA. <p>That being said, I still find that it can pretty well be right on, for the majority of the population. I know no one formula is right for everyone. I just take what info seems right and throw out the rest. (Like the fact that they say hypoglycemia is induced by the people themselves and that there is no real condition with scientific support. I have a friend who is very health-conscious and she has been diagnosed with it. I don't think she overindulged on any sugars that caused this. She has a severe case and is very small and cannot gain weight.)<p>If there is a challenge to the info I have gained, I weigh it out. Now see, here's my dilemma, because I'm homeschooling, I have little time to do all the studies I would love to do, but some day I will.<p>I did find a page on the net about Ketosis and Ketoacidosis, but it wasn't very clear (I think I need more brain than I had last night to grasp it).<p>BrambleRose, I'm glad you've found a way to balance out your sugar levels throughout the day. Are you a diabetic now? I'm sure you are under frequent supervision by docs and that is good. Do they know about your diet? I am the world's worst at contacting my doc before starting an exercise routine, diet, etc. I had my first visit when I was pregnant with my son at 12 wks and didn't again until 5 mos or after. (Changing docs and insurance and all that.)<p>I don't want to cut down what anyone feels is working for them. I just want folks to make informed decisions. BR, if you're informed, it doesn't include you. I just used you in my example before because you're on the CADiet. I'm sure it works for some, but not my FIL, or anyone who abuses the "eat whatever meat you want" condition. He loses 10 lbs when he's on it. Then, they get off and he gains it all back. What a cycle. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img] I truly hope it does more for you BR. I did learn some things from reading the book, about the insulin cycle and have noticed it in myself. So I know that part is true.<p>If I ever have a practice, I will be informed of fads and try to have cases that were successful and unsuccessful on these plans, for future reference. I won't use a "one size fits all" approach, but will use "balanced nutrition" as a starting point.<p>I'll sign off for now. I got contacts for the first time today, and because they don't make a prescription low enough for my astigmatism, the screen is kind of blurry.<p>Take care, all!<p>Hoping

MelodyLane and hoping4future<p>I am trying to put together a new diet/eating habit that I can live with and I was hoping you two can point me in the right direction in where to start researching. Currently I do not dring soda and I am down to 1 3oz bag of chips a week. Other than that I am not sure what to do next. I do know I would like to work on getting my carbs down to a reasonable level, but have no idea what that would be.<p>I was hoping you could give me a bunch of books and websites to check out. Could you either post here or email me.<p>I work out 4 times a week. About 30 mins of cardio and 30 mins of weight lifting. I do not have a weight lose goal, but my goal is to lose 5 - 6 inches from my waist.<p>Thanks<p>descentmother@hotmail.com

Okay, I had a nice layout for you, but every time I tried to put something up and came back, I lost my page. Here's the skeleton.<p>A fit woman can look great and weigh 170 at 5'6", so you're lookin in the right direction to lose size, not just weight.<p>I did First Place class at my church, which is where I got interested in nutrition (after the seed was planted by my diabetic Gma who went through Weight Watchers years ago). There is a book by the same title on the market.<p>Another program churches are doing is "Weigh Down." I don't know much more about it than that.
I also haven't read Dr. Atkins book, sorry to say.<p>Also, the ADA has a site where you might find more info about the Diabetic Exchange System:<p>http://www.eatright.org/<p>Carb Addicts also has a site:<p>http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/<p>There is some helpful info in the book and recipes and such.<p>Weight Watchers site has recipes. FlyLady.net has a nutritionist who offers some recipes with the Exchanges at the bottom of the recipes.<p>Another site you might find helpful is Vegsource.com It's a vegetarian site, but there are recipes there too.<p>That's about all I can think of for now. But I'll get offa here and then something will hit me.<p>HTH,<p>Hoping

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Listener48:
<strong>MelodyLane and hoping4future<p>I am trying to put together a new diet/eating habit that I can live with and I was hoping you two can point me in the right direction in where to start researching. Currently I do not dring soda and I am down to 1 3oz bag of chips a week. Other than that I am not sure what to do next. I do know I would like to work on getting my carbs down to a reasonable level, but have no idea what that would be.<p></strong><hr></blockquote><p>If you are interested in a low carb diet, which is pretty easy to live on and maintain the weight loss, you might want to also check out Atkins at http://atkinscenter.com/dev/why/index.html. You would kickstart your metabolism by cutting your carbs back to <20 for 2 weeks and then adding carbs back in until you find the level in which you STOP losing weight. <p>The initial weight loss is about 12 pounds for the first 2 weeks and around 3-5 a week thereafter until you stop the weightloss by adding more carbs and going into the mainenance phase. The thing that I like about the diet is that I can live on it. I can't do deprivation diets and am real content on this high calorie diet. I have been on it for 3 years now.

