High protein diets??

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Do the high protein diets (Atkins etc) really work for losing weight and keeping the weight off permanently? What diet has been the most effective for you for losing and keeping the weight off?

 
Originally Posted by Reija(admin) Do the high protein diets (Atkins etc) really work for losing weight and keeping the weight off permanently? What diet has been the most effective for you for losing and keeping the weight off? Call me a diet junkie...have had to go on a magazine diet, escape-into-romance-novels-diet, you name it weightloss diet I've done it-diet, not-look-in-the-mirror-diet...whew...marketing strategies, real tv (really???) smutty more-than-I-needed-to-see programs...so, the last thing I truly ever thought I'd actually commit to doing full out (this is after Sugar Busters, Stillman, Scarsdale, Body Type, Blood Type, 5-day miracle, fasting, colonics, this/that n' the other from high this to low that) was Atkins. We're talking about compulsive/obsessive behaviors that can really only be managed when facing the truth that underlies the symptoms (the what-we-actually-do-stuff). If anyone has any genetic predisposition toward chemical imbalances from whatever extra-curricular guilty pleasure that is ingested, what often goes un-recognized is our body is affected in the physical, while our emotions/mind/psychology/behavior/consequences are affected like a parallel universe. Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde opposites may be tolerated if that's all we know & see as 'normal'. Let me say this, it ain't normal just bec. everyone agrees on it to make their behavior ok. What I've noticed in the 2.5 weeks I've been eating Dr. A's way is this: no cravings for sweets (my Mom tells me sweetly that I crave chocolate bec. my family is from Belgium & Godiva is our 'middle name'), skin is clearing up bec. I do not process any type wheat/flour products (due to celiac disease as a child), which shows up in me like one drink to an alcoholic, - can't just have one slice of bread, one chip, one cracker....it's a genetic alcoholic background in me that sets off the compulsive cycle nutritionally first, and psycologically next. To break the insulin resistance cycle, release the last 15 pounds of cellulite & manage the chemistry I was born with instead of having it manage me, it works for me to eat 20 to 25 grams of carbs, more quality protein & some dairy, seeds, nuts & greens. I love fresh fruit but go for it more in the summer, & while they say don't drink coffee, I have a cup in the morning or in mid-afternoon. Never drank sodas, or ate a lot of junk food so some of the switch I'd been doing by preference all along. When I notice I'm going overboard on something, Atkins says be careful as that whatever may be an addictive item that sabotages the outcome. I do Body Flex, Pilates, exercise bands instead of weights, T-Tapp & Callanetics. Blew out my left ACL last May so machines are out. Flexibility is a must, & at 49, I look bet 32 & 35 years old. I'm getting married 12/12/03 & my sweetheart is 14 years younger. I figure, if you don't use it right, you lose it, from health to youth to smarts. And, the 4P trousers that have been in my closet for years are now 'get-into-able' & they weren't four weeks ago. I don't get on a scale, though I weigh & measure foods to be aware of portion size. I downloaded alot of info off the Atkins site & a LowCarb site that helps. High cholesteral & heart issues also run in my family & none are overweight. To say I was skeptical is an understatement so I just started doing it with no, zero expectations. I feel better, had a truly horrendous week last week that felt like three weeks compressed into 7 days & not once abused food or craved it as comfort. That is a miracle to me. One thing I have to remember: if you're within 10 to 20 pounds of your 'normal for your height' or goal weight, you will probably not experience the huge losses someone who's huge & never did anything about it before. It's just like skincare: if you've taken good care of your skin over the long haul & are looking at stats that promise 57% reduction in this or 65% improvement in that within 6 weeks & you (like me) don't notice any major improvement, it's probably that the problem we see is magnified to us but absolutely inconsequential relative to folks with obvious age-related problems.
 
Yeah I know how hard it is to lose the last 5-10 pounds because I'm struggling with that right now.
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I guess worrying about it during the Holiday time is a waste. hahaha I've just been watching the portions and the type of food I eat and try to excercise more and I feel better but I'm not where I want to be yet. Looking at the scale doesn't really help when you don't like what you see in the mirror so I only use the scale as a guidance to see if I've made any progress.

 
I weighed 216 pounds September 1998. I weighed 135 by June 1999. ALL thanks to the Atkins diet. Since then, I have gone back to eating carbs and sugars again with no problem- my metabolism has readjusted itself to where I dont have to have protein all day every day in order to maintain. However, there comes a point where your weight will plateau on this diet- if you dont have at least 15-20 extra pounds on you, then you wont lose anything; you wont gain anything either, but whats the point then, ya know? This is where dieters get frustrated and claim it doesnt work- it only works when you are overweight, not just trying to get a few pounds off.

 
Originally Posted by Reija(admin) Yeah I know how hard it is to lose the last 5-10 pounds because I'm struggling with that right now.
frown.gif
I guess worrying about it during the Holiday time is a waste. hahaha I've just been watching the portions and the type of food I eat and try to excercise more and I feel better but I'm not where I want to be yet. Looking at the scale doesn't really help when you don't like what you see in the mirror so I only use the scale as a guidance to see if I've made any progress. Joyce Meyer says it right: I'm not where want to be, I'm not where I used to be but I know for sure I am where I'm supposed to be: headed in the right directtion. Last night she said "Don't eat anything that you don't have peace about." My friend Juanita told me something that's helped a lot: just do the next right thing. Sometimes that is all we can do, put our foot in the right direction & be willing to take another step. What we say is what we get...try for a week to catch your thoughts & the words you say to and about yourself. It's pretty amazing to hear how we trash ourselves...often it's not even true. Cheryl Richardson coaches people to treat themselves like they would a very dear friend: with gentleness, compassion & faith, now and again a not-too-hard kick in the pants.
 
