BrightAngel check-in

[BrightAngel]

It doesn't really matter what particular "Diet" you're on
because....
A name is just a box we put ideas in.

[osoniye]

Just wondering, what was your average carb intake before starting this low carb adventure?

[BrightAngel]

What was your average carb intake before starting this low carb adventure?

I estimate that my “normal†average carb intake has been between 100 and 150,
however, for various reasons, that estimate might be incorrect.

At the end of the first half of 2010,
I became interested in experimenting with low-carb issues,
primarily due to Taubes’ Good Calories Bad Calories,
as well as my own weight-maintenance difficulties.
I made several brief (failed) efforts during 2010.
At the beginning of 2011, I started my current Low-Carb Experiment.
In the years prior to that time, I did not consciously try to restrict carbs.

Calorie Restriction has always been my primary method of weight-loss/maintenance.
While reducing my calories, I made a conscious effort to eat a reasonable amount of protein.
Even though I primarily ate low-fat, fat is in just about everything.

So, there were simply less calories to take in as carbohydrates.

Taubes’ writing has made me aware of the fact that
in every diet throughout my lifetime….and there have been a lot of them….
my calorie restriction has also inadvertently resulted in a carb restriction.

I remember that in years prior to the end of 2004,
during the times when I wasn’t restricting calories,
my primary food was carbs
…sugars, simple and complex carbs, and fat.
I believe that I took in about the same amount of protein that I do now.

I have detailed daily records of my food-intake from 9/20/2004 through today.
For the past 2308 consecutive days, I have entered all my food into my DietPower log.
The DietPower program stores that data, and makes it readily accessible to me.
I can easily access my data in “averages†for specific time periods,
or for exact amounts within individual days.
This gives me the ability to make an accurate personal analysis of my own behavior.
which is limited of course, by my own insufficient skills of analysis.

I began maintaining my current weight in January 2006,
and have now done so for the past 5 years.

During that 5 year period, I have experimented with a number of different issues,
involving food-intake and exercise,
by using a number of different methods and ways-of-eating.
Eating more, eating less; exercising more, exercising less etc.

Leaving the issue of ongoing Hunger and Cravings aside,
I’ve been concerned about how..
..….independent of any exercise or ageing issues…..
my calorie requirement to maintain my current weight has dropped over time.
It is impossible for anyone outside a lab to ever accurately count calories.
However, my focus is on the Calorie deviations,
and since I weigh/measure foods and count the calories in them the same way
Over time, I am measuring my own behavior by my own behavior…
…which I believe is as accurate as anyone can ever be in real life.

To maintain at or near my current weight:….
1st year of Maintenance: 2006 – Calorie intake 1505
2nd year of Maintenance: 2007 – Calorie intake 1408
3rd year of Maintenance: 2008 - Calorie intake 1179
4th year of Maintenance: 2009 – Calorie intake 1045
5th year of Maintenance: 2010 – Calorie intake 1076
This calorie deviation is not explainable by exercise or aging…
and probably not even by carbs….
During 16 months of weight-loss my calorie intake averaged around 1200 calories,
and I lost from 190 to 115…75 lbs.

During the first two years after that, I maintained around 115 lbs
with around a 1450 average calorie intake.

During the 3rd year, in order to maintain about the same weight,
it was necessary to drop my calories about 250 calories a day.

During the 4th and 5th years, in order to maintain about the same weight,
it was necessary to drop them an additional 120….
which is about 370 less a day than during the first two years,
and about 150 daily calories less than during the 16 month weight-loss period.
There simply don’t appear to be any factors….
….outside my body’s own desire to regain lost weight….
that adequately explain this to me.

As a result of the above-information, I have come to the personal conclusion that
the simple Calories-in/Calories-out, together with the Theory – 3500 calories = 1 fat lb,
just don’t adequately explain what is going on inside my own body.
You might be interested in this chart of some detailed nutritional information.

[TexArk]

Pros and Cons of High Protein Diets

http://www.atkinsexposed.org/atkins/79/ ... y_Fund.htm

http://fitnesstransform.blogspot.com/20 ... amage.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-p ... ts/AN00847

http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-dia ... pathy.html

It seems to me that the main cause of kidney damage is high blood sugar not protein, and excessive protein seems to be a problem only after there is kidney disease especially in the diabetic patient.

[BrightAngel]

It seems to me that the main cause of kidney damage
is high blood sugar not protein,
and excessive protein seems to be a problem only
after there is kidney disease especially in the diabetic patient.

I think your statement is correct,
I agree with the following opinion, some of which is quoted below.

It can be found at:
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/16351841.php

Does a Low Carb Diet Cause Kidney Damage?

The belief that high protein diets cause kidney damage is one reason why, for many years,
doctors warned people with diabetes that low carb diets would kill their kidneys.

Fortunately, this turns out not to be true.
While almost any intake of protein is a problem for people with advanced kidney disease,
studies have found repeatedly that for people with normal kidney function
or early diabetic changes the low carb diet not only doesn't promote kidney damage,
it also reduces blood pressure, which is a major cause of kidney damage
and may actually reverse early kidney changes.

In fact, people who are able to normalize their blood sugars with a low carb diet
often report that their kidney function recovers
and that microalbumin disappears from their urine.

A low-carbohydrate diet may prevent end-stage renal failure in type 2 diabetes.
A case report. Jorgen Vesti Nielsen et al. .Nutr Metab . 2006; 3: 23.

One possible reason this may happen is because a low carb diet
is really a high fat diet, not a high protein diet.
While protein might make up a larger percentage of intake on a low carb diet,
the actual amount of protein eaten is usually not all that different
from that found in a low fat diet.

Think of it this way. If I eat a hamburger with no bun and no fries and a salad
and you eat a hamburger, bun, and fries,
my protein intake may be 50% of the calories I ingest,
making it look like I'm eating a "high protein" diet.
You are eating the same amount of protein,
but the intake of all those high calorie carbohydrates makes your protein intake
a much smaller percentage of your total calorie intake,
so a nutritionist will consider this a safer, "lower protein" intake.

Meanwhile, someone eating a high carb diet has to contend with all the glucose
from those carbohydrates that are routed through the kidneys,
while the person eating the hamburger and salad will not
because their blood sugar will not rise out of a normal range.

If you are really concerned about possible problems with a high protein diet
and your kidneys, there is a simple solution.
Don't EAT a high protein diet.
Eat a low carbohydrate diet with just enough protein
to provide enough to repair your muscles and organs
and provide the glucose needed to run your brain.

Use the Protein Calculator you'll find here to determine
your exact protein need while eating a low carb diet.

A review of research evidence on the topic of whether low protein diets
actually help people with diabetes preserve kidney function published in
Sept of 2008 comes up with the suggestion that they do not,
and suggests that ACE inhibitors and ARBs are as effective

[funfuture]

Congratulations, Bright Angel!

[BrightAngel]

Congratulations, Bright Angel!

Thanks funfuture,
I think you are congratulating me for the efforts reflected in this nutritional chart?

[BrightAngel]

Copied here for reference and discussion.

I'm not a nutritionist or a biochemist, but I am a chemical engineer by degree
and I've done plenty of mass/energy balances in my life.

The deficit does matter,
but most people seem to think the equation should be:

change in fat storage = calories eaten - calories used by body.

It is probably a lot more complicated than that, more like:

change in fat = calories eaten + calories released from fat storage
+ calories pulled from protein matter in the body - calories expended by cells
- calories added to fat storage - calories added to protein matter in body

and I'm sure I'm leaving some things out.

We don't have a lot of control over most of those things
on the right side of the equation,
even though we'd like to think so.

They're driven by genetics and hormones
and regulatory systems in our bodies,
which even biochemists and nutritionists don't fully understand,
probably because it can differ so widely from person to person.

The one thing I can control
is what kind of substances I put into my mouth.

For me, keeping carbs low seems to help
with several of those pieces of the equation,
so I know I'll have to continue with this way of life,
if I want to lose to a reasonable weight and maintain it.

****
(July 2010) Start: 296 lbs
(January 2011) Current: 248 lbs
Goal 175 lbs

Yes, Yes, Yes.
Very True.

**
Start 236 lbs
Current 128 lbs

[BrightAngel]

Something I frequently tell myself:

Strength is the Product of Struggle.

