Perhaps if you could convince more people to become vegetarians, then more restaurants would cater towards them?

-Rudey

I totally second that!!

Also....

Don't knock it until you try it! And if you never try it and never plan on it--then you cannot judge anything! Do not tell us how to live!

I am healthier now than ever and guess what--I still eat junk and maintain my weight--I just do not eat as much junk as I used too!

THANK YOU.

My mom makes fun of me for doing that, but 1)I'm saving about 300 calories by drinking a large Diet Coke instead of a regular, and 2)once you're used to diet sodas, the regular ones just taste gross!

Well, it matters what the public thinks is an acceptable diet becuase obesity is the largest public health problem in our country today. It costs our health care sysem millions, and costs us precious years of our lives.

There isn't a lot known about the "ideal" way to eat. What most nutritionists, and doctors agree on is vegetables, fiber, water, and not over eating (or, conversly, slightly under-eating).

1)Actually I realized this from an article that was recently on Yahoo news, which I will post right after I post this. The guy has a GREAT point.

2)I *personally* believe the healthiest, safest, and best way to keep weight off in the long run, is the traditional way: cut back on refined carbs, eat more whole grain bread, etc, follow a low-fat, low-cholestoral, low-sugar diet, and excersize regularly. This way, you are not eliminating anything important from your diet, you are learning to make good food choices and proper portion sizes, and making exercise an important part of your life. All three doctors I asked said Atkins is VERY unhealthy and just reinforces people to make bad food choices.

I know many people who have done Atkins and most of them have told me it made them feel like crap and they gained the weight back.

I just wish the South Beach Diet could become bigger than Atkins, because it teaches good eating habits and about good carbs vs bad carbs.

Found at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/...in623260.shtml

'Da Vinci Diet' Digs Carbs

PORTLAND, Maine, June 15, 2004

(AP) A baker who lost nearly half his customers to the low-carb craze has tapped Dan Brown's best-selling novel for an Atkins alternative called the "Da Vinci Diet" that he hopes will bring people back to bread.

A little math theory kneaded with biblical lore from "The Da Vinci Code" has transformed Stephen Lanzalotta into a dietary sage, answering the "carbohydrate question" with a series of lectures promoting a diet he has followed for decades to maintain a muscular 160 pounds into middle age.

Admittedly, he is neither a nutritionist nor a scholar - his background is in biology and biochemistry. But Lanzalotta argues that people have been eating bread for too long for it suddenly to be the reason everyone is fat.

"Human civilization and grain have ties that go way back. No municipal society evolved without grain, no matter what it was," said Lanzalotta, who kneads his dough by hand like ancient breadmakers. "Not that I believe bread is one of the most sacred foods, but it is one of the most important things we can eat."

Lanzalotta argues that bread forms the building blocks of the body and, in moderation, can lead to more stable moods, clearer thought and a rock-hard body, right down to the washboard stomach of a Renaissance statue.

The Da Vinci Diet is not published and is revealed primarily through the baker's lectures. It consists mostly of Mediterranean foods - the foods ancient thinkers and artists ate. Fish, cheese, vegetables, meat, nuts and wine, in addition to bread - none are taboo at Da Vinci's table.

In his diet, Lanzalotta uses a complicated formula he created that relies on the value of phi, a number discovered by ancient mathematics, used to build the pyramids, and featured prominently in Brown's book.

The value, 1.618, is known as the "golden ratio." It has long fascinated artists, philosophers and mathematicians.

Taking into account factors including body type, the diet typically breaks down to 52 percent carbohydrates, 20 percent protein and 28 percent fat. That's fewer carbohydrates and more protein than current federal guidelines.

The formula also can help people choose the right foods without turning a finicky eye toward the bread humans have consumed for the ages, Lanzalotta said.

A little suspect? Maybe.

In his book "The Golden Ratio," Mario Livio, an astrophysicist and senior scientist on the Hubble Telescope, discusses the history of the number. But Livio questions whether a diet based on it is better for the body.

"I'm not surprised in the sense that the golden ratio has been incorporated into many things," Livio said. "But to claim that we are tuned precisely to the number, I don't think there is particularly strong evidence."

Lanzalotta is not alone in looking for a carbohydrate-considerate way to eat, said Dave Grotto, a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association.

Grotto agrees with Lanzalotta's claim that most new "Atkins friendly" processed snacks on grocery shelves are mostly nonnutritive filler - low-carbohydrate cookies and treats that critics describe as tasting like cardboard.

"The bakery industry has been in essence turned on its head," Grotto said. "But the truth of the matter, we eat because we enjoy the taste of food. And some of that gets lost in translation in low-carb foods. Some of it is God-awful."

When low-carbohydrate diets took off amid an ever-fatter population, Lanzalotta was spending hours researching food, exploring radical dietary regimens, and finding ways to incorporate bread to make it healthy.

