# My extremish diet log **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 22, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286 "2005-06-22T00:52:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/41 "2005-06-22T19:48:02Z")
But you put the weight back on - and more. Not such a successsful diet in my opinion. Why are you so determined (against all reasonable advice provided from medical and government org sources) to follow such an extreme diet again? Yeah, you might well lose weight initially on this diet, but the minute you come off it, you’ll start gaining it back again, and the damage done to your metabolism is going to make it even harder to lose it again. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/42 "2005-06-22T20:31:04Z")
The best of luck - nice to know that some of us have the will and knowledge to get out of it! [sub]Psst - if you ever have time to come play CS Source again, look me up on the ViP server - IPs 212.187.246.80:27015. I’m ViP.Ferret on there. The crowd’s not the brainiest, but the admins are generally cool and the skill levels moderately high. And I’m glad to hear you got out of your funk! -Obscurephil from the old SDMB server[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/43 "2005-06-22T20:35:05Z")
> [@Girl From Mars](#): > > But you put the weight back on - and more. Not such a successsful diet in my opinion. Why are you so determined (against all reasonable advice provided from medical and government org sources) to follow such an extreme diet again? I didn’t regain the weight because my lean body mass was depleted. I gained the weight because I went back to eating just like I did before - the eating that lead to the weight gain in the first place. I made a concious decision to expend minimal effort in maintenance because I didn’t care about maintaining it. I realize that’s strange - most people would be so thrilled to have their self worth boosted by not being fat - but the weight loss was about 8th on my my reasons for doing it then. Most of the top reasons were either accomplished by doing it, or nullified by my life experience after I lost all of it. I chose to not expend the effort not to get fat again, and that’s why I did. It wasn’t at all to blame for the diet. > [@](#): > > Yeah, you might well lose weight initially on this diet, but the minute you come off it, you’ll start gaining it back again, and the damage done to your metabolism is going to make it even harder to lose it again. Maybe. I’m going to do some reading to see about that. I do appreciate the advice given here - I will do more research to low calorie consumption. However, this time I have good reason not to become fat again, and so I won’t - it’s as simple as that. It’s the will behind it more than the actual diet/mechanism that’s important. In any case, I’ve decided to up my calorie intake by about 50% until I’ve read more. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/44 "2005-06-22T20:37:20Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I appreciate the info, but I don’t buy it. > > Call me stupid or hard headed or whatever for scoffing at medical advice, but when I lost all that weight before, I was certainly eating less than 300 calories under my expenditure, but I was the picture of health. You misunderstood what I said. 3,000 is what you burn just by being alive. The minute you do ANYTHING, from standing up go get another beer, or going to the can to have big dump, you’re burning more calories. According to [fitday.com](http://fitday.com) a man of your size, with a moderately sedentary lifestyle burns about 5,500 calories a day, exclusive of any added exercies. I’m suggeting consuming about _half_ of what you’re burning. The 300 calories below 3,000 just represents 10% of what your body needs to live - any lower than that, and that pesky old hypothalamus WILL rebel. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/45 "2005-06-22T20:39:03Z")
> [@Heart On My Sleeve](#): > > Does anyone know of any tests that will give an accurate measure of one’s metabolic rate? I was part of a nutritional study once to see if high fiber diets influenced the metabolic rates of overweight women. They said that the real way to test my resting metabolic rate involved a water tank and several uncomfortably placed tubes. Instead, they had me watch TV for 10 hours while they periodically took blood, sampled my breathing, and collected all of my um… processed food bits. That machine you posted a link to is probably as acurate as a layperson is gonna get. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/46 "2005-06-22T20:49:13Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > You misunderstood what I said. 3,000 is what you burn just by being alive. The minute you do ANYTHING, from standing up go get another beer, or going to the can to have big dump, you’re burning more calories. According to [fitday.com](http://fitday.com) a man of your size, with a moderately sedentary lifestyle burns about 5,500 calories a day, exclusive of any added exercies. I’m suggeting consuming about _half_ of what you’re burning. The 300 calories below 3,000 just represents 10% of what your body needs to live - any lower than that, and that pesky old hypothalamus WILL rebel. Ah, I see. That’s far more reasonable. I’m guessing what I ate when I lost weight long ago (I never counted calories then) was roughly half of my expenditure. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/47 "2005-06-22T22:49:05Z")
