I find this press release quite interesting.

Let me give you some personal background. Last week, I was working out in my gym. I'm there 5 - 6 days a week now, doing cardio and circuit (weight) training. So one of the trainers (who is actually a manager, but I didn't know it at the time) says to me, "what kind of work do you do?" Now, I kinda knew this particular gym isn't low-carb supportive.
They have literature saying "don't do low carb, you lose muscle
mass and it's all water and you can't keep the weight off long-term."
So I say, "I'm the web editor for a national magazine." and keep on training. "What magazine?" "you don't want to know," i say. "yes I do!" "LowCarb Living Magazine"

And of course, it starts. I got mad, she got mad, it was a bad scene all around. I wouldn't back down, because, of course, I know the science. (Plus I lost it when she started that "the brain needs carbs for fuel." Yeah, it does. and what, the body can't make glucose out of protein? DUH! It kills me. I haven't eaten 140g of carbs a day - what "they" say the brain needs - for years. Gee, my brain is doing ok, thank you...) She says she knows the science too, but obviously not the science SUPPORTIVE of low carb. She missed that somehow... Anyway, one of the things she said was "Well at least South Beach is a little better than Atkins." Now, I have nothing against the South Beach diet, per se. I hear people use it and like it. BUT here's the thing: if you want to talk SCIENCE, there aren't independent clinical trials to support it, as far as I know. Whereas, as Dr. Trager says here, there is SCIENCE to support Atkins.

Again, I'm not saying South Beach doesn't work - we have people on this board using it. That's fantastical.

But if you want to talk SCIENCE, for now, the SCIENCE supports Atkins. I just think the whole thing is pretty funny. Because most people consider South Beach more politically CORRECT, so they say, well, do a diet more like south beach. But when it comes to science, well, that's a weak postition. Yes, gazillions of studies have shown that a diet high in saturated fat ALONG WITH HIGH CARBS is associated with disease. Yes, it is. Dr. Atkins always said so. But a diet HIGH in saturated fat but VERY low in carbs (such as Atkins) IS NOT. In fact, in study after study, markers for CHD IMPROVE DRAMATICALLY in the majority of study subjects.

I don't get paid to promote Atkins (believe me), but I have to
side with Dr. Trager on this one. Though I wish I could have been there to hear that statement and see the reaction. That said (sorry to be so long-winded) here's the press release:


Commercially Motivated "Right-Carb" Approach Can
Endanger Individuals Who Need to Lose Weight to Improve Heart Health

ORLANDO, Fla., March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Weight reduction can cut the
incidence of coronary heart disease in those at risk by nearly a third(1),
making it more important than ever for Americans to properly understand
nutritional protocols. Dr. Robert C. Atkins knew that the low-carb approach
was one of the most effective ways to lose weight and lower heart disease risk
factors, but cutting edge science confirms that doing Atkins right is
critical.
Atkins is all about choosing nutrient dense carbohydrates and staying away
from added sugars, bleached white flour and other highly refined, processed
foods and potentially unhealthy levels of sugar alcohols. That is, however,
only half of the equation. The other half stresses the importance of an
individual knowing his or her carbohydrate threshold, whether for losing or
maintaining weight. Atkins, which controls both the quantity and quality of
carbohydrate consumption, is the only controlled-carbohydrate nutritional
approach supported by science.
"Modifications and commercially motivated reinterpretations of Atkins are
simply not in the best interests of medicine and the American public,"
explained Dr. Stuart Trager, medical director of Atkins Nutritionals, in a
speech at the annual American College of Cardiology meeting this week. Dr.
Trager, speaking directly to The South Beach Diet author Dr. Arthur Agatston,
threw down the gauntlet and challenged Dr. Agatston to "Show us the science.
Even your own study, recently published in the Archives of Internal
Medicine(2), followed a controlled-carbohydrate protocol virtually identical
to Atkins," asserted Dr. Trager. "You know very well that we both encourage
consumers to choose the best, or 'right kinds' of carbs as part of a
controlled-carb program; by discouraging individual control of carbs, albeit
the right carbs, you are putting people at risk of health consequences."
"Because we live in a country in which two-thirds of our population weighs
more than they should, focusing on helping people lose weight means saving
lives," stated Dr. Trager. "When it comes to safely losing weight and burning
fat, studies show that low carb usually outperforms low-fat, low-calorie
restrictions(3-5). Moreover, to date, no research has demonstrated the safety
and efficacy of a 'right' or 'good' carb approach. The introduction of
products with added sugars and trace amounts of trans fats that are endorsed
by such a position could potentially endanger the health of individuals who
need to lose weight to improve their heart health."

