Everyday Systems

I have been eating Paleo for the past year or so (protein, good fats, veggies, some fruit and no sugar or dairy). I just cannot wrap my head around the fact that I could eat "normal" carbs (pizza, burger on a bun, pasta etc...) and NOT gain!

So who here went from an Atkins/Paleo-like diet to No S and adding back in carbs and did ok (maintained or even lost)????

I was doing Paleo - the PHD version - before I started NOS. At first, I tried to incorporate it into NOS (Reinhard has said it's OK to include other diets with NOS).

However, after I became firmly convinced by Reinhard that the US obesity problem is not due to the composition of the food but its additional quantity (Reinhard shows the stats on the book and the site), I started adding more carbs. At the same time, I started reducing my food volume, adjusting it by how I felt after I ate (partially hungry, comfortable full, stuffed). And, it's worked for me.

This doesn't mean that adding carbs will work for everyone. I've read somewhere that some people with various medical conditions - such as metabolic syndrome, epilepsy, etc. - are better off limiting carbs.

Since we are all unique individuals, the only way to find out is to add the carbs and see what happens.

*raises hand* Me! Been doing varying lowcarb diets for years with success ... until I got tired of it, wanted pasta, and then the WTH effect happened and so did the weight gain ...

I did Paleo to lose babyweight with my 2nd child, and tried again to lose after I had my 3rd in March ... but it was just too difficult to eat a different meal from my family.

This diet has CHANGED MY LIFE and I'm RELISHING each bite of tortilla, baked potato, oatmeal, beans,bread, and ALLLLL those formerly "off limits" foods.

I did. I never felt full at all and often couldn't sleep from hunger. Then I'd stuff myself on some chocolate binge as I just couldn't sustain it. Obviously I ended up overweight.

Now I feel really full after every meal. Sometimes in the evenings of N-days I still go to bed feeling really guilty about the amount of food I ate within my one plate and about the fact that I don't feel like I'm hungry.

Yesterday night for example, I felt stuffed and really guilty. When I woke up I noticed lost a tiny amount of weight! Sometimes I wonder if the weight will magically appear again and someone will shout - "just kidding! Losing is not that joyful." Hopefully, the guilt will subside as well!

I did...I have even been zero carb....

Lets face it, over the years I have done EVERYTHING! Got fatter every time!

I still eat paleo friendly, and I am gluten free. I have a coeliac son and hubby has gluten induced arthritis. It is easier for us all to be G-F. I make brilliant LSA pancakes!

But other than the health reasons, I am trying hard to normalize things, food was never this hard when I was skinny.

Ruff wrote:I did...I have even been zero carb....

Lets face it, over the years I have done EVERYTHING! Got fatter every time!

I still eat paleo friendly, and I am gluten free. I have a coeliac son and hubby has gluten induced arthritis. It is easier for us all to be G-F. I make brilliant LSA pancakes!

But other than the health reasons, I am trying hard to normalize things, food was never this hard when I was skinny.

What are LSA pancakes? I make really good ones with almond flour that are just as good as "regular" ones

I did. I used to eggs and bacon for two meals a day and then iceberg lettuce w/bleu cheese and steak for dinner.

It got old after about 6 months. But, I lost a boat load of weight.

ntengwall wrote: What are LSA pancakes? I make really good ones with almond flour that are just as good as "regular" ones

LSA Linsed (flax) Sesame and Almond.

I often use almond flour because it is yummy!

Over43 wrote:I did. I used to eggs and bacon for two meals a day and then iceberg lettuce w/bleu cheese and steak for dinner.

It got old after about 6 months. But, I lost a boat load of weight.

I know, you do lose so much weight, but it simply is not sustainable in the long run....and then we all know what happens!

Also the dreadful 6 month plateau happens with low carb too. It seems that after 6 months one loses no more weight and then it stinks living like that and NOT losing weight. And if you ask on the forums they say things like, stop dairy, or only drink water, or only eat mince/drink water...in other words get stricter and stricter, and then what do you do when you plateau on that?

Ruff wrote:

Over43 wrote:I did. I used to eggs and bacon for two meals a day and then iceberg lettuce w/bleu cheese and steak for dinner.

It got old after about 6 months. But, I lost a boat load of weight.

I know, you do lose so much weight, but it simply is not sustainable in the long run....and then we all know what happens!

Also the dreadful 6 month plateau happens with low carb too. It seems that after 6 months one loses no more weight and then it stinks living like that and NOT losing weight. And if you ask on the forums they say things like, stop dairy, or only drink water, or only eat mince/drink water...in other words get stricter and stricter, and then what do you do when you plateau on that?

I never stopped losing weight, I just got tired of the "lifestyle", plus, once the weight goal is reached, which people do, low carb should transition into a low glycemic approach: Agatston, Atkins, et. al. In the 60's Robert Atkins was suggesting people stay on it indefinitely but eventually he apparently concluded fruits and whole grains could be added back successfully. I lost 40-50 pounds originally, down to 165 lbs. (without exercise) and have never been heavier than 185 since. And I usually hit that weight level when I lift weights. And currently a couple of times a week, if I feel I'm losing "control" I'll eat a low carb meal.

"The Drinking Man's Diet" http://www.forbes.com/2004/04/21/cz_af_0421feat.html which was published about ten years before the Atkin's Diet suggested 60-70 carbs a day, not 0-30.

I enjoy No S "more" because obviosuly I don't have to be neurotic about what I eat. I have reached 170 on No S so the weightloss plus a Hershey Bar and Coke on Saturday.

Hi nteng- I used to be in an offshoot of Overeaters Anon, which gave a sheet you could choose foods to form meals. (So the day could be 50-140g carb, depending on what you chose.)
I lost ~25 on that and have maintained for 2 years on NoS, which I think is pretty good. I'd like to lose more, and think I would need to go back on a "diet" to do that, but am not ready at the moment. So, all in all, in my experience it is possible to maintain after adding back in the carbs. I often even overdo them.