Low-carb diets, products losing luster

[West Coast Democrat]

Low-carb diets, products losing luster
By Kristen Gerencher, CBS.MarketWatch.com

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Americans' taste for low-carbohydrate foods and diets to help shed pounds appears to be souring, a new survey says. More than half of individuals who tried a low-carb diet are no longer on it, and less than one in 10 are currently sticking to one, according to an independent survey of 500 people from InsightExpress, a market research firm in Stamford, Conn.

Of those people who are on a low-carb diet, nearly three out of four surveyed said they're likely to stay the course for the long term. Of those who passed on the diet, less than one in five said they would consider buying low-carb products, said the firm's president, Lee Smith.

"Consumers are telling us that the low-carb opportunity may have been blown out of proportion," Smith added. "The number of people who would adopt the consumption of low carbs and low-carb diets is not as large as everyone thought it would be."

more...

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B02CD2936%2D7794%2D4185%2D9120%2DB4DA06702ECC%7D&siteid=myyahoo

[Bjornsdotter]

1. New "no carb" Diet

...it's one that works for me!

NO:
Cheney
Ashcroft
Rumsfeld
Bush
...and definitely NO RICE.


Cheers,
Kim :toast:

[KurtNYC]

2. Low carb works

Rumours of {low carb diets} passing are greatly exaggerated - Mark Twain

Low carb works. People eat way too many cheap empty carbs. Hopefully after the hysteria dies out, people will come to something more reasonable than Atkins but low carb in general is a good idea.

Diabetes is a horrible, horrible disease which costs thousands of people their eyesight, their limbs and their lives every year. It is disgusting to see people who know better pushing products and junk science while more people are afflicted every year.

[West Coast Democrat]

4. It may be a great diet for some Diabetics...

but why is it being promoted as healthy for everyone?

[KurtNYC]

8. A sensible low carb diet like the Zone

IS healthy for everyone (except maybe Calista Flockhart). Diabetes is sort of the extreme end of the spectrum but the incidence of diabetes continues to rise.

I know people are sick of hearing about low carb and there are some junk products out there cashing in but if you do it right it works and is far safer than trying pills or gastric bypass surgery.

[West Coast Democrat]

9. As soon as Coke & Pepsi came out with low-carb products...

I decided I should ignore the whole low-carb diet craze!

[KurtNYC]

10. How long must the good suffer for the bad?

asked Bob Marley. I'm talking about real low carb dieting. C2 is a rediculous product designed to get more shelf space for Coke. They already had a low carb soda, it's called "Diet Coke."

When a company's products get slammed by science, they respond by muddying the waters till people give up. That's what the "Egg Advisory Board" was create for; to rejuvenate eggs after people correctly tied them to cholestrol.

[mermaid]

19. C2 Is Pure Garbage!!

It's a freaking joke! Why do they not just go all the way, and sweeten the Coke with Splenda, like they ought to? And just continue to call it Diet Coke?

Well, duh, that doesn't give them additional shelf space.

Fucking marketers!

They are out to ruin our health, all for the sake of a quick buck...I hate fucking scumbag marketers!

[mermaid]

16. Because It IS Healthy For Everyone

IF...and here's the big IF...if it is followed correctly.
Most people do not follow it correctly, staying for months at a time on the Induction phase. You're only supposed to be on that for about two weeks!

I think two things make a lot of people shy away from the low-carb thing...one, all the low-carb, no-carb products are expensive as hell and this is a crap economy.

Two, too many people have bought into the low-fat lie. and they can't believe something like Atkins would actually work.

what you need to avoid are the crap carbs...white bread, rice, pasta...crap that has literally no nutritional value whatsoever! Get your carbs lowered...and get those carbs you DO eat from good sources like vegetables, whole-grain breads, oats...good stuff, you know?

The other day, I was in a rush, and, for the first time in about six months I had to do a couple of burgers thru fast food drive thru...and, man...the buns tasted gluey to me...nasty...I couldn't stop thinking the whole time...I used to eat this shit...and LIKE it...now it's gross!! I couldn't even finish the whole burger...I wound up giving half of it to my dog in the back seat of the car.

[progressivebydesign]

5. LoCarb does work for some people..

.. for the dieters, rather than those doing it for health reasons, it seems to work because it forces them to think about what they eat for the first time. It requires thought about what they put in their bodies, and many people have become obese because it's our lifestyle and the availability of fast, bad food, that overtakes careful eating. LoCarb also works because anyone would lose weight if they stopped eating things like breads, cakes, and dessert type items. But many people cannot maintain it. They cannot eat, what feels like, an unnatural diet to them... it's too much work. It would be great if people could adopt some of that type of eating into their regular eating habits, like dumping those starchy extra calories.

I think the companies marketing all those products shot themselves in the foot.. because they were hawking brownie mixes for 6 dollars a box, etc. It became such a rip off.

People should eat less calories. Exercise more. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible, and eat lots of veggies. That's the ultimate "diet". Oh.. and fast food, no way.