Backed by Research
Additionally, more and more research is drawing a link between
high-carbohydrate diets and risk for heart disease(6). When it comes to
increased fat burning, fat loss and weight reduction, it is the low-carb
approach, not low-fat diet, that has shown superior results that actually help
improve people's lives(3-5).

The evidence is overwhelming: The low-carb approach has consistently
outperformed other programs -- not only for shedding pounds, but also for
reducing abdominal fat, which is itself an independent health risk factor
(3-5). Through the science, we now know that:

-- Controlled-carb (Atkins-like) approaches outperform low-fat diets when
it comes to lowering triglyceride levels(7)
-- Controlled-carb approaches produce greater improvements in HDL ("good")
cholesterol than low-fat diets(7)
-- Controlled-carb approaches lower markers of inflammation, in contrast
to high-carbohydrate diets(8)
-- Controlled-carb approaches result in greater loss of total fat and
abdominal fat than low calorie low fat diets(3-5)

The Metabolic Advantage
Research dating as far as back as the 1950s shows that the body responds
differently to different types of foods; at that time, Alan Kekwick, M.A.,
M.B, F.R.C.P., director of the Institute of Clinical Research and Experimental
Medicine at London's Hospital, and Gaston L.S. Pawan, B.S., senior research
biochemist of that hospital's medical unit, demonstrated that a low-
carbohydrate (and high-fat) diet provided a significant metabolic advantage
over so-called "balanced" or conventional low-fat diets.(9)
"With the ongoing low-carb research, we can come to the conclusion that
when heart health is threatened due to significant obesity, a controlled-
carbohydrate approach is more effective at weight loss, and in turn, saving
lives,"(3-5, 7) emphasizes Dr. Trager.
The relationship between controlled-carbohydrate nutrition and increased
fat burning (oxidation) has been demonstrated. Research has likewise shown
that a controlled-carb approach like Atkins causes the body to preferentially
burn fat for fuel as compared to calorie restriction which actually decreases
fat burning.(10) "In lab work at Pennsylvania Hospital," says Trager, "we
found that individuals following Atkins-meaning they were cutting carbs, not
calories-increased their percentage of fat burning at rest by 70 percent."
On Atkins, the percentage of fat burned actually increases. Studies
demonstrate that when groups of individuals follow different diets and the
amount of energy produced by burning stored fat is compared, carbohydrate
restriction results in increased fat burning, providing insights into the
mechanism of the metabolic advantage.(3-5)

About the Atkins Nutritional Approach(TM) (ANA(TM))
The ANA is a scientifically validated nutritional strategy for weight
control and better health based upon controlling carbohydrate consumption.
This nutritional strategy stresses nutrient-dense carbohydrates as part of a
balanced eating plan that includes a variety of protein and good fats, while
restricting carbohydrates that have the greatest impact on blood sugar. The
ANA provides each person with the information they need to find his or her
individual level of carbohydrate intake, below which weight loss is achieved
and above which weight gain occurs.



SOURCE Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.,

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall to witness that argument in your gym. Ouch! You win, Andrea! Ouch! Ooof! You win!!

P. S. So do all of us who think Atkins is just fine, thank you.

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Well, no, BK, actually I didn't "win", because I lost my temper (which is not usual for me).