I’m impressed that you had the willpower to do that when you were 17. All I have to say to you is: 1. See your doctor regularly to get all your levels checked. 2. 900 calories is really low. You really should consult a diatician before you start this. I’m not saying you don’t understand how the whole low carb thing works or that you can’t recognize the messages your body is sending you. I’m just saying that a diatician will be able to evaluate your plan, your progress and help you to make informed decisions on what changes need to be made. If your goal is to lose lots of weight very quickly, having a professional or two watching your back can help you to avoid diatary mistakes which could actually set you back. 3. Please take care of yourself. Losing weight is very good. Having the motivation to do it is very good. Hurting yourself - and I’m not even talking diet wise, is very bad. You’re out of shape. Please make sure you warm up and cool down when you exercise. Don’t push yourself to the point of exhaustion. The last thing you need while attempting such major weight loss is an injury which will cause you to stop exercising. No doctor or diatician can force you to stop doing your extreme diet. But, they can monitor you and guide you. Obviously, I don’t know your doctor. But I know that if I told my doctor that I was going to attempt something like this, she would try once or twice to change my mind. After I refuse to give in, she would do whatever she could to make sure I don’t hurt myself. Don’t do this alone. And: You have my e-mail address. Even if you don’t end up posting your progress, I’d like to know how your doing. \*\*\*\*\* IANAD or diatician. This is just my opinion. \*\*\*\*\* ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/48 "2005-06-22T23:18:52Z")
I’m not really interested in the advice of a dietician. Unless things have changed, they’ll almost all scoff that the low carb thing, let alone the restricted calorie thing, would be a good idea. As far as a doctor - that’d be a good idea, but I don’t have medical insurance (mostly on account of the premiums required when you’re fat). I’m not really worried about it. I’ll try to do my own research. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/49 "2005-06-22T23:45:22Z")
They’ve got good reason to scoff at Atkins. It may work in the short term, but there just isn’t enough data now to tell if it’s a safe course over time. I remember seeing the proof of how foolish Atkins was while I was studying biochemistry, but now I can’t remember how the logic ran. Think I’ll look up my professor. And the reason it would be good to consult a professional is because you need professional study of the subject to make an informed opinion. This isn’t something that you can absorb over the course of a weekend. There’s all sorts of chemistry and cell membranes and nastiness. Hell, I’ve taken 4 years worth and, in theory, I could be an animal nutritionalist. But I still feel uninformed. [hyjack] You found someone willing to insure you for extra cost? All the medical insurance folks I’ve talked to turned me down outright for having 30 pounds too many. Who did you talk to?[/hyjack] ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/50 "2005-06-23T00:48:59Z")
> [@Pullet](#): > > They’ve got good reason to scoff at Atkins. It may work in the short term, but there just isn’t enough data now to tell if it’s a safe course over time. I believe that the current medical thinking is that for someone in **Senior Beef’s** position - ie, a lot of weight to lose, Atkins or South Beach are reasonable first steps, as they do help weight drop fairly rapidly without stressing the body too much - South Beach is by far the prefered of the two, and some physicians will actually recommend it to diabetic patients to help them get their blood sugar under control. Obviously, **SB** should try to consult with someone other than us boobs on a message board, but I can say that our current Head of Pharmacology & Therapeutics is using the South Beach diet and has nothing but positive things to say about it. He is a type II diabetic and has found that South Beach has really cut down on his blood sugar level swings. Also, he does have a PhD specializing in metabolism and cardiac function and whatnot, so I assume he’s not a total crack pot. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/51 "2005-06-23T00:50:31Z")
