If what you're doing is working - ignore this.

stevemcknight

I'm not sure why so many people think "eating balanced" or "everything in moderation" makes so much sense. You wouldn't say that it's ok to just do a little cocaine right? Some junk is just junk and should be kept as low as possible. I think the great quote from Benjamin Franklin is "Keep all things in moderation, including moderation." There is a time for being hardcore, I believe.

Is the cocaine example too much? Alright - maybe. What about eating a moderate piece of fudge every day, and a moderate amount of pizza and McDonalds? I think we all know where that leads.

Some people think keeping fat low is the answer to weight loss - I tried that with mixed results. It did reduce my fat and left me fairly lean, but I couldn't stop binging on sugary/carb foods. The problem was I was trying to eat that junk in moderation. That's way harder for someone like me than just cutting the cord entirely.

It wasn't until I gave up having a few hundred grams of carbs/sugar (which are basically the same thing) a day, that my binges came under control and I finally could stay on track for long period of times.

Paleo lowish carb nutrition has worked for me for over a year now. It has been amazing. It's made eating out so easy, and less stressful, it's helped with keeping my body fat nice and low and has helped with my general energy levels. I no longer crash after a big carb meal, my energy is more of a baseline all day long. Sleep has improved and all my blood tests have come back with improved numbers.

I don't worry about calories at all - that's a tremendous relief. It caused a lot of unnecessary stress worrying that I'd be over calorie by the end of the day, under calorie, miss a 3 hour feeding window - whatever. Now, I eat 2-3 meals a day, until full, no worries.

Here's my simple rules:

Eat: Animals/Veggies

Don't Eat: everything else. (including wheat, rice, corn, anything out of a box, fruit, sugar)

wait.... fruit?

Yeah - here's the thing.

Fruit has some great stuff in it (although all that can be found in a healthy variety of veggies) but also a bunch of fructose. That's not so great. It's probably too long to post the whole thing, but can you just go with me that fructose won't help big weight loss. Once a client is close to their goal weight, some fruit probably won't hurt, but during the big weight loss portion, I recommend to stay away.

Can overeating protein/fat make you fat?

OF COURSE!

However, when is the last time you really binged hard on protein and fat? If you have - then by all means, ignore me. But if you're like me, I never binged on steak and chicken. It was always carbs/sugar. Ice Cream, Doughnuts, Cake, Pie, Chocolate, Chips - whatever. I have a long long long history of binging and not once crushed an animal in a 3 day mega binge.

I believe that for many of us who struggle with overeating and weight gain - carbs/sugar (love how that's one word?) are as much of an addiction as heroin or cocaine. In fact, it actually activates the same part of your brain - the reward center.

I wish that I could have just a bite of a doughnut and walk away, but I can't. That bite will lead to a whole pie, a pizza, a bag of doritos and all the rest. I've stayed lean for a couple years by completely eliminating all carbs except veggies from my life.

If what you do is working for you - then please, keep doing it. But if it's not - if you're struggling, try my way for a month. If you do it and it doesn't work - you may come to Pittsburgh and kick me in the shin.

Steve.

Resources:
www.Whole9Life.com
www.Marksdailyapple.com
www.RobbWolf.com
The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes
www.KnightFit.com - by me.

frostiegurl

I like what you have to say and I agree. I don't miss carbs/sugar at all since I went low carb and I don't think I could binge on protein/fat if I tried. That stuff fills you up like nobody's business.


Keep up the great work.

:flowerforyou:

la_traviesa36013

bump

McKayMachina

Haiiiilz to the yesss! Steve, this is why I your face off. Good post!

You should :drinker: and post more often. :laugh:

bigredhearts

bumping this because its AMAZING! :happy:

MissMegan3119

I had to reply to this because of a friend of mine who believes this.

My husband and I have a friend who is morbidly obese, probably pushing the 450-460 LB mark. We have made a complete turn around in our eating habits, but have come to grips with that in order to succeed, we have to say goodbye to much of the treats that put us here in the first place.

Our friend on the other hand, feels he is doing so much better on his eating now that he's only eating a SMALL pizza for himself, instead of medium. Or only 2 Big Macs and fries for lunch instead of that plus chicken nuggets.

There are many people who are able to still indulge in those pleasures, but for most people, including myself, the line of where to stop is blurred.

While my plan is working, and I don't follow an eating plan precisely like yours, I appreciate you saying something along these lines. While moderation may work for some, I think for others it's just an excuse to stay within your comfort zone.

skinnyhopes

BUMP if I reach a pleateau or something ill try this

ReneeHK

Hi Steve, I have always been a fan of no/low carb. I followed Atkins for a few years and kept lean but then once I came off my weight crept back on until I was where I was before and more. Do you ever incorporate good carbs? I am reading so much contradiction at the moment, of having at least some good carbs. I have for the last month, been on a restricted carb diet, cut out sugar etc. but have had the odd portion of organic brown rice (half bowl) and a small portion of organic jumbo oats/porridge for breakfast. I have been very minimal on the fruit except for the berries group! Can you just expand a bit more and advise whist your in your lean mode, do you use any other form of carb apart from vegetables?!! Thanks


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Hopefully my ticker works this time!!

katschi

:flowerforyou: Love this post.

