# Let me hear your low-carb stories! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340 "2011-03-03T14:26:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/101 "2011-03-13T22:24:17Z")
I just finished watching this documentary called _Fat Head_ that’s available on netflix watch instantly. It’s a response to _Super Size Me_ that summarizes a lot of the information about nutrition and health that we’ve been talking about in the various low-carb threads floating around in an easy-to-understand and quick format. There are lots of doctors and researchers interviewed, and he talks about the history of American dietary guidelines, as well as human biology. It’s basically Taubes-lite. There’s some other stuff he talks about, and the whole thing has a pretty heavy libertarian bias. Still pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/102 "2011-03-13T22:49:29Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Chicken leg quarters (the thigh and leg still attached) are the cheapest meat, generally speaking. They should be well under $1/lb. If you have access to an ethnic market (either asian, latino, indian, etc) they usually have the best prices. Aldi’s has five pound bags of individually frozen leg quarters that sell for $3.99 around here. They work great for me as the bag is a zip-lock one, so I can take out what I need and thaw it, and the quick freeze ice protects them from freezer burn. I managed to drop from 305 to 246 on Atkins and have kept it off. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/103 "2011-03-13T23:06:52Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Initially it is zero fat, or as close as you can get. Everything I’ve ever read about hardcore carb restriction says this is not good. How severely does Dukan restrict carbs? Because if you rely on protein you can mess up your kidneys. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/104 "2011-03-13T23:22:17Z")
> [@Schrodinger\_s\_Platypus](#): > > It’s the protein foods that are hard to afford. High cholesterol runs in my family, so I have to watch the eggs or only eat whites, and cheese is hard for the same reason. I have a bunch of bulk protein powder left over to help out, and it’s only 2g carbs a serving, so I can use it, but meat is expensive! Where do you get the cheapest healthy meat? I don’t know where you live, but in Los Angeles the ticket is markets that cater to lower-income Hispanic neighborhoods. The meat is much more affordable, and in fact, I think it’s generally fresher because it’s both less expensive and because it’s more popular overall - Gelson’s is our high-end market and the meat is ludicrously expensive, being sold to rich people who are actually more likely to be eating yogurt and salads and eating out than making big meals of meat every day. Last night I totally scored - I love chicken wings, but they are stupidly expensive for reasons that escape me. It seems you can always find deals on whole chickens and every other part, never wings. But my local cheap market had them for 99 cents a pound. Since I have a big freezer I bought about 15 pounds in three big packages. I noticed a brand name package of wings that was a third the size of the $5/$5 pound package going for $11. This is the same market I talked about a year or two ago with the fantastic produce prices. Last night I noticed all of the above for **one dollar:** (each) 7 pounds of squash 4 pounds of grapefruit 9 pounds of oranges (excellent navel oranges, too.) 7 lemons 2 pounds of mini-limes 8 bunches of cilantro 2 pounds of cauliflower 2 pounds of dark chiles 33 pounds of produce for $8. I dont’ know why I ever think I’d live anywhere but California. > [@Gestalt](#): > > I just finished watching this documentary called _Fat Head_ that’s available on netflix watch instantly. It’s a response to _Super Size Me_ that summarizes a lot of the information about nutrition and health that we’ve been talking about in the various low-carb threads floating around in an easy-to-understand and quick format. There are lots of doctors and researchers interviewed, and he talks about the history of American dietary guidelines, as well as human biology. It’s basically Taubes-lite. > > There’s some other stuff he talks about, and the whole thing has a pretty heavy libertarian bias. Still pretty good. Thanks for the heads up! > [@Gestalt](#): > > I have mint/gum compulsion issues. I use Listerine fresh-breath strips and they work pretty well. Kind of dehydrating but it makes you drink more so that might be good. > ( It’s better now that I am being more aware of my water. I think I was dehydrated a little and that was making it worse. I got very serious about water yesterday after the constipation kicked in. I knew it was coming, why I didn’t prepare better…well, because that’s just the way I roll. grr. ---
