'No Impact' carbs... BS?

I've been on it since July and lost 28 pounds

Excellent! I'm planning on going on the diet if I ever lose my obsession with milk. Until then, I wouldn't be able to live without it.

My dad has been on the diet for 3 years (and has used it to lose weight at certain points since the 70's), and when he went on if for good three years ago, he lost 80 lbs. Now he's leveled out and can eat some great stuff that no other diet would allow for.

Tony, I have to ask, are you following a general diet or are you just going with the "eat few carbs, eat more protein" method?

Tony, I have to ask, are you following a general diet or are you just going with the "eat few carbs, eat more protein" method?

Over the last few years, I've gone gradually from over 210 pounds down to my current weight, which fluctuates between 170 and 175.

I did not follow someone else's specific diet. I did it by doing these things, which evolved over time:

- Stopped drinking 12 packs of Pepsi at work during the day and switched to diet drinks. I keep having to change drinks because I get sick of a certain brand of drink if I drink it for too long.

- Stopped eating so much, and just got used to just "being hungry sometimes". I stopped going out to lunch every day in addition to having a big dinner. Most days, I either have a dinner or a lunch, but rarely both. Breakfast is a once-in-a-while treat. When I do go out to lunch, I never order the combo meal with the fries. Just the sandwich. Because fries are evil.

- When I eat, I do my best to choose high protein and low carb if possible. But I can't follow that closely because it's so difficult to find low-carb foods these days. Everything you buy everywhere is loaded with carbohydrates.

- Occasionally having a snack during the day instead of a lunch break. That's why I was looking for those low-carb snack bars. Just to keep the edge off of the hunger.

- Doing sit-ups in the morning.

That's about it.

if I ever lose my obsession with milk. Until then, I wouldn't be able to live without it.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. I still drink milk, I just don't have cookies with it every day like I used to. And I switched from the full-milk stuff to the lowfat stuff. When I get an urge for a treat, it's lowfat milk and a spoon of peanut butter instead of milk and oreos.

When people lose that much weight they always claim an increase in energy, did you notice that?
I'm at 205 and would like to be 180, but not so much to look better, just to feel better.

Well, sure. Try strapping on a 30 pound pack and then see how much more energetic you feel after you take it off.

Point taken, I just would like to take 30 lbs. off as fast as a "pack"

When people lose that much weight they always claim an increase in energy, did you notice that?

Yes, but it's not a magical "suddenly I feel like I could run a marathon" kind of thing.

It's more along the lines of just "feeling better" all around. I sleep better, my moods are better, I don't get depressed as easily, I'm less stressed, I'm calmer, that sort of thing. All of those add up to being more able to focus energy when and where I want to focus it.

Have you ever had one of those days where you'd gotten a really good night's sleep, and you woke up feeling refreshed and just "ready to tackle the day"? It's not like you've got any more energy reserves than you'd had the day before, it's just that it feels as though all the variables are in the right place to make that energy work for you more easily. Well, over the last couple of years, I've been having more and more of those kinds of days. Now it's the norm rather than the exception like it used to be.

I'm not saying the weight loss was the only reason for it. I've made some deliberate attitude changes in my life over the past couple of years which help account for a lot of it. But the weight loss was certainly a factor.

That's exactly what I'm looking for. I couldn't decide if it was the weight, getting old (now 42) or a combination of both. I have gradually added 25 lbs. in the last 5 years, and I just don't feel as sharp as I use to. My problem is I want the weight to go away instantly. I have tried the "no carb" programs, but as you mentioned, trying to find low carb or no carb foods in your daily travels is next to impossible, so after a week or so I fall back into bread, rice and potatoes. I am going to have to take a long term approach, dropping pepsi is a good place to start.

I used to be about 20 lbs overweight for my size, and over about a 3 year period, I gradually got the weight down through consistent exercise: Goin to the track, doing intervals, long-distance running, weightlifting. As a result, I began to feel a lot better not just because I was losing weight and getting in shape, but because I was also gaining self-confidence. I always feel a lot better when I'm on a workout schedule. And If I've missed a workout or two because of laziness or because I'm too busy, I feel down. I think it just has a lot to do with being proud of myself for working hard at something. Anyway, not sure where I'm going with this, but to say that for me it seems to be more of a self-confidence thing than a more energy thing.

- trs

That's my plan, too. Now if I could only get up off my butt long enough to actually go do some of it.

dropping pepsi is a good place to start.

I should note that I didn't stop drinking soft drinks altogether. I still have non-diet soft drinks when I go to a restaurant. Because the restaurants only serve diet pepsi or diet coke which both taste like panther piss. I just stopped keeping it at home and work so that I didn't "just drink it because it was all I had". Now I just drink a lot of flavored iced tea and various other diet drinks when I'm looking for something tasty to drink.

What diet drinks do you like? (BTW, I think Diet Sprite takes the cake for being the worst tasting diet drink. Or it at least used to.)

Nah. I nominate Diet Caffeine-Free Coke. It's like fizzy brown water.

What diet drinks do you like?