Hey Hoping ~<p>Here's an article on Diabetic Ketoacidosis from the American Academy of Family Physicians.<p>http://www.aafp.org/afp/990800ap/455.html<p>As you'll see - it occurs only in diabetics. Formerly it was thought only type 1 diabetics were at risk, but now Type 2 diabetics also have been found to have this problem.<p>With Ketosis, there is no rise in blood glucose and blood acidity.<p>Here's another interesting article I found:<p>http://members.tripod.com/~Dietman2/ketosis.html<p>I know its on a tripod website, but I did check out the quoted authors credentials, and they are authentic.

I have been on my "diet" for a year now. I don't really like to call it a diet as it is my new way of eating. But I have lost about 65 pounds in that time. It hasn't been really fast but it has been easy. <p>I know the diet experts will say don't do it but it has worked for me. I have found out that the more I eat --- the more I want to eat. With this way of eating, it's like my stomach doesn't wake up much.<p>I do not eat breakfast because I discovered I really didn't eat "breakfast" as it became one big solid meal the whole day long. I know I was eating the wrong things for breakfast (things that make you crave and hungry) but those are the things I want (wanted) for breakfast so I had rather do without.<p>I drink a diet soda for breakfast. For lunch, I usually eat at my desk, and I keep fat free pretzels or those low fat honey bear cookies in my drawer. I eat about 200 calories of whichever one of those I chose. <p>Now for the good part, I eat whatever I cook for my family (decent size servings even)for supper. Tonight I had 2 pieces of fried pork loin, some potatoes, green peas and a biscuit. <p>With this, it is not like starting a diet and your mind telling you over and over you can't have you favorites. Sunday night I had a craving for pizza and went and got one for supper. My husband likes Wendy's frosties, and if I want one I get a small one occasionally. My husband and I go out and eat every Friday night and I get what I want. <p>Every so often I will venture back into my big one solid meal a day routine and it doesn't take long to get back on track because I get tired of feeling hungry and wanting to eat ALL the time. I honestly do not feel hungry or deprived with this.<p>I also walk a mile on the treadmill 3 to 4 times a week at 3.4 to 4 mph and do a few weights each time I go (arms and ab machine mostly).<p>If you try it, you might have to struggle for the first day or two. But I kept telling myself that a growling stomach really did no harm. Then after that I didn't and don't get hungry. <p>If you know much about weight loss, you have already learned that the secret is not losing the weight, it is keeping it off. I am a year into this and am still losing slowly.
But the most important thing is, I have not gained anything back in this year. <p>I honestly feel SOOO much better when I don't stuff my body full of all that energy zapping food. Overeating is really hard work - it totally zaps all of your energy.<p>I will always struggle with food and weight, but so far it has been an easy year.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by hoping4future:
<strong>I wonder if they're defending the "Food Guide Pyramid", which I don't like very much. Victor Herbert was a co-editor on it. He's the one that devised the Pyramid.<p>I have gotten that feeling before, that this book is a promo for the Pyramid, and defending the FDA. <p>
Hoping</strong><hr></blockquote><p>Most nutrition doctors don't buy the food pyramid fallacy either. It was never developed by scientists, doctors or researchers, but by the Department of Agriculture. An obvious conflict of interest![but hell, it sold more bread for the farmers over the years! lol] Many people don't know any better and actually think all that bread and rice is good for you! yikes!<p>Here is an article about the Food Pyramid from last year - [I have snipped it for brevity and left in the pertinent paragraphs]<p>The USDA Food Pyramid is wrong
Friday July 13, 2001<p>Press Release<p>SOURCE: Simon & Schuster<p>The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating A HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL BOOK By Walter C. Willett, M.D.<p>NEW YORK, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The USDA Food Pyramid is wrong. This ubiquitous American icon, seen everywhere from the backs of cereal boxes to elementary school bulletin boards, has been proven a dangerous and misleading dietary guide, contributing to the generally poor state of American nutrition?including the increasing incidence of obesity in the United States.<p>Walter C. Willett, M.D., one of the world's most distinguished experts in nutrition, reveals the danger behind this deceptive resource and provides a new pyramid that offers huge potential for longer, and better, living. Derived from decades of research based on the world-famous Harvard Nurses' Health Study, the Harvard Physicians Health Study, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Framingham Heart Study and supported by dozens of other surveys and investigations, this new food pyramid and other valuable nutritional information is now available to the public in EAT, DRINK, AND BE HEALTHY: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating, by Walter C. Willett, M.D. (Simon & Schuster Source, August 1, 2001, $25.00).<p>By promoting the USDA Food Pyramid, The Department of Agriculture-the agency responsible for promoting the products of American agribusiness, not one of the many federal agencies established to monitor and protect our health -- is serving two masters. This can be tricky -- especially when one of them includes persuasive and well-connected representatives of the formidable meat, dairy and sugar industries. The end result of their tug-of-war is a set of positive, feel-good; all-inclusive recommendations that completely distort what could be the single most important tool for improving the health of the nation.<p>At best, the USDA Pyramid offers indecisive, scientifically unfounded advice on an absolutely vital topic -- what to eat. At worst, the misinformation it offers contributes to overweight, poor health, and unnecessary early deaths.<p><snip><p>The book reveals:<p>To eat fat or not to eat fat? That is not the question.<p>The message that ``all fat is bad'' has not fallen on deaf ears: fats and oils make up about 34 percent of the calories in today's average diet, compared with 40 percent in the 1960s. Good news? Hardly. Much of the reduction has been in the consumption of beneficial unsaturated fasts, and is one reason for the minimal reduction in heart disease rates in recent years. Unsaturated fats are actually good for you and can improve the levels of cholesterol and other fat particles in your blood, fortify your heart against erratic heartbeats, and help counteract a number of processes that contribute to atherosclerosis, the gradual clogging and narrowing of arteries.<p>Calcium: No emergency.<p>The ``calcium emergency'' campaign, sponsored by the National Dairy Council to promote the consumption of milk is a hoax. The United States is near the top of the list of per capita calcium intake, and studies -- documented in Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy -- have failed to show that high milk consumption reduces the risk of fractures. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that high daily consumption is safe for everyone. For men, a high milk intake seems to increase the odds of developing prostate cancer, while for women, high milk consumption may be linked with higher rates of ovarian cancer.<p>Go nuts!<p>The next time you're seeking a snack, think nuts. Contrary to popular belief, they are not junk food. One ounce of nuts gives you about 8 grams of protein. Yes, nuts have quite a bit of fat but these are mostly unsaturated fats that reduce LDL cholesterol and keep HDL (the ``good cholesterol'') high.<p><snip>

