"Damsel in dis Dress" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 04:32:11 -0600, "MaryL"
> -OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote:
>
>> I posted a fairly lengthy reply to your message in
>> alt.support.diet.low-carb
>> (although you are correct that the majority seem to be Atkins). I find
>> SB
>> very easy to follow -- basically, you should look at the list of "foods
>> to
>> enjoy" and "foods to avoid" for Phases 1 and 2. I simply select from
>> those
>> lists, and it has been exceptionally (after the first 2 weeks, which are
>> very rigid -- but sticking to Phase 1 really did eliminate my old
>> cravings
>> for carbs). I also have diabetes, and SB has been a tremendous help to
>> me.
>> As I explained in my other message, I have also eliminated *all* pasta,
>> flour, rice, potatoes, and added sugar (and that goes beyond SB but has
>> had
>> a clear beneficial effect on my glucose readings, which are now always in
>> the "normal" range without any medication).
>
> Thank you, Mary. It looks like you're the only person I can talk to
> in the other group who'll understand. I'm glad you're here, too. It's
> hard to lower your nasty fats when everyone around you is encouraging
> you to eat fatty meats, etc.
>
> I do thank you for the post you made in asdlc. I was thinking of just
> talking to you in e-mail, since the guidelines of Atkins and SBD are
> so different. I'll be in touch as I have questions.
>
> Can't wait for my large print book to arrive.
>
> Thanks again, Mary!
> Carol

I would be happy to answer questions by email (at least, based on my
experience -- I'm no expert). One negative reaction I had to the book is
that it has far too many "anecdotes," which cuts down on the amount of
instructive text. That's a minor criticism, though. I found lots of solid
information, and the diet has been very easy to follow. There are also some
very good recipes in the back of the book, and SB now has a "Quick & Easy"
cookbook that emphasizes ease of preparation/cooking and a limited number of
ingredients for each recipe. As I said earlier, just keep the "foods to
enjoy" and "foods to avoid" lists with you. Soon, they will be second
nature and you will carry the lists in your head. I haven't even had any
trouble eating out. I just watch for anything that's not on the diet and
ask for substitutions. For example, if pasta is a side dish, I ask for
steamed veggies instead. Likewise, I always ask for no croutons, and I
never eat the bread. However, I never ask the servers not to bring bread to
the table (a suggestion I read elsewhere) because that is unfair to other
people at the table. Yesterday, I ordered steak and portabella fajitas --
but I had the server leave off the tortillas and just ate the tortilla
ingredients as a platter dish. You do have to keep even that type of eating
to an infrequent occasion, though, because the sauces can be loaded with
hiddfen fats and sugars. Once I got past the first 2 weeks, I found that it
doesn't even bother me to have fresh bread at the table or to watch others
eat the type of sugary desserts I once loved. Omelets and salads become a
staple when traveling.

Most people on the low-carb newsgroup group don't believe in low fat (as you
said), but I feel much better about the SB approach than the Atkins approach
because SB emphasizes low-fat meats and cheeses. SB does recommend olive
oil, and I use that for salad dressings and for cooking stir fry dishes,
etc. -- in fact, I deliberately add some of that because it is supposed to
be heart healthy (not *too* much, though, because all fats contain the same
calories). If I want an *occasional* sandwich, I get low-fat deli meat
(such as the thin-sliced 98% fat-free prepackaged meats), and I use only
Ezekiel bread. That is a flourless bread made from sprouted grains, and it
does not cause any spikes in my glucose readings (unlike flour, where even
whole wheat bread caused problems). I must admit that it is rather
"cardboardy," so I only eat it toasted.

I still eat snacks (in fact, I find that I feel much better if I have
morning and afternoon or evening snacks -- it probably helps keep glucose
more level). However, my snacks now consist of such things as cottage
cheese with fruit, fresh strawberries and/or blueberries with some plain non
fat yogurt, nuts (good for you -- but again, don't go overboard because they
have quite a few calories), a handful of mini carrots and a slice of low-fat
cheese, an apple with a wedge of low-fat cheese Laughing Cow cheese (watch
for it and always keep some on hand -- it is highly recommended by SB, and
it will give you a low-fat "spreadable" cheese that you can use on veggies),
*once in a while* (very infrequent) I will have Ezekiel toast with peanut
butter, etc. I really like raw cauliflower -- I can eat unlimited
quantities of that, and it has a "nutty" taste and texture. I always had a
real sweet tooth, but I also love fresh fruit. So, that is now both my
dessert and some of my snacks. I do *not* add any sweetener, though (not
even the permissable artificial sweeteners because I don't want to
reactivate my sweet tooth). Fortunately, I *like* unsweetened fresh fruit,
so that is not a problem. I find that I don't even need to engage in
portion control. If I eat the right types of things, portions take care of
themselves. You are never supposed to go hungry on SB (unlike some diets).
If you are hungry, *eat* -- but eat the right types of food.

I hope some of this helps. Feel free to send email (remember, my addy is
valid except that you first need to "take-out-the-litter").

MaryL