[BrightAngel]

This online dialogue between two men, was so unusually civilized,
that I copied it here for future reference.

Some people do seem to have success
at losing and maintaining weight
by following a low-carb high-fat diet.

It doesn’t work for me,
but I don’t deny that it seems to work for some people.

I, too, had difficulty losing weight after my initial (couple) induction weeks,
as despite my vigilance in keeping my carbs around 20g/day,
I had weeks of “zero†weight loss, causing me tremendous frustration.

I still greatly admire and respect Taubes’ books and lectures,
especially his review – and debunking – of the calories-in/out theory.
Yet despite this, trying to lose weight has been hell.

However, rather than “throwing the baby out with the bathwaterâ€,
I feel that, for myself, I have to also include calorie reduction,
as it has helped me to lose weight.

If you look at the fine print at the Atkins site (I have links for reference)

They say if you are not losing weight cut back on protein.
If you are still not losing weight cut back on fat.
If you are still not losing weight cut back on calories to about 1800 per day.

Voila. You’re back to where you started from – counting calories.

I know.
In “The New Atkins†book by Westman, on page 107, he writes,
“Although you don’t have to count calories on Atkins,
if you’re overdoing the protein and fat, you may be taking in too many calories.â€

He does explain this more but it still is paradoxical.
Even Atkins talked about weight stalls and going for a week
doing 1,000 calories on macadamia nuts & cream cheese.

I think Taubes’ book was designed
to relate the basic mechanisms that make us fat (and how to get rid of it),

but for you and me, we have to look at calories as well. Not fair!

The basic Japanese diet is very very high carbohydrate…
[but] the obesity rate in Japan is about 3%.

I remember hearing a recent interview where Taubes acknowledges the paradox,
although mentioned that the lack of sugar may have something to do with it.

I don’t know what’s true,
but certainly one cannot discount the malevolent influence of sugar,
HFCS, and all that crap

Exercise is good because

(a) it helps you expend more calories;

(b) certain kinds of exercise can help build muscle mass,
which results in an overall higher metabolism.

I only know my own experience with exercise.
It helps me feel good, it stretches my muscles, helps my lower back,
but I don’t lose a drop of weight.

That’s my reality (I don’t like it, but it is what it is).

There is nothing wrong with eating less during the day
and saving your calories to eat more in the evening.

Again, I only know my own experience.
If I eat a large meal at night, it makes me “conk outâ€,
resulting in an insatiable “sweet tooth.â€

Night time is worse for me because I am usually sedentary,
contrasted with daytime where I can be “out and about†more.

Some people are somehow able to lose weight
by just eating certain kinds of food
and forcing themselves to stop eating when they are “almost full.â€

This does not work for me.
My sense of fullness is too out-of-kilter to make such a system work.

Well written.
I have no “graduating†sense of fullness.
I notice I am full way too late to be useful.

All diets are diets.
It drives me crazy when proponents of this or that diet
claim it’s not really a diet it’s a “way of life.â€

Yup.
Whether it’s a diet, calorie restriction, a “lifestyle changeâ€,
the bottom line is that you can’t eat what you want,
especially if you love bread, potatoes, pasta, and sweets (like me).

[BrightAngel]

Today Connorcream
posted an interesting link which is the first of 4 videos on
Blood Sugar: Why you can't lose the weight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RE4cXeX7Po&NR=1

I was impressed with this simple, yet informative, presentation,
of issues which go very well with the concepts in Taubes' new book.
Especially with chapters in the first part of his second section,
which I am now involved in briefing.

I like the way this doctor started with the Basic issues,
and then made a natural progression to those more complex.

I was interested in her confirmation that individual bodies differ,
...which is one of the more intriguing things I find about diets....
and I plan to watch that 4 part series again later
to more specifically watch the way she addresses that issue.

[BrightAngel]

I found this post really interesting.

I still have my 3 meals, no snacks or sweets,
but I have not been using S Days for sweets
because I just do not need them.
So much more peaceful.

...my husband ...was excited to report the results
of his one week low carb experiment (no wheat or sugar)
and he has stopped his ultra low fat obsession.
His sinus and congestion problem is completely absent for now.
He said he thinks he must have a mild wheat allergy.
He also reported that he was very calm
and not agitated craving his usual evening snacks.

I never could get him to try NoS because he didn't want to give up snacking
--lots of toast with fake butter spray and frozen individual pizzas!
His family has a history of diabetes
and he has put on tummy weight for the first time in his life.
Taubes' book really got his attention.

[connorcream]

I got a Magic Bullet for DS to make protein shakes with. I cannot remember when (or if) I have ever bought something "as seen on TV". I felt kinda young doing it:-)

What is your favorite use of it?

[BrightAngel]

Magic Bullet
What is your favorite use of it?

I use it for a great many things, but
I believe my Absolute Favorite thing is using it to quickly whip up eggs, and/or egg whites
before I cook them or mix them together in a recipe that doesn't require my big kitchen aide mixer.

I do that at LEAST once a day, usually more.
I keep the 12 oz assembled right there on my counter all the time,
it buzzes things up so fast, and is easy to wash.

[BrightAngel]

I found this post helpful and am copying it here for reference.

I recently rediscovered a few things:

(1) Eating too high a proportion of carbs
makes me really, ready-to-eat-the-wallpaper hungry.
I received a gift of fruit and discovered that an apple or a pear
is a really bad snack for me.

(2) I need to eat some fat to feel satiated.
I've had stretches of several days in the last three weeks
when I ended up doing mini-binges (yes, plural)
because I was so darn hungry.
I should have noticed sooner that I was eating way too little fat.

During the week before Christmas and New Year's,
I decided to use a few fast food coupons.
I used to eat quite a bit of carefully chosen fast food
early in my new lifestyle but have phased out most of it.

During the week of eating more fast food,
I was surprised to find that, despite the fact that my meals had lower volume,
they were keeping me satisfied until the next meal.
It was a good booster shot reminder.
I don't know if I'll make it a point to eat more fast food,
but I will make it a point to eat more fat.

(3) Sadly, perhaps, I still like the feeling
of being noticeably full (but not stuffed).
However, if I can avoid the hunger pangs,
I am not tempted to eat until I reach this point.

(4) I seem to be OK with chocolate in the refrigerator
in small, individually wrapped portions.
Chocolate in large bars or other snack-type foods
in large containers seem to be more problematic.

One or two small pieces of chocolate
seem to be good for me for scratching the itch,
without triggering a physical craving.

Between being less busy and struggling with hunger pangs,
I've eaten more than planned,
but it hasn't been ridiculous, and I still plan to pay it back.
Now that I've reminded myself how to keep the hunger under control
and I'll be busier again, I think it will be much easier to stay on plan.

One food I think I'll be eating more is cheese balls/logs.
I found today that 4 oz of cheese log and a pear (550 calories)
made a very nice lunch--I was a little hungry five hours later,
but not the kind of hunger that Must Be Obeyed.

Sometimes I feel like a chemistry experiment!


**

Start 260 lbs
Current 144 lbx

Height 5’5â€

[BrightAngel]

You can find a transcript of Tom Naughton's (of "Fathead" fame)
recent interview of Gary Taubes at the link below.
Taubes answers some new questions,
and I found it really worth reading.

http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/ ... ry-taubes/

[BrightAngel]

Copying a fellow member's great post.

Today I weighed in at 170 lbs.

NoS has helped me form some habits and I no longer snack.
I gave up sweets during the week and I don't eat seconds.

I have lost 30 lbs. since adding Calorie Counting to NoS
and have counted carbs since January 1.

Since limiting carbs I feel so much better and have no cravings.
As I have said before, the counting is so easy
with software programs and nutrition labels.

Absolutely no exercise (in a wheelchair) and I am still losing!

[TexArk]

Bright Angel,

I want to thank you for sharing your hobby with us. I appreciate your thoughtful posts and your gentle spirit.

As for the low carb discussion per Taubes books....I can see that someone who is perfectly happy with their way of eating would not be the least bit interested in the discussion. After all, why change what is working? But for those of us who have tried numerous approaches, we are more like the patient who keeps seeking out doctors who may have answers for what ails us when conventional diagnoses have failed. As a younger person I used to have terrible cramps at TOM and had to take tylenol with codeine. The worst doctor I had was a female who never had painful cramps and insisted I just needed to accept feeling uncomfortable!

