I have a problem with the statement ‘There is no reason to be overweight if people know what they are doing’…um, there are ALL KINDS of reasons people might be overweight, despite good eating and lifestyle habits. My own reason for gaining 15 unwanted pounds? Going on birth control. I’ve changed nothing since last April, except that I began a birth control pill, and have gained 15 pounds. This is a known and documented side-effect of my pill. I don’t feel I’m to blame, and I think its ridiculous to make anyone in a similar position feel we ‘don’t know what we’re doing’. There are many drugs that cause weight gain (besides insulin). There are other conditions, like PCOS, that cause weight gain. Sometimes it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL to do with diet. I’m convinced that had I eaten 10g of carbs a day, I’d have still gained the 15lbs. It’s a reproductive hormonal thing for me, not a food/TDD thing. So I have a few extra lbs, but I DO know what I’m doing.
I have to wonder too how much 35 supplements would weigh? A couple of ounces/ day could = a pound/ week?
Why would tucking in your shirt make a difference? I have trouble finding good spots, too, though. I like to use my lower abdomen. My tummy area has so much scar tissue from all the years before the pump. If I place the set there, I usually have trouble with the insulin absorbing. I tried my butt and that was OK. Where else do people put theirs?
I take 8-10 fish oil caps a day. The way I figure it, 10 gelcaps adds 84 extra calories a day to my diet. According to Gary Taubes, those calories add up to an extra 8 lbs of weight every year if you believe calories in/out. I must be in deep trouble. At least I stopped chewing the fish oil gelcaps.
That crossed my mind too, so it’s why I don’t take that supplement, but have natural nuts to get the oil in a way that is a little enjoyable, but not too nice, or I might have too many. So I don’t get the roasted almonds any more, just the natural ones.
Dr Atkins says that VitE is useful for everyone as an antioxidant but he adds it more liberally to the plan for patients who want to gain weight. It might be part of the reason I have gained as I’m taking more VitE for recovering from 2nd degree burns on three fingers.
I also bite the end of a capsule and rub a little VitE on my lips to correct dry skin there and then swallow the rest.
Suzanne Somers and Dr Atkins have said they take/took about 60.
I’m not doing my high intensity supplements in these past 2 months either and regretting it.
Supplements may not be necessary to live; like insulin, but my 2007 experiment showed such amazing results that my endo wanted a list of them. I go through experiments of on and off, to see the difference.
He knows I cured my 6 months of sudden severe neuropathy with supplements in 2003, so he does not knock my strategy.
People who say I make them laugh should remember “he who laughs loudest first, laughs least last” meaning don’t knock what does work. If I don’t share it, you won’t have the idea to try it.
Since I know what happened to me and how I came out of it and even my GP asks patients to talk about it with me, it just means that Dr Atkins was right that supplements are “nature’s answer to drugs.” It will always be my first place to look. His book is on sale now at Amazon in the USA for $6 but is over $22 in Canada, so get it while you can.
His approach, is what I used, as I had read the book about 2 years before getting the sudden neuropathy.
I should make a list of my favorite books for information. I don’t read for entertainment, but to learn.
Kari, I also knew the frustrating effects of hormones when I was still experiencing them on a monthly basis. It took a lower level of insulin in the estrogen first 2wks and the 2wks of progesterone required more. When progesterone drops suddenly that is what causes the start of menstruation. When a woman is pregnant she has high progesterone the whole time, nicknamed the pregnancy hormone, but it seems to be a reason more insulin is needed during gestational diabetes as well as the larger body size. I agree with you that there are many factors in gaining weight. I’m even considering trying Levemir instead of Lantus for that reason.
I’m not blaming anyone, nor am I judging…it takes figuring out. It is scary because I am sure most people feel annoyed that they have to eat to correct lows. That’s why years ago my endo said adjust as you need it. He does that for himself. Other doctors may say just take snacks when exercising, but I prefer to just reduce my insulin beforehand and the next day.
I think the you made me laugh comment preceded the sub-thread here?
I like to eat to correct lows. Maybe not Olive Garden but a few carbs here and there make me feel ok?
Right on, Maurie!! YMMV, for ALL of us, and what works for one will not work for another!
Right on, Kari! Thanks for mentioning all the reasons people might be overweight, including just plain ol’ genetics. Stocky East Europeans are by no mean to be compared to slender Japanese – are the Japanese virtuous, and the E. Europeans gluttonous? No, we’re just built different. There have even been studies of twins adopted out to different families, who, in adulthood resembled each other far more than their adoptive families.
We as a society need to get rid of our “fat prejudice” and start treating all people the way they were meant to be treated – with respect and humility.
Skinny people aren’t skinny because they’re virtuous – they’re skinny because they’re lucky. And fat people aren’t fat because they’re lazy gluttonous slobs – the drew the short straw.
And the best attitude of all is HEALTH AT EVERY SIZE!
Atkins died of heart disease - he is was and always be a Quack - Can u spell duck - Quack Quack Quack!!
I still think of my Atkinsing coworkers eating bacon & eggs, pork rinds, bowl of meat, more pork rinds during the day. Yikes…
He did not!
He slid on ice and cracked his head. He did blow up but only after they started throwing the glucose and steroids to him. There are pictures of him on tv within 6 weeks of his death and he most certainly was not overweight. His program was his answer to a heart problem he was getting if you read his book he does not try to hide it. As someone who follows low carb with lots of veggies some protein and lots of fat, love them pork rinds that for. Acidrock23, my glucose numbers are good, lost 60# fairly easily and it’s sustainable!
Hi Karen, see you’re from Chicago. My best friend Gerry is from there and tells me about all the good food like Italian Beef and of course the sports, the Bears and Cubs. Anyways, I rarely see pumpers besides myself except for last year at a yearly camping week that I attend for astronomy in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. I was putting up my tent and a man in his thirties came over and asked if that was a MM722 in my carry case on my belt. He showed his blue one and I showed him my blue one. He was a type 1 and very thin. That’s the only time I have been approached.
I don’t think that Atkins itself is necessarily bad however I still think ‘yikes’ at some people’s interpretation of it? I have tried pork rinds but I think the nutrition information was a bit alarming and prefer nuts for snacking. I pretty much avoid reading diet books. Diabetes takes enough time that I prefer reading more uplifting literature:
Very impressive!!
Oh gotcha and agree! Lots of people do urban Atkins. I do like pork rinds but maybe i need to read past the 0 carbs! Lol I’m coming to the not reading diet books since I more need to know about this diabetes stuff. my numbers are good now I’m not naive enough to believe they will stay there forever. Tho that would be nice. Thanks for the quick answer