Why Did Carbs Used to Not Be A Problem?

[Luckyd609]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I think the new Atkins book encourages leaner cuts of meat. Atkins didn't. In fact he was adamant that fats were needed for the low-carb diet to work. I find your experience interesting, jerseygal, because I went on Atkins at the same time as a co-worker. She thought she was suppose to eat low-fat too and struggled and ultimately was not successful.

Luckyd609, if you still have carb cravings after the two-week induction then you did something wrong. The first two weeks are fairly difficult - especially the first few days - but after that you should not be getting cravings for pasta, bread and ice cream. And after you reach your goal you can have those things, but if you do, make sure that the next day you go low-carb for the entire day.

Of course as with anything you do have to put some effort into it. People think there is some magic diet, pill, program, rehab that will stop them from gaining weight, quitting smoking, drinking, drugging. I'm here to say that in the end, with all of those things, ultimately it comes down to you taking control of yourself. Life is hard. Bottom line is Atkins is a fabulous way to lose weight and keep it off. If I go on a low-fat diet I feel so incredibly hungry that it hurts. It's not for me.

Moderation in everything is the key.

I didn't do anything wrong. I was on it for 6 months. I initially enjoyed it. But real life crept in and I wanted to enjoy a variety of foods not just what was allowed on Atkins.
Weight Watchers worked for me because it does not restrict any food group. I am fit and at a great weight and have been for years now. I enjoy all foods and of course my wine, which I have a passion for.
I am an advocate for whatever works for people. But to say I was not committed to Atkins is wrong. The Atkins plan was not for me, and I suspect in the long run it is not for a lot of folks.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I think the new Atkins book encourages leaner cuts of meat. Atkins didn't. In fact he was adamant that fats were needed for the low-carb diet to work.

I follow a reasonably low-fat version of a low-carb diet, and have no problems with cravings or feeling hungry (most of the time!). I simply prefer leaner cuts of meat; I am generous with the olive oil, however. When I was actively losing, I budgeted 50 grams of carbs, 50 grams of fat, and 150 grams of protein.

And after you reach your goal you can have those things, but if you do, make sure that the next day you go low-carb for the entire day.

For maintenance I've increased carb and fat grams slightly; if I go off the wagon and gain some weight back, back to the 150/50/50 I go for a few days, until I feel like I'm back on track.

[cubssoxfan]

Maybe carbs weren't such a "problem" because kids would be outside playing & roaming the neighborhood instead of glued to a screen for hours on end. Maybe becasue recess always included 20-30 minutes of run around time outside or in the gym on rainy days. Maybe because kids would be enrolled in sports leagues most of the year and during the summer. Maybe because 2 car families were still rare so walking to the store or walking to public transit was necessary.
Maybe becasue the meat with potato and a veggie was healthier than "meal in a box" or "meal in a bag" or take out. Many middle income families couldn't afford take out on a regular basis. Or was it a way of putting $ in the bank or both?

And this carbs are bad mantra? Maybe it should be an "everything in moderation" mantra!
Maybe if you work out and do certain sports, carbs are good! As a cyclist, I know they are essential before long rides, along with lean protein!

[Luckyd609]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

Maybe carbs weren't such a "problem" because kids would be outside playing & roaming the neighborhood instead of glued to a screen for hours on end. Maybe becasue recess always included 20-30 minutes of run around time outside or in the gym on rainy days. Maybe because kids would be enrolled in sports leagues most of the year and during the summer. Maybe because 2 car families were still rare so walking to the store or walking to public transit was necessary.
Maybe becasue the meat with potato and a veggie was healthier than "meal in a box" or "meal in a bag" or take out. Many middle income families couldn't afford take out on a regular basis. Or was it a way of putting $ in the bank or both?

And this carbs are bad mantra? Maybe it should be an "everything in moderation" mantra!
Maybe if you work out and do certain sports, carbs are good! As a cyclist, I know they are essential before long rides, along with lean protein!

Great post. 'Back in the day', kids walked to school, played outside everyday, did real PE in school, ate a home cooked meal with family that was always a 'square', played sports. If it was daytime and I was watching TV my mother would turn it off and tell me to go play outside.
Different times.
I eat whatever I want but I eat small portions and I work out. I eat as healthy as I can, but sometimes I indulge. To make up for those days I burn extra calories. Its so simple, yet people want to complicate it.

[jerseygal4u]

Out of all the types of low carb diets,it seems the South beach is easier to follow than both Atkins and Dukan.

Anyone on here try the low fat and low carb combination diet?(I think it was called the Stillman diet years ago)

[Tracysherm]

Originally Posted by Luckyd609

Here is some information about the misunderstood potato:


Nutritional Information

On Serving Contains:

Calories ..................110

Protein ................... 3 grams

Carbohydrate ......... 23 grams

Fat .......................... 0 grams

Dietary Fiber .......... 2710 mg

Sodium ................... 10 mg

Potassium ............... 750 mg



Serving Size : One Medium Potato (150 grams or about 1/3 pound)

To calculate nutritional value of a 250 gram potato (a typical baking potato) multiply values above by 1.6



Percentage of U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances for a Medium Potato