He actually understands why low-carb diets work and appreciates the discipline involved. The diet has its strong points, he said.

"I'm not suggesting that we eat more bread," Lanzalotta said. "I'm just trying to look at the problems with eating only meat."



By Ryan Lenz
©MMIV, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AMEN!!!
It's not like there's a small number of vegetarians out there anymore, and it's certainly not something new...

I haven't been able to comfortably eat foods high in protein and/or fat since I had my gallbladder removed. But in response to the original comment, there's a reason we crave carbs. It's because we need them so much! However, I've come to the conclusion, after much research (mind you, this is my personal opinion!) that grains are not as vital a source of carbs as fruits. In centuries past, grains were a relatively quick and easy source of calories in a world where starvation abounded.

These days, most of the nutrients and fiber found in whole grains can be found also in vegetables. And the carbs found in fruits is much easier for your body to digest than the carbs in any kind of processed foods (I'm talking sucrose and other loveliness like that).

So, I've found that the California Food Pyramid works best for me and my circumstances. Fruits and Vegetables at the base, High Fiber Cereals and Grains as well as Starchy Vegetables next, then Protein from Plant and Animal Sources and finally Taste Enhancers (Rather than Fats, Sweets and Oils).

This Pyramid reflects the way our bodies were designed to work! The USDA Food Pyramid is terribly unhealthy!!! Consider that it was created by THE GOVERNMENT, obviously putting emphasis on those agricultural areas in which the U.S. is most heavily involved.

I would stake my life on the fact that following the CFP will result in the slow and steady weight loss deemed healthy by doctors and nutritionists (I mean for healthy people!!).

For real!! My personal trainer tried to tell me that eating more protein would make me lose weight. No, he didn't say eat fewer carbs - he said carbs give me energy to work out! :rolleyes: People are out of control!!

With regular activity, a woman's body should receive no more than 6 ounces of protein per day. With increased physical activity, the number goes up - but so does the carb count. I completely understand why low carb/high protein diets make you lose weight and are VERY successful in this venture. However, don't kid yourself into believing that the calories somehow change and the protein can possibly have fewer calories per gram than the carbs! :p

actually protein does have fewer calories per gram than carbohydrates....(basic biology/thermochemistry) b/c of the natural fibers/indigestable material.
ratio is 4:9

I apologize for being nitpicky but I think its fat that has 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrates and protein each have 4 calories per gram.

One thing no one has mentioned in this discussion yet is that among other health risks, high protein diets put a LOT of stress on your kidneys - something that is produced when your body breaks down protein is processed/detoxified by your kidneys, so more of this substance = more stress on your kidneys.

I'm convinced that in terms of overall health and weightloss, its best to eat loads of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein (grilled skinless chicken, seafood, tofu, etc), wholegrains, and low-fat dairy. (My mother's best friend is a nutritionist and she backs me up on this one). I agreed with whoever said that many obese people say they have tried tons of diets and they are still fat, but in reality they haven't learned about exercise or portion sizes or whatever. I'm not saying all obese people are like that, but certainly a significant portion of them!

So I guess I like my carbs - provided they come from fruit, dairy, wholegrains, or chocolate (my major source of refined sugar... but its SO GOOD).

I went to a nutrionist a couple summers ago as Atkins was beginning to move into the spotlight. She is nationally recognized as one of the leading experts in her field. She told me the problem with Carbs is not they in themselves a problem, but like everything, we eat three to five times daily the amount we need and THAT (the extra) becomes fat. Carbs do not just turn into fat if they are being used!!!!!
One of the biggest problems with this was the low-fat food craze. The manufacturers replaced fat with carbs. So you thought your fat-free cream cheese, mayo, salad dressings were all making you skinny. No they were increasing your daily carb intakes to way too high levels and turning into fat. She told me that I need to introduce MORE fat into my diet because I wasn't eating enough, and I was eating entirely TOO many Carbs.
The Moral of the Story: CARBS are not the Enemy. Too Much of anything is not a good thing. (Sorry Alan Jackson) We as a country need to stop over eating and failing to indulge in some self-control.

There is only one correct, long term proven way to lose weight.
Burn more calories then you consume.

The thing I missed the most while being on Atkins was fruit and being able to eat all the salad I wanted. I could have eaten all the turkey I wanted on it but I'm one of those people who needs her salad every once in a while! I love those big salads at the fast food places now, and I couldn't imagine that being all of my carbs for the day!

Anymore I have reduced my carbs, but at the same time I'm not doing Atkins. I'm trying to reduce my overall food intake which seems to work out better than if I was cutting carbs. It's slower but it will probably last longer! :)

Carbohydrate: 4 cal/g
Protein: 4 cal/g
Alcohol: 7 cal/g
Fat: 9 cal/g

Though, with the push toward low carb/high protein many food companies are trying to make that Carb: 9 cal/g more believable!!