[ale] OT: Anybody sick today?

Tue Dec 30 12:40:44 EST 2003

OK, I'll "weigh in" with my opinions!  Har har har.

I've been on Sugar Busters! ( www.SugarBusters.com ) since the beginning
of the month, and I've lost six pounds.  I might have lost more, except
I haven't had much time for exercising until this past Sunday.

Sugar Busters! is somewhat different in that it uses glycemic index (GI)
measurements as the litmus test for what to eat and what to avoid.  GI
simply gauges the body's insulin response to the digestive processing of
a particular food or drink substance.  As the name implies, the
"standard" is glucose, which is assigned a GI of 100.  All other foods
are assigned a GI relative to this number.  Unfortunately, regular beer
is the one substance that produces a higher GI.  I don't know what the GI
is for the newer low-carb brews.

While some of the usual suspects such as the majority of sugars,
potatoes, highly-processed grain products such as enriched flour and
white rice are forbidden, some others, such as sweet potatoes and certain
fruits, are allowable in moderate quantities.  Even certain whole-grain
breads and pastas are kosher since their GIs are in the low-to-moderate
ranges.

Two other differentiating factors:

1.  Unlike Atkins and South Beach, there is no "induction period".  So if 
you find yourself slightly breaking the diet (like when I had two pieces
of fried chicken a few days ago), it's not a dealbreaker.

2.  Unlike Atkins, there is a concern about just how much of the high-
cholesterol products are consumed.

Hope this helps someone out there.

On Tue, Dec 30, 2003 at 11:33:14AM -0500, Jeff Hubbs wrote:
> I've been doing a reduced-carb thing since about June and I've lost on
> the order of 20-25 pounds; I haven't weighed this since college (and I'm
> now 40).  I've had to shrink my watchband and my wedding ring, sized
> over ten years ago, has begun to fall off my hand.  
> 
> I used to be a Raisin-Bran-for-breakfast guy; that went out the window
> and so has pasta twice a week!  
> 
> I went basically almost-no-carb that first week and then went up to a
> less severe but greatly reduced level.  
> 
> - Jeff
> 
> On Tue, 2003-12-30 at 10:30, Eichler, Paula J. wrote:
> > Periodically I "do Atkins" to reduce my weight by 10-15 pounds.  Most of
> > the loss is retained water and a little fat.  It is easily regained when
> > I go off the diet.
> > 
> > This diet is for the "carbo cravers".  I love potatoes, bread, rice,
> > pasta, beer, etc. and will eat drink and be merry until my clothes don't
> > fit anymore.  Atkins effectively removes these cravings and the weight
> > comes off pretty fast.  After a week, I have to remind myself to eat,
> > because I just don't get hungry ..pj
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Matthew Magee [mailto:mattmagee.md at netzero.net] 
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 9:42 AM
> > To: groups at ChangingLINKS.com; Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
> > Subject: Re: [ale] OT: Anybody sick today?
> > 
> > 
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "ChangingLINKS.com" <groups at ChangingLINKS.com>
> > To: "Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts" <ale at ale.org>
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 12:44 AM
> > Subject: Re: [ale] OT: Anybody sick today?
> > 
> > 
> > > > > However, usually it greatly increases cholesterol.  If you go on
> > the
> > diet
> > > > > > be sure to get yours checked.  While I lost 20# on it, a
> > subsequent
> > Physical
> > > > > > caused my doctor to order me off of it permanently.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Bob
> > > > > > ..heads off for yucky diet dinner food.
> > > >
> > > > > I call "myth."
> > > > My cholesterol was measured via standard scientific methods.  No
> > myth
> > > > in the numbers.  Anyone at risk (almost everyone on this list)
> > should
> > > > spend the few hundred dollars to get their cholesterol checked.  An
> > > > extra 10 years of life could be the result...now back to our
> > regularly
> > > > scheduled geekdom.
> > > >
> > > > Bob
> > >
> > > My reaction was to your use of the word "usually."
> > > I was not doubting that your cholesterol level was raised.
> > > The point is you seem to blame the diet, claiming it "usually" raises
> > the
> > level.
> > > Then, you tell us that your doctor blamed the diet as well, and told
> > you
> > to stay off it.
> > > And while respecting those facts, I posed two questions:
> > >
> > > The logical question is "how can you raise your cholesterol if you are
> > eating less of it?"
> > 
> > This question reminds me of what people said about the negative effects
> > of
> > emissions reducing equipment on 1970's vintage cars.  When the
> > automakers
> > were forced to reduce emissions in the early 70's, their methods had the
> > unfortunate effect of making the engines less fuel efficient.  The
> > question
> > was (and still is) "how can you burn more fuel, but make less
> > pollution?"
> > The answer is simple...... it's how you combine it.  If I read right,
> > the
> > atkins diet is supposed to "reprogram" your body to be more efficient
> > with
> > its food.  The idea is that all those carbs screw around with your
> > metabolism, and make you fat indirectly by ruining your chemistry.  So,
> > the
> > very reason that the Atkins diet can work for one factor (weight) it
> > could
> > have an adverse effect on another factor (cholesterol).  Your body is
> > not
> > simply a cholesterol collection device.  It processes cholesterol based
> > on
> > many factors.   This logically explains why some people can take drastic
> > measures to reduce their cholesterol intake and take medication, but
> > still
> > have outrageously high levels in their bloodstream.  This being true, I
> > can
> > see how it could be posssible that even if you take in less cholesterol,
> > you
> > may end up with more in your system.
> > 
> > Maybe Dow could shed some light on this, as he is a chemistry guy.
> > 
> > > The second question is "if you are eating more cholesterol on the diet
> > . .
> > . why?"
> > > And now: What would happen if you binged that "diet" food you are
> > eating
> > now?
> > >
> > > -course you don't have to answer any of that, I was just clarifying-
> > > -back to our regularly scheduled geekdom-
> > > -- 
> > > Wishing you Happiness, Joy and Laughter,
> > > Drew Brown
> > > http://www.ChangingLINKS.com
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Ale mailing list
> > > Ale at ale.org
> > > http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> > >
> > 
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> -- 
> Jeff Hubbs <hbbs at comcast.net>
> 
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