Suggestion Please

[mbrogier]

Hi, I'm new to the board, and I need a weight loss plan. My Dr. recommended low carbs/low cal, but nixed Atkins because of a disease that I have that might cause kidney damage if I were to go into ketosis. I want to have a good balance and have something that I can springboard into healthy eating for life. I like meat, but I can definitely go vegetarian a few nights a week. My husband is skinny, but he also wants healthy food. I can do very moderate excercise--pilates, walking, but I can't do strenuous activities. Thanks for your help!

[tbb113]

You might look at The South Beach Diet. It is similiar to Atkins but allows MUCH more carbs. Weight Watchers is also a great diet and you can control the amount of carbs by the points you eat. I know that alot of people have read Eat, Drink and Be Healthy as a starting point on diet/weight management/healthy eating.

Could your doctor refer you to a nutritionist? That might help you get a diet that is safe for you and your current limitations.

Tyra

[lhall]

The Carb Addicts Diet is another low-carb diet, but it is much more flexible than Atkins and does allow you to consume more carbs.

Leigh

[masimmons]

Weight Watchers is really flexible. You can tailor it to most any eating plan. It works well for me. Right now, I'm not trying to necessarily eat low carb, just complex carb (whole grains, etc.) Again, for me, the minute someone tells me I can't eat something, I develop intense cravings... I'd suggest you see a dietician, though, just to get some professional advice and get started on the right foot. Good luck!!!

[valchemist]

check this thread on the South Beach Diet.

http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43260

[mbrogier]

Thanks, all. I now have some specifics to research. I'll try to get in with a dietician. Thanks again for the advice!

[sneakypie]

mbrogier, I know you from the SL bb!!! I hope you can get this all worked out. I don't have anything to offer on the diet front, but do try a fitball class if your gym offers one. Also, yoga is great. Can you do a spinning class? That is a great cardio workout.

[mbrogier]

Yes, I'm a SL board junkie. I was hoping someone might recognize me from there...Do you use the same name?? I know sneakypie is the name of a corgi in a mystery novel...is that where you got it?

I am on the diet track. Due to some health issues, spinning is not for me. I do try pilates. I was going to get a ball soon. I have to have surgery at the end of the month and once I heal I think I can do more. Today my BP was 90/70 all day...I'm afraid spinning would make me pass right out:rolleyes:

My doctor has given me the diet greenlight...as long as it was moderate.

I'm going to check out South Beach--it sounded promising. I'm afraid I would blow all my WW points on choc cake everyday:p :o

[BeachBum]

You might also want to check out "sugar busters". It is a lower carb diet by way of reducing sugar.

[DocAgocs]

Mbrogier,
Hi from another Michigander! Anyway, the term "low carb" gets use in many incorrect ways. "Low Glycemic Index" would be much better than low carb. It would be a good idea to have a grasp of the concept of Glycemic Index because you can eat carbs, you just want to get the right kind in your diet. A carbohydrate is not, in fact, just a carbohydrate! Cutting out all empty calories is the first step: pop, juice (for the most part), refined flour products, cookies, cakes, candy, etc etc. They have tons of calories and no nutritional value, so get rid of them and reserve them for special occasions (a piece of cheese cake tastes REALLY awesome if you haven't had one in 6 months!).

Glycemic Index is sort of a tough concept, but essentially it is a measure of how large an insulin response specific foods provoke in your body. The higher the number, the more insulin that dumps into your system. The lower the number, the less the response. A lot of insulin dumping into your system really quickly is often referred to as an insulin spike. The insulin rushes into your system, then drops really quickly as your body becomes insulin?resistant. This drop is called reactive hypoglycemia, and this is the tired, sluggish feeling you get when you eat the typical American meal. Doing this cycle for years puts you at a great risk for Type II diabetes and other dieases.