I'm still tackling the calorie thing though. I haven't found my sweet spot yet. (sans sugar )
Although I feel much better and I'm not suffering from the bingeing as before, I haven't lost any considerable weight since starting lower carb eating. I think maybe my "full" signal is broken and I still eat too much.

jujubean1992

well i thought i'd check this out because i feel like i'm stuck at a plateau but as far as the fruit? if i stopped eating fruit i would pass out multiple times a day i swear! so that can't be true for everyone. i also have a blood sugar disorder and my dr told me if i ever wanted to loose weight by cutting calories to make sure i ate 3-4 servings of fruit. so my blood sugar doesn't plummet.

recently i've been eating lean meats chicken and fish(tuna) lots of low fat dairy and lots of fruit! no bread, when i want a sandwich i use a tortilla (a little better but not the bestand i eat almonds or granola bars at work for a quick pick me up.

just thought i'd share my experiences as well. no offense meant.

bluecutipy

what i've been doing has been working. not as fast as i would like but none the less its working. but what you said seems to make a lot of since therefore i think i will give it a go lol

TinaS88

Very informative!! Since starting my food tracker I have realized I eat WAAYYY to many carbs and I am sure that is why I have packed on the pounds so hard. With this information I just have to learn to eat better.

My problem is since starting this site and keeping track.. I am always under calories by anywhere from 360 to 450. But my carbs are through the roof (hit 208 today ) I am trying to get that down to under 100 but still be able to feel full... which isn't happened... What are the BEST things to eat for low -no carbs but high in protein? I don't like seafood (except the occasional shrimp) and I can't have nuts.

aaaaaamyyyyyyy

Awesome if you can afford meat at every meal - but an entire loaf of bread costs around a quarter of a chicken breast in New Zealand. It's a little unrealistic for most people to be able to afford to live off meat and vegetables (also very expensive over here) when bread, pasta, rice and cereal are just so much cheaper!

KickassYas

I believe that for many of us who struggle with overeating and weight gain - carbs/sugar (love how that's one word?) are as much of an addiction as heroin or cocaine. In fact, it actually activates the same part of your brain - the reward center.

THIS!!!! is exactly what i've been trying to tell people in my life for years! asking for help with a food addiction has been the hardest thing i've ever done in my life. and the most difficult part was finding people who believed me.

JoniBologna

What you really need to ask yourself (not some member who thinks they're an expert on your dietary needs): Is never eating a carb or fruit again sustainable for you? If so, great. If not, where will you be then?

singer201

I've been eating Primal (keeping carbs <100g/day) and exercising moderately (mostly walking or yard work) for exactly 4 months today, and I'm down 45 lbs. IT WORKS! Even following a reduced calorie eating plan (1200 net calories/eating exercise calories) I haven't been "starving" or even "hungry" except right before mealtime. The weight loss has eliminated the need for GERD medication and improved my blood pressure readings.

NeuroticVirgo

What you really need to ask yourself (not some member who thinks they're an expert on your dietary needs): Is never eating a carb or fruit again sustainable for you? If so, great. If not, where will you be then?

I think this is where the answer is. Some people just can't maintain certain changes, and it won't do them any good if they can't. Better to maintain a diet with junk in moderation, than to drop all the weight and then give up and gorge themselves on everything they shouldn't have. But I agree, low carb-sugar is better for you.

cutmd

I agree with most of what you said, although the research on fruit being bad is wanting. I'm never going to be 100% Paleo/primal, largely because of 3 things:
-popcorn
-corn tortillas
- rice
But I do try to limit them. I had to give up wheat and most dairy secondary to an intolerance so I'm not in a rush to toss out the rest anytime soon. However, it's probably the most successful (although perhaps the most difficult) lifestyle change one can make.

makena78

I love the sound of your article. However, I despise veggies. Well most anyway. The only veggies I like are broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and celery. That's not a lot and I don't think I could live off just those. Not too mention I'm not the biggest fan of meats. I don't like baked chicken or fish. I can stand a super small steak though once in awhile. So I'm sort of stuck at this road. I don't eat junk food very often. I don't even eat fast food very often. I don't drink sodas or binge on anything. Yet, I'm still stuck. How does someone get over the veggie and meat part if they don't like it?

stevemcknight

What you really need to ask yourself (not some member who thinks they're an expert on your dietary needs): Is never eating a carb or fruit again sustainable for you? If so, great. If not, where will you be then?

Once a client is close to their goal weight, some fruit probably won't hurt, but during the big weight loss portion, I recommend to stay away.

Not never. If it's not sustainable for you, then I believe you'll be exactly right back where you were before. Under-Eating/Over-Exercising, Yo-Yoing through life until you find what does work. Why not try.

"Try or do not try - I don't really care" - what Yoda really meant.

girlwapp

I think there's also something to be said for being smarter about /which/ carbs you eat more of...