Re: Re: need help = please

November 16, 2005

> ( & ),

>

> I wouldn't say I am pissed off, but, you certainly grab my attention

> when you try and compare a wholesome, balanced, nutritional food intake

> (NOT a diet) to an artificially out of balance experimental eating

> pattern identified as the Atkins program / diet.

>

> I'm sure he didn't remember, but, J. happens to have been one of

> the few original BFL'ers I spoke to about the BFL program. I was

> struggling to find another person well over 300# that has had success.

> ...And, by all my possible measures, had achieved success.

> ...GREAT success! So, the program is and has been working for him and,

> now, me too.

>

> I, like , have been plateaued for quite some time. I've been

> sticking at the 250# level for about a year or so, now, after losing

> more than 100 pounds by eating naturally following BFL. The nutritional

> aspects are sound and I am certainly not starving my body. I am seldom

> hungry, but, like , I feel a compulsion to eat stuff (sometimes lots

> of stuff) that I just know is not good for me.

>

> I'm not quite seeing how changing to a no/low carb DIET would change my

> eating compulsions any. More than likely, I'll break down and have the

> bread, pizza, cakes, cereal or other Atkins' unfriendly foods the same

> as I now have the added fat and quantities. The challenge we both

> likely face has NOTHING to do with BFL or Atkins or any other program.

> We just tend to enjoy stepping over the line for either quality or

> quantity of foods.

>

> From a medical standpoint, I can spend my time and concerns measuring

> my health improvements and NOT spend time or concerns worrying about my

> ketones or potential liver or kidney problems that might occur from the

> abuse and strain I would be placing my body through the high protein and

> no/low carb foods. Plus, IMHO, if carbs weren't good for us, God would

> not made them so accessible to us as humans!

>

> As I see it... Like me, is in need of a bit of psychological

> counseling and reinforcement that will assure us we are able to move

> forward to the next level of body fitness. There has to be an effort by

> me (us) to maintain ANY nutritional program that doesn't seem to fit

> what I just stumble onto, food wise, for the day. So again, IMHO, the

> solution is NOT changing the " program " we follow, but rather, the

> solution is changing the " program " in our minds.

>

> After following and maintaining a BFL lifestyle for more than 2 years, I

> think it's time we go back to where we crossed the abyss and re-address

> the newly found issues. Issues that we didn't really see 50# to 100#'s

> (or more) ago. Issues that may now have us in need of backtracking just

> a little and re-crossing the abyss in a different manner. We will have

> to take a good hard look at our behaviors. What we do right and what we

> can do better. With whom do we eat? What do we eat? When do we eat?

> How much we eat? ...And why we eat what we do.

>

> There is one point that another BFL'er from another group, Chuck, had

> stressed to me a while back. I spoke of being satisfied with my food

> intake as I had not really experienced any hunger. Chuck's response was

> that if I am needing to reduce my body size, there will come a time when

> I will simply have to experience a little less quantity and not be fully

> satisfied at every meal. Basically, from time to time, recognize a

> little hunger simply to allow my stomach the opportunity to shrink down

> to the next level.

>

> I had not really allowed myself to feel those hunger pangs as I suppose,

> deep down inside, I was quite satisfied as to where I was in the process

> and am very happy with my current physique. Balancing my current level

> of satisfaction with the next level of body sculpting and fat loss is

> something that I (and I believe ) must eventually face.

>

> Last, but not least, our bodies are amazing as they can adapt to the

> environment faster than we can in our minds. Whether you are dabbling

> with no/low carb diets or simply eating the right balanced meals,

> eventually, the old formula of consumption versus burn of calories will

> come into play.

>

> I can assure you that someone of my size and activity eating 11,000

> calories per day of only protein and fat, without the carbs, will

> clearly gain weight the same as if I had 11,000 calories of protein, fat

> AND CARBS, but, my body would more readily adapt to the balanced food

> intake. The flip side is that the extra shock of the no carbs will

> stress other body functions.

>

> I am certainly glad, , that you have had success with your Atkins

> DIET, but, I for one, would never approve nor encourage any such " DIET " .

> I would prefer to enjoy a lifestyle that encourages proper fitness and

> normally balanced nutrition.

>

> As Andy had said, and I agree... I hope you can eventually give the BFL

> program the time and attention you need to make it successful. We will

> all be interested in seeing your (healthy) progress.

>

> I wish you well.

>

Obviously you have no idea what so ever what Atkins is about. I can

have 7 slices of bread a day, 4 slices of pizza, two Big Macs and maintain my

Atkins carb intake. But I'm used to the uninformed that think they understand

the eating plan and make such totally wrong, or most likely actual lies, due

to their own ignorance or frustration with their eating problems.

You say you don't see why eating low carb will not control your

cravings...obviously you have absolutely no idea what the Atkins plan is about,

again...but you sure do make some big accusations...again, uninformed.