I already have question about Atkins diet and their choice of sweeteners. I wonder why they accept sucralose (which is altered sugar) and reject Nutra-Sweet which is 2 amino acids (building blocks of protein, kind of ironic). The questions about Aspartame&#8217;s safety is generally only when it&#8217;s heated (unless there is more I am not aware of) when the chemical structure can be altered. Why is it okay to alter sugar and not protein? Also, Aspartame is phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Phenylalanine is a recommended supplement on the Atkin&#8217;s Diet. To say it would behave differently in this form is kind of moot. I don&#8217;t think so. Otherwise, why would phenylketonurics not be able to process Aspartame? Why wouldn&#8217;t the danger be noticed in nature where these amino acids coexist?<p>(Edited out except for this part)<p>Hoping<p>[ April 10, 2002: Message edited by: hoping4future ]</p>

BrambleRose,<p>Thanks for the links. I have been to the first site before.<p>The second site, I found last night and printed it out. That's the one I refered to before.<p>Thanks. I wonder [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img] why it's not in this book I have. I didn't see a word on it. I had never heard of it before either (unless I didn't read my copy of "Lick the Sugar Habit" thoroughly enough).<p>Thanks again.<p>Hoping

becontent,<p>I hope you don't feel glossed over. Your plan sounds a lot like my plan I did in high school (that is in this thread). However, it sounds like, for the most part, you are on a starvation diet. I understand that eating breakfast makes you want to eat. Eating breakfast stokes your metabolism, which is why you get hungry.<p>You must weigh this out for yourself though (which is what it sounds like you've done) and make your own decision.<p>I wanted to let you know that I noticed your post, and look forward to sharing in your successes.<p>Hoping

Hoping!<p>You can't cut back to NO CARBS on Atkins. He never recommends that. [please read the book or the instructions at his website] For 2 weeks, you would eat 2 small salads per day plus roughly 2 cups of low glycemic veggies like okra, broccoli, etc. No more than 20g a day in the form of vegetables only initially. After that, you add back more vegetables per day, add nuts, berries, legumes. This usually kickstarts your metabolism. I use Ketostix to check and see if I am in ketosis.<p>Not sure about your question on Aspartame, other than the numerous studies that question it's safety. I have never seriously researched this question. He recommends Splenda, which you know is sucralose. I have never read anywhere that his problem with aspartame is the ingredient Phenylalanine. Can't see that he would recommend it if that is his issue. <p>
I didn't understand your question about how much meat you will eat. 9 what? The only thing you need to count are carbs and can roughly pattern your menu on 1800-2000 calories. You can track your fat/protein/carb grams on fitday.com.<p>
Why are you considering going on Atkins? Do you have low blood sugar? Need to lose weight? How much weight are you trying to lose?