So, eat carbs, but choose low glycemic index ones. You can find GI charts all over the place, but be careful because a lot of authors interpret it for their own evil purposes! :D Dr. Weil's Eating Well for Optimum Health book has a really good discussion of GI in it. Well worth checking it out from the library or buying it.

Low GI foods will have a GI of 55 or less. Mid GI os 55-70 and above 70 are high GI foods. For exampe, Kellogg's Rice Krispies have a GI of 82 while old fashioned oatmeal (not the yummy, sugary tasty stuff) is only 49. Short grain white rice (completely devoid of all nutritional value, by the way) has a GI of 72 while brown rice is 55. Here's some more just for interest:

Rye bread-76
Bagel- 72
Sponge cake-46
Crispbread- 81
Parsnips- 97
Peas- 48
Baked potato- 93
French fries- 75
Sweet potato- 54
Kidney beans- 27
Dates- 103
Grapefruit- 25
Grapes- 46
Banana- 55
Watermelon- 7
Snickers- 41

So, you can see that it doesn't make much sense intuitively, but having a GI chart in your kitchen can help you separate good carbs from bad carbs. Follow my original advice, though, and get rid of the junk food, THEN apply your GI chart to select mainly low GI fruits and veggies. Pretty much all non-starchy veggies are safe choices, as are most non-dried fruits.

I have a complete weight management program that I use with patients and the initial program is 21 days long. Patients feel better than they have for years, maybe their whole life, during that initial 21 days because it is all low glycemic fruits and veggies. When people are used to having insulin spikes and drops, then they switch to a diet that keeps insuline level all day, the change in how they feel is dramatic.

[akairo]

Originally posted by DocAgocs
I have a complete weight management program that I use with patients and the initial program is 21 days long. Patients feel better than they have for years, maybe their whole life, during that initial 21 days because it is all low glycemic fruits and veggies. When people are used to having insulin spikes and drops, then they switch to a diet that keeps insuline level all day, the change in how they feel is dramatic.

So, how can I get on this program?;) Too bad for me that you are on the other coast. I have ordered two books on the topic so we'll see if I can put the theories into practice. I am a carb-junkie. It's so hard to enjoy a cup of coffee without a carb.:o And unfortunately I can't give up coffee. I did try to reduce the number of refined carbs toward the end of my pregnancy and I felt alot better, but I have found myself regressing lately.

Tamara

[DocAgocs]

Well, Tamara, if you're in west Michigan no problem! Otherwise the trip may be a little far! :) Unfortunately, finding good doctor-assisted programs is tough. In our initial 21 day program we include three free office visits if the patients want them so we can address concerns and questions, monitor weight, etc. The whole program is patient?centered, as it should be. the NHLBI guidelines had some research that 10 face-to-face office visits over a 12 month period with the doctor helping the patient with weight loss are equally as effective as three times the same number of visits in a "group behavior modification setting." So, we support our patients with at least free visits during the hardest part of the program, which is the initial 21 days.

Something you may want to look into is an herb called Gymnema. It regulates blood sugar, which helps with cravings, but also has an unusual property. If you use a liquid extract, putting it on your tongue will completely block your sense of sweet taste. Does nothing to any of your other taste buds, and the effect is about 30-60 minutes and not permanent in any way. You can take it regularly to regulate your blood sugar, or just when you are having a killer craving. It makes that brownie or other sweet treat completely tasteless. Good part trick! MediHerb makes an excellent quality liquid extract although you can only order through doctors. Some (not me) sell online, so you can probably find it somewhere out there.

[akairo]

DocAgocs - Thanks for the tip. I will definitely look for the herb. I suffer from a killer sweet tooth:D and I find myself constantly turning to it for a quick fix. It seems as though I am always tired. With four little ones it is no wonder, but I am always dragging. If I can turn the sugar cravings off maybe I'll be more willing to turn to something that will give me longer results. More sleep just isn't in the cards right now:( . And yes Michigan is too far...but thanks.;)

Tamara