Ok - so I've decided to post about why I choose to live a low-carb way of eating over low-fat. I have done both. As my very first post here from last year explains: My story - I did the "low-fat" thing for literally 13 years of my life (off and on)....
I DID lose 60 pounds on weight watchers (total over a few years) - and yes, I will be the first to say that it DOES work. However - when it came to MAINTENANCE it just did NOT work. Plus - in my own experience, weight watchers (and believe me guys, I had been to SO many different meetings and "leaders" that this is the same for all, in my own experience) - but weight watchers NEVER taught me how "bad" sugar is for the body. Instead it was taught to fear FAT and that SUGAR had little to NO impact on weight loss. :(
Of course, now that I know the TRUTH it almost pisses me off that I believed that for so long. Now - granted, again I DID lose 60 pounds (total after even roller-coastering ON weight watchers...) however once I was AT my goal weight - I could NOT keep it OFF. Maintenance was close to impossible. So after a while - no matter HOW many points I counted and how many fat grams I stayed away from - I ended up gaining back 40 of my lost 60 pounds. As that story I posted also states - in 2007, no matter HOW hard I tried - working out 4 - 5 times a week and counting my fat/fiber/calories...I couldn't lose ANYTHING - and no one believed me that I WAS trying.
But that's when I went to a new doctor and she diagnosed me with Insulin Resistance. Basically I learned that my body just does NOT deal with carbs and sugar the way a "normal" body does. THIS is why I couldn't lose weight - because I was eating the WRONG foods. Even though I thought I was eating "healthy" I really wasn't.
100 calorie snack packs - anything with high fructose corn syrup (POISON!!!!) and especially diet pop.
What I didn't know was that the SUGAR and JUNK I was putting into my body (even "low calorie" as it was) was just incredibly DAMAGING and that it was KEEPING ME FAT!
My doctor - when she told me I was Insulin Resistant - told me to "cut the carbs" and do atkins. I thought she was insane and didn't listen to her for a year - even after EVERY appointment during that year she kept telling me, "cut the carbs, cut the carbs"...I just wouldn't listen.
But then I did listen and I haven't looked back since! what's so freakin' AWESOME is the fact that - while I haven't actually hit my goal of 160 yet - I've MAINTAINED 166 (give or take a pound or two) for four months!!! all because I cut out grains and starchy vegetables!!!
And - what else I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE about atkins? It's SO versatile and SO many fabulous foods you can eat! It's NOT just "Meats, Eggs & Cheese" like everyone thinks. In fact I've NEVER eaten as many vegetables and fruits than I have on ATKINS!!!!!!
Just a quick rundown for those who don't know - Atkins is done in phases:
Induction Phase - 2 weeks - only the FIRST TWO WEEKS of changing your life do you eat like this. It's hard - but SO worth it and it's ONLY TWO WEEKS!
Induction Phase - eat up to 20 grams of carbs off of a specific list of foods out of the book - mainly all vegetables.
Phase 2 - OWL - Ongoing Weight Loss - You move up the "rungs" of the carbohydrate ladder adding in a few carbs here and there. (add 5 carbs per rung)
Rung 1 - Add in more vegees
Rung 2 - Dairy (no milk, as this is a whole other story - I am trying to get RAW milk)
Rung 3 - Nuts & Seeds
Rung 4 - Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries)
Rung 5 - Low Carb Alcohol
Rung 6 - Beans & Legumes
Rung 7 - Higher fructose fruits - apples, kiwis, pears, peaches
Rung 8 - Starchy vegees - potatoes (yup potatoes!!!) and carrots
Rung 9 - Grains - Rice, Oatmeal, Quinoa
Phase 3 - Pre-Maintenance (where I am now)
and
Phase 4 - Maintenance
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this way of eating! I've learned to eat all NON-PROCESSED WHOLE FOODS that actually come from the EARTH and not from a box. I try to eat foods that do NOT have ingredients I can't pronounce. I try not to eat any foods that were chemically created in a lab somewhere.
Seriously - this is the absolute EASIEST and BEST way of eating. Also - one thing I haven't mentioned yet is the fact that I am eating REAL fat again!!! EVEN yup - i'm going to say it...SATURATED FAT!!!!! and my cholesterol levels have gone down - my triglycerides have leveled out and I'm HEALTHIER than ever! well as far as my diet is concerned...obviously, from my latest posts, I DO need to have my sleep issues looked at. :)
But seriously - if you come across this post and are considering a new diet plan - do NOT eat low-fat junk. GO LOW CARB! and learn how to eat a healthy unprocessed whole foods diet - you WON'T REGRET IT! :)
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