Originally Posted by bluepisces I weighed 216 pounds September 1998. I weighed 135 by June 1999. ALL thanks to the Atkins diet. Since then, I have gone back to eating carbs and sugars again with no problem- my metabolism has readjusted itself to where I dont have to have protein all day every day in order to maintain. However, there comes a point where your weight will plateau on this diet- if you dont have at least 15-20 extra pounds on you, then you wont lose anything; you wont gain anything either, but whats the point then, ya know? This is where dieters get frustrated and claim it doesnt work- it only works when you are overweight, not just trying to get a few pounds off. Thanks for the tip. I'm within 15 pounds of my personal goal & while I haven't seen a shift on a scale, some clothes fit bette...redistributing or somesuch. There are ways to tweak it so I'll get back to you on that.
 
Originally Posted by GR8FISCH Joyce Meyer says it right: I'm not where want to be, I'm not where I used to be but I know for sure I am where I'm supposed to be: headed in the right directtion. Last night she said "Don't eat anything that you don't have peace about." My friend Juanita told me something that's helped a lot: just do the next right thing. Sometimes that is all we can do, put our foot in the right direction & be willing to take another step. What we say is what we get...try for a week to catch your thoughts & the words you say to and about yourself. It's pretty amazing to hear how we trash ourselves...often it's not even true. Cheryl Richardson coaches people to treat themselves like they would a very dear friend: with gentleness, compassion & faith, now and again a not-too-hard kick in the pants. I thought Joyce Meyer was an evangelist- she's giving diet advice now?
 
Originally Posted by bluepisces I thought Joyce Meyer was an evangelist- she's giving diet advice now? She wrote a book on the subject. I did the Weighdown Workshop 3.5 years ago, same idea - lost over 22 inches in 90 days without dieting or altering what I ate, except I ate half of what I thought my eyes said I needed, only ate what I truly loved, made sure my stomach was growling hungry, not my emotions needing an oral fix & stopped before I was full. Cut my obsessive exercising by 60%, even cut down on supplements. I found that most of the dietary info we are fed by nutritionists, the FDA & diet gurus is recycled stuff to hook us into buying their hype, their product & line their pockets. Their strategy is to make us think we have no control, will never let go our extra weight, etc. The underlyng premise is not about food at all: rather it is about a hunger we think is emotional or physical, peer pressure or someone/something out there making us do it. No one can make us put anything in or on our bodies except that we allow it...it's our choice to go or stop. Understanding also that there are chemical imbalances that may enhance certain behaviors & phsical cravings, there are other ways & means of managing our response without food...in fact, when I combine the best of a few of these different programs, the result is I manage the intake & the type that works for me at the moment...it doesn't manage me. Idolatry isn't a word we usually think of in relation to eating, overeating, etc. Anything we do that seems impossible to control is called an addiction, or an addictive substance. Withdrawal from anything or anyone that's made us feel & behave on auto-pilot, no thinking, just to aenesthetize us from perceived pain is a denial of how we really feel, dealing with unfinished business & prevents us from becoming the strong, worthwhile, creative individuals we already are. A lot of old tapes in our minds are not really our thoughts...they're beliefs foisted on us sometimes by well-meaning caretakers who didn't know any other way. Courage is trusting our ability to respond appropriately in the face of adversity, no matter the source. "Just say no" is not just for cigarettes, etc. I applied it to getting off a magazines addiction I used to beat myself up bec. I'd never look like a Victoria's Secret model...or an Olympic athlete, etc.. I applied it also to creating boundaries with certain family members & friends, not talking about certain subjects that could not be resolved, just had to be lived with (so why keep it going...), & choosing to speak to and about the results I wanted to have, not a polly-anna, goody-two-shoes, positive mental attitude facade. We get what we say. That's power.
 
Originally Posted by GR8FISCH Joyce Meyer says it right: I'm not where want to be, I'm not where I used to be but I know for sure I am where I'm supposed to be: headed in the right directtion. Last night she said "Don't eat anything that you don't have peace about." My friend Juanita told me something that's helped a lot: just do the next right thing. Sometimes that is all we can do, put our foot in the right direction & be willing to take another step. What we say is what we get...try for a week to catch your thoughts & the words you say to and about yourself. It's pretty amazing to hear how we trash ourselves...often it's not even true. Cheryl Richardson coaches people to treat themselves like they would a very dear friend: with gentleness, compassion & faith, now and again a not-too-hard kick in the pants. Joyce Meyer is encouraging even in the facet of health issues! Thanks for sharing! Nice to see another Houstonian!
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Check out my post on carbohydrates. This might clarify it for you. I hope.... lol

Originally Posted by Reija(admin) Do the high protein diets (Atkins etc) really work for losing weight and keeping the weight off permanently? What diet has been the most effective for you for losing and keeping the weight off?
 

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