I am a thoughtful person who has never chased after fads. I have never tried any of the quick loss diets (cabbage soup, etc), and I have been reading and experimenting all my life trying to control my weight. I think of myself as open minded and yet I am very skeptical. You may remember that when I first joined NoS I was determined to never count any calorie or gram or point again. I saw you as a person who could do that, but I would describe my reaction the same as KCCC--I wanted to run the other way. However, the difference is I could not make NoS work for me without the counting. If I had been closed minded I never would have tried the DP free trial. I feel the same way about low carb. I had to be convinced by Good Calories Bad Calories and I was a skeptic at first. I would never have read the book, though, if I had been perking along with complete success. And as you stated, I am jealous of those who can just use moderation and stay balanced without any problem. That is not me and I finally realized that I could not keep gaining weight trying to be that person.

I know that we are not alone. When I read all the posts from those who never get S Days under control and seem to have huge bingefests each weekend, I suspect that is more than lack of self control. I am more sure of that after reading again the effects of insulin. I kept perfect 21 day N Days and had lousy S Days for 2 years...gaining as I went. The calorie counting helped with the control, but it was mostly because the carbs had to be less even on the weekend. I used to be like the men in the starvation experiment. I would think all week long what I could eat on the weekend and I read cookbooks all week long. I told a friend I felt like I was reading food porn all week! NoS was not supposed to be about deprivation because of the S Days. It just didn't work that way for me.

Anyway, thank you again for your thoughtful approach. I am sure there are others who are lurking and reading and can use your information when the time comes for them. As for the others, there is no explaining or discussing unless they are in denial about their own situation.

[BrightAngel]

I know that we are not alone.
When I read all the posts from those who never get S Days under control
and seem to have huge bingefests each weekend,
I suspect that is more than lack of self control.

I am more sure of that after reading again the effects of insulin.
I kept perfect 21 day N Days and had lousy S Days for 2 years...gaining as I went.

The calorie counting helped with the control, but it was mostly because
the carbs had to be less even on the weekend.
I used to be like the men in the starvation experiment.
I would think all week long what I could eat on the weekend
and I read cookbooks all week long.
I told a friend I felt like I was reading food porn all week!

NoS was not supposed to be about deprivation because of the S Days.
It just didn't work that way for me.

I am sure there are others who are lurking and reading
and can use your information when the time comes for them.

TexArk,
Thanks for your kind words.
I'm glad that my own experience and example has been helpful to you,
and I join you in believing that there are others here who can be helped by us.

[BrightAngel]

It occurred to me that others of you might like to try this recipe,
so here's a copy of a post I recently made on another Thread

Now, are there such things as low-carb treats?
What are they?
If I normally have pancakes on Saturday, are there low carb things to equal them in appeal and pleasure?
Or should I let carbs be my treats?
If sugar is bad for me, and sweeteners raise insulin too,
what can I do about my sweet tooth if I want to get slim?

Being sugar free seems so SAD.

I agree with you about how sad this seems.
Personally, I choose not to go that route,
and I find that artificial sweeteners fill the bill for me.
Sure, they aren't as good for one as going totally without,
but considering the alternatives, it's a vice I can live with.

Many low-carb people appear to be able to have artificial sweetners without any problem.
It is my understanding that splenda is one of these which DOESN"T raise insulin...
(low-carb people who oppose it think any "sweet" taste is bad for one)

Anyway, I always use liquid splenda in my tea,
(a powdered pkg counts as a carb because of the binders)
and I allow myself occasional treats made with splenda...
and even some with sugar-alcohol.

The majority of low-carb people seem to do the same.

I have a favorite pancake replacement that I'm using on low-carb.,
I use a very small amount of bottled sugar-free maple flavored syrup with it,
but it is good with just a pkg or two of Splenda sprinkled over it.
Here's the recipe.

Mock Pancakes
1 whole egg,
2 egg whites,
1 TB cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pkt splenda

Blend all ingredients thoroughly.
Spray non-stick coating on small skillet
heat on medium high heat.
Pour mixture into heated small skillet
Then cook like pancakes - except
lift the edges to allow the batter to flow under
like one does with an omlet.
When the bottom is browned and the top is almost set,
Spray non-stick coating on top of pancake,
turn it over and brown.

I used to do this recipe when I was doing low-fat,
but then I used 1 TB ricotta cheese, and no butter.

However, on low-carb, I put butter on it, and then a couple of tablespoons
of sugar-free syrup.

I've been using this recipe for quite some time,
and it is one of my favorite go-to breakfasts.
It tastes good, and makes my body feel good.
In fact, I feel really abused if I ever have to have real pancakes.

Even my husband, who doesn't eat "diet" foods loves it.

Try this and see if it helps out.

[BrightAngel]

Something to Think About:

Many of us have preconceived expectations
when we start this journey
as to how long it will take.
We think that by doing everything to a T,
everything will go as planned.
But many times that is not the case.

We must learn to accept the obstacles
that are inevitable in this journey,
knowing that the end is not what makes us who we are
or who we were meant to be.
It is the journey of overcoming obstacles
that defines who we are and who we are meant to be.

Giving up is not an option.

[connorcream]

BA-
Aside from an occasional tortilla, this is my most grain dense meal, and I love them. Many times I have frozen them to take while traveling. I have easily made them in kitchenettes around the country. I always have a serving of berries (usually strawberry & blackberries) on the side with SF maple syrup. I cannot count how many times I have been glad to have them to eat instead of what the rest of the family or diners were having. They toast up nicely or micro too. I add high quality cinammon or SF syrups in them at times as well. A nice alterative to pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving when pumkin pie spice is added. Glad to see the opportunity for me to encourage their enjoyment again.

[BrightAngel]

Connorcream...
I'm not sure...but I think you might be referring
to my protein "oatmeal/egg-white pancake" recipe.

I love those protein pancakes to pieces,
and plan to incorporate them back into my diet,
after my current low-carb diet carb requirement increases a bit.

For now, I am using the egg/egg-white/cream-cheese substitute
which is the above recipe.
Try it out and see if you like it.

The advantage, of course, is that it totally lacks grains.
the disavantage--for those who count calories, or want to eat low-fat -
is that it's higher in fat.

[connorcream]

You are exactly right, I was thinking of the oatmeal ones. I will happily try this recipe too. So embarassed. Thanks for pointing it out.

[BrightAngel]

Recently I ran across this interesting post
from someone who has been successful at low-carb eating.

I had an insight last week.
I came home from town and ate some chocolate chip cookies,
then opened up a loaf of bread and ate several slices with butter.
That was one of my old habits before I lost weight.

I'm about 50 lbs lighter now,
but after eating those cookies and that bread,
I felt as fat and sluggish as I used to feel.

I thought I had so much more energy on account of losing weight,
but then I realized it wasn't just that I'd lost weight,
I had more energy because I was eating better.
That was a turning point for me and I've been back on track
(and feeling much more energetic) ever since.

***

Start: 189 lbs
Current 137 lbs

Height 5’6"

[BrightAngel]

My thought for today:

Don’t trust a diet program that sells food.

In Physical matters (as opposed to Spiritual matters),
Trust based on blind faith is unproductive.
It's good to take information from everyone, process it all.
Then use what works, and discard the rest.

[BrightAngel]

Post copied from the General Discussion Thread for future reference.

I just threw out the last of my diet books and it felt great.
I could have given them away but to me they are sort of evil
and why put anyone else through the nonsense.
No-S is for me... why read anything else!

There are many No S members who agree with the above-quoted statement.
I think people should do whatever works for them.

That said...
I'm the opposing voice here.

Diet books are just interesting information for me.
As part of my dieting hobby, I read them all the time.
Actually, I love diet books. I like looking at the different methods
that people have to lose and maintain weight.
I even enjoy the confirmation when I find that a new diet is the same old one.
I can honestly say that I've learned something from every diet book I've read,
.....and I've read hundreds of them.
Sometimes what I learn is exactly the opposite from what the author intends to teach me.
Sometimes I find a new thought or a new idea.
Sometimes I find a new recipe that puts together foods I like
in a whole new way that I'd previously never considered.
If I had stopped reading diet books after I reached my goal weight,
and maintaining it a couple of years,
I would never found No S,
nor been exposed to the many concepts here that are very helpful to me,
or "met" all the great people here on this forum.
Many diet books are similiar,
but occasionally, while reading many of them, I find some Gems.