**Author:** ![MissRancher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@MissRancher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissRancher)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/105 "2011-03-13T23:28:58Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Everything I’ve ever read about hardcore carb restriction says this is not good. How severely does Dukan restrict carbs? Because if you rely on protein you can mess up your kidneys. That’s not actually true, unless your kidneys are compromised to start with. [http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/uncategorized/vampire-myths/](http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/uncategorized/vampire-myths/) is just one post talking about it. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/106 "2011-03-14T00:50:24Z")
> [@Gestalt](#): > > I have mint/gum compulsion issues. I use Listerine fresh-breath strips and they work pretty well. Kind of dehydrating but it makes you drink more so that might be good. > > Thanks for that explanation. > > Does anyone know if splenda or aspartame is insulinogenic? I love, love diet sodas and giving them up is hard. ☹ I cannot find a reliable cite for this, but in my experience on low-carb discussion boards and such, Splenda does cause an insulinogenic response. The only artificial sweeteners (that I know of) that do not are erythritol and xylitol. I believe liquid Splenda (aka liquid sucralose without the bulking agents found in powdered Splenda, like dextrose) may also be all right. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/107 "2011-03-14T00:54:21Z")
After reading this thread I did a little bit of research on Dukan. Looks like for the first stage, you eat only lean protein for one to ten days (depending on how much you want to lose overall), and then enter stage two, which is alternating days of all-protein with days of protein plus veggies, kind of like Atkins induction. Supposedly this is the diet Kate Middleton’s mother is doing in preparation for the wedding. 🙂 I dunno…the rapid weight loss it promises sounds enticing, but I don’t know if I could really go through with lean-meat only that long. I’m supposed to start tomorrow…I think I’m just going to have to go regular low-carb. I’ve got 12 weeks until a girls-only weekend at the lake that I’d really like to lose some weight for. But I’ve gotta be realistic–there’s no way I’m going to be Angelina Jolie or Keira Knightly by then. I’ll settle for say, a 30 pound loss. That’s two pounds a week plus an initial water-weight loss. That’ll put me firmly below 200, where I haven’t been since my first pregnancy. I’d love to see onderland again! Also would like to put a plug in for [www.lowcarbfriends.com](http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/index.html). Lots of good info and support there for us low-carbers. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/108 "2011-03-14T01:01:13Z")
Sorry for the double-post, forgot to add: Here’s what Dr. Atkins said in his book about artificial sweeteners: > [@](#): > > …the following are allowed: sucralose (Splenda), saccharin, cyclamate, acesulfame-K…certain sugar alcohols such as maltitol do not affect blood sugar and are acceptable…My preference, however, is sucralose (Splenda), the only sweetener made from sugar. Sucralose is safe, non-caloric and does \*not \*raise blood sugar. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/109 "2011-03-14T13:26:48Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Everything I’ve ever read about hardcore carb restriction says this is not good. How severely does Dukan restrict carbs? Because if you rely on protein you can mess up your kidneys. For the initial week or so (first phase) you eat lean protein (chicken/turkey/tofu/lean beef) only. If you have a smart phone, there are droid and iphone apps for Dukan. The Dukan app I used, combined with Libra (a weight monitoring app) worked very well. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/110 "2011-03-14T16:54:35Z")
> [@PeskiPiksi](#): > > After reading this thread I did a little bit of research on Dukan. Looks like for the first stage, you eat only lean protein for one to ten days (depending on how much you want to lose overall), and then enter stage two, which is alternating days of all-protein with days of protein plus veggies, kind of like Atkins induction. Supposedly this is the diet Kate Middleton’s mother is doing in preparation for the wedding. 