Right now I'm buying large quantities of Snapple, "Diet Peach Iced Tea" flavor. In the past, I've been OK with Diet Mountain Dew and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Mmmmm. Brominated vegetable oil and prune juice.

It's a warrior's drink.

A few years a go I weighed over 315 pounds. I decided that when going up a flight of stairs winded me, it was time to do something. I felt like shit, looked like the Comic Book Guy, and slept horribly, always waking up in a sweat and never getting a good night's sleep.
I went to a personal trainer, started working out 2, then later, 3 times a week and quit drinking Dr Pepper and eating Pop Tarts for breakfast lunch and dinner. I got down to 236 pounds, my goal was 225, then a project crunch at work hit, they bought us dinner, free sodas all day long and I got lazy, again.
Went back to 271 pounds when I started the Atkins diet. Now I'm down to 244, still shooting for 225. This time I will not go back to Dr Pepper and Pop Tarts for food sources! The tips Tony stated above are dead on. When I was losing the initial 90 pounds, I didn't stick to a diet, I worked out (lots of cardio) and ate healthy, (non-fat, no processed sugar.) I just made the classic mistake of not keeping it as my regular diet, I went back to the dark side... Mmm dark chocolate....
After losing all that weight, it's wasn't an amazing rush of energy, it's more of a realization like, "Hey I can see my feet again!" or "Damn! I just ran a mile for the first time since high school!" After losing ~25 pounds on Atkins, it's noticeable again, more energy and better sleep. I highly recommend losing any extra weight you may be carrying...

That's funny, we all have our preferences. I drink Diet Caffine Free Coke as my soda of choice. I actually like it. I too am trying to lose a little weight, 25 lbs. As I get older it gets harder to do. My knees are not what they use to be and I must find low impact type excercise. Running, jogging is out. Although it doesn't fit the criteria that I just listed I love racketball.

Not sure why but I just don't like the taste of it. If I've been drinking normal Coke and then switch to diet then it just tastes wrong for ages. After a while I get used to it but I still can tell it's diet. Worryingly I can tell the difference between Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Diet Coke, Coke, Diet Caffeine Free Coke and other

Have you tried swimming? That's quite good exercise and it's low impact.

Somehow over the years I have aquired a taste for mineral water. If I'm going to slow down on sugar, I'll have to stock up on "Perrier".

And now I'm sure I'll get crucified for drinking a French product.

Racketball is also an extremely aerobic sport. Very very good for the cardio system. It is, however, very hard on the knees. Especially when your partner keeps hitting them with his racket.

I must be one of the few guys that has a quite opposie problem, I simply cannot seem to gain weight. I am currently 5'10" and weigh 127 lbs dripping wet. When I graduated from high school I weighed in at a solid 115. In college, I figured out my caloric intake in biology class, and I was taking in 6-7000 calories a day. Keep in mind, that of course I didn't want to gain fat, I wanted muscle mass. I worked out 6 times a week (upper body then lower body, alternating days) swam, ran, biked, climbed, played racketball, tennis and soccer. Soccer is the only sport I played consistently. (19 years now)

It just kinda sucks that there are people that have no issue putting on weight, and would do anything to get rid of it, while there are those of us that feel they are too thin, and would give anything to "bulk up" but can't.

For those looking to use exercise as a weight loss program (the best one, IMO) be sure to get a buddy. It is far more difficult to blow off an afternoon at the gym when you know someone is waiting on you to spot them.

Hey, if you've got a system that works for you, go with it. I just know someone who constantly says she's "on the Atkins diet", but she's terrible at it. Eats the wrong things (bananas have loads of carbs), and for some reason sees no problem in following the diet one week, then eating how she wants the next. Oh well, her loss (...or gain...).

Anyway, I'm going to start eating better myself. I'm going to start with smaller portions (I cook too much food and always feel the need to clean my plate). Then maybe switch to diet drinks (Diet Dr Pepper is the best tasting diet, IMO).

Exercise has NEVER agreed with me. I simply cannot do it. I've tried, too, and everyone I know refuses to believe that not everyone is suited to exercising. I get a horrible feeling every time I do cardio, and not just now that I'm 250. I was in decent shape in high school, and I felt the same then. I was on the crew team for a semester (one of the toughest sports I can think of), and that required more running than I can fathom today. I felt like my lungs were iced and going to collapse every time I did it, and it still happens to me today, although at shorter distances.

So yeah, lets hear it for weight loss.

Because the restaurants only serve diet pepsi or diet coke which both taste like panther piss.

I never understood why Coke doesn't sell Coke Light like they do in Europe. To me, it tastes almost like regular Coke.

I was on the crew team for a semester (one of the toughest sports I can think of)

I rowed in college for a couple years, and you ain't kiddin', practice for rowing has to be the most work of any sport. Running up and down those stadium seats for 45 mins. straight was not fun. But it sure did keep me in shape. My grilfriend at the time was a nutrition major and did a study on me involving recording every 15 mins. what I ate and what activities I did. At the end of the week long study the results showed that I was eating 6000 calories, 3000mg of salt, 150 grams of fat PER DAY, and still I was negative 300 calories/day. wow. I guess thats what running around for 5 hours every day will do to you.