I don't have to hate dieting,
and I don't have to hate reading diet books.
It's okay if other people choose to think this way,
but there are other options available,
and those are okay too.
It really IS all a matter of perspective.

[BrightAngel]

Post copied from another's private check-in Thread for future reference.

...if I need to reduce/eliminate bread,
what will give the texture of bread or other stodge that is low-carb?
What gives a bread experience without the downside?

My low-carb experiment is very new,
but I've found some eating satisfaction
through the way eggs can be used to simulate bread.

I previously provided you with my "mock pancake" recipe,
which is primarily eggs.
Another way to use similiar ingredients
is a rather famous recipe in low-carb circles, called "oopsie rolls".

This is made by separating eggs, whipping the whites with a bit of cream of tarter,
and beating the yolks with cream cheese,
then folding it together and baking it on a low oven.
Then exposing them to air several hours on a cooling rack.

The result is like a very delicate bread.
You can google "oopsie rolls" and get detailed recipe instructions from many sources.

After making them I divide them into individual baggies,
then place those baggies together in a larger bag and keep in my freezer.

There are many uses,
but my personal favorite is to take out a frozen oopsie roll,
sprinkle it with 1/2 oz of cheddar cheese,
and microwave it for 30 seconds.

This satisfies my desire for my old favorite, melted cheese on toast.

[ChubbyBaby]

Hi BrightAngel,

I'm pretty new to the No-S diet and to this board, but I've been reading the past posts voraciously and have found your journey very interesting. I wanted to share with you because I think we are thinking along similar lines, but I'm coming at it from the opposite end. You see, I've been low carbing for the past 15 years but am still struggling with my weight, which is why I am learning about the No-S diet. I've also lost weight several times in the past doing strictly calorie restriction. Even though I've not had the long term success that you have had I think I can sympathize with your struggle.

I've read your summary of Gary Taubes book and it was great. Thanks for doing that. I'm on the waiting list at my library for this book, so I will eventually read it, but I am not unfamiliar with what he is saying, but because I haven't read the book I didn't want to post on that discussion thread. Also because what I want to share is just anecdotal evidence based on my own experience, and not scientific by any stretch of the imagination.

From my own experience I believe it is true that carbs cause some people to gain weight. I don't believe that this is true for everyone though. I believe that certain people with a genetic predisposition to blood sugar issues are affected by all carbohydrates. For other people I believe that eliminating or controlling their intake of refined carbohydrates is all they need to do. In my case, I have that genetic predisposition, and so I have to reduce and monitor all carbohydrate intake. Other people, like the ones who do well on Vanilla No-S, probably do not have that predisposition, so they are able to easily lose weight by gently restricting their refined carb intake using the No Sweets rule.

I also believe that just because a person is genetically predisposed to weight gain because of blood sugar issues and insulin resistance doesn't mean that they do not have any character issues in regards to gluttony. In my own case, I started having weight problems because I overate at mealtimes. This was due to the fact that I ate way too many carbohydrates during the day, for a person with blood sugar issues. However, once I started eating low carb and my hunger was under control I continued to overeat, because I had formed the habit. This is something that I need to work on, aside from restricting my carbohydrates. For this reason I don't believe that a low carb diet is the magic bullet for all genetically predisposed people either. A low carb diet definitely helps to control the hunger, but there may be other issues involved as well. There are many people on the low carb boards who cannot lose weight doing low carb, or who stop losing for no apparant reason. There may be a variety of reasons for this, but I suspect that many of them are just eating too many calories. Calories still do count, even on a low carb diet.

I am experimenting with this myself. I got to the point where I couldn't lose weight anymore eating low carb, but now I am starting to realize that I was eating too many calories. The problem is that a low carb diet generally is a very high calorie diet. When tracking my food intake I feel the least amount of hunger when my fat intake is at least 65% of my daily calorie intake. High fat intake is crucial when eating low carb. So, how do you control your calories while doing this? Well, I'm hoping that the No-S diet may be the answer. Eliminating snacks, gently controlling portion sizes with the one plate method, and saving sweets (low carb sweets) for S days is one way to reduce calories without being forced to eliminate fats. As I said, I'm still experimenting with this, so I'll see how it goes.

In your case you may find that simply reducing your refined carbohydrates will be enough to control your hunger. You can try switching to higher fiber breads and unprocessed grains as well and keeping your foods as unrefined as possible. Another suggestion would be to read Protein Power by Dr. Michael Eades. He has a questionaire in his book to help you determine if you have blood sugar issues. If you find that you do then you may have to control your carbs more strictly. If you want to read more scientific information about low carb diets he has a great blog.

Sorry this got long. I hope some of it was helpful.

[BrightAngel]

In your case you may find that simply reducing your refined carbohydrates
will be enough to control your hunger.
You can try switching to higher fiber breads and unprocessed grains as well
and keeping your foods as unrefined as possible.

Another suggestion would be to read Protein Power by Dr. Michael Eades.
...he has a great blog.

ChubbyBaby, Thank you for your comments.
Your personal experiences seem to dovetail nicely with what I've heard from other low-carbers.

During the past year, I've purchased and read a great many low-carb books,
including Protein Power, and I've also visited Dr. Eades website.
He makes some excellent points,
which I considered when designing my current low-carb experiment.

Unfortunately, the solution you suggest is not the one for me.
For quite a long time...years before I considered experimenting with low-carb eating...
I've greatly restricted or eliminated refined carbohydrates.

Many years ago, I replaced refined carbs with complex carbs,
eating primarily carbs that were whole grains, lentils, sweet potatoes etc.
and, of course, I've even limited complex carbs for a very long time,
in order to keep my calories low enough to maintain my current weight.
It is extremely unusual for me to eat foods containing sugar,
although I do choose to use artificial sweeteners.

I think I've addressed those issues in earlier posts inside this Thread,
and I may have also mentioned it in my comments on the Taubes discussion thread.

Although I didn't get my protein guidelines from Dr. Eades,
when I reviewed his formula, I saw that the amount of protein that he recommends
is almost exactly what I've been eating for years.

Once I get that protein requirement,
and the fat that just seems to naturallly be in everything...
even when working to eat low-fat....
there just haven't been many calories left for carbs...

For the past couple of years, it has only taken about 1050 calories a day,
to maintain my current weight.
One needs to be very wise with food to accomplish that long-term,
and over time, I learned to be very creative with lean meat, egg-whites,
and protein powder.

Earlier in this Thread I shared a detailed chart which shows my
yearly averages of calories along with carbs, protein, and fat
for the past 6 years.....During which I have NOT tried to
restrict carbs, only calories....
It just worked out that there wasn't enough room in my calorie budget
for more carbs.

For your convenience, I'm copying it here.


With your low-carb experience, I'm certain you realize that
1 average slice of whole-wheat bread contains about 24 carbs grams,
and about the same for only 4 oz of a sweet potato, or 1/2 cup of oatmeal.
Plus, of course, ALL vegetables...even green leafy ones...contain carbs.

When you consider that my "AVERAGE" carbs for the past 3 years
were less than 100 grams per day..
...which, of course, includes those unfortunate high-carb binge occasions,
including holdiays, vacations, birthdays, etc.
it becomes clear that even without any conscious attempt to
restrict carbs,
this past several years, I wound up eating fewer carbs than a great many people
who are consciously working to have a low-carb lifestyle.

At present, I'm purposely working to further restrict my carb intake.
There are posts earlier in this Thread which discuss that experiment.

[BrightAngel]

Copying this inspiring comment from another member.

I was wondering, CC,
do you stick to No S now or just low carb
or is it low carb plus calorie counting or what?

I think the term low carb is not even well defined.
Some sources say 25 gms, some 72, others a range 50-100,

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-s ... blueprint/.