🙂 > > I dunno…the rapid weight loss it promises sounds enticing, but I don’t know if I could really go through with lean-meat only that long. I’m supposed to start tomorrow…I think I’m just going to have to go regular low-carb. I’ve got 12 weeks until a girls-only weekend at the lake that I’d really like to lose some weight for. But I’ve gotta be realistic–there’s no way I’m going to be Angelina Jolie or Keira Knightly by then. I’ll settle for say, a 30 pound loss. That’s two pounds a week plus an initial water-weight loss. That’ll put me firmly below 200, where I haven’t been since my first pregnancy. I’d love to see onderland again! > > Also would like to put a plug in for [www.lowcarbfriends.com](http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/index.html). Lots of good info and support there for us low-carbers. Just wondering from your quote - are you by chance talking about a later Atkins book? The regimen you describe doesn’t sound like Atkins '72. If so, is it more low-fat now? I haven’t read the rewrites that have come out lately but I heard they have been written to fit conventional wisdom and are more low-fat (blegh!) If that’s true, the good Dr. wouldn’t approve. That website is a good one. Another good site is www.lowcarb.ca (regular poster there too) ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/111 "2011-03-14T18:08:53Z")
Yeah, **Angel** , my version is the '92 version, I believe. Couldn’t get my hands on a '72 version. I agree–I think Dr. Atkins would be appalled at the way Atkins has been commercialized, with all the “products,” etc. The true Atkins way you don’t need any of that junk. Just the book and some meat and veggies! I don’t know about later versions, but this version is in no way low-fat. He encourages vegetable oils, butter, and to not remove skin and fat from meats. Here’s another quote: > [@](#): > > I cannot stress strongly enough that trying to do a low-fat version of Atkins will interfere with fat burning and derail your weight loss. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/112 "2011-03-14T19:52:20Z")
Oh, okay. Must have got mixed up with a “magazine” version or misunderstood someone. And yeah, the “products” are complete nonsense, and helped kill the advance of LC a few years ago, didn’t they. Curse the Atkins bars, so good, but they stalled me forever… ---
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/113 "2011-03-15T03:35:33Z")
I’ve had periods where I lost a lot of weight, most recently through intense running, and overall I was happy with how I looked, BUT . . . My “body proportions” stayed the same. Meaning I continued to have a belly and love handles. I would think that if this diet emphasizes fat mobilization for energy, I should lose the fat deposits. Has anyone noticed a change in their fat distribution on low-carb? ---
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/114 "2011-03-15T03:51:40Z")
Another thought: the brain primarily uses glucose for energy. How do our brains work on low-carb? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/115 "2011-03-15T05:14:26Z")
> [@Gestalt](#): > > Another thought: the brain primarily uses glucose for energy. How do our brains work on low-carb? This is not the case, according to what I’ve read. The brain actually functions better on ketones. I’ll have to find the quote and source. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/116 "2011-03-15T05:34:07Z")
> [@Gestalt](#): > > Another thought: the brain primarily uses glucose for energy. How do our brains work on low-carb? Ketogenic diets are used to treat seizures. Since seizures indicate a damaged or sick brain in some way, and ketogenic diets help, it seems fair to conclude that ketogenic diets aren’t hurting anyone’s brains. (look up atkins and epilepsy or ketogenic and seizures) ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/117 "2011-03-15T05:36:44Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Ketogenic diets are used to treat seizures. Since seizures indicate a damaged or sick brain in some way, and ketogenic diets help, it seems fair to conclude that ketogenic diets aren’t hurting anyone’s brains. (look up atkins and epilepsy or ketogenic and seizures) How did you arrive at that conclusion? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/118 "2011-03-15T05:38:04Z")
It does force you to think outside the box, that’s for sure. Today’s lunch: sausage links and whole fried okra. I was poking in the freezer when I was cooking the sausage and I thought how the okra was about the same size and shape. So I tossed a dozen pods in the pan with the sausage. Dinner was excellent…I’m getting really good at low-carb tacos, and I’m not missing the tortillas at all. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/119 "2011-03-15T05:38:38Z")
> [@Gestalt](#): > > Another thought: the brain primarily uses glucose for energy. How do our brains work on low-carb? Not very well, actually. From my reading, low-carb diets can lead to depression. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340/120 "2011-03-15T05:40:59Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > How did you arrive at that conclusion? Do the google. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-hear-your-low-carb-stories/573340.md?page=7)