Wow! What do I believe? I know from years of trial and error that my body performs best by using complex carbs and regulating their intake. Joe's summary matches well with what I have found successful. MT's spoon of sugar and DD's lemon drops are all examples of fueling our bodies with carbs. Sugar and lemon drops are simple carbs but in small quantities during exercise they fit with Joe's summary and I have used them to keep energy levels constant.

I have never tried the Adkin's diet of high fat and no carbs. Is this the diet we are comparing to? If it is what is the truth about the ketosis risk?

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Problem with that is most of the things THEY ate, would eat them first if they could

I do best on the complex carb/lean protein, Mediterranean type diet.
I know others that eat and do well the way SD talks about.

I don't think one diet lifestyle fits all. Are bodies are so complex and even though some rules may be universal, your individual body chemistry has a lot to with it as well.
The main thing is not to ignore obvious physical signs that your choice might not be right for you, or doing what you think it is.

Anyone who has serious weight to lose and is embarking on a strenuous fitness regime or new dietary regiment would be well served having a doctor check you out on the exercise part, and a REGISTERED dietitian check your diet. I'd avoid so called " Nutritionist". In most states they don't need to be certified/license and many are self-taught. Nothing the matter with being self educated, but often times they like un-certified personal trainers, only know what worked for THEM. That may or may not work for you, and the results could be a failure to lose weight or getting injured doing workouts that you have no business doing. And NEVER let anyone but a Licensed Dietitian or Medical doctor talk you into taking supplements to bulk you up, or help you lose weight.

Supplements are unregulated by the FDA. They, like Herbal Products can/have killed people when prescribed by people who have no knowledge about what the harmful side effect can be. Herbal Products are wonderful if used as directed and under the direction of people who understand that Natural or not, they're medicine and should be viewed as such.

And again, let me clarify.  A low-carb diet is not necessary for many people.  If you don't want to be on a low-carb diet for whatever reason, (don't need it or just don't care to do it) that's perfectly fine.  I'm not looking to convert all readers or tell you how to live your life.  I'm just offering it as an option to consider if you've been unable to control your weight to your satisfaction and you're sick of losing the battle of the bulge.

And yes, consulting a doctor is best before beginning any new diet.  I forgot the legal disclaimer.    My apologies on that.

You may have trouble finding a doctor or dietician that is open-minded enough to break from the conventional wisdom but it's worth the effort if you feel you need professional permission.

I took an insurance physical 6 months after going low-carb.  My blood pressure was down, triglycerides down, total cholesterol down, and HDL (good cholesterol) was up.  Oh yeah, I was also 30+ pounds lighter.  I got their best rate based on overall heath, scoring "excellent" based on these measures.    Not trying to brag but since the wisdom of my diet has being called into question I will use the above evidence to refute it.

I would not do a canoe trip on a low-carb diet if you recently went on it.  I'd give yourself a minimum of 2 months to allow your body to make the adjustment and make sure you are slowly ramping up your exercise during that time.

And on canoe trips, yes, I do allow myself some carbs.  I do it mostly because they are lighter-weight and more heat-tolerant than the foods I normally eat at home.  But my first day is done on a low-carb diet and I do minimize carbs as much as possible the rest of the days.  Plus, when you trip with others you gotta play by their rules on food to a certain extent.  I would not want to restrict the carbs of anyone who has not had a chance to adjust before the trip.  On my solo trip a couple years back I was more free to cut the carbs, so I did!

Yes, thanks, S_D  

I went low carb a little over two years ago. I was way overweight and about to turn 49, and thought I'd better do something about it. Low carb, and back to they gym; and two years later I'm down more than 100 pounds. So I can tell you, for me, anyway, it works. The exercise piece is critical for me, but the low carb thing really works.

I haven't paid much attention to it on the two canoe trips I've done since I started this, other than not using syrup on my pancakes or jelly with the peanut butter. Didn't gain weight on either trip.  

As for the poll, we're mostly a 3, with a little 4 thrown in. All meals are packaged and labeled separately -- Tuesday dinner, Wednesday lunch, etc. There are separate containers for all of the breakfasts, lunches and dinners, with the generic stuff (oil, butter, etc) split among the three containers. Pretty organized, and works well.  

db wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2011 at 7:16am:


This comment from DB resonates with me.  I am damn impressed with the very articulate and detailed thoughts from J_S and S_D in this thread.  But while I think I eat pretty healthy while canoeing and in "civilized" life,  I just don't think much about it, and my body doesn't seem that sensitive to what I eat, or don't eat.  I paddle with friends who are much more easily affected if they don't get enough of something..., but I'm not.  Amazing how our bodies are so different with regard to their tolerances. 

I am not overweight.  I exercise moderately.  I eat to live, not live to eat, no matter where I am. 

prouboy