I find it helpful to think reduced carb
because I have found with tracking that <100 carb I lose. >120 I gain.
I do not like posting calorie counts because the low calorie police show up.
But the truth, is if I ate what the calorie calculators say I can,
then I would get fat again.
I definetely am having way to much fun being trim to get fat again.

I also think calories matter
and it is no more difficult to monitor my calories along side my carbs.
I have an easy time staying low if my calories are high quality, nutritious,
satisfying most of the time.

When I track my money with DH: we balance the checkbook,
look over investments, save for retirement, plan our giving, etc...
It is not just one thing.

When I think of my family: I study their health, know their interests & friends,
send them emails about those things, go to doctors, etc...
The things that matter, and my health matters a lot,
like these other important interests, have many facets to it.

So yes calories count,
a lot of low carbers stall because of their high consumption of cheese and nuts!
However, equally as important, is where those calories come from.

I preplan for major splurges, jsut like money.
If a big withdrawl is coming soon, I save up for it.
DH & I are taking a cruise for 30th anniversary this summer.
Paying cash for it, no debt, saving. It is just a way of life.

So find your happy foods, take them apart,
decide what parts you like, then make it for yourself.
You can do this.
It is not beyond you or anyone else for that matter.
With something as important as our health,
we really should not leave it to someone else.

[TexArk]

I agree with you and connorcream about continuing to monitor both calories and carbs. I have averaged 1300 calories and 120 carbs the last quarter. So yes, I was already lowcarbing just by watching my calories and eliminating snacks and sweets. Since the first of the year I have averaged about 60 carbs daily. I do not know what my maintenance requirement will be, but I hope to finetune it as closely as connorcream and find my range. The youtube video on blood sugar asserted that if one is experiencing cravings, then the carb count needs to be lower. This has been my experience as well. I don't know that my weight loss rate is any different by going lower in carbs, but my satiety certainly is. And that is a huge plus! I don't care what the numbers say as long as I am not hungry.

Thank you for sharing your experiences and wisdom with this board. You and connorcream have helped me immensely and I look forward each day to checking in to see what you have to offer.

[ChubbyBaby]

Hi Again BrightAngel,

What a tremendous amount of data you have accumulated over the years! It must be so helpful to have such an incredible resource that you are able to refer back to! It makes me want to start tracking everything too.

I totally understand what you are saying about a natural restriction of carbs because of your overall caloric restriction. Keeping your carbohydrates around 100g is definitely lower than most people, but think it would generally still be considered too high to be "low carb", which is probably why you weren't finding much hunger relief. It's possible that this level of carb intake is fine for some people, but it would be too high for me. I know I'd still be hungry, and I don't want to be hungry...like TexArk just said.

Dr. Eades recommends eating the proper amount of protein for your lean body weight, keeping your carbs under 30g and then letting the fat fall where it may. He also states that in order to lose weight you need to keep your calories low enough to create a deficit, but if you are trying to maintain a weight loss then you don't need to monitor the calories.

I read a post on his blog from a 60 year old woman who was trying to lose weight but had stalled. The BMR calculators told her that she needed to eat 1600 calories, but she found that in real life she had to keep her calories down to 1200 in order to lose. His advice to this woman was to keep her carbs restricted, but allow her calories to go up to almost 1600, and see what happens.

This seems almost shocking. I know that if it were me I would probably try to lower my calories even more, but eating low carb seems to change the rules to some degree.

I also found this statement of his very helpful:
"There is enough individual variability that nothing specific works for everyone. Most people can pretty much eat what they want in maintenance as long as they keep carbs low enough. Some people, however, still have to watch calories a little."

Some suggestions for watching the calories that I've read are keeping your protein intake to your minimum recommended amount, and staying away from calorie dense low carb, foods like cheese and nuts.

I'm still in the weight loss phase, so I am aiming to keep my carbs to under 30g. I'm playing around with increasing my fat intake to help me control my hunger, but this will increases my calories, so I'm not sure how well this will work. I am hoping that the No-S rules will help keep my calories down enough to create a deficit.

You, on the other hand, are trying to maintain, so what's going to work for you will be different than what I'm doing. You might be able to increase your carbs a bit more. In the book Protein Power they suggest that in general, a maintenance carb level should be equal to or up to about 30% more than your protein intake, but you will have to experiment to find the right number for you.

It really is an individual journey. Good luck on your journey BrightAngel!

[BrightAngel]

Note:
I just finished listening to the 1/27/11
Gary Taubes interview on Jimmy Moore’s LLVLC show.
It is a rare, candid interview with Gary Taubes discussing this book,
Why We Get Fat.

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/

This is Part 1 of a section two-part episode (#439)
where Gary talks about the process of writing a book
like the 2007 New York Times bestseller Good Calories, Bad Calories

and contains a direct response from Gary to those who question his integrity.

Part 2 is scheduled for tomorrow, 1/28/11.

[BrightAngel]

I thought this was an interesting comment on
Taubes' book, Why We Get Fat,
that seemed to accurately summarize Taubes conclusions,
and posted it here for future reference.

My understanding of why we lose weight comes from these Taubes conclusions...

Fattening and obesity are caused by an imbalance
—a disequilibrium—in the hormonal regulation of adipose tissue and fat metabolism.

Fat synthesis and storage exceed the mobilization of fat
from the adipose tissue and its subsequent oxidation.

We become leaner when the hormonal regulation of fat tissue
reverses this balance.

Eating in a way that allows our hormones to regulate properly
is the how the weight loss happens.

[BrightAngel]

I plan on making the most out of my S days tomorrow.
Even if that means I'll be shoveling plain sugar into my mouth
and eating until I vomit.

The above-quote is a good description of binge behavior.
I think there's a good chance that this was a "tongue in cheek" statement,
but I quoted it here because
it is representative of the most difficult No S problem for many of us here.

Some No S members are relatively close to "normal" weight
...just overweight, or slightly over the boarder of obesity..
and this is the extent of their individual personal experience of being fat.
Some No S members are definitely obese, and even morbidly so.

There are many differences between these two types of members.
These include both Mental and Physical Differences.

Some only joke that they are going to eat sugar
until they vomit or feel like it.
This may only mean they will actually have a few pieces of candy
and/or cookies
which will seem like a lot to them.
But, some actually do this on a regular basis,
and this means they are actually going to have a lot,
such as one or more family size bags of candy/and or cookies
and...despite a great deal and time and effort....
they are not able to overcome this "addiction-like behavior".

Reinhard fits into the first category,
while people like me fit into the latter.
We are mentally and physically different.
One-size-does-not-fit-all. Not even in No S.

I think there can be no doubt that Taubes is correct
when he says that sugar is a special case
because it seems to "hijack" the brain.
This seems to be an issue with almost everyone,
however, for some, this means "giving in" to a piece or two of cake
and for others it means eating the entire cake.

Perhaps Taubes is also right when he says this isn't just a
mental or behavioral issue,
maybe there's actually a large physiological issue...
......maybe our respective bodies are different in more ways than size.

Some of us seem to be more sensitive to this than others.
There are some of us, for whom even "healthy" complex carbohydrates...
such as baked potatoes and whole kernal corn... can trigger binge behavior.

[glimmergrrl]

Hi BrightAngel
I am a new member here, and have very much enjoyed reading your posts....thank you for imparting your wisdom. I, as well, belong to the 2nd catagory (see my post for today, if you care to). I spoke to this same issue as ED is a demon I have fought all my life, ever since I was 4years old, chubby, when my gramma told me that I'd "never catch a man" if I was fat and that I was unacceptable to her. She was never very "grandmotherly" to me, was not allowed to sit on her lap as I might muss her dress, displace a hair on her perfectly coiffed head, etc etc. It was then the GREAT SECRET OF HOW TO BE THIN was imparted to me! BULIMIA!!! I was given a box of chocolate ex-lax and was told to eat some after every meal.....and thus, the sick dance began.
glimmer

[BrightAngel]

ED is a demon I have fought all my life

Although I have dealt with bingeing all of my life,
I've never been anorexic or had a problem with purging,
but I am very familiar with eating disorders.

I generally choose not to discuss eating disorders in detail within forums online,
because there are so many "normal" people who simply do not understand.

However, as I've mentioned before, I've got a new domain DietHobby.com,
and am having a web-site designed for it now which should be up by the end of this month.
Since it will belong to me, I'm going to blog there and talk about anything I want.
This will include talking about eating disorders.