And she wasn't listening - in fact, she told me "you only hear what you want to hear" regarding recent studies.

Anyway, it's not a matter of winning or losing. It's a matter of the truth.
and the TRUTH is, low carb works, and does so safely for the majority of people who do it RIGHT.

You know when I win? When another member here reaches the point at which they feel comfortable with their weight, body image, and eating plan. When another member here moves on with their life because they've got the eating part under control.

That's when I win!

You provide all the resources to help people here learn what's right and what works. Most appreciated.

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

thank you. very very much!

I win when I grin. I've been grinning for years. I've maintained a normal blood sugar since 1999. No meds. No insulin. Anyone who has anything stupid to say about it can kiss my formerly fat bleep! ... and, yes, I have occasionally invited some persistently obnoxious individual to do so - without the "bleep".

__________________

go get 'em , maggie! when I grow up, I want to be as bold as you!

So, Andrea - have you been BACK to the gym? Too bad that woman was so short-sighted - she might have learned something if her mind had been just the tiniest crack open about it....

I, too, appreciate what you're all about and that you've given us such a wonderful forum here to share the wealth!

Char

__________________
Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

Oh, yes, I went back the very next day.

After the conversation mentioned above, I walked into her office (she had gone in there, I presume because she was so angry) and shook her hand and apologized for losing my temper,(not for what I said, though) and she was all nice about it. Doesn't pay to tick off a journalist, does it?

And I'm sure she's a very good person, and believes very deeply what she was talking about. And on top of all that, I absolutely LOVE the gym I go to - people of all shapes and sizes, colors, ages, fitness levels - and they have trainers there all the time to help you lift your weights...

I wouldn't let this turn me off from the gym. I'm having too good of a time! See, the thing is, I don't want to try and make everyone do low-carb. I truly don't think it's for everyone. Low fat, mediterranean, whatever, they're all good for some people.

I just want low-carb to get the respect it deserves, and for people to stop thinking of it as the "bacon and sausage" diet. Of course, part of that responsibility falls on all of us - to do it right. If I was eating a side of beef a day, well, gag me - I'd probably croak and it would be my own fault, and good riddance to me. But when people are eating more veggies than ever before, when their doctors and are saying "keep doing what you're doing", when a slug like me can do 30 minutes of hard cardio every day - hey, that's what I want people to know about.

The work goes on....

Andrea,

You win! I never intend to not post here, I never intend to not eat low carb and if I never lose another pound I count the 72 I have lost so far as gone forever and I know that by deciding that it matters I can with work lose the last 30 but for now I am totally content to wear my size 10 jeans and my size M/L tops and look at that size 22 that when I started was too tight and the 3X top that was tight at the middle and know that while I am not at goal I am happy...I parade around 5X a week in a swimming suit and sandals and coach in front of a crowd of parents, I swim at least 800 yards 5X a week, I can stand on my hands for over 10 seconds at any given time (right now excepted due to a wrist injury), I can teach whatever suits me and do it with the kids without either dying of exhaustion or messing it up totally by not being able to demonstrate it to the children, I can walk into any store anywhere and buy the clothes I want, I can eat what I want and more and more I find what I want is a good salad with all the toppings and meat and dressing too, I find that I love cooking veggies in new ways and eating them too, I can eat meat and veggies at any restaurant and no one questions me, those who knew me a year ago or more notice the difference and I get comments and compliments all the time...and while I made the changes I have you to thank because without finding this site and all the wonderful people you have here as moderators and the wonderful people who visit regularly and share and give advice and help and console and cajole and comiserate and celebrate...I would have never gotten where I am today and I would be another one of those "failed to do it right" Atkins statistics because I would have quit when it got tough or frustrating when the scale stopped moving for more than a few days or when I messed up the first time or maybe the second, but the people here helped me stay accountable and focused and on track and to get back on track and here I am...content in my own skin...happy with my body (for the most part)...shocked by what the mirror shows me...yet pleased with the image I see!

Andrea...you win! You win because I win!