I hate to bring this up, but not too long ago, **SenorBeef** , you mentioned you had problems with depression. Going on an extreme diet like this is only going to make it 100 times worse. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/52 "2005-06-23T01:24:06Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > I believe that the current medical thinking is that for someone in **Senior Beef’s** position - ie, a lot of weight to lose, Atkins or South Beach are reasonable first steps, as they do help weight drop fairly rapidly without stressing the body too much - South Beach is by far the prefered of the two, and some physicians will actually recommend it to diabetic patients to help them get their blood sugar under control. > > Obviously, **SB** should try to consult with someone other than us boobs on a message board, but I can say that our current Head of Pharmacology & Therapeutics is using the South Beach diet and has nothing but positive things to say about it. He is a type II diabetic and has found that South Beach has really cut down on his blood sugar level swings. Also, he does have a PhD specializing in metabolism and cardiac function and whatnot, so I assume he’s not a total crack pot. 😉 Coolness. Like I said, I’m no expert. Although I have seen some doctors do some pretty silly things sometimes 🙂 Glad it’s working for him. But, like you said, he had the info to consider it critically. In the end, **SenorBeef** can do what he likes. Just don’t want to watch someone walk into anything without being informed. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/53 "2005-06-23T15:34:28Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I hate to bring this up, but not too long ago, **SenorBeef** , you mentioned you had problems with depression. Going on an extreme diet like this is only going to make it 100 times worse. Why? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/54 "2005-06-23T17:15:00Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Why? You’ll be fucking up your hormone levels, which can have direct influence on mood. Really, perhaps you should consider the south beach diet - you just have to buy the book (or subscribe on line). Honestly, it’s a fairly easy diet to stick to (you have a variety of foods to choose from), you can eat normal portions (as opposed to 4 carrot sticks and a piece of cress), it gives a major nod to GI which almost all Drs. agree, deserves a nod, and you’ll have good solid results. Additionally, you’ll need less supplementation. Just a thought, but while you’re doing your research, perhaps you should research SB a little bit. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/55 "2005-06-23T17:29:19Z")
There’s enough information on the Prevention Magazine website to do the South Beach diet without buying anything. Most of it is provided by the author himself, so you needn’t feel that you’re cheating him out of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/56 "2005-06-23T18:19:05Z")
I don’t have a dog in this fight, I just wanted to say, that Atkins and South Beach are actually very, very similar if you READ THE PLAN and follow it correctly. Atkin’s reputation as the all-bacon-cheeseburger diet (minus bun) is totaly underserved and a creation of the media. Both plans have a short period of radical abstinence from high carb foods (2 weeks for both) Both then advise adding in lots of nutrition dense good carbs with low glycemic indicies. Both advise avoiding trans-fat and all processed foods (includes bacon, actually) in favor of unprocessed protein and veggies and low GI fruits. They are both considered “low-carbohydrate” eating plans (done properly, neiother would be considered a “diet” – something you get on, lose a few pounds and get off of) The SB plan has a little bit more stress on reducing fat and is a little more lenient with the whole grain breads. Other than that, pretty similar. Oh, and you can get absolutely everything you need to do Atkins corerctly, including recipes, for free at the official website: [atkins.com](http://atkins.com) ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/57 "2005-06-23T19:55:02Z")
**Hello Again** - the key difference is that South Beach doesn’t encourage you to go into keytosis, or try to maintain keytosis. Really, the medical benefits of keytosis are highly debated, whereas the medical benefits of a diet that reduces refined sugars, glucose, etc such as south beach, are not. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/58 "2005-06-24T01:06:59Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Why? Your blood sugar will be out of whack, your electrolites will be out of balance, you won’t be getting the nutrients you need. Dieting can cause some major mood swings in the most stable of individuals. Hell, my grandmother’s a diabetic, and we can always tell when her blood sugar’s off, because she gets extremely nasty. Keeping a balanced diet and eating regularly has a lot to do with your mood. Trust me on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/59 "2005-06-24T01:44:45Z")
Starvation also lowers serotonin levels, so that will be a problem too. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286/60 "2005-06-24T02:40:59Z")
Also, if you look at my earlier post, when your motivation for healthier living is to end depression, what do you do when you’re skinny and the depression is over? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-extremish-diet-log/309286.md?page=4)