One of the things that has annoyed me while visiting many forums,
is the way that many moderators shut down
any kind of unusual viewpoints about eating disorders,
and delete helpful comments simply because THEY THINK it MIGHT promote ED,
or seem "pro-ana" or "pro-mia".

This has not been a problem here at No "S",
but generally No S doesn't attract a lot of people with eating disorders,
and Reinhard has made it clear he knows little about that subject.

At my own web-site, DietHobby.com
I am looking forward to the freedom to speak about whatever I like.

I have quite a few rather unusual opinions about ED,
and a few months after my blog gets going...
.....(I don't want to frighten people away immediately)...
I'm going to share some of them.

[Kathleen]

BrightAngel,
I went months and months of eating ungodly amounts of food on S Days. While I still eat a lot, it is nowhere near the amount I used to eat. I'm listening right now to the Taubes interview.
Kathleen

[BrightAngel]

Often, I find Dieting as a Hobby quite a lot of fun.

Today, I'm really hyped-up about the new website being designed
for my new domain at DietHobby.com.
Yesterday I got a little Progress Report, which makes me feel hopeful
that things are on track (still looks like by the end of February),
and I am asmiliating information, and writing some starting pages.
I am looking forward to having a home spot of my own,
sort of a base, for my online posts.
Although I've been using BrightAngel online everywhere but in DietPower,
I'll be using my real name there. You'll still find me easy to spot.

I belong to several forums ... (No S and DietPower, are my two main ones)...
...and I'm going to continue posting in them,
but my own domain is going to be a place where I can coordinate,
and bring all the dieting stuff that interests me together.
making it totally individual, without regard to sticking to a forum Theme etc.

I am hoping that people from different forums will comment there,
and that this will help individuals come together that might not have otherwise "met".
Of course, I really hope all you guys will drop by after it goes up
to check it out,
and if you like it, then will visit there often.

My plan is to encourage normal, average people like us to participate,
and to limit comments from technical or bigoted types,
I'm going to work to create a place that has a courteous, accepting attitude..
similiar to the one in this forum.
Anyway, I'm totally into it right now....
which is helping me with my weight-maintenance
and motivating me to carry on with my current low-carb experiment-of-one.

[connorcream]

I am so happy you are undertaking this. It will be bookmarked. I will visit often and post like I usually do. I am attending a Women's Luncheon today with DD. It is some what of a high profile event. The speaker will be talking about eating, perhaps disorders as she suffered with bulemia, and is now a therapist. Some of the ladies who have asked me about my weight loss will be there. I am quite nervous about what this speaker will be saying versus what I have come to understand about adiposity. This speaker will be a key note speaker at another benenfit dinner which DH & I are one of the main coordinators. It is very intertwined.

The problem I am struggling with is, how to respond in truth, that obesity (and other metrobolic syndrome troubles, i.e. Crohn's) is not a head problem but a fat regulation problem with being fat or inflammation as only a symptom. Will be praying for the right words to say. After all, these ladies have not come to hear me, however, they have seen my journey of success.

[BrightAngel]

Today, my only sister's dear husband is still in the hospital
and is having yet another emergency surgery on his spine...
...this will be the 7th lengthy surgery within the past month,
the last 4 of which have been due to complications of his first surgeries for back-repair.
This is a life-threatening problem, and
I ask any of those who Pray to join me in praying for him,
and for my sister and their children.

[connorcream]

I will offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for him, your sister, children, yourself and all those dear to you.

[Kevin]

I will keep him in my prayers.

Today, my only sister's dear husband is still in the hospital
and is having yet another emergency surgery on his spine...
...this will be the 7th lengthy surgery within the past month,
the last 4 of which have been due to complications of his first surgeries for back-repair.
This is a life-threatening problem, and
I ask any of those who Pray to join me in praying for him,
and for my sister and their children.

[TexArk]

Praying for peace, comfort, and healing for him and the family.

[BrightAngel]

Thanks to each of you for your prayers and kind wishes.
To update those of you who are interested,
the surgeon told us that the operation was successful,
and my sister's husband is alert and recovering in the hospital.

[connorcream]

I am very glad that things went well. You and yours have been in my prayers today.

[kccc]

Glad to hear the news is good. Best wishes for the recovery period.

Do remember to "care for the caregivers" too.

[BrightAngel]

I am thankful that I have such terrific online friends.
In fact, I'm in the middle of writing something about that
to post on my new site.. DietHobby.com after it goes up.

I'm told this will be soon...maybe even by the end of next week.
So, I'm working to write things that need to appear on it initially,
and some basic things I'll be using that will remain invisible to others.
This is quite a lot of work...more than I imagined, but I'm finding it fun.

Also, I don't know if I've shared this before,
but my adult son has been earning his living as a web-designer for the past 12 years.
For various personal reasons, we have not been close for some time.
I'm finding that dealing with him in his professional capacity to accomplish this task
is improving our relationship, and that greatly increases the value of this endeavor to me.

I'm planning to stay a member of this forum,
but if my site takes a lot of time, I'll be less active here.
I'm hoping my site will direct some new people to this forum,
and I very much hope all of you will visit there often.

[BrightAngel]

Ability is what you're capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.
………………… Lou Holtz

[BrightAngel]

I'm on a short out-of-town trip,
and using my laptop, which limits my emoticon acess.
So, my posts are a bit less colorful,
even though the same feelings come with them.

My day's Quote is:

The concept of multitasking is a marketing ploy
to make the fact that you’re too damn busy
sound like a good thing.

[BrightAngel]

Extreme obesity is defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater.
BMI is a statistical measure of whether a person is normal, overweight or obese
based on whether weight and height are in proportion

For those who don't know:

At my highest weight of 271,
I had a BMI of 53.
My current BMI is 22.5
And....I didn't grow taller....

[BrightAngel]

At my house, it's SuperBowl Sunday.

[BrightAngel]

Becoming the person you want to be

Take a look at your priorities and your goals.
Where did they come from?

Are they the products of soul-searching, self-analysis, and careful planning?
Or are they a reaction to pressures from other people?
Did you find them within yourself or within the pages of a magazine?

The answers to these questions are important
because they tell you if the person you're becoming
is someone you want to be.
Here's another way to look at a goal:
do you want it, or do you just think you should want it?

It's not easy to follow your own direction in life.
But it's more possible than you may think.

Question everything.
Every priority in your life needs to justify why it's there.
If you can't come up with a good reason
that actually comes from YOU, maybe it doesn't belong.

To be nobody but yourself
--in a world which is doing its best, night and day,
to make you everybody else—

means to fight the hardest battle
which any human being can fight;
and never stop fighting.

...........................EE Cummings, poet

[BrightAngel]

The past several days
I've been working with my web-designer
re the contents of my new web-site.
He says there are still a few bugs to be worked out,
but it's looking like I'll have control of it soon
I'm excited about it.

[TexArk]

I thought you might want to add this to your file if you have not run across it already. It is an analogy explaining the First Law of Thermodynamics as it applies to calories in/calories out using a broken toilet.

http://sparkofreason.blogspot.com/2011/ ... ilets.html

[BrightAngel]

I thought you might want to add this to your file if you have not run across it already.
It is an analogy explaining the First Law of Thermodynamics
as it applies to calories in/calories out using a broken toilet.

http://sparkofreason.blogspot.com/2011/ ... ilets.html

Thanks, TexArk, I love to get links like this.
AND, congratulations on your current weight-loss success.

[BrightAngel]

My new website, DietHobby.com is now up.
I use my real name there, (Phyllis) so you won't see a reference to
BrightAngel
....but you'll have no trouble knowing that it's me.

My son, the web designer,
is still working on the search/subscription etc features,
but except for those minor points it all seems to be working,

If any of you have any problems logging on or reading anything etc,
could you let me know about it?

I will still be here in No S, but I plan to spend most of the time I'm here
out in the General Discussion Thread,
because I'll need to spend the time I use here in this personal
thead to blog and manage running DietHobby.

I need all of your support, and so I really hope you visit me there
often
and make lots of comments to me.
Together I believe we can help ourselves as well as others,
and one of my goals is to direct additional people to No S.