Eating carbs first stimulates the liver and the pancreas to release

insulin to store the 'blood sugar' into fat in the cells. Remember the Krebs

Cycle in biology class? First you get a rise in blood sugar, the insulin, a

hormone, is like a key that opens the cells to store the excess blood sugar for

a

later date. Very good resource in old times when there might be times with no

available food, but today that's not an issue in most countries these days.

In ancient times famine would wipe out many people but those that had the fat

reserves had a better chance for survival. The body was made to store

excess calories for times when food was scarce. Hardly the lifestyle we have

today.

Normal blood sugar levels are 70-110. If I ate half a cup of steamed

white rice in 45 minutes my blood sugar would drop as low as into the 30's.

I, like many others, produce too much insulin. Any trigger by carbs cause the

flood of insulin removing and storing the blood sugar causing FAT. Also the

low blood sugar is the trigger for cravings (read the book...). The low

blood sugar triggers the craving for more carbs to increase the blood sugar to a

normal level. It's a sad cycle...as then I'd eat a bit more carbohydrate I'd

again release too much insulin and again have low blood sugar and more

cravings...and major mood swings.

Eating low carb keeps the insulin dumping cycle to a minimum. THAT'S

how low carb curbs cravings. Again, read any of the many books out there on

insulin and eating.

As for " spending time worrying about my ketones " again...read the book

before you judge that's only for two weeks. After that you add carbs every

day till you are still losing weight. That's how many carbs you can eat and

lose weight. It's different for everyone. I can eat, that I know of, about

145 carbs a day and not gain weight and continue to eat all the fat and protein

I want. I may be able to eat more but then my insulin starts to dump again

and I get the low-high blood sugar cycle again and the cravings and mood

swings. I keep it usually about 90 grams of Carbs a day and I feel very good

at

that. I have not spilled ketones since the first two weeks on the plan.

" Plus, IMHO, if carbs weren't good for us, God would

not made them so accessible to us as humans! "

Oh??. In olden days bread was 100% whole grain, not the refined

white flour we have today. Even " whole wheat' bread is at best half white

refined flour. Totally whole wheat bread 100% has so much fiber in it that

it's

very low on the glycemic scale (again, read books on glycemic scales). It has

very little effect on the insulin dumping. I believe, but would have to

check, on Atkins I could eat two whole loaves of pure 100% grain bread a day and

stay on the plan. It would have very minimal impact on my insulin or blood

sugars, thus not storing excess calories. I don't recall the Garden of Eden

lined with French Fries, do

nuts, pasta, refined sugar, pizza, burritos, double cheeseburgers, candy,

beer that your 'god' created??? These have been so processed that they are

total carbs and quickly breakdown into total sugars that our bodies are just not

used to processing. Accessible to us as humans? You mean Circle K? you

mean Mc's? You mean Taco Bell?

" I, like , have been plateaued for quite some time. "

Really? I never did.

" but, like , I feel a compulsion to eat stuff (sometimes lots

of stuff) that I just know is not good for me. "

It's fun to splurge now and then. Last Saturday night I had two dozen

hot wings, two slices of pizza, a huge salad and a slice of cheese cake

(Splenda)...oh,wait, I'm still on the Atkin's plan with that!!!!

" As I see it... Like me, is in need of a bit of psychological

counseling and reinforcement that will assure us we are able to move

forward to the next level of body fitness. "

Exactly what I was saying. Eaters have a different situation with

food, attachment to it, or what it represents, or how it makes us feel from

those

that really never had issues with food. It's not the food. Grocery stores

are full of healthy foods that would make us lose weight and be healthier.

It's the food we choose to put in our mouths that's the issue. And WHY we

choose to put those foods in our mouths, again and again and again and again and

again...... Food doesn't jump into our mouths, we willfully put it there.

THAT'S the issue.

How many of those that bought the million copies of 's BFL book

are now slim and beautiful? A million? I doubt it. I know several at work

that bought it, read it and got motivated but never did the first workout or t

he first meal plan he created in the book. There is a fantastic study on

the Pain and Pleasure Principle....We do things for one of two reasons ONLY...to

gain pleasure or avoid pain. That's it. Only those two reasons...think

about it

Don't clean house because it's 'painful' when thinking you could be

watching TV. Ok, Mom calls and says she's coming over tomorrow....now NOT

cleaning is more painful than the pleasure of watching TV and you get off work

early

to clean till midnight.

Not studying till the night before the big exam...then you stay up all

night and cram. Study every night is 'painful' when compared to watching a

movie...till the thought of failing the class and now anything but study is

'painful'.

For we who are eaters...for what ever reason...self medication, comfort,

security, memory of childhood and food was a reward, availability etc....the

thought of a limited diet (diet means what ever it is you eat) is more

'painful' than the pleasure of ordering Domino's on speed dial and having

another

extra large double cheese delivered in 25 minutes. The key, in this principle,

is to switch the attachment to feeling more 'pleasure' eating in a way that

serves you in your goal and feeling 'pain' in eating foods that keep you from

this goal. Fascinating theory and that's what I used to get going on BFL.