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by hoping4future:
<strong><p>Weight: 1t5 (n=t-10)
Mind: range 6-10 is good to great; 1-5 is really bad to kinda bad.<p>
</strong><hr></blockquote><p>I don't understand what this means. Is this your weight?

Yes, I have a lot of weight to lose.<p>And on Aspartame, he does not recommend its use. I know there are a lot of reports. But we've been using Aspartame a lo-o-ong time. I know at least twenty years and it seems like it was long before that. Some people do gain headaches from its use, but I think these folks may have slight phenylketonuria. Does that make any more sense?<p>About the meats. I currently eat about 6 exchanges (70 calories with 3g or more of fat). <p>I am so tired, I'm sure none of this makes much sense. My H is working late tonight and it's hard to sleep when he's not here.<p>Signing off,<p>Hoping<p>PS. Thanks MelodyLane for your replies<p>[ April 10, 2002: Message edited by: hoping4future ]</p>

I hope I am not butting in on a private conversation. I am on w.w. I am trying to do this only for myself, in the back of my head I know I am mostly doing it for my husband.<p>W.w. is fairly easy. If you get everything natural, or fat free. They really do give you alot of points. sometimes I even cheat and have an extra fruit or glass of milk.<p>My question is does anyone do arobics, or walking to help with the weight loss? I have a hard time getting myself in the mood for the arobics. I will however walk. How many days aweek should I walk and how far? Curently I walk about 2 miles atleast 3 days a week. I think I need more days.

not to get up on the soapbox (when I really need to be at the gym) but to effectively lose weight I have found I must exercise at least 40minutes 5-6 times a week. Anything less is maintenance (or, horrors! weight gain)<p>having stepped down I better get that spandex on (ooohh so tight) and head out for a sweat session.

Butting in is not a problem. There's nothing private on a public forum. [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img] <p>The amount of exercise is based on a couple of factors.<p>1) your fitness level. Don't do more than you can comfortably do. 3 days is best to start. Try 15 min at first and do more if you feel able, do less if you need to.<p>2) your daily intake. You want to burn a little more than you are taking in. There are charts that estimate how many calories exercises burn. You also don't want to cut too many calories at first. If you're counting, try to cut about 300 cal off your daily intake for maitenance. There's a formula for that, but I don't have it handy.<p>Slowly increase your workout either by distance or intensity. Do a search on "interval training." It's a technique that may help you burn faster. The premise is based on a car analogy. When you're starting and stopping when driving through town, you burn more gas; when cruising on the highway, you are more efficient with the gas. When you increase your workout intensity and slow back down, you expend more energy than if you exercise at a constant rate.<p>HTH,<p>Hoping

I hate diet programs. They regulate you too much. As soon as you've lost your desired amount, you crave the foods you haven't been letting yourself have and eat too much of them. The weight goes right back on. I'm coming at this from the perspective of a recovering anorexic. I know all about deprivation and only allowing myself certain "safe" foods. It's taken me 10 years to get over my food cravings from 3 years of anorexia (serious bingeing on fat & sugar). My weight has fluctuated up to 50lbs up and down.
The ONLY weight loss plan that will ever work permanently is eat what you want in moderation, avoid junk food but don't totally cut it out, and excercise to your fitness level. Basically, eat less excercise more.
I'm 5'8" and 123lbs. This works for me and I don't "diet".

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by sweetjane:
<strong>
The ONLY weight loss plan that will ever work permanently is eat what you want in moderation, avoid junk food but don't totally cut it out, and excercise to your fitness level. Basically, eat less excercise more.
I'm 5'8" and 123lbs. This works for me and I don't "diet".</strong><hr></blockquote><p>sweetjane, I agree with you about diets. They don't work unless you stay on them forever. So you have to find an effective way of eating that you can live on....forever. <p>Amazingly, people sometimes think you can quit a diet, go back to the way of eating that got you fat in the first place and maintain the weight loss. Like a magic diet that works when you aren't on it! [don't folks see the flawed logic in that premise?] There is no such thing.<p>For me, I don't "moderate" bad things like refined sugar and flour, but cut them out entirely. When you don't have them you don't miss them nor do you have the cravings. That has what has worked best for me. <p>In fact, I don't ever moderate anything. I just eat how much and what I want to eat and do just fine. As long as I keep away from the refined junk food, I don't put on an ounce.

Interesting thread. I'm another doing Weight Watchers (on-line) and have found the program works IF you work the program. Sometimes I have a bit of trouble just sticking with it and revert to my old eating habits. But I think that is a flaw in me, not in the eating plan, and it is a plan I know I can live with the rest of my life.