[Kevin]

Good luck, Phyllis. I'll be checking in with you there.

...
My new website, DietHobby.com is now up.
...

[TexArk]

I did visit your site and left 2 comments on the online friends post. After your pm I checked it again and I can read my comments so I am not sure what you are seeing. It looks like it is going to be fun.

[BrightAngel]

I did visit your site and left 2 comments on the online friends post.
After your pm I checked it again and I can read my comments
so I am not sure what you are seeing.
It looks like it is going to be fun.

Thanks TexArk,
I see your comments under "Imaginary Friends", and
I see on a different page, a couple of other people commented,
and I can see those names.

Before I replied to your comments I saw they had no name by the date
(your name is supposed to automatically go there),
and THEN when I replied, MY NAME went on your comments.
So there's definitely some kind of glitch there, and hopefully I can get that fixed today.

So for the next few days, I hope pople will just ignore the rule about no signatures,
and give me their name inside their comment.

[connorcream]

I think I posted in the book section as my comments were relevant to that sectioons. I will go back and look for imaginary friends, I want to join that area as well. It will be later today.

[BrightAngel]

I think I posted in the book section as my comments were relevant to that sectioons.
I will go back and look for imaginary friends, I want to join that area as well.
It will be later today.

As with all technical things, some glitches don't show up prior to use,
so we are still working out some problems with registration and log-in,
which is supposed to be required before making comments. (to avoid spammers etc)

What is supposed to happen, is people can read my site without
registering or logging in,
however, before they can participate by making comments,
they must register...Registering is meant to be easy, and
no data gets saved or published or sold etc.

After people fill out the short registration form, they are supposed
to return to their e-mail and click the link the web-site sends them.
As soon as they do that, they are registered, and from them on
all they have to do is log in.
When someone registers, the site automatically sends an e-mail to me,
telling me that I have a new registration and who it is.
My web-designer (son) absolutely insists on using an e-mail address
instead of a user name to log in,
...and I think that is mainly because so many people forget their user names
and designing the whole system to fix that is an extra hassle for the web-designer,
and the site-owner (who is me).
That e-mail address is totally confidential and no one will ever send
you anything, including me, without special permission.

You can log on or off while you're on the site,
but when you leave you are automatically logged off,
and will need to relog each time you return and want to make a new comment.
I'm not sure of the technical reasons for this, but that's the way
my son says it must be.

So, it will be helpful to me to have my online friends
register/log-in/and make comments
as soon as possible, because that is the way we will discover the "glitches".
Please let me know about any difficulties so I can get them fixed.

My HOME link is where all my blogs reside,
including copies of the
Why We Get Fat chapter summaries.
So the first 22 blogs my the summaries of that book are there.
BUT that is a difficult way to access them.

The easy way is to use that top link entitled BOOKTALK,
which takes you right to links for all of those Chapter summaries in order,
and then it becomes easy to leave comment under each chapter.

After the WWGF chapter summary posts,
I started my regular blogging.
I believe I now have 8 blogs up, and I plan to add to them continually.
So, if you click the link, HOME, and you start reading back,
when you get to the WWGF posts, it is easier to just leave HOME
and click the link for BOOKTALK.

I wanted to make those WWWF Chapter Summaries first, and put them all together,
for easy access, because I'll be highlighting that section for the next 6 months or so.
You've already read that basic summary because I first put
it in the Thread I made here, for the discussion between me and Kathryn,
with the intention of also using it in DietHobby for a wider population.

I plan to post frequently in my ongoing blog, and also add more pictures and videos,
and recipes and links and other information.

At this point, I have no intention of putting up a forum.
That's just too much work, and there are a lot of good forums
already in existence. ..for example...THIS ONE.

[Sienna]

Hi BA!

Congrats on the blog

I registered and logged in to post a comment. I then refreshed to see if the comment posted and managed to double post the comment Sorry!

A few notes on registration:

1. When you register, the site doesn't obscure your password
2. The registration confirmation e-mail went straight to my spam folder. Perhaps not surprising because of all the diet related spam out there, but you might be able to add more information to the email to decrease the likelihood of it being marked as spam.

Good luck, I'm looking forward to following your blog!

[connorcream]

These were delicious and very satisfying, more so than the oatmeal ones, I am shocked to say. Thank you for the recipe. I reposted it below for other people. I could not find the discussion in your thread with a cusory look. I did sprinkle 1 tbs of oats in mine in testimony to your other recipe:-)
Thanks again,

Mock Pancakes

1 serving

Ingredients:

1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 Tb cream cheese
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 pkg splenda

Directions:

Spray small skillet with non-stick coating.
and place on medium heat.
Mix ingredients in magic bullet or blender
Pour into heated skillet.
Cook like a pancake/omlet,
lifting as it sets, allowing batter to run underneat.
when one side is brown and top is set,
turn and brown other side.

Calories 151
Carbs 1.25 g
Protein 14.6 g

Serve with 1 tsp butter and 2 TB sugar free maple syrup.
Additional calories ; butter 33, S/F syrup 17
Total Calories 201.

Or as an alternative,
simple sprinkle top with additional cinnamon and splenda.

[BrightAngel]

Mock Pancakes These were delicious and very satisfying,
more so than the oatmeal ones, I am shocked to say.
Thank you for the recipe. I reposted it below for other people.

Thanks connorcream.
I've posted that recipe for mock pancakes on my website at
www.diethobby.com under a header link called RECIPES,
and my son's plan is to film a YouTube video of me cooking them.
It would be my very first video, so we'll see how that goes...???...

[connorcream]

my son's plan is to film a YouTube video of me cooking them.

That is a great idea. I searched for some time trying to find a Youtube video on this recipe type. I made a similar recipe using ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese two weeks ago. I used the large griddle that DH used for the family batches as it was hot and greased. Though the taste was fine with these mock pancakes, the texture would have been better described as crepes.

This past Sunday, after reading more posts about using a small omelet pan, I made your recipe, cooking it as you described and it came out like a nice large pancake.

I am still a bit saddened about the oatmeal pancakes. It was my last real dish using oats in a significant way. But the truth is, I do feel better eating a modest amount of them, 1 tbs or less. It isn't an allergy or intestinal issues per se, just a feeling of hunger sooner, tummy grumbles and so forth. Not bad, just that I can do better now.

Keep those good ideas rolling:-)

[BrightAngel]

Keep those good ideas rolling:-)

Thanks connorcream,
Right now I'm filled to the brim with ideas,
and looking forward to this new addition to my hobby.
Thanks for registering at my new site, www.diethobby.com.

[BrightAngel]

Hi Guys,
I did a few posts here, and replied to Kathleen's Chapter 16 & 17 comments,
but now need to go spend time writing something
for my blog at www.diethobby.com.

I hope none of you are offended by my frequent links,
but I so very much want a lot of my no s friends to register
and comment there, and I'm trying to make that easy.

Most of you know that I've been an active forum member here for years,
and although I don't do "vanilla" no s, I'm one of its strong supporters.
No S is one of the diets I plan to say a great deal about,
and I believe that the more No S people who comment there,
giving their own personal position about it,
the more attractive a prospect it will be to people who've never checked that option.

Even people who totally differ with me about dieting
could make comments that will be helpful to direct others to No S,
because there could easily be future lurking readers who disagree with me,
but who agree with you.

One thing about DietHobby is that (once it's totally completed) there will
be a search feature, and linked categories, which will easily direct people
to my No S Bloggs for all the time it's up..and I expect that to be many years.

I plan to write my first special No S article there in a couple of weeks.
I'm waiting for awhile, because I'm hoping to first discover and fix any
registration and comment "glitches", ...with you guys helping me do that.
Also I want to give No S people more time to register before I do it.

Meanwhile I'm writing about things about dieting in general that interest me.
Thanks to those of you who've already registered,
and I hope the rest of you join me soon.
www.diethobby.com

[TexArk]

You are way ahead of me so you are probably already aware of Dr. Jay, but here is his blog. Be sure and check out the my story section. He is a doctor in Canada who had type 2 diabetes himself, put himself on a low carb diet, works with a native peoples who have diabetes epidemic and tried to get funding to do research, made a documentary, etc.

http://www.drjaywortman.com/blog/wordpress/

[BrightAngel]

Dr. Jay, --- his blog.
Be sure and check out the my story section.
He is a doctor in Canada who had type 2 diabetes himself,
put himself on a low carb diet,
works with a native peoples who have diabetes epidemic
and tried to get funding to do research, made a documentary, etc.

http://www.drjaywortman.com/blog/wordpress/

Thanks TexArk,
I don't recall the name Dr. Jay, so this might be totally new to me.
I'll certainly go there and check it out.