__________________
Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

I have been an argumentative person all my life. Especially when I was a kid and a teenager. I was nominated for a Kiwanis award for a speech in 10th grade. In 11th grade I was kicked out of speech class because I ticked off the new teacher with my big mouth.

Arguing is more fun than persuading. It's more competitive, you get to see the panic in the other person's face, it gets your blood racing, you get that gotcha feeling. Persuasion is harder. I admire good persuaders. A persuader won't argue with you. They will try to convince you that you already agree with them. That's difficult for people like me.

I don't argue too much about Atkins with people because it doesn't excite me anymore. I point out that I've lost more than 80 pounds over three years without any cheating, without going hungry, and that it works well for me. I point out that I'm much healthier now than I was 80 pounds ago and so, maybe there is a "better" way to eat, but if it means weighing 80 pounds more than this, I don't think it's healthier for me.

Then you get these people that tell me that I would be healthier if I had lost my weight on this or that diet, usually a low-fat or vegetarian thing. And I point out that the trick to that is the "losing weight" part. Anybody can lose weight for a month or two. Few people can lose it for years and keep it off. So I'm content with what I do.

Then I brag about what I ate for dinner.

About Trager... I am glad that he provides you with some comfort, Andrea. I see him as the Devil Incarnate. "Unhealthy levels of sugar alcohols" indeed. The Atkins Diet might have popularized low-carbing, but Atkins Nutritionals is destroying it with their products, which are almost exclusively sugar alcohol laden crap. Hell, I don't know what I can eat anymore, because there are so many weird chemicals on the labels of the REGULAR food in the market now that are borrowing things like polydextrose and oligofructose and stuff I just don't have the energy or time to keep up with. I don't know what's low carb and what's not, and I blame it on him and AN. They have made my life more difficult, not easier.

__________________
**************
"And so, in my State of the—my State of the Union—or state—my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation—I asked Americans to give 4,000 years—4,000 hours over the next—the rest of your life—of service to America. That's what I asked—4,000 hours."

who, YOU argumentative???? neva wouldda guessed it.......

I've met many people who are addicted to arguing. One of my dear friends is so addicted that he starts arguing even when people haven't disagreed with him. It's sad. And it's caused him to lose several friends.

I'm very much a Type-A personality--with high blood pressure and a high stress job to boot. There are enough stressors in life than to let someone draw me into a petty argument that nobody wins. I usually just let the person rant, rave and rattle on, then I shrug my shoulders and say something like, "Well, I'll guess we'll just have to agree to disagree," and leave it at that. If they continue their ranting, I might even say, "Fine, you win," just to shut them up.

There are times when arguments are necessary, such as when it affects finances (overcharged by a store) or the safety and emotional well-being of my family. Other than that, phooey! What good does it do to get into an argument about politics, religion or diet? These are subjects where no argument will change our minds. What makes us think we can change someone elses?

__________________
Melissa

[quote] The Atkins Diet might have popularized low-carbing, but Atkins Nutritionals is destroying it with their products, which are almost exclusively sugar alcohol laden crap.

(I gotta learn how to do a quote the official way)

Doc, I sure do agree with this statement...or at least the idea of it. Manufactured food is a plague, whether it's low-fat, sugar-free, low-carb, or whatever kind of junk they invent next.

I lost a lot of weight on a low-fat diet years ago, but trying to stick with it brings that perpetual feeling of deprivation. On Atkins, I can eat things that make "rabbit food" taste good, like salad dressing and butter. I can eat out at a nice restaurant (like last night) without feeling underprivileged.

But I rarely talk about low-carb anymore. It isn't that noticeable to other people as a "diet," and I just wish everyone could find their own way to nutritional success. My co-worker, who has done an amazing job with help from Slim for Life says, "I've finally learned how to eat right." You go, girl!

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Huskersfan,

It is posts like that which remind me of why I became a moderator, oh, so long ago.

Thank you.

And, Andrea, what can I say, but "you rock!" :bellydanc