http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...rb-foods_x.htm

What a fine complement for the other story. People are calling Atkins Nutritionals to complain that their diets were "sabotaged" by Atkins products.

"Atkins' customer-support team has received questions from dieters who were not losing weight on the diet because they were eating too many low-carb products and not following the program, says Colette Heimowitz, a nutritionist for the Atkins companies.

"They cannot sacrifice their vegetables for low-carb products. The products were formulated to make the lifestyle easier, not as a substitute for healthy eating habits."

Are they actually that clueless to why their products are ruining people's diets?

**************
"Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door."

Good article.

I must add here, however, that I do not believe that the calorie content of the lc foods is the primary problem. (I'm not saying it's of no interest and in some cases it may be PART of the problem for SOME people.)

Just based on my own experience, the main problem with these products is the blood sugar response to some of the ingredients in a lot of them. 130 extra calories of pork chop does nothing to my blood sugar and, if I'm in ketosis, will not back me out of it. One Endulge bar (same number of calories) will make my BG level take off like a rocket and make a strip go from trace to negative by the next day.

Just my take on it.

Maggie
5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160+)
Maintaining nicely (110 +/-)
~~ Redhead until further notice!

Those sugar alcohol laden treats can only be used sparingly on this woe by most of us. And by many of us, myself included, should be avoided completely or face disastrous consequences. The fact that Atkins nutritionals has not owned up to the shortcomings of sugar alcohols demonstrates that greed is their main motivation. Someone ought to do further study (besides Maggie ) on the effects of sugar alcohols on low carb eaters.



Rob
310/238.5/180
Me, a skeptic? I trust you have proof

One tequila, two tequila,
three tequila, floor

I agree with what the others said. Calories, mostly, don't have much to do with it. It is the INGREDIENTS of the items.

I was trading experiences with a diabetic friend at church yesterday, and he said how bogus the classes they are teaching at the hospital are. Sure, they are telling diabetics to watch their carbs, but they are telling them it is the TOTAL amount of carbs per day that is the issue -- that they can get them from whatever source they want. It doesn't matter if all their carbs come from fruitcake and popsicles -- "just keep 'em under the guidelines and you'll be fine," they say.

He says (as we know!) "no way! The source of the carbs is everything. So many of these low carb products out there just trip people up and make their bgs spike anyway."

He said (as we know), that the issue is finding out what foods he personally can tolerate and working within those foods.

Words of wisdom

For me, that means most of these supposed "low carb products" are out the window! I can have the LC tortillas without issue. I can have a bit of the LC bread. Anything made with the sugar alcohols -- no way jose! They throw me out of ketosis immediately and cause cravings like crazy.



Not my idea of fun.

Just give me a nice steak, cooked rare with some mushrooms and asparagus spears with some yummy butter and I'll be a happy camper WHILE losing weight and feeling great

Blessings!
Sharron
Author of "Low Carb Cooking at Sharron's Place," and "Extreme Lo-Carb Cuisine," available where ever books are sold.

www.thelowcarbcook.com

"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart." Colossians 2:2

All of your posts were informative and right on the mark! As I watch my clothes expand (or maybe its that I'm shrinking!) I know that I for one will not be using the LC products if I can help it! Last night I was having severe chocolate cravings (TOM) and I just told myself, "Even if you get it, you'll feel miserable and want more!" Folks at work are noticing the weight loss and I do not want to stop my progress!

I have to amend my quote about exercise however, I am doing some free weights and seem to be firming up. Others may want to check out Jorge Cruises' 8-minute workout. He's doing exercises with free weights and doing opposing muscles so you get a good work-out. For those of us who haven't done any for a while, it's great and I feel my heart rate chugging upward!

Just a little thought!

I don't exercise. If God wanted me to bend over, he'd have put diamonds on the floor.
-- Joan Rivers

And this morning, as I checked my Yahoo e-mail, here's a big ad for Atkins: "What can you eat on Atkins?" and the picture is a bowl of ice cream.

Sigh.

Aderyn

Although I am very happy with the strides low carbing has made lately, I am very afraid of the following scenario. People adopting low carbing, stuffing themselves with unlimited tons of low-carb everything and then saying the diet doesn't work. Even though we cannot be responsible for what every person on the plan does, the negative publicity will be overblown as usual and will deter people who really need to be low-carbing from adopting this woe. Don't ask me why I care, but I do not like to see people suffering needlessly.

kateryna
Apr-15-03 226/197/126 (lean-ing towards NeanderThin)
You can only be young once, but you can be immature forever!

I think most people CAN stuff themselves until they pop with low-carb foods and lose weight. I know Atkins said this isn't an all-you-can-eat diet, but he was being prudent and modest when he said that.

The problem isn't low-carb food. The problem is FAKE low-carb food that raises insulin levels. Insulin is the bane of low-carbing.

In one of the other threads, (atkins brand is toast), there's a link to an article that tells how Atkins Nutritionals destroyed Atkins old clinic after his death so there wouldn't be any loose cannons bearing the Atkins name.

Well, here's a conspiracy theory for you. Maybe they did that because they didn't want a clinic, bearing the Atkins name, telling real dieters not to eat Atkins-brand products? That could have been very embarassing, wot, hey?

**************
"Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door."