Conference rocks::weight_control

    The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet is "the lifelong solution to yo-yo
    dieting" by Drs. Rachael and Richard Heller.  I have their book -
    retails for $19.95 - and it makes a lot of sense.  The problem is,
    as I see it, at this time of the year we want to eat fresh
    fruits and fresh fruits are loaded with carbos.
    
    I've written about this in a previous note (or maybe it was in the
    Eating Disorder note) but since I'm not a technical person, I don't
    know how to lead you to it.  I went into a lot of detail quoting from
    different areas of the book.  Maybe a moderator can help you find the
    note.
    
    Basically they are saying to eat two meals which are very low in carbs
    and then eat one "reward" meal - a sensible meal but one with all the
    'forbidden' foods -- but it MUST  be eaten within one hour.  I
    personally prefer having a diet drink for breakfast and a salad and a
    diet drink for lunch.  I called the Carbohydrate Addict's Center in New
    York and left a message asking if the TwinFast drink I use, which has
    5 grams of carbs, is acceptable.  I was surprised to pick up the phone
    a few days later to find Dr. Rachel Heller on the line and we had a
    long discussion.  She was concerned about the possibility of MSG in the
    drink and was, at that time, looking into it.
    
    By the way, TwinFast has just about the same ingredients as OpitFast
    and is, as I've stated, low in carbohydrates.  I've learned, since
    reading this book, to read labels and be more concious of carbos in
    various foods.  
    
    To quote a bit re: the one hour time period.......... 
    
    "...carboydrate addition (the overproduction of insulin, or
    hyperinsulinemia)....  Carbodydrate addicts have the greatest
    difficult controllng their eating when they consume carboydrate foods
    several times a day.  Converseley, when the number of meals or snacks
    at which carbohydrate foods are eaten is decreased, eating becomes
    controllable and cravings decrease dramatically.
    
    When carbos are eaten less frequently, less insulin is produced.  The
    body has a lowered tendency to store the excess calories in its fat
    cells and is more capable of breaking down stored fat.  In that way,
    the caro-insulin-serotonin connection functions more effectively for
    weight loss.....we found the overweight-carbohydrate-addiction cycle
    can be broken.
    
    Research revealed that when the carbos are consumed during a lmited
    period of time, it appears that the usual overproduction of insulin is
    decreased......if the food is consumed within a single hour, the
    carbohydrate addict experiences far less hunger.  The reason for this
    is that the body is able to produce only a limited amount of insulin at
    any time.  Thus, if the time during which food is consumed is limited,
    the time during which your body is called upon to produce insulin is
    limited also.  The result is that the amount of insulin produced can be
    controlled to the degree that production of excess insulin can be
    prevented.
    
    An ideal diet for the carbohydrate addict is a diet that, first limits
    the number of times each day that caros are eaten (though it does NOT
    appear to require reducing the AMOUNT of carbos eaten at that meal); and
    second, that limits the time allotted for eating that meal."
    
    To answer your unasked question - how did I do?  For a while I did
    quite well - but then went off.  But its in my mind a lot and I find
    that I tend to be aware of time when I am eating my main meal.  I know
    a few people who are more structured than I and they have done better
    than I.  You have to remember that though the reward meal allows you to
    eat what you want - you should watch portions and eat sensibly.
    
    The Doctors Heller have been on various television programs - Oprah,
    Jane Whitney, some other daytime talk shows - sold over 60k books -
    loooooooooong waiting list to get into their clinic in New York City.
    The book is well worth reading - and thinking about.  The diet itself
    is definitely worth a try.
    
    Good luck.
    
    	Trudy
    

    I consider myself a carbohydrate addict (well, a food addict in
    general, but carbohydrates especially) but I have found that following
    good nutritional principles and eating carboyhydrates frequently works
    for me, in conjuction with a program and fellowship of recovery.  I was
    on a carbo-restricted diet for a while and my health suffered.
    
    I'm sorry, but eating only diet soda and salad for most of the day
    doesn't sound healthy to me, and it conflicts with all the principles
    of sound nutrition I've ever heard.
    
    But, if it works, more power to ya.
    
    Diana

    re: .2
    
    As you said, what works for some - works.  I do not have diet soda.
    TwinFast is a diet drink very similar to OptiFast or MediFast and
    much lower in carbohydrate then SlimFast.  The drinks are filling
    and definitely not harmful (I've had my doctor check the ingredients).
    
    Trudy

    Ah, sounds a little better. I thought by diet drink you meant diet
    soda.  At least those "diet shakes" have some nutritional content.
    
    Diana