Protein .................. 6 %

Vitamin C ............. 50 %

Thiamin ................ 8 %

Riboflavin ............ 2 %

Niacin .................. 10 %

Iron ....................... 8 %

Vitamin B6 ........... 15 %

Folacin (folic acid). 8 %

Phosphorus ............ 8 %

Magnesium ............ 8 %

Zinc ....................... 2 %

Copper ... ............... 8 %

Pantothenic acid .... 4 %

Iodine .................... 15 %



THE NUTRIENT-DENSE POTATO

The potato is a nutrient-dense food. It provides good nutritional return for the calories. Why is nutrient density important? Our need for calories has probably decreased by one-third since the turn of the century because we aren't as active. But in general we still need about the same amount of nutrients as we did then. This means that in order to get all the nutrition we need without consuming too many calories, we must include many nutrient dense foods like potatoes in our diets. A medium-size potato (one third pound or 150 grams) has only about 110 calories, four to five percent of the average adult's total daily intake of calories, but provides much higher percentages of our needs for many nutrients. (See 'Nutrition in a Raw Potato') For a real potato lover, a medium-size potato may not be enough of a good thing. But even a 250-gram potato (a little over one-half pound) has only about 160 calories, and the larger size gives you a real nutrition bonus. The potato gives us a wide spectrum of valuable nutrients, including complex carbohydrates, often lacking in the American diet.

The potato is a good source of vitamin C and hard to get B6 and has long been known to be a storehouse of minerals. Exact needs for all minerals are not established yet. But, for example, the potato contains valuable supplies of such essential trace elements as manganese, chromium, selenium and molybdenum.

LOW SODIUM HIGH POTASSIUM POTATO

One current nutritional goal is to reduce the amount of sodium consumed. While research is not complete, it indicates that a typical potato provides less than 1 0 mg. of sodium - compared to a typical daily intake of more than 4,000 mg. On the other hand, many Americans need to be concerned about adequate supplies of potassium. Here again, it appears that for the typical potato-eating American, the potato supplies about 20 percent of the daily potassium needs.

FIBER

Fiber, almost entirely complex carbohydrates, has been the subject of renewed interest. Fiber is that part of the food we eat is not digested by the body but travels through and holds water, forming the bulk we need for eliminating solid waste. While official recommendations for fiber haven't been established, about six grams daily is considered desirable. Most Americans fall short of this amount. Potatoes can add to the overall fiber intake. An average serving provides about 10 percent of a desirable daily intake of fiber.

PROTEIN

Potatoes contain small amounts of protein. In fact, the protein in potatoes is among the best to be found in vegetables. So, potatoes offer a good inexpensive supplementary source of protein in menu planning.



IRON

Iron is a mineral that's hard to get in sufficient amounts and is lacking in many diets, particularly those of women, teen-age girls and young children. Although few foods contain large amounts of iron, potatoes are a very good source. When consumed on a daily basis (5 1/3 oz. average per person), potatoes furnish more iron than any other vegetable. And, whereas not all the iron content in all foods is available for body use, the iron in potatoes is highly usable by the body.

CARBOHYDRATES

The potato has been criticized for being "just a starch." There's a lot more to potatoes, of course, but the carbohydrates in potatoes are the most common form of complex carbohydrates and as such are important to a good diet. Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of fuel for energy. Experts say at least 50 percent of our daily body fuel should come from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are of several types. Sugars are the most basic carbohydrates, the building blocks of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are longer chains of sugars, such as starches and fiber. Contrary to popular belief, gram for gram, carbohydrates have no more calories than protein and less than half that of fat. In fact, potatoes are virtually fat-free.

WHY THE FATTENING IMAGES

All too often the potato is guilty by allusion and association. Although the potato appears to be a bulky vegetable, it is 80 percent water, just a little less than in milk. Its association with high calorie toppings like butter, sour cream, gravy and mayonnaise dressing to name a few, puts the low calorie potato at a disadvantage. Just one tablespoon of butter will double the number of calories in a baked potato. There are many low calorie ways to prepare potatoes deliciously. Here are just a few tasty low/no calories ideas:

Toasted sesame seeds
Whipped butter and poppy seeds
A spoon full of stewed tomatoes and a bit of grated cheese
Melted butter or margarine thinned with lemon juice
A mix of dried herbs: parsley, chives, basil, dill
Mock sour cream (cottage cheese and lemon juice whipped in a blender)
Chopped onion with coarsely grated black pepper
Chive-spiked yogurt
Salsa
ABOUT THE CALORIES

Dieting needn't mean giving up foods. Authorities are opposed to fad reducing diets that rule out whole categories of foods. These diets rob us of valuable nutrients and are often harmful to health. Low carbohydrate/high protein diets give us an overdose of fat-and may be hazardous for many people including pregnant women and those with heart and kidney disease or high blood pressure. Fad diets force us to make needless sacrifices of foods we like to eat and, perhaps above all, do nothing to teach a plan for eating for-life that will prevent recurring bouts with excess weight. The best diet is one based on a variety of nutritious foods, and the potato offers a high return of nutrients for relatively few calories.

http://www.slhfarm.com/spudfacts.html (broken link)

Great post! I'm always telling people how a baked potato is probably the most healthy single food you can eat. A lot of nights, all I have for dinner is a big baked potato, skin included, with just salt & pepper, and some wine. I'd rather have my bigger meal at lunch.

[cubssoxfan]

^^ some kosher salt on the skin before it's wrapped and put in the oven or on the grill-YUM! I eat the skin and we boil spuds with skin and eat the entire thing.