[Warpy]

3. I'm not surprised. They're like any deficiency diet

People do well for weeks or even months, then they crack and start stuffing themselves with all the old crap that got them fat in the first place.

Today at the food co-op/natural foods store I saw "lo-carb chocolate chip cookies." That's the beginning of the end, folks, when people start kidding themselves that there is such a thing as a low carbohydrate COOKIE.

My advice is to love yourself the way you are. If you're eating all the wrong stuff, figure out why you're doing that to yourself, and change to eating the right stuff. Change slowly. You'll get there, and you'll be set for life with no cravings.

[progressivebydesign]

6. Yep.. it's the denial of "goodies" that does people in..

Any time you restrict things, there is always something that you're missing. Moderation, healthy choices, and lots of activity.. Turn those t.v.s off and move around outside. That's good advice, too.

[King Coal]

7. It is not that simple, Warpy.

I have had a lot of success with the Atkins diet. I have lost close to 50 pounds and I feel so much better. Sugar is pure poison. I will never go back to eating a high carb diet again. Actually, I am eating a lot more vegetables and fruits than I ever did before. You're advice is well-meant, but ill-informed. For some people, the only way out is to drastically reduce the intake of carbs. I know, I've been there.

[Warpy]

12. What you've done is slowly abandon Atkins

in favor of the way you should have been eating all along.

I applaud your success, but it's not for everyone, and my advice still stands. Most people will crack on this diet.

[King Coal]

15. Why in the world do you say that?

Have you ever read Atkin's book?

[mermaid]

17. Right ON, Oldtimer!!

congrats!
I have lost 35 pounds so far on Atkins, and I swear by it. sugar is pure poison...couldn't agree with you more!

Since I began Atkins, a number of weird health problems I had have all but vanished along with 35 pounds.

I no longer need to sleep with my CPAP every night...my acid reflux went away...my migraines went away...it's literally incredible!

And how long did I just go on, eating thoughtlessly, pumping my body full of poison?

I tried the low-fat approach and it sucked. I lost a whopping 2 pounds in six months, and walked around feeling hungry and deprived and miserable all the time.

I have never felt deprived or hungry on Atkins, I have lot weight, and my cholesterol numbers went way down.

I'm a believer! The numbers just do not lie. And it's no coincidence that a lot of my weird health problems went away, either.

[King Coal]

22. Beauty, Mermaid.

[King Coal]

23. Beauty, Mermaid.

[Kanary]

13. The way that people ate for *generations* is NOT a "deficiency"

Actually learning about blood sugar levels, and what the body needs is NOT some fad.

Kanary

[kcwayne]

11. I thought I had a sensible healthy eating habit

But I was doing about 300-400 carbs a day. I also exercise daily (weekdays) for 30 minutes, and walk 6 miles on Sat. and Sunday. This regimen has worked well for me except this year (I turned 50) and I couldn't shed the winter weight I always put on.

I tried Atkins while keeping the same exercise regimen and lost 15 pounds in 1 month (185 from 200).

My concern about Atkins is all the fat and cholesterol. I don't want to eat so much meat and eggs, so I will start looking into something else.

[Kanary]

14. I understand your concern.

We're told from every direction about "fat" and "cholesterol". ATkins has been proven to reduce the "vad cholesterol, and raise the "good" cholesterol.

Therefore, I would strong suggest that before you "start looking into something else", that you have your levels checked. You may be doing better than you knew. At least you would know where you stand.

Kanary

[mermaid]

18. That Is Something

we Atkins supporters have to constantly fight...is people who've bought the low-fat lie...that low-fat was the only way to lose weight.

And for years, it has been hammered into us...the lie that bacon and eggs were "heart attack on a plate" etc.

My total cholesterol dropped over 100 total points, and my good cholesterol went up...while strictly following Atkins. All while never feeling hungry or deprived.

My triglycerides dropped like a rock.

Now, I have somewhat eased off, and am not quite as vigilant as once I was...and so I have plateaued on the weight loss, and not losing any more, but also not gaining...my cholesterol went back up somewhat...

But my triglycerides have remained low, which is good, since I'm at risk for diabetes, since I have a family history of it.

[wyethwire]

20. bars are touting low-carb margaritas

the diet has definitely jumped the shark

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. Low carb diet has nothing to do with "Lo Carb" foods

All you need to eat are nice, natural proteins and vegetables and a bit of fruit, and a bit of whole grains in the later stages. You do NOT need any of that food industry garp like "Lo Carb" chocolate cake or "Lo Carb" French fries.

[Liberal Classic]

24. I was low carb before low carb was cool

Thanks to a wheat gluten allergy, I was on the low carb style of diet years before I had ever heard of Dr. Atkins.

Having since read his book, I am suprised at the things people have said about him and his diet plan. All it boils down to is avoiding highly-processed flours and sugars, and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Anyone could benefit from this.