Right now, I'm taking every opportunity to post a link to my DietHobby site,
so TexArk, even though I know that you personally are very familiar with it...

www.diethobby.com

[BrightAngel]

This morning I posted two blogs on Diet Hobby.
One of these was detailed weight-loss information,
with a bit of personal info, and the next one contained
some personal pictures and additional info.
My online friends might be interested in seeing that info.

www.diethobby.com

[BrightAngel]

Today I updated my avatar and signature
to co-ordinate with my new Blogging website at
www.diethobby.com

[BrightAngel]

Setting up my site
and writing those Blogs is takinga lot of time right now,
so for awhile, I'll probably just have short posts here.
If you are interested in my detailed current thoughts,
you can see them at www.diethobby.com

[BrightAngel]

My change for today is the new
avitar my son designed for me.
He insists that I use it everywhere,
and wants me to post it at YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

[BrightAngel]

My change today
is to another different Avitar.

My son insisted I to use the one
with the big letters...DIET HOBBY,
and I tried, but I really hated it,

so he is "ALLOWING" me to use this one at forums
as long as I use the other one at Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
which are places that I really don't want to visit anyway.

I'm really tired of being told what to do,
and I'll be glad when my site
is finally finished
so I can do only what to do I want with it.

[Eileen7316]

Bright Angel:

I signed up for your website to leave you a comment, but I have not been validated yet!

Anyway, I watched your oatmeal pancake video. You are a natural! You seem very at ease and you have a lovely voice. I may even try those pancakes!

Good luck with your endeavor!

[BrightAngel]

Bright Angel:

I signed up for your website to leave you a comment, but I have not been validated yet!

Anyway, I watched your oatmeal pancake video. You are a natural! You seem very at ease and you have a lovely voice. I may even try those pancakes!

Good luck with your endeavor!

Thanks Eileen for those VERY kind words.
I've been eating those pancakes for years, and I love them.

Right after you fill out the registration form and click enter,
You're supposed to go to your e-mail and click the link in the message.
I understand that sometimes the diethobby automated message
will be automatically sent to your junk mail, if your filters don't allow it in,
so make sure your e-mail knows that it is okay receive messages from DietHobby.com
Then, after clicking that link you can go back and log in and post comments forever.

HOWEVER, I told my son-the-web-designer to turn off that confirm process, for right now,
since my online friends are the only ones who know about the site.
So if you've already registered, you should be able to log in
and comment even wthout clicking your e-mail link.

However, even now, it is important to make sure you can get e-mails from me(@diethobby.com)
or you won't get notices of my new blogs or my replies to your comments.
I'm so happy that you're going to be part of my adventure.

[BrightAngel]

Adults devise a plan and execute it.
Children do what feels good.

Construction on my Blog at DietHobby.com is officially completed.

www.diethobby.com

[BrightAngel]

"A person who wants to will find a way.
A person who doesn't will find an excuse."
www.diethobby.com

[Eileen7316]

Ain't that the truth!

[BrightAngel]

Ain't that the truth!

It certainly is.

Eileen, I'd also love to see your posts
in the comments section of DietHobby.
I'm hoping to build a base of comments from No S members
to show strangers an established manner of courtesy and tolerance.
Thanks.

www.diethobby.com

[BrightAngel]

A habit is defined as
the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire.

You may know you need change,
you may even know how to change,
but, without desire, change may elude you."

...........................Stephen Covey
(The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)

www.diethobby.com

[BrightAngel]

Sometimes I need to tell myself:

"You are not hungry and you are not starving.
You simply want to eat.
It's under your control."

[kccc]

BA,

In respone to your request for comments, I posted a quite lengthy review of No-S on your site. The formatting is not quite what I expected (all my paragraph spacing lost), but I hope it makes sense.

I will probably not spend much time on your site (life is just too full for me, and I hang out online too much already), but I wish you luck with it!

Cheers,

KCCC

[BrightAngel]

BA,

In respone to your request for comments,
I posted a quite lengthy review of No-S on your site.
The formatting is not quite what I expected (all my paragraph spacing lost),
but I hope it makes sense.

I will probably not spend much time on your site
(life is just too full for me, and I hang out online too much already),
but I wish you luck with it!

Cheers,

KCCC

KCCC,
I saw your terrific comment on DietHobby,
and I just replied to it.
Thank you so much for giving your No S opinion there.

Also thanks for your well-wishes on my new site.
I am enjoying it a great deal....which is actually the point...
since it is totally a personal recreational project for me.
I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to spend some
of my retirement time with this pleasant task.
AND also help myself (and others) with weight-loss and maintenance.

The support of my No S forum friends has been so emotionally
helpful to me during my "start-up" process.
But certainly, I wouldn't want anyone to visit my site regularly
unless it satisfied some interest or need for them personally.

My son-the-web-designer tells me that about 90% of the people
who visit a site like mine never leave any comments,
and he has been very pleased to see
how helpful my No S friends have been by making start-up comments.
However, even if DietHobby were only a place for me to write my thoughts,
and I only had a very few visitors and no comments at all,
I would find the project worth doing..just for my own personal satisfaction.

Your post makes perfect sense even without paragraph spacing.
I agree with you about the formatting,
because it is my style to write in short lines with frequent paragraph breaks.
However, I've been shown that this is the way Blogs do Comments,
and ....go it goes...Adapt and Accept is my motto there.

Your long and terrific post is very understandable without line-breaks.
But FYI, what I've done at other places...and will be also be doing at DietHobby...
is to use..................................... or ******************* as a way
to separate out quotes or divide thoughts into sections that are sort of a "paragraph like" function.

www.diethobby.com

[BrightAngel]

Here's me in my kitchen making my mock pancake recipe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Ol2uzCh-0

[BrightAngel]

Thanks to all of the No S Members who
contributed to the discussion of The No S Diet on DietHobby.
If you haven't had a chance to comment, you can still do so.
I plan to keep that No S Review linked on the Main Page, under Blog Categories,
so it will be easy to find and refer to in the future.
www.diethobby.com

[kccc]

BA - an excellent review of WWGF that I thought you'd be interested in.

http://summertomato.com/book-review-why ... ry-taubes/

[BrightAngel]

BA - an excellent review of WWGF that I thought you'd be interested in.

http://summertomato.com/book-review-why ... ry-taubes/

KCCC,
Thanks so much for thinking of me and pointing this out to me.
I read and very much enjoyed it.

[BrightAngel]

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

[BrightAngel]

I can only please one person per day,
today is not your day and tomorrow doesn’t look good either.

[BrightAngel]

All my equipment to shoot and upload my own recipe videos has now arrived,
and today my son-the-web-designer will come and run me through a tutorial.

[BrightAngel]

Today, I posted another new cooking video.

[BrightAngel]

All by myself,
I did my first "promotional" YouTube video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOPO8wvgsfQ

[BrightAngel]

I spent yesterday putting photos in my DietHobby Gallery section.

[BrightAngel]

"The essence of bravery is being without self-deception."

Self-deception is a trap for us all.
Today I'm going to shoot my first "Thinspiration" video,
and my plan is for it to be of my entire body - clothed, of course.

I find that I need courage to do this.
I see myself in the mirror all the time, and I like what I see,
but in the past, I've been surprised at my appearance
when I saw photos of myself.
I wonder if this will happen today
when I see my body size in a recording.

[Over43]

Yes thank you KCCC for posting that link to summertomato.com. I think I'm in love.

O43

[BrightAngel]

I shot the "Thinspiration - After Weight-Loss" video, that I previously wrote here about,
and although I made mistakes in it, I posted it in today's blog at DietHobby.

[BrightAngel]

New DietHobby Thinspiration videos

Thinspiration, After Weight loss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=618infuQ1Oc


Thinspiration – Weight-loss Wisdom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEz2ROHttzM