Those before and after pics really stimulated me, I saw the success of others

and wanted it myself...and seeing what they did, normal looking people...I

thought I could do it myself.

But,. eating the plan lay out in his book sounded

awful...'painful' to the way I was eating. I did try it for about two weeks

but failed to

maintain more than a day on what he promoted in the diet part of his book.

Again...failure....internalized the failure to deepen my lack of esteem and

back to food that was always there, non judging, tasted good, warm, comforting,

friendly, was good to me.

I tried Atkins at my doctor's suggestion after doing three days of

testing my blood sugar 8 times a day and a diet log of every thing I ate, the

time

and how I felt. This is when I discovered my blood sugar dropping way way

way TOO low with half a cup of rice. The cravings for more to eat, though I

wasn't hungry but my body wanted a fix, it wanted sugar (carbs) so I ate a slice

of toast, 45 min later a cookie, 45 minutes later a cupcake.....etc, etc, etc..

every half hour my blood sugar dropping to the 40's or 30's then up to 100,

my moods from depressed to normal every 30 minutes...I was goinig nuts....and

it was because of what I was putting in my mouth.

My doc put me on Atkins, the first two weeks very specific what you eat,

in 24 hours my blood sugars maintained within 5 points. My mood swings

stopped, no more yo-yo depressed to happy with my blood sugar changing every

half

hour. In 5 days no more carb cravings. Amazing. Changed my life.

Eating foods that were low glycemic (most all natural, unrefined foods are in

this

category but for Honey. Fruits mixed with fats are now slow to be digested

and become low glycemic) I also had the emotional benefit that I could eat

till I was full. I had this fear of hunger. I'm still not sure what that's

related to from my past. My parents were from the Depression era and were

constantly warning us not to waste food or that the day was coming we'd be

eating

'cats and dogs. " Both my parents kept telling me that....Maybe they created

this urge to hoard food and eat and eat because the day is coming when there

won't be enough. I'm not sure...but what ever cycle was processed in my head

was starting to weaken and I had discovered a new truth to believe.

You guys might never experience hypoglycemia as I did..but LOTS of

people do....and eat and eat and eat and get fatter and fatter and fatter and

then

become insulin resistant and then become diabetics.

You act like I'm attacking BFL and I'm not. Just don't read ONE book

and make a judgment by that. Read 100 books on diet and fitness and make a

decision. His diet plan just would not work for someone producing too much

insulin. It would not work for someone producing too little insulin. There

are

LOTS of people on this planet with either one or the other. I wrote my

response to the guy who ASKED for some response because he just very well MIGHT

be

one who's insulin levels are not in the 'normal' range and MIGHT consider

trying eating in a different manner than someone who does have 'normal' insulin

production.

I did not tell him he should be on Atkins but did suggest he might try

another eating plan. If he is insulin resistant or hypoglycemic or

hyperglycemic then the eating plan in BFL is not the best for his body. A

glucose

tolerance test by his medical provider would be excellent to start. I think

everyone should have one. There's a major study done on American Natives,

especially Pima Tribe members that are 90% diabetic in their total population.

Totally unheard of 100 years ago for them. Old pictures of the tribe they were

slim. Now many are 500 pounds and over. Their diet changed with the

Americanization of their lifestyle (and ours!!!) and that was to blame for

years.

Now the study finds that their pancreas is susceptible to Strep B

infections...knocking out the Beta Cells that produce insulin. They have

no/little

resistance to Strep B bacteria.

We might get a 'strep throat' and take some Ampicillin and be over it.

They get Strep B infection and it can knock out the Beta cells instantly

making them Diabetics for life due to their never being exposed to this

bacteria

till the white man came and never had a chance to build up resistance.

Anyway....just a response. I'm NOT pushing Atkins....I'm telling a guy

who ASKED for some assistance that it works for ME. There are many plans

out there. He might be climbing the wrong ladder. He might get his insulin

levels checked by his health care provider. He might read a few more books.

He might be stressing with a new baby in the house. He might enroll his

spouse more in helping support him in this program. He might rethink WHY he

eats. (I highly recommend any Bradshaw book or tape). He might need

more

cardio, or less cardio. He might need some support to make him feel better

about himself with a counselor or minister or rabbi or what ever. He might

choose to read inspirational and motivational books and fill his mind with

thoughts of success, happiness and a bright future. He might take a meditation

class, or dance class, or take up art or something creative to allow emotions

and feelings to open up. He might take a motivational workshop like

JimRohn.com, TonyRobbins.com, HoneyWard.com and discover some new tools to use

to see

himself and the world differently.

Excessive weight isn't the problem, it's the result. Been there.

" Some mornings are just not worth chewing through the leather restraints. "

---

November 16, 2005