Extreme diets produce extreme results that may be helpful in extreme cases, but are largely irrelevant to the way that most of us want to, or can afford to, live our lives. I can bake cookies with lots of fiber that I know are really good for me, and taste like saw dust, but I would be a moron to spend my life eating them. The total length of time that one manages to survive is a poor measure of the happiness experienced in one's life. You're not going to get me to eat a diet with 10% fat from calories without it both tasting great, and there being rock solid evidence that it is actually much healthier than the low-carb diet I'm currently on. For the benefit of others, I'll review again the major benefits of low-carb (most of which have affected me directly): - lower weight and easier weight maintenance - higher sustained energy level - lower fat/lean body mass ratio (more muscle) - better blood chemistry - diabetes prevention and management - acid reflux prevention and management - can be made to taste great It wasn't a "lack of discipline" that brought me to this diet, but rather a weighing of risks and rewards, and an efficient allocation of resources to where they produce the greatest benefit (I'm a trader, not a nutritional evangelist!).
Okay, that's true. But some fat sources have levels of mono and poly unsaturated fats that far exceed the saturated fat level, so it is still very possible to limit the saturated fat to very low levels. (Avoiding meat is obviously the first step.)
Interesting comments. I'm afraid we are in different camps but perhaps have different goals anyway. My goal is the building of as much lean muscle mass as possible and staying lean and healthy at the same time. I do agree the site is lame, but not the info, and the book is great. Take care all.
All my meals are similar in overall composition, and I eat more than 3 "meals" a day (more like 6-7), with some being 200 calorie "snacks" (eating smaller meals more often is typically part of these diets). Randy, sorry about the "nutty" crack. As you can see from the sample lunch, I doubt that we really differ that much, in that it would be easy to drive the fat lower in that lunch with more of what you prefer to eat. You can also probably see now that I'm not putting myself at risk by just replacing good carb.s with bad fat. I just like the simplicity that comes with the carb/protein and total calorie limits: it forces one to immediately discard all the really ridiculous foods (traditional ice cream, french fries, etc.), puts a premium on foods that contain both carbs and protein (like nuts and vegetables), and makes you feel fuller sooner due to its protein content.
I've been fiddling with the yeast bread recipe in Eades' Low-Fat Comfort Food cookbook, but would like to look at other recipes. Has anybody been baking bread out of any other lo-carb cookbook? If so, I'd appreciate a list of ingredients (instructions aren't necessary).