I never understood why Coke doesn't sell Coke Light like they do in Europe. To me, it tastes almost like regular Coke.

I hope you're kidding ! Coke light tastes nothing like regular coke! I know, cause my girlfriend makes me drink it now and then, because it's all she'll buy. I hate it with a passion!
That new Coke Light lemon OTOH is a good compromise. I still don't like it as much as the original coke, but at least it's drinkable, unlike coke light. (Yuck!)

Then again, colours and tastes...

That new Coke Light lemon OTOH is a good compromise.

I can't stand the Lemon one (far too "chemical"), the Diet Vanilla Coke however is great (though it tastes more of Cream Soda than Coke).

Yeah, it never ceases to amaze me how unbelieveably hungry I get after a day of snowskiing.

Diet Vanilla Coke however is great

Yes, I agree. I recently became hooked on the stuff. I hate Diet Dr Pepper, but love regular DP to death.

I can't stand the Lemon one (far too "chemical"), the Diet Vanilla Coke however is great (though it tastes more of Cream Soda than Coke).

As I said : Colours and tastes... I can't stand the Vanilla coke...

I can't stand the Vanilla coke...

N.B. the Vanilla Coke and Vanilla Diet Coke (to my taste buds at least) taste completely different. The non-diet one tastes like Coke with a dash of vanilla (and has that same nasty squeeky effect on your teeth as normal Coke), whereas the diet one tastes like a vanilla drink with a hint of Coke. I only like the diet one.

The only other diet drink that I can stomach is Pepsi Max, which seems to be the closest that any of the diet colas get to tasting like full fat Coke. If you have never had Pepsi Max, it tastes nothing like Pepsi or Diet Pepsi.

Pardoxically though, I can no longer stand the real taste of full fat Coke. My taste buds changed at some point and I can't take all the sugar and acidic taste that full fat Coke gives you anymore.

Which is lucky, as my waistline can't take all the sugar either (or rather it can take all the sugar).

I have tried swimming and it is a great way to excercise. My problem is getting bored! Thats one of the reasons I like Racketball. It's challenging and keeps me interested. I find that it is easier on my knees then running. My cadence while I run is about 90 so that means I'm hammering each knee about 3 times every 2 seconds. Racketball isn't nearly as repititious.
It does of course take two people to play though. Something else I like is trail riding. This is awesome exercise. I try to ride at least every other Sunday and each Sunday when I can. Try doing 40 to 60 miles on a dirt bike, It's great exercise!

Diet Vanilla Coke? Oh. We don't have that in Belgium. I didn't even know it existed. Hmmm.

I agree with you on Pepsi Max however, it IS indeed one of the best diet sodas that I've ever tasted (IMHO).

But since a year or two I've also changed my soda habits. I used to drink Coke and ONLY coke every day, but I stopped that. Not because I didn't like the taste anymore, or because I put on weight because of it (I'm fortunate, nothing makes me put on weight), but because I started training quite intensively then and wanted to change my food/drink pattern also (it's the next logical step). Now I only drink water and fruit juices. On occasion a Coke or a Lipton Ice Tea.
It really surprised me that, after drinking it for more than 15 years, I didn't miss it more. Which is good of course.

Try doing 40 to 60 miles on a dirt bike, It's great exercise!

Awww, c'mon. How hard could it be? Sit on a nice comfy seat, use your wrist muscles once in a while to work the throttle, and for the really tough part of the workout, wow, use your other wrist to pull in the clutch, and then, (are you ready for this?) move your foot to change the gears. Whew... what a workout.

HEY--- don't go off the deep end, I'm JUST KIDDING!!

I have read that motocross racers are probably the most conditioned of any athlete in any sport.

But seriously, try doing 40 to 60 miles on a mountain bike. Now that is some seriously great excercise!

tanstaafl.

From TANSTAAFL : Awww, c'mon. How hard could it be? Sit on a nice comfy seat, use your wrist muscles once in a while to work the throttle, and for the really tough part of the workout, wow, use your other wrist to pull in the clutch, and then, (are you ready for this?) move your foot to change the gears. Whew... what a workout.


That was great!

"But seriously, try doing 40 to 60 miles on a mountain bike. Now that is some seriously great excercise! "

Oh yeah sure. Like you ride your bike down hill to the chair lift. Ride the lift up (This gives you a chance to catch your breath from the work out you got getting the bike off of your XTerra.) Get off at the top and COAST down the hill. You do have to use both your left AND your right hands for front and rear braking.

JUST KIDDING!! Mountain Biking is truly grueling. One of the people I work with just got back from Whistler. Had a broken wrist.

I hope you're kidding ! Coke light tastes nothing like regular coke! I know, cause my girlfriend makes me drink it now and then, because it's all she'll buy. I hate it with a passion!

Have you had the Diet Coke in the US? If you think Coke light is bad, you should try Diet Coke.
About the only diet drinks I like is Diet Sierra Mist, Diet Rite, Fresca, and Diet Dr. Pepper.