Sign on a pizza restaurant: Get Your Carbs Here!
Low Carb everything!
I could see the value in reducing carbs LONG before it
became the latest craze.
The fact that new products are being developed is a good
thing. Manufacturers have been forced to make changes,
such as increasing fiber in breads and pastas. (I am still
waiting for low-carb fettuccini alfredo ;-).
Reformulating products to contain less sugar and still taste
good generally seems like a positive change.
There are, however, some things to watch out for:
1. Artificial sweeteners have long been controversial and
associated with negative side effects. Some people say
they increase appetite and thirst, and stimulate the insulin
response. People often report that using products with
artificial sweeteners slows weight loss.
I recently bought some "light" orange juice, only to discover
later that it was only 60% juice and contained artificial
sweeteners.
All the more reason to read labels carefully to make
informed choices.
When one ingredient is removed, something else has to
replace it. Is it something you want?
Next time I want "light" juice, I will dilute it myself and leave
out the artificial sweeteners.
2. One of the biggest traps for the low carb era is to avoid
what happened when low fat diets were popular.
When we were advised to eat low fat, we did NOT snack
on celery and carrots.
We munched on "low-fat" cookies, pasta, and bread,
thinking that we were saving fat and calories, but ended up
eating more. "It's low-fat, I can eat all I want." (Remember
this logic?)
Same with carbs - it is easy to think that because
something is low carbs, the quantity doesn't count.
3. Yet another trap is the fact that restricting ANY category
of food can stimulate the urge for that food like nothing
else.
Not eating carbs anymore? Gotta have 'em!
It becomes the 'forbidden fruit' (for more on this, see Lose
Weight Now . . . Stay Slim Forever, page 8).
While as you know, I do not count ANYTHING, I try to
avoid the traps. It's still smart to pay attention internally
and LISTEN what your body is telling you.
The body doesn't lie.
With love,
Carol
About the Author
Carol Solomon, Ph.D. is a psychologist and personal coach who specializes in helping people who want to lose weight and eliminate food and weight issues.
She is the author of "Lose Weight Now Stay Slim Forever," a practical "how-to" manual for learning to lose weight without dieting.
Go To:
Lose Weight Now to get your FREE copy